Sat-Navs Garmin Zumo 550 Sat-Nav

[Colin]

I bought one of these in 2009, as it was capable of working equally well in the car or on the bike(s) I now have a small problem with it, but Garmin tell me (if eventually you can get through to them on the phone, 'cos of course a phone is old technology!) that they no longer support it, because it is old technology, (" European mapping is absolutely MASSIVE compared to 2009") and we don't have spares etc. Just 6 years old and no longer supported! I made it very clear to Garmin that I think this is absolutely appalling, and told them I run a 1938 motorbike for which I can still get parts and "support" If everyone took the same view as Garmin (and other "hi tech" firms) we would have no copies of Magna Carta, no Da Vinci works of art, no old buildings, or antiques of any sort, and certainly no Vincents. The modern world has gone mad.

 

[Bazlerker]

There is no money to be made manufacturing and selling products of Vincent quality these days. Todays business model depends on planned obsolescence.

 

[Colin]

How true, Bob. Explains most of the stuff we can buy today

 

[Black Flash]

what really makes me angry now is that today many computer programs can no longer be bought, but have to be rented for as long as you need it.

thats what I call a rip off.

 

[BigEd]

what really makes me angry now is that today many computer programs can no longer be bought, but have to be rented for as long as you need it.that is what I call a rip off.

You must be thinking Micro$oft$ offerings.

 

[Comet Rider]

I bought one of these in 2009, as it was capable of working equally well in the car or on the bike(s) I now have a small problem with it, but Garmin tell me (if eventually you can get through to them on the phone, 'cos of course a phone is old technology!) that they no longer support it, because it is old technology, (" European mapping is absolutely MASSIVE compared to 2009") and we don't have spares etc. Just 6 years old and no longer supported! I made it very clear to Garmin that I think this is absolutely appalling, and told them I run a 1938 motorbike for which I can still get parts and "support" If everyone took the same view as Garmin (and other "hi tech" firms) we would have no copies of Magna Carta, no Da Vinci works of art, no old buildings, or antiques of any sort, and certainly no Vincents. The modern world has gone mad.

Colin,
Have a word with Dick Sherwin...

It is possible to put the maps onto the Zumo, but you need to have a fast memory card plugged into the bottom of the Zumo.

All the best
Neil

 

[Black Flash]

I was lucky to buy one of the latest CD's of Adobe suite, now you can only rent it. After 2 years I reach the break even point.
otherwise i would need to pay 65 € for as long as I want to use it. the old suite I had before served me well for 7 years,
so anybody else renting it now is paying 65 x 12 x 5 = 3960 € more than me buying it.
But this is just one example, modern accounting , ERP and all sort of programs can only be rented.

Don't get me started about MS i am afraid I could forget my behavior

 

[Monkeypants]

Tomtom is about the same although I can still get map updates for my 2007 Tomtom Rider 2. Other than the maps though, it is unsupported, ie no repairs, no parts or replacement mounts.
Just the same, I will likely buy their new model as replacement when this one totally dies.
I think the TOMTOM saved our lives several times while in England/Scotland/IOM for the 2007 festivities.I bought the TOMTOM in England and installed it on our first day. After giving the manual a quick flip thru we set off to make a sort of diagonal run across Manchester. Wrong side of the road and too much traffic, but it was easy with the little voice in my ear.
Wouldn't want to be without one now.
Glen

 

[timetraveller]

One thought for those who already have a 'Tablet'. There is an app called CoPilot Western EU which costs £22.50 and which works under the Android operating system, but there might be something similar for Apple's system. It gives every road in the EU including the kind of road that I live on which is about 8 feet, 2.5 m, wide. It stores all these maps so it does not need to be on line and can act as a SatNav/ guider etc. Your Tablet will have Bluetooth and a small Bluetooth earpiece/receiver can be used inside ones helmet. Ruggedized and waterproof tablets are available but you would have to work out your own mounting system. They can be run continuously from their USB charger cable which can connect into a cheap connector which will plug into a cigarette lighter to give the correct output voltage for charging the Tablet. It also has the advantage of showing you your real speed and the speed limit of the road you are on and, whether you want it or not, it sounds a warning if you exceed that speed limit. Presumably this could also be installed on an Android powered phone which could be carried in a pocket if looking at the maps was not important. It also carries a database of hotels, fuel stations etc. and I was able to find a hotel in France last year at 0130 in the morning, miles from anywhere and with no WIFI signal so it can have other uses. Of course I have no connection with any of these products.

 

[Albervin]

I bought a TomTom back in 2008 because I could download maps through my computer at a fraction of Garmin prices. After a big trip I back it up onto my computer and download updates. It has seen me through a lot of Europe, USA as well as Australia. When I was downloading the USA map prior to the last International, there was an interruption in the download. I rang TomTom service and said I needed it fixed, yesterday. Posted it off and two days later is was back, fixed, no charge!