I have the same question, I've got 3 Garmins and they are all giving out. New Garmin devices have reduced functionality and the prices are higher! Its completely retarded.
I actually did try using an Android phone as a GPS, as I've got a spare Galaxy device with dock, audio out, and hard wired power adapter. There is no way a phone will do the heavy lifting that my Garmin devices do. Here is a list of requirements that you need in a GPS that Android on phones don't meet.
- Visibility with a matte screen. For use in a standard car or a convertible, you have to have a matte screen for seeing while driving.
- Power on automation and reliability. The device needs to power up on its own and be ready to go without any user interaction. One of my Garmin devices starts playing my MP3 playlist on boot up through AUX in my stock head unit.
- Rock solid GPS reception. I've never had a phone be near as accurate as a GPS unit.
- Offline maps
I used Sygic on my Galaxy and the processor ran at full speed to keep the app running smoothly, overheating it after a while. Partially due to being in the sunlight on my dashboard. The screen was practically unreadable due to glare.
Here are some features I would love to have if I had a Garmin form factor and screen with Android:
- Wifi auto connect to my house when I part, for map updates and to rsync my music collection
- Better bluetooth connect and phone call interrupt
- AUX input for an analog trucker style radio, to communicate with other cars and trucks
Any ideas? Maybe a device that supports custom ROMs, Android or non-android?
Pics of my setup:
