Garmin Nuvi 205, the Automotive GPS

Hi reader,

 
 

This time I want to share my experience of using an automotive GPS. What is an automotive GPS? How it works? Can it be trusted?


GPS is stand for Global Positioning System. An automotive GPS is a device that provide location data on the road's map. It can give direction to the user from one point to another point and some extra information on around the area.

 

My husband and I are very bad at finding routes and places especially in a city like Kuala Lumpur. We were always lost and it takes very long time for us to reach our destination. This situation happens not only for a new place but sometime even at the place that we already went. Most of the time we miss the key junction and with the traffic jam, one way street etc, and it takes hours for us to get to our destination. When we lost, we used to call our siblings or friends who are familiar with the location.

 

 

As a preventive countermeasure, before travel, I will either get the directions from the Internet or bought road maps at petrol stations. However, we were still in trouble especially when we travel alone.  We have to “Read & Drive”… can you imagine? That was until 3 years ago.

 

 

 In 2009, my husband bought a new hand phone, Nokia E66 at Sunway pyramid. The salesman offered him a free installation of Garmin software. It is a navigation software which gives you direction of your destination. With this software, we basically know generally where we should be heading. Things are a bit better then.

 

 

 However, using the software using a hand phone has it shortcomings. Battery drains very fast and sometime there were a few second delays in term of direction given. When we are driving quite fast, we still miss the key junction.

 

 

 A year later, while doing the weekly window shopping activity at Digital Mall USJ 19, we came across a shop that sells Garmin products. My experience with Garmin software before had persuaded me to buy a real Garmin product. Price, always being a factor, led me to buying Garmin nuvi 205 at approximately RM600.

 

 

The GPS device

 

 

For me, Garmin nuvi 205 is an intelligent device. It gives directions almost to everywhere in the world. It allows us to search via spelling a complete address, partial address or at least a key word on its touch screen monitor. It also has a searching function based on Point Of Interest such as food, fuel, bank/ATM, hospitals and etc. We can set our home address, store and delete places that we found and identify where our location at the time we turn on the device.

 

 

 

I have searched for a key word 'London' and Garmin shown the first four choices on the screen. If I click on the arrow, the next choices will be displayed.

 

 

Garmin will set the route based on our setting such as fastest route, avoid tolls, U-turns and more. It will re-direct us to the best route that suited the settings. However, we can display the alternative routes (if any) by clicking on Re-Tour function. Along journey, should I missed the suggested junction, Garmin will immediately recalculate the route for me. Therefore I am always on the right track.

 

 

Garmin really helps in an emergency situation. When I was driving from Klang Valley to my hometown in Kedah, my car fuel indicator shown a red signal… it needs to be re-filled shortly. At that time we were at PLUS highway near Gopeng interchange. The journey was  a day before  Hari Raya Aidil Fitri’s in 2011.  The traffic was extremely bad heading Ipoh and the next Rest & Service Area is Sungai Perak. Even though the distance between Gopeng and Ipoh is only 25KM, the traffic condition made us to search for the nearest petrol station. Then we turn to Garmin and ask for suggestion. Garmin than shown us the choices that we have like this.

In displaying choices, Garmin always show the nearest location first or in ascending order.

 

By clicking on our choice, Garmin calculated the route information such as direction and arrival time. So we followed Garmin’s direction, get out from the highway and re-filled at Gopeng’s Petronas station. The decision made was very precise. As we re-entered the highway heading Ipoh, the traffic still bad but this time we did not need to worry because the tank is full.

 

One more thing good about Garmin is its estimated time arrival (ETA) is accurate. It calculates the ETA based on the distance and the driving speed (accelerometer). So far, I have challenged the ETA and Garmin always win. The device can also be used in the mode of bicycle and pedestrian. The size is small and convenient to keep it in hand bag.

 
Garmin however has constraint. Since it uses satelite
 

 

I've being using this device for the past two years and I am really satisfied on its performance. Thumbs up for Garmin Nuvi 205. You are my travelling advisor.

 

A car equipped with an automotive GPS. A  picture from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_navigation_system

 

 

For those who are interested to know more on Garmn nuvi 205 or similar device, please link to https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=13429