Malsingmaps Forum

Don't know if this article has been posted. If not, would like to share with all.

Why is it that the global positioning system is catching on so extremely well in Singapore, and somehow in Malaysia it's still such a premium "toy" with everyone much too wary about even the most basic understanding of GPS. I'm a very staunch supporter of personel navigation devices, considering I'm really bad at directions. So every so often, conversations with other geeky people would eventually drift to global positioning systems.

More at http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/poptech-for- ... scid=hm_bl

Short answer. Maps. Malaysian GPS maps are not as developed as those for Singapore. True for both our free Malsingmaps or for commercial ones.

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The world is my 4sq venue!

The cost of the GPS vs earning power of the general population

GPS is not popular in MY compared to SG is because we have too many ppl like this guy who
made a comment in the feedback of the article:



These ppl are always thinking only of themselves. They never think that the maps we contribute to
benefits visitors to our town. When these ppl want to travel overseas, they search high and low for
free maps. Maps that members of that country put in hours of effort into, so visitors benefit. These
ppl deserve to use paper maps and i hope they have a hell of a time folding it back

btw, shouldn't this topic should be in GPS Chat???!!!

Oh yes. Moving to "GPS Chat" forum from "Community". -sabre23t 7sep08

It would be so much better if there is a traffic notification service that can work with these GPSr. UK has them and they only need an initial investment. Some place in europe has them as a free service and some with subscription.

Using GPSr in Malaysia has indeed provided me with some fuel savings (which I then used up for tracking ) but with traffic service, I'm sure it will be more worth it.

Having staying in Klang Valley for 10 years and I still do not know the roads that well. Of course if you are doing sales job, then the situation might be different. What about those who are office based? I think the GPS serves us very well.
In a situation like: if your wife / girlfriend got some car problem, would it be easier to her to give you the coordinates rather than have her give you the direction of where she is?
I am a very good supporter of GPS. Had heard of them about 15 years ago when I was studying in US. Since coming back to Msia back in 1996, had been trying to find one, but the prices are quite high (like 2500.00 for a Street Pilot, from a shop in Taman Maluri). Now we have the Nuvi 2++ series for under 1K, and that is a bargain.
Back about 2 years ago, MIO came out with a GPS PDA phone. I saw it and bought it without a second thought. I had served me well and I am considering to get another one.

Another point:
It seems that in Malaysia, some vendors "mark up" the price of the GPS a little too high. I had ask the prices of a Nuvi 760. One shop quote me 2400, another one 3K plus, some are 1700 plus, but those in Spore, it sells for around Rm1300 to Rm1400 plus after conversion. I wonder why is that??