Tom Tom GPS Device Model #er

[JoseTejera]

Don,

During November`s monthly meeting you mention someone had purchased a Tom-Tom GPS Device for the purpose of traking not only MAP locations but also KM for driving log files.

I was wondering if the rein member who has this device had a chance to provide the GPS model number for those who wish to go out and purchase one.

This would be usedfull information since it may actually be cheaper to purchase in the US during the thanksgiving holiday.

Thank you,
Jose Tejera.

 

[seanverret]

TomTom One 3rd Edition GPS Navigation System should work, the Best Buy website seems to be having a sale:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.a...test%5Fcookie=1

 

[BMironov]

QUOTE (seanverret @ Nov 21 2007, 02:29 PM)
TomTom One 3rd Edition GPS Navigation System should work, the Best Buy website seems to be having a sale:



http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.a...test%5Fcookie=1






Hi Sean,



I'm not big specialist in GPS toys. Yesterday Don mentioned that there is a GPS device that can track your routes. In fact, up to 4 different routes (eg, "My real estate driving", "grocery shopping", "Pleasure", "Secret that no one should know). Yo just push the button and all the following kilometers added to this route. Later on you can download it to your PC and present as a car log to our friends from CRA.



Would some one direct to such device.



Thanks a lot,

Boris

 

[timk519]

I can only wonder if this is more work than a simple spiral binder with date, and start and stop KM`s written down on it.

Don`t get me wrong, I think GPS`s are great for scouting areas, but I can`t see using it to track milage as a normal course of business.

 

[seanverret]

QUOTE (BMironov @ Nov 21 2007, 12:37 PM)
Hi Sean,



I'm not big specialist in GPS toys. Yesterday Don mentioned that there is a GPS device that can track your routes. In fact, up to 4 different routes (eg, "My real estate driving", "grocery shopping", "Pleasure", "Secret that no one should know). Yo just push the button and all the following kilometers added to this route. Later on you can download it to your PC and present as a car log to our friends from CRA.



Would some one direct to such device.



Thanks a lot,

Boris




Hey Boris,



I'm not a GPS expert either and have not used this one. I just saw the fact that logging is capable. I have no idea how many logs can be added...

 

[seanverret]

QUOTE (timk519 @ Nov 21 2007, 12:41 PM) I can only wonder if this is more work than a simple spiral binder with date, and start and stop KM`s written down on it.

Don`t get me wrong, I think GPS`s are great for scouting areas, but I can`t see using it to track milage as a normal course of business.


Hi timk519,

I think if you can simply push a button for what you`re logging, like Boris mentioned, then it`d be a great asset that you could just download to your computer at the end of the year and give to your accountant.

 

[BMironov]

Ok then.

Now we are looking for the "GPS specialist". Is there one?

...---...

(see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sos)

 

[RyanVan]

I agree that there is no real benefit over a notebook.

The key is using the notebook. I`m decent at recording my trips, but not as diligent as I should be especially for short jaunts.

The nerdy aspect of having it computerized might be the thing I need to keep more complete records.

That said, I subscribe to TeleNav for the BlackBerry and it works great for neighborhood scouting. I suspect having them record my driving information might be a little `Big Brother`ish, but that would be a good optional add-on.

Also, I think a lot of them log trips. There are some that are not Bluetooth nor have and USB connections which I would assume to mean that it would be a pain to get the information off of them.

 

[timk519]

QUOTE (seanverret @ Nov 21 2007, 02:43 PM)
I think if you can simply push a button for what you're logging, like Boris mentioned, then it'd be a great asset that you could just download to your computer at the end of the year and give to your accountant.
My concern would be more about operator error. Using a GPS this way would require the user to remember to push the button when they start a RE trip, then again when the trip is done each and every time. Forget to do either one, and that information's either lost because you forgot to start the logging - or it's high because KM is being record against trips that aren't RE related because the operator forgot to tell the GPS to stop logging.



Now, if the GPS was used to track distance for a day's worth of driving, and then write it down at the end of the day, that would be a better solution IMPO. Also, with a spiral binder you can deal with "oops" pretty easily and estimate the KM you forgot to write down.



Also, I'd make sure CRA doesn't want more detailed information on what all the travel was for than a GPS log that says "x KM". And what if someone hits "reset" during the year? Or the GPS gets "confused" and has to be reset? (Been there, done that, lost about 2 weeks of GPS tracks from a North American motorcycle road trip I took this past summer

).



For my KM tracking I use a spiral binder (not the 8.5x11, the next size down) and start a new page each month. At the top of the page I put the month, and then for each trip I record:



Day of month (1-31)

Day of week (Sun-Sat)

Reason for the trip

Start KM

End KM



If I do multiple trips for different reasons in a day, I'll record the reason, start, and stop KM on successive lines.



Take that paper, put it in the "book-keeping" file when it's full or a new month's started, hand it over to the book-keeper / accountant with all the other paperwork as required, and that's it! QED.

 

[timk519]

QUOTE (RyanVan @ Nov 21 2007, 02:50 PM) The key is using the notebook. I`m decent at recording my trips, but not as diligent as I should be especially for short jaunts. I leave my notebook on the passenger seat, so it`s always there giving me a guilt trip if I don`t write in it.

 

[BMironov]

Ok timk519,

No GPS present for you from Santa this year

... May be a new binder

 

[timk519]

QUOTE (BMironov @ Nov 21 2007, 03:11 PM) Ok timk519,

No GPS present for you from Santa this year

... May be a new binder

LOL!

I`ve already got a Garmin Zumo GPS, so nothing lost there. I love having it around when I need it`s functionality - like when researching an area, but for KM tracking my paper system the safest way to go.

 

[MikeSunley]

I have a Garmin Nuvi and I love the extra confidence it gives me when I`m in a hurry or in a city/area that I`m not very familiar with. I`m not too worried about recording mileage automatically but what I would love would be something that offered a route planner. eg, be able to fire in 10 addresses and have the GPS calculate the most time-efficient route. If anyone knows of a GPS that performs that function well I might just have a Nuvi for sale

 

[timk519]

QUOTE (MikeSunley @ Nov 22 2007, 12:24 PM) I have a Garmin Nuvi and I love the extra confidence it gives me when I`m in a hurry or in a city/area that I`m not very familiar with. I`m not too worried about recording mileage automatically but what I would love would be something that offered a route planner. eg, be able to fire in 10 addresses and have the GPS calculate the most time-efficient route. If anyone knows of a GPS that performs that function well I might just have a Nuvi for sale

Garmin has a MapSource product that works on your PC. I haven`t been able to find a way to do the "travelling salesman" optimization you`re looking for in it, but you can put your waypoints in and then "connect the dots" visually.

 

[RobM]

QUOTE (MikeSunley @ Nov 22 2007, 10:24 AM) I have a Garmin Nuvi and I love the extra confidence it gives me when I`m in a hurry or in a city/area that I`m not very familiar with. I`m not too worried about recording mileage automatically but what I would love would be something that offered a route planner. eg, be able to fire in 10 addresses and have the GPS calculate the most time-efficient route. If anyone knows of a GPS that performs that function well I might just have a Nuvi for sale

I am not sure what Nuvi you have, but Garmin claims that the 760 has that feature...

QUOTE (Garmin Website)Plan Ahead
nüvi 760 includes advanced navigational features to take the worry out of traveling. With route planning you can save 10 routes, specify via points and preview simulated turns on the 760`s wide screen. In addition, nüvi 760 automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands, deliveries or sales calls. It also displays speed limits for highways and Interstates. A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you`ve been on the map.

Rob

 

[JoseTejera]

QUOTE (seanverret @ Nov 21 2007, 02:29 PM) TomTom One 3rd Edition GPS Navigation System should work, the Best Buy website seems to be having a sale:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.a...test%5Fcookie=1

Sean,

Thanks for the link. Could you provide detail steps on getting to the 4 buttons on the device and how the data is extracted (Device view and/or PC output)? I`ve tried the Tom Tom higher model ONE-XL-S and more costly than the 3G, however, I couldn`t find any logging feature for the kilometers. I also tried the GO 720 and Also could not find the reference info. The package doesn`t mention anything about tracking and website info at the vendor and abroad donot metion milage tracking as a feature. I would like to stick with tomtom at a higher model, however, I will switch to something else if I end up with no choice.

Thanks,
Jose.

 

[kopilas]

Found one that does the mileage logging in excel format and Future shop has just got them in. The Navigon 7100 and 5100 and a new 2100 (US availabilty so far). The differences between the 7100 series has bluetooth connectivity and a larger screen. A 4.3" compared to a 3.5". They both provide live traffic updates in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal for free. Of course there is the price point - $500 for the 5100 and $600 for the 7100. More can be found here: http://www.navigon.com/site/us/en/products_us A complete comparison can be found here: http://www.navigon.com/site/us/en/products...tion/comparison

Hope this helps

 

[kopilas]

Just in addition to the above post - there is a 2120 version coming out with a price point of $300. It does not include the Live traffic reporting and the Ratings and review features but they can been purchased for $140. All three only available thru future shop.

 

[Dan_Eisenhauer]

I cannot give you product names or model numbers, but if you find a GPS unit that takes Way Points, ie. different addresses, that will give you your routing. You will, obviously, have to enter that data before your departure. I believe, but am not 100% certain that the Garmin Nuvo allows way points.

I have a hand held Magellan that takes way points, but it does not track mileage. Some manaufacturers call a "way point" "points of interest" or "POI", so check if it will allow you to set a track.

(Added as an addendum) The Lowrance iWay 350C has a capacity to memorize 1,000 way points. Radio World website

 

[StevenRoorda]

Ok, as a self-professed techno gadget junkie, I have been researching this ever since Don mentioned at the REIN meeting that there was a device that could track your mileage.

I could not find anything that appeared to have the capabilities other than the Navigon (see above info posted by "kopilas") - so I bought one - the 5100 model. In the two days I have used it, I have been on a couple of trips and input a number of logs. Slick.

It asks for a name of the trip (eg. "JV presentation") then the current mileage on my car (I`m not sure why, but it would seem to be an extra level of tracking) and then whether it is business or personal. After the trip, I plugged the thing into my computer, turned it on and all of the information is presented in a lovely little Excel file. It tracks the information you punched in, the date, time, location (city name & street name), duration of trip, length of trip, and the start and ending coordinates. It also tracks the average speed, and the highest speed. (I`m not sure I like the last one, because Carla will know how fast I drive when she is not with me - my last trip hit 137km/h - oops)

It keeps adding more lines to the file whenever I add another log - I`m going to track everything for each of our properties, plus all the general business trips. I can also track the usage of my car for my day job, listed by Job Number. At the end of each month, it will take about five minutes to add up the info and print out the logbook. I`m sure ours will pay for itself in less than one year.

Steve

PS> If you buy one of them before the end of the year, there is a $50 rebate:
http://www.navigon.com/site/us/en/service_...e/software/none