Any Suggestions for English GPS?

I want an English color GPS, preferably an all in one machine but a GPS only model would be fine too.

My problem is that the cheapest color English GPS unit I’ve seen is a 14,000 Garmin with simple base maps, the upgraded map would be 3,000 and I’ve heard that it’s hard to get cheap or cracked maps for Garmins. For that price (18- 20,000) I could get an all in one machine (2 MP Camera, Pocket PC, GPS, Phone, Internet, MP4 etc.)

The Glofiish looks rockin and maybe the dopod but nobody has them with English OSs.

Does anybody have any suggestions? Especially some brand where you can find cheap or free maps for other countries and stuff? I’d need to play with one before I could order one in English.

You’d think that Taiwizzle would be the schnizznittobam for electronics.

[b]It feels like one of those dreams where I’m looking everywhere for the bathroom and can’t find one.

Help! I gotta take a whiz! And get a GPS![/b]

The PaPaGo software is really good and works well with any GPS capable PDA (windows mobile based?)… I’ve also heard it’s what’s being put into the new Nokia N95 (which I am getting as a belated birthday gift from the missus as soon as it’s released)…

also, having a convo on another forum about the Garmin Zumo 550, here’s a local (taiwanese’s) reply:

[quote]Hi x08, I got the Zumo550 about 2 weeks ago now , upgrading from 60cx, and it is really good.

Like ZerMATT already said, you can select ‘items’ to avoid, like Highways, so for now it is very useful planning a trip and not sneaking onto the highways

As for the voice guidance, it has both Chinese and English … but … the english is only good to tell you to go left or right and the distance … all other speach for road names becomes ‘code-talking’ … like ‘Bei Xing Road’ will be something like (06. … being … ‘bracket-zero-six-dot’ … and then you can guess which street that is
Just keep voice set to Chinese, it works perfect and all will be crystal-clear

Bottom-line : I love it … oh … and the MP3 player in it … cool toy [/quote]

If you can get your paws on a Garmin c320 Street Pilot,that would be fantastic.I got mine free with the purchase of my new 4X4 at the end of 2006.It didn’t come with English maps but it was no hassle to download them after phoning Garmin Taiwan & them directing me over the phone as to what steps I needed to take to get everything dowloaded successfully.Was a bit of a hassle inasmuch as my PC only has Chinese Windows XP.Anyone know how I can get hold of a LEGAL English copy?

My local 3C is clueless(no surprise) & the Nova Taiwan Website is only in Chinese.

Thanks in advance.

Search function is your friend :wink:

I guess this depends on what you mean with an English GPS. There is three parts of a GPS. The graphical interface, the voice instructions and the map data.

The Mio DigiWalker C310 is about NT8000, and you can switch to an English interface on it, and use English voice instructions. (Although the Chinese instructions are more detailed). The C210 should be even cheaper. But it doesn’t have English maps. Upgrade to the C710 and you’ll get handsfree calling (with a Bluetooth phone). C710 is also the only GPS in Taiwan that has RDS for traffic reporting. I’ve been using it for about a month now. Pretty cool. :slight_smile:

I think it will be hard to find a GPS that has English maps that covers all of Taiwan, but if you only need Taipei City, you can download MapKing’s version of Taipei.

I am trying to install Papago on my mobile device. Have successfully changed the menus into English. The maps are still in Chinese but that’s ok. Have changed the setting in Papago to Com port COM4, Baud rate 57600 according to advice from my mobile device manufacturer. They also claim I should change protocol to NMEA but I can find anywhere to make that setting within Papago.

When I search for GPS, Papago just keeps searching and searching. Can’t seem to find any coordinates or satellites. Any thoughts on what I am doing wrong.

When I use the pre installed GPS Viewer that came with Windows mobile 6, coordinates and satellites are found right away so I don’t think there is any issue with the GPS receiver.

I do not know where I posted it, but Mapking has English Maps for Taipei. www.mapking.com
In fact, I just downloaded the latest Software+ Map to install on my newly expected WM6 PDA with English OS.
I am testing it now on my old one and I must admit it look better tahn my bosses Garmin (and cheaper)

I bought a Garmin Nuvi 250 here in Canada for about 300 bucks. Loving it!

[quote=“ceevee369”]I do not know where I posted it, but Mapking has English Maps for Taipei. www.mapking.com
In fact, I just downloaded the latest Software+ Map to install on my newly expected WM6 PDA with English OS.
I am testing it now on my old one and I must admit it look better tahn my bosses Garmin (and cheaper)[/quote]

Thanks for the tip, will install MapKing. However, since I don’t live in Taipei I would need Papago as well. Can’t understand why it doesn’t work for me. Just keeps searching for satellites… :frowning:

[quote=“ailixin”][quote=“ceevee369”]I do not know where I posted it, but Mapking has English Maps for Taipei. www.mapking.com
In fact, I just downloaded the latest Software+ Map to install on my newly expected WM6 PDA with English OS.
I am testing it now on my old one and I must admit it look better tahn my bosses Garmin (and cheaper)[/quote]

Thanks for the tip, will install MapKing. However, since I don’t live in Taipei I would need Papago as well. Can’t understand why it doesn’t work for me. Just keeps searching for satellites… :frowning:[/quote]

I am not a tech wiz, but if you use a sirf star III receiver, you should not use the NMEA protocol.
Papago, mapking etc should recognize the GPS signal anyway.

What is your WM6 device and which GPS receiver do you use?

Do the Garmin units (Nuvi, Zumo, etc.) come with Taiwan maps? I’ve been looking at the USA website and there is no mention of Taiwan maps in the map section. Or is it a case where I have to buy the Garmin unit in Taiwan to get the Taiwan map?

TIA

I’m in a similar situation. I’m interested in the Garmin 60csx handheld. It’s 17200nt here and even though the OS can be converted to English, the buttons are not in english. Even thought they are MADE in Tw, a few retailers that I asked seemed to think it would be impossible to get my hands on one with english hardware in Tw.
Besides that, via Amazon, it’s around 350USD, so I’m thinking about sourcing it via the US… so I’ll need to get TW maps for it.

A friend here has had a couple of Nokia devices with GPS, and the maps are all free downloads and are in english (pinyin) for Taiwan.

[quote=“Truant”]
A friend here has had a couple of Nokia devices with GPS, and the maps are all free downloads and are in English (Pinyin) for Taiwan.[/quote]
Which software does your friend use?

I have been using TomTom Navigator 6 on a Tytn for over 6 months now and have been very happy with it… until i came to taiwan. It seems indeed that TomTom Navigator in its english version does not recognize the Taiwanese maps designed for it.

So i am now looking for any suggestion as to how to solve this issue or how to replace Navigator with something else. I am looking for maps of the whole of Taiwan (this is going to be used for a bike trip planned around the island at the end of this month).
I am about to give PaPaGo a try to see if i can get to use it. Anybody knows if PaPaGo Australia would be able to read the taiwanese maps?

I believe this depends of your GPS receiver, you should check what norms does it uses. Apparently Papago only accepts NMEA receivers. I have a Holux M1000 which is an NMEA and relatively cheap on ebay.

The baud rate seems too high, usually NEMA 0183 rates are 4800 for CF style and built in receivers and 38400 for bluetooth types, COM4 sounds about right.

What version of Papago are you running? I tried V10 on my mobile device and couldn’t find any function to change the menu to English.
I gave up on Papago in the end and used GPSeasy, which allows you to make your own maps.
Just took screen caps of Google earth and MSN virtual earth and converted them to GPS maps complete with English street names.

[quote=“Ed en Vadrouille”][quote=“Truant”]
A friend here has had a couple of Nokia devices with GPS, and the maps are all free downloads and are in English (Pinyin) for Taiwan.[/quote]
Which software does your friend use?[/quote]
Just the standard Nokia download ones.

[quote=“Truant”]
Just the standard Nokia download ones.[/quote]Quite franckly this doesnt exactly helps, since there have been many different offers where Nokia phones where bundled with different GPS solutions.
Any Better idea?

ailixin, i’d love to know as well what version of papago you’ve been using.

I tried Papago for a while, but it takes too long to find my position. I find I’m fine using the google maps app on my phone, as it find my position and tracks easily, quickly and accurately (This is all in Chinese, though).

[quote=“Ed en Vadrouille”][quote=“Truant”]
Just the standard Nokia download ones.[/quote]Quite franckly this doesnt exactly helps, since there have been many different offers where Nokia phones where bundled with different GPS solutions.
Any Better idea?[/quote]
Sorry, it’s 2nd hand info. The first unit he used was an E61 and the second one is a N6610. I hope that helps, but probably not.

[quote=“Truant”][quote=“Ed en Vadrouille”][quote=“Truant”]
Just the standard Nokia download ones.[/quote]Quite franckly this doesnt exactly helps, since there have been many different offers where Nokia phones where bundled with different GPS solutions.
Any Better idea?[/quote]
Sorry, it’s 2nd hand info. The first unit he used was an E61 and the second one is a N6610. I hope that helps, but probably not.[/quote]

It sure is better than no input! Thanks mate!