Giving a brand new navigation unit to a blogger who actively resists electronic gadgets and openly prefers to use actual paper maps could have been a risky move for Hema Maps.

AND … giving that blogger TWO brand new units would have been downright foolhardy!

What were they thinking??

Hema Maps meets RedzAustralia

When Hema Maps contacted me about collaborating with them I was thrilled. I’ve got a LOT of the actual paper maps and even actual books they’ve produced – my #1 essential for a road-trip!

I smugly told them I used actual paper maps – especially theirs – all the time. And I’d NEVER defiled my car with used a GPS.

Because who needed anything other than actual paper maps to find their way around??

And you’d have to be in a coma if you couldn’t feel the love zinging along that wireless connection between them and me right then, or sense the beginning of a match made in heaven. Matches are made for paper after all … but I digress

Yes, I thought, this is where Hema Maps and I join forces to show the world that actual paper maps RULE, OK?!

Actually, no.

‘We’d like you to review one of our Hema Navigation Units AND give another one away to your readers,’ they said*.

Say WHAT? Hema Maps had GPS Units? And they wanted me to use a GPS instead of ACTUAL PAPER MAPS???

What were they thinking?

Hema Navigation Units VS Maps!

I guess they figured if someone like me could – and more importantly, WOULD – use a Hema Navigation Unit, then ANYONE could. So I agreed, on the proviso they throw in one of their superb books of actual paper maps for me to fall back on**.

So now I had two different Hema Navigation Units – the Hema Navigator HN7 model, and the new state-of-the-art Hema HX1 Navigator. One for me, and one to give away (Please note the giveaway has now closed).

Making the choice was a no-brainer for someone with the IT skills of a dinosaur. So of course I chose the HN7 unit purely because it’s the less hi-tech model!!

The Dinosaur meets the HN7!

So I got my Hema Navigator HN7 Unit in the mail.

Just for the record, I have a dumb phone. I’ve only had a laptop with a touchscreen for a few months and I don’t have any kids with innate programming abilities. That makes setting up ANY electronic gadget more difficult than it should be – so the fact that it took me awhile to get the HN7 up and running doesn’t reflect at all badly on the unit itself – and who knew how helpful the user manual would be when I actually opened it?!?!

Despite being IT challenged, setting up and personalising the basic functions was really pretty simple – even for me, once those simple manual instructions kicked in – meaning the average user will have no difficulties.

So now I had a personalised unit AND a rudimentary knowledge of its functions. Nice. BUT … what did I do with it now??

Putting my actual paper maps aside – perhaps forever?? – was a bit of a wrench. But I forced myself to do it in the name of research. And progress. And – if I’m being completely honest – a little bit of excitement as well. It’s not every day you get the chance to prove you’ve moved into the 21^st century, technologically at least!

So I took the unit out on the road around the suburbs, and on a longer trip to the Yorke Peninsula so I could test out both the iGO (street view) and Track (4WD) navigation engines.

Cool Features of the HN7

And it didn’t take long before I could see some of the benefits the unit had over my actual paper maps. So much so that compiling a list of the 8 TOP things I love most about my Hema HN7 Navigation Unit was super-simple!!

1. The entire set of Hema Regional maps fits into a 175 x 110 mm device with a 7 inch screen smaller AND lighter (300 g) than the smallest Hema Maps Book.
2. An immediate GPS fix lets you know EXACTLY where you are. This reduces the length of time between a ‘where the hell are we’ request, and your answer considerably.
3. It’s almost impossible to take a wrong turn, but when if you do a new route to your destination appears within seconds. If you’re using the 4WD platform, a line even shows you how you got to where you are!
4. Looking for a campsite? Service Station?? Bakery??? Loo???? No problem! Use the search function to find one near your current position or en route … although tragically, it won’t specify whether or not the loo is ‘scenic’

   

5. Useful features like route selection parameters (Fast, Green, Short and Easy), an alternative route recalculation and different transport modes make the unit SUPER versatile!
6. Save an interesting place or campsite (or bakery) as a ‘Waypoint’ if you want to come back to it another time. Or save a point of interest as a waypoint on the way to your current destination and the route will create a detour.
7. Don’t want to travel on dirt roads? Or tollways?? Just change the route settings to include – or exclude – the elements you like. Or dislike!
8. The OziExplorer 4WD navigation engine shows your current position on a ‘moving map’ for more context AND a line showing the route you’ve taken to get to where you are now AND gives access to the regional maps. ALL of them. Score!

The HN7 jumps through hoops!

I first tested the unit out by deliberately taking wrong turns on a route I already knew so it couldn’t possibly trick me into assuming it knew better than I did.

Not only did it immediately identify the ‘best’ route (ie the route I already knew), but showed a shorter alternative I DIDN’T know about with a few points of interest along the way I hadn’t realised were there. All while quickly recalculating my route to take my wrong turns into account.

Using the 4WD navigation engine on a longer trip gave me a map view with the context I normally only get on my beloved actual paper maps. But with the added bonus of a) a GPS locator; b) a blue line showing the route I’d taken; and c) a zoom function for when I wanted a more detailed map of the small towns I was passing through – all made beautifully simple via d) an easy-to-use touchscreen.

And when I’ve got over the shock of moving out of the dark ages into the brave new world of 21^st century technology, I’ll start exploring some of the more ‘advanced’ (to me!) features like Bluetooth, Music Player, Photo Viewer, Video Player and PC connectivity.

HHHMMMmmm… maybe there’s something in this advanced technology after all!

HX1 Competition – YOU could WIN!

I’m quite happy with my HN7 Hema Navigator. But now Hema Maps have released the HX1 – an updated version with all the fabulous functions of the HN7 AND a lot more!

And in my most amazing collaboration to date, Hema Maps will be giving away an HX1 Navigator worth $AUD699 to one lucky RedzAustralia reader (Please note, the giveaway has now closed).

Visit the HX1 Navigator or HN7 Navigator pages NOW!

* Well … that’s not an exact quote, but that’s the general idea.

** For the record, Hema Maps gave me a copy of the Australia Easy Read Road & 4WD Atlas with writing actually big enough to see

The post Why YOU need a Navigation Unit! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

In a weird twist to the RedzAustralia/Rescue Swag competition, I actually know all the finalists!  So I left the final decision to Rescue Swag who didn’t know any of them!!

Congratulations to Carlo Manno – you’ll soon be the pround owner of The Original Rescue Swag AND a copy of “Aussie Loos with Views!”.  I’ll let YOU decide which of those will be the most useful on your round-Australia odyssey!!

Find us ALL on Facebook (yes, even me!):

• RedzAustralia
• The Original Rescue Swag
• Our Family 4×4 Adventures (Carlo Manno)
• 50 Shades of Age (Kathy)

It’s a World Exclusive!

That’s what Rescue Swag and RedzAustralia are calling their NEW joint competition where YOU could win an early Christmas present with a selfie of YOUR Aussie Adventure!

What’s NOT to love about the Rescue Swag? It’s a mega-useful complete first-aid solution to help you deal with emergencies from snake bite to major trauma all rolled up into one handy travel-sized swag you can throw in the car when you hit the road.

And what’s NOT to love about Aussie Loos With Views!? See Australia’s most awesome Aussie attractions from over 60 of it’s most scenic loos in this unique AND fun Australian travel guidebook that’ll make the perfect gift for (almost) anyone, anytime!

So if you’re up for a chance to win this fantastic combo of two RED HOT All-Australian products just in time for Christmas, READ ON!

Here’s how to enter (see competition terms and conditions at the bottom of this post):

1. Get a photo – new or old – of yourself on an Aussie Adventure*!

2. Share the pic to the Rescue Swag Face Book page at https://www.facebook.com/RescueSwag – tell us where it is, and a little bit about it.  Use hashtag #SwagLooSelfie

3. Spread the word and share Share SHARE your entry, the RedzAustralia Competition Blog post and the Rescue Swag Face Book page!

You can even enter a NEW photo every day of the competition!

* Please NOTE: This competition is limited to entrants with an Australian postal address.

You’ve got until midnight, Wednesday 16^th December 2015. Rescue Swag and RedzAustralia will choose the winning photo and announce the winner right here on RedzAustralia.

And look out for your photo in our entrants photo collage (see terms & conditions)!

We just know you’ll LOVE these two amazing Aussie products.  They’ll solve a lot of your large and small Christmas gift emergencies as well!

So of course you’ll want to know where to get them AND a little bit more about them, right?

MORE about Rescue Swag:

Rescue Swag was founded to enable independence for adventurers. We believe in living with mindfulness, passion and the spirit of exploration. We live it with our families, our mates and our loved ones. Above all else we believe in being safe wherever you are, whatever you do. That’s why we developed Rescue Swag – designed to keep you safe on life’s grandest adventures.

Here’s our Website: http://www.rescueswag.com.au/

MORE about RedzAustralia:

RedzAustralia is the go-to blog for Aussie travel inspiration and adventure! Aussie author and blogger Red Nomad OZ shows you HOT places to go, COOL sights to see and AWESOME things to do all around Australia. If you like your holidays full of natural attractions, off-beat experiences, intriguing destinations and wonderful wildlife, then you’ll LOVE RedzAustralia!

You’re on the RedzAustralia Website at www.redzaustralia.com RIGHT NOW!

Get Aussie Loos with Views! (RRP $AUD19.95) from the Explore Australia Bookshop – Click HERE!

RedzAustralia and Rescue Swag can’t wait to see YOUR photos so start sharing NOW!

Good luck!

Competition Terms and Conditions:

1. Competition will run from when this post is published on RedzAustralia until 12:00 pm midnight AEDST Wednesday, 16^th December, 2015

2. Entrants can submit up to one photo per day for the period of competition. Photos will show the entrant/s on an Australian Adventure to the Rescue Swag Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RescueSwag using hashtag #SwagLooSelfie

3. Photos may be used by RedzAustralia and Rescue Swag on their websites and and their Social Media accounts solely to publicise the competition and its outcome. Other than for the use above and in point 7 below, photos submitted to the competition remain the property of the entrant.

4. To be a valid entry, the entrant must have an Australian postal address to which the prize may be sent. This may include an Australian Post Office.

5. RedzAustralia and Rescue Swag will jointly select a winner based on the photo they like the best. This subjective decision will be final, and no explanation will be offered or correspondence entered into with entrants, their representatives or anyone else who does not agree with the outcome.

6. The winner will be contacted by email (if available) or her/his social media page. The winner must supply her/his Australian postal address to Rescue Swag within 2 days of being contacted. Failure to do so will mean the prize is withdrawn and will be offered to the runner up with the same conditions. This will continue until the prize is awarded.

7. Any or all entrant photos may be used in a collage which may be displayed on RedzAustralia and/or Rescue Swag websites and/or their Social Media Accounts. Use of photos is discretionary and will be decided by RedzAustralia and/or Rescue Swag.

8. The winner will receive one original Rescue Swag and one copy of “Aussie Loos with Views!” to be sent by Rescue Swag once a valid Australian Postal address has been received.

The post Winner Announced: Rescue Swag and RedzAustralia Competition! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.