Garmin have announced the availabilty of Mapsource City Navigator Europe NT 2009 Map Update (version 11). This release will update any system that had City Navigator Europe Version 10 or earliar.
To see the level of map detail available on Version 11 click here.
To purchase this map update click here.
Following on from our announcement that myPOIs.ie had launched, we have now fully integrated both sites – you can now easily purchase a myPOIs.ie subscription on mySatNav.ie. Both Premium and Premium+ products are available on the following product pages:
Time Limited Special Offer!! If you purchase any compatible Garmin GPS, and add either a Premium or Premium+ subscription you’ll Save €25.
When you purchase a Premium or Premium+ Subscription we’ll automatically set up your account on myPOIs.ie so that you can instantly download POI databases and Irish Safety Camera Databases direct to your Garmin GPS.
The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into TomTom’s proposed acquisition of TeleAtlas. The EC feels that the merging of the two Dutch companies raises vertical competition concerns and whether this transaction would significantly disrupt effective competition within the European Economic Area.
TomTom, one of the leading producers of portable navigation devices in Europe, put a bid in for TeleAtlas, one of the two producers of navigable digital maps, last year outbidding TomTom’s rival Garmin. The European Commission’s main concern is whether this affliation would increase the costs of other PND manufacturers for digital maps or limit the access to the maps, and as a consequence harm consumers.
The merger for TomTom would give them a significant hold on the car GPS market as they would now not only be hardware producers but software too.
No sooner had Teleatlas been snatched up by TomTom, now Nokia have followed in their footsteps by acquiring sat nav mapping and software specialist giants Navteq. It seems that the Finnish mobile phone company have taken notice of the increasingly high demand for satellite navigation. This recent acquisition is great for the GPS enthusiasts as there is now going to be a wider selection and a more competitive GPS market.
So, does this mean that Garmin should worry? I don’t think so, because Nokia have said that they intend to keep Navteq as an independent unit, which means that the likes of Garmin and Route 66 will still be able to aquire a mapping licence.
While digital mapping consistently improves over time, map coverage of Ireland has long been playing catch-up with larger European countries. The following outlines the current state of digital mapping for Ireland as of Q3 2007. It is based on our own research, and feedback received from our customers and partners. We welcome any views you have on this (you can leave a comment below).
There are two companies that are responsible for the digital maps found in most consumer GPS satellite navigation systems – Navteq and Tele Atlas. Navteq digital maps are used in Garmin and Route 66 products, while the TomTom and Navman brands use Tele Atlas digital maps.
As of today’s date (August 2007) Navteq map data has superior coverage for Ireland than Tele Atlas equivalents. While Tele Atlas maps are excellent in the main population centres, coverage in rural areas still contains blind spots, particularly in Western and Northern Ireland. Tele Atlas has followed a strategy of demographic mapping as opposed to Navteq’s geographic coverage, with the result that Navteq generally tends to have more complete coverage at the national level.
As of August 2007, all Garmin systems and most Route 66 systems use Q2-06 Navteq map data. Navteq’s Q2-06 map data is now at least 12 months old, and therefore there are a number of issues to consider:
Ireland is still very much in ‘catch-up’ mode when compared to European digital mapping, and it will probably be another 12-18 months before genuine 100% mapping is available.
Currently the only system we are selling that has map data later the Q2-06 is the Airis T920A with Route 66 which is being shipped with Q4-06 Navteq data. Q2-07 Navteq map data will be available in new Garmin models from October (Mapsource City Navigator Europe v10) and as an map update in January 2008. Route 66 will be releasing Navigate 8 and Mobile 8 pocket pc and smathphone software solutions in late September/early October, again using Q2-07 Navteq data.
Q2-07 Navteq map data for Ireland will include a number of refinements including:
Tele Atlas mapping is still lagging some way behind Navteq. In major population areas, however, mapping is really quite excellent, and for this reason systems from TomTom are worth considering, and are now available from our online store.
When you leave Irish shores the difference between Navteq and Tele Atlas becomes much less pronounced. In fact European digital mapping is of a similar standard with both Navteq and Tele Atlas products. However, currently we recommend Navteq-based systems if you intend to use your GPS in Ireland and Europe.
Have you used either Navteq or Tele Atlas mapping systems? We’d love to hear how you got on – why not leave us a comment below?
