Originally Posted by
Metieval
I agree, and I didn't buy the 520 for navigation. However With mapping being an option I downloaded an open source map for my area, and it is super cool to have and super cool to have a map with all of the roads showing! Unlike Garmins preloaded halfassed maps. (I really did look for a more professional word, and none of them really describe Garmins stock maps on the 520.) so basically everytime I go somewhere I just DL the open source map and then Install a different map on the 520.
The maps that come with the 520 don't have much detail. They are there to make the display of the "breadcrumb" track a little bit better. Downloading more detailed maps to the 520 is a bit of a hack. It wasn't intended that people would use the 520 that way. There isn't enough space on the 520 to have maps that cover enough of a region.
Again, it's the wrong unit for this sort of use.
Originally Posted by
Metieval
MY hang up with garmin turn by turn is Well I want advanced cues. To pay for an upgraded RidewithGPS account to use advanced cues, I might as well just use the RidewithGPS app.
There are a few things that you don't really know how they work.
You only need the "advanced cue" feature of RWGPS for units that don't use maps. This feature modifies how "course points" (Garmin's term) are displayed. Course points are intended to be used on units that don't use maps.
For units that use maps, the unit itself calculates the turn instructions. You get the cues 0.1 miles before the turn and they count down. (There's no extra cost for this.)
Originally Posted by
Metieval
But hey can you blame me for not wanting a 1030 plus a Phone??? at mean at a certain point redundancy is a problem....
There's no reason a phone can't work reasonably well for navigation. Lack of redundancy has its own problems.
Originally Posted by
Metieval
... and with my 520 already being tethered to the phone for weather, text,/calls/rideuploads... why not tether the mapping too? Garmin can, they just don't!!!
If the network access drops, you can live for a while without the weather (which I don't think is that useful) or texts/calls. One big advantage of the Garmins is that they work for navigation by themselves. I can use it in places where my phone doesn't work (and there are lots of those places) and on trips where I have no phone access at all.
Originally Posted by
Metieval
Maybe it is time for google to drop a Bicycle computer?
Google has enough trouble selling phones. The market for bicycle computers is too small for Google to want to sell to. Google also wants to use "the cloud", which isn't ideal for cycling because you don't always have an internet connection.