GPS - Do you, how do you, what software, planning, etc TOMTOM ONE XL

[ohgood]

Wifey bought me a tomtom one XL. It's nice. It's software is complete crap for the mac version. The tomtom itself is a really user friendly unit. Planning a start and end is easy enough, and the prompts are easily followed. The coolest feature is it re-thinks if you make a wrong turn or change your route while driving.

Now then, on the motorcycle, it's complete rubbish. Can't take your eyes off the road, can't touch it, can't hear the voice prompts, etc. Knew all this for a while.

In the car, it's fantastic. It dims at dusk, voice prompts, and you can choose this sexy euro-chick voice to co-pilot you along. There are hacks for it to play mp3's and such, but we have a radio.

Bluetooth blows on it, simply because my phone isn't supported. At some point I may hit the pawnshops for a new phone, that is supported, but until then I'm biased and calling it foul.

While connected to the mac, it's almost rubbish. I haven't used one enough to know the 'cool' apps that motorcyclist / hikers / cyclists  would use to plot fun excursions. The TOMTOM HOME software is junk. About all it does is push over proprietary formatted stuff to the unit. It charges the non-standard batteries while plugged into the USB2.0 slot, so that's about it for making it _not_ rubbish.

After reading all my mess:

Do you have a nice app that is cross platform, free/FREE (i like open source stuff), and has a feature to log your route ?

Gimmie your hints. I'm open to trying new software, and even pay for stuff if it's indeed worthy of a few dollars in your opinion.

My current ~/ is located near: N 27.94568 W 82.28052 for anyone that likes maps.

Thanks gps'ers.

[spc]

I have no clue, but have you checked Apple.com under the downloads section??  They have a really wide range of software, the majority of which is shareware or freeware.

[scottpA_GS]

I was surprised to see that you could type that (N 27.94568 W 82.28052) in Google and it works 

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=N+27.94568+W+82.28052&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

[spc]

Wow!!  I used to live 3.5 miles from you   It looks like the apartments are still there on Valrico Station Rd. .....................

[ohgood]

I was surprised to see that you could type that (N 27.94568 W 82.28052) in Google and it works 

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=N+27.94568+W+82.28052&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

Ya, I'm kinda of a fan of all things google. Now if they would include a script to export trips / routes from their maps....

[ohgood]

Wow!!  I used to live 3.5 miles from you   It looks like the apartments are still there on Valrico Station Rd. .....................

Ah stop the stalking already. Think of the children !

[yamahonkawazuki]

Wow!!  I used to live 3.5 miles from you   It looks like the apartments are still there on Valrico Station Rd. .....................

[zephler]

I have no idea really.... hey least I'm honest    but don't tomtom make a bike specific GPS unit? I'm sure the one my mate has is a tomtom rider or some such instrument 

[ohgood]

I have no idea really.... hey least I'm honest    but don't tomtom make a bike specific GPS unit? I'm sure the one my mate has is a tomtom rider or some such instrument 

Yes, the TOMTOM Rider is the motorcycle specific device. It sells for around $800, which is almost 1/2 the value of my gs

I've looked around, and there isn't really much information about good motorcycle gps units. Seems you just have to try your luck or spend mega dollars.

[trumpetguy]

I got a MIO C230 in November and have been looking for a way to import my trip planning (which I do in Microsoft Streets and Trips) into the GPS unit.  So far, there's no way.  I have to plan point-to-point in Streets and Trips, then plot point-to-point on the 3.5" screen (PITA).   I do have the ability to import POIs, and several people have hacked the Mio, so maybe that capability will come in the next few months.

[spc]

Hacks are awesome, you gotta love engineering and programming students with free time

[ohgood]

I got a MIO C230 in November and have been looking for a way to import my trip planning (which I do in Microsoft Streets and Trips) into the GPS unit.  So far, there's no way.  I have to plan point-to-point in Streets and Trips, then plot point-to-point on the 3.5" screen (PITA).   I do have the ability to import POIs, and several people have hacked the Mio, so maybe that capability will come in the next few months.

I saw the ad for the Mio but didn't find much online about it. Maybe it runs linux, and folks will make it usefull . My TOMTOM runs linux, but apparently the community doesn't care for it too much just yet. Or the bugs are still being ironed.

More and more devices rely on the penguin all the time. +100000

[trumpetguy]

Actually, the Mio runs Windows CE, not the penguin.  Most of the hack has been simply not making it autorun the MioMap software.  Once that was done, you could use all the CE utilities like photo viewer, media player, clock, paint (on a 3.5" screen!?!), etc.

Actually, I just thought of something -- I can export sections of my Streets and Trips maps as jpgs and view them on the Mio in photo viewer -- not as elegant as a planned route, but it would be much easier than plotting every point.  Since I rarely use the fastest route, I end up plotting a LOT of points to get the twisty route I want.

I also have to figure out a bike mount for the Mio.  I have only used it in the car so far.