So after pondering where I can get Satellite Navigation for Malaysia, I decided to try my luck at Low Yatt Plaza, KL – Malaysia’s largest IT shopping centre.
And not bad – saw a store with other O2 pdas – so they offered me original (without the CD) software for my PDA…inc peninsular msia, sabah, Sarawak…+ spore…
Back at home, i’m thinking…when will the GPS kick in? I mean, I’ve waited over 4 hours for my PDA to detect where I am…still no luck – maybe its jammed? (somehow)…any, I reset the programme – left it…when out..when i came back in about an hr….yes! success – detection.
So my 1st attempt at GPS tech in msia…task 1 – I’m in section 7, shah alam – i want to goto UITM …but this is where the problem lies….why the hell is my GPS system taking me out of the federal highway? …and then some other crazy highway I’ve never heard of..let alone be on….nah…this is unreal….was the programmer on crack??!! Finally I thought that the fact that I’m approx 20km away from Shah Alam…I think the GPS is pretty much – PANTS…. anyway…during a few times I rerouted..the fact that it tried to get me to go against a no-entry sign isn’t best promising…
So that’s that. RM90 for a piece of software that’s no use.
But then i used it the next day…was on my way to puchong but then my auntie sms me to come to her house to bangi…well..bandar baru bangi doesn’t appear to be on the system…so forget it – I’ll just follow the road signs..
Upon reaching Bangi, we went off to Serdang – there’s this western food place near UPM …hmm…i’ve been there before with a few friends…we ordered the most expensive of everything…and I must say..when Malaysians try to be western..they fail…anyway, the GPS took us quite nicely to the UPM – plus point!
So the next day or so…I thougt, now I need to get to Masjid KLCC for a meeting with MERC – this is the mission…I mean.. I’ve never been there before – didn’t even know it existed….so I set off around 2:45mins before my meeting..just in case the GPS starts talking crap again..
Hmm…so far so good…but some of the problems is that it wanted me to go through Jalan Petaling – i mean…come on now …that’s supposed to be 100% pedestrianized rite? (apart from a few vans loading and offloading goods for the traders)…hmm…but the re-routing works well enough…
Another problem in general is that the roads don’t appear to be that accurate…i mean…eg. turn left in 20 metres time actually means …turn left now..and sometimes for some reason, my car switches to the parallel road for a minute..before jumping back to the road that I’m on in real life..
So that’s the ups + downs of GPS in Malaysia.
I’d say though, that it’s a good start. It’s saved me time…kept me from getting lost…and all in all is a handy little gadget (Alhamdulillah)… hmm..those freaks at O2 are gonna pay – they’re so damn foolish – told me I had to pay loads to use GPS outside of UK…did their peers not train them correctly? A GPS receiver does not use internet…its the GPRS that uses internet…that’s the one you have to pay for…I mean…some fool at carphonewarehouse even told me that everytime the ‘GPS system’ says something like “Turn Left Now”…then the amount of Data Transfer there is so much and I’d have to pay for that…I said in return…”Ok, what if I turn the voice off – does that mean it’s free?” Of course..that sorry un-trained person said “ummm…don’t know” – WOW – what a professional company(!) – damn u car phone warehouse – but I’m still gonna get money back from u ..ur lucky i’m in Malaysia…but one of the 1st things I do when I get back is to write a damn long complaint letter to your CEO!! (sorry, I’ve got a few issues with that company and this whole GPS business)…
So here’s what you want to know…do I recommend you buy a mobile fone with a GPS receiver for use in Msia?
ANSWER: DEFINATELY YES! The only thing wrong is the maps..but I’m sure the maps will improve through time… just one thing…make sure ur fone uses GPS for sat nav (and not GPRS), or else u’ll be paying a fortune! 8 out of 10
S.Shafii School of Thought 