Originally Posted by
Brojangles
Seeking some wisdom on this from those in the know. Every review I’ve watched mentions the need to pair with a smartphone, or requires an app download.
Any models available that can be set up and operated independently, and not tied to my phone?
Appreciate 👍👍
You really should also be clear about why. You'll tend to get better answers.
It seems you want the device to be able to function in places without a cell network. Keep in mind that needing a phone and needing a network in addition to the phone are two things.
There is no GPS unit that requires being connected to a phone (or a network) for normal usage.
How to get routes is another issue. The Garmins and Wahoos can use phones as a bridge to the internet to get routes but you can also use a wire and copy route files from a computer (a PC, tablet, or phone). This is likely the case for other manufacturers (like Lyzene, Bryton, etc). The Karoo (it looks like) can only get routes from the internet (at the moment). The Karoo can use a sim card, which lets it connect to a cell network directly
Some devices (Wahoo) use a phone to configure the device. But that shouldn't need internet access and it's not something you'd need to do regularly.