Garmin MapSource WorldMap (CD-ROM)
by Garmin
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Garmin MapSource WorldMap (CD-ROM)
Customer Review: Useable GPS maps of the world--great Google Earth tie-in
Summary: 4 Stars
We do a lot of foreign travel and periodically use a Garmin 60C GPS for understanding where we're going and where we've been. For example, in 2009 we headed to Nepal and Tibet to do some treking and white-water rafting, in 2008 it was central Africa, in 2006 we explored the ice fields and Fjords of Patagonia. None of these areas had easy to acquire maps, so I bought Garmin's WorldMap to at least provide rudimentary maps of the areas. This is about all the WorldMap does, as it is quite "high level" with only the major roads and towns available. However, it does provide downloadable maps for the GPS so that you have something to display in these non-US areas and something to use on your computer screen when planning the trip.
Probably my favorite use of the maps is its built-in tie to Google Earth. Once you locate your places of interest using World Map on your computer, you can click on the "View in Google Earth" and instantly view your waypoints and routes in Google Earth with infinite detail. Vise versa, I often use Google Earth to locate detailed GPS coordinates and copy them into my WorldMap software for download to the GPS; this provides a workaround for the low detail and poor accuracy of maps. When you get home you can also upload your world-wide tracks and waypoints that you acquired on your trip and view them in Google Earth to know exactly where you were and where to post pictures, if you do that. This interactivity with Google Earth saves the day for what otherwise is a pretty limited level of map detail.
In the US, I do a lot of off-road exploring, mostly in the southwest deserts. Here I use Garmin's Topo USA 2008 Garmin Mapsource Topo US 2008. It has infinite detail, on and off-road, and the same wonderful Google-Earth connectivity.
Customer Review: Likely to dissapoint
Summary: 3 Stars
How it works: load the software onto your computer then open the application which is pretty much a map of the world. The world map is made up of many small map files that are mostly 5 degrees by 5 degrees. Many of the "map blocks" over the ocean contain no data, but show up as 1k files. select all the areas, then upload to your GPS via usb cable. You cannot load the whole world, because the number of blocks exceeds the GPS capacity. By not selecting most of the oceans, everything else should fit. I put a 2GB micro SD card in my eTrex HCx. Don't know if the map files are loaded into the GPs built in memory or the memory card. Uploading the max number of maps takes about 30 minutes. Once done, your GPS will take about 1 minute to load all the map files into main (?) memory everytime you turn your GPS on, so you will probably only want to upload the map areas you are likely to use on your trip.
Map quality: Map detail is low to poor, depending on area. For instance, in a major US city, the freeways, interstates and MAJOR roads only will be shown. Coast lines are decent, and generally better than the base map. Another example: Tahiti, NO roads are shown at all. Some geographic features (a couple dozen) are shown. the topo lines are in 1000' increments, so for all practical purposes, useless.
Summary: A pig in a poke. Depending where you are going it may add something useful or not. Personnally, I think a good value price for this product is about $50 US.
Customer Review: Marginally useful
Summary: 1 Stars
After a few years of use with WorldMap I would have to agree with some of the other reviewers about the dubious accuracy. Errors I have found include place names not spelled correctly, locations shown a considerable distance from where they really are, and even wrong road numbers given (using the wrong country road numbering system... well, duh). In that last case, the folks who assembled the WorldMap (at least the version that I have) somehow concluded that when you travel from Argentina into Chile (where I live), the Argentine national road number would remain the same in Chile. It does not take much experience to know that this is simply not the case. WorldMap does not really add much to a GPS load above the detail level of the base map... some, yes. My two Garmin GPS units are pretty good as the hardware goes. As far as the WorldMap program, it's a major disappointment and could get you into trouble.Customer Review: OK but no cigar
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this to use with my Garmin eMap. For the USA the detail level is the same as came preinstalled on the unit--major highways. I've used it in London, Cambridge, Paris, Tokyo and Munich. There isn't really enough detail to find your way around any of these cities but it is useful for e.g. finding your way from suburb to suburb. The River Cam wasn't very close to where the map had it so it helps to use one's eyes. The maps are dated. We are developing a site in the high Andes near San Pedro de Atacama for the ALMA telescope--the map of that region did not show the Jama Road from Calama to Salta Argentina, a major international route (admittedly less than a decade old--but paved!).Customer Review: Garmin WorldMap CD-Rom
Summary: 3 Stars
I travel internationally and was looking for something that would give me an idea what cities I was over from the air, when riding on commercial transportation. This product does that well from the air, but as I read on several other reviews, on the ground, it can be another story. It can put you on the wrong side of a river or when riding on a train, the depicted track can be 3/4 mile away or more. I have the US Street map and that works fine and is very accurate, but the World database still needs some tweaking. I use it with the Etrex Vista.