5 comments about Garmin Talking StreetPilot III GPS Deluxe Package.

1. My first GPS was a very old style that gave you longitude and latitude only. No roads. No water. Nothing. So the jump to the SP III was a big one.
   
   Had to struggle a bit to download the info (updated from the website) onto the unit. Tough for this first timer to get the hang of it initially, though it gets easier with time. Working with the unit alone is a bit more complicated as naming waypoints and such can take a bit of doing using the toggle switches. But again, I'm still new at this and am looking forward to working with it a lot more in the near future.
   
   My plan is to use it to have a constant knowledge of the location of gas stations between my home outside Philadelphia, and Sturgis SD for my motorcycle trip out there in August. I'm attempting to complete the 1,700+ mile ride in under two days and will need to stretch out my gas stops as much as I can. It's currently mounted on the dash of the bike for me to get used to it and play with its functions during my daily commute.
   
   I agree with others regarding its unnecessary rerouting when I've never strayed off course. Strangely, it even gives different directions although I don't change the route I take on a daily basis. Rerouting calculation takes a bit, but I seem to remember that the calculation time can be adjusted through the menu. Unfortunately, it also continually gives me a slower route than the one I know is faster even though it's set for highway use and the fastest time. Perhaps I can adjust the pre-set surface street and highway speeds to get it to work more appropriately. Less than 5% of the time, the crossroad names are incorrect.
   
   My other issue is the interference the unit seems to be getting from time to time from my satellite radio that's mounted on the handlebar less than a foot away from the dash-mounted GPS.
   
   I thought this GPS would be able to take me right to where I wanted to be, using the most efficient route, ALL BY ITSELF. If I have to set up specific waypoints on a specific route in order to get it to follow what I know is the fastest way, the unit is of no value to me. The only good point is that I didn't pay over $500 for it.



2. My Garmin 2610 has long been a terrific electronic unit. Now, for no known reason, the screen has shifted to the point where the touch does not allow you to enter text. Garmin wants $250 to fix the unit regardless of the issue. I think this is excessive for a unit that has been immaculately cared for and is quite expensive. Magellan next time for me...



3. This is an out of date GPS that has been discontinued by Garmin.
   
   I had a lot of problems downloading the driver into my notebook and desktop (both running Windows xp). I had to try several times (I am computer savvy). The memory card that came with unit was defective, I had to get a new one from Garmin, and you can easily damage it. You have to use their 12th century card reader to plug to your pc to download the software to the unit. You cannot hook the unit directly to your pc (unless you have an old serial port-male)
   
   The memory card (128mb) can only hold so much map data. While the LCD has an excellent resolution (that's why I am giving a one star rating), it will take you some time before you can learn all the features of the units and the map source.
   
   To sum things up, stay away from this gps, invest a few more hundreds and get a newer version.



4. This product was a last resort in a deparate situation. Me and my friends were looking to go camping and had been lost in the mountains for some time. Our mapquest directions failed miserably. After asking for directions, which were terrible, we found this device under the passenger seat. The StreetPilot III was very simple to use and delivered us to our destination with ease and much excitement. My friends and I are so grateful for this little GPS. It still works today. Thank god. Buy this thing!



5. Just putting this review to clear my account, I used to have this and it was great, traveled many roads with it. (have a Zumo 550 now)

5 comments about Lowrance 000-0125-03 iWay 250C 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator and MP3 Player.

1. Mine did not work ever. Ten calls to tech support, got through once and he hung up on me when I said that my machine ( a christmas gift) could not find a single satellite and I did not want to move to Tulsa.
   Waste of money for this one. They want a credit card number to even think about taking a look at it.
   AVOID THIS CHEAP PRODUCT



2. I am an truck Driver and Have put over 90,000miles on it, my only major complaint is that if I Key up my cb mic that it loosed its positon, It is accurite most of the time.



3. Purchased this device to take a road trip across the Southern United States June 2007. This device was easy to upgrade on the pc with the USB cable prior to departing for our trip.
   
   Unit stopped working on the trip, took it back to Bass Pro, and it was replaced, discovered that we were sold a unit that had been returned. So, no fault of the i250c.
   
   We love the product, have used it for many things in the past year, all trips to unknown territory we use this device. We find it very helpful in getting where we are going, the POI's are good, we have only found one address that the GPS couldn't find. But when speaking to the owner of the B&B, she said all people that come to her say their GPS can't find her, it stops 2 blocks from the house, which is what this one did.
   
   For the money, it is worth every dime, it save a lot of frustration trying to find locations in unfamiliar territory.



4. I have had this unit for about 9 months.
   
   It is relatively easy to see and the interface works well.
   
   It generally gives pretty good directions, but (and this is huge) in October of 2007 we needed to get to Indianapolis airport from the Cincinnati area. We were guided through a series of dead end roads. Almost missed our plane. It turned out well for us, but this could be a huge issue for others.
   
   The battery life is horrible and takes forever to charge. If you do not have a constant powered outlet in your vehicle this will not stay charged.
   
   You cannot use the picture viewer through the SD card and have maps at the same time as they are not stored internally, but on the SD card.
   
   The unit takes forever to find satellites. It often takes 10 minutes or more.
   
   It causes interference with AM radio and as an avid AM listener this is a big problem.
   
   Overall I have not been impressed and am very close to returning to Garmin and considering this a lost cause.



5. This device is easy to use. It has all the preloaded maps and voice guidance .

5 comments about ViaMichelin X-930 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

1. I purchased the X930 for my wife. The con they list is probably the most important fact they can mention. It is difficult to the point of impossible (occasionally) to input and find locations. It would appear from the product's website that they have discontinued the product and even the website is somewhat difficult to get around. My friend has a Garmin and I recommend their product over this one with no reservations. I am unimpressed with the lacking userfriendliness of this product and do not recommend it's purchase despite it's low price tag.



2. Really sorry I bought this one. Maps are old, can't locate my house on it and I've lived here 5 years. Little to no support from the company. It appears their main market in Europe. Map updates are not available. Find a unit that allows you to update your maps from the internet. I am sure there are better units available.



3. I bought this product last year, it was like $175 when I got it. It works good, can guide you to the place you wish. Two point I don't like: 1. the screen cannot be clearly seen when strong sunshine. 2. Seems I never successfully mounted on my window, maybe this is my problem. Map is old, it would be better if free map update is provided.



4. At first I was pleased with this unit but in less than 2 months of actual use it was on the way out. It refused to find some addresses. Then it would flash between screens. I called customer support with the usual results...no support. The foreign lady told me to do a hard reset and I did. Now the unit will not come up at all. If you must have a GPS please do not buy this one. A Garman or a Magellan is far superior and will last for years not 2 months.



5. A very poorly made product. The screen freezes and the system shuts down and then you are left at the mercies of the heaven. The Michelin guys wont help you out either and you cannot return it.

1 comments about Bushnell Onix200CR GPS Navigation System.

1. I could never get topo maps to download to the unit. I was on the phone with Busnell for over an hour and they were suppose to call me back. Never did. I also learned that you can only download a very small area at a time. So I bought a Garmin Colorado 400T instead. It has the entire USA topo maps pre-loaded!!

5 comments about Cobra GPSM 4000 Nav One Mobile Navigator.

1. After a disasterous experience with a Sony NavU70 unit and after considering the Garmin system owned by a friend, and after doing extensive research and demoing some products at the local Circuit City, I finally selected the Cobra GPSM4000 sight unseen and bought it through Amazon. Frankly I wasn't expecting too much, and the appearance of the unit struck me as a little retro (too much chrome for my taste, as though this unit had been designed as an add-on for old GM vehicles). But when I put it in my 4x4 I was impressed. Although the manual warns you that it can take up to 20 minutes for a brand-new unit to orient itself based on the signals received from the orbiting satellites, the Cobra 4000 oriented itself within 60 seconds of being turned on. It was so quick that I found myself wondering if the people at the factory had somehow pre-programmed my location.
   
   The screen is nice and bright, the touch-screen functionality is just the right degree of sensitivity, and all the key parameters are tunable through the menu options so you can customize the unit to perform according to your own preferences. New locations are simple to store (which makes waypointing easy) and the system provides breadcrumbs which is essential for off-roading. The Sony unit referred to earlier in this review was an ergonomic disaster and didn't support breadcrumbs nor simple location storage. It was pretty, though.
   
   As real-time traffic data comes on-stream in the USA the real-time traffic option will become more worthwhile. I didn't purchase this option with my unit because it's not really available yet in my region and besides, there's no alternative when the local freeway is jammed. There is no route work-around possible, so it wouldn't help me much on a day-to-day basis. But one day, when the service is cheap and there are alternative routes to be found, it will be a worthwhile addition to the repertoire of all in-car navigation systems.
   
   I really like the larger screen size, though while it is technically 5 inches in diameter the actual map size is about 4.5 inches because the borders are occupied with soft keys. Still, that beats the 3 inch and 3.5 inch screens found on other units like Garmin and Magellan and TomTomGo.
   
   Voice prompting is nice & crisp, but the on-screen direction arrow with distance indicator is a little small, for those situations when you want to check whether it's the next turn or the one 50 feet after that.
   
   Some GPS units scroll smoothly as you travel, keeping the cursor in the center of the map. The system in my Acura does that and I've become used to it. The Cobra unit works the other way: the cursor representing your vehicle travels across the screen and then, just as it reaches the edge of the screen, the entire map "jumps" to a new page and the process starts all over again. While my preference is for the Honda/Acura approach, the "jumping page" is something I can live with and isn't too distracting in practice. I care more about the accuracy of the unit and the Cobra is very accurate and fast to adjust.
   
   The unit comes with a windscreen mount, but there's also a base plate in case you want to mount it to a horizontal surface. I was somewhat concerned about placing the unit in the windscreen area because off-road in the desert in the middle of the day it can get awfully hot right there, even with the A/C blowing hard. So I chose to purchase the optional external GPS receiver, which I mounted in the windshield area, and I placed the Cobra unit in the center binnacle where it is easy to see yet out of the direct sunlight (which also improves general visibility, as the screen never washes out because of being hit by direct light).
   
   UPDATE: February 26th 2007. After taking the unit on its first extended trip (3 hours) it exhibited a major defect. After 25 minutes of continuous operation the unit began emitting a hot metal smell and the upper left portion of the screen became hot to touch; simultaneously the upper left portion of the screen turned dark and no longer displayed anything. After another 5 minutes the screen began to blink on and off rapidly, rendering it useless. Turning on the A/C and directing a stream of icy air at the unit did nothing to ameliorate the problem.
   
   Beach Audio accepted the return of the unit and shipped me a replacement; I have not yet taken the replacement on a long (3+ hours) trip to see whether the new unit overheats like the old one did. Hopefully it was a one-off manufacturing defect as apart from the malfunction I was pleased with the previous unit.
   
   Second Update: as of August 2008 the replacement is still functioning as intended. I'm irritated by the fact that it can take up to 15 minutes to acquire satellites upon start of the journey (afterwards it acquires almost instantly), and I've discovered that the database of street addresses is quirky - a location in Tahoe Vista was listed as being in Sacramento, even though the on-map icon was correctly placed in Tahoe Vista. Now that the unit has come down to around $200 I think it's OK for the money, but as I originally paid about $500 I think it was overpriced back then. Realistically there are much better units on the market now, and I'd definitely advise people to go with an integrated Bluetooth and MP3 functionality in any new standalone unit these days.



2. I purchased this item after spending days reading other reviews on various products. I have a navigation system in my BMW and was hoping for one just as good to use in my motorhome. This one is actually better than the BMW navigation system.



3. Bought this unit for the big screen size and some other reviews that I had read. What a mistake. The unit operated for a few weeks OK with the turn by turn directions a major plus. However, after the initial break in period the unit lost all inputed memory which wouldn't have been a problem for me, but my wife was on business trip and she can't read a map from a Victoria's Secret catalog. Anyway, she lost the home memory function and manually inputed our address. After traveling 3 hours she was directed to the middle of the state, about 2 hours from our house where she called me and I was able to help her get home although she was 4 hours and 300 extra miles late!
   
   Went to the Cobra website for FAQ's about the problem or maybe a software patch, which there was one for this unit from 2 years ago, later than what I had installed, downloaded it, installed it and next time we stared the car there was a loss of internal memory and the unit stated in the welcome screen that there is possibly an update to the system memory. Called Cobra tech support, they told me to send it back and they updated the BIOS and installed the same update which I had done previously. This worked for 2 days with the same result after that with all loss of inputed memory.
   
   In summary if you want to buy this product you should be pretty sure of the warranty and possibly what the return restrictions are as some stores won't accept returns of used GPS units.
   
   If all the inputs you made to the memory drop off and you can't retrieve it don't even hesitate and call Cobra support at 773-889-3087 to ask how to return this model as it seams they can't even fix it.
   
   So don't waste your time and hard earned money, buy another brand.



4. I just had this over the weekend and only payed 125 so heres my thoughts. For what I paid for it I can't complain about what it is/isnt. But if I would have sunk any real cash into this I'de be sending it back. This is a very good sub $200 gps. Heres what you should really know. It has speech. but limited text to speech. So basically if you want a gps to tell you all the street names.. Not happening here. I added all the updates when I got it so I can tell you the 3d graphics.. like you see now on most gps's (like tomtom) is not as good. also you really have to clean your windshield
   before you stick this on your dash. I had it come off the glass 2x already in 3 days. It is a pretty hefty item to hang from a suction cup.
   I ended up placing it so it actually rests on the dash while attached to the window.
   Good points. The screen auto adjusts to the daylight/or lack of
   the navigation is spot on. with the update installed I dont have the problems others have/ I had the updates on before I ever test drove it.
   The voice commands are clear but mechanical sounding female voice. You would think the a gps that actually has a microdrive inside could have added other voices to the package. I got the database update. so I can not comment on how the new maps compare to the old. But the last update is 2006 and its close but not perfect. One quirky thing about this is it has modest actual street address finding.. It will list roads when it can not find the actual address. in a couple cases it says "no data" this is no big problem just annoying. for what i payed for it its great. The 5 inch screen.. 4.4 actual inches and a icon strip on the side is a lot easier to see than the tomtom go. May not mean much to you younger people but when you get older this is a selling point. If you can latch onto one cheap its a 4.5 at +200 a 3.5.
   
   I forgot to add with the updates. it doesn't jump page to page like mentioned in other reviews.. it moves along just like a tomtom.



5. So far I find the Cobra unit is very accurate and has all the features I need. I like the large screen and voice directions. The only problem is I can't get an additional windshield holding mount. So I have to move the holder from vehicle to vehicle. Cobra does not offer additional mounts for the 4000 unit. Overall for the price it is an excellent buy.

5 comments about TomTom GO 510 4-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished).

1. Bought this for $199, has been working well and going everywhere with us since the day we bought it. Easy to use and the battery last about 4 hours in a single charge. Connectin to the satellite is a little slow at first, but after a software update it's not a problem anymore. I am not to crazy about the bluetooth, I have a blue tooth headset that's better....:)
   Putting extra software is a little tricky because it's a refurbished item and I had to call the tech support because the unit ID in the box is different than the one on the device help menu. I haven't tried the gas price notification update yet, but I am going too.
   
   Overall is a great GPS for the price and very user friendly.



2. It freezes more often than it works. I planned a big trip with this unit but didn't work at all. I paid 12$ for 1 day shipping which is waste.



3. The item came quickly. It was well packed. And the setup instructions were cear and easy to understand. The functionality and installation are good. There is a learning curve to use all of the units capabilities. Good product.



4. I have purchased three units and am extremely satisfied. You will not get lost using this unit. If you get off track it recalculates immediately. Getting used to the options and controls takes a while to learn but still easy to use.
   
   I recommend getting a remote for any gps unit purchased. No touching the screen jut use the remote.



5. I got a tom tom 510 with a 4 inch screen with bluetooth head set features for my b-day this gps is excellent.It works great I am very pleased with this product it is very accurate gets me to my destination with no problem.Plus it is a refurbished tom tom from the factory with full year warranty.I have had several people at my work asking me where did I get my gps.I simply say amazon.com.

5 comments about Garmin Quest 115-Megabyte Handheld GPS (010-00306-00).

1. You really need to do your research before buying a GPS. I've owned the Garmin Quest for almost three years now and I love it. It has features that you just can't find in the touch screen models. First off it's waterproof. I also use this GPS when I go boating and it almost always gets splashed with water. It has a breadcrumb feature that allows you to see where you've been. Great for boating, hiking, or exploring unmarked country dirt roads and you need to find your way back. It has an internal battery that will last 20 hours on a single charge. As with all GPS's there are some downsides to it. The screen is a little on the small side compared to today's models. It takes longer to enter in addresses than with a touch screen model. And you do have to plan your trip carefully and load the maps you'll need before you start your adventures. (The Garmin Quest II Handheld GPS Navigator comes with all the maps preloaded. It didn't exist when I purchased my Quest.) Because of these downsides, I've recently purchased the Garmin nüvi 650 Personal Travel Assistant for North America for my wife. It has a very large touch screen (wide screen version) which makes it easier to input addresses than the standard size touch screen GPS's (such as the Garmin nüvi 350 Pocket Vehicle GPS Navigator with Maps for North America). It has all the maps preloaded so she won't have to think about loading any. It's not waterproof, but she will never have a need to use it outside of a car. It doesn't have the breadcrumb feature that we love, but you just have to learn to accept there are limitations with all GPS's. Just do your research and purchase the one that's best suited for your needs and budget.



2. I Have been using Garmin Quest for the last 2 years. I think I am experienced enough to write a review for the product. This is a small, yet powerful, potential and very nice GPS that never let me down any time. I drive a lot, interstate driving and intercities driving incusive, and use my Questy regularly. It is ultimately portable, bright enough to view at any time of the day even during bright sun shine. The system gets ready in a matter of 4-25 seconds. I mentioned the maximum of 25 seconds since it took this long time twice so far (once in Cape May,NJ and the other time in Niagara falls,NY. Rest of the times, it always started in less than 10 seconds.
   
   Portability is a plus. Reroute is pretty fast and I would say instantaneous. As soon as I miss a turn, it gets ready with new direction very fast in a matter of couple of seconds.
   
   Takes a very small space to mount or store and is a very imporatnat and relaible asset I have ever bought.
   
   I will recomend this product for any one who is seriously thinking of a GPS with full featureqs, great quality, comfortable size yet superbly fast.
   
   Thanks Garmin and this is a studd for your products



3. I bought this item for more than a year already. It was and still is a good GPS that 90% of the time directs you to the right place. You just need sometime to get used to the command. The best thing to do is to first find a familiar place with this GPS and see how it directs you to the destination. However, I give it a three star because it is losing reception after one year of use for whatever reason. It used to only lose signal when I travel inside cities that have a lot of tall buildings. Now it just lose signal randowly and more frequently. Although I fix this problem by buying the external antenna, but I can only give a three star.



4. I bought this for my wife as a Christmas present and she loves it. She uses it all the time. It has saved us from going out of the way a couple and even when we couldn't see road signs it guided us in the right direction. Another great attraction is it's ability to find points of interest even if you don't have an address. All around it is a great value for the money.



5. First let me say that this is my first GPS, and was clueless as to which unit to buy. I completely relied on reviews posted on Amazon to help me learn about GPS from other owners. I wanted a unit that would be used more on the trail and kayaking then car use. But I needed a reliable unit for driving, I can only afford one unit. The Quest is small and fits a foward pocket on my backpack. Its waterproof for use on the kayak. Its recgargeable enough for day use. Only drawback appears to be it will not allow you to switch batteries on the trail. The battery is a lithium-ion battery which has a life of 8 hours of continuous use. After that recharge. So you have to concider that on your hike. The price is great, and the "city navigator" DVD I've inputed works fine. I paid only $216 for a factory "reconditioned" unit, and this unit also included the "city navigator" DVD, which is a must. The internal map that come in the unit is too basic, does not show streets, only main highways and interstates.
   So again the best thing about this Garmin Quest GPS is its compact, accurate, well made, a good value and expandable with 115 MB of memory. Could this be the best multi-tasking gps made? Maybe.

2 comments about Garmin nüvi 250 Portable GPS Navigator (English/Spanish Version).

1. I ordered the Nuvi 250 two weeks ago. Quick satellite aquisition, signal lost in tunnels, picked up at end of tunnel. Well designed windshield mount. Does all of the basics well. A little slow searching for restaurants by name. Good battery life, if you don't like to use the cigarette lighter. The smaller screen is better for city walking tours because it fits easier in a pocket. Smaller screen also blocks less view on the windshield. Love the unit, great price. Easy to read during the daytime with the top down. Dims automatically at sundown. Who really needs Blue tooth? Kids like viewing SD chip pictures on unit during a vacation. It will not read SDHC chips/ 8Gig. No external antenea. Overall.. Great unit/ Great price! Good decision!



2. So easy to use, my husband can do it and while a great guy is very non-tech savy. Easy to use instructions and controls, and you can move it from one vehicle to another hassell free as it is one suction cups. Good search technology if you are looking for shopping or resturants in an area and you don't have a specific address. I got it for him for Father's Day, and he a few weeks after he thanked me again and said it is very helpul for him.

No comments about Magellan Maestro 3250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished).

5 comments about Harman Kardon GPS-300 4-Inch Portable GPS Navigator and MP3 Player.

1. I bought two of these units because of the price but they aren't worth any price. I have used two Garmin units in the past but thought why not try this one - how bad can it be? It is just about useless. The screen is great, entering the destination was great - but what matters is the performance and it was terrible. If you went past a turn (testing it) it tried to make you do a U-turn, even though the road I was on was parallel to the road it wanted me to be on. It couldn't recalculate properly, it was determined to send me backwards and if I kept driving eventually it would recalculate like it should have. It did this multiple times. I couldn't believe how stupid it was. My Garmin product never did that. Don't buy it - buy a Garmin. I am.



2. I recently bought this product for my husband as a birthday present. He loves it. Very, Very easy to use, extremely portable, great big screen, and very accurate. I recommend this product to anyone who has a husband that doesn't stop to ask for directions!!!



3. i bought this unit last year because:
   (+) nice screen size and resolution.
   (+) built-in MP3/WMA music player with SD slot
   (+) Harman Kardon brand name
   
   and i returned it after 3-week use in multiple states because:
   (-) TERRIBLE algorithm and possibly old maps. the software told me to turn left into no-left-turn roads / one-way / into freeway many times.
   (-) slow satellite lock-on time, sometimes even minutes. actually slower than my Sprint Mogul.
   
   you don't want to be a GPS horror story.



4. This is one of those great deals where the looks and interface perform better than the price. My only complaint is that the signal is sometimes weak in my Audi, while in the Dodge truck it's flawless. I believe it has more to do with the film applied to the thick windshield than the GPS as this problem has occurred with previous units. When the GPS has difficulty finding a signal I simply open the sunroof or window and the problem disappears. Besides that, the interface is one of it's best features. It's very intuitive and has large buttons to operate without focussing on it too long. The graphics and maps are very up-to-date.



5. This was our first GPS, sadly/fortunately it was stolen a few weeks ago. This unit is ok for someone that knows the city and is only looking for a companion that can say where is, that address that you don't recognize. The routes it gave to us were ok and in most of the cases it took me to the destination without mayor problems. The only time it really frustrated us was when we were in a toll way and I got confused with its directions and suddenly we were going in the wrong direction and the freaking GPS keep telling me to U turn when possible because it thought we were in a dead end alley!!!!... So imagine my desperation. The mayor cons this unit has is the terrible capability to get signal... Man! I can still hear it saying "GPS signal lost". In some cases (as usual when you need it the most) the unit couldn't get GPS signal at all, and in some occasions it took it up to 30 minutes to get signal in the street!!!!; in some other occasions in the middle of the journey it simply lost the signal because no reason, so it might get frustrating from time to time. This was a problem I read before buying the unit but still I wanted to give it a chance.
   
   In general is a fine product that has a lot of chances to be a GREAT GPS unit. After our gps was stolen I was up to buy this GPS again, but there was a promotion of the Navigon 2100 here in amazon and, WOW I couldn't be happier with a GPS... This unit takes some time (3 minutes the most) to get gps signal but NEVER as much as the HK, the display is less flashy but man! it says the distance and the street name too!...
   
   At the end what I can say about the HK GPS unit is that it was fine and in general I liked it... I was up to re-buy it!, but there are other options within the same cost and the can be great! if you're looking for a GPS unit with MP3 and a flashy display with more than 3" I think this unit has a fair price and wont disappoint you a lot. If you're looking for a unit to get signal fast and bring you more functionality than multimedia then you should be reading the reviews of the navigon lol... (it has some flaws it's not perfect but I'm more comfortable with it)
   
   Good luck with your GPS election and "may the GPS signal be with you!" lol