Navman e-Series GPS Navigator for Laptop Computers Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)THE PRETTY GOOD:
Rand McNally makes pretty maps, though
- You need to download an updated version to run on XP
- Level 1 display (whole continental US) only aligns its layers in 800x600 screen mode (but zoomed-in levels 2+ adapt to any screen size).
You can alter the map display to myriad available schemes, or make your own. Special display mode for night viewing, automatically engaged after dusk, for example. Very pretty.
THE USEFUL BUT TROUBLESOME:
At its heart, the issue is the integration of the NavMan GPS with Rand McNally's StreetFinder!
NavMan hooks up trivially easily, and starts looking for satellites (once you have the Windows-XP update downloaded from Rand McNally's site; otherwise the software hangs). Unfortunately, the antenna had a wretched time finding the satellite signals. I could get my position at home on my desk, or out in a field with the antenna laying in open grass, but it couldn't find satellites in my car, on the dash, mounted inside the windshield, or even on top of the car.I could get a fix holding it out the driver's window, but this isn't a recommended practice!
After two weeks of frustration, I discovered the secret - embedded in my windshield is a slight shading film that is also my car radio antenna, which blocks other signals from penetrating.However, there's a 3 x 12" clear rectangle in each upper corner of the windshield, through which the GPS antenna does receive!You'll have to find *your* spot.
Other troubles include
- The map and the GPS track don't stay aligned when you go through several zoom and scroll clicks
- The GPS can navigate to a point or a route (e.g. distance to the next turn), but it looses the route from time to time, and sometimes can't resume tracking it from mid-route.
- You have no control over the routing, like in other software, to avoid toll roads, take or avoid highways, or do multiple waypoint routing.
- The maps seem to be vintage 1999-2000 or so (3-4 years old now), and missing new streets and addresses.There is no apparent way to download updates to the map database.
- Its address "geocoder", which turns an address into a point on the globe (Lat/Long), is quite picky with your way of writing the address, and may not be able to "find" it.Some times, editing the address can produce a match;
- It has a built-in address book to use in your drives, but no apparent way to import or export an existing address book (e.g. Outlook) into the software, or keep changes coordinated with your existing address book, except through lots of typing, cutting, & pasting.
- Every single time you turn on the GPS you have to Agree to follow the rules of the road while using it, which is (a) annoying (b) just legal protection for Rand McNally and (c) seems to push against its only significant use, which is to track what you're doing while driving.(The laptop isn't usually useful to track your progress while, for example, hiking.
- The TTFF (time to first fix, receiving enough GPS satellites) of "48 secs." is an average -- a first fix may take 2-6 minutes, and a reconnection may take seconds.
THE WRETCHED AND DISMAL:
RM's Directions work,
BUT YOU NEED AN INTERNET CONNECTION TO COMPUTE THEM!
(i.e., the software loaded off 4 CDs only includes data to display; the route computations are on networked servers. On the road, you need to compute all your routes at home or in the hotel, and God help you if you are in a strange place in the car and need to find the route out. You're on your own. This seems made for those who have a roaming (wireless) Internet connection, live in the car.)
All in all, some nice concepts here, and they'll really be terrific when they're debugged, and StreetFinder & NavMan are working flawlessly together!

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Product Description:
The NAVMAN GPS e Series for notebook computers is an easy-to-use solution that turns a notebook computer with a USB port into a complete navigational system. You get everything you need for real-time mobile GPS direction and mapping capabilities. Just load the Rand McNally StreetFinder Deluxe Travel Navigation Software onto your PC. Plug the GPS receiver into your notebook's USB port and you're ready to plan trips, locate destinations and find points of interest such as hotels and restaurants. Your navigational solution operates using your notebook's power source and provides precise information on your location and how to get to your destination.The heart of your NAVMAN GPS solution is the powerful antenna, which connects you to up to 12 satellites - pinpointing your position anywhere in the world.And the Rand McNally StreetFinder Deluxe Travel Navigation Software includes detailed street maps for the contiguous United States and Hawaii; plus the location of over a million points of interest and businesses.The NAVMAN GPS e Series includes the GPS receiver, Rand McNally StreetFinder Deluxe Travel Navigation Software, USB connector and windshield-mounting bracket.

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