Posted on 12/07/2007 12:48:55 PM PST by george76
Navigation gadgets are now so widely available no one needs to worry about getting lost anymore - except when they're trying to choose the right device.
All global positioning system devices for cars give turn-by-turn voice directions, estimate travel times and list points of interest such as gas stations, banks, hotels and restaurants. GPS models geared for outdoor pursuits emphasize other features.
For all models, the prices rise with the number of bells and whistles.
Once you balance price against the features you want, the biggest differences you'll see will be in how the devices present maps, how their navigation interfaces work, the number of points of interest they include and the quality and size of their screens.
Here's a wide sampling:
Mio Digiwalker C230.
Garmin nuvi 760.
TomTom GO 720.
Magellan Triton.
Delorme Earthmate PN-20.
Garmin Forerunner 305.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.myway.com ...
I can only say to all here go out and invest in one.
All I need is my Roads Of Texas map for all of the county (caliche) roads.
Getting lost with a high degree of confidence.
I’ve got a Magellan eXplorist XL, and a suction cup windshield mount. The Nuvis and such are nice, but I prefer the flexibility of a handheld that I can take driving, hiking, hunting, boating...wherever.
I have had Magellin, Garmin and Mio.
The Mio C520 is the best I have ever used. Everyone on my Christmas list is getting one this year.
I have a Garmin bluetooth unit that interfaces with my Pocket PC. If you already own a PDA then bluetooth it the best value because you’re not paying for the display. I use it on the bike, RAM mount on the handlebars while the receiver stays in the top case. The best thing about it are (1) being able to wander without worrying about finding my way back, (2) seeing the shape of the road and the names of the streets ahead and (3) having a reliable ETA.
Are the car type useful if you rarely travel very far?
How do you find them useful?
And can you use them for that GPS game where people hide things?
They seem to have gone down a lot in price and I know my better half would like one.
Thanks for any insight.
The best advice I could offer:
If it’s not made by Garmin, don’t buy it.
I've seen that labeled on boxes of stuff they sell in the grocery store. Says you can go swimming & biking too.
Please add me to your Christmas list. :)
I thought I was the only character who got lost on bike rides....before mounting my GPS
LOVE the freedom of just going where ever the mood strikes me without worry of hitting a dead end, avoiding MAJOR hills or getting lost.....
Once one starts to get tired — simply ask Garmin to take you HOME.... which is whatever “waypoint” one designates as HOME..
I love mine — and rarely go for walks in the wood or a bike ride without it.... Mine is small enough to present no problem taking it along....
b
... Everyone on my Christmas list is getting one this year.
Please add me to your Christmas list. :)
I used Garmin m195 in my car and airplanes for years. I the got a Garmin 430 in the plane coupled to the auto pilot. I could push the button here in Kitchener andit would put me on the approach to Myrtle beach and never deviate 200 feet from the centerline of the flight plan.
I used to use Microsoft Street and Trips (still do for planning).
I bought my family c530 Streetpilots last Christmas. They are fabulous!
Since I was willing to trust the system in the clouds and in complicated airspace and it NEVER let me down, it is my first and only choice.
I myself can’t see why someone would pay $1,000 plus for one built into a car when you can buy a portable for less than half that.
That’s a big “I agree”!
Instead of a windshield mount car type GPS, my next cell phone will have GPS and Internet Connection. This is the hot new item in Smartphones, and you will see more and more of them sporting that feature in the coming months.
Several Blackberry units already have GPS, and my favorite device with it that has GPS, a fast Internet connection, Bluetooth, WiFi, etc. etc. is the AT&T Tilt, and the reviews are very good. I'm thinking hard about acquiring one, but kind of waiting ... there is a rumored Treo 800W with all the same plethora of features on the horizon.
I have a garmim 330c and navigated all across America, all over Alaska and western Canada on a 60 day 13,000 mile odessy. It was extremely useful in locating campsites and motels and Walmarts in strange towns. It took us to some very remote locations on obscure roads.
I have occassion in my work to find remote businesses in my territory. It knows where to go. Put in the address and away you go.
It can provide ETA with amazing accuracy.
I find that is is just plain not possible to satisfy the different requirements for hiking/hunting and driving with one unit.
For driving, I want one which operates on 12 volts, is big enough to see the map while it sits on the dashboard, and which has voice synthesis so it tells me when to turn.
For hunting, I want a handheld which operates on AA batteries and which does not lose the satellite reception under tree cover. I need it to give me my latitude and longitude so I can relay this info to others in my party over the radio, and I want it to be able to guide me to a specific location if I enter it into the unit, so I can go directly to another member of my party.
The concept of a 12 volt rechargeable unit on a serious hunting trip is laughable. I can be out in the woods for a week...
I just got a Garmin eTrec Vista and I love it. I love going to the geocache.com website where you can actually download geocach sites from the PC to the gps and it shows the site on a Google maps frame. Pretty cool.
What I would like to be able to do is download non-geocache sites to my gps. For example, enter an address, city, state and bring up the site with long./lat. and import that to the gps. Anyone have any hints or sites they recomend?
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