To many useless updates and missing features

[Mester]

Im relative new to Garmin, had a 590 and now XT
my use is mainly off-road use, so tracks is a big deal for me
since mid marts I experienced several updates, big ones 5-7 GB new maps, after 1 of them there was no maps, so had to do it all over again, I did not see any new features in those updates, but some, for me, very important functions missing, the option to turn tracks on/off individualy, witch makes the unit more or less useless, the screen is one big mess of lines and impossible to navigate in
the next update turned that feature on again, but the last update today made it all happen one more time, the feature is gone, and now I can’t even turn off all tracks except if I delete all, witch will delete everything on Explore

is this normal for Garmin to behave like this, if they mess around in there own system like this after so many years I might look somewhere else, Im furious over this, going on trip monday with a close to useless XT…

[V-Tom]

Look into other threads here that talk about tracks, collections and Garmin Explore.

You put the tracks you want to see in an Explore collection and show that collection on your GPS map as a layer choice.

..Tom

[Mester]

thanks, that cleared up at least the method for me, witch are a big step
but there is still a few things I need to understand
Explorer is a web platform, it syncs the XT via Garmin Drive app on Iphone (Iphone don’t have any Explorer app?)
First thing I don’t get is why XT can’t sync via Wifi, why do I need the phone as a hub?
Next thing is why the phone needs to be connected on both wifi and and Bluetooth at once to sync, if I disconnect Bluetooth the connection to Explore terminates
The BT connection is sucking my phone dry, XT insist to play my music every time I turn it on, shows traffic and all that, so I need to disconnect my BT on the phone before every ride, unless I put the charger on, except when I need to sync, in my garage with full wifi…

[electro_handyman]

I can't answer everything you ask, but I do know that the phone link to the XT is via BT only.
The phone then has to use either wifi or cell data to get all of the other data(live traffic, weather, cameras, etc...) from the internet to then feed to the XT via the BT link. Yes it can be a battery hog, but it's not that bad. I've had numerous 9+hr days riding and used less than 25% battery of my phone, and I think most of that was due to weak cell reception in the mountains.

I personally don't use the 'Explore' cloud based feature. That could be causing you some consistent data communication, and battery usage on the phone, not to mention your data plan when not on wifi. Like I said I don't use it, so I may be wrong on that, just a gut feeling.

You may want to look and see what other apps are drawing your battery that you probably wouldn't need when riding, like WIFI, Facebook, etc....

Like you, my XT wants to play music when I turn it on, I "X" out of it to turn it off, not that big of a deal. It didn't do this until I added the music to it in the 1st place. (the XT is my music 'backup' plan if my ipod quits, or if it's raining)

[V-Tom]

thanks, that cleared up at least the method for me, witch are a big step
but there is still a few things I need to understand
Explorer is a web platform, it syncs the XT via Garmin Drive app on Iphone (Iphone don’t have any Explorer app?)
First thing I don’t get is why XT can’t sync via Wifi, why do I need the phone as a hub?
Next thing is why the phone needs to be connected on both wifi and and Bluetooth at once to sync, if I disconnect Bluetooth the connection to Explore terminates
The BT connection is sucking my phone dry, XT insist to play my music every time I turn it on, shows traffic and all that, so I need to disconnect my BT on the phone before every ride, unless I put the charger on, except when I need to sync, in my garage with full wifi…

I don't think mine needs to be connected via wifi to sync but haven't really thought about it.

As far as the music playing the moment it starts up I don't/didn't have that issue (android phones, running Android 8, 10 and 11.)

Garmin Smartphone link, used for my earlier Zumo 590, was a battery hog on Android 8 (especially once I had sent it an address to send to the Zumo.) but no issue with Android 10 or 11. Garmin Drive has no battery issues for me on Android 10 and 11.

Overall Data Usage is no biggy using traffic, weather (including weather radar) and occasionally a peak at a traffic Camera plus getting emails, texts etc send to the XT.

..Tom