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Rocky
Were it built in I might feel differently, but I can't see spending thousands for a factory unit when a good Garmin, or others can be had for around $500 plus or minus. Plus, it can travel with you when you fly to your destination. It's fun to use it on the plane. On the trip computer screen my max speed shows 638MPH!! Can bring myself to clear it!
Rocky
However if you want to use in more than one vehicle, rental cars etc to just want something that makes more financial sense, the portable would make sense. Yes, you will get more resale value on a car with built-in nav unit, but the added resale is much less than the initial additional cost, so the net is still a very big negative. Built-in nav is more of a luxury item like chrome rims.
I have never heard of anyone who did not become frustrated and disappointed with voice recognition after the novelty wore off.
Your statement holds weight, but I'd still prefer the modern built ins. The Garmin might have lap-top capability, but it's computer is limited on capability and function.
Rocky
Acura uses a dial in cars like the RDX, which clutters up the dash and is hard to use. It's redundant, so most people will of course use voice commands, but I'd rather have voice AND touch screen, vs. voice and a knob plus buttons.
Touch screen > Knobs, basically.
Head-to-head, I was in a Tribeca and following someone in an Audi S4. We programmed the same exact address. Took me, oh, 15 seconds. I was idling and waiting for him to enter the address with his ridiculous MMI interface for a good 5 minutes. Knobs stink!
Voice is fine, but back it up with an easy to use touch screen. I want a full keyboard, not a scroll button to have to go through the whole alphabet for one stupid letter! :mad:
-juice
What are ya talking about. The Acura TL is a touchscreen Navi w/ Voice Recognition capability. The little silver knob is really only used to look miles ahead on the map feature. This is wherea knob feature is basically essential.
Rocky
From the website, it seems the traffic subscription is $60/yr, which sounds reasonable. You get 3 months free with the purchase.
-juice
I wonder is the new 07' G35 has voice recognition capability like the M' and Q's ????? I like the new G35 alot also and it has a nice touch screen navi unit. If it had voice recognition it would be a very very awesome car, instead of just awesome IMO.
Rocky
I can't wait for more of this stuff to trickle down into more affordable models. I want GPS, but I'm not looking for a luxury car, not at all.
-juice
Rocky
I just with there was a factory mod/factory-look mod for bluetooth for pre-06 models.
Speaking of which, anyone know about something like that? That's the one thing I don't have that I would REALLY like to get.
Rocky
Price approaches OE systems, though. But you get BT and an MP3 player. I think it's sweet.
-juice
I take it you're rocking the Bluetooth equipped G35 then?
Well, at least I've got my amp and sub. I bet most G35 consumers don't have that....
Seriously though, have you come across anything like a factory mod for the older G's?
For a little less (okay, almost half of that) you can get yourself that TomTom 910 or 501, save a little dashboard real estate and still get the BT/MP3 AND text to speech!
I wonder if you could get pulled over to windshield obstruction with yours, juice! My god!
Official site #1
#1 http://www.infiniti.com/allnewG/allNewG.html
http://www.caranddriver.com/autoshows/10878/2007-infiniti-g35-sedan.html
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/AutoshowArticles/articleId=110002
Rocky
I think I'd get the Garmin Nuvi if I wanted BlueTooth, but I'm not sure it's worth the few hundred bucks extra over my c320.
-juice
The Nuvi is sweet though, especially since it is so pocketable. Not so sweet is the $800 price at Best Buy :sick:
Advanced touch-screen system combines original equipment features with aftermarket value to address underserved consumer market
TROY, Mich., June 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Delphi introduces the Delphi TNR800 (Touch Screen Navigation Radio) to the consumer market, combining advanced DVD-based navigation with AM/FM/CD without giving up the convenience, control and functionality of other connected accessories.
The Delphi TNR800 is uniquely designed for seamless integration and functionality in most 2003-2006 GM light trucks and SUVs including the Chevy Tahoe, Suburban, Trailblazer, Avalanche, Silverado; Hummer H2; GMC Envoy, Yukon, Denali; Buick Rainier; and, Cadillac Escalade. Collectively, these North American vehicles are the best selling in their class, but less than 10 percent were equipped with factory navigation.
The Delphi TNR800 has nearly all the advantages of the original equipment navigation system for these vehicles, including a large, 6.5" easy-to-read touch-screen display that makes inputting destinations or points of interest a simple task. Plus, it provides intelligent map and voice-prompt navigation cues to effortlessly help drivers and passengers get from point A to point B. Unlike conventional aftermarket navigation systems, the TNR800 retains the control and functionality of any installed original equipment accessories like XM(TM) Satellite Radio, On-Star(TM), DVD entertainment and CD changer.
In fact, drivers can control key entertainment functions of the TNR800 through the steering wheel controls they have come to rely on for both safety and convenience. And, because of its vehicle-specific design, the TNR800 can harness speed information, available through the vehicle's computer system, to more accurately navigate a driver through urban environments where large buildings and bridges could obstruct the Global Positioning System satellites.
"Vehicle navigation systems have quickly become an everyday necessity for many consumers," said Joe Damato, Director of Consumer Electronics for Delphi Product and Service Solutions. "Delphi's new TNR800 offers these GM owners the product they have been asking for -- delivering the very best navigation performance without the typical hassles of integrating devices that alter their vehicle interior or limit the control and functionality of important factory-installed options."
The system uses an on-board computer that interacts with the Global Positioning System, vehicle sensors and a DVD map database to help guide travelers using voice prompts to their destination. Plus, it helps pinpoint locations along the way and re-maps directions should a turn be missed. Used as a "personal travel assistant," it can help minimize travel time, make travel more convenient and increase driver and passenger peace of mind.
In fact, in a recent J.D. Power and Associates' 2005 Navigation Usage and Satisfaction Study, consumers rated several vehicles equipped with Delphi's original equipment navigation system consistently higher than average in the areas of information screen ratings and overall appearance.
The TNR800 comes with single DVD-ROM containing "Navteq's" popular and well-respected map database for both the US and Canada, enabling the system to provide a large network of turn-by-turn routable roads. The disc also provides more than 11 million POIs (points of interest) and can be sorted into different categories to make finding the nearest gas station, ATM or restaurant quick and simple.
The TNR800 is offered in three kit configurations. The luxury kit (NA- 40005) supports all 2003-2006 Cadillac Escalade and GMC Denali. The non- luxury kit (NA-40010) supports 2003-2006 Chevy Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche, Silverado; Hummer H2; GMC, Sierra and Yukon. An additional non-luxury third kit (NA-40001) was designed to meet the needs of the 2003-2007 GMC Envoy, Chevy Trailblazer, and Buick Rainer. Each kit comes with all needed components for quick and clean installation including the Navigation Radio, GPS antenna, DVD maps (US and Canada), vehicle speed sensor (VSS) wire and splice kit, owner's manual and installation guide.
"Mobile electronics professionals will delight over how easy and fast the TNR800 will install in these vehicles," said Adiel Avelar, Navigation Business Line Manager. "All existing mounting hardware and wiring connections are the same used for the factory-installed radio and do not require special mounting kits, trim plates or expensive and unreliable translation boxes for the vehicle bus to maintain important features and control of factory accessories."
The TNR800 offers a two year parts and labor warranty and will have a Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $1,999 when it debuts at select retail stores later this month in the US and Canada. For more information about the TNR800 or its authorized distributors, please either call 877-667- 8700 or visit http://www.shopdelphi.com/TNR800 .
The Japanese cars have these technologies and a touch screen is no longer "high-tech" enough for me personally at those prices.
Rocky
-juice
The nüvi 350 is a great device. You surely don't have to pay Best Buy's $800 if you buy online at lots of dealers. They are available starting at about $610. Check pricing at pricegrabber.com.
My wife's easily fits in her pocketbook or, when I'm using a rental car, I take it along and it fits in my shirt pocket. We mount it to dashboards with small strips of industrial srength Velcro.
Otherwise, my Accord's OEM system is unbeatable.
-juice
Rocky
Rocky
But Garmin did well, I think they took the top two spots and got the only Best Buy for their i5.
-juice
Did you know that this is available for the nüvi?
An optional Garmin Language Guide contains five bilingual dictionaries and a multilingual word bank and phrase bank that support nine languages and dialects – including American English, British English, French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, European Spanish, and Latin American Spanish. Through the unit’s text-to-speech interface, users can get a spoken pronunciation of each word and phrase.
-juice
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/09/automobiles/09GPS.html
You may have to sign on (free) to read it.
I also wonder if there are satellites that cover those regions.
-juice
-juice
There is a monthly fee of about $10, but you get a live POI database that no other system can match and always have the latest maps. No need to keep buying map updates.
It does give you voice prompts and it reads the street names. The voice reads the text in an extremely clear voice compaired to the robotic voice many other systems have when attempting text to speech conversion (see the demo). http://support.vzw.com/swf/vz_nav/verizon_navigator_demo.html
If you don't need to use it much, you can do pay per use. You can just pay $2.99 for 24 hours of access.
I think this is a great idea.
-juice
After traveling for a little bit, I went to route to the hotel we were going to stay to. Unfortunately, I received an error message saying not enough memory! I could see my destination, just could not route to it
The one good thing that happened is while getting lost we found a "pick-your-own" farm where we picked some nice fruit and vegetables. Now, I plan to bring my nephews back with me. After I change the maps that is
Mark
That left enough space for all my Favorites. I think I'm up to 100 or more of those.
I guess you also need to leave room for it to "think".
-juice
I'm a Garmin fan. My c320 was affordable and is very useful to me and to my wife, in fact my complaint is that we fight over it all the time and I don't have 2.
I'd get another, sure. I'm not sure if I'd spend all the extra money for Bluetooth, because those models double in price compared to the basic models that do the functions I expect from a GPS.
For instance, I've seen c320 models for under $300 nowadays, while newer high-end models cost $700 or so. MP3 and BT do not more than double the functionality, IMO, at least not for me.
However, it's probably cheaper than buying a seperate MP3 player if you want one. That's your call. Bluetooth would be cool because you could link it with your phone and call that restaurant you found in the points-of-interest database to make a reservation.
But I can dial my phone, or the wife can, since I never really dine alone.
Check out Consumer Reports, from a month or two ago, they tested GPS systems. Garmin took 1st and 2nd and had the only Best Buy, so yeah, they pretty much cleaned up.
-juice