3 comments about Garmin nüvi 660 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Bilingual).

1. I had originally gotten a TomTom Go 720, which I thought to be a great piece of equipment. The only problem being, that it's Bluetooth function wouldn't work with my CDMA Sprint phone. So, I returned it for the Garmin nuvi 660. The FM transmitter is decent. The Bluetooth function is exceptional. The mic/speaker works great, and the mapping software is pretty decent
   Also, I was able to get quick satellite fixes from within my house (10-15' from the windows)
   
   Pros:
   *Car mount allows for one step installation. Power is delivered through the mount, therefore no need to detach from mount and unplug several cables, everytime you get in and out of the car.
   *Turns on/off with car power.
   *Bright screen for good sunlight read-ability.
   *GPS function can be turned on/off to save battery usage.
   *Bluetooth/speaker phone is crystal clear.
   
   Cons:
   *Menus not very intuitive. (TomTom interface wins here)
   *Processing speed should have been a little faster. Mapping feature a little jerky.
   *Clunky antenna must be flipped out for GPS usage. Not ideal for shoving in a pocket.
   *Text-to-Voice feature needs improvement. Hard to understand. I end up just looking at the screen to read to directions.
   
   Hardware winner: Garmin nuvi 660 - Pops in and out of car easily.
   Software winner: TomTom Go 720 - Intuitive menus run seamlessly. (If my phone would have worked with the TomTom, I would have kept it.)



2. To pay the price for this GPS and not get routing WITHOUT multiple waypoints is unconscionable. What was Garmin thinking?
   
   The routes chosen by the 660 are neither the shortest or quickest, and the FM transmitter is probably there but it does not transmit a signal 4 feet to my vehicle radio antenna. Adding a cheapie third party FM transmitter to the earphone jack gets a good signal to the vehicle radio. The 660's transmitter simply doesn't work.
   
   Aside from those short comings the unit works okay. But then so do other competing units and at a much lower price.
   
   Keep shopping.



3. My first extensive trip using my Garmin nüvi 660 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator was to Austin, TX. I was given the Garmin nuvi for Christmas and had never been to Austin before. I landed at 10:30 PM and programmed in the address of the hotel where my reservation was. The Garmin failed. It directed me out to the desert. I stopped and turned around. I was able to rouse the night manager who directed me back to town and the correct address. As it is pitch black in Texas at night and I was tired, this was not an enjoyable experience. Most of the time, however, the unit has given accurate directions.

1 comments about ASUS R300 GPS Unit with Bluetooth and Gift Box, Gold.

1. Comparing to my old Garmin Street Pilot, ASUS R300 really impressed me a lot.
   With under 200 bucks expense, you got everything you need for navigation. A pre-load US and Canada map in a 2G SD card is included, bluetooth handsfree calling suport works perfectly, and a well-designed mount. This device itself is elaborated and graceful. I love it so much and like to recommend it to whoever needs a perfect GPS which price is under 200 bucks.

No comments about Navsgo Go730 7" GPS.

5 comments about Magellan RoadMate 360 GPS Portable Navigator.

1. I have had this product a little over a year under the premise (as stated by magellan) that the maps could be updated. They even sent a data cable for connecting to a pc. Unfortunately, they have discontinued the product and there is no procedure to update the maps. I never would have bought this had I known the unit could not be updated. I don't believe I will ever buy another Magellan product.



2. It stopped working after using it about 10 times , can't find any help on their web-site, and no one answers their phone numbers in their manual. Except the one number to India and they say they don't handle this product anymore. At least that is what I think they said???!!
   Frank Malowski



3. My unit worked well for a short while then broke. It suddenly stopped turning on. Sent in for service under warranty. Their customer service is HORRIBLE! So far they have had it for 2 months. There is no communication about it, and every time I call I get their call center in India and the people there have no idea what the status of the unit is. They read from a script and are entirely unhelpful. I am never buying another Magellan product ever, and I recommend no one else does either.



4. The unit worked, but the maps were outdated. The windshield mount was very awkard and had one part that was prone to break. The one part did break and the customer service from magellan was AWFUL. The unit was still under warranty but they kept putting me off. I called six times over two months and they said each time that they were mailing me the new part. When I would call to follow up after not receiving the part they would say they just got them in and would mail it that day. I will never buy another Magellan product.



5. This GPS gets the basics done, and belive me I am glad to have it if I get lost, but it does lack on its mapping and finding a location/business. I know for instance when searching for a Walmart when one was close by, it wasn't able to locate it or direct me to it, and it was not a recent build, it was a location that has been around for over a decade.

5 comments about TomTom Go 910 Portable GPS Navigator (Factory-Refurbished).

1. We purchased a TT Go 910 after our Garmin NUVI 360 was stolen. We used the Garmin unit in DC and MS (Gulf Coast) pretty extensively before it went missing. When time to replace, I was hopeful that all the TomTom features would add benefit. I was very disappointed with the product we received. And, I don't think it's failing were related to the fact that we bought a refurbished unit. Here are my gripes:
   
   1. It couldn't tell the difference between night and day. Even though it was set to change to night mode automatically, it wouldn't. Garmin service said there was a problem, confirmed that I had the most recent firmware and offered no solution.
   2. The suction mount "weeps". In other words, the unit doesn't stay where you want it.
   3. There is no independent volume control. If I had the MP3 volume set to a comfortable listening level (whether using the built-in speaker, line out or the optional FM transmitter base), the directions were inaudible and the phone was hit or miss.
   
   Now, if all of the above could be explained by it being a refurbished unit, the biggest deal, #4, cannot be so explained.
   
   4. The unit simply couldn't get us where we needed to go. On our first trip to MS using the Garmin, WE led our Realtor to each property we wanted to see. On the second trip, using the TT 910, we were constantly lost. We were sent a replacement unit but found no improvement and sent all back for a refund. In the end, we spent a little more for what I consider to be a much better unit - the Garmin NUVI 660.
   
   The NUVI got us where we wanted to go very effectively. It offers independent controls for the MP3 and Directions/Phone so you can "balance" everything pretty well, especially if you use the line-out jack. The TomTom does have a nice big hard drive for MP3 files while you're limited to 4 or 8 GB SD memory cards on the Garmin.



2. I'm very happy with the product that I purchased at BestBuy.
   I had to return the product I purchased at Amazon due to false
   advertising of product as new when in fact the product had
   been refurbished.
   Because of this I will be canceling my account.
   
   Have a good day,
   
   SZ



3. I had been shopping around for one of these for my husband, having everything that we both wanted. This is were I found the best price and it has been great. We use it around town just because it's that much fun!!



4. I bought a Refurbished Tomtom 910. Initially I had problems with the Tomtom Home application on my computer but a quick call to their Support line and I was up and running very easily. I uploaded an update this morning which now allows me to see my exact location (corner of Green and Main) which would be helpful in case of an accident in a strange location as well as the nearest "Help" locations i.e., hospital, pharmacy, mechanic etc... I have loaded about 550 songs onto this and listen to them though the car stereo which is great!! I only have one wish and that I wish you could disable all voice commands when you're listening to MP3s so they would quit interupting the music. Than if I was in a strange location I could enable the voice again. All in all, I'd buy this all over again!! If my wife's vehicle didn't have built in navi I'd get one for her.



5. Basic GPS Features
   
   The TomTom 910 comes preloaded with complete maps of the USA, Canada and Western Europe preinstalled. There is a fee upgrade to the latest current maps, despite their latest map guarantee. You will have the latest map - designed for that unit.
   
   Navigation is simple. Your destination is selected by choosing a favorite, `home' or an address. You don't even have to know the exact address. You can get close to where you are going by choosing a city center, zip code, or intersection as well. If you have an idea where you're going on the map, you can zoom in to the area that you are going and tapping that spot on your screen. Favorites can be saved by knowing the exact address, tapping on the map, or plugging in coordinates.
   
   Points of interest can be directly navigated to, but require that you search in the proximity of a destination already selected. In other words, you can't navigate straight to the San Diego Zoo (unless you know the street address). Rather, you select San Diego as your destination, do a search for zoos near your destination, select San Diego Zoo and then tap Go To.
   
   Once you start saving favorites, you can manage them. The icon to manage your favorites is not in the most intuitive location. It's in the settings menu. I think that a subset menu of favorites would be the most logical location to manage - not the same place where you pick what voice you want to narrate your trip.
   
   Many GPS units only allow the user to select their current location as the starting point of route planning. The 910 will allow me to plan a trip between San Diego and Seattle, even if I'm sitting in North Carolina. The itinerary planning feature allows the user to go from point A to point B via point C instead of going direct.
   
   Navigational preferences allow for fastest route, shortest route, and avoiding toll roads, among others. If your route does include a toll, you can ask to drive around it. The 910 will then compare your original route to the toll route in distance and time. If you don't believe the GPS and want to take your own `short cut', it will allow you to and recalculate your route from your current position. This may not sound like much, but my mother-in-law's built in GPS on her Toyota doesn't feature this and becomes very angry with the driver if you miss an exit. It wants you to go back and pick up where it (incorrectly) wanted you to go in the first place.
   
   One of the first things that I did in the settings menu was to turn on all icons. This is the only way to see the icon that allows you to cancel navigation so that you don't have to power off or smash it once you get to where you are going but want to drive around a bit.
   
   Almost Premium Features
   
   The 910 comes with a few extra goodies that require you to use the Bluetooth feature of your GPS in conjunction with your phone. You can get traffic alerts in select cities, add TomTom buddies, download options and premium features such as fuel prices. Even if the service, like buddies, is free, the GPS will use the data transfer feature of your phone to download the information it wants. If you're on an unlimited data plan with your cell provider, then that's great. No worries. But if you pay per kb, you can incur additional fees on your cell phone bill that you may not expect. As for traffic alerts, the cell phone data fee can be circumvented by using a special "TMC" antenna. This is only $160 and will save you from those pesky data fees. In fact you don't have to have a cell phone at all for traffic alerts with this antenna. Unfortunately, it doesn't download any other data.
   
   TomTom Buddies is a unique feature that lets you pair up with someone else that has a Bluetooth phone and TomTom GPS. It will allow you to text message each other (please don't, if you're the only one in the car!) and will allow you to see where they are on your map.
   
   The Other Stuff
   
   The TomTom 910 has a Bluetooth connectivity option. This allows the user to use their Bluetooth enabled phone for hands-free talking, the aforementioned data downloading, and other audio devices. The hands-free features the ability to pair with a cell phone, but you can't unpair it without either deleting the profile, turning off Bluetooth altogether on either your phone or unit, or by switching to another phone. In other words, it's pretty inconvenient to just get in the car and not use your hands-free if you've already paired your phone to it.
   
   The condenser mic supposedly has echo-cancellation, but was extremely sensitive to ambient noise. Adjusting the volume should help, but attaching the included mic to your visor may be a better choice.
   
   The 910 also has a built in MP3 player. Note that this is ONLY an MP3 player and doesn't support any other music format. TomTom Jukebox is an attempt to organize your music, but it's pretty archaic. The MP3 player also supports audio books and has a function to directly download a book to your machine through either your phone or TomTom Home, the PC based docking application.
   
   The built in speaker volume adjusts itself to ambient noise. Use the Bluetooth to connect to your car stereo for a better sound.
   
   Finally, the 910 supports bmp and jpg photos. You can transfer as many as you can fit on the hard drive.
   
   While you're out driving, you can have a slide show of your favorite photos while your favorite music is being played, and still not miss a turn. The GPS will interrupt your show when an upcoming turn is closing in.
   
   The Hardware
   
   The TomTom 910 is an older unit of about 2004-2005 vintage. This is one of the original TomTom form factors and is much bulkier than it's contemporary models. It's orange-wedge shaped and weighs about ? of a pound.
   
   The 480 x 272, 16-bit screen is 4" across and is very visible. Its anti-glare screen is visible in most light conditions, even direct sunlight. It also has a light sensor to adjust itself to ambient light.
   
   The 910 has a 400 MHz processor, 64 MB RAM and a very unusual 20GB hard drive. With 12 GB available, there is more than plenty of room for thousands of high quality songs and photos. You can easily take the unit from car to car and even carry it with you with it's 4-hour Li-Ion battery.
   
   The 910 is also compatible with most 3rd generation and newer iPods (except the shuffle) with a separate adapter. You can access the menu on your touch screen and play the music through the GPS or through the Bluetooth audio device you have paired with it.
   
   At Home
   
   The TomTom 910 comes with TomTom Home, the PC based dock where you can download certain features with a USB cable connected your online PC.
   
   Shortfalls
   
   Overall, I like this GPS. The icons are large and easy to use, but there are some big problems that are probably very much uniform across the TomTom line that I would definitely be aware of before making a final decision on such a large investment.
   
   Other than the favorites, there is no waypoint database that would be something compatible with Garmin or Magellan units. The unit is strictly for auto travel and unlike similarly priced newer units, is ineffective for hiking or other outdoor activities like geocaching. You can't store a track log, you can't download a list of waypoints that someone wants to share with you.
   
   You also must always install the latest firmware to your GPS unit and have the latest version of TomTom Home if you want to continue using both together. Even if that means the incorporation of a change you don't like. For instance, the latest firmware update included a music icon the size of a nickel on the main navigation page. Though convenient to access your jukebox, it's annoying if you don't listen to music. There is no way to turn it off.
   
   Another feature with regards to hands free calling is that it can import your entire phone database. While this is useful in that you can dial from your contact list on the 910 instead of your phone, there is no way to manage that database. You may want some numbers on your phone and not on your GPS. You can't delete individual entries or change the phone number or spelling without changing it in your phone first, deleting your whole paired device profile and starting over again.
   
   As mentioned before, there are some neat features, but some are just not available in the US. As TomTom is marketed for different countries, it's really silly to continue selling the safety camera alert on US and Canadian websites and packaging when that feature isn't available outside Europe.
   
   You can't plug in a USB or power cord directly into the unit itself. You MUST have the window or desktop mount. You lose these, and you can't charge the unit, talk to it, or hook up any other accessories. It also would have been nice to be able to charge the unit from the USB dock without a separate power cord.
   
   Finally, customer service is just about nil. Reaching them by phone is difficult, and to contact them by email is very frustrating. Most FAQs on their website are for things already clearly spelled out in their manual (which is very much lacking in substance). It's simple to use for navigation, but fully utilizing all the available features will be a nerve racking and irritating learning experience.
   
   Final Words
   
   This unit was originally $600. I paid less than 1/3 of that for mine because it has been discontinued. If you can find it for less than $200, grab one! It's a great way to get into the world of GPS navigation. It's got a lot of great features, and if you don't care about its deficiencies, then no harm no foul. It's especially useful if you need to have a GPS with European maps preinstalled. But if you're willing to pay full retail, there are many better choices out there for less money and I would definitely steer clear of probably most TomTom products. Look towards Magellan for a line of fully functional thin-line GPS units in the $400-$500 range.

No comments about Garmin Streetpilot C330 Gps Vehicle Navigator.

No comments about Bluetooth GPS f/Blackberry -- high performance, compact wireless GPS receiver.

3 comments about V7 Portable GPS Navigation (PMD720NAAM).

1. First let me tell you up-front that this is my first GPS system and I do not own or subscribe to bluetooth.
   
   Now, straight out of the box it looked intimidating. If you've worked with computers, cell phones, etc you will have no problem navigating this GPS. Everything is fairly straight forward. Menus are easy to read and figure out.
   
   One of my main complaints about this unit is that the manual is on CD. It's a pain in the rear to have to go to my computer everyttime I want to research or figure something. I would really rather have a users manual in my hands, especially while traveling!
   
   The unit picks up a signal fairly quick and I was amazed at how quickly it recalculates a route if you miss a turn or decide to use a shortcut.
   
   My first use was around town (30k population) on a rainy, cloudy day. The unit dropped the signal a couple of time but shortly picked them up and was back on track. I ave not used the unit for a long trip but feel confident that this will be a reliable tool.
   
   I am not too impressed with the company website, http://www.v7-world.com/. I hope their customer service is good and trustworthy. Please read a few other reviews at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16858713003
   
   Hope this helps someone!



2. Pros:
   - Up-to-date maps,
   - TTS, says street names,
   - iGo/MioMaps software - decent routes and user interface,
   - Good screen resolution,
   - Works well with my BT cell phone,
   - Plays video,
   - Loud speakers - no problems hearing the device in the car,
   - Large screen, large buttons, easy to control with a finger,
   - Good POI database,
   - Lots of internal memory,
   - SD card slot,
   - Quick GPS lock, although I had some problems with it,
   - For the previous reviewer, there is a Help button on almost all screens, no need to keep another book in the car,
   - The V7 website is simple, but the great thing is that they actually provided an update for the software and maps which many manufacturers, to my big disappointment, don't do.
   
   Cons:
   - The screen is useless in direct sunlight!!! This is the biggest problem,
   - Bulky, I didn't expect it to be so large.
   - The navigation software requires many keystrokes to get to some basic features, for example, Delete Route, Fit Route in the Screen,
   - No compass directions, no compass mode,
   
   Every GPS manufacturer/model has some problems. Nothing is perfect, especially around this price. NAV720 is a good unit for the money.



3. I first personally used a GPS unit when renting a car in Florida. The unit I used was a Garmin and I loved it. Up to this time I thought all I needed was Mapquest or Google maps. I was so wrong. The GPS gives instant ability to navigate anywhere. No slowing down to find a PC and print or copy instructions. Also the GPS gives the ability to navigate by sound rather then looking at your map while driving. Finally if you mess up and go the wrong way or miss a turn the GPS unit corrects automatically and will get you steered back to your destination. I have no idea how I got along without it!
   
   Now for my Positive and Negative breakdown.
   
   Positive:
   -Clear voice and easy to understand.
   -Large screen- I like it! Easy to see.
   -Easier to see in sunlight. Unlike another reviewer I found no problem with this device in sunlight.
   -Lots of extras like music player, video player and picture viewer.
   -SD expansion slot.
   -Good point of interest catalog. Lots of POI's.
   -Window attachment is good but I would have liked dash mount. (Window mount is not legal in all states).
   -Comes with USB cable, AC and DC power adapters. Nice!
   
   Negative:
   -Sound can be a little low if background sound is in evidence.
   -Single speaker does not sound great for music or other media being played.
   -The battery is not very good at holding a charge. Unplugged the device is dead after a few days of being off.
   -Audio playback cannot be done concurrently with GPS mode. This was a big disappointment as I hoped to use it to listen to MP3 books while driving and have interrupt when a direction change was needed. This was my biggest disappointment.
   -Although there are a lot of Points of Interest the search and navigation feature is a bit cumbersome and not intuitive.
   -European manufacturer has little to no support or documentation.
   -Off brand means little to no accessories.
   -Dash mount not available that I can find.
   -Does not come with case.
   
   I am glad I bought the item. There is no other device that offered the same amount of features for the same price. Solid buy.

5 comments about Remanufactured Magellan RoadMate 760 Portable GPS Vehicle Navigation System.

1. I like this unit when it feels like working but it has numerous problems.
   1. The satellite can take 5+ minutes to connect and sometimes doesn't connect at all no matter where I place it in my car.
   2. The back of the unit pops off easily thus disconnecting the power supply.... tricky to put back together when you're driving...
   3. My unit is broken and has a rattly sound inside even though I've never dropped it...probably can't handle much road vibration
   4. You have to bang the touch screen sometimes to get it to respond
   
   My wife got this one at Sharper Image--- another piece of overpriced junk from the master sellers of over priced junk!!!!



2. I have owned the Magellan 760 for 21 months. It kept freezing up and finally quit working all together while it was still under warranty and it was repaired in a timely manner. However, the screws that hold the machine together were left out of the back and although I was promised replacements 3 times, they never arrived. I have had to keep it wrapped with a hair tie or rubber band the past year. But it has worked well since it was repaired.
   Just now it is fading, the voice is hoarse and the favorite places function has failed. It cost a lot to last less than 2 years. I am trying to decide which brand and model to replace it with, as I plan to never be without a GPS, they are the best invention ever. I can get lost better and faster than anyone I know.
   Overall, this has been good. When it works, it's really great. But the maps have been kind of old since I first got it in Oct 05. It really liked to direct you to Lowe's in Lubbock, Texas 3,600 miles away instead the Lowe's 3 miles away. A friend has a Cobra, while it has good features, it's the most talkative, annoying thing you can imagine. The Magellan 760 is very slow compared to another friend's new Garmin Nuvi 660. In a busy town with lots of exits, I often miss my exit but the good part is with the GPS,I can get back on track quickly instead of wandering, weeping and lost for hours. It holds information for 3 drivers and this wastes a lot of space. I would often run out of space for my favorite places and it was annoying because I am the only driver using it and I know there is plenty of room under 2 other names. But to get to those, you have to turn off the machine, reboot it and try to remember which of the other 2 potential drivers have the site you need, and try not to have a wreck while you are doing all this. The valuable thing about favorite places is even if your maps are old, you only have to rant and rave and drive around like crazy once. You finally get there, save it in your favorites and life is good again. Absolutely I plan to buy another GPS. I am not certain it will be a Magellan.



3. My husband's wanted a GPS unit forever, he finally got his wish and loves this, easy to use, store when you leave the car, great product, no issues on the reconditioned model, highly recommended.



4. I was happy with this unit when I bought it just under a year ago. Even if the mapping was out of date. It often could only find the road I needed not the address. However in November it could not connect to a satellite at all. I did research and found a reported common problem was the antenna cable inside would break off the circuit board. I found this was the case and paid a local computer repair store to fix it. In less than a week it began to turn on and off repeatedly. More research showed the power mounting cradle needed replacing. I just got that in and found it is still not working. A call to tech support told me to replace the mounting cradle. When I told them I just did, they told me to send it in for repair. The base repair cost is more than 1/2 the cost I paid for the unit. Given the replacement part I already purchased and the cost of the repair of the broken antenna lead this will put repair costs close to the purchase cost of the unit. And all this in less than 1 years use. I CAN NOT recommend this product to anyone.



5. Hi,
   
   I have Magellan Roadmate 760 for 2 yrs now. I accidently deleted the maps. Can someone help me with the software?
   
   Thanks

No comments about Garmin StreetPilot c530 GPS Navigator (Bilingual Version).