How big is too big for portable navi

[haven]

The issue, "how big is too big" for an easily portable computing, navigation and communications device will be decided in the marketplace in the next year or so. Here are four form factors to consider. For in-vehicle navigation, the 7 inch device is probably best.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 inch screen, 1024x600

Dell Streak 5 inch screen, 800x480

HTC Evo 4G 4.3 inch screen, 800x480

Apple iPhone 3GS, 3.5 inch screen 960x640

 

[BajaTaco]

It's like many choices we make for outfitting our vehicles with aftermarket equipment - there are pros and cons that must be weighed. The neat thing about navigation, is that unlike suspension components or camper designs, a nav system can be relatively easy (in terms of physical dimensions and connections to the vehicle) to alter, remove, or replace depending on the scenario and requirements for a given trip.

After using everything from a mini handheld GPS screen to large 14"+ displays, I can definitely say that I prefer the larger screens. Sometimes there just isn't room for it to be practical, though. In my case, I go back and forth between large and small depending on the scenario. It's easy enough for me to remove or install my RAM mount. I like a large screen because it's more like looking at a paper map. You can see more zoomed-in details at a glance. I've found that over the course of a typical trip, I have to zoom in and out, and do too much panning with a small screen. I guess there is also just the pure and simple attraction of a beautiful display of cartography. Kind of like looking at a postcard vs. a fine canvas hanging on a wall. That's just me, though.

Not the greatest analogy, perhaps, but. . . imagine having a 1:24K (7.5 minute) paper topo map in front of you. Then cover it with a sheet of cardboard that has a 3" x 5" rectangle cut out of the middle. You have to lift the cardboard high above the map, to look through the opening to see more than you can when the cardboard is resting on the paper. Or, you have to slide the cardboard around, and maintain a sense of where everything is in relation to one another without being able to see it all.

Bottom line for me: Either one works. I'm not trying knock small displays, they definitely have a "sizable" number of advantages over a large, cumbersome (and heavier) display. I'm just saying that having a choice, I prefer a large display, and if you can easily switch between both types, that's even better.

 

[adrenaline503]

I havent looked into it yet, but do any of those displays have a USB port? I think the Samsung is the best size, I dont see any advantage to going smaller unless battery life is better.

 

[haven]

Bigger than a 7" screen and the device becomes "transportable," in my view. An iPad or laptop might work fine in the vehicle, but you're not going to take it on a hike to the top of the mountain.

On the other hand, the small pocket GPS receivers from Garmin et al are not that expensive. Would it make more sense to have two devices, one with big screen for use in the car and in camp, and one that fits in a pants pocket for hiking/biking?

 

[gahi]

On the other hand, the small pocket GPS receivers from Garmin et al are not that expensive. Would it make more sense to have two devices, one with big screen for use in the car and in camp, and one that fits in a pants pocket for hiking/biking?

I think thats the best option. I'd like to have one that can be used on my motorcycle as well. So my plan is the Laptop in the car, and probably an aux monitor (not sure on size yet) and the topo capable garmin for everything that the laptop is too big for.

 

[evldave]

Bigger than a 7" screen and the device becomes "transportable," in my view. An iPad or laptop might work fine in the vehicle, but you're not going to take it on a hike to the top of the mountain.

On the other hand, the small pocket GPS receivers from Garmin et al are not that expensive. Would it make more sense to have two devices, one with big screen for use in the car and in camp, and one that fits in a pants pocket for hiking/biking?

I currently use a few different setups, depending on what I happen to remember to bring me...

10" laptop in the car (Lenovo S10-3t)...that's a netvertible/tablet/whatever, way to big for backpacking...however it has all my 'master' information on it...

For true backpacking, I bring along my Garmin 60csx, I can d/l maps from my S10 either ahead of time, or in the field if I change my plans....it's small, has a decent screen, and work as a real gps...

For minor backpacking, I use either a smaller smartphone (fuze, tilt2, bb8900) or my ipaq 4700 (old school 4.5" screen), and load in my maps (actually have just about everything stored on a micro-SD card).

Honestly, I've been messing with this forever, and I haven't been able to find a good compromise between portability (iphone, fuze, tilt, ipaq, borrowed EVO) and legibility and real-life functionality in the truck (notebook, netbook, tablet)...I used the ipaq for years as my mapping GPS (I originally loaded pocket S&T 2003 on it), and IMO there's no easy medium...get a screen that
is small enough to cart around and it will be a sacrifice in the car, get a screen that's truly functional in the car and it's too big to go in the pocket

I think, no matter what the technology, neither apple, nor samsung, nor dell, nor anyone else will solve this problem. They may drive some short-term demand because it's 'cool', but in the long run, it's just not practical (until they come up with rollable screens, then I'm all in!)

 

[evldave]

as a follow-up...

I think the dell streak is close...once you get past the smaller screen sizes (BB, candybar phones, etc), it becomes a bit of a hassle, but still fits in your pocket...really, once you get to 4.3" of screen size, why not go to 5"??? At that point, you are looking for a mobile computer, and phone is secondary, so as long as it fits in your pocket, you should be good to go...

And don't forget LTE, 4G....if you live in an area that has it (or will soon)....wow, lightning fast, and mobile hotspot in the car is the shiznit if you have kids with their own laptops....

 

[dzzz]

Wouldn't it be better to have a combined phone/gps for hiking? Phone's pretty much everyones permanently attached electronic device. I don't see a technical reason that a separate gps is needed. Everyone uses a new hiking GPS a lot when first purchased. But after the excitement wears off it's mostly just a safety device.

In the vehicle give me a big, sunlight readable multipurpose screen. I don't want a little gps, I want an "electronic map" that's 10"-15". Run everything appropriate through that screen - nav, backup camera, web browser etc. Google Earth show that isolating Nav on a single specialized device is not the future. "Nav" is best viewed as a software service when in land vehicles. Boats and planes are different.

My objection to carrying the iPad on a day hike would be weight, not size. If someone is carrying a day pack a kindle-weight device wouldn't be noticed.

I would like an iPhone with the size of the bigger android phones.