GPS POI > GPS Forum > CoPilot > Any thoughts about Copilot?

blakew · Guest

I do not know anybody with copilot to get some advice before I buy it. Is it good or not?

grasue · Guest

glenby · Guest

I just got co-pilot 5 live for pocket pc (pda).
The map data is sensis v12 which is as current as it gets - new release in august.
The main reason I got copilot was the price - $300aud. I personally should have paid more and got some other brand - see notes below.

Generally speaking Co-pilot was cheapest for me.

To be fair to copilot -
Copilot tried to make me jump off a bridge but I think this is map data, it has also tried to get me to take bus lanes etc . For Australia I can't say that any of the GPS programs are better than any other due to map data quality. Destinator did the same thing and from my perspective, Destinator and copilot are very similar in terms of interface and results.
All 3 that I have used have massive holes in their data and this is due purely to the fact that they all use the same map data now. Sensis.

Notes -
Copilot isn't as easy to use and you have to use the stylus to enter in
and address. Tomtom has bigger buttons and the map revolves around
the arrow - you are always facing up and you can see the street names as they come into line. Copilot doesn't do this (for safety). Once you are going more than 16k's/hr it changes to a blue screen with written info and you have to rely on it.
Copilot has slightly quicker re-routing and calcing than either
tomtom or destinator.
Destinator and copilot have text to speech which wasn't in tomtom.
i.e. it says turn right into "name" street - not just turn right.

Destinator tells you when you are speeding - haven't found that in the others.

I ended up buying copilot as I got it for $300 aud but reckon that tomtom would have been better - it was more expensive and I couldn't find much other than derision for tomtom support.

my 2c's worth

soulvisitor · Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2 Local POI page: 2250

Customers first view of his new purchase..... Co pilot live laptop 10 Australia issue

I finally after much delay (3 weeks) received my new program and installed it, the first thing that came up was, as I passed a speed camera nothing was said, so I checked and was disappointed to find no speed camera data base at all.

No worries I thought to myself I have Ov2 files of speed camera's I will upload them, sure enough the next issue hit me, the system crashed at second stop being saved.

No worries I thought to myself again, must be my OV2 file, so I thought I would delete it and try another, that's when I hit upon my third problem, no option for custom poi editing.

It seems after much contact with support they had issued their software missing speen camera data base they are working on a patch, There is privacy issues with the POI data base in Australian release so Custom POI editor has been removed from system, and Development team is working on fixing OV2 upload bug.

EyePeaSea · Guest

I had TomTom on my Treo650. Upgrading to the XDA Windows Mobile device (very good move) I got a free copy of CoPilot Live v6.

I can't compare some things; the mapping data and program were both more up to date than my TomTom, so I'd expect the CoPilot to look a little better. Also, the XDA phone has a built in GPS and so the whole thing is a lot slicker.

It's ok - and it does handle some junctions (warnings and information on approach) better than the TomTom. However, the biggest problem, as far as I'm concerned, is address entry.

In the UK, a post code points to a single road. Therefore, a house number and and a post code is enough in TomTom to find the exact destination. If you just have a partial post code, then TomTom will give you a list of possible road names.

On CoPilot, you only get to input the first half of the post code (e.g. RG11 2) and then you *have* to enter the road name. It doesn't even narrow the road down to a small list of possibles. This may not sound like a big deal, but why is it necessary? If I have a post code, it should tell me what the road names are called!

Oh, and the other down side is that I had Joanna Lumley's voice on my TomTom, and I haven't been able to find her for the CoPilot Sad

The 'Live' feature is really cool (it lets anyone that you've invited, to track your current location on a map in a browser, and send you messages, via the ALK website). It's sort of fun to play with, but I'm not sure how useful it all is really!

Another feature is one that might be mis-used. It stores the GPS data of previous journeys and so you can replay the exact journey, showing speed and stops, at a later date. Imagine the scenario - you tell your girlfriend that you worked late, but if she gets her hands on the phone, she can replay your trip home (assuming you had CoPilot turned on) and see that you left at 4:30pm and spent 3 hours in the Pub in the village two miles up the road!!!). LOL.

All in all, I might give up and buy TomTom for the XDA - it's marginally better at routing, but TomTom must have improved a lot in the two years since I got that software.

Cheers

Ian

djkilley · Guest

Anyone know where I can purchase (USA or Canada) the Copillot live Laptop 10-Australian version complete with the GPS that connects with the USB port?? Cost??

Thanks

Wilgadene · Guest

I'm having the same problems as "Soulvisitor" with the Custom POI Editor.

Did you eventually get around it or does anyone know of a fix for this problem yet. Confused

david_j_smith · Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 1 Local POI page: 2283

Hi I have copilot7 on a PDA and have had had all versions since copilot 4.
I have only had problems with copilot 7 with it losing its activation code and having to file the file, delete it and re-activate it. I have notice there has been a few updates lately which hopefully will solve that problem other than that it gets 98% of the trip correct to the quickest setting.