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Zumo observations (updated)

4K views 37 replies 19 participants last post by  David M. 
#1 ·
This is not a comparison of the Zumo to the iWay, but I'll offer my observations compared to all of the units. If all you want is glowing observations, click the 'Back' button on your browser now.

  • M/C Cradle:[list:14bjfmgn]The power/audio connections for the GPS come from spring-loaded pins that mate with the contacts on the Zumo. The pins are covered by a rubber cap when not in use - very nice and probably a better design than the socket/plug assembly used in the SkyFi XM radios.
    The power connector plugs into cradle and is secured in place with two small screws. Once this is installed, you have to pry it out - there's no way to grip it. (this will make it harder if you planned on leaving the power cable attached to the bike and removing the cradle when the GPS is not needed)


    Right below the power connector is the USB socket for the XM antenna - this socket is covered by a weather boot as well.


    The weak point for this cradle is the security screw. The 26/27 & 28-series cradle has a locking screw to secure the unit in place, but they used a mini-Torx style screw head. The Zumo cradle uses a small spanner-style screw and it's much harder to keep the driver engaged with the screw during the full lock/unlock process.


    (The screw itself is out-of-focus in this picture)
    It pops out often enough that it would probably eventually deter me from using it. It pops out easy enough that this would probably be my security deterrent - simply remove it and drop it in my jacket or the RH pocket. Unlike the StreetPilot cradle, the Zumo cradle is usable without tightening the securing screw.
Display/Screen
  • It appears to be the same resolution/colors as the 2720/2730/2820 style units. It is not as crisp and clear as the GPSMap units (276-478) - they have the best daylight-viewable screens (IMHO). I've included comparison pictures below to my iWay - I'll try to do some comparisons to a 2720 next week.

    Here you can see the two units mounted on my bike - I didn't enhance or modify the image so you could see it in their actual conditions. Both units were set to maximum brightness.


    Closeups of each unit, both set to the same zoom scale (the iWay defaults to 200' zoom at low speeds)


    You can see the difference in useable map area.

    The map display is not customizable at all - no data tab changes, etc. What you get is what Garmin gives you.
    When you're routing, you get the upcoming turn text across the top of the map, speed in the lower left tab, next turn distance in the lower right tab and the arrival time in the center above the 'menu' button in the middle.
    When not routing, the next turn distance changes to a direction heading.
    The screen is touch-sensitive, but you can't touch the screen and drag the map. Trying this brings up a dialog box that asks if you want to save your current location as a favorite.

    This is a big deal (IMHO) - you cannot easily use the GPS screen to preview the map screen, upcoming roads, even your current route. You can pan the screen when in the route-planning mode, just not in general navigation use.

    The usable map screen area is 2 3/4"W x 1 5/16"H -> 3.6 sq. inches (the data tabs and text box are not transparent and reduce the map space).

    There is no 'auto zoom' control feature feature. The zoom scale appears to be related to related to your default distance to turn. This will need further investigation
Miscellaneous
  • Garmin's gone cheap and doesn't include a printed manual with this unit.
    It takes six screen presses to change the map display from Track up to North up or 3D (just an FYI)
    Garmin's done the right thing and there's a button on the trip log page to 'Save As Route'. There is no 'TrackBac' or reverse feature and there's no way to show your track info on the map.
    There's only one trip log available, so you'll have to remember to save your data each day (or logical break points).
    When you connect your USB cable to the unit, it automatically creates a GPX file with any routes, waypoints and trip log (track files) in it.

    The unit handles data card operation very well. When you insert a card that has files that it recogizes, it will ask you if you want to manage the data on the card. Very easy to use.
    The MP3 player doesn't care where your music files are located and will find them all and automatically group them by genre, artist, or album, if the data is included with the files. I didn't see anywhere where I could specify a playlist or custom folder (I have a folder called 'road tunes' that includes some of my favorite riding songs). To do this I could probably specify a custom 'album title' for all of the songs in that folder before transferring them to the card.

    When connected, the unit shows up as a 1.2GB removable drive with app. 120MB free space (the unit includes an MP3 folder with a few sample songs on it).
    There are two folders in the root: Garmin & MP3. The Garmin folder includes all of the system files and folders for the voice, text, icons, 'remoteSW' and GPX files. This is where it automatically stores the current user data as a 'Current.GPX' file.
    All of the units' files are available for prodding, poking and accidently deleting once the unit is connected to the computer. Pretty dangerous and scary... I would probably back up the complete structure to the computer, JIC.
    When the USB cable is connected to the unit, the GPS is completely disabled (no Garmin Ximage use on this device) :) They included a nice 'screen capture' system that when enabled, places a small camera icon on each screen and saves an image of each screen in a 'SCRN' folder on the unit. This is pretty handy and I use it all the time when taking screen shots of the iWay.
[/list:u:14bjfmgn]
I need some road time with it, but my initial reaction is that it might not be a bad first unit, but if you're migrating you may miss some existing features. The lack of map manipulation and customization would be enough to exclude it for me.
 
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#3 ·
Jon, I heard there is some reduction in the detail in the basemap in some instances to save memory. It is called "Americas Lite Routable". Have you looked into that???

Maybe this unit is not as great as Blade and others thought it would be. I would much prefer my 2730 for less than $900 including the GXM30 antenna. I can hit cruise control when I want to hit a button or the screen to change something rather than having to have Left Hand Buttons.
 
#4 ·
Jon,

As you spend more time with the Zumo, I think that you may find that some of the features that you did not think were there in fact are.


I am not a "Power" GPS user, I am upgrading from an etrex vista c, so I have not had some of the features that are in the more advanced units.

For me the Zumo seems to be very good in what I want it for. I have had it since Tuesday, so I have had 2 nights to play with it.

When in a route, if you press the top of the screen the unit displays your turns in order, if you touch the lower RH corner of the screen it displays the detailed turn info with the voice prompts. As for touching and dragging the map you have to be in the Where to-Browse map mode, then you can drag the map anywhere you want to.

I also found out in oder to use the City navigator program you have to update it, otherwise it will not find the Zumo when trying to send information to the Zumo.

I did not like the way it mounted, it was too close to me so I bought a double ended ball along with another clamp assembly which allows me to move it further away so I can see it without my reading glasses.

The phone link works great as does the MP3 player. I have not ridden with it yet but did take a little drive in the car last night and I like it.

Wayne
 
#6 ·
As I stated, if you're new to GPSs, you'll probably be very happy with this unit. If you're used to another unit (considering upgrading to get BlueTooth or MP3/XM) you should be aware of some of the differences.

For example, StreetPilot users are probably used to being able to zoom, drag and zoom the map at will, not only when in the 'browse' mode. (accessed by pressing the Menu button, 'Where To?', down arrow, 'Browse Map')

To see the details on a POI (which are only shown when you zoom in to 300' or less) you have to save it to 'your favorites' - there's no 'info' button that gives you the details (address, phone number, etc.) When you have them saved in your favorites, you can modify their screen icon, change their phone number, etc.

There is no POI detail menu that allows you to specify at what zoom scale the POIs are shown (like the 27+ allows)

xxx, when you disable the detail maps and just use the basemap, you still have all of the major roads for most of the major urban areas - I haven't tried looking for areas in Alaska that were clearly removed in this basemap.

Doug, I don't know what they told you - but I can find no customization options at all. The 'Display' settings are Color Mode (Day, Night, Auto) based on sunrise/sunset times; Splash screen choice; Brightness and the 'screen shot' utility. There's nothing in the manual about that capability, either.
 
#7 ·
If the Zumo is like the 2730, you can customize it as I mention in my post below. I edited this because I included the instructions in more detail below in my next post.

I don't know if this is what you mean by Customization but that is how someone described it to me and I couldn't find it in the Manual but it is a very nice feature and very cool.
 
#8 ·
I'm familiar with how this is done with the other units, xxx. There are no settings on this unit to allow any customization. (unless they're completely hidden and undocumented as well)

You can easily access the audio player by pressing the third 'hard button' from the top. Pressing this toggles between the map page, dashboard and music player.

There are no choices to display altitude, voltage, position, time to turn, etc.
 
#14 ·
This sounds similar to the evolution of the pps/palm Que software. The old Que software has the "traditional" look and gives the user the ability to choose the number of windows on the screen, their size, and what's in them. The new Mobile XT software (which is still in beta, and on-again-off-again on the Garmin site) has the new look and the ability to do 3-d, but gives the user NO opportunity for customization. It's like Garmin has decided that GPS is becoming so wide spread that it has to be "dumbed down" for the masses, and there aren't enough of us geeks :lol: for them to be concerned about. :(
 
#16 ·
However, if the Zumo is like the 2720, 2730 & 2820, then you may be able to customize it as I said before in the Settings area of the menu. You can select audio, time to turn, distance to turn, elevation, speed, etc. by selecting Settings, then Map, then scroll down toMap Data Fields, Select Map Data Fields, then Touch Thin, then Touch Audio and Navigation Fields, then selecting line one, or line two or line three, etc.

Then you have an option to select what you want on that particular line. You can always get Speed, Elevation, Time to Next Turn, Estimated Time of Arrival, Number of Miles to Next Turn, etc. then by pressing the Navigation Soft Button on the touch screen which then gives you this complete Navigation Screen with all of this info.

I would guess that they brought this technology forward to this new Zumo unit as I couldn't understand why they would abandon it unless they gave you another way to do it.

Here is a link to the thread that pshivers wrote about how to Customize the Screen and add the Audio Function or Soft Button with Screen Shots.

http://www.gl1800riders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=509564&highlight=settings#509564
 
#17 ·
Good job Jon.
Maybe you'll know?; I've looked everywhere but the right place trying to find out what memory size is in the 2730. I'm interested in loading some MP3's in but don't want to use up too much memory space.
Have you come across how much space the disc has or how much music can fit inside?...
 
#18 ·
xxxrider said:
... I would guess that they brought this technology forward to this new Zumo unit as I couldn't understand why they would abandon it unless they gave you another way to do it...
The flaw in your assumption is that this unit is a derivative of the StreetPilot family.

It's not - it has evolved from the 'c-Class' units, most specifically the c550. These 'consumer-grade' units have very few (if any) features that can be customized.

In fact, the unit even has the hidden test screens and menus that the 550 has.

Ryder, if I remember right, the 2730 has about 800MB of free internal memory space available. This memory is shared with custom POI files, additional maps, additional voices and your music files.
 
#19 ·
Very nice review, John.

But form the information provided I can't see that I would want one of those Zumo things. My 378 seems a far superior solution for my personal GPS requirements.

I think the Zumo fits somewhere between the Honda NAV system and a full featured GPS. To many features made complicated or obmitted for my personal use.

I don't understand why Garmin is going the route of dumbing down systems. Even Microsoft can do better than that and provide options for experienced users to get what they want (in most cases).

Reiner
 
#21 ·
wing ryder said:
Good job Jon.
Maybe you'll know?; I've looked everywhere but the right place trying to find out what memory size is in the 2730. I'm interested in loading some MP3's in but don't want to use up too much memory space.
Have you come across how much space the disc has or how much music can fit inside?...
The 2730 has 2GB of space with about 1 GB free for your files...
 
#22 ·
If all this is true, then I think alot of people will not be as HAPPY as they thought they would be including our friend BLADE (MBRESSO) when they find out that they are taking a step backwards in many areas just to get Hard Buttons on the Left Side which you hardly ever use anyway.
 
#23 ·
reinerka said:
Very nice review, John.

But form the information provided I can't see that I would want one of those Zumo things. My 378 seems a far superior solution for my personal GPS requirements.

I think the Zumo fits somewhere between the Honda NAV system and a full featured GPS. To many features made complicated or obmitted for my personal use.

I don't understand why Garmin is going the route of dumbing down systems. Even Microsoft can do better than that and provide options for experienced users to get what they want (in most cases).

Reiner
The chip set or (brain) in the Street Pilots, Quests, V and most older units is a total Garmin design. The C series, Zumo and Nuvi use a chip set designed by Sirf. It is a totally different architecture. Comparing the two series of units and their feature sets is like trying to compare an Apple computer to a Widows based computer; totally different animal.
 
#24 ·
Gosh, knowing all this, I am so GLAD that I bought the 2730 for a steal at about $850 including shipping which included the GXM30 antenna. I thought that this ZUMO would just be a repackaged 2730/2820 but more designed for the motorcycle and with more bells and whistles, not less.

Boy Oh Boy, I bet there are going to be alot of surprised ZUMO wannabbes out there who are not going to be as HAPPY as they have expressed over the awaiting ARRIVAL of the GREAT ZUMO!!!

BLADE (MBRESSO) I guess you might have a little letdown if it indeed doesn't deliver as we were all led to BELIEVE!!!
 
#26 ·
One of the strengths of the Zumo is its' data management.

For example, the track function is always active and is always recording data. The system is programmed to create a new track file entry everytime you're stopped for a given period of time (it appears that you need to be stopped for over five minutes or so for it to start creating a new file, but I need to do some more testing to determine the exact parameters).

The unit automatically writes these track files to the GPX storage file on the unit itself and updates the file everytime you plug in the USB cable. When you open the GPX file, you see a listing like this for the track files:



One of the perceived downgrades to the unit is its' single 'trip log' file, but since it automatically creates a track file and writes these to the GPX file stored in memory, it's actually a very flexible system.

The tracking parameters are not adjustable (breadcrumb drop rate or threshold), but they apparently compensate for that by making the interval deviation-based (which will create the most track entries) and writing these values directly into the GPX file.

I'm going to go take a test ride and verify the stop time/track file start parameters. More to come later....
 
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