Gprs In-car Use In Thailand

[Dave the Dude]

I will be buying a GPS unit in a month when I pick up my new car. A friend has offered getting me a MIO unit at trade price. Its about the same price as the budget Garmin but has all the functions of a top end unit. EG wide screen/MP3Photo album/Bluetooth and many more. I saw them for sale at Pantip plaza and they looked good, but a GPRS is only as good as the mapping system inside !

I understand they are made in Taiwan & its a Belgium company who are 3rd biggest in Europe! I'm from London and never seen any in England, so was wondering has anyone out there got one and 'first hand' opinions good or bad would be appreciated

Thank you

Dave

Edited November 19, 2007 by Dave the Dude

[Kyosuken]

I suppose you meant "GPS" not "GPRS" (one is the geo-localizations system, the other one is a mobile technology to do internet) ?

[percy2]

I believe the Mio units use the same ESRI maps as Garmin.

I'm quite keen to test one.

Cheers

[Dave the Dude]

I believe the Mio units use the same ESRI maps as Garmin.

I'm quite keen to test one.

Cheers

Hi and thanks for that Percy2. Thats promising then, as people on this site seem to go for the Garmin units. I'v been quoted 15k for an impressive unit that seems to do what a 37k Garmin item will do. I looked on the MIO website and they mention a new update for 2008 maps with 3d mapping although I dont know if this will find its way from Taiwan to Thailand this quickly.

Regards

Dave

[nullx8]

mio is using teleatlas maps!

Between teleatlas and esri are worlds in matters of amount of informations.

[Gary A]

I've just spent about an hour researching GPS maps. NavTeq and TeleAtlas are the major international players and neither offer Thailand maps from their websites.

It would appear that ESRI and Rotweiler are the only sources for detailed Thailand maps at this time.

[astral]

Look for a speaking model, so that you are not distracted by looking at the map whilst driving.

[nullx8]

i tested for tousend of kilometers in thailand teleatlas and garmin maps ...

where got lost quite alot with teleatlas ...

well okay the price is a point as teleatlas is ALOT cheaper ...

if you drive only in bangkok it should be fine ...

but countryside is very very poor .. looke here: http://www.thaiguru.de/25806.xhtml

comparision of the maps (but in german language)

well the product names still the same ;-) so it should be not so dramatic ;-)

all screens from the same place (Nakhon Ratchasima trainstation))

Edited November 19, 2007 by altf4

[percy2]

mio is using teleatlas maps!

This seems to suggest otherwise.

Mio C520

GPS นำทางแบบ All-in-one พร้อมชิป SiRF Star III จอแสดงผลแบบ wide touch screen ขนาด 4นิ้ว และเป็น Hand-free เมื่อเชื่อมต่อกับโทรศัพท์มือถือ มั่นใจไปกับทุกเส้นทางของการเดินทางด้วยแผนที่ SpeedNavi (ESRI) พร้อมอุปกรณ์เสริมสำหรับติดรถยนต์ และ SD card 2 GB

แถมฟิล์มกันรอยหน้าจอ บัตรเติมน้ำมันมูลค่า 1,000 บาท

Product Review

B16,900

Global 5

Cheers

[nullx8]

technically you also could install Garmin (esri) maps .. BUT thanks to the exclusive deal esri made with SIS Thailand ..

this is not possible (technically yes .. licenze wise NO)

the C520 uses Miomap 3.2/3.3 (wich both are clones of i-go, wich uses teleatlas maps)

see screenshoots.

however the post you show offeres a software from sppednavi co.ltd.

i do not think they use esri maps (as wrote before the exclusive deal with SIS) .. but iam not sure about this.

Edited November 20, 2007 by altf4

[percy2]

technically you also could install Garmin (esri) maps .. BUT thanks to the exclusive deal esri made with SIS Thailand ..

this is not possible (technically yes .. licenze wise NO)

the C520 uses Miomap 3.2/3.3 (wich both are clones of i-go, wich uses teleatlas maps)

see screenshoots.

however the post you show offeres a software from sppednavi co.ltd.

i do not think they use esri maps (as wrote before the exclusive deal with SIS) .. but iam not sure about this.

It seems SpeedNavi are using ESRI.

Question: How updated is SPEED NAVI!TM map data?

Answer: SPEED NAVI!TM uses the most updated map data developed by ESRI. We do our best to provide updates as frequently as we can,Please visit our website for updates and other information.

Question : Does SPEED NAVI!TM have points of interest and business listings?

Answer: Yes! SPEED NAVI!TM includes more than three million of POIs and business listings developed by ESRI.

But I would like to test one.

Cheers

[Firefoxx]

The Thais who have reviewed the MIO's sold here (officially distributed by Synnex, BTW) have said that it uses SpeedNavi and ESRI, and say that the local maps are very good. There are some features lacking, such as the ability to import POI's, but for the big (huge) screen and the low price ('bout the same as the lowest spec Garmin), it's a pretty good deal.

[percy2]

The Thais who have reviewed the MIO's sold here (officially distributed by Synnex, BTW) have said that it uses SpeedNavi and ESRI, and say that the local maps are very good. There are some features lacking, such as the ability to import POI's, but for the big (huge) screen and the low price ('bout the same as the lowest spec Garmin), it's a pretty good deal.

Another potential + point is that they are supposed to be able to be used in English and Thai, Where as the Garmins can have English and some superfluous languages but no Thai

Cheers

[nullx8]

garmin can be thai as well .. but you must select the language ...

able to switch on demand is a good advance ...

however . who plans to travel somewhere else too .. should seriously consider a device with avaiable maps ...

thats so far just garmin ... and the nuvi 200 is very cheap too in thailand ;-)

after all the speednavi is a good competition (thats for sure)

[percy2]

garmin can be thai as well .. but you must select the language ...

able to switch on demand is a good advance ...

however . who plans to travel somewhere else too .. should seriously consider a device with avaiable maps ...

thats so far just garmin ... and the nuvi 200 is very cheap too in thailand ;-)

after all the speednavi is a good competition (thats for sure)

Both the C320 and C510 of mine with ESRI Thailand City Select v7 have no Thai language ability (according to ESRI)

I bought the C510 in UK so it would have UK maps and added the ESRI map later.

Cheers

[nullx8]

garmin can be thai as well .. but you must select the language ...

able to switch on demand is a good advance ...

however . who plans to travel somewhere else too .. should seriously consider a device with avaiable maps ...

thats so far just garmin ... and the nuvi 200 is very cheap too in thailand ;-)

after all the speednavi is a good competition (thats for sure)

Both the C320 and C510 of mine with ESRI Thailand City Select v7 have no Thai language ability (according to ESRI)

I bought the C510 in UK so it would have UK maps and added the ESRI map later.

Cheers

oh sorry missunderstanding .. my post was about garmin devices ...

[Firefoxx]

The Mio C220/C520 both have Thai voice capability, and can display maps in Thai (the ones sold in Thailand, that is). I would think it would depend on where you buy it.

The Garmin Nuvi 200 (the lowest spec Garmin) costs around 13,900 baht, while the bigger brother costs 21,500. The Mio C520, OTOH, costs 15,900, and the C220 costs 11k, and both use the SirfStar GPS chip. If you're not stuck up on brand, then the Mio is really a much better value.

[percy2]

garmin can be thai as well .. but you must select the language ...

able to switch on demand is a good advance ...

however . who plans to travel somewhere else too .. should seriously consider a device with avaiable maps ...

thats so far just garmin ... and the nuvi 200 is very cheap too in thailand ;-)

after all the speednavi is a good competition (thats for sure)

Both the C320 and C510 of mine with ESRI Thailand City Select v7 have no Thai language ability (according to ESRI)

I bought the C510 in UK so it would have UK maps and added the ESRI map later.

Cheers

oh sorry missunderstanding .. my post was about garmin devices ...

C320 and C510 are Garmin devices.

Cheers

[nullx8]

i just came back from esri headquarters ...

the speednavi maps are realy from esri ... so by that .. the mio becomes a really good competition.

just the thing about the "millions poi's" is bullshitting ... the amount is by about 450.000 in version 8.

[percy2]

i just came back from esri headquarters ...

the speednavi maps are realy from esri ... so by that .. the mio becomes a really good competition.

just the thing about the "millions poi's" is bullshitting ... the amount is by about 450.000 in version 8.

Is v8 available now?

Cheers

[nullx8]

yes since about 4 weeks already ....

noone offer the update as everyone fears a flood of customers wanna update .. ;-)

[percy2]

yes since about 4 weeks already ....

noone offer the update as everyone fears a flood of customers wanna update .. ;-)

Before they always just mail me a CD.

I've got to be in Soi Pipat tomorrow.

I'll drop in and ask what the delay is.

Thanks

[trader1]

What is the lastest on the Garmin nuvi 200 versus Mio deal? Are the maps Mio use the same as in the Garmin? Which should I buy?

[Firefoxx]

AFAIK, they both use ESRI maps. (Nuvi 200 vs Mio C520)

The differences are:

The Nuvi 200's screen is smaller (you need to 200W to be comparable)

The Nuvi doesn't have multimedia/bluetooth functions (200/200W)

The Mio has a better GPS chip

If you really want the Garmin, go for the 200W (wide) version. It's price has come down to be around the same price as the C520 (around 15k).

[trader1]

wow that was a quick reply! http://www.gadgetrend.com/gps_nuvi200w.php this shop is selling the 200W for 18,500 baht. Do you have a bangkok link for the C520?

[Firefoxx]

Sorry, I don't have a link for either, but I recall seeing the C520 for around 15-16k, and I know that my friend just bought a Nuvi 200W for around 15k at powerbuy (it's on sale, from the original price of around 18k).

[John 1]

Percy did you get the update from ESRI for V8 thailand maps.

[Gary A]

Last week I ordered the version 8 maps from Gadget Trend so the update is available. They have reduced the cost from 12,000 baht to 7,000 baht.

[nullx8]

correct .. i ordered last month already a bunch of them .. for the same price ...

its because you can get this maps in the US for about half the price now ...

no more Exclusive by esri anymore

[trader1]

Looking at the pricing it is cheaper to buy the garmin overseas and then install the thai maps. Any problem with doing that?