Garmin City Navigator North America for Detailed Maps of the United State, Canada and Mexico (DVD)
by Garmin
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List Price: Our Price: $70.99 You Save: $79.00 (53%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: GPS or Navigation System See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Garmin City Navigator North America for Detailed Maps of the United State, Canada and Mexico (DVD)
Customer Review: Unlocking is a nightmare
Summary: 1 Stars
As others have said, the shipped product is V9 for 2008. Attempting to install City Navigator NT North America V9 places only the locked map into your existing MapSource. Now the nightmare begins.
CTRL-U from MapSource brings up the unlock wizard. The only option it gives is to go online. The Garmin website it takes you to is a swamp of circular steps and silently failing scripts.
Into this morass I tried to invoke the arcane codes it required. Unfortunately, you don't know what codes to use? Does Garmin mean the GPS serial number or the City Navigator serial number? What in tarnation is the "product code"? And where is this magic "unlock certificate" with a six letter secret code?
I finally located the certificate hidden in the massive, and tough, plastic outer packaging.
Entering this, the Garmin website refreshed but seemingly did nothing. Hello? Meanwhile, MapSource just sat there telling me that V9 was locked.
Navigating the Garmin site to MyMaps, I retrieve all maps for my GPS, to discover the worse-than-useless Garmin site just applied my new certificate to an old City Navigator V7 that I had.
So Garmin stole my money. They won't do a thing to rectify the problem.
If a software developer with 24 years of experience can't get this poorly implemented unlocking crap to work, what chance do you have?
Customer Review: Received version 2010
Summary: 4 Stars
I based my purchase on the part number as it matched Garmin's part number for City Navigator North America NT 2010. The Amazon image associated with this item did not match what I received, thankfully. The received package exactly matched the current Garmin website product. Installation was simple and painless. Activation however, as mentioned in many other reviews, did require association with one of the Garmin GPSr's that are compatible with this map release. My Garmin eTrex Vista is NOT compatible, but my Garmin Oregon 450 is. Garmin has everything pretty tied to their website now, so I recommend creation of a myGarmin account before doing the installation. Caveat: I did already have MapSource loaded with maps for my eTrex Vista so I don't know if there are complications with the install due to MapSource. Looked at the map for the new streets in my area and they were there. Noticed some of the POI's are outdated by at least 3 years though. After installation, myGarmin, showed that there was an available map update which did correct come of the outdated or missing POI's in my area.
I have the National Geographic Weekend Explorer 3D and compared to this Garmin product it is flat out horrible. This Garmin map is light years better...if you have a compatible Garmin GPSr. 4 stars rather than 5 because software requires a Garmin GPSr to activate.
Customer Review: The customer is always wrong
Summary: 2 Stars
The software is OK, but not great. Other reviews mention its limitations and shortcomings. The main problem is that the unlock process is complex and has draconian restrictions. You don't get an unlock code with the product. Instead you get a certificate with an 8 digit code. Then submit this 8 digit code, in combination with a serial number for a GPS unit, to Garmin in order to obtain a 25 digit unlock key. Finally you enter the 25 digit unlock key. (Got all that?) Since you can't use the maps on a PC unless you also enter the serial number for a portable device, you can't buy this software just for PC use.
Garmin makes good products and I've been a longtime customer. Between work and home I own 7 of their units. But I'm losing my loyalty to them because they're constantly nickel-and-diming us for updates and making us jump through crazy hoops. Avoid this product unless you REALLY need the updated maps (which are not truly up-to-date, as others have mentioned). Instead try finding the old MetroGuide, which was much more user friendly.
Being a software developer myself I can sympathize with Garmin's concern for piracy. But they need to weigh that against the burden they are putting on honest users. I regret buying this product and will start looking at other vendors for my home and business GPS applications.
Customer Review: Overall, I'm satisfied ...
Summary: 5 Stars
I was hesitant to purchase this software given some of the negative reviews, but after owning/using it for about a week on my Colorado 300, I'm satisfied with its performance. I placed my order 4 January 2009. The version shipped by Amazon.com was the 2009 version - says so right on the packaging. The install process was neither complicated or draconian - I was NEVER prompted to enter any personal information to unlock the software, and had it installed and running in less than 15 minutes. The product code is no longer buried in the packaging - mine was on a bright green label attached to the dvd case.
I used it to plan a recent trip to northern Minnesota. I've never used any gps mapping software before, so it did take me some time to learn how to plan and use routes, waypoints, and points of interest efficiently. Since I'm a new user, I believe the learning curve was entirely appropriate and quite manageable. Like any software, it does not have human intuition. So, for instance, it will plot the shortest route by time or distance, without consideration for winter driving conditions or road construction. To that end, you'll still need to be able to read a map and make decisions on the fly. Still, I found it to be a useful navigational tool whose maps and POI's are 97% accurate in my experience.
Customer Review: Too much personal information requested to unlock!!
Summary: 2 Stars
I guess other people don't mind being forced to register before being allowed to use a product. I don't think even Microsoft does that. I got so frustrated trying to get the software unlocked that I felt like throwing the thing away and just taking a loss. As the other guy wrote, it's clear when there isn't much competition.
I found the instructions vague. All Garmin had to do was provide an unlock key with the product and ask for it to be entered, like everyone else does. Instead, they forced me to register, and hinted very strongly that I provide an email address if I wanted my unlock code. They provided an 8 digit code in order for me to apply for my 25 digit code. I couldn't see the whole setup as anything but a process to squeeze me into registering and providing and address, email addy, and full name. I spelled my name in a way that I'll know what junk mail comes from Garmin. So, we'll see if they lied about selling the info or not.
If I can find a GPS unit as functional as Garmin, I'll try them out for any future buys. I don't like being forced to jump through hoops after a company already has my money, but won't deliver the promised product until I do so. I guess it doesn't bother some people to have their info constantly circulating about.