Hema HX2 Reviews

Please elaborate on the deficiencies? Also how were you able to try one?

What do the reviews say?

When you say you were able to trial it, was it in the city or out in the country.

I have found both excellent and find it hard that you did not like it.

Just a quick Google search
Hx1 4.2 rating 111 results
Hx2 3.3 rating 42 results
If you wish to read the bad reviews press on the 1 star rating plenty there to read should keep you busy/ amused for a while lol:)))
But there are always those people that want to run something down on reviews , when I was buying our HX 1 there were a lot of bad reviews most were baseless IMO

StephenL - user reviews, maybe I should have been more specific - not industry puff pieces like you've linked.

* BCF: https://www.bcf.com.au/p/hema-hx-2-navigator-gps/618098.html
* Product Reviews.com.au https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/hema-hx-2-navigator
* Supercheap Auto: https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/hema-hema-hx-2-navigator-gps/618098.html (some duplicates with BCF)

Remarkably similar themes amongst all the 1 star reviews..

Stephen, you do know at least one of those reviews was done by the company that owns Hema right?

https://www.emprisegroup.com.au/Content/OurBrands

I have no experience with a HX2, but if their App software is anything to go by, they have no idea how to do software. They should stick to mapping and magazines.

I wasted a lot of time and money trying to get something useful from their mapping apps. I'd classify them as expensive, unreliable junk.

Hi Boobook

Unfortunately non of the replies so far have been from owners who actually own a HX2

As for expensive, unreliable junk, I have to totally disagree and why do you say they are unreliable?

Too many people here rely on third party say so, and as for Duncan say he trialed one, he still has not said how, as no shop is going to give you one to go and drive around to try it out.

I still stick by my words, they are a great unit.

Same here. Have finally ditched my HX-1 after spending two years trying to make it work for me.
My Samsung 8" tablet running Oziexplorer for Android(a fantastic well-supported Australian Product) with a variety of maps I've had for years remains far and away the best mapping product I've used.
I helped a friend set up his new HX-2 and a few of the issues I had with the HX-1 have been addressed, but I have not used the HX-2.

Exactly my experience with the product!
About a month after I stopped using the product due to my frustration I received a reply from support that basically was info I already had from their site anyway that didn't solve my issue.
Too little too late.
Never again.
I do use the Hema paper Maps though & have for years.

Cheers
Stu

The Hema 4x4 Explorer App was a bad joke. I was "forced" onto it in March 2021 after retiring an old Tablet and found they had pulled their old faithful app (just called Hema Explorer I think) from the App Store with the traditional Hema Map set from about 2008 which were actually pretty good maps. I just assumed the same, or better, maps would be available in the new App.

Unfortunately the new App shipped with a new offline map set that was a complete and utter joke. The old style of maps, which I love, were only available in the new 4x4 Explorer App whilst online. Thinking they must now be "premium" maps I even paid for the Premium map set in the app and got barely nothing more, a tiny bit more detail on the new, absolutely hopeless, maps. Adding insult to injury you couldn't even store Maps on the SD card in the Tablet. I persisted with the App for a while, even trialled it on an Anne Beadell trip - I gave it every opportunity and really sought to understand how it wanted to be used. No good, completely rubbish maps and a very buggy app missing some basic functionality and with a range of very annoying behaviours. As you can see below I had Hema Premium installed, and Hema Touring - the "Hema Explorer" maps you see below (the "old" maps) were only available whilst online.. confirmed by Hema at the time.




Thankfully I have copies of the old Hema Map DVDs (2008 and 2012) backed up and can still access them from OziExplorer when I want to.

Everything the new Hema company (post-merger) touches is pretty much a joke now. A real shame, I used to hold this company in high regard.

Anyone considering the HX2 is well advised to read actual user reviews very closely and pay attention to the consistent theme emerging, and to understand that its just an Android device with a paltry 2GB of RAM, running Android 10, and locked tightly into the Hema mapping ecosystem.

https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/hema-hx-2-navigator

A close read of the Hema 4x4 Explorer app reviews holds no surprises either:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hemax.explorer4wd.android

Don't discount the Hema 4wd app. It is pretty good & rock solid. It preceded the Explorer joke by a decade & is far better. As far as I know it is still available, but Hema don't push it as they want you to buy their other products.

I went back to the Hema 4wd map after my HX1 died. Only reason I didn’t purchase a HX2 mainly due to my wife not wanting the device in the field of view??. I now use an iPad mounted . The downside to the 4wd app is the ability to sync pre made this easily. I have now downloaded Memory-Map and a one off purchase of the Hema Map package. I can make trips on my pumcee and then sync to my iPad. I’m happy for now ??