Any opinions on Garmin Zummo 550 v 2820 v 2720? I don't need the blue tooth, mp3 and photostuff on the Zumo... -- Fr. Jack The Un-Civil Servant http://craggy-island.myminicity.com/
Yeah, but 370+GBP for a new zumo v 150-ish GBP for a used 2820 or 2720. -- Fr. Jack The Un-Civil Servant http://craggy-island.myminicity.com/
Don't discount the 2610 either if you can find a decent used one. I'm still happy with mine as it does what it says on the tin[1]. BTW, if you're looking for bike use, I vaguely seem to remember that the xx20 versions have built-in microdrives. Probably not what you want with all the vibration and that. [1] Given the accuracy of the maps for parts of Nevada, the tin must read "it gets you lost".
Will it take add-on cards? Are they actually spinny drives, or solid-state drives? You're not helping... -- Fr. Jack The Un-Civil Servant http://craggy-island.myminicity.com/
Memory cards? Yes. 2610s take bog-standard CF cards - I've got a bunch with various maps on them (UK only, Europe and US) and swap them as needed. Works fine and beats downloading maps to the unit as that takes an age and a half. Spinny ones, AFAIK, but that may just be the 2*6*20 - the spec on the Garmin site for the 2720 says "internal flash". Heh. I really rate my 2610 and the M5 I just bought off Cane. I've only had two "map failures" so far, the one above in Nevada where a town is mapped a few miles from where it really is and once in France when it didn't know about a one-way street. But then again, I make sure that I've got up-to-date maps for mine because otherwise, they're a waste of money if you want to do fairly accurate navigation. Oh, and the odd reality check with a Mk1 eyeball also helps.
The major difference for me was that the 261o doesn't have full postcode search and the 2820 does, amongst a host of other things. My 2610 was a great unit and I only sold it last week. I have been using the 2820 since it came out and it pretty much does everything. Vibration has neber been a problem either. Know nothing about the Zumo so can't comment cheers
I can't fault my ZUmo 550. I use it every day, weekdays in the cage and weekends on the bikes. I think they now do a declawed version (400?) that is just for the UK, as is, but you can shove in any map you so desire. I bought my 550 well over a year ago, as soon as they hit the UK market, over 500 sovs!! I can't recommend anything better, although my old SP3 is still with me and does the job. Just takes ages to recalculate when you "change route!" as it were. -- Greybeard FLHR -03 UK (95 cu-in Stg 2. Big Boy2!) Trumpet Trophy 1200-03 Garmin Zumo 550, To get me home! ukrm@foxtails[dot]co[dot]uk
Well, it appears that my comment only applied to the 2620 - both the 2720 and the 2820 are listed as having "internal solid state" memory. Full Postcode search may indeed be a good thing but I don't know if that would be enough for me to go and buy yet another unit.
Having been a long time user of the SP2 and a number of other units before the Zumo 550, I must say that a full post code search facility is far more useful. The partial search as in the SP3, was very good, but you needed to input much more data to find the address, a lot more key presses. As I'm travelling every day to different addresses, the full search facility is much easier. It's not _always_ exact, but pretty damn close 99.8% of the time. You do get the odd anomaly, where the postcode doesn't match were you really want go, and that can make thing interesting, make sure you check the end position first ;o) -- Greybeard FLHR -03 UK (95 cu-in Stg 2. Big Boy2!) Trumpet Trophy 1200-03 Garmin Zumo 550, To get me home! ukrm@foxtails[dot]co[dot]uk
I was very sceptical about satnav, being very comfortable with maps. However, I've used the 2610 in the car and on the bike. It is very good for the modest price I paid.
New mapping is now available for the 2610 - just ordered my DVD. Unlock code is $75, which is peanuts with the current exchange rate. v9 got a bit confused at times last year in Italy. Those Italians have been busy building tunnels and bypasses in the Brenta Dolomites...
Oh great, already? Bugger, that'll be both the US maps and the European ones in need of an update. And the French have been building plenty of roundabouts that v9 didn't know about, either.
I use my N95 with Garmin software and some earphones. Works a treat. However, I'd like to be able to close the phone up when it's in my jacket pocket[1], so may go with an external bluetooth one day. [1] Can be used with the phone shut, so I'm told.. but never tried it for some random reason.
What software do you use on the N95? I've never got my N95 GPS to work yet! -- Greybeard FLHR -03 UK (95 cu-in Stg 2. Big Boy2!) Trumpet Trophy 1200-03 Garmin Zumo 550, To get me home! ukrm@foxtails[dot]co[dot]uk
The GPS antenna is under the keypad, so you'll get a better signal with it open. From the manual: "The GPS receiver is located in the bottom of the device. When using the receiver, slide the numeric keypad open and hold the device upright in your hand at an angle of about 45 degrees, with a clear view of the sky."
Garmin, GMobileXT.. got lots of points of interest imported in too. Excellent routing and recalculation.
