List the top features you look for in a GPS

As I noted to Jerry (Countdown), here is a little (pro-bono) from my perspective, as to what can make a GPS product successful out of the gate. Much of this has been covered previously but in my view, the most important from the following list is #12. This is what made Garmin and lack thereof was the number one cause for the failed GPS Consumer products released in the past two decades. How robust the features are in Items 1-11 makes little difference in the long run if #12 isn't there from Day-1.

Basic Criteria for Adventure & Dual Sport Riding

1. POI Map Search by Type, Name and Local.
2. Import and navigate GPX Tracks, Routes and Waypoints.
3. Record a Ride (Track Log).
4. Archive a Ride.
5. Share a Ride (via µSD Card or connected device).
6. Portable, Ruggedized and Waterproof/Dustproof (IPX7).
7. Glove Friendly.
8. Powered by rechargeable Battery.
9. Powered by 12vdc without compromising IPX7.
10. Create Waypoints and Display Their Properties.
11. Software is User Upgradable over the Internet with no additional proprietary software required (computing OS agnostic).
12. Ability to add World Wide Maps and Map Types from third-parties.

Good luck with your product.

Thanks for your input, most all this is already adressed.

What about this?
http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/interesting-news-in-gps-land.1122902/

The primary reason for buying Delorme:
“The inReach is a technology that really nobody else has,” Gartner said. “We think that with Garmin’s size we can put that in the hands of more people in many different areas, whether hikers, hunters, boaters or pilots.”

As for Maps, Garmin has a pretty good relationship with the German Auto Makers so I don't see any issues in Garmin maintaining Licenses for HERE maps. The Delorme Maps aren't much of a money maker.

I've been 'suggesting' for years that Garmin put this tech into their high-end devices - there's plenty of space in most of them.

How about being able to create routes on user made routable roads transfered to the gps. If you take a track file, use software of choice to convert the track to a routable road and join each end to an original pre-existing road. Load it back on to gps and be able to create a route that uses that road from the gps.
I have 100's of miles of trails that I have converted to routable roads that I can make routes on using a computer but I do not know of any gps's that currently allows making a route from the gps on user made roads.
I currently use delorme topo with a pn 40....

Not 100% clear on what your saying. With our (Trail Tech) "Ride Leader" software (free http://www.trailtech.net/ride-leader ) you can import rides, draw routes, convert anything to a route or a track, add waypoints and then export it all as a GPX for use on most any GPS device. Is that what you are asking?

this is interesting, i'm quoting so i can find it later on. please clarify, if you're able to dumb it down for me :)

Yeah I'm posting to keep tabs on the developments here.

Of course the kicker to overall success will come down to price. It's competition isn't the available GPS units already out there - it's the smart phone just about everyone already has in their possession. I'm thinking this thing has to be under $200 or so to have a chance - think Garmin Nuvi-range.

I'd be willing to pay $500 for something that works.


I'm sure a few of us would be willing to field test!

$500 and up will severely pigeon-hole this unit into a niche market. If that's their goal, then so be it. I understand what you are saying Frank, 2 years ago I would have said the same thing. But dropping $300 or more on a device that is being outperformed by an under-$100 used smart phone will be a hard sell, especially to the up-and-coming generation(s) that expect to be able to download EVERYTHING off the internet for free.

In rideleader right click any routes and there is a "convert to tracks" or right click any tracks and there is a "convert to routes". Also if you right click on an individual track there is a "filter..." option, click that and then you can reduce the number of points making it a smaller file. As for dropping way points you can add them at will with the add waypoint tool (red flag icon).

All valid points. I think there is a real difference between road and trail, routes and tracks. I ride road almost exclusively. I just haven't found an app for my iPhone that is very useful. I was using CoPilot until the import gpx thing stopped working. I now have a NAV V, yes I know $$, because I can get routes from others and they work more reliably. There is also the glove thing, and I know there are fixes.

The issues with smart phones in this application are many.

• Our GPS will be very durable and water / mud resistant. Most people don't want their $600-$800 cell phone in the rain and mud and the side buttons jammed with grit. Used $100 phones are going to have crap processors, low res screens, smaller low visibility screens.
• Icons sized for seeing / use while going down the road with gloves on.
• UI deigned specifically for motorcycle use making it much more convenient and useful.
• No good mounting options for cell phones.
• No good power options / mini USB out the side is not ideal.
• The screen on a cell phone in direct sunlight is very bad. We spent a LOT of time finding the right screen. Very good in direct sunlight, very good at night. Works well with gloves and rain (correct sensitivity)
• Our GPS will be getting info form the bike like water temp, wheel sensors, voltage info, hour meter...
• Specifically designed for motorcycle use so all the bike centric stuff is obvious.

^^^

Look forward to the result! Don't forget the road users. Time frame?

Absolutely not. We already build an off road specific GPS now we are aiming at Street/Adventure/DS

unknown. Programming and integration takes a lot of work.

This is more than just a GPS and can't be replaced by a smart phone alone.

it would probably be good to put the smartphone stuff in the smartphone vs something else thread.... so the vendor can keep his on track. then, when the product is released, compare/contrast them somewhere similar, but let their current thread stay on point.

if they were to sell an app... oops there I go doing it now

There will be some cell phone bluetooth integration in that it will alert and display incoming calls and text with associated info.

So does that mean that you can create a route, on the gps, that starts on a main road on the map and goes through a track that was made but wasn't on any road but connects to another road. So the route goes through a track ( converted to a routable road, if need be on a computer) that was made.
A way to treat tracks the same as the original roads on the map.
In delorme software, I can convert all of my tracks that I have made through the woods into routable roads and I can create routes that will use those user made roads.... But if I try to send those user made routable roads to my gps, the roads will show up fine on my map in the gps, but it is not capable of routing through those roads from the gps. I can make a route on the computer through them and send it to the gps......but it would be nice if you could create the route on the gps that that treats the user made roads the same as the original roads on the map and routes through them like on the computer.
I understand about converting tracks to routes but it will only route with in that track and not through or connect to any original roads...