We have a Garmin Nuvi 660 and are very happy with it.

Hi Tony: I also have a Garmin Nuvi GPS.  The entire Nuvi line is top notch as far as I am concerned.  VERY easy to use right out of the box.  For many of us guys this thing is perfect..It is so easy to use I did not even have to look at the instructions.  I really don't think I could travel without it.  Now don't get me wrong, it may not be accurate 100% of the time but after traveling at least 25 states I would say it was spot-on 99.9%.
Bob

I am the Garmin (wife) in the family!
southwestjudy

I’m with serengeti2001. I use one of the newer mini-laptops with a 9” screen loaded with Streets and Trips. With an aircard plugged in, I can get real time traffic and weather info to supplement my route. I can look up a specific restaurant location, pull up Google Earth to go with an address and I’m a happy camper.

I haven’t yet found the need for a GPS while traveling in the rig. When on interstates or “red” roads, the old fashion map gives the bigger picture and works just as well. 

Being an el cheapo, I figured it worth the $300 to have both a computer and a method for directions all in the same box.

Judy> Finally, a women who can read a map! Please don't tell my wife I wrote that.

We have an Acer Aspire One with 1GB of RAM and it is fine since the machine is running XP. We don't use it with GPS software, but for many other uses. It runs fine and the 1GB of RAM has not been an issue since these are not computers for heavy duty tasks. (I am typing this on my main notebook with 2GB of RAM and a dual-core processor, so I do know the benifits of faster processors and more RAM.)  Ours has a real 160GB hard drive, the cheaper XP edition only has an 8GB SSD (solid state drive) while the Linux version has a 16GB SSD.    You can get the Linux version for $240 shipped from www.newegg.com and we have seen the 160GB hard drive XP version for $300 at Costco and Wal-Mart now with the 3cell battery (2-3 hours of usage).  We have a 6cell battery but paid $400 in October. 

If you want to load a mapping program you use another computer and a USB flash drive to copy the CD to the flash drive.  Then you use the flash drive like a CD on the netbook (what they call these mini notebooks) and install the software.  Or you can buy a $70+ external DVD drive, which is larger than the netbook.

On another comment I will say that we are glad our GPS, a Magellan 4040, has Bluetooth. In many states you can't use your cell phone without a hands free while driving so we use the Bluetooth when only one of us takes the car and have a hands free phone. Different than a headset you have to tell the GPS each time to act as a hands free, it doesn't automatically hook up. Since we only need hands free some of the time we like that we have to choose to use it.

-- Edited by bjoyce at 13:28, 2009-02-09

TopCat wrote:

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Hi Rick,

what make did you purchase for your 9" mini laptop? I've seen the ACER & the DELL. My only concern was they came pre-loaded with only 1 MG of RAM (I'm not sure if you can upgrade to 2) I did see the ACER on sale for $299.

Tony

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I have a Lenovo notebook. Most all of the notebooks have 1 GB. I also have an AcerAspire laptop with only 1 GB. So far no issues with that on either machine.

I haven't kept up with them, but I also don't think any have a CD. As was suggested in another post, you can save a program to a USB thumb drive and then load it on the notebook.

Since it is basically used in the RV for mapping and some email, I thought getting two for the price of one (vs a stand alone GPS) was more economical.

 

Be careful with the netbooks. On some of them to upgrade to an extra gig of memory you have to tear the entire body apart. There is no access door.

The Eee has an easy upgrade. The Acer does not. The Eee has an issue withthe right shift key being non-standard. But if you never use it it is not an issue for you.

My first choice is a Samsung, since it has a great keyboard. But it is premium priced and I don't think worth the premium. The second choice is the Eee. It has a very good keyboard, is easy to upgrade, has lots of forums to get info and help. I can live with the SHift key issue. You can get a nice Eee for about $349 on Amazon. I prefer to buy from them because they have liberal return policies. Make SURE what you are buying has the 6-cell battery. Some of them have 3-cell. ALL the ones at Best Buy are 3-cell.

The screen on the Acer IS nicer than the Eee in the store. Try using it in bright light, though. It is mirror-like in those conditions. I have a laptop like that, and you can adapt to it, but it definitely is noticeable. The Eee has an excellent anti-glare screen that works about as well in higher light conditions as any I have seen.

If you do not care about adding memory then the Acer is still a good choice. But I have seen what it takes to add a gig to it, and it is a daunting task for most people - and it VOIDS the warranty. Personally, I feel the extra gig is a requirement on these machines. It makes a big difference in performance - but many people would not care.

Th biggest thing with the Eee in my mind is the right SHift. If you use that when you touch type you will HATE the Eee. I just use the left shift for everything. Just the way I learned (incorrectly!)....

The other thing about the Acer is that it's battery life is nowhere near as long as the 6-cell Eee. Does not matter to some people, though.

Any of these is a personal choice...you have to get what "fits" you.

What Asus is doing makes sense to me.....If I want ultra portable then I want 7". If I'm going up to 9" I might as well go 10", since the size of the netbook is the same...the display just takes up more of the lid space.

XP does not "need" 2gig. But it sure speeds it up. A good investment for $22 and 5 minutes of work (on an Eee).

That red netbook is sure 'purty......but not for the $$$. I like the bronze Eee, too. But not for the $$.

TXRVr wrote:

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So, for all of you who had an input to the notebook issue, which by the way are all valid, please humor me here for a second. Why would one buy a stand alone GPS when having the "two-for-one" deal (GPS program on a notebook) is more economical? That's a semi-retorical question since I already use the notebook for GPS, but I am open to good ideas.

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Economically I am not going to say but we prefer a small stand alone GPS when running around town where we have 6 million points of interest at our command to find restaurants, etc.  The points of interest databases in both Microsoft and DeLorme have disappointed me.  Not that the one in our GPS is perfect, it just seems better.
The unit we have is small and easy to hide while even one of these netbooks is larger, plus it uses less 12volt power.  Of course some want a big stand alone GPS, at which point the choice is moot.  My Acer Aspire One is much, much larger than my Magellan 4040 GPS.
Plus our particular GPS works great as a bluetooth hands free unit.

My suggestion is to get ether the least expensive version of what ever brand you decide upon or... get the very top of the line. We use a Garmin 785 (we upgraded from the 680).

Once you get a taste of the top-line features, you will absolutely be unable to live without them. (I would like to have the "voice-activated" feature of the 885 but couldn't wait.) For example, we still have the 680 and it is comparable to driving an old Model T Ford beside the 785... and it was top-of-the-line only a couple years ago.