2 comments about TomTomOne XL Vehicle GPS Unit (Refurbished).

1. excellent gps. very easy to use and intuitive. boots and acquires position in just a few seconds.



2. Large, clear screen. Audio is clear and loud enough. Basic functionality, it gets the job done. A couple of times it *has* suggested routes which aren't optimal, so I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5.

5 comments about Magellan RoadMate 6000T Portable GPS Navigator.

1. I bought the 6000T in April 2007 after doing research on the internet and looking at their website, which stated that you could download maps from their website and a map update would be available in August. Since I live in a area with a lot of freeway construction and the roads are changing all the time, I was very interested in this capability.
   
   Come August and their website said the map update would be available in September. In September it said October. I called their support at the end of October and was told an update would be available by the end of the year. In the meantime I did download the 1.22 software update.
   
   In December I checked the website again and came to find the update was available, but you had to purchase it on a CD for $80 - not the free download I was expecting. Since the unit was basically useless on the major freeways in my area I bit the bullet and bought it.
   
   I got around to installing it the week before last, and come to find the map version it installed was Q3 2006 - already 18 months old. I tested it out anyway and as far as I could tell, there was no difference in the map database (at least for my area).
   
   I called Magellan support today and spent an hour on the phone talking to various hindi individuals (I guessed they outsourced their call center sometime since October) only to be told over and over that the map update I purchased was the latest version (even though it was probably already on the unit when I bought it), and that there was nothing I could do about. Even when I pointed out that their website had posted misleading information about the nature of the update for the past 6 months, all they would say was (paraphrasing) "You're stuck with it - go away and leave us alone - there's nothing we're going to do about it".
   
   If you need up to date maps, stay away from Magellan. Their products don't perform as advertised and the company does not stand behind them.
   
   I guess they realized how crappy their products are because the Roadmate series has been pulled from their website.



2. The devil is in the details. The unit works as advertised, but the "lock ups" are something I've never encountered before. I have a built-in unit in my car, and it has never locked. Mine 600T locked so severely once, I couldn't even turn it off or reset. That brings up customer service. I called twice, and my wife called twice, and neither of us could understand what the reps were trying to say. Offshore CS is NOT OK if the reps don't speak the language of the customer - or vice versa. Also be aware that this unit is officially "not a current offering." Wonder when the support will stop? The unit came without a manual, so if you want instructions to take with you, be prepared to print out 140 or so pages. All in all - not impressed with Magellan. The good news is the price has been reduced by 2/3.



3. I have had this product for over a year now and was surprised when travelling from Mtl to NYC how this device directed me to drive through off highway country roads. I have tried to upgrade to a higher version of software 1.16 with great difficulty. My PC is asking for the Magellan Roadmate software. The unit never came with it. When finally located my Microsoft PC is advising me not to install it as it does not conform with Microsofts software conditions and it may harm the system. I have tried to contact magellans help ware, but have had no response. After reading all the horrible experiences from fellow magellan owners, i am frustrated enough to trash this unit and proclaim the truth, THIS SYSTEM SUCKS, and I for one do not recommend anyone to purchase a Magellan unit. If the company had any morals they would refund the money or excahnge all of their 6000T units for a model that actually works.



4. I have had Magellan 6000T for over a year now and it seemed to be working fine overall with the exception of an occasional freeze up. However, from the past 2 weeks, the unit does not display the map and when any key is pressed, it responds after 5 minutes. The issue is not battery-related as far as I could tell since it is constantly charged and the battery indicator is green in color.
   I had purchased the 6000T for 450.00 last year. From now on I'll stay with the cheap units. At least that way, even if the unit breaks one can discard it with less pain.



5. Ok, I have had this unit for over two years. As stated before, yes I had freezing problems and it would reset and loose all the previous places I had been. I tried many times to upgrade the firmware to no avail and did spend countless hours on the phone with the India service center where I feel I knew more about a simple computer than the guy/girl on the other line.
   
   Thank GOD I had an extended service program with the store chain I brought it from and they fixed it for me. Hope the map update goes a lot smoother.
   
   The Unit now runs great and instead of the 5 seconds to turn the unit off now it's just two. Just wish they had a smaller mounting arm as the OEM one is too long which is funny that the new guys say theirs is too short. No one is ever content.

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 .

No comments about Garmin Mobile Pc Software For Laptops - GPS Automotive - Mfr Part #010-11018-00.

5 comments about Magellan RoadMate 1200 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

1. MAGELLAN RoadMate 1200 3.5-Inch Auto Navigation
   
   I bought this a few weeks ago and am very pleased with it. Easy to operate, reliable, useful for anyone planning a trip.



2. I've had my Magellan Roadmate 1200 since February. It worked great at first and we had bought it as a 2nd navigation system for our two car/truck move from Florida to Indiana. Two days before the move the system gets stuck in an endless back and forth between two screens (settings), but will not let me access the actual navigation. After a long time on hold with tech support we send it in and end up using radios for our move in April.
   
   About 2 weeks after mailing it to Texas we received a new system (at least we believe it was new due to the screen protector on the device, there was NO letter or explanation or ANYTHING with the package, just a GPS)....
   
   Now, another 2 weeks later, it will not turn on. We were using it (with the car charger plugged in), made a stop and turned it off. When we returned to the car and tried to use it again it would not work and hasn't since, despite several tries to charge it at home, pressing the reset button etc. So it will be another call to tech support, this time not so pleasant.
   
   I highly recommend to get a TomTom, which we have had for over a year and never had a problem with (we only went for the Magellan due to price)!



3. This device is so much of a hassle that I actually leave it in my car overnight with the hopes that somebody will steal it so I have a reason to replace it with a tom tom or garmen unit.
   
   I am not a beta tester. If you believe what other reviewers say, this was rushed for black Friday, but people, I purchased this in May 2008. I guess its worth it to this company that continues to offer a sub $150 unit on the market not caring that they lost a customer for life.
   
   I have the same problems other reviewers have with the unit locking up, demanding me to insert the sd card when its in the slot, giving roundabout false directions with the 'shortest route' option. And whats up with that exit POI error?
   
   Maybe if they ever have a firmware update it may be worth the money I wasted but me, I'm sticking to my paper maps just to be on the safe side.



4. The title of this review says it all, but I'll expand on this a bit for the specific details of my usage experiences.
   
   Before I ever used a GPS navigator, I was a thorough user of printed road maps and Google Maps to the point where I thought I'd never need a GPS unit. I got a taste of the ease of GPS when I borrowed a friends TomTom. He loaned me one of the first TomTom units that was on the market, and I was amazed with the user friendliness of the user interface and how well the GPS unit routed me to my destination. TomTom seems to have thoroughly mapped the roads all across the USA to the point where the TomTom appeared to know the traffic density of even local roads. This allowed for fast navigating that always took the trunk routes across town that all the locals know about.
   
   When I purchased the Magellan, I somewhat expected the same experience as with a TomTom - maybe just in a slightly different "flavor" as the user interface would not be the same. I was in for a rude surprise with the RoadMate 1200. This GPS does not ever seem to give a quick, direct, or useful route to any destinations in my local city. When I choose the fastest route option, this GPS directs me down streets that I know to not be the fastest route - it essentially ignores several main thoroughfares in the city at the preference of trying to get me to use side streets which I know to have a bunch of stop signs that will slow you down. When I choose the shortest route option, this GPS directs me down clogged or slow side streets all for the benefit of saving maybe 100 feet off my total distance to my destination. I guess this technically is the shortest route, but I'd still like to see a little flexibility for this unit to avoid side trips that save such a short distance.
   
   Another beef I have with the unit is the length of time that the GPS takes to recalculate a route if you miss a turn. It seems there is a signifigant time lag before the unit detects that you have strayed from the appointed route. When the GPS unit begins to recalculate the route, the navigation screen freezes for several seconds until the new route is done. This has the side effect of meaning that there might be a new route that I can take by making the next right or left turn after missing the first turn, but by the time the route is recalculated I have then missed the next turn. If I am driving down streets with short blocks, the GPS unit does this recalculate-then-miss-a-turn stuff over and over again until I physically stop the car to see what the unit will direct next.
   
   After all this complaining, I'll hit on some good points. The unit is a good purchase price, so budget buyers will get a GPS that does give you directions that eventually get you to your destination. The screen is bright, sharp, and responds quickly to touches (unless the unit is in the middle of calculating something). The GPS reception is strong, and with WAAS reception it is always accurate to about 3 or 4 meters.
   
   In the end, all I can give this unit is a 1 star rating. It does get you to your destination, but never with a good route that takes traffic density or road capacity into account. The TomTom that I have used is far better in operation than this unit, so I'd recommend that any potential purchasers pay the extra $25 or $50 to get the entry level TomTom GPS unit.



5. I have been using the Magellan RoadMate 1200 for about a month now and it is everything I had hoped for. For years I rented cars from Hertz with a Magellan GPS unit and when I ordered the 1200 I hoped it would work up to the same standards as the Hertz units I had experienced. It is even better. Thanks, Magellan for putting out a great product at an incredibly affordable price. Now I can't wait for you to start selling upgrade chips so I can buy the chip for Italy. I know there is a RoadMate 1200 for Italy and look forward to being able to upgrade my 1200 for my trip next year. Thanks, again, for making this so affordable.

5 comments about Garmin 010-00400-20 StreetPilot 7500 Portable GPS Navigator.

1. I ordered the navigator to assist me with my out-of-town, large city driving directions. When I received the system it appeared to be the greatest device, but provided more information than I really needed.
   
   I was going to put it in the car to give it a try but the charger was not included. I did attach it to the computer and I'm sure would have been pleased with this system.
   
   Ordering online is new to me and my experience wasn't the best with the missing item, however, this was truly a human error and I will probably order online in the future.
   
   I did go to a local store (Circuit City) and purchase the Garmin StreetPilot that was a little smaller and had bluetooth capability. I am extremely pleased with the navigator and it was a wonderful companion during a recent trip to Cincinnati & Cleveland. I felt secure knowing I was always going in the right direction.
   
   Thank you for your follow-up and interest.
   
   Sincerely,
   Sue Totten
   
   My overall experience



2. I really like my Garmin StreetPilot 7500 GPS. I think the 7200 would have been adequate for my needs, but the 7500 is great. I like the quick touch screen features. The only situation I am dealing with is its size and safe mounting. Otherwise, a very good purchase.



3. Garmin makes registering and using their gear unnecessarily complex, with the arcane requirements, difficult to navigate validation, registration, and implementation interfaces, with all the registration codes, keys, and poor to non-existent customer support. When I went to register my Streetpilot 7500, I listed the product line ("On the Road"), check, StreetPilot, check, 7500, check, serial number, check, date of purchase, check, Merchant, check, and, then... their web site asks for a "Registration Code," which, they say, is on a little yellow slip of paper "found in the box." Needless to say, I could not find the little slip of paper with the registration code, which has made getting support difficult. Added to this, the Garmin web site does not have an e-mail product support capability that I could find, but only telephone 800 numbers which only operate on business days during business hours, and always seem to be busy then. Also, if you order this GPS unit, there is no indication that you will not be able to load much in the way of mapping software (once you can figure out how to do that; the map unlocking and loading interface is terrible, and seems to be aimed at allowing the consumer to get as little value for their money as possible) without an SD (Secure Digital) data card, which does not come with this extremely expensive unit. Then, there is nothing on the Garmin web site indicating whether the Garmin unit will accomodate High capacity Secure Digital cards, like 8 GB, so that one can keep all one's maps loaded in the unit, and not have to be keeping track of, and switching out, the small and fragile SD cards, each loaded with only a portion of the mapping software one uses. High priced, arcane, baffling, and redundant security requirements, and poor customer support make a bad combination for Garmin. Garmin needs to re-orient their entire approach to the business to be more user friendly and toward providing more customer support. Meanwhile, I have a $1,300+ paperweight on my desk at home. It is no wonder that all of my friends use GPS units made by Tom-Tom.



4. This unit is as represented but I think the graphis could use some help. It doesn't clearly define exit ramps from major roads. As in the name of them prior to exit.I was a little disappointed that the graphics were not on par with Garmin aviation GPS units.



5. I decided to buy the Garmin StreetPilot 7500 GPS Vehicle Navigation after I was cheated by the salesperson who swore me that the Audi Q7 I was buying him could have a dealer installed Audi original GPS. That was a lie and I bought the 7500 because I wanted a big screen device, similar in size to the original Audi one. And this is correct: the size is HUGE (7 inches screen and almost 4 pounds)! But the manufacturer and Amazon do not hide these facts to you. This device is good for a big SUV or truck where you have plenty of space on your dashboard, but it will obstruct your driving view in a regular car. The software -as it is in all the Garmin devices- does not show a beautiful image but it complies with its duties reasonably well. The interface is user friendly and very easy to use. The voice directed instructions helps you in fixing your attention on the road most of the time. If you are a MP3 fan this option will like you, but the device does not have Bluetooth connection, which will not allow you to hear your cell phone through the device speakers.
   Overall, I am satisfied with my Garmin StreetPilot 7500 GPS.

4 comments about 4UCam 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator Touch Screen with Wireless BACKUP CAMERA Day & Night MP3, Image Viewer, Video Player.

1. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R18FI2ZHR8FB56 You will see how this system works in day time and night vision mode in this demo video. Wonderful concept, great product.
   This product has been selected by G4TV as "latest must-have tech gadgets" feature product. See link below.
   [...]



2. Great concept if you don't want to add a 2nd screen on your dashboard for your backup video. Great value considering most backup cameras and video sell for around $150. Your get a nice GPS for another $100. Text-to-speech feature works great, and the GPS also dims automatically at night. You usually find these features in higher end systems. I had trouble getting the video. There are 2 channels (for an additional camera). I've sent an email explaining my problem and within the hour I received a response with instructions in how to fix the problem. That's great customer service!!! All I had to do was change the channel. Sounds easy, but that part of the set up menu, was in Chinese. That's why I never figured it out on my own. One thing I would like to improve on, is on the "status bar" at the bottom. The characters are a bit small, that includes the directions, next turn, speed and time remaining. Most GPS use a dark bar with big characters that are easy to read. Maybe in the future with a software upgrade this may change. I would definitely buy this product again. Besides, most of the popular GPS don't offer the backup camera, so there aren't many choices out there. One more thing, the camera works great in the dark.



3. I waited to write this review to make sure this product was as good as it seemed. We bought a 2006 Tacoma that had no navigation or backup camera like our Pilot does that is built in. I researched alot of GPS's as I did not want separate monitors on dash. I also needed to change the setting to get the backup camera on the screen after we added dual headset DVD's and hardwired XMradio it no longer would show image on screen..I e-mailed Joe and had an answer within hours. The navigation has been as good as the one in our Honda..it has been really reliable..the hardest thing is hearing the speech as it is not like a built in that cuts off the stereo sound but you can still see the screen just fine. I can even tell how fast my husband is really going when not using the mapping feature :)4UCam 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator Touch Screen with Wireless BACKUP CAMERA Day & Night MP3, Image Viewer, Video Player



4. I've only been using this a few days, but so far, disappointed. The installation was pretty straightforward, but not perfect. In CA the camera blocks part of the registration stickers on upper lic. plate. On some trucks you may not be able to use the lower lic. plate mount. The camera signal seems verrrry sensitive. Sometimes the screen flickers so much it is almost useless. This is my first GPS, so I don't know how they compare. They use DESTINATOR7 software. Seems like there are still bugs in it. Not all screen controls work and not all directions are accurate. I'm still fine tuning, but so far DOESN'T seem WORTH THE $300 (?)

5 comments about TomTom GO 700 Portable GPS Navigation with Hands-Free Calling.

1. This product has proven to be just what the advertisment say it is. I have used it so far to travel from Maine to Boston, Maine to Atlanta, GA, Maine to Maxwell AFB, AL and all over Maine. I have been very impressed at how easy it is to set up and use. Everything you said would, came with the unit.
   
   I will be buying another one in the near future as my wife needs it to keep from getting lost on long trips. Thank you.



2. Well...this product looks great, but the love affair ended there. I was very shocked when I recently bought this unit and found out that the maps are very, very, VERY outdated. It seems as if they are from around 1990 as so many highway updates are not included. Subsequently, the device is more or less useless as every time it hits a new stretch of road or new on-ramp, it gets "lost" and stops giving directions.
   
   I contacted Tom Tom and even though they have newer maps and that they admitted that the maps in this piece of garbage are outdated--they had the audacity to tell me I had to purchase a new set of maps for $110.
   
   So, make sure you add $100 to trhe purchase price, because it will be completely useless out of the box!!
   
   I am a professional who drives daily over a 3 state region and will buy a Garmin and surely encourage you do the same!!!



3. I received a refund after ordering/receiving/returning two TomTom GO 700 as neither was the latest version. It would have cost me additional money to download updates on my new purchase.
   The company demonstrated prompt, efficient and courteous customer service.



4. We've used our GO 700, Gabby, extensively for about 12 months traveling throughout the upper midwest not only for finding backroad routes but motels and restaurants as well. We even hauled her to Washington, DC to help us navigate the labyrinth of roads to find the stuff we wanted to see. It's exceedingly easy to use and the features on their PC software, TomTom Home, make it a simple task to maintain currency of software, maps, POIs, etc. It even includes a feature to backup and restore your GO! And operate your GO from your PC!
   
   Our GO 700 broke today and I called TomTom Customer Service. I has already done the diagnostics prescribed on their website and getting an RMA number and instructions to facilitate an exchange took less than 30 minutes and both calls were people answered by the third ring. Based on other comments here, I think TomTom has dramatically improved their customer support.
   
   The BlueTooth technology is way cool! Say Gabby finds a motel we want to stay at for the night. She displays the address and phone number and will even place the call from our cell phone if we want her to!
   
   Even with maintaining software currency, Gabby has her quirks. For instance, you pull into a town and are jonesin' for Subway. Unless its nearby, Gabby won't find it. There's no facility I've found for keying in a particular restaurant. We were entitled to one map update after buying Gabby and it'd be nice if they included a one year map subscription update given how quickly things change and the lead time that must be required to get it on the Gabby map.



5. I am about to embark on my second struggle with TomTom customer support because my second unit just failed. Getting the first one replaced was a nightmare. It's difficult to communicate with support, they respond slowly and their products are unreliable.

No comments about TomTom GO 730T 4.3-Inch Touchscreen Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic Receiver.

5 comments about Garmin 010-00401-24 StreetPilot c330 Asia/Americas Version Portable GPS Navigator.

1. If you don't know how to find the way home, its really help. But if you want to find some places new, then you may not rely on this GPS. As the map of this model is not new. If you want to get the latest map, you need to buy online for $69.99.



2. I bought this for my Taiwanese speaking parents and we just completed a 2 week road trip. It was disappointing that the Taiwanese is a direct translation of Mandarin Chinese, and word for word translations usually come out garbled. Some of the directions in Taiwanese were incomprehensible and in the end, my parents preferred the Mandarin version. However, the Mandarin voice is pleasant, clear, and very understandable. Some other criticisms:
   
   1) Turn in 200 ft is actually turn NOW!
   2) Not enough warning to get off when driving on the freeway unless you remember to look at the screen.
   3) The GPS doesn't announce the street name. It just says to turn in X distance.
   4) it's hard for people to read screens if they wear bifocals or are far sighted.
   
   Pros:
   1) Really easy to use out of the box and the touch screen interface is nice.
   2) Useful when really lost
   3) Can find gas stations or restaurants close to current or final destination.



3. this is a great product for my dad who doesnt speak english. very easy to use.



4. The user interface is excellent. The installation is nothing to it. Its problem is too many lost signals. I don't know if a booster antenna can help. It is frustrating that when you need it the most (e.g. making turns), it quits on you.



5. Good, but it is a little expensive and not very heavy on features or upgradibility. Wish it had Cantonese Chinese on it too.