[mrohit17]

Friends;

I have finally decided on Garmin Nuvi 215 with Satguide Maps for my navigation purposes.

Garmin Nuvi 215 is the model I have selected based upon reviews both Indian as well as of foreign sites.

Now I have the choice of buying Nuvi 215 with Map my India maps from Autsun or with Satguide maps from Careth Corporation the Garmin dealer.

Map my india as well as Satguide are offering maps of 404 cities in detail right now. I have seleceted Satguide only because the unit is from the dealer itself and hence i would not face any issues in warranty. He is givin g one free upgrade also.

I checked with both the companies and even some remote parts of Kutch district of Gujarat (India border) were also listed in the maps and the detailed map of my city Gandhidham were also present.

I unit would cost me finally Rs.14000 (including tax) if i go for Satguide from the dealer and Rs. 14700 if I go for Map my India from Autsun.

Need any suggestions/advice before I finally order.

[NetfreakBombay]

That (Garmin Unit + navteq maps from Satguide) is a decent combination. And you get four free updates.

How much do you have to pay for Garmin maps to satguide?

[indie]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

That (Garmin Unit + navteq maps from Satguide) is a decent combination. And you get four free updates.

How much do you have to pay for Garmin maps to satguide?

map is not sold by satguide, but by garmin distributor in india i.e asimindia & elektronika lab..

stand alone version costs 6500..

man, buy from elektronika itself..as all the future updates r free not one single update.

[::::::||ELEKTRONIK LAB||:::::::::]

http://asimindia.com

[Sportsmind]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

That (Garmin Unit + navteq maps from Satguide) is a decent combination. And you get four free updates.

How much do you have to pay for Garmin maps to satguide?

.. I am on this combination garmin Nuvi 200w and satguide (Aug 2009) updated maps. Just perfect and very accurate.

[Fountainheader]

Originally Posted by Sportsmind

.. I am on this combination garmin Nuvi 200w and satguide (Aug 2009) updated maps. Just perfect and very accurate.

I am looking at getting a Garmin unit from the US and load Satguide maps. Could you please post detailed breakup of the costs involved ? Would help me compare rates

[mrohit17]

Originally Posted by indie

map is not sold by satguide, but by garmin distributor in india i.e asimindia & elektronika lab..

stand alone version costs 6500..

man, buy from elektronika itself..as all the future updates r free not one single update.

[::::::||ELEKTRONIK LAB||:::::::::]

http://asimindia.com

Man, I think what you are saying will be applicable if you are buying Maps standalone. Here I am getting a Garmin Nuvi 215 with satguide maps loaded along with one free update offer.

Also please advice should I get the maps loaded into the Nuvi main memory or should I get it loaded into an SD card. What would be better from point of view of speed and map updation process.

[indie]

Originally Posted by mrohit17

Man, I think what you are saying will be applicable if you are buying Maps standalone. Here I am getting a Garmin Nuvi 215 with satguide maps loaded along with one free update offer.

Also please advice should I get the maps loaded into the Nuvi main memory or should I get it loaded into an SD card. What would be better from point of view of speed and map updation process.

if u go through gamrin website. asimindia & mapmyindia are two companies in inida which are authorised to sell garmin maps.. asimindia takes maps from elektroniak lab, which works in sync with navteq (gamrin original map provider) and as of april 2009 satguide has patched with garmin to share there data, mapmyindia being the independent releaser.

as far as map quality is concerned out of all the three maps available mapmyindia has good content, have checked satguide delhi map.. there conetent filtering was good... but navteq maps is good in the sense as you can edit them on pc and add your own data because of the mapsource version availabilty.

if you find things too technical above lemme know.

check out asim india webiste, they sell maps along with nuvi & the coming updates are free...you can call/mail them &confirm before buying, there partner elektronika lab is in mumbai so you can check up before you buy from any distributor, as its always adviseable to buy from the main garmin distributor in india.

gamin maps are usually on sd card only.. and next time wen you update just have to replace the image file.

over all the above things, just as a friend i advise you not to buy garmin.. because of teh following reasons..

1. garmin is linux based, you cannot unlock your device to get otehr stuff working like different softwares i.e. satguide, mapmyindi, igo8 etc.
2. you have jsut one option of garmin , whihc i dont think is a wise choice to make.

you should go for a mio device, check on radioshack for 199$ u get a beter device and good thing you can unlock it to use it as a pda... which is not possibel in garmin.

all the companies in world except garmin & tomtom use wince platform..so you will have many options in hand to choose and try from.. and you can load garmin also.. on the pnd.

buy MIO device, it will be of great benefit to you..

rest is your choice.. if u need any help with it.. lemme know.

regards

[mrohit17]

@ Indie,

Thanks for the PM friend.

Of all the investigations I have done on the net I have always read that Garmin products are rated very highly. Could you tell me what mods we can do on a Mio set (Moov 300PMD) after unlocking it.

Got a call from Map my India yesterday. They have also offered me Garmin 215 at similar price but no updates on offer. Please clear my confusion as what I now understand is that MMI maps are better ones but they do not have any Mio units on offer. And Satguide offers Moov 300 at Rs.15300/-.

[gd1418]

I've always been a Garmin user. Earlier I had a iQue 3200 (still have) that Garmin eventually discontinued and the map updates also discontinued. The best feature I liked about the 3200 was its recording of tracks.

I upgraded to Nuvi 310 that came with its proprietory 40 cities + Metros. This doesn't have track recording and boy, do I miss it? Now the Garmin distributor offered me SatNav's 400+ cities map for 7K. I've taken the SD card on trial and am running it. In Delhi/NCR I've found this very detailed and accurate as well. yet to try it out on the highways and other cities. I checked about MMI maps for Garmin and the distributor advised against it, though he stocks that too as well.

[mrohit17]

Originally Posted by gd1418

I've always been a Garmin user.
==============
yet to try it out on the highways and other cities. I checked about MMI maps for Garmin and the distributor advised against it, though he stocks that too as well.

May I ask why you prefer Garmin over others? The Garmin distributor has asked me on what memory would you prefer the maps on the main memory or in the SD card. I do not know, please advice. As per my technical thinking if the maps are in main memory then the device should work faster...

Even my interactions with Satguide and MMI personel left me felt that Satguide people appeared more professional: Eg: MMI personnel still do not know how much they will charge for map updation in future.

Now as far as Mio Moov 300 is considered can somebody tell me what benefis can be accrued after unlocking it..

Originally Posted by gd1418

I've always been a Garmin user. Earlier I had a iQue 3200 (still have) that Garmin eventually discontinued and the map updates also discontinued. The best feature I liked about the 3200 was its recording of tracks.

I upgraded to Nuvi 310 that came with its proprietory 40 cities + Metros. This doesn't have track recording and boy, do I miss it? Now the Garmin distributor offered me SatNav's 400+ cities map for 7K. I've taken the SD card on trial and am running it. In Delhi/NCR I've found this very detailed and accurate as well. yet to try it out on the highways and other cities. I checked about MMI maps for Garmin and the distributor advised against it, though he stocks that too as well.

May I ask why you prefer Garmin over others? The Garmin distributor has asked me on what memory would you prefer the maps on the main memory or in the SD card. I do not know, please advice. As per my technical thinking if the maps are in main memory then the device should work faster...

Even my interactions with Satguide and MMI personel left me felt that Satguide people appeared more professional: Eg: MMI personnel still do not know how much they will charge for map updation in future.

Now as far as Mio Moov 300 is considered can somebody tell me what benefis can be accrued after unlocking it..

@indie: Your inputs are awaited

[gd1418]

I prefer Garmin because when I purchased my iQue 3200, here in Delhi, then no other models were available. Secondly, I didn't have any friends or relatives staying abroad who would oblige me.

Finally, most of my acqauintances in the avaiation field swore by two models - Garmin or Magellan. The latter, even to this day is not officially availalbe in India. And for your info, 90% of defence purchase of navigation devices is from garmin. Even the perpetrators of 26/11 in Mumbai used a garmin to get the right fix..

My maps are on the SD card and I 've never felt the need of greater speeds of navigating. Let me tell you something, your device will work only that much faster as much sooner it gets the satellite fix. Having maps on the main memory or SD card are not an issue. The sooner the device gets a fix, the faster it will navigate...

Originally Posted by mrohit17

May I ask why you prefer Garmin over others? The Garmin distributor has asked me on what memory would you prefer the maps on the main memory or in the SD card. I do not know, please advice. As per my technical thinking if the maps are in main memory then the device should work faster...

[Thad E Ginathom]

Please note that there is no such word as updation (or upgradation either). Both update and and upgrade are nouns as well as verbs, and are the correct words to use.

The dyslexia of a certain US president and the more-syllables-must-better attitude of some marketing people have done a great deal of damage to English, be it American, Indian or British.



Yes I know, but it drives me crazy!




(If my post is deleted, fair enough: I got it off my chest!)

[indie]

@mrohit17

first u need to understand the base system on which gps software's are based..

at present, the famous is wince (navngo, navigon, sygic, destinator etc.) all works on windows platform & other is linux (tomtom & garmin only)

now software's for android, symbian and iphone system aare also becoming popular.

Coming to pnd's ... those based on WINDOWS Platform has the option, to unlock the device & load any software on it... you can move to any software of your choice not sticking to the one pre loaded.


Linux Pnd's ... like garmin & tomtom has no option to unlock the device & you cannot move to any other software which has advance features like TTS(text to speech).. garmin models are varied with different features in each of them.. some of them wil have & some of them won't.

Garmin is popular because of the fact .. its the first company in the world to launch gps on commercial scale with there products varying from air to water & earth.. and all the mapping stuff is done with garmin plotters only.

and mostly US buyer's buy garmin as matter of fact they are paranoid kinda.. and wat you tell them is bets they follow.

but in your case you are an end user.. who want's to use it for personal use not interested in GIS(mapping) or commercial aspects ...

you can give Garmin PND a miss because its costly, no option of upgrading/unlocking & load any other software on it..

you will have only option of maps from NAVTEQ, MAPMYINDIA & SATGUIDE..

and you always like changes.. openoffice word does same as microsoft word but gui is different.

Also, the best thing of WINDOWS based system is you can load garmin also.


Coming to professionalism.. satguide is far better in public relations than mapmyindia..

Mapmyindia is using MIREO software ( Coaratia based company) and Satguide is using Dsetinator 7 (European)

but in coming few days.. satguide is upgrading its system too DESTINATOR 9 (most awaited gps software of the year) , SYGIC (very famous for its user friendly gui) & papago (taiwan based).

i think you are more interested in buying gps product from india only..

so coming to MIO MOOV 300

you can unlock the device .. using MIO Unlock or any other unlock & it will turn into a PDA... u will have options to use office applications, watch movies, play songs , access internet (either uisng USB over activesync or you can buy a wifi sd card) and too many thing apart form this.

ok if you are buying from satguide.. they will surely upgarde you to destinator 9 in coming few weeks & then 4 updates are free from them (just a good point.. you have a genuine software not the cracked one)

rest maps things are concerned.. how many genuinely buy them ??

they all are d/l online.. if you google you will see all software & latest maps form india.. check this... Forum - Navigator

all these software's can be loaded on mio moov .. not on garmin..

these all are gps software available for india..

MIOMAP 2008, MIREO BLACK EDITION, GARMIN, ROUTE 66, POLNAV, SATGUIDE/DESTINATOR

i advice you to buy mio moov rather than garmin..

rest is your choice, if you need any further help.. lemme know.

regards

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Please note that there is no such word as updation (or upgradation either). Both update and and upgrade are nouns as well as verbs, and are the correct words to use.

The dyslexia of a certain US president and the more-syllables-must-better attitude of some marketing people have done a great deal of damage to English, be it American, Indian or British.



Yes I know, but it drives me crazy!




(If my post is deleted, fair enough: I got it off my chest!)

no offence.. but wat you think about those who downlaoding doing just a google search .. and all the latest software's and map from india..

they are not damaging any thing.. they are just screwing their economics :P

the other best option for device is BLAUPUNKT

Blaupunkt India - The advantage in your car.

they come pre loaded with navngo igo8 software.. which is the best navigation software in the world.

[Thad E Ginathom]

It's true that Garmin won the brand battle for GPS long before it ever entered a car. So much so, I'm surprised that we don't call them garmins, like hoover and thermos.

I'm watching from the sidelines (and using my N82 in the city). I'd love to have a "big-screen" GPS in the car. I won't be buying for a while, it's just on the wanted list, but I find that Garmin still has strong brand appeal!

But everything seems to be in the melting pot just now, with maps and hardware available independently.

Fascinating market.

[Sportsmind]

Originally Posted by Fountainheader

I am looking at getting a Garmin unit from the US and load Satguide maps. Could you please post detailed breakup of the costs involved ? Would help me compare rates

.

I was lucky to get the Garmin Nuvi 200w from ebay india, as a Bangalore guy was selling his U.S purchased instrument. I picked it for 13K. It still has U.S and Canada maps pre loaded. The SD card provided by him had Garmin India maps, only a few cities. Bangalore city was detailed and perfect on this. After my first GPS tagged trip out of Bangalore, I decided to purchase the Satguide maps on SD card for Rs.2183. Both works perfect. Did a trip to Kabini forest last week, was quite useful with the main roads.Cheers..