Surprisingly, Garmin still makes retail automotive navigation units.

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee) 11/10/2019 at 21:33 • Filed to: None

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This despite the fact that everyone has just used their phone for nearly the last decade.

TomT om does t oo for that matter but most of their models are listed as “out of stock” or “coming soon”.

WilliamsSW > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 21:39

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At this point I wish automakers would stop putting them in cars too. 

jimz > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 21:45

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If “everyone” has been using their phone, Garmin wouldn’t still be selling these things.  Ergo, not “everyone” is using their phone.

Jay, the practical enthusiast > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 21:45

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My dad is in his 70s. Despite having a smartphone and navigation built into his car he still prefers his Garmin. I think he's just used to it and doesn't want to learn how to use anything else.

CB > WilliamsSW 11/10/2019 at 21:46

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Just give us Android Auto/Apple Car Play , USB ports, and be done with it.

Maxima Speed > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 21:46

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I use an inertial  navigation unit salvaged from a Russian sub. It’s mounted in the trunk. 

facw > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 21:50

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Old people you know. My parents generally prefer to use their standalone Garmin instead of their phones.

My dad was pleasantly surprised to find his rental had Carplay when he plugged in his phone to charge, and used that, though for a bit apparently he Google Maps navigation on his phone and Apple Maps navigation on Carplay, leading to confusion.

Personally, after my TomTom was stolen in 2013 (right before a long road trip), I bought a new Garmin at Best Buy, and was astounded by how much it sucked compared to my phone. I used it for the trip, but returned it right away after reaching my destination (at least Best Buy has a good return policy). Crappy low-resolution restive touch screen, crappy traffic info, crappy out of date maps (without an easy way to update on the go), etc.

Quite happy using Android Auto/Google Maps on my phone as my GPS solution (so of course Google has announced that they are no longer developing the phone screen version of Android Auto).

WilliamsSW > CB 11/10/2019 at 21:51

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Seriously.  Everything else they do is objectively worse AND more expensive 

For Sweden > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 21:54

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Customer: I want a dedicated GPS in my car.

Garmin: OK Boomer

ranwhenparked > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 21:57

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They’re great for when you want to drop a couple hundred bucks for something that works for a few weeks, then totally bricks and becomes a black plastic paperweight. 

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 22:16

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I have one in my truck that has no factory nav, I update the maps regularly. My phone works OK but it is nice to not have to mess with waze 

facw > CB 11/10/2019 at 22:17

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Eww, USB. I mean give us USB, but it’s embarrassing that wireless is just now becoming a feature with these. Give us a Bluetooth connection, and a nice non-slip Qi charging area in case the phone needs a power up.

But yeah, I don’t need badly a designed head unit system with dubious potential for upgrades. I especially don’t need it when automakers are more concerned about differentiating their user experience than whether the user experience is any good.

CB > facw 11/10/2019 at 22:19

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I meant USB for charging since not all of us have wireless charging.

facw > CB 11/10/2019 at 22:25

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Fine to have, no reason not to. Though really, while I did think it was a silly gimmick before I got a phone that had it, I can’t imagine buying a phone without it now. Since I got my S10 in July, I’ve plugged it in to charge exactly once, when a flight was delayed and I needed to charge from a power bank. Otherwise it is really so much more convenient to just set it down and have it charge.  

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 22:33

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counterpoint: go drive someehere with shitty cell coverage

tpw_rules > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 22:50

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I, a 22 year old, love my Garmin. It regularly gets free map updates, works without cell coverage, and is perfectly reliable. It’s hilarious how long it’s had certain features that people using Google Maps ooh and ahh over, like speed limits or lane guidance. It’s also a lot better at speaking what to do IMO and thus significantly reduces the need to look at it.

There’s still things it does that I can’t believe Google hasn’t implemented yet. For example, it has a picture of every highway junction in the US and shows it, with arrows overlaid, to illustrate how to navigate the thing. Google has petabytes upon petabytes of street view images, why hasn’t an intern spent a weekend to make an AI that can do the same deal?

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 22:58

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Before I had a smart phone I bought a GPS when travelling across the country for a move. Three years ago someone smashed my window and stole it, on a snowy January day, my damn birthday, when I was unemployed and broke. Fast forward two years and I accidentally leave my car unlocked. The thief that dug through the contents of my center console didn’t even bother to steal the GPS (bought for $1.19/lb) that was sitting right there...

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 11/10/2019 at 23:01

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That’s what Google Offline Maps is for (especially for those of us that don’t have unlimited data... )

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > facw 11/10/2019 at 23:01

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The CarPlay should have pulled up google maps in console sCreen

slipperysallylikespenguins > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/10/2019 at 23:07

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I love my Garmin. Perfect for areas with bad cell coverage or traveling to Europe.

facw > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 11/10/2019 at 23:31

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Apparently it didn’t... I don’t know, I’m over here in Android land driving a car with a head unit that’s basically from 2001.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > facw 11/11/2019 at 09:23

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Maybe they just never updated their iOS 

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/11/2019 at 13:37

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As others have mentioned, dedicated GPS works where there is no cell coverage. It turns out there are huge chunks of rural America that have no cell coverage as my coworker found out when going to Vegas/ Moab/northern Arizona this fall.  He figured it would be no problem getting around using his phone, right up until they were in the middle of nowhere and had no way to figure out which way they needed to turn at the intersection.