Why didn't they just use Namek Dragonballs?

[nickzambuto]

The only logical explanation is that they didn't know where New Namek was. Since Bulma and Dr Brief are literally the smartest people in the world then I'm sure they'd be able to find it, so therefore the android apocalypse was easily avoidable and this is one thing that still bugs me because it was never explained and I guess Akira Toriyama just forgot about New Namek and got away with it like he always does.

That's really not fair. Bulma is the smartest person in the world, not infinitely smart. Finding a specific planet somewhere in the universe with zero resources isn't a small deal. That's like saying Goku is the strongest man in the world, so that means any alien invasion is easily avoidable and Toriyama just forgot.

[Hitiro]

That would take them YEARS!! to get to New Namek.

Why would it take them years to get to New Namek? It only took them a month to get there the first time via Kami's ship and then Bulma's father engineered a ship that would make the trip in 5 days after reverse engineering the Saiyan technology. If they could build a time machine after everything that went on with the androids they could certainly build a spaceship. The only issue is finding Namek really.