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I don't think the One XL was on there yet, but maybe they have it on their site?
Seems like Tom Tom has a slight price advantage over Garmin. Still, though, I was at Radio Shack yesterday and looked again, the the Nuvi 660 is my favorite.
For the price, the One XL might win me over, though.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I guess it was remarkably familiar, i.e. it worked just like the Tom Tom One did. That's a good thing. :shades:
1. Color screen that can be mounted in a car
2. Good street maps and voice prompts (preferably that can voice actual street names)
3. Ability to use off-road and get me back to a home base camp
4. Ability to look for a restaurant on the fly in an unknown area and direct me there.
5. Ability to enter a street address or name of business and direct me there easily.
I have been researching this and was told my best bet was the Magellan CrossoverGPS. However, before making this purchase, I wanted to get other feedback from people so that I don't end up returning a second GPS unit!
Thanks for any advice you can give me.
Dave
Garmin makes many models that add text-to-speech, for example the c340 does that, as do the upper half of their lineup, basically.
However, I'm not sure if they offer a "cookie crumb" feature to track where you've been and how to get back to camp while off road.
So focus on finding something good at doing that.
Thanks.
Meh, not meant for the task, so it would be a hassle.
its on circuit city's website for $529, i believe. and other online places for around $500 (ebay, for instance).
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Mark
I once read the C series (mine) is basically a de-contented 2610 with a simpler touch-screen interface.
Also, would I get much, if any, useful auto travel info out of an inexpensive model, such as: basic maps/street info, or location of hotels, restaurants, car repair places, etc.?
Some units I'm considering: Magellan eXplorist 200 16MB Handheld GPS Navigator. Garmin eTrex Legend GPS Navigator. Garmin eTrex Handheld GPS Navigator.
Also, any advice to go with Garmin over Magellan, or vice-versa? TIA for any advice!
Most in-dash automotive units are basically garbage when it comes to any basic task that handhelds/laptops can perform.... no comparison.
I am interested in a Garmin, TomTom or Magellan GPS for my wife's Caddy SRX. She is not very good with electronics and I would appreciate it if you could recommend a unit with the largest screen, easiest to use, that would give her voice commands. I searched Tiger GPS and several online store sites and am totally confused, as I am also an electronic illiterate. She does not need bluetooth and all those other whatevers that she doesn't need.I saw several for around five to seven hundred dollars that include text to voice and i don't even know what that means.
Do they all give "voice commands" and if so, please recommend a good one that is SIMPLE to use. (Plug it into the cig lighter and "up and running".
Sorry to be so long winded, but I need help and you seem to be the one with a lot of knowledge on the subject.
I purchased a Garmin StreetPilot C550 a couple months ago. If you don't want the Speech to text option I would purchase the 530 and save the $50 but the speech to text is nice to have I think.
The 550 has some additional features. The FM traffic is a waste. I live in Jax, FL and most all the reports are for Orlando (which might help you)but even those reports are wrong or missing all the time. I had been wondering about the accuracy of the traffic reports and i can assure you it sucks. I will not continue the subscription. The 550 has MP3 availability but who wants to hear music out of those little speakers when you have a car stereo - another waste. It does have bluetooth availabilty but I personally don't have a need for that either. The 500 series has an upgraded screen over the 300 which is nice.
All said I really like the 550 I have. I think it is between the 550 or 530. I would still go for the 550. It is very easy to use right out of the box - no worries there. I have found its performace excellent with only a little bit of quirkiness here and there.
Purchased it off the many web base companies available, PC Nation, Abe's of Maine, Shopzilla, Bizrate etc. They have excellent prices. You should be able to get it for around $400.
Goodluck!
I will keep your advice in mind, as I do want the speech to text message for her. I will also await Blane's opinion.My son has somekind of a Garmin depthfinder/fish finder (or whatever) on his boat and he says it is a good product.
I will also cross-shop the sites you have mentioned.
Again, THANKS for the fast reply.
nortsr1
The Mio in the store was broken, it was a sign from above.
I don't like Tom Tom's interface quite as much, and would have had to re-enter 60 favorites. So I could have saved $50 but wasted 2 hours of time.
Got the c340, which has that text-to-speech feature. If you really want that, it's the cheapest device I've seen on the market that has it, so from that angle the price was good.
It's surprising, but it's different than my c320. On paper is adds a pre-loaded hard drive (instead of an SD card, though it has an open SD slot) and text-to-speech.
In practice, it navigates better, especially the detour function. It's also traffic-capable, though I don't subscribe.
The only negatives I've seen so far - it does not come with an AC adaptor, only a USB one that charges from your PC and a car charger. That was OK, I think I only used the AC adaptor that came with my c320 one time, when I charged it the first time. So I won't miss that. Still, that's gotta be cost cutting.
The other thing is the voice of "Jill". Yeah, they give them names now. She sounds stiff, robotic. I know they use text-to-speech technology, but the voice on my c320 (my kids simply call her "Lady") is much more soothing.
I guess that's not very important, it does navigate better. There was an 8 miles backup on Route 113 south yesterday and I took back roads and kept chuckling the whole time at the poor souls with no GPS. :shades:
I haven't tried the Maestro. The Street Pilot 550 I have has a 3.5 inch screen. During the purchase decision process I was thinking the bigger the better but my "post-purchase analysis" (what we all do after a high ticket item buy I guess) concluded a 4.0 inch screen might be nice but anything over that I am afraid is too big and bulky. Lowarance has a model with 5.0 inch screen. I was thinking of purchasing it but for other reasons went with the Garmin. I realize now that would be way too big.
The Garmin nüvi series of portable navigation systems offers many features that would totally satisfy your needs. Since I have a built-in system in my car, we use our Garmin nüvi 350 in my wife's car or in rentals. It is about the size of a deck of cards and fits easily in a shirt pocket (or your wife's pocketbook). Here's a link:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134&pID=6290
There is a list of other nüvi models on the right side of that page. If you click on the Specs tab for each model and scroll down to Features you will see a Speaks Street Names line with either a yes or no for the various models. That is the Text To Speech (TTS) feature that I would wholeheartedly recommend and would not be without. The system reads the text displayed on the screen (such as "Appledale Lane"). It converts that text to speech that you hear from the unit. So look for a model with a Yes in that column.
The nüvi 350 is very compact with a 3.5" diagonal screen. The nüvi 650 is basically the same model with a (slightly less portable) 4.3" diagonal screen. All nüvis are very SIMPLE to use. They contain an internal rechargeable battery that lasts over three hours. They can also be powered via your cigarette lighter.
I agree with you that Bluetooth is unneccessary and have no need to play music through the tiny speakers on such equipment either. Traffic reports are best listened to on your radio where they are more current and probably more reliable.
Note that Garmin's StreetPilot "C" series is 2½ times thicker and therefore much less convenient to store and transport.
Sorry, I've no experience with Tom Toms or the more recent Magellans. I hope that the above has been helpful. Here's a good place to do comparison shopping: http://tinyurl.com/2c8ktr
First, congrats on your new van purchase. The space does make road trips and transporting multiple kids much easier.
I bought a Garmin c340 for my daughter, and I fully agree that it is a great little unit for the money, even if not as sleek as the newer Nuvi series. You can customize the voice somewhat and my daughter found the Australian English accent more pleasant.
Larry
Are you sure about your new StreetPilot C340 having a "pre-loaded hard drive"? The specifications here say that it has "internal solid state" Built-in memory.
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134&pID=290
I have decided to go with the Garmin Nuvi 650 due to the 4.3" screen, voice to text with street names,and simplicity of use, due to what all of you have told me.
I have belonged to the Edmunds forums for many years and have always received excellent advice whenever it was requested.
Again, thanks, and I will give you a follow-up report when I purchase same. (I am cross shopping same) So far $512.00 is the lowest I have found and that includes free shipping.
NORTSR1
Since you already have an in-built system, my question for you is as follows (with some background on the systems I have used in the past):
I have an in-built system in my Honda Odyssey (8" screen) and have been using in-built systems for the past 8 years (Acura and Lexus systems). I have used the Hertz "neverlost" system in the past (around 5 years back) and was completely unimpressed with it (both for accuracy, speed and also ease of use) but I am hoping that things might have changed since then for such external systems.
The question is, would a system like the NUVI 650 etc., satisfy my Navigation requirements (I am not too concerned about the screen size), in a car that does not come with a built-in system ? I have no requirement whatsoever for any other non-NAVI features like bluetooth or playing MP3 or playing back JPEGs etc., and I am ONLY concerned about the "navigation" aspect. How does the NUVI 650 etc perform when traveling in a tunnel or in downtown areas between large buildings or when traveling through forested areas etc., where the satellite signals are spotty at best ? Does it perform as well as top-of-the-line systems like the Honda/Alpine system or a Lexus/Denso system ? Does it have the same kind of wide and comprehensive coverage for the continental US ? Does it do the re-routing etc., as quickly/efficiently as the aforementioned systems ?
To put it differently, does portable systems like the NUVI 650, have the absolute rock-solid dependability, under all conditions (rain, shine, fog, tunnel, downtown areas), as the in-built Honda/Alpine or the Denso systems ? The last thing I need is to rely on such systems and then struggle when I really need to depend on it.
Thanks.
The only Garmin model that had "dead reckoning" is the "Streetpilot 7500", that seems to retail for $1400. Are there models from any other manufacturers, that have "dead reckoning" and touch-screen, with a decent sized screen ?
Just re-read the specs and found the "professional installation is necessary" against the Streetpilot 7500, which means that we will have to professionally install the Streetpilot 7500 and integrate that into the car's controls, similar to an in-built system, for the "dead reckoning" to function. That is a bummer and we might as well get a full-integrated built-in system, unless I am missing something completely. :confuse:
My built-in Honda/Alpine Navigation System is basically identical to yours. Its in my 2004 Honda Accord.
I concur that the Hertz "Neverlost" Magellan system, that I used about six years ago, left much to be desired.
As I have experienced with my Garmin nüvi 350, you will be ABSOLUTELY satisfied with the technology. There are only two significant differences:
1. Since there is no built-in gyroscope in 99.9% of portable units, and the Honda/Acura vehicles do have them, the dead reckoning capability that you mention is not present in such portables. However, since it is only a concern if you are exiting VERY LONG tunnels for about five seconds until satellite re-acquisition, you won't notice it at all. In fact, Garmin took that into account a few free nüvi 350 software updates ago as follows:
"Changes made from version 3.90 to 4.10:
Improved handling of recovery from loss of a fix when leaving a tunnel."
nüvi 350 software is now up to version 4.60.
2. The nüvi line only permits entering a single waypoint in a route, rather than multiple waypoints such as on their StreetPilot line. This is not a problem at all. You can create and "chain" several routes sequentially, that you save as Favorites if you feel the need for multiple waypoints. This is similar to saving your Honda/Acura OEM systems' Destinations.
Route recalculation is very fast and efficient. I have had no signal concerns in midtown Manhattan or in treed areas. I haven't driven in heavily forested areas so I can't address that. The nüvis come with built-in coverage for the entire continental US, Canada and Puerto Rico including six or seven million Points Of Interest. The nüvi 370 and nüvi 670 units now also include Europe.
I also checked the price of the Alpine NVE-N872A, which is similar to the built-in system present in the Honda etc., but the pricing is similar to the factory system - $1700 (street) + installation. Since the Garmin offers similar features at a much better pricepoint, I would lean to the Garmin.
The point that I am a bit confused about is the fact that the Honda/Alpine system has a 4+GB (or is it 8GB with dual layer ?) DVD database. How is the Garmin managing to fit all the data it has, into its 2GB solid state storage ? Does it contain less information than the Alpine system, even though both source their mapping data from NAVTEQ ?
I understand your interest in dead reckoning, but you'll never need it. I also understand your interest in a large screen. Having both a 7" and 3½" screen in the family, I've found that most of my navigation use is listening to the spoken directions, not looking at the screen. Sure the large Honda screen is great for other uses such as climate control, audio and vehicle computer information.
Guaranteed, you will find anything that you need in the data that Garmin compresses into the nüvi series units. It surely doesn't seem to be lacking anything that the Honda DVD contains. If you are not in need of a built-in system, smaller is better.
You seem like someone who will appreciate this link:
http://tinyurl.com/yed9d2
I will definitely factor your thoughts on the Nuvi and if possible, try it out in person, along with the SP. That is the only way to decide ! You are definitely right that most of the NAV usage while driving, is being directed by the verbal instructions...with a few glances darted at the screen for periodic confirmation (especially when you hear "take the next right" and you dart a glance at the screen and see that the "next right" is 0.6 miles away). Your viewpoint is especially pertinent for my purposes, since you have a system similar to mine, along with the additional Nuvi. Thanks again.
The Nuvi 650/680 has it. Check the following pages out in their review of the 660: http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2006/10/garmin_nuvi_660_indepth_review.php?page=14
http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2006/10/garmin_nuvi_660_indepth_review.php?page=10
http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2006/10/garmin_nuvi_660_indepth_review.php?page=11
The 7500/7200 etc are listed on their website as models to avoid, specifically since they lack this SIRF chipset and comes only with the older WAAS.
The above leads me to believe that a replacement for the 7500/7200 is on the way, to bring this Garmin model back to current status, since now their cheaper brethren come with this SiRF chipset. Until then, the NUVI is the way to go !
That backup was actually 13 miles. GPS must have saved me at least an hour or so the first time I used it. :shades:
blane: solid state, then, I stand corrected. It's pre-loaded and has been great. I have v8 maps on both but the new unit is "smarter".
How? Well, when I hit Detour, it really takes a detour. The c320 seemed to want to detour until the next exit, then get back on the road I wanted to avoid. The c340 avoids the road we were on longer, it seems.
One thing when buying certain Garmin units, like the Nuvi 350, is that Garmin updates the map software about once a year, & it costs $75 to update. The current version for the 350 is v.8. Some online retailers are still selling the v.7., so it pays to check before ordering. I've also read that "Version 9 will be available sometime this summer".....
I don't mean to sound like I'm pimping for Amazon, but I find they are "usually" very good about taking returns w/in 30 days on most items. And also have a 30 day price feature where if the price goes down after you bought yours, you can call & request the difference to be refunded.
Mark
The prices ranged from $499.00 to over $600.00
Plugged it in and the directions were PLAIN and SIMPLE!
We are leaving Sat. morning for a trip from Sewell, NJ to Annapolis, MD. so it will get it's initial work-out. I played with it for a while in my car and it sure is easy to use and the voice commands are great.
A BIG "THANKS" to all of you. I will post again after we return from Annapolis to let you know the results!!!
NORTSR
what kind of favorites are you storing? I accumulate stuff in my address book over time but most of it isn't anything I'd go out of my way to enter again.
Check out the Garmin nüvi 370 and nüvi 670. They both have USA, Canada, Puerto Rico AND Europe pre-installed.
I did find this place (link title which has maps of Hungary for around 80 Euros. I may just go that route and save the $400+ for souvenirs and travel expenses
Thanks again,
Mark
That's useful because we often car pool and one time I ended up taking 3 of her friends home. Just enter the name and voila, don't ever have to worry about directions.
Also, even though I'm familiar with most places, some times I'm coming from a different direction, and the GPS finds short cuts I did not know about.
Just last night it came in handy. I had a friend's address in VA and had to pick up something. We were at a softball game. I was able to determine that we were only 3 miles from his house, so I ran over there to pick it up and still made it back to the game before it ended.
So it's useful to know not only where everything and everyone is, but also to know how far apart they are from any given place. I would have had no idea if I was 3 miles away or 30 miles.
I used to think it was silly to have places I know well in my address book. For example, I didn't put my parents' in there because I knew how to get there. Then I kept having to stop by there from a variety of locations and would have to type their address in each time. Needless to say it is saved now.
I also like putting in places that I go to regularly on long drives because I always know how far away I am and ETA at a glance.