Standalone GPS necessary?

[Fat Baxter]

One disadvantage of the newer Spyders' system is that you now need a smartphone, with all the monthly $$ charges that come with them.

Yes, I have a cell phone -- a cheap, basic flip phone. My wife made me buy it in case I break down somewheres. I'm not interested in having a smartphone. I've looked into them, and for my rather unconnected lifestyle, I don't need anything they offer.

So if I bought a newer Spyder and wanted to use the on-board GPS display, I'd need to invest in a smartphone and go to school on how to use that gizmo. Too steep of a learning curve to be worth the effort, IMO, for a single application. If I want GPS on my bike, It would be far easier to grab the Garmin out of my car. But I prefer paper maps.

 

[Flamewinger]

Then don’t buy a limited. Also, don’t buy any of the newer cars that have Apple Play. What with today’s technology, not keeping up with it means you miss out on a lot of new things.

 

[SuperG]

One disadvantage of the newer Spyders' system is that you now need a smartphone, with all the monthly $$ charges that come with them.

Yes, I have a cell phone -- a cheap, basic flip phone. My wife made me buy it in case I break down somewheres. I'm not interested in having a smartphone. I've looked into them, and for my rather unconnected lifestyle, I don't need anything they offer.

So if I bought a newer Spyder and wanted to use the on-board GPS display, I'd need to invest in a smartphone and go to school on how to use that gizmo. Too steep of a learning curve to be worth the effort, IMO, for a single application. If I want GPS on my bike, It would be far easier to grab the Garmin out of my car. But I prefer paper maps.

Heh..

Most folks *already* have a smartphone, so it's one less Garmin to buy. The Spyder-owning luddite is an outlier...