Notices

Hello colleagues,

today I've finally got my N800 and want to use Wayfinder for navigation.

Right now I have an old TomTom on SonyEricsson P910i. No new software nor maps due the old hardware...

I will surely try this 7-day test, but here is my question in advance: is Wayfinder on N800/N810 at all comparable to TomTom, Garmin etc? Can't believe it is better, but it is at lest not much worse?...

TomTom is best. Wayfinder use old maps, calculate not optimal route and very sloly make rerouting. I try Wayfinder 7 days and buy TomTom Go 910 after them, but not license for Wayfinder..

My TomTom maps are much older (and can't be updated anymore), so it is not an issue.

Anyway, today I've tried Wayfinder a little bit and here are my impressions, compared to TomTom Mobile 5 @ SonyEricsson:

- Wayfinder maps seem to be okay so far

- route calculation and recalculation is fast enough (not slower than in TomTom) but Wayfinder sticks to the initial route much longer: when I know a shorter or/and faster way, it tries to lead me back again and again until it recognizes that there is a another, shorter route. TomTom seems to re-calculate bigger part of the route and switches to the different/new one sooner.

- TomTom's general usability is much better: faster access to menus, more different options and features. Among other things, in Wayfinder I miss the quick "Navigate To" menu as well as possibility to see the route on map. Zoom in/out works also better in TomTom, which seems to be generally somehow more user-friendly. Hopefully Wayfinder will improve it.

Have you made use of (or has wayfinder interupted you with) the traffic aspect of it ?

I've been playing with Maemo Mapper and rather like it. Possibly good enough to do without any alternatives...

However, if it gives high quality "useful" traffic updates, Wayfinder offers good value.

Zuber

Yes, I've tried to use traffic info, but not sure yet if it works as there were no traffic jams so far. Wayfinder just waits a couple of seconds and says that info has been updated. Tomorrow I will travel about 800 km and maybe I will know more then.

In the meantime, I can also confirm that TomTom calculates and re-calculates slightly "better" routes. Eg. it uses also small side streets to turn back if I miss something. With Wayfinder, I mostly get longer ways round. But, all in all, Wayfinder is not that bad, and I would acquire a license if I would know that the application will be improved during the next months.

This is one of the reasons I like TomTom better than other navigators I've tried. The quick re-calculation is really important, particularly in areas with inaccurate maps (e.g. the original route tried to take you through a one-way road, or a walkway or some such): Just drive past it and TT immediately comes up with a new route based on where you're now heading.

I have very bad memories of Hertz Everlost and its insistent go-back-go-back-go-back and eventual long re-calculate (at which point you've ended up in some hopeless spot, particularly when you're on a road where you just can't stop the car.

Well, it's probably "once TomTom - forever TomTom"!
After my detailed testing I've decided to upgrade my mobile phone along with TomTom, because the Wayfinder is, unfortunately, not what I've expected. First of all, I do not like voice navigation and almost always use just the visual routing. In this area the old good TomTom (even on a smaller screen) is way better than Wayfinder on N800. Sorry but goodbye. At least for now.

Strange how different people perceive things differently.

I just started the WayFinder trial yesterday for a long trip. I actually quite liked it...

The maps don’t appear to be that old like someone suggested. At least not for the route I tried. It showed some quite recent changes correctly.

I should point out that I'm comparing with TomTom on a phone, not standalone TomTom unit.

Not sure why they call roundabouts "traffic circles".

Anyway, Things I like compared to TomTom :

1. I find the signs much better for motorway exits etc.

They look much more like the signs on the actual road. e.g. Shows junction number and locations much the same as the ones on the overhead displays. Makes it easy to relate the two.

2. On my TomTom, I used to use 3D display. Was disappointed with Wayfinder not having 3D that shows any road names on the map itself.

But to be honest, having used it in 2D, I've come to realise that the 2D display is actually much more useful. Particularly on a big screen. I tended to use the 3D more because it looked cool. Got over it now...

3. I like the way it sometimes gives you both the next direction symbol and the one that follows.

4. It seams to work better for me at roundabouts. As well as saying 3rd exit etc. It tessl you at the turn off as well e.g. Sometimes, I loose the plot at a large roundabout. Kind of a was that the 3rd exit or 4th etc. End up going round again etc.

With TomTom, I was finding that at this point, TomTom was totally useless and I ended up guessing which one I want and hoping it was right and then waiting to see if I'd got it right. When going round a roundabout, there was too much screen jumping/delay while it figured out where I was.

With Wayfinder,when I did this, it seamed to handle it much better. It said "Take this exit" or something like that. And the signs it showed made me confident I was taking the right exit as well.

It may be down to the Bluetooth GPS combo I was using, but I don't think so.

5. I like the red countdown as you approach a turning.

On the Negative side :

1. The interface is a little less intuitive. E.g. I did not realize you could plan a route at first. Only by accident. You get the option of entering an Origin as well as a Destination. But only when you untick the enable GPS option.

2. There does not appear to be any Text view to see the planned route. Or an easy way to see the route take turn by turn the way TomTom does.

Traffic Info

The Traffic Info looks like it works. I don’t know if it will redirect accordingly etc. but there are traffic info bit on the map. I tried alternate route option after planning a route and it actually went through one of the traffic Info spots.

Shows an arrow on the right with a traffic sign indicating that you will be going through the blackspot.

Got potential

Keep in mind that I’ve only used it for a couple of trips. I might actually subscribe.

I do think they should have included basic route planning free. But using this and Maemo Mapper as well makes the N810 a really fantastic GPS device(imho). Shame it does take a few minutes to get a lock sometimes.

Perhaps they could improve this by downloading some sat data directly. Like they did on the N95. It's called A-GPS (Assisted GPS).

IF the Traffic updates are good quality (fast, accurate and reroutes accordingly) and you really get software, map, speed cam and traffic updates for 3 years, then it’s actually very good value…

Zuber

Glad to see traffic works at least in the UK... I haven't seen it in the US yet.

Glad to see you like the Wayfinder.
I also really wanted to like it (actually, bought N800 mainly because of navigation) but now I will stay with my TomTom, mainly because of worse 3D display and lack of some advanced route planning features.
P.S. traffic works in Germany too.