5 comments about GARMIN 010-00378-00 GPS 10 Deluxe With Bluetooth Technology.

1. The only trouble is using the software on the CD which came with the unit. It would not properly interface with my "Windows Mobile" handheld. However, after contacting Garmin the had an updated download available from their web site.
   
   Now it works great. Very good battery life and very fasst satellite aquisition. Unfortunately, my wife does not like the voice commands - its hard to make everyone happy!
   
   I recommend it.



2. If you like hassle with a capital H, buy a Garmin. Unlocking maps, product registration and a website that will not provide a simple e-mail link to contact support all contribute to make using a Garmin a major pain in the behind. They way they act, you'd think they were licensing nuclear technology. We sold our GPS10 and bought Microsoft Streets and Trips 2007 with GPS receiver. What a difference. MS treets and Trips works without a lot of hassle. It's easy to install and use. The receiver works when you want it to, not when it feels like it. No company's maps are up to date and Microsoft's are no worse than Garmins. Probably better. We learned the hard way. Do yourself a very big favor and look elsewhere when buying a GPS device. Under no circumstances will we ever buy anything Garmin again.



3. All I can say regarding this unit/software package is WOW!!! I purchased it for driving directions and also purchased a Bluetooth Speaker Kit for it so I don't have t look at the screen for my position if I need to turn a lot. This unit is well worth the money in that it also allows a topo map capability (Topo Software additional cost but it too it worth it if you hunt or hike very much). This unit is easy to set up, locks in rapidly, is small and with the built in magnetic mount with the vecro tape capabiliy is very versatile. In summary, it has to be seen to be believed. I use mine wih a Dell Axim X30 PDA and have the 2000 Mha extended battery so there is no problem with a full day's use and no recharge. The only advice I might give (for hiking and so on) is to make sre you have the DC (Cigarett Lighter) adapter for it. If you are handy in electronics, you can even make a beltpack for it via the Cigarette Lighter adaper should you need a longer battery life.



4. This thing is awesome!! And now that it comes with Garmin Mobile XT, it is even better.
   
   Mine came with an old version of Garmin's software, but the upgrade to XT was free. Now my PDA detects the receiver automatically and easily. In a couple of trips to Dallas/Ft. Worth, Longview, Chicago, and California...this thing has definitely paid for itself!
   
   I'm so surprised that these things can be so precise.
   
   ...and keep the charger hole cover in a safe place. Even then, you will lose it.



5. This GPS unit is very nice and simple. The unit actually arrived DOA aka broken but Garmin technical support was very helpful and was prompt to turn me around a new working unit (I think the defective one was just a fluke). I will mention that Garmin has limited support for using a computers built in Bluetooth with this GPS unit. I ended up having to purchase a cheap external usb bluetooth dongle to make it work with my PC. The unit pairs and works fine with the bluetooth built into my Blackberry Curve (T-Mobile version) however. The precision of the unit is very good for the price point, being WAAS enabled the unit returns a quite accurate location. All in all a very nice device.

No comments about Premium Screen Protector 5 Pack for your GARMIN Nuvi 255w GPS from Fellowes! Protect your precious screen with this durable protector micro thin universal clear guard! (Universal + 90 Day Warranty).

No comments about Gps, Gps 18 5HZ.

1 comments about Garmin Custom Caps for Zumo GPS Units, Racing Stripes (010-10857-00).

1. Product arrived in a timely manner and in perfect condition. Product was exactly as described. These caps seem over priced for all they are: two plastic caps for the top and base of the Garmin 550 GPS... but they are very cool. GREAT TRANSACTION - pricy item. A

No comments about GARMIN 010-11045-00 Europe City Navigator 2008 Map Update.

No comments about Universal 6 Position Adjustable Auto Mount Cradle Holder for Handheld GPS, iPod, PDA, Cell Phone with Windshield Suction Cup Pedestal and Auto Vent Mount!.

No comments about GARMIN DASH MOUNT F/ 7200 7500 SHEETMETAL W/ ADHESIVE REPLAC.

5 comments about GARMIN 010-00516-42 GPSmap 440S Receiver Without Antenna.

1. RECENTLY I PURCHASED A BOAT AND REPLACED THE EXISTING FISHFINDER WITH THE GARMIN GPSMAP 440S. THIS PRODUCT HAS SURPASSED MY EXPECTATIONS. THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE VERY EASY TO FOLLOW AND INSTALLATION WENT VERY SMOOTHLY. THE SCREEN IS CLEAR EASY TO READ EVEN ON A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY. THE FISHFINDER WORKS GREAT AND GETS MY 10YR EXCITED EVERYTIME A FISH POPS UP ON THE SCREEN. VERY PLEASED WITH THIS PRODUCT!



2. I bought this unit a few months ago and waited until I had some time to use it before I wrote a review. So far I'm VERY pleased with it. It has a great screen, small, but you don't really notice because the high resolution. Bright sun is NOT a problem as is with some other units. The built-in charts are very detailed and up to date, at least for the Tampabay/Gulf area. The menu system is ok, I think it could be improved on a little, but no worries.
   Installation was fairly easy on my Scout 175 Sportfish. Worst was the transducer cable install, snaking thru tight pipes already jammed with cable. In addition to what you get in the box, you will need a cable fitting for (2) cables (the transducer cable and the power/electronics cable join at the unit). I used a Big Jon Sports 'Double Cable Cap'. You'll also need some 3M 5200 marine sealant and I used a little silicone caulk around the cables.
   My only complaint was regarding the lack of software for entering waypoints on my home computer. The unit has an SD card slot to dump your custom info on or off the unit which is great, but no software comes in the box. Entering points at the unit is ok for a few points but not 50 to 100. The Garmin web site will NOT yield you any useful software! You will need to call them and they will send you, by mail, the trip and waypoint manager software to use on a PC. You should call them as soon as you get the unit to avoid a wait. I loaded the software and am happy with it, you can get much more comprehesive software from Garmin for $$, but this does the job.
   Bottom line, I am very happy with this unit as a whole and would recommend it to anyone.



3. Those of you planning to purchase a new Garmin marine chartplotter or GPS/Sounder, listen up! Garmin has totally changed it's cartography file format for many Marine GPS models. If you own Garmin cartography purchased prior to 2007, including "Blue Chart", "TOPO US", "Inland Lakes", and others using the MapSource program on your PC to transfer the charts to the GPS, THESE CHARTING PRODUCTS WILL NO LONGER WORK ON GARMIN'S NEW PRODUCT LINE!. The "old" cartography used a proprietary Garmin file format called "IMG" (the compiled maps had a file name ending in .IMG). IMG maps are compatible with a huge range of Garmin receivers, including handhelds like the ETREX, Legend, 60/76 series, and marine chartplotters with model numbers in the 100, 200, 300, and 400 series, up to the now-discontinued 498 GPS/Sounder.
   
   The "new" Garmin GPS/Sounders in the 300, 400, and 500 series use a new map file format that is not compatible with IMG. In addition, these new receivers have neither RS-232 Serial or USB connectivity, so you can't connect them to a desktop or laptop PC - the only way to get data in or out is via an SD card. While this may sound like an advantage in some ways - there's no optional data cable you have to buy - the "advantage" is really only to Garmin.
   
   If you buy one of these new GPS's, and later want to upgrade or supplement the built-in maps, you will have to buy Garmin's "Vision" series SD Cards. If you already own Blue Charts that you purchased for an older Garmin receiver, they won't work. Even worse, "Vision" cartography is only available on Garmin proprietary SD cards that can not be backed up to either a PC or another card (get the card wet, especially with salt water, and kiss your purchase price goodbye).
   
   None of the "Vision" series cartography is available on DVD or CD. Why is this bad for the end user? First off, it's very expensive. For example, the old Inland Lakes DVD had the whole country on it, about 3800 lakes, for about $120. With the "Vision" cartography, you have to buy five pre-programmed SD cards, at $120 each , to get the same coverage. Even more annoying is the fact that these new "Vision" cards work ONLY in your GPS receiver. You can't look at the cartography on your PC in MapSource. That means you can't pre-plan routes or waypoints on your nice large PC computer screen , using the cartography you just paid a bundle for. Have you ever plotted out a route with 30 or 40 waypoints on a tiny GPS screen with only a four way rocker to spell out the names of all the waypoints? I have, a few times, and it's a horribly slow and tedious process. As far as I can tell, that's the only way you can work with "Vision" cartography since the Garmin SD cards are designed specifically to not be readable on a PC (I'm sure this is fundamentally a copy-protection scheme, therefore it benefits only Garmin).
   
   The only "good" news about these new receivers is that the internal storage format of Routes, Tracks, and Waypoints appears to be compatible with MapSource, so you can import/export your user data (via MapSource to your own SD card), you just can't transfer maps or use your "Vision" cartography in MapSource for route planning.
   
   Another irritation with the 440S is that Garmin has completely changed the user interface and menu system that was common to most of the Marine GPS chartplotter/sounders from the Model 125 (mid '90's) through the 498 (2006). Owners of these older units will find the new user interface very confusing, and lacking many features of the older units. Some specific niggles: There appears to be no way to display battery voltage in any of the Chart windows (the Sonar windows can display voltage). There are no Compass and Highway windows as in most other Garmin products (even the Handhelds). Older Garmin Marine units had one or two specific windows for displaying Textual data, and these windows were highly configurable. The only User Data window on the 440s isn't nearly as versatile, and there seems to be no way to make it display Depth in BIG numbers. In fact I can't find any window on the 440s that can be programmed to show depth in characters more than about 3/8" tall. Bottom line: the 440s seems much more heavily slanted to Graphics, whereas the older Marine units like the 168 GPS/Sounder had a lot more Text/Numerical display capability, which I think is more useful and easier to interpret quickly in an emergency situation.
   
   I have a few good words about the 440s. The processor is a lot faster than in the older units (my Garmin 168 was glacially slow at updating maps as the boat moved along, even at only 5 knots). The display screen is bright and easy to read. The unit starts up and acquires satellites fairly quickly, and can function (usually) even inside my boat's cabin with only it's internal antenna. CAVEAT: as far as I can tell, the 440s does NOT seem to have a SIRF-Star III receiver chip, like the 60CX does, so the performance of the internal antenna is noticeably degraded if anything, even a bimini top, is blocking the unit's view of the sky. If you are planning to mount a 440s anywhere on your boat that there will be more than a single layer cabin roof over it, you will probably need an (extra cost) external antenna.
   
   The 440s includes the usual marine GPS features like Tide and Current diagramming, and enough internal memory for 10,000 track points, unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a way to have the unit copy it's active track log to the SD card in real time - the 60CX can do this and it's a great feature.
   
   SUMMARY: If you have never owned any previous Garmin Marine Chartplotters, and therefore have no pre-conceived expectations, you will probably find this to be a pretty feature-rich unit. On the other hand, if you are upgrading from something like a Garmin 125 or 168, you will likely find the new user interface annoying, confusing, and the loss of the text-data display features a big disappointment. The biggest issue for me is that the new 400/500 series marine chart plotters have switched to a new map file format (Blue Chart Vision) that is not compatible with MapSource, meaning that I can no longer do route planning on my PC, at least not with Vision cartography. This is a HUGE disadvantage and I can't imagine what Garmin's engineer's were thinking when they designed out the PC connectivity that most other Garmin GPS's have. Perhaps in the future, Blue Chart Vision cartography will become available on DVD so that you can use it on your PC with MapSource, but for the time being, it's only on proprietary Garmin SD cards. Due to this lack of PC connectivity, incompatibility with existing Garmin cartography, and the annoying and unnecessary changes to the user interface, I am only rating the 440s at 2 stars, otherwise I'd give it 4 stars. If it had the user interface and I/O capabilities of my 60CX, and compatibility with Garmin's own IMG map files, I'd give it 5 stars.
   
   If you have already invested a significant amount of money in Garmin IMG (Blue Chart & Inland Lakes) cartography, you might want to steer clear of these new units that require "Vision" cards and try to find a Garmin 398 or 498 if there are still any available.



4. Excellent product. Installation was fairly easy. The screen has great visibility, even in bright sunlight. The unit is simple to operate and the menus are almost self explanatory. This unit is everything I had expected.



5. Nice product for the price. Easy installation,quick set up, accurate information. the only con is that the unit has many features and the manual doesn't provide enough detail on them.

1 comments about Garmin US TOPO MicroSD Data Card for Garmin GPS Units, Western Great Lakes (010-C0906-00).

1. A great resource for those doing orienteering or other outdoor activities. Not only does it include topographical information but it adds many roads that are not in the Garmin base map.

No comments about Garmin forerunner Charging Clip.