I have heard something about Smartnav which I understand is made by Trafficmaster. I believe they operate the traffic monitoring system using the blue poles along the side of the road. I understand that Smartnav integrates satellite navigation with traffic monitoring. Sounds very interesting but I would value any opinions or comments especially from any actual users of the system.
Many thanks, MGs
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Had a quick look at this, and basically you call the centre and tell them where you want to go, they then broadcast the route back to your device. They charge per broadcast, and I guess for re-routing as well if you miss a turning, as your device doesn't actually hold any map info itself. It all seems a bit longwinded to me, and not terribly cheap if you add it up. Personally, I prefer to have control of my own destination, as it were, and just buy a sat nav system and replace cd/dvd as and when. Of course you don't get the 'benefit' of their traffic avoidence info.
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Dave N - Many thanks indeed for your explanation of the system, that has given me some questions to consider with respect to the system.
MGs
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I'm just looking at this site, and loaded the video. Maggie Philbin is the presenter, but for some reason the video and soundtrack is playing at half speed for me - making Mags sound like a cross between Maggie Thatch and a dalek.
Dunno if this is just a problem for me.
The device itself actually looks pretty handy, although it's one of those gizmos that is hard to justify the cost, unless you are regularly visiting "strange" palces.
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I've just got a new mobile phone with internet on it, there's a "driving directions" link which takes a while to set up but gives you turn-by-turn instructions to your destination! I tried it when I took a parcel to a village near Preston the other day, it guided me straight to the right street, total cost on GPRS about 5p.
Coupled with the automated voice service on Orange (dial 177, option 1), which basically reads out the delays live, exactly as they would appear on a Trafficmaster screen, and a little common sense and prior knowledge of when and where traffic jams are likely to occur, I seem to get by just fine without spending ££££s!
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