scottfromiowa Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 I just read that Garmin released a Synthetic Vision component for their NEW 796 GPS. I find this disappointing how Garmin is always launching a NEW lastest greatest product instead of selling/providing software upgrades for existing units such as the 696...that I spent a lot of money investing in. I will just end of getting the I-pad ap instead of giving Garmin the business to support my existing 696. The terrain and airport updates are also ridiculously expensive IMO. There is NO reason that they couldn't shouldn't provide this technology for the 696...except they want pilots to keep upgrading and shelling out more $. Those that waited enjoy. Slugs like me that continue to give them business in the car, field (hunting) and air...tough $%&#. Thanks Garmin. Quote
Carl S Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 Well, the iPad 3 will be comming out -- probably with WAAS GPS* And they'll announce it right after you get your iPad 2. Or, maybe right after I get mine (which I just ordered today.) I learned a long time ago with PCs that you have to enjoy the technology for the few months that is is the new Hot Stuff. On the bright side, you can probably still get a good price for your 696 on the resale market, unlike my last PC. * Okay, I made that up about the WAAS. Quote
kerry Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 If you want synthetic vision for a better price I recommend looking out your front windshield. lol Quote
N33GG Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 I just ordered my iPad 2 today as well. Expect an iPad 3 announcement tomorrow morning!!! And why not with WAAS??? Quote
Piloto Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 Don't be upset with Garmin. It is the nature of their business equation to keep sales. Unlike selling AVGAS or Jetfuel where you sell to the same customer over and over the business of avionics is a different story. First avionics in general has a long life span. If you rely your sales on replacement of the same product you will ran out of market pretty quick. The market is relatively small when compared with others so saturation happens quickly in a few years. Unlike the diapers market were a new customer is born every day you don't have new customers every year. So your only option is how you sell again to the same customer you sold before? Come up with a new better product. This is the same approach taken by the cell phone companies and consumer products. You don't see the same happening with airplanes because of the high acquisition cost, market saturation and honestly new airplanes are in general as fast and noisy as 20 years ago so why buy a new one. José Quote
docket Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 I don't think you can stay in business for a long time if you don't introduce a new product. The 696 (which I have and really like) is now four seasons old. I don't blame Garmin for leveraging the touchscreen technology because it is the way of the future. I just wish they made the 796 in the same shell as the 696 so it would slide into the AirGizmos bracket. Looks like we wont be that lucky. Quote
carusoam Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 When does Garmin decide to pull the plug on support? The old 196 can still get chart updates. Best regards, -a- Quote
scottfromiowa Posted September 14, 2011 Author Report Posted September 14, 2011 Don't get me wrong...I UNDERSTAND WHY they do it. I'm just NOT happy about it. They could charge for a software upgrade in the 696 to allow some of these new visual terrain features "without" the touchscreen capability. They could upgrade an existing product and let it live on...but they don't. Not getting money from me for this new iteration. I like my 696. I used the I-pad with Wing XPRO7 last week. Cruising at 8500 and 7500 for two hours the GPS in the IPad II had no hick-ups. $89.00 for synthetic vision sounds like a steal. Anyone else get this/try it yet? Quote
kris_adams Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 Yep, pretty sure my 696 will be the last portable Garmin for me too... Quote
John Pleisse Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 They bail out support of old units over liablity. For instance, I have a 396...Garmin is required by law to support it for another year, then game over ( I was told 7 year commitments). Look at the poor saps who own 2004 to 2008 Ovations and Bravos with G1000. If they want WAAS, they have to pay exorbitant numbers. Poor customer care. As for new boxes, I understand Scott's frustration. They are careful to stage and incriment each upgrade to maximize marketing and profit. This works well when you have a monopoly, but times are changing and I think Garmin is beginning to miscalculate their position. Thank you Aspen, King, Avidyne, Chelton, I-pad Apps, etc... Quote
Carl S Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 HA! Then there are people like me. My last portable Garmin was (and still is) my GPS III Pilot. It fit well in the Long EZ and since it has no retail value it still serves as back-up. Quote
rogerl Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 It's not certified and it's not foreflight-slick, but this is exactly why I wrote "OpenFlightGPS" for android. Exorbitant fees for chart updates on quickly obsoleted hardware. $29.99 for all the georeferenced sectionals, wacs, tacs, enroute lows and flyways (not georef'd) you can eat for a year for the continental US. It's not much of a money-maker for me, but I have an open-platform situational awareness tool that runs great on my motorola tablet as well as my samsung phone, and I have a couple of thousand users (at least of the free version) on many other manufacturers' devices. Quote
jetdriven Posted September 14, 2011 Report Posted September 14, 2011 I heard from Don Maxwell the upgrade to WAAS G1000 was 80,000$. Yes, eighty grand for a few boxes and some software. You know, the 747 flies all over the world with 2 VORs, 2 DME's, and an ADF. Scott hit the nail on the head, the upgrade path they force you into is unbelievably expensive. When your updates etc approach the price of insuring the thing, time to think. Quote: N4352H They bail out support of old units over liablity. For instance, I have a 396...Garmin is required by law to support it for another year, then game over ( I was told 7 year commitments). Look at the poor saps who own 2004 to 2008 Ovations and Bravos with G1000. If they want WAAS, they have to pay exorbitant numbers. Poor customer care. As for new boxes, I understand Scott's frustration. They are careful to stage and incriment each upgrade to maximize marketing and profit. This works well when you have a monopoly, but times are changing and I think Garmin is beginning to miscalculate their position. Thank you Aspen, King, Avidyne, Chelton, I-pad Apps, etc... Quote
jetdriven Posted September 15, 2011 Report Posted September 15, 2011 Wait, I think I got that confused with something else, maybe it was 20 grand. Still..... Quote
aviatoreb Posted September 15, 2011 Report Posted September 15, 2011 Quote: kerry If you want synthetic vision for a better price I recommend looking out your front windshield. lol Quote
Vref Posted September 15, 2011 Report Posted September 15, 2011 Its the same for the Honeywell units. I have an AV80R was very happy with unitl the SDHC memory card screwed up...This 10$ hardware item can only replced if I pay for new one 180$...I find that a rip off..I already paid for the unit and the Data updates... Jeppesen and Honeywell are tied into one hardware solution, the same for Garmin and some others.... My decision on portable GPS's is I don't want to be locked into a Hardware provider, I pay for the Data usage and updates. This UK company will have great future if they grow and remain affordable. I checked out the soft and its very good! The even provide US charts. What I find a great feature you select the Map overlay you like US or european ICAO SIA, DFS etc.. It even runs on my AV80R after some tweeking..;-))...Windows CE units can be found very cheap, so upgrades to faster units don't have to cost a fortune... The comparison by Pilot is a good one remember what happned with NOKIA, they where very expensive in the beginning but then competition brought them down.........The mobile business has shifted from hardware to services....Aspen is going the right way to make there connected an open sytem..... www.skydemon.aero Quote
Amelia Posted September 15, 2011 Report Posted September 15, 2011 That's one of AnyWhereMap's several saving graces-- while they do give in to impatient customers and release glitchy stuff too early on occasion, they DO update the software for all of us from time to time, and it's included in the price of the subscription. I'm still percolating along with an old HP iPAQ 4700, with weather, approach plates, and moving map...everything I really need, for a LOT lower subscription cost. They'd still love to sell me their latest and greatest new technology, and their super-capable latest version that needs a fancier computer than this one, but they haven't cut their older stuff adrift. When I have to call tech support, sometimes they have to go find an old-timer (in tech years) to bail me out, but at least it's there and accessible. Garmin portables? eh. Too rich for my blood. Quote
Amelia Posted September 15, 2011 Report Posted September 15, 2011 oops. where's the delete post button? Quote
scottfromiowa Posted September 15, 2011 Author Report Posted September 15, 2011 You fly a 231...It's all about choice. You choose to NOT upgrade. I resemble that remark too. Quote
John Pleisse Posted September 15, 2011 Report Posted September 15, 2011 Quote: jetdriven Wait, I think I got that confused with something else, maybe it was 20 grand. Still..... Quote
PTK Posted September 15, 2011 Report Posted September 15, 2011 The answer is we don't need to buy each and every handheld they roll out. There is nothing wrong with the 696. Just because they introduce a new one doesn't mean we need to jump and get bent out of shape! If they hadn't made the 796 we wouldn't be talking about it! The 796 looks "cool" and has a couple nice features. But it is a handheld navigator and, in this regard, it is not that much different than my old GPSMAP 195! Certainly it is not much different than the 696! I'm not rushing to buy another handheld that's for sure! Quote
scottfromiowa Posted September 15, 2011 Author Report Posted September 15, 2011 PK, you are missing my point. Garmin expects users to pay $2500 for hardware that they do NOT continue to provide software updates/improvements to enhance the unit...they just expect you to pay $2500 again and again. (every year or two) I am done. The I-pad is a nice platform that provides the capability updates (at a reasonable cost) that Garmin refuses to provide through software updates...and their refusal to reduce costs of airport, terrain updates with competition effectively competing is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG....IMO. I simply don't pay for the updates...instead of getting less they get NOTHING. Quote
scottfromiowa Posted September 15, 2011 Author Report Posted September 15, 2011 Synthetic/terrain awareness, Weather, XM, Taxi screen size...The 196 lacks all of these and is NOT comparable in features/function to the 696/796 units. Quote
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