Originally Posted by diseman
What are the criticisms of laptop installations? (The only ones I can see are the inconvenience of the laptop which must be connected to the antenna or the open laptop, or power and stowing the laptop so it won't get stolen on arrival at a destination.)
The advantages of laptop are: The display software and USB drivers are also upgradeable easily. The maps are updated yearly at little or no cost.
I always travel with a laptop, and so the antenna is always with me. A trip can be plotted easily with different routes easily. Phone nmbers and addresses are always available. (I was just in Seattle and wanted a route from hotel to a restaurant and phone so worked it out. Prevously landed SMF and wanted best route to Davis, CA. Easily worked it out while in the air. In March plotted routes from Ottawa, ON to Stowe, VT for ski trip. Needed restaurants or ski shops near to the inn.) All of this is on the dedicated in car unit, but in the air or in my house or hotel room can easily work out a number of possibilities.
On my boat I have both a dedicated chartplotter connected to a gps and my laptop with marine navigation software. I don't see a quality or accuracy issue.
1) Power - need a power cord for long trips
2) Address entry - not as quick and easy as on a dedicated unit
3) Large - my Magellan is mounted on a nice mount
4) Startup time - I can start the car and be navigating in 20 seconds, doing that with a laptop is impossible
5) Theft - I don't mind leaving my Magellan in the car, but I'd never leave my $3000 laptop behind
All in all I simply don't see the practical side of a laptop as a navigation unit. Perhaps for the once-a-month trip, but most certainly not for daily use.