User recommendations for a portable GPS

[olnacl]

My nephew is studying in NYC and isn't great at finding his way around. I'd like to get him a GPS for Christmas - something pocket sized that will help get him to some event and back to his dorm. He walks and uses public transportation, so battery life and size is important. I'd love to have this combined with a cell phone, but don't want to tie him to large monthly costs, so that's probably not in the picture.
The iQue3600 looks like a possibility and so does the Garmin Nuvi 350. I'd lean toward the iQue for it's multiple capabilities except it's discontinued (to the best of my knowledge) and battery life appears to be an issue from reviews I've read.
Suggestions welcomed from anyone with hands on experience.

[Cary]

If he's a Sprint/Nextel subscriber, he can use Telenav for $10/month. GPS can be problematic in Manhattan, due to the "canyon" effect, so a combo GPS/network-based service may work better.

The Nuvi 350 goes for $300 - $350 - you could gift him 2.5 - 3 years of Telenav for that - I'd assume that after a year or two he'd be familiar with getting around and wouldn't need it anymore.

An alternative is a map - most of Manhattan (except downtown) is a simple grid, and easy to learn...

Cary

[olnacl]

[quote Cary]If he's a Sprint/Nextel subscriber, he can use Telenav for $10/month. GPS can be problematic in Manhattan, due to the "canyon" effect, so a combo GPS/network-based service may work better.

The Nuvi 350 goes for $300 - $350 - you could gift him 2.5 - 3 years of Telenav for that - I'd assume that after a year or two he'd be familiar with getting around and wouldn't need it anymore.

An alternative is a map - most of Manhattan (except downtown) is a simple grid, and easy to learn...

Cary
Good info on the Canyon effect issue. I'm not sure who he subscribes to - I can check that but he'll be reluctant to spend the money (I know how he is) even if I give it to him. He's pursuing a doctorate at Columbia and attends music events frequently. Maybe I should give him cash for cab fares and call my shopping done...

[richorlin]

Garmin make the eTrek series of handheld GPS units.
The Legend is their midrange unit and it got great reviews at Amazon and is now on sale for $105: http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-eTrex-Legen..._1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1196432853&sr=8-1
The belt case is only an additional $10
You can load it up with Garmin's detailed maps for an additional $60 and it should cover NYC in minute detail.

I just bought one for my wife to use instead of a pedometer. She has two pedometers and she's always compalining that they are never accurate. I don't know why I didn't think of this before.

OR...buy him a Blackberry and install Google Maps.

One-time price for the Garmin or monthly cost for the Blackberry, but it does so much more.

[Robert M]

Ol,

I'm a New Yorker and can wholeheartedly say without a doubt your nephew doesn't need a GPS. New York City is a very easy city to navigate in general and has one of the best public transportation systems in the world. Convoluted at times but still one of the best. A combination of a map and plain ol' common sense and good planning will get him anywhere. Access to the Internet makes it even easier. For example... Need to use public transportation to get from point A to point B? Use www.hopstop.com.

To be honest, I think you'd be doing him a disservice by getting him a GPS. I'd feel differently if he was traveling to unknown destinations regularly. But that isn't the case here. If nothing else, your nephew should look at wandering around the city as an opportunity to explore what to many is a world unto itself. You'd be amazed at the wonderful things you find once you step away from the generic touristy gobbledicrap.

Robert

[BigGuynRusty]

[quote Robert M]Ol,

I'm a New Yorker and can wholeheartedly say without a doubt your nephew doesn't need a GPS. New York City is a very easy city to navigate in general and has one of the best public transportation systems in the world. Convoluted at times but still one of the best. A combination of a map and plain ol' common sense and good planning will get him anywhere. Access to the Internet makes it even easier. For example... Need to use public transportation to get from point A to point B? Use www.hopstop.com.

To be honest, I think you'd be doing him a disservice by getting him a GPS. I'd feel differently if he was traveling to unknown destinations regularly. But that isn't the case here. If nothing else, your nephew should look at wandering around the city as an opportunity to explore what to many is a world unto itself. You'd be amazed at the wonderful things you find once you step away from the generic touristy gobbledicrap.

Robert I am in total agreement with RM!!
NYC is incredibly easy to navigate.
Also, New Yorkers are always ready to help, despite what anybody says.
Really, if your Nephew is that dense that he gets lost in NYC, he shouldn't be let out of the house without a drool cup.

BGnR

[olnacl]

[quote BigGuynRusty][quote Robert M]Ol,

I'm a New Yorker and can wholeheartedly say without a doubt your nephew doesn't need a GPS. New York City is a very easy city to navigate in general and has one of the best public transportation systems in the world. Convoluted at times but still one of the best. A combination of a map and plain ol' common sense and good planning will get him anywhere. Access to the Internet makes it even easier. For example... Need to use public transportation to get from point A to point B? Use www.hopstop.com.

To be honest, I think you'd be doing him a disservice by getting him a GPS. I'd feel differently if he was traveling to unknown destinations regularly. But that isn't the case here. If nothing else, your nephew should look at wandering around the city as an opportunity to explore what to many is a world unto itself. You'd be amazed at the wonderful things you find once you step away from the generic touristy gobbledicrap.

Robert I am in total agreement with RM!!
NYC is incredibly easy to navigate.
Also, New Yorkers are always ready to help, despite what anybody says.
Really, if your Nephew is that dense that he gets lost in NYC, he shouldn't be let out of the house without a drool cup.

BGnR
Well, the last comment may be a bit uncalled for, but here's what I was thinking. The lad hasn't been much of an adventurer, prefers to spend his time immersed in books and the music for which he pursues his doctorate. He didn't even bother with a driver's license until into his 20s. I thought the GPS would serve as a portable mapquest in that he could key in a destination and see what route would take him where he wants to go, and, should he find himself in unfamilair territory, he could punch a home button and see the way back. Perhaps I underestimate his personal navigation skills, and, if so, for that I apologize.
I will take the advice of those who have experience in NYC and postpone, anyway, this purchase. He'll be home for Christmas and if he thinks it's a good idea, I can always buy it belatedly.

Incidentally, I delivered boats to Long Island some years back and using a fold up map, decided the most direct route was through the Lincoln tunnel. That was a mistake I'll never make again witth a trailer load of boats!

On the other hand, I do plan to buy a unit to keep around my house as I have occasional guests (one is coming in a few weeks) who like to walk/run great distances and finding the way back to my abode in a subdiviion of some 2000 cookie cutter dwellings has in the past been an occasional problem. I think something they can put in a pocket at the outset and utilize should they get confused might save me driving around trying to find them.

All input is greatly appreciated ('cept, perhaps, BGnR's final comment).

[Michael]

If you don't need talk-to-speech, this (today only) is a pretty good deal on a nice basic gps.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.d...id=5799321

[Robert M]

ol,

I understand where you're coming from but I will say it like this. This has nothing to do with being or not being adventuresome. Your nephew is in his early 20s. He's at an age where he should be able to figure out how to navigate travel in a city by himself. There's no need to coddle him.

That said, you took a trailer of boats through the Lincoln tunnel? Are you nuckin' futz?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? That's like driving from Long Island (Where I live) to NJ via the Belt Parkway and the Verrezano at 12:00 pm on Thanksgiving. Talk about a nightmare! I'm betting you chose a different route for your return.

Robert

[SDGuy]

[quote olnacl]On the other hand, I do plan to buy a unit to keep around my house as I have occasional guests (one is coming in a few weeks) who like to walk/run great distances and finding the way back to my abode in a subdiviion of some 2000 cookie cutter dwellings has in the past been an occasional problem. I think something they can put in a pocket at the outset and utilize should they get confused might save me driving around trying to find them.
For pocket (and occasional use) gps, I'd prefer to go the eTrex cx route https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=145 mainly because of battery life, and the ability to throw in AAs (32 hrs vs. 4-5 hrs for most of the car-type units). Keep some alkaline or hybrid AAs in there, and you're all set. The drawback is that you'll have to buy the detailed maps separately http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/ - but this also gives you the flexibility to load in other types of maps too (e.g. topographic).