Just looking at the prices, to buy the disk in the UK is £149 to buy the disk in Belgium is £134 (199euro)

So there you go! LR are still making a profit from using this distribution channel.

I accept the printed map analogy however, digital data is simply not the same. You can't download a printed map can you? there are design, layout, setup, print, storage and distribution costs with "real" media which simply don't exist with digital media.

Microsoft and other deveopers will readily create "utilities" and other applications which enhance your PC experience which you can download free of charge. Musch of the update is "content" such as phone numbers of hotels etc. which should have been in the first or previous release but got left out.

Maybe I'm being a little harsh. OK, I accept there should be a charge but I think you should only have to pay an upgrade fee which (like Bank charges) reflects the cost of creating the upgrade and not the whole cost of development of the application or data.

I am havimg a similar row with one of my suppliers of Call Centre software. He charges us about £18k per year for "maintenence". When challenged for details of these charges he stated that about half of that charge (£9k) went towards development of the next version of their software (which we would have to pay full price for if we chose to upgrade to it). Similar to an upgrade from Windows 95 to Windows XP. He siad that if he didn't charge it this way they would cease to be in business - you can imagine what I said in reply!!

I shouldn't have to pay for them to develop the next version just in case I want to buy it but only to maintain the existing version surely?

It depends on your point of view I suppose. It's finally gone! Replaced with BMW 730SE in Sophisto grey Xirallic finish with Oyster (Ivory) and black interior. DAB, Climate glass, Ceramic iDrive and gear selector, power boot and iPhone Bluetooth pack - luvvin' it!

I miss my old RRS "bucket" rattling around but it just had to go!

I'm not trying to defend them, simply explaining that at least some of the cost of the 'upgrade' is the licence fee to the Map Data supplier.

For those manufacturers whose map discs can be bought direct from the map supplier there used to be a huge differential, say £120 for the disc from Navteq and double that from a dealer.

Of course unlike your software supplier we will never know what proportion of the cost is actually for the licence fee, that info would be very interesting to get access to! Darren Griffin
Editor
PocketGPSWorld.Com

Here is the US, the MSRP for the disc through a LR dealer before the Navteq web site deal was US$349. Now it is $199.00 "direct". Still overpriced alright, but not as much as before.  

Peter,

Dont get me wrong - just thinking from the other shoe here - finally you have the decision to buy or not. In case of my business if a client is happy to pay me based on my quote and then later realises he wasn't happy with how much profit we made, then unfortunately thats his own error - I will continue to provide a superb service however when I quote I take into account all my own research/development costs, my insurances, expansion plans and profit requirements - if the client isn't happy then they can look elsewhere.

Just my thoughts

Kaine

I know there are always reasons for such things; and I enjoy a healthy debate too, so thanks. It's finally gone! Replaced with BMW 730SE in Sophisto grey Xirallic finish with Oyster (Ivory) and black interior. DAB, Climate glass, Ceramic iDrive and gear selector, power boot and iPhone Bluetooth pack - luvvin' it!

I miss my old RRS "bucket" rattling around but it just had to go!

Peter wrote:

I know there are always reasons for such things; and I enjoy a healthy debate too, so thanks.

hows this for a coincidence - my Mother rang me tonight to say her Nav in her Audi A3 is missing loads of roads (3 years old) and the dealer wants £175 for a new disc - I just ordered it for her from Teleatlas for £119.99 - Mother said exactly the same thing as you and wasn't too pleased having to pay for it at all as the Nav already cost her over £1500 when the car was bought

I bought my supercharged £60k RRS in Sept 05 - when I leave my office and join the local town centre ring road - the sat nav was out of date from day 1

SAT NAV = a waste of money for me - I know my way home ! 
" WITH MORE EXTRAS THAN A HOLLYWOOD EPIC "

MDP wrote:

SAT NAV = a waste of money for me - I know my way home !

Not so - for the Polish truck driver that got stuck in a narrow lane in Kent  
" WITH MORE EXTRAS THAN A HOLLYWOOD EPIC "

Yes, I heard about that... 

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