Columbus Sat Nav or Android Google Maps ?

[Nick_H]

Well.... New phone so decided to try Android Auto today...

 

Background .... I'm a TomTom die hard... Had it first on a Compaq iPAQ way back when you had to stick the GPS receiver on the roof.... Anything better than TomTom.... No chance says me ...

 

So... My trusty old TomTom Go 510 was getting a bit long in the tooth anyway so I was apprehensive about the Columbus Nav from the start. I thought I would hate it...

 

Surprisingly... No I didn't ! In fact I like it.

 

Things I like ....

 

It has lane assistance which I know modern sat navs have but my old 510 didn't.

 

It's of course built in so no ####### about with it.

 

The speech is good over the samples supplied with the TomTom which cant read street names.

 

The maps are good.

 

In fact I like it as much as my TomTom....

 

Stuff I miss a bit ...

 

I do miss my Ozzy Osbourne voice set but that's another story ....

 

I miss my Traffic Camera alert which gives me 2 staged warnings plus the camera type.

 

So.... Now onto Android and Google...

 

Well... I often use Goole Maps in the firms #hite van.... And I do like it.... A lot...

 

I like the seemingly very precise traffic condition update. The maps appear to be very accurate. The direction is excellent as is the voice.

 

With android auto its also very cool !

 

Ask about a traffic report between you and the destination ? Reads it out. Weather ? Reads it out.... Pretty much like Siri really.... Very cool.... Been to Ligh****e Vally today... En route asked what time it opens.. No problem full report on opening times etc ...

 

The only bad thing is it doesn't show up in the Maxidot......

 

For me I'm afraid that's probably a deal breaker ....

 

So that was just a quick test today....

 

Anyone used both Columbus and Android for a decent length of time and can report on the merits and demerits of both ?

 

TA !

 

 

 

 

 

[BillyJim]

The TMC works far better on the continent in combination with the built-in SatNav. It won't tell you what the weather is but will flash up adverse weather warnings. I was surprised in Germany when it popped up with a warning of "thunderstorms between x and y with risk of aquaplaning" on my route. TMC in Germany was often warning me about congestion and incidents on my route long before they came over the radio as TAs. They are also much quicker to clear TMC messages when an incident or congestion no longer exists.

As for camera warnings, that's something you can add yourself in the form of PPOIs. I have separate PPOIs for fixed and mobile. I could add SPECS (average speed) too but they are blatantly obvious and as I'll never jump a red light I don't have the ATS camera option installed either. The only issue with having warnings in the built-in SatNav PPOIs is that they are not directional (so you get a warning even if t's not on the road you're using) nor can you change the distance/timing of the warning, though they are dynamic so the faster you are travelling the earlier you get a warning.

 

It's fair to say I seldom use the built-in SatNav for route guidance in the UK, nor any other form of SatNav, but I do rely on it heavily for my annual european road trips and over there it's been indispensable. I tried using Maps with an iPhone in CarPlay mode but couldn't get on with it and data roaming charges doesn't make it a financially viable option outside the UK.

[Prykey]

Totally agree with Billyjim, on my recent trip to Germany the SatNav proved invaluable with re-routes to avoid traffic jams from either sheer weight of traffic or roadworks (The Germans must be spending a fortune on road repairs on their Autobahn Network as they are everywhere!).

 

One re-route saved me over 30-mins as my mate couldn't make the change in time and had to follow the route plotted by the SatNav in his BMW with older maps. 

Edited 19 September, 2016 by Prykey

[MartiniB]

and next level is Waze

[r08shaw]

I used both Columbus and Google Maps (GM), via Android Auto while on France during the summer.

 

Both were fantastic, but we had an emergency where we needed to get to the nearest hospital and I didn't have a signal on my phone so couldn't use GM.

It seems that GM will cache the route when you navigate from A>B to get around signal loss. When we were driving out in the sticks, I noticed the phone dropping off the network, but the navigation remained active.

 

The POI categories in the Columbus proved invaluable as they identified a hospital with A&E as opposed to one without. As it happens it was 15 mins away, but we did it a little bit quicker!! ;-)

 

While in the UK I've been using Columbus, but do occasionally use GM when I need to know accurate traffic info.

R.

[Coops]

I find the Columbus TMC very poor IMO

[ronWhelan]

when you folks say you use google maps, is that on your phone or on the Skoda?

[hpoom]

Using AndroidAuto, so on the carscreen but using the phone for computer power.

[r08shaw]

when you folks say you use google maps, is that on your phone or on the Skoda?

I use it on the car screen via Android Auto. Traffic data is always current and allows to navigate around the worst of it.

[ronWhelan]

I use it on the car screen via Android Auto. Traffic data is always current and allows to navigate around the worst of it.

 

Thanks.This is not an option for me. I don.t have that capability on Columbus on my Skoda Elegance (2013)