5 comments about Navigon 7100 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator.

1. This is an excellent system. My only problem is that the mounting arm is awkward and breaks easily.



2. This by far the best gps. Easy to use touch screen. I liked the no fee subscription.



3. This is my first GPS unit and I have really enjoyed having it. I really like the lane assist. I find it to be accurate. Its directions are 98% of the time the route I would have taken. 2% takes me on a scenic drive that I don't really understand why it thinks is faster. It functions great and is quick enough that I don't feel like I wait on it. My biggest complaint is the holder to attach the unit to the windshield. I read the reviews about it being loose and really tried to be careful with it. It became so loose in 4 months that I had to call and get a new one. They sent me a shipping label to return it and got a new one in under a week. Driving down the street the new holder just snapped and the GPS unit went flying to the ground. They can't seem to build a quality holder. I am looking into other options since it cost enough that throwing it away and starting over isn't an option.



4. I have been a die hard fan of amazon and over the years have purchased
   a variety of electronics including, LCD TV, camera's, GPS, Ipods etc.
   But nothing could have prepared me for the recent purchase of the navigon
   7100. The search feature is from the 18th century. I do not have words to describe how archiac and useless the search mechanism is. It simply DOES NOT WORK! The response time is ridiculous. The GPS informs you of the next turns well after one has crossed the exit.
   And not to mention the lousy service of the vendor who is way too happy
   to have this lousy product taken off his hands. They charge a whopping restocking fee and make you pay for their shipping not just shipping the product back. But getting half your money back is worth having this worthless product returned. I am surprised that Amazon does not use any prudence while offering products from such third party vendors.
   Also I suspect that most reviews on this product may be bogus. My advice to anyone who is considering buying the Navigon is to test the search functionality at a store before ordering it online. Do not make the mistake we did. It is just not worth the aggravation.



5. I went through the reviews and decided I'd give it a try (big mistake!).
   
   My main interest in this GPS was the free traffic alert feature. Yes, it does include it but it is seriously lacking! All it tells you is either "slow traffic" or "stopped traffic". Well, I'm not sure what the system means by "stopped traffic" because more than once I got off a highway because of the "stopped traffic" alert and it turned out not to be stopped, just somewhat backed up. There are times when you're better off staying on the backed up highway than taking a detour that requires you to go miles out of your way in equally backed up traffic because you thought the highway was completely shut down due to an accident (in my opinion STOPPED means NOT MOVING at all). I've never purchased another GPS system, other than my AT&T TeleNav on my cell phone, so I don't have much to compare it to. THe traffic updates on my AT&T TeleNav work much better-it tells you what kind of traffic situation there is, whether it's an accident, lanes blocked, which lanes are blocked, etc. Of course, I am paying $10 a month for that service but that actually is 95% of the reason I purchased the Navigon. I know how to get around town and I, unfortunately, don't go out of town often enough to need directions. So as far as I am concerned, the Traffic information provided by the Navigon is completely worthless.
   
   As for directions...Wow, it really throws out some wacky directions sometimes. I went to the grocery store one weekend with my son and he wanted me to have it direct us home. I live 3 miles east of the store - off the same road as the store. So basically it should have been a go straight 3 miles and turn right on my street, 4th house on the right...Well, not so with the Navigon. It wanted me to take a right halfway home, head 1.5 miles south, turn east again and then turn left further up to head back north the 1.5 miles it had me go south to get me back on the main street I had already been on...HUH?!?! I thought there might have been some exagerating on some reviews or maybe the routes mught have been more complicated but I realized they were dead-on with those reviews.
   
   And then there was the time I didn't want to take the exit off I-95 that it wanted me to...so after I passed the exit, it directed me to make a U-Turn...Ummm....last I checked, you can't make U-Turns on I-95...(& this is with the feature asking it not to use U-turns)...
   
   I tried to like it, I tried to find it useful...But I couldn't. And I couldn't return it because the whole mounting thingy is a bit on the flimsy side and when I tried to remove it, something broke off and it's pretty much permanently attached to the arm. I'm sure that it was partially my fault, that maybe I didn't attach it correctly, so I don't feel right in asking for a refund on it...I'm a sucker that way...I take responsibility for my mistakes...so I'm stuck with it...Not that I'm using it.

5 comments about TomTom ONE 130 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

1. This is one of the best products and/or gadgets I've ever had the pleasure of using. From the day it arrived I turned it on (it was fully charged), and noticed how easy and intuitive it was to use and play around with. I thought maybe there was a problem with the contents when there were no user's manual that fell out when I opened the package. It didn't matter -- it was very easy to use. I knew that I could download the manual from the TomTom website.
   
   I bought this GPS for planning our trip up to New York City. I did some searching and reading about a few different GPS's, and eventually ended up getting a low-priced but a newer model from TomTom. What finally helped me decide was:
   
   1)portability (fits in shirt pocket).
   2)support available on the Net.
   3)simplicity of use.
   
   First use:
   Going to checkout the local parks near our home became so simple and nice, that otherwise would have been a difficult and time consuming task, with the unfolding and folding of maps, looking out for street names, or printing them out from Google Maps.
   
   Extensive use:
   Before the trip I entered all the restaurants and places we would like to visit as "Favorites". This is a trip from Virginia Beach to NYC (Manhattan). Never been there before, but with this gadget we weren't afraid to go just about anywhere we pleased. We followed the GPS to Delaware, caught the ferry to New Jersey, and reached our hotel with ease. This route was modified. The original route was given by TomTom to use the I-95 area, but we modified it to go our way which was very easy to do using the "Find alternative" icon.
   
   Basically, we stayed in New Jersey going to Manhattan via the Staten Island Ferry (which is FREE), and back to our hotel in New Jersey. And we did this for a few days with the help of this GPS. We didn't bother driving in Manhattan, looking for parking, etc.
   
   The hardest part about this whole trip was figuring out how to use the subway system. We even used our GPS to help us find out which way to go from time to time while on foot (thus the small size and portability). And it's great for a map reference. But I have to mention here that picking up the GPS signal while being surrounded by tall buildings out on the side walk is a little difficult. And I have to guess that it'll probably have the same effect while driving here.
   
   Next, there seems to be some concern with the volume problem that I kept reading about. Ours was o.k. This GPS is very loud at its default of 70%! And clear! We had to turn down the volume while driving on the freeway -- it has a "Link volume to car speed" feature, which I think is ingenious, so it was louder on the freeway, then it gets down to its lower volume at lower speeds. The suction cup is nicely designed, and it's simple to take the whole assy. on and off to put away from vandalism.
   
   There were fancier ones that mention the street names aloud, and ones that give you traffic information, and other things. But all I wanted was something simple and straight forward (turn left, turn right, stay on the left lane, etc. -- TomTom ONE 130 is perfect). Also I thought about getting the bigger 4.3" wide screen, but after using this it's not necessary.
   
   Minor complaint:
   One minor complaint is that when naming your "Favorites" it doesn't let you tap the cursor to any of its area, instead you have to erase the whole thing that has been highlighted or put the cursor at its very end. And when you want to give it a name and the address together, the number portion automatically gets inserted at the beginning which is annoying.
   My solution: enter the name, and when entering the number portion, precede it with a special character like an asterisk then the number, then follow it by another asterisk, then the street name but without any space before it. Also I found it convenient to include the phone number on this whole line.



2. I drive all over the place because I work in promotions, and getting this GPS was the best decision I've ever made. It has vastly increased my productivity when it comes to errands and easily directs me around Boston, a city in which I used to hate driving with a strong passion. The text to voice is a very important feature, especially at intersections with a few roads coming in and I highly encourage getting a GPS with this feature. I've noticed that sometimes it has trouble connecting to satellites, but plugging it in to charge usually corrects that problem immediately. The volume gets very loud and though it's difficult to adjust sometimes, that small problem doesn't reduce my wholehearted recommendation of the 130S!



3. i am sure TOmTom will upgrade its website to have us all the updated maps as early as 2008..well it doesnt have the MP3 play back option in the unit .. i find many pros while 2 cons.. it doesnt support a SD card slot and its mem is 1gb..however it should have street spelling option instead of calling the turns..well its the price that makes it worth..



4. I wouldn't bet my life on it but it works pretty well. My guess is any GPS would have some drawbacks.
   
   My main gripe is the route planning. After you select a destination, you can pick from several options normally fastest way or shortest way. My complaint is you can modify the route but it will not save it. The next time you enter the destination is calculates the route all over again. I finally ended up entering multiple destinations as favorites and then routing to the first one, then after reaching it I entered the second favorite as a destination.
   
   The maps can be a little lacking. For example, if you want to enter a destination on a freeway you cannot enter a number because it says there are no numbers. Your only option is a cross street which is great unless you are trying to find out where something is.



5. I did weeks of research on GPS systems and even saw many complaints about the volume of this product. But other reviews said it was totally fine. Well, I got a dud. The volume was so low I didn't even know if it was talking at all with the windows down. Luckily, I called Tom Tom customer service, and they had me ship it to them (which cost me about $11) and they replaced it with a new one that does, thankfully, have adequate volume. Would recommend the product overall but beware that there is the potential to get a dud.

5 comments about Garmin nuvi 205W 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

1. This thing is awesome, recommend it very much. The only way I think this could get better is if you bought a higher model.



2. I recently purchased a Tom Tom 330 S and was extremly dissatisfied with it so I sent it back. I decied I really didn't want to pay and extra $50 for spoken street names so this GPS had most of the features that the Tom Tom did for less money! It doesn't have Mapshare, itinerary route planning, or spoken street names but so far I love it! The thing that sold me was that most of the points of interest were in the right place (which is more than what the Tom Tom had) and the volume, if prefered, could be turned up very loud which was also not true for the Tom Tom. I am definitly buying a Garmin next time and I would strongly recommend it to anyone. The only thing that bothered me just a little is that I had to buy the car charger separate as an accessory because it didn't come in the box but it wasn't a deal breaker. The total price was still less than the Tom Tom!



3. Good product however, when you try to save favorites, it occasionally freezes up and you have to shut off the unit. You can save a few, then it freezes. Spoke to garmin and they said a patch is coming out soon. Anyone else see this?



4. the navigation system is great. only negative thing is that sometimes it takes the satellites awhile to find your location in the beginning of each use.



5. This GPS unit works great I'm have recommended it to a lot of people.I have also load it to family member and they have loved it.

5 comments about Magellan Maestro 3250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

1. This is a great system but has a lot of idiosyncrasies. For instance the voice command comes on without asking. Or it sometimes will not turn on. Maps are from 07 and it's 08 and will cost an additional $100 to update. This GPS should be your first pass.
   
   Sincerely,
   
   John Q. Sucker



2. I am very pleased with this transcation and product. I upgraded from a different model Magellan and am very glad I did. I thought the price was reasonable and I couldn't really justify buying a $500. GPS.



3. am very happy with what i got, very usefull, accurate and dependable. delivery was fast. no regrets. i got a good deal.



4. it's way slower than the model i had before which was older and cheaper.
   i'm really disappointed in this maggi. i'm hoping it's just a defect.
   i'm consulting specialist now to try and get an exchange.



5. WHEN i first recieved my magellan it worked but after i up dated the firmware it stopped working. I called customer support they told me to reset unit i had already pushed the reset button multipal times. But to do a real reset you have to hold the rest button and power button at the same time for ten seconds. I tried it three times it did not work. So they told me to send it in to be repaired,but i didn"t want to send a new unit in for repair i wanted a new one. So I was going to to send it back to amazon. the night before i was to call amazon to get their return process i did the reset thing again and it just started working again. When i said it stopped working i meant it would not pick up any satillite signals. Since it started back working i have only had one other problem the voice command function stopped working once did the reset thing again no other problems. In closing when it does everything it is suppose to do you will love the maestro 3250

5 comments about TomTom GO 930 4.3-Inch Touchscreen Portable GPS Navigator.

1. Pros:
   
   * Ability to enter address using voice command
   * Advanced lane assistance
   * 3D renderings of complex intersections
   * Ability to use historical traffic data to optimize route
   * Keyboard option for left-handed users
   
   Cons:
   
   * Voice command feature not as accurate and sensitive as could be
   * No dashboard mounting disc included in box
   * Lane guidance feature not available for all roads
   * To change preferences, need to navigate through several sub-menus
   
   My favorite feature is the IQ route. No I don't want a route based on what the speed limit is supposed to be but on what it actually is.
   For a more thorough review please check out http://gpselector.com/TomTom/tomtom-go-930



2. [Introduction] I bought this product after much frustration with Garmin Nuvi 370 and could not be happier. Of course 370 is about 100 dollars cheaper (street price wise, although the official price is a lot higher -- I wonder why) and people might say they should not be directly compared. However, functionwise the only difference between the two are (1) screen size and (2) voice input feature availability and since these two add at least 100 dollars value in today's navigation market and since the fundamentals are not affected, I think this head-to-head comparison is fair. As far as I know these two are the only models that come with European maps pre-installed. Below is the review that I put under Garmin Nuvi 370. I simply paste it here for the benefit of full, detailed comparison. If you don't need the review on 370 and simply want a review on 930, I suggest you skip the first half.
   
   Garmin Nuvi 370
   
   There are 3 fatal flows with this product: (1) announcing too late and (2) giving confusing directions at complicated lane guidence situation and (3) taking too long to find satellite initially. I have been testing this product for a month in San Francisco and the Bay area.
   
   (1) announcing too late
   
   When your car is about to pass the intersection at which it is supposed to make a turn, then and only then it announces you to prepare for a turn. I missed so many turns because of the late announcements. It is also incredbly dangerous as you are tempted to attempt last-moment lane changes in order to make the turn. Also the distance to the turn is not that accurate -- when you are almost already at the intersection it shows you are 200 meters away (I changed the measurement setup to meters). SUGGESTION: Certain navigations have a bar-graph showing countdowns to the intersection, and perhaps that's what this navigation must have as well. Also certain navigations ask you to prepare well ahead. Make a customizable setting how long before to make the pre-announcement.
   
   (2) giving confusing directions at complicated lane guidence situation
   
   Time and time again, I missed the right exit on the highway. The map is absolutely no help. The multiple lanes look all overlapped!!! Red lines are cofusing as hell. Annoucement is in this fashion: "Keep to right and then keep to left." What is that supposed to mean and which lane are you supposed to be in? In a fast highway situation, this is incredibly dangerous. I almost got into accidents at many interchanges as I was trying to look both the road signs and my navigation and could not make any sense. SUGGESTION: the map needs major improvement on interchanges -- show us the way!!! Also get rid of "keep to right and then keep to left" style BS for a clearer direction.
   
   (3) taking too long to find satellite initially
   
   If you park your car outside, that would be fine but if you park it in a garage, woe to you. It will take at least 20 blocks to find the satellite and you will be either parking your car on the roadside waiting for godot or meandering down the street without knowing where you are going for very very long time. This is not acceptable. I used other product (magellan) before, and it found the satellite so much quicker. SUGGESTION: technological improvement or better processor.
   
   TomTom 930
   
   [ADDED TO THIS AFTER I BOUGHT TOMTOM GO930 AND TESTING IT FOR A WEEK]
   
   After my much frustration with Garmin NUVI 370, I purchased a Tomtom GO930 from local Best Buy. (The price of TomTom 930 at Best Buy was the same as the price at Amazon at USD 450, although I had to pay the tax.)
   
   Wow, what a difference. That's all I can say. TomTom 930 is a bit more expensive than the street price of Garmin NUVI 370, but is so much better that the price difference is immaterial.
   
   (1) prepare... prepare...
   
   TomTom announces well before each turn and actually tells you on which side of the lane you should be in for the next turn. Incredibly friendly announcements. The arrow direction on the map display shows whether you should be making left or right turn as well. I never missed a single turn thanks to the ample announcements.
   
   (2) guiding complicated lane situation with ease
   
   the roads never appear overlapped like the NUVI 370. If there are five diverging roads, all are clearly shown, with the clear indication where you are and where you should go. Mind you, I haven't seen that many Advanced Lane Guidance screen yet as TomTom advertised (I hear that they don't have this on every intersection yet) but even without this, lane guidance is incredibly clear and easy (they show both on the map and on the status bar with muted arrows and one clear arrow). What a refreshing change from Garmin NUVI 370. The voice direction is a lot more clear and easier to understand as well -- it is as if somebody is actually speaking fine English to me. I never missed the right exit.
   
   (3) lightening fast in finding satellites
   
   It actually finds satellites when I am in my room with 4-5 bars. Need I say more?
   
   (4) extras... extras...
   
   TomTom has voice address input feature that is very useful. There are many situations that you hate to put in long characters (In California there are so many cities starting with San...). Simply pronounce it and the machine finds it for you, including the streets. I find this to be working well about 95% of the time. Also it gives you a few choices so that what you pronounced is almost always among the choices. SUGGESTION: This voice feature is not available for Place Name under Point of Interst (available only for the actual address).
   
   Point of Interest feature in TomTom is incredibly extensive. I tested many restaurants listed in Zagat survey and found out that almost all (even obscure ones under "Best Value") restaurants have been registered in TomTom by names and phone numbers. I did not find that to be the case with Garmin NUVI 370 (I actually had to type in the exact address under my favorites). This makes inputing job so much easier. I typed in "Marshalls" under Point of Interest in Sunnyvale, and TomTom returned 7 results, some of them are as far away as San Jose, Mipitas, etc. Again, not so with Garmin.
   
   Downloading updates and changes through computer seems painless and efficient as well. Works perfectly and took about 3 minutes to get the latest updates. Again, Garmin NUVI 370 does not have this feature. I don't know how actually useful the updates would be, but it is assuring that I am using the latest whatever.
   
   Time estimation in TomTom is so much more accurate than Garmin. I found Garmin to be always a bit on the optimistic side (ie I never actually arrived as Garmin estimated especially in a city traffic). I don't know if it is because of the IQ Routes feature of TomTom but the timing estimate seems to be right on and there is little need for any traffic subscription service.
   
   CONCLUSION: I will be updating this review to find any shortcoming of TomTom 930 (and I am sure there will be many) but so far it seems that TomTom is a very clear winner and fully justifies the extra USD 100. If you are looking for a navigation that includes both American and European maps, I guess your choices will be cleary limited: you would have to go for either the Garmin NUVI 370 or the TomTom GO 930, and my recommendation would be the latter -- not for the extra features but mainly for the basic abilities that I listed earlier in this review.
   
   ADDED Later: I have been using TomTom for some time now, and again the fundamental qualities are excellent. In addition to reliable guidance, I find the voice address input feature truly useful and accurate. I use it all the time.
   
   Another incredibly useful feature is the initial preview of the whole route (Garmin Nuvi 370 does not do this). When I used Garmin 370, I did not even know highway 280 existed since it almost always guided me through 101! However, with TomTom 930, at the outset I have the chance to view the entire route, pick and choose any alternative routes from it. This is just so convenient. 280 may be a tad bit longer route, but it has much less traffic than 101, with much better road conditions and scenic views, and just whole a lot better than 101 -- I can't believe Garmin simply never showed it to me!
   
   However, here are a few suggestions to make TomTom better: (1) "Clear Address" is not immediate. If you want to clear the previous address input, you have to touch the screen a few times. This is not convenient. There must be an instant way to clear address. (2) Occasionally (bur very rarely) it misses U-turns. (3) When you turn off the ignition, it does not automatically turn off (unlike Garmin). You must push the button on top. This is not very convenient.



3. Purchased this unit as my first TomTom unit, after using several different GPSs over the previous years.
   
   It works, but there's nothing special about the TomTom. Several months ago, this unit had unique features. However, there are now common from many different makers ... which are either the same cost or better.
   
   When I received this, the RDS antenna was the wrong one. I had to send it back *AT MY OWN COST* so they could send me the proper one after two weeks.
   
   If you talk to TomTom Support (East Coast Business Hours Only) be prepared to send proof that you purchased this unit from an Authorized Vendor only - otherwise you will NOT be supported.
   
   All the connectors for this unit are on the bottom. This may not be an issue unless you want to use a dash mount (required for California). About the dash mount - you're going to have to buy one from a 3rd party - TomTom doesn't sell one (at least I couldn't find one on their site).
   
   After about 2 months of use the unit stopped working. Actually worse - it began acting erratically.
   
   Unit would turn itself on at random (draining the battery)
   
   The battery charge indicator was a joke. Even after charging overnight and verifying the charge was 100%. Attempting to use it an hour later would show a dead battery.
   
   When it did turn on, it would constantly reboot itself.
   
   Had to RMA this unit (after providing proof-of-purchase). Note had to send it via UPS/FedEx/etc... They DO NOT accept USPS for RMA. Seems the mailclerk who receives USPS is somehow unable to take packages back to the dock where UPS/FedEX delivers.
   
   The TomTomHome s/w. What a joke.
   
   Graphical & Slow.
   
   Expectation seems to be that you will only ever have ONE TomTom Unit at any time in your life. After I received my RMA GO930, I had to DOWNLOAD all the maps again to the new unit via TTH. Note - I already had the maps for the unit I returned.
   
   Somehow the maps are locked to an individual unit when they are downloaded! SO be prepared to have a high-speed line and wait as maps are downloaded while your TOmTOm is docked and otherwise useless.
   
   This was suppose to be a top line GPS from TomTom when I bought it 3 months ago. It was NOT ready for use.
   
   It shipped with incorrect parts, which made it non-functional and which *I* had to pay to receive the correct parts.
   
   The TTH software is NOT user friendly, nor is it fast for any activity which it does try to perform.
   
   The GUI on the GPS is nothing to speak of. It's there, but lacking in thought. Once you get to the configuration menu, any change you make will automatically take you back to the main screen. This means you have to constantly walk the menu trees to make another change. In fact this happens at most of the menus ... make a change/selection and get dropped back at the main screen.
   
   Bottom Line... But ANYBODY ELSE but TomTom. You'll probably pay less, and get an equal of not better product and support.



4. Am enjoying using this product and it continues to amaze me with what it can do



5. I've been using this device for over 2 months and have tested it in NYC and the Tri-State area, Houston-Texas and while on vacation in Hawaii (3 different islands).
   
   I pay close attention to what other Amazon consumers say about there purchases. When I choose to buy the 930 I read almost all the reviews available on Amazon and other sites.
   
   Overall I am happy with my purchase but I think that is because I have come to expect the TomTom product has flaws. I previously had a 2006 version installed on my PDA device and after using that for 2 years I learned there were certain shortcomings with TomTom in general. I have never used another GPS device but from what I've read, TomTom seems to lack updated USA maps compared to others.
   
   The 930 device works really well but if you are looking and more importantly depending on getting to an exact address as your destination, I would guess you will be disappointed at least 40% of the time.
   
   While on vacation in Hawaii, the 930 got us close to our destinations but in some cases was a block or two short. In Texas, we experienced similar results and in some cases we were on the wrong side of the road. In the NYC area I find it to be really accurate.
   
   The 930 has tons of cool features that makes me happy with the purchase. Once TomTom as a whole gets it's act together with updated maps the device will be well worth the money. Like many other TomTom owners, it can be very frustrating when you are trying to get somewhere and you don't arrive at your exact location. But I like my device and I would recommend you buying the product with the understanding the USA maps needs work.
   
   Sam

5 comments about Garmin Nuvi 255 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

1. Let me set the scene for you: I arrive in Los Angeles at the airport, turn on my GPS system and instantly am ready to navigate. I then spend two days driving around Los Angeles not knowing where anything is located and haven't gotten lost once...
   
   The nuvi 255, as in my review title, is everything you need. Don't spend more because you think you'll need to talk for navigation or that you want to connect to some navigation service or whatever else they're selling. This is a small, FAST, device that you can easily carry with you when it isn't in your car. And folks, that's part of a portable GPS system: you can take it with you so it doesn't get stolen.
   
   I will give the following heads-up. The first time you calibrate the GPS system, it may take up to 10 MINUTES. Be patient, stand in a large open field, and don't move the device. Just let it sit. After that initial setup, you'll be walking on sunshine. Second, charging the device is easy. All you need is a standard USB cable that is used for most electronics. The downside, it doesn't show a progress bar on the screen as to when a charge is complete. Third, when you turn it on, make sure you have clear views of the sky from all directions. Otherwise, the system may not initialize properly. Plus, if you're in a city with tall buildings, you may be out of luck for getting signal (i.e. NYC, Philadelphia, Chicago). Normally, the difficultly comes from initially turning it on. After that, it's great.
   
   This device is FAST in recalculating routes. Mere seconds and boom, you're back on track. No downtime whatsoever. This is really amazing.
   
   You are given the option of navigation as a pedestrian or in a car. That is really great if you're on foot. You can easily switch between the two.
   
   NOW... my word of advice. SPEND THE MONEY to get the 255 with the "text-to-speech." When you're driving in traffic in an unfamiliar place, you don't want to have to constantly look over to read the street names on the device then find them on the street. It is worth the extra cash.
   
   All-in-all, I would recommend this to anyone and everyone. As I said to a friend today, it isn't often that I buy a piece of electronics equipment and have my expectations met and surpassed. As I continue to use it, new things continue to amaze me.



2. I literally hooked this product up in my car right as I got in for a 6 day trip visiting new and old accounts in Salt Lake City/Ogden/Provo/Logan (I live in the Denver area). I had NEVER used a GPS before. Once I got used to how I needed to input adresses (took about 2 minutes with the funky grid system SLC uses inputting E/W/N/S for streets)I was guided to all the new accoutns by voice/map without a problem.....I will never travel to new places without one of these again. This was way easy to use, just glanced at the quick start and was on my way.



3. This is the fourth GPS that I have tried. Initially I had the VZ Navigator system from verizon. It's a phone GPS and works very well. However, I had to discard that after I moved from Verizon.
   
   Then I got the top rated Nuvi Garmin 350. Garmin nüvi 350 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-to-Speech When I started using it, I realized that its navigation features where inferior to VZ navigator. I was surprised that a dedicated GPS had less features than a phone GPS. Few things that annoyed me with nuvi 350.
   1) It wouldn't show the distance or direction of next turn. I had to press the turn list, everytime I needed to check the distance to next turn. Also, since the direction of turn is not shown in advance, you could endup on the wrong lane before the turn.
   2) The arrival time shown on the display would not take into account the time zone. If you travel a lot between time zones, you are always forced to calculate the actual arrival time using the time shown on the display.
   3) It wouldn't remember the last entered city. You have to re-enter the city, everytime you enter an address.
   
   The only thing 350 had better than the phone gps was the bigger display. Anyway, my 350 got stolen recently. I was half happy that I could get a new GPS. I researched a little bit and figured that the Tomtom One 130S TomTom ONE 130S 3.5-Inch Touchscreen Portable GPS Navigator did not have any of the annoyances of nuvi 350. It would always display the direction and distance to the next turn. I liked the compact mounting setup of Tomtom very much. Also, the voice instructions were very clear although many reviewers had complained about voice quality. However, I was forced to return the GPS due to one major flaw. The voice instructions and the directions were not correct!!! When I had to go westbound, the GPS would instruct me to take the ramp to Eastbound direction. This happened on two instances and I decided enough is enough.
   
   Doing some further research, I figured that garmin has introduced a new model that fixes all of the shortcomings of nuvi 350. I have used it for about 2 weeks and I am very happy with the purchase. Although some reviewers have complained about the voice quality, I havn't had any difficulty in understanding the voice instructions. Apart from fixing the annoyances mentioned above, it also has some nice additional features.
   1) Faster GPS lock
   2) Speed limit display
   3) Internal antenna and slimmer profile; so easy to store in pocket.
   
   Overall nuvi 255 is the ideal GPS, atleast for now :-)



4. Works well and is accurate. Finds initial location quickly. Voices can be a little weird sounding (especially on street names) but can be understood. The biggest issue is about the keyboard, no qwerty option. Quite surprising.



5. Purchased to supplement the GPA in the car. Now my spouse can plan a trip at home in a relaxed atmosphere and then get into the car relaxed and focused on the road

5 comments about Garmin nüvi 670 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

1. I bought this device as it came with the North American and Western European maps. I've used it Colorado, and the Canary Islands. I like the screen, the accessory functions, and the voice prompts. The device does have the limitations of the breed -- sometimes pins you to the wrong, but near-by street, maps are not quite up to date as I would wish with regards to the status of streets (one-way....) Battery life as advertised is fantasy. The mp3 player playing with coordination with the voice prompts through the FM radio is a high point.
   
   Cheers
   Bob



2. Our family makes several trips to unfamiliar areas every year; and, while there, we like to travel by car. A relative bought a Garmin GPS for such purposes and found that it was very beneficial, even in her own city. After much research we decided upon the Garmin Nuvi 670, since it had the European feature. We used it while in the Yellowstone National Park area and were sold on this system. Later we found that it worked very well as we traveled to various cities in Germany. Our German friends decided that they wanted to purchase this same system for their travels in Europe, Canada, and the USA. Therefore, we left our GPS with them and later purchased this same item when we returned to the USA.
   
   We enjoyed the various features of the Garmin Nuvi 670. Also, we purchased the Portable Friction Dashboard Mount and found that it was a great accessory for our GPS. All of our purchases were made via Amazon, and we were very pleased with their prices and service.



3. The Garmin Nuvi 670 is a great product! I bought it for my wife, and she was able to use it successfully immediately after opening the box and charging it. It is quite small and easily carried and stored. She now takes it everywhere, and it has not disappointed us at all. Satellite reception is good anywhere in the car.
   
   We have a Garmin Street Pilot, and quite using it because it was too much trouble to set up and not that easy to use. This model is much, much better.
   
   I have a navigation system built into a Toyota Camry, and the Garmin provides much better route selection and more useful information than the built-in system, despite being much smaller.
   
   I highly recommend it!



4. I bought the Garmin 670 for my husband who can't find his way out of a paper bag. :) He loves it and found it very easy to use. I ordered it for his birthday in September(he was going to be out of town for his birthday and it came so fast he was able to take it with him out of town.



5. This is my first GPS unit and I have been very happy with my purchase. We have owned our Garmin 670 for 4 months now and have used it in our hometown and on two out of town trips. When using it in my hometown it has calculated the most logical route. We have used our GPS to drive from Texas to Colorado and back and from San Jose to Carmel and then on to Berekely. It is so nice not to "mapquest" every potential trip prior to vacation. Just plug it in, type the desired address and GO! The combination map on the display with turn-by-turn audio directions make navigating very easy. When driving, we have also planned our meal breaks based on Garmin loaded restaurants along our route. It seems to include most every restaurant, not just chains. I have found that the maps load very quickly. My only criticism is that no manual was included for a first time user. It is fairly self explanatory, but it has many features I would have preferred to read about in advance. Instead I have been discovering the features myself in the car. I would buy this unit again.

5 comments about Garmin nüvi 880 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

1. Voice recognition is a great idea. For the most part the unit does a good job of interpreting speech. If there is a lot of noise (even the car air conditioning fan), it can interfere with the Garmin 880 understanding what you say. The speakers in the Garmin 880 should be louder. It is sometimes hard to hear verbal directions over road noise. The FM transmitter is of very poor quality - not really powerful enough to send a quality signal to the radio antenna just two feet away. The biggest complaint is that the remote speech recognition transmitter will not activate the speech recognition mode of the Garmin 880 every single time. Many times you have to push the transmitter button up to 5 times to get the 880 to respond. I have tried two different Garmin 880s and the problem existed on both units. This is especially bad when you see a detour coming up and you push the remote to say "DETOUR" but the 880 won't respond and go into the voice recognition mode. There is no hard or soft key to activate speech recognition - only the remote transmitter. For the price of the Garmin Nuvi 880 you would think that Garmin would correct this problem before placing the unit on the market!



2. Garmin Nuvi 880......... Really thought this would be a good one... I immediately found that their map was evidently created by someone aged 3-4...... The map was inaccurate in quite a few instances.... It misplaced some places by several hundred feet and did not show continued roads that were built at the same time.... In two cases at least it showed partial roads...... I was not happy at all with the maps. Paying hundreds of dollars for a gps and finding you can do better by just guessing (that's an exaggeration but you get the idea... ) Contacted Garmin... Their reply: It's the best they've got.... They need to get some cartographers that are worth their salt and to CORRECT their maps... DWS



3. I was using Garmin SP2720 for almost three years. Last year I brought a Lexus RX400h with built in Navigation surprisingly supported by NAVTEQ, the same company support GARMIN. However, I found that the Lexus Navigation is outdated by atleast 3-4 years and is totally misleading in route calculations. So I decided to buy a Garmin 880 to keep in my Lexus. However, I was shocked to see the unupdated map in the Nuvi 880, though it has came with 2009 version map preloaded. In my town they re-directed a route with some modification to the existing route almost 2 and half years ago. I updated my SP2720 last year with Garmin's map update 2008 and this change was not in that map. Now, Nuvi 880 came with 2009 version of map and still there is no update in the route change in my city. I have no clue what they updating in their maps every year and selling it for nearly $80 every year.
   
   I like almost every feature in Nuvi 880. I have had no problem in tuning voice with FM transmitter though my Lexus has the FM antena on the roof at the back of the car.
   
   MSN Direct is not accurate though they have nearly full coverage in my area. Weather was in accurate. However gas prices were very accurate. Traffic was not covered in my town area.
   
   Voice command is very accurate. I have typical "Indian" accent and Nuvi 880 had no problem in recognizing my commands whereas my Lexus always failed to recognize my voice commands.
   
   Bottom line: Expensive unit. However, very user friendly and since a garmin it is the best amongst other brands available today. If bluetooth and voice command is not a priority for you, go for Nuvi 700 series and save nearly half or more of the cost compared to Nuvi 880. MSN Direct is not worthy for the price they charge! If your Nuvi 880 comes with a 2.x version of firmware, you will have a lot of problems. Your computer may not even recognize the unit by auto webupdater service. You should manually upgrade your firmware to current 3.x version. ***SOMETHING GARMIN TECH SUPPORT WAS UNABLE TO HELP ME***



4. This is probably he best portable GPS out there right now. I previously had a NUVI 660 which was also great, but without MSN Direct ot Voice Recognition. The voice recognition is terrific, and I was amazed at how it could recognize different voices with the same results. You activate the voice recognition with a button device that fastens around the steering wheel. It's a little awkward and sometimes gets in the way when I am in a turn. I compensated for this by rotating the button down on the inboard side of the steering wheel so that all you feel is the strap that holds it to the wheel. If the passenger is navigating, you have to tell the driver to push the button. It would be nice to have another button located on the passenger side somewhere. You have to turn the radio down, and close the windows for VR to work properly, but that's the nature of them all. MSN Direct works as advertized, and I especially like the Gas Prices feature. All-in-all it's pricey, but that's the way they market the new and improved items. If you want the latest, and greatest, this is the one.



5. The best GPS unit I've ever used. Voice command worked like a charm along with all the other features except one. The Bluetooth function is pretty much worthless, but, I didn't buy it for this feature. Unfortunately; it developed an overheating problem and was returned for a replacement. Good return policy and very satisfied with service.

3 comments about TomTom ONE XL 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Maps of the U.S. and Canada (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.



3. This TomTom unit works well, screen is easy to understand, and using it is simple. I had a Magellan before, would NEVER buy one again. Magellan's customer Service is horrible, TomToms support is much better and their website allows you to upgrade sattelite locations on your unit, so if you turn it on while you're driving, it finds you in less than a minute. The Magellan takes 5 - 10 minutes in the same situation!
   There are less points of interest on the TomTom, but that's not that important to me. Most of the time I have an address or I'm looking for a gas station or hotel, which are usually listed.

5 comments about Navigon 5100 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-to-Speech and Lifetime Traffic.

1. I've removed my original two star review from when I bought this. After 9 months of use I'm giving this a one star review. I'd give it less if I could.
   
   This GPS is so painful to use it sits gathering dust in my glovebox.
   
   Likes:
   Free Traffic.
   Attractive looking.
   
   Dislikes:
   1. User interface is insanely convoluted.
   2. Touch screen requires lots of pressure to work, very frustrating.
   3. The buttons on the user interface are stupidly small, combined with a not so sensitive touch screen its barely usable.
   4. Boot up time is stupidly long, 10 seconds of which you have to HOLD the power button. Guys, how about a simple on off switch switch!
   5. Unit is slow to calculate and respond to user input.
   6. Scrolling around maps is difficult at best. Nearly impossible to use for just mapping.
   7. Traffic is not displayed in a useful method. Requires multiple button clicks while driving for traffic avoidance.
   
   I could go on with more dislikes, but I get angry just thinking about the frustrations of using this. Save your money and avoid this unit.



2. I currently own a MIO that I purchased on Black Friday 06 and planning to upgrade. The Mio is a competent little unit, but I was hoping to get a unit with text-to-speech, newer maps, updated POIs, better interface, and better routing. Here comes Navigon 5100.. at $160 it came with Text To Speech, Lane Assist, 3d reality view, Zagat ratings, and Free TMC! Could it be the magical upgrade I was looking for?
   
   After 1 day owning the unit and using it to drive around, this item is going back to Amazon. And here's why.
   
   1. First thing I notice was the HUGE windshield mount that looks cool, but it's a major pain to use. Rotating the device around was very awkward and I was afraid that it would snap off. Another annoyance: On highways the mount just shakes road vibrations! My Mio didn't do that.
   
   2. You must HOLD the button for 10 seconds for startup and shut-down. In addition, you must click OK to the EULA agreement that you wont use this unit while driving ( you know what I mean ) etc etc. This makes the unit impractical for quick turn-on and go like my Mio does.
   
   3. The keyboards (or any other buttons, for that matter) are TINY. I have relatively small hands and I'm having problems typing my destinations.
   
   4. The UI are clunky. I was interested because I heard Navigon has a very pretty UI, but I'm disappointed. The 'Flash' menus are nothing to be excited about. The maps on most streets are plain white and hard to read.
   
   5. It takes many taps to do the simple things I can do right away on my Mio. For example I can simply move the maps around with Mio while I was in 'navigation mode.' With this Navigon, I need to click on the little button on the bottom right which pops up a menu, and select the button for 'move your fingers around to scroll map' view.
   
   6. There's a 'direct access' buttons for specific types of POI (which allow you to quickly see surrounding POIs with 1 tap) which is very nice, but then it directly routes me to the POI I selected ( I cant just view the phone number etc - to do that I have to do it through the regular POI screen)
   
   6. The fonts are very small. I'm talking TINY small.
   
   7. And here's the killer for me: The speaker is very soft. The unit when cranked all the way up is barely audible on highways, and the sound is already cracking. My Mio is way louder.
   
   So those are the reasons the unit is going back. It's too bad - I really wanted the unit to be the upgrade I had wanted. Just to wrap this review up on a good note, the positives (for me ) are:
   
   1. The unit looks very pretty.
   2. Navigation is pretty good and accurate.
   3. Voice guidance (when you can hear it!) spells out street names pretty accurately.
   4. It says which side of the road your destination is (this is very neat)
   5. It can display speed limit, your speed, altitude, etc. Lots of information.
   6. There's dedicated 'direct access' button which has its limitations, is a nice feature.
   7. Route recalculation was pretty fast.
   
   There you go. I hope this review serves as a caveat emptor - Keep in mind that you DO get a host of features for a very low price, but it has its (for me, major) shortcomings. What that shortcomings amount for you is for you to decide.



3. Purchased the Navigon 5100 a couple of days back for $149.99. Not bad. It had free lifetime traffic which I was interested in.
   
   The Good: Didn't get to see much good, though the menus seemed fairly intuitive....
   1. Pretty fast sat acquisition (despite reviews to the contrary). Under a minute easily.
   
   The Bad:
   1. Had to hold down the On button for somewhere between 11-13 seconds to get it to power on. About the same to turn it off.
   2. First time out... almost. Put mount on windshield. Put 5100 on mount. Mount breaks. I go Grrrrr and say "well that's that."
   
   The Very Bad:
   1. The touch screen was terribly unresponsive. Terribly. Very Very Frustrating.
   
   I was told that it must have been the unit. Regardless, I returned it and will probably just get another Garmin. Good luck.



4. I thought I was upgrading from the Tom Tom Navigator 6 on my Palm Treo when I bought the Navigon 5100. Boy was I wrong.
   
   I entered a test route for the 5100 to take me from my home in Reno, Nevada to Carson City (Only 20 miles south).
   
   First, it was amazingly slow in calculating the route . . . more than a minute slower than the Tom Tom.
   
   Second, the routing was wrong. When it got to the US 395 (The highway between Reno and Carson City), the GPS routes me to go north for a mile, exit, then loop around before directing me back south on highway 395.
   
   I'm returning the 5100 tomorrow.



5. I am fully satisfied with the product.
   Very nice I could not have ask any better than this one.
   I had problem using it the first time(Touch Screen) but after collaboration and setting the basics it works like a champ!