Outdoor Navigation With GPS: Hiking, Geocaching, Canoeing, Kayaking, Fishing, Outdoor Photography, Backpacking, Mountain Biking

Outdoor Navigation With GPS: Hiking, Geocaching, Canoeing, Kayaking, Fishing, Outdoor Photography, Backpacking, Mountain Biking

GPS instructions

As a newhbie to GPs, I found this book, Outdoor Navigation With GPS: Hiking, Geocaching,etc. easy to read and understand. All aspects of GPS useage are covered fully and concisely.

Now in an updated second edition

Now in an updated second edition, Outdoor Navigation with GPS is a no-nonsense guide to basic GPS navigation skills, useful for all kinds of outdoor activities ranging from hiking, mountain biking, and fishing to geocaching, outdoor photography, canoeing/kayaking, and any other activity involving the negotiation of wild terrain. Written in a jargon-free style accessible to readers of all backgrounds, chapters cover how to program waypoint coordinates and reach them, prepare for and recover from disaster, read topographic maps, and much more. Black-and-white photographs and diagrams illustrate this "must-have" for outdoorsmen in the modern age.

GPS Beginner

Just what I needed to get started with my Garmin 76csx. Good price and arrived on time.

easy read; extremely helpful

I've been a basic-feature gps user for several years, but decided it was time to figure out the 80% of the buttons/features which were greek to me. This book was perfect for the task. I read it cover to cover (simultaneous with testing features on my newly aquired rino) in just a few hours -- time well spent. Text is sufficiently technical and detailed to fully capture the information, but written in an interesting and simple manner. I especially appreciated the correlation with compass and paper mapping techniques and the information on what to do if/when the gps unit fails (batteries dead, dropped and broken, etc.). Also agree with the reminder to "put away the electronic toy" and watch where you're going! After all, we go into the wild in order to see the wild -- not view it on a 2 inch screen. Only suggestion for future editions: some of the illustrations were too small to be maximally helpful. Since "the big picture" plus small details are both necessary to truly follow the examples related to paper mapping techniques, I would have preferred seeing the full map view (as is) plus a "blow up" illustration of the details.

GPS book helpful.

This book was just what was needed to get going with a new geocaching device.

Keyword : gps

Garmin Swiveling Automotive Mount for GPS 72 and GPS 76 (010-10305-00)

Garmin Swiveling Automotive Mount for GPS 72 and GPS 76 (010-10305-00)

buy, cheap, low price

great gps holder

I hardly ever used the GPS in my vehicle until I bought this, great addition, holds well and use it almost daily, no complaints, easy removal of GPS as well easy install, definatly worth the small investment

HELD UP OVER VERY ROUGH GRAVEL MOUNTAIN ROADS

I USED THE TEMPORARY ADHESIVE PATCH ON MY DASHBOARD. I HAVE TRAVELED OVER GRAVEL MOUNTAIN BACK ROADS AT 5-15MPH WITH AN F250 4X4, WHICH HAS A PRETTY STIFF RIDE. THE 76S DID ALOT OF VIBRATING, BUT NEVER LOST IT'S LOCKED IN POSITION ON THE MOUNT. SEEMS TO WORK PRETTY WELL FOR THE MONTH THAT I HAVE HAD IT.

Works great

I have been using this mount for almost a year and I love it!!!! However........ The previous review is correct -- the sticky stuff Garmin provides for the dashboard needs to be tossed out with the packaging. Don't even bother with it.. throw it away. I have mine attached to my dashboard with two large "3M Command Strips" and that works GREAT!!! I have had no problem at all since I switched over to the 3M strips which are available almost everywhere. If you can't find a package of the large strips, the medium ones work too, but you need to use three of them. (plus - 3M strips won't leave a mark on the dashboard if you decide to mount your GPS in a friend's car for the day) This last time I moved the mount in my van with the 3M strips was over 3 months ago and it is still holding strong with no slipping at all.... try it!!! I love the veratility of this mount. Much better than the old "stick to the windshield" type I used before. I can get it to any angle I want to avoid glare or to make it easier to read. I also love the fact that it is easy to get the GPS in and out in a hurry if you are taking it with you.. you don't have to fumble around and take the mount apart just to get your unit out. This mount is quite sturdy, easy to adjust and does the job well.... nice!

Great Mount but the stick-on mounting is marginal

The part of this bracket that holds the GPS is terrific. But the stick-on base is a joke. If you have treated your mounting surface previously with any kind of cleaner, polish, or wax, you will find it nearly impossible to mount this bracket. They supply cleaner and instructions, and on brand new surfaces I suspect it works better. But beware, this thing will let your nice GPS go flying just when you can't afford it to... Buy the garmin Marine Mount for your GPSMap 76, drill a couple holes and hard-mount the unit - you won't regret it. Alternatively, look at the various RAM mounts made for the GPSMap 76 series - they too have hard mount solutions that will secure your unit as it deserves to be.

Adequate for me

Not as adjustable as the etrex mount, but works for me. It has the same base as the etrex mount, in fact - I didn't have to peel off the etrex base to snap in the holder for my 76Csx; just popped the etrex one out, gpsmap one going in. Kind of pricey for what you get, but if you want/need one, you don't have many manufacturers (2) that makes a mount. A RAM mount would be an alternative, but I couldn't tell if they had temporary adhesive disks like garmin. So I went with Garmin.

Keyword : auto+gps

Garmin Windshield Mount for eTrex GPS Units (010-10361-00)

Garmin Windshield Mount for eTrex GPS Units (010-10361-00)

buy, cheap, low price

A little disapointed

It is not easy to handle and shakes once fixed on the windshield, I am not sure if I will keep it.

Garmin eTrex Windshield Mount

Great product. I now use the eTrex to determine my boat speed instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a new speedometer.

Garmin Windshield Mount for eTrex GPS Units

It works great! The mechanism is very ingenious; I've only used it a few times, but it's pretty compact and easy to get at the perfect angle. Also has the quick release which is nice.

Works O.K.

I think garmin add ons are way to expensive for what you get, but they are designed so you have to buy them in order to use there gps.

Good accessory

I bought this mount for my eTrex Legend HCx and it works great. I don't know why other people have had problems with it. The only problem I had to begin with was that the backing that came with the mount doesn't fit the GPS. You have to use a piece that came with the eTrex Legend HCx and put it on the back of the GPS for it to attach to the mount.

Keyword : auto+gps

Garmin StreetPilot 2720 Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin StreetPilot 2720 Portable GPS Navigator

buy, cheap, low price

great GPS

This is the second Garmin 2720 I have bought. One for the car and this one for the motorcycle . Has the GPS functions I want without all the stuff one very seldem uses or wants. Had a problem withn the screen on this one but Garmin replaced the complete unit in 48 hrs. GREAT C/S with Garmin. One of the few companies that have C/S.................

Garmin 2720

Product is good but not simple to learn. Works well on motorcycle and is water proof. Screen is small bur bright in the day.

Great GPS & user friendly

I upgraded from the 2620 to the 2720 because this one actually speaks with the names of the streets or freeway so you don't have to look at the screen while you are driving. Very user friendly!

I'm never lost

Considering that I can get lost in a closet, I invested in a GPS. I love it, and I would tell everyone to get something like this in their car. It makes it possible for me to find new routes to various locations, and to get off the main highway with confidence. I have programmed several driving 'vacations' into the GPS. The drives are more than one day - so I love that I can program a week of destinations into the unit and slowly plot my course along - get off the course if I want - and hop back on again to continue my route.

Love My Garmin StreetPilot 2720

We intitally purchased this GPS because we were going to spend a week in the LA/Hollywood area. We used it in the LA/Hollywood area and it was 99% accurate. It was truely a time saver in getting us to the various points of interest. We have used it on other trips in and around Atlanta and the Southeast. So far all of the addresses we have entered into the GPS were there. We have the 08 map update and so far it is sufficient for our needs. However; Garmin comes out with a yearly map update for approximately $60. We love our Garmin GPS and wouldn't travel without it.

Keyword : auto+gps

TomTom Rider 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Motorcycle Navigator

TomTom Rider 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Motorcycle Navigator

buy, cheap, low price

Bike Cradle Problem

After a relatively few uses, the cradle doesn't make contact with the GPS and your motorcycle power supply won't charge the unit. I have had this happen on 2 units. Since batteries are nearly irreplaceable and limit you to a 4 hour trip, this is a problem. Some web sites say adding solder to the back of your unit may solve the problem, but others don't see it as permanent. This makes it hardly worth the price. I hope TomTom has a solution.

Not without it's drawbacks

I have used the Rider for one riding season now. While it has come in very handy I have to agree with most of what has been written here. A few comments to save someone some of the aggravation most have experienced. First you will need to upgrade the SD card because the memory in the supplied card is insufficient to operate the unit properly. Without a larger card you will have to deal with freeze ups and reboots. Next go to the TomTom Home page and update the installed software to the latest version. Last of all be sure you have a tether attached to the head unit. When you hit a pothole the unit can detach from the mount. This unit is a great idea but the design is not without flaws.

Tom Tom Rider

This GPS arrived in a very timely manner, was easy to install, tech service seems to be excellent since we had to call them because the unit is discharging in only a few hours. This could be a problem with the unit making full electrical contact with the cradle mount or it could be a situation with the motorcycle's charging system. Must say that the unit and the Blue Tooth voice command system is excellent. One recommendation would be to increase the volume level of the unit beyond what is available.

TomTom Rider 2nd edition has been released

Just letting you know that release 2 of tomtom rider is already available in Europe and Australia and features the Cardo scala-rider wireless Bluetooth headset. I assume the US version will follow soon.

mediocre design, poor quality and support.

When TomTom came out with a bluetooth GPS unit for motorcycle, I was excited about going wireless. However, I've found some disappointing features, which include: inadequate volume of the bluetooth headset, lack of software support for my Blackberry 8703e and Motorola V710 phones, poor quality, poor service, poorly design desktop computer software, poor mount for car use. Because of the lack of support for my cell phones, I cannot use traffic report and other neat features available that require data connection through my cell phones. I cannot sync my address book to the Rider, I cannot use the Buddy feature, the weather report feature, etc. Make sure your cell phone is supported for use with the Rider before buying it. The Rider was defective soon after purchasing. I also bought a Go 910 that was also had to be sent back for a replacement. No strap was offered, even though I registered for one that was supposed to be provided free. I get nervous whenever I go over bumpy roads with the Rider on my bike. The car mount is very cheaply and poorly designed to accommodate the Rider, although the mount is sturdy and sticks well to the windshield of a car. To get the unit in and out of the mount, the power connector has to be unplugged manually from the unit. It's a pain to deal with a tiny plug and disconnecting/connecting it when I have to make many stops and have to take the unit off and store it out of sight of would-be thieves. There is no built-in speaker. Therefore, in order to hear spoken direction from the Rider when in a car, a bluetooth headset has to be available and connected to the Rider. When used while riding my bike, the volume from the bluetooth headset is audible below 45-50 mph. Beyond that, it's almost inaudible. The higher the speed of the motorcycle, the less can be heard through the bluetooth headset. The on/off button is very difficult to activate. The Rider has very poor documentation/manual. I've dealt with support from TomTom, and, even though the people there seemed genuinely nice and tried to be helpful, they didn't have their act together. For example, my Rider repair and return was delayed despite their promise to send it out promptly. The repaired unit was not sent to my office as requested. So I had to drive 40 minutes each way to Fedex to pick up the repaired unit. Since this is one of five GPS units that I own or have owned, I think the Rider does a few things well, as GPS units should, but its design and the desktop software that is used to manage the Rider are so poor that I cannot recommend buying this unit, especially at the high price that I paid as an early adopter.

Keyword : motorcycle+gps

Navigon 4.3" Premium Leather Case (fits 4.3'' GPS units from all major brands)

Navigon 4.3" Premium Leather Case (fits 4.3'' GPS units from all major brands)

buy, cheap, low price

Too big for the Garmin Nuvi200w

Navigon advertises "fits 4.3" GPS units from all major brands". The case is .75 inch too wide, over 1.0 inch too tall, and .25 inch too deep. My Garmin Nuvi200w rattles around in this case. "Yes" its a Premimum Leather case, but "no" it does NOT fit my GPS Unit. I am returning this case, paying for postage, and taking a loss of 15% for a re-stocking fee.

Perfect

I bought this product for my Navigon 7100 and it fits perfectly. It has a magnetic closing style. It protects and doesn't add too much bulk.

Does the job for less $ than brandname

I used this for my TomTom One XLS-S and it fits perfectly. Looks nice, feels nice, and cost a lot less than the TomTom case.

Quality is fine but too big for Garmin Nuvi 760

As with other reviewers, Amazon suggested I buy this with the Garmin Nuvi 760. Although the case's construction/quaulity is fine by itself, it is definitely too big for the Nuvi. Now that I already have the case I will continue using it rather than spend money for a replacement, but if I had it to do over again I would order the case that goes with the Nuvi 660/760.

Too large for Garmin Nuvi

The Navigon 4.3" case is quite large for the Garmin Nuvi 200W. It really is too big for this GPS.

Keyword : gps

Garmin 010-00421-00 GPSMAP 60Cx High-Sensitivity Color Mapping Handheld GPS

Garmin 010-00421-00 GPSMAP 60Cx High-Sensitivity Color Mapping Handheld GPS

Terrible Product

I purchased this unit for a motorcycle trip last fall. The first time I tried to use it, it would not navigate roads for the route I downloaded. After hours on line and on the phone with Garmin, they decided the unit was faulty and requested I return my unit in exchange for another. Because it took weeks to get the new unit, I went back to my trusty paper map for my trip. I tried using it a second time this summer for another motorcycle trip, and after unlocking my new unit, going through all the required steps, etc., it would not accept downloads of maps. UNBELIEVABLE! Back to the paper map again. Now, Garmin is telling me they won't accept a return of the unit because they "...do not sell our units to the public..." and asked me to spend countless more hours sending them screen shots, exact error messages, unlock keys, serial numbers of the original and replacement unit...etc, etc. Have you ever of heard of anything more ridiculous than a manufacturer that won't accept a return of a faulty product because they don't sell to the public? I'm going to return this unit to Amazon and probably get only 50% of my money back, and go buy one from another manufacturer that hopefully actually works.

amazing reciever

This unit is an amazing GPS reciever, it will aquire sattelites even sitting indoors. This will replace my last garmin which was a very good entry level device, but would lose signal occasionally when under the canopy of trees while 4-wheeling. I would recomend this GPS handheld to anyone who hikes, offroads, hunts, geocaches, or just plain travels.

Cache on!

You can't tell this isn't a brand new unit. It even has the warranty. It keeps a lock even in deep woods. The maps are a big help but wouldn't be necessary if people would give parking co-ordinates! My only complaint about this unit is that the SP card falls out when I change batteries.

Why i bought a second receiver.

This is the second 60CX I have purchased, not because the first one was bad, but bought as a gift for my spouse and geocaching companion. With the introduction of the Garmin Colorado, this receiver has dropped significantly in price this year. The color screen is very visible in most lighting conditions. (direct sun is a issue). As with all GPS receivers, I recommend a mapping package to enhance the basemap (I use Garmin TOPO 2008). There are enough buttons on the face to make operation of the receiver easy to use. if there is one deficiency, it is Garmin's documentation is very minimal and some functions I had to learn by trial and error. However, there are several non-garmin websites that provide good tutorials on the features of this receiver. The geocaching feature allow you to load 1000 geocaches. However, all show up with a treasure chest icon. If you want to see actual geocaching container types, there is a add-in to load these as waypoints. This add-in also get you around the 1000 cache limit. Overall, if you are looking for a color receiver with great features for geocaching, this is the unit.

review

My husband bought this to take with him to afghanistan. However, the downloadable map for afghanistan is only available from one website...and the website is a piece of s**t.

Keyword : garmin

Garmin Rino 530HCX High-Sensitivity Color Mapping Handheld GPS and 14-Mile FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio

Garmin Rino 530HCX High-Sensitivity Color Mapping Handheld GPS and 14-Mile FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio

Worth about $200

I have had this unit for a few months. I should have returned it. First the positive: It is durable, I have dropped it once, and it has flown off my bike twice and still works. The trip manager is very nice. You can choose many different types of information to view and the "big numbers" feature is great for cycling. Now the negs. I have found the "track back" feature worthless. If you are counting on this to lead you back to camp after getting lost, forget it. If you use the belt clip, you will likely lose the satellite connection, and you won't get it back unless you reboot (I had to figure this out on my own). Therefore, while hiking, you must carry the unit in your hand or attach it to the top of your backpack (very inconvenient). I agree with the review that states the manual should explain more on how the features could be used. Very poor documentation. The very expensive topo map does not have good trail information at all. It tells you the elevation of the surrounding mountains and shows major waterways but for the money it cost, it should have all established hiking/biking trails. The optional bike adapter is cheaply made and broke under the weight of this unit. I should have just purchased a cycling GPS instead.

Great Upgrade to the base 530 version!

I wish I had waited 6 months last time when I bought the base Rino 530 - that was not expandable. For $20 I was able to get a 2 GB memory card that goes into this one and can hold every map I could ever need. Now with 2 units I can keep track and keep in touch with other members of our party when we are out enjoying nature!

Excellent Handheld GPS

I have had this GPS now for about 2 months. Primarily purchased it for use with backpacking although I have now been geocaching with it as well. The screen is easy to see and controls are fairly straightforward. The added radio works well (although to use GMRS, you need a FCC license) and picks up NOAA weather easily. You can create your own topo maps for this GPS, not the easiest to do, but gives you the most freedom. I have loaded a few topos I've made myself into the GPS. Connection to a computer is simple. Battery works well, lasts ~14hours before giving out. I have used the optional alkaline (NiMH) pack and gotten about 10 hours with it. Note that this does not include transmitting on the radio. The really neat option is being able to transmit your position and reading in other RINO positions which I have done. One drawback is indeed the documentation. You will learn to use it the most just by using it and using the guide as a starting point. Overall, good GPS with lots of options.

One of the best handheld GPS in the market

I have spent a lot of time researching handheld GPSs and I think that the Rino 530 is by far one of the best in the market. It is very durable and accurate. I had enter a benchmark as a waypoint and I was standing on the benchmark and it said I was within 2 feet of the way point. For a handheld GPS this is scary accurate. With all its features, and its accuracy it is the most bang for your buck. The thing that was the most impressive is the battery life. I kept it on for almost 30 hours and it only used up about 40% of its battery, and it was not a idle on, but using the GPS and radio constantly. Too many features to elabrorate on each one of them. But for serious hikers and Geocachers this is a great tool.

battery life info

Just received this unit -- arrived quickly from Amazon, as usual. Display is bright, controls simple to use, sensitivity of gps receiver is excellent (I can get reception in my basement, although I have lost signal inside my local, small-town, one-room grocery store). I have an older Garmin which is working fine, but I purchased this one for the added benefit of the radio capability, in case of emergency in wilderness while treking with my 9 and 12 year old daughters. With a fully charged, brand new rechargable battery as supplied with the unit, I got 40 hours of continuous use. I turned off the radio during all but 1 hour of this time but had the WAAS enabled. During this time, I took it with me while I ran errands, took 2 short day hikes, and went to work, but did not carry it on my person around the home. With 4 brand new, high quality brand name AA batteries (using the separately purchased alkaline battery pack), I got 19 hours of continuous use under similar conditions. After reading Hinch's book on GPS use, I did turn off the WAAS after about 8 hours into this trial. I did not have the radio on at all during the alkaline battery trial, although I did "fiddle" with the pages and settings more often than the rechargable trial (was reading the Hinch book simultaneous with the alkaline trial, so I tried a couple of the tasks in the book during this time). The base map supplied with the unit provides minimal street information and (as with any map from any source) some inaccuracies. Lists our grade school parking lot as "Black Partridge Park" -- which is actually a very large prairie/forest preserve located just outside of our little town. Be aware: you cannot load any map onto this unit except those specifically provided/sold by Garmin. To my knowledge, this is true for all gps units; the units with mapping features will only accept those from the manufacturer of the receiver. You can, however, download waypoints generated from other mapping software programs. Have not tested the radio capability in the wild, but I see others have reported 5 mile range under typical wilderness conditions. The discrepancy between this irl range and the 14 miles listed on specs (which is always the maximum obtainable under totally optimal conditions) is entirely par for 2 way radio range estimates. If you plan to use the GMRS radio frequencies, you will need an FCC license. No training or test required; just an $85 fee. Easy to obtain online. BTW: highly recommend Stephen Hinch book, Outdoor Navigation With GPS. I've been a basic-feature gps user for several years, but wanted a better understanding of the more advanced features and the jargon.

Keyword : garmin

Garmin 010-00331-00 GPS Map 276C GPS Navigator and Chartplotter

Garmin 010-00331-00 GPS Map 276C GPS Navigator and Chartplotter

unhappy

Be careful when you see the name Optics Planet in the description. Item listed as Trijicon TA31RCM150 Trijicon ACOG Rifle Combat Optic Rifle Scope 4X 32 Red Chevron Matte BAC-M150 List Price: $1,450.00 Price: $34.99 You Save: $1,415.01 (98%) I have seen deals on these scopes before (I also purchased them) and Optics Planet is not honoring the order, saying it is a case, not the scope and telling me that it is my problem and they will send me an "RMA" if I would like. Just be leary if you see a good deal from this company as it is probally not true. I personally don't feel that falsely advertising a sale is the customers problem. Other companies honor misadvertised prices on their products that were purchased prior to the correction. But you will not find that here. Here is a kicker they have modified the ad and now they want me to leave a review on it with the new price.

Garmin 276C

Another excellent product from Garmin. I only use it on the water so I cannot speak to its automotive prowess but I am a very satisfied customer. Great accuracy (to 10 feet without WAAS) in Bermuda and charts are good. Thanks Garmin.

Very best hand held nautical use product!

I've been using my 276C since they came out. I race and cruise sailboats from my home port in Southern California but have used also it many times in Mexico, the East Coast, the UK and The Netherlands. It is a remarkably functional and reliable unit. I've also used it occasionally for land based travel and though this is not my primary interest, I have been quite satisfied. I have a chip so I can navigate the ports of Baja and Southern Mexico and it works seamlessly and A-OK. I still have paper charts on board but rarely use them other than to see the big picture. (To be fair, I should add that I also have a bigger, fancier RayMarine chartplotter/radar display unit at the helm, but I prefer my 276C for all uses except autohelm.) Without question it is the best product out there for how I use it. Oh, about 3 years ago I lost the unit overboard in Catalina in about 20' of water. I could see it down there but it took me several dives to collect it. Naturally it was non functional but I sent it in to Garmin and they sent me a new one for the $250 "repair" fee (including shipping). Took about a week.

Garmin 276C GPS Navigator

This is a superb product! I previously owned a Garmin CarPilot; the operational procedures of the 276C are similar and very convenient and easily understood. The voice feature of the 276C can be turned down (or off), however I found it to be preferable, especially for city driving as one does not have to look at the display at all. "Just follow the Lady's directions!" I bought an additional 256 mb memory card which allows detailed maps for about three Northwest States. I would recommend, instead, a 512 mb memory card (not available when I bought mine) so that more detailed data could be stored.

Garmin 276C Great, but not for everybody

The Garmin GPSMAP 276C is a powerful GPS, with many features. It can do topo, sonar, car navigation, bluechart marine. It works well, although it is not as user friendly as some units. Be prepared to read the manual several times to be fully comfortable using this gps. The other gripe I have is the map that come loaded on the unit is Americas AutoRoute and is pretty worthless, as it has very little detail. Also I think the Garmin folks do consumers an injustice by making the purchaser buy all the software(expensive) needed to make this unit work as intented. Also, the proprietary data card(doesn't fit anything but Garmin) is expensive. If you want speech you have to buy a seperate speaker that is built into the car charger cord. I really like this unit and to get what I wanted, ie, topo capability, car navigation and a large screen this is what I had to get. The screen is very clear and can be read in the bright sunlight. Other large sceen car navi units are limited as to what they can do. The Magellan 2500T is close and comes with topo maps, but they lack detail and are almost useless. I am pleased with my purchase but buying the unit was only the start.

Keyword : garmin

Garmin Zumo 450 Portable GPS Motorcycle Navigator

Garmin Zumo 450 Portable GPS Motorcycle Navigator

Garmin Zumo 450 - shipped not as advertised

Caution..., Product price is good and advertised as new, but I received a previously used Zumo missing a part. When I contacted Customer Service however, they were very cooperative and immediately shipped what appears to be a new, not previously used Zumo. Very suprised with Amazon. Thought it would be better experience as this was my first order with them. Bottomline: I should not have had to go through that hassle.

Great performance and ease of use.

I had a Garmin Pilot 3 gps which was ok with limited capabilities. Then a Garmin 5, more features but very disappointing, lots of errors, almost turned me off Garmin. Decided to buy the Garmin Zumo 450 and coupled it with motorcycle speakers from Uniqcycle. This system is great for sound, road directions, accuracy and quick recalculations. The built in MP3 player categorizes your music for ease of use. This GPS is easy to use and very visible while riding. The gps unit is waterproof as are the speakers. Here's a plug for the speakers, no distortion at high sound levels. I'm glad I decided to stick with the Garmin unit made especially for motorcycles. Special note: if you wire the speaker amp and the garmin unit to your motorcycle, chances are you will need a "ground loop isolator" device to eliminate the hum in the speakers that connecting the two to the same power source creates. It's $20 but does the job.

Great buy

I had the misfortune to try another online store for this purchase when they called to confirm I had to ask if it was in english it was in Japaneese only! I went to amazon because of the reputation and was surprised at the price and how quickly the order arrived. The Zumo is a wonderfull product and lives up to and exceeds evey statement made about it. I am planning a trip to Alaska and this is a crutial tool to get me there. buy with confidence with Amazon.

unhappy

Be careful when you see the name Optics Planet in the description. Item listed as Trijicon TA31RCM150 Trijicon ACOG Rifle Combat Optic Rifle Scope 4X 32 Red Chevron Matte BAC-M150 List Price: $1,450.00 Price: $34.99 You Save: $1,415.01 (98%) I have seen deals on these scopes before (I also purchased them) and Optics Planet is not honoring the order, saying it is a case, not the scope and telling me that it is my problem and they will send me an "RMA" if I would like. Just be leary if you see a good deal from this company as it is probally not true. I personally don't feel that falsely advertising a sale is the customers problem. Other companies honor misadvertised prices on their products that were purchased prior to the correction. But you will not find that here.

Great product.........but

The 450 is a great product with wonderful features too many to mention here. I have used it on a 800 mile motorcycle trip and it performed admirably. It's user friendly as long as a new user is not technically challenged. The visibility in bright sun light is surprisingly good. I could go on and on about the Zumo and I recommend it highly. Is it perfect? Probably not. Nothing is. It does come close, IMHO. You noticed that I rated it 4 stars. That's where the 'but' comes in.......If I had to do it over again, I would skip the 450 and go directly to the 550 and pay the additional money. Here's why.....for the kind of money spent, I decided to also use it in the car. To be able to do that, I had to purchase a car mount and power cord. By the time I added the costs for those items, I could nearly have paid the price difference between the 450 and 550. The 550 comes with the car mount and has some additional features such as Text To Voice (it will announce a turn by saying 'turn left on Main Street' instead of just saying 'turn left') and Blue Tooth capable. Bottom line is this, if you don't care about the additional features (which I didn't think I did) and you don't think you'll be using it in your car, get the 450. If you intend to use it in a car as well as your motorcycle, pay the difference and get the 550. In any event, I don't think you'll be disappointed with either unit. I absolutely love my Zumo.

Keyword : gps

Dash Express Two-Way Internet-Connected Portable GPS Navigator

Dash Express Two-Way Internet-Connected Portable GPS Navigator

it broke

I really really liked it till it broke. hopefully i can get my money back

Better than all the rest!

I bought my Dash in early June and LOVE it! I just made my first long trip with it, and it has guided me every step along the way. From searching for nearby organic markets, gyms, starbucks... you name it. The internet connectivity is one of the best features of this device. Also, the online community is great. There are a plethora of 3rd party apps listed that you can send to your device. Also, the forums are a huge help for the learning about the coolest 3rd party apps. This gps is a must have for any tech enthusiast.

Good Value (not perfect but getting there)

I've used GPS before now so I am somewhat familiar with most of the pros and cons regarding these devices. This is a new device by a new manufacturer and it includes a number of ground breaking innovations not found in any other device of its type. Frankly, I expected some flaws. So, I bought this with a little trepidation. The reviews on this device ranged from stellar to the basement. The current reality is probably somewhere between and the potential to be an outstanding device is high. A large part of my purchase decision was based on potential alone. Map Accuracy Maps for GPS devices are largely provided by one of two vendors: NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas. Neither one is particularly better than the other (except perhaps on a regional basis) and both suffer from the same general problem, keeping the maps and routing data up-to-date. Because both are updated independently, one will have changes that the other will not and it will always be that way as long as they remain separate companies. In addition to the physical maps, these companies are also responsible for GPS accuracy (relative to the map), and various routing parameters like speed limits and traffic controls. This means that you cannot blame the GPS manufacturers for every single map or routing issue. The Dash Express maps only cover the contiguous United States, Hawaii and Alaska. Radio Access GPS is available all the time from the U.S. Government GPS satellites and does not require a subscription. GPRS is a data transfer method that occurs over the cell phone system using nationwide cell access contracted by Dash. This is part of your subscription service and is provided at no extra cost. Wi-Fi is available from ANY IN RANGE, AVAILABLE OPEN access system. Think Starbucks and a number of other eateries, etc. Wi-Fi is a wireless internet access method that is popular among home users. Dash does not (cannot) provide this with your subscription as there is no regional or national access for Wi-Fi. Updates Dash has said that (as long as you are a subscribing user) historical traffic updates should occur 10 - 12 times per year, map updates at least twice yearly, and software updates every four months. I've had my unit for 5 weeks and have seen one traffic update and one software update. (This software update occurred on June 30, 2008 so be aware of this when reading reviews prior to that date as the update included a number of fixes and new features.) Traffic updates take place over GPRS. Maps can be updated over either GPRS or Wi-Fi depending on the size of the update. Software is updated over the Wi-Fi connection due to the bulk of the update and speed difference between the two types of connections. The unit can also be connected to a computer by a USB cable so there is the ability to update the unit by direct connection. Routing Entering the name of a street for routing is simple. Dash Express will normally display a list of available streets based on the first three letters of the street name. Then just choose the appropriate street from the list. Dash will then try to provide up to three routing options to your destination. If you have already driven a route to the destination, a fourth option is included based on your last route driven. This means that if you drive a different route than one offered, that route will display the next time you route to the same destination as long as you start close to the same starting point. Routing is one of the most important functions of a GPS. One of the things Dash can do is to include traffic information in its calculations to find the fastest route. Some GPS's are better at routing than others. At this time, Dash is neither the best or the worst. They know this. The last update improved this function somewhat. I am confident that future updates will continue to refine and improve this function. Something that you can discern at a glance from a map can be very complex for a computer to resolve because it has to work with a set of specific rules that must be followed. To make the routing better, problems must be identified and the rules changed accordingly without creating more problems. Traffic Data One thing that Dash excels at is the presentation of historical and live traffic data in both directions along a highway. The data comes from several sources including Inrix and LIVE traffic data reported automatically by other Dash drivers. The Inrix system includes traffic sensors in many urban areas that also report live traffic data. In addition to live traffic the unit will also display historical traffic information and the difference in the display of the two is a solid line vs. a dotted line. The live traffic data from other Dash users is uploaded to the Dash servers over GPRS then downloaded into individual Dash Express GPS units. Included in the the display of current traffic data is the reported traffic from other Dash users. (You cannot tell the difference between live sensor data and live Dash user data.) Green, Yellow, Orange and Red are used to indicate degrees of congestion. I have found both the historical and live information to be reasonably accurate. It will never be perfect since unforeseen events do occur that affect traffic and these things cannot predict the future. Plus, sensory data is sometimes in error due to defective sensors. But on balance the information is timely and accurate. As noted before the subscription service is required for the feature. Note: Traffic is not reported for every road. Subdivisions are not included since there is generally no through traffic. Generally, interstates, major US and State highways and connecting roads are included. Other roads can be added as the need presents itself. Search The Dash Express contains a large number of points of interest with location data that can be searched, off-air. In addition, with the subscription service, you have access to real time, relevant, GPRS search capability via Yahoo. It is a simple interface with a number of frequently used searches pre-programmed into the device. Relavant, searchable information includes movie times and locations, gas prices and locations and most anything else you can think up. You can also download custom searches from the MyDash.net web site or save your favorite search right from the Dash Express. The searches typically return, the name, address, phone number and star rating (where available) for each search result. Each returned item is then routable. Ever been in the car with the family or friends and decide you want to to see a movie or want to go to that new restaurant you heard about but don't know exactly where its located. Save the 411 cell phone call and look it up on the Dash Express then select a route to the location. You would not believe how easy this is or how often you will find yourself using it. The search can not only be applied locally, but to another city, your destination or along your route. Search Applications The Dash has the ability to accept new search applications by third party vendors. To date these are free and available on the MyDash.net website. This includes such things as WeatherBug for current weather and weather alerts, a list of radio stations, etc. Send2Car Ok, what's this. You can use the MyDash.net website to send an address from the Dash website to your GPS over the GPRS or Wi-Fi connection, EASY. At home, or office and got an address you need to go to. Just use your computer and send it via the internet. You don't need to connect the GPS up to your computer. Dash Express will pick it up in seconds after you turn it on in the car. Then just select the new address from the menu and route to the address. User Interface The system of controls and menus is very simple. There are only four external controls, Menu, Volume, On/Off, and Reset. These controls are well placed and sized for easy access. Everything else is done using the display as a touch screen. Display The display is a wide screen format that has become popular with other GPS manufacturers. Initially the information on the screen appears a little drab. But this actually plays in the device's favor since important information like traffic is displayed in color. Too much color on this display for ordinary things would potentially detract from other things of importance. The display can also be configured to automatically adjust its brightness based on current conditions and switch to night mode without user intervention. The Dash Express will display both a 2D and 3D image of the map with routing and traffic data based on the user's selections. Audio The Dash Express does not have speech recognition. A car is a noisy place and speech recognition is not quite ready for this application. It does have audible directions for navigation and alerts. This works quite well even with the occasional mispronounced street name. Some regions of the country may have more trouble with this than others due to the use of more extensive use of ethnic or uncommon names. Unit Size There has been some comments about the unit's size and weight. It is bulky compared to more recent competitive products, but keep in mind that this GPS contains not one, not two, but three radios: GPS, GPRS (Cell), Wi-Fi. In addition it contains a battery powerful enough to run the unit for two hours (disconnected from any external power source). Mount Dash has excelled by providing a hefty mount manufactured by PanaVise. PanaVise has been around for years and is known for providing durable, quality products and this mount is no exception. The mount can be utilized on the windshield or dash and comes with an extension and mounting plate for the dashboard. Subscription Service (not required) Maintaining the subscription service does add the the recurring cost of the device on a monthly or yearly basis. But, consider what you get for the money. Software/Map updates for other GPS devices often occur only once a year if that often and that could cost $70 or more; then you have to order it and install the update yourself. Traffic radio subscriptions can run $40 annually or more. With the subscription you get: 2 map updates per year, 3 software updates per year, 10 - 12 traffic updates per year, continuous access to the Dash traffic and internet servers via GPRS, live as well as historical traffic data, internet search in real time, capability to send addresses directly to your GPS from any internet connected computer and more...for about the same price or less in some cases. It Does Not Have... Dash wanted to produce a device focused on providing navigational information. It does not contain either Bluetooth or an MP3 player as these tend to detract from the device's mission. Maps of Canada, Mexico and Europe are not provided at this time. Summary In the end I am pleased with my decision to purchase this device. Yes it has some room for improvement, but the recent updates show that Dash is committed to the necessary software improvements plus adding new features that will ultimately enhance the value of the device and remain competitive with if not ahead of other GPS devices. It is a good GPS now and will only get better, in short order. Another software update is due in just 4 months. No need to wait a year or longer for a competitor's product.

Super Bang & Great Value

I currently own this unit along with the Garmin Nuvi 680. The Garmin design wise is a nicer unit, however. this unit with the latest updates is far superior. I live in New York City and the Garmin does a nice conservative job in getting you where you want to go, but I sometimes get annoyed in its choice of routes. Garmin has a love affair with the Jackie Robinson/Interboro Expressway. I live in Flushing in the county of Queens and if I'm traveling to Brooklyn it insists on using the Interboro even if there are better routes and it is not rush hour. Plus late at night the route to hook up with the Interboro takes you by some very unsavory areas in Brooklyn I just received the Dash today and it updated quickly and the route it picked was far better. Voice wise it is on par with the Garmin. The Dash picks up the satellite signal much quicker then the Garmin, and even from inside my house(the Garmin has never been able to do that). The Garmin map looks nicer. In Day or Night viewing I give an edge to the Dash. Traffic updates and searches using Yahoo the Dash does a much nicer job and quicker. It also recalculates quicker then Garmin. With the new lower price it offers a super value and tremendous features. In summation Dash is a responsive company who is striving to perfect their product as soon as possible, and listen's to the techgeek public for help. Yes the updates, searches, and traffic alerts cost money, but they are easy to receive in major metropolitan areas and they are user friendly. I can not say the same for MSN or Garmin. Garmin frustrates people with downloading the annual map update which they charge for, and it can be problematic even with the DVD update. On top of that in reading posts of other Garmin users they have stated that in their opinion it is a waste for users of Garmin in the Northeast to buy the update which costs about $69 dollars, because they really didn't update anything. If you add the cost of the annual Garmin map update plus MSN the monthly costs for using Dash or Garmins plans are very close. The Dash is a great new product which deserves our support because it is a great device to have in the car to simplify your driving needs, and the company is very responsive to the input and advice it is receiving from the users unlike Garmin who seems to be tuning them out lately.

Some fun features

We have a few GPS units so we're not new to this technology. I ordered this unit because of the unique 'connected' feature. We took it on vacation last month and it came in very handy. The product still has some maturing to do, but as long as the Dash company continues to be responsive to owner requests and suggestions, and doesn't go down the dangerous road that Verizon has in that they find out what features people really like and charge extra for them... they should do well.

Keyword : gps

GolfLogix GPS by GARMIN (2007 Model)

GolfLogix GPS by GARMIN (2007 Model)

Disappointed

When I first bought this product, it worked very well. Then I went to the site for updates and that is when things went down hill. I spend 18 holes on a regular basis searching for a damn sattelite. They sent me a new gps, I installed it and loaded the courses, still searching for a sattelite. One of the tech's had the nerve to suggest I cut it on and leave it outside all night! You gotta be kiddin' me. When it's working it is cool, but when it's bad, it's worse. I truly wish I could get my money back, because this is disappointing. I live in Jersey City, NJ and you suggest I leave it outside all night? ROFL, it aint even funny!

disappointing purchase

Unfortunately, the golflogix I purchased was inoperable and I had to have the Garmin company send a new one and return the other one. We were not able to use the golflogix for a father's day golf tournament.

Incredibly Accurate

I've used the GolfLogix now for 4 rounds at 4 different courses. I'm finding that it is quite accurate in the yardage but even more importantly, it shows how far I have to hit it to get over the water, bunker, hazard, etc. Switching to one more/less club can make a huge difference in your score on one hole. I recommend the extra few dollars for a year's access to download courses to the device.

Restock Special

This item was clearly a restocked item. The packaging was not factory packaging and the cables had been hastily rewound and not tied. Batteries were loose inside a zip-lock bag. Never got to use the item. I was never able to get the included software to recognize the unit. That is probably why it was sent back the first time.

Great Value

I've had the Golflogix for about a month now. I play mostly public courses that do not have on cart GPS systems. As such the Golflogix GPS has been invaluable for both myself and my playing partner. I find it accurate, easy to use and easy to load. My only complaint is that it eats batteries. Expect to get maybe 3 or 4 rounds of golf from a fresh set of Duracells. I carry an extra pair in my golf bag. Buy it you'll love it.

Keyword : garmin

Garmin nüvi 5000 5.2-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin nüvi 5000 5.2-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Good Unit with One Major Flaw

First, I would like to say that I really like my Garmin nuvi 5000. It is the first GPS unit I have ever owned. It is very easy to use and the large screen is very visible in all light levels. However, there are three areas where I feel the unit falls short. First, it needs a rechargeable internal battery that would allow it to be used disconnected from the automobile, even if only for a short period of time. The battery life would be extendable by having a way to switch off the screen and allowing the unit continue to operate. Second, the unit needs a better manual that goes more detail about the working of the unit. For example, it tells you how to add favorites locations to your unit's memory, but it does not tell you how many locations you can have, nor does it tell you if an SD card will add space for more. The third and biggest problem with this unit is the lack of a good internal antenna. My experience has shown that the unit is not very good at acquiring satellites as it is designed. I have experienced the following problems using the unit mounted on the beanbag holder (Garmin's Portable Friction Dashboard Mount) on my car's dashboard: When parked in my driveway with a clear overhead view, it can take more then 2-3 minutes to acquire a good signal lock; Pulling out of my garage and driving down suburban roads at less then 40 miles per hour, it has taken more than 10 minutes to get a good lock on the satellites; Once when driving down an Interstate highway with a wide open sky view, the unit lost signal and took several minutes to re-acquire the satellites; and at other times it has showed it poor design of the internal antenna. To try to solve this problem, I purchased the external Garmin antenna. This antenna is designed with a magnet to attache to the car roof and plug into the back of the unit. This works very well and solves the problem of satellite acquisition, but makes for a messy dash. However, I found that if the antenna is just placed horizontally on the dash behind the unit it works just as well. This brought me to conclude that the unit should be designed with an attached flip up antenna, as come commercial unites have, to improve satellite acquisition. I gave it four stars, because with the added antenna, the unit works great and I would not want to give it up.

Update is impossible

I just got this device and have been attempting to update the software, you can not register until it is updated. The update fails over and over yet says it is complete until you try to register again. It works with the old software but you can not register it or update anything else until it is updated. I give it two stars simply because it works but it only meets a one star standard.

excellent product, but Mac computer interface needs refinement

This being my first gps unit I cannot compare it to previous devices, but I can say that I love this unit and have been very pleased with the navigation and features. I have one big issue and one small issue to mention though: BIG ISSUE: Although I'm told I can use my Macintosh computer to update the unit I am finding that software updates don't work and the computer has trouble properly reading the contents of the memory. Using the Web Update software I see that the unit's software is one or two versions behind and I can update to a newer version, but I can't get this update process to complete. Sometimes it stalls, telling me the unit is full and cannot accept an update, other times it appears to complete, but rebooting the device shows the same old software running. This old version works fine, I don't particularly need to have the latest update, I was just trying to be up to the minute. The unit is navigating very well for the most part and I'm satisfied, (but still wanting perfection) One particular oddity: when I load music files into the unit they show up normal in my Mac's Finder window, but on the Nuvi screen in the car I see two copies of every song. One copy looks normal and plays, the other copy has the underscore ( _ ) character appended to the beginning of the file name and that copy does not play. The unit appears to be in play mode, but no sound comes out and the play progress bar is inactive. I have to skip these "null" copies in order to resume playing music. If I have hundreds of songs loaded in I have to scroll past one or two hundred "null" copies in order to get to the ones that will play! I'm currently working with product support to figure out how to get my Mac and the Nuvi to communicate but we haven't found the magic yet. The Macintosh interface needs some work! Small issue: the voice prompt is often late with useful information, for example: approaching a freeway on-ramp that has separate lanes for east and west, the voice doesn't use the word west or east until it's too late to change my lane. Looking at the text on the screen I can get that information sooner, but if my eyes are busy watching traffic I can miss the exit because the voice failed to say west soon enough.

First Impression of Garmin 5000

Todate we have not taken a long trip. On a short trip going to the destination the route instructions worked fine, but the return route home was different than that taken to the destination. This maybe due to the original routing of the "fastest" versus the " shortest" route. In the near future we will take a much longer trip and this will give a better chance to test the overall operation of the 5000. We agree that the larger screen is easier to read and follow and the back lighting works great in bright sunlight.

Garmin has lost a customer

I have used a Garmin GPS 60c for years and decided it was time to get something easier to see and work with. This sounded ideal as I drive a Freightliner Truck towing my Travel Trailer. But the truck noise made using the FM connection mandatory. (There goes my books on tape). But the worst is the poor navigation. It could not find my mothers address (it did, but it showed her address as the middle of the Atlantic Ocean between Africa and South America and my Mom lives on Cape Cod) and other common places (such as Goodyear Tire Centers, Flying J's, Rest Areas other than ones on major interstates and Camping World) I called Garmin. I just bought this and they wanted me to BUY more maps. Navteq supplies their maps and the maps for MS Streets and Trips (which almost always finds addresses), so it is a Garmin problem. I just bought the Dash Express for about half the price. Lifetime free automatic updates, LIVE traffic and routing, LIVE internet search and user made favorites as well as many awesome features. I'll review it after I actually use it. Sorry, Garmin, get modern and more customer friendly....the world of technology is quickly out-distancing you!

Keyword : nuvi

Garmin nuvi 205W 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin nuvi 205W 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Touchscreen Rocks

Pros: The touchscreen is so cool for viewing Topo maps, its all display...no wasted trim, super fast screen draws, tracklog. 700MB of spare "HDD" space for photos or whatever. Lighter than an eTrex. Photo viewer with zoom and pan. Attach photos to favorites. Organize favorites in folders. Cons: Reading display in sunlight requires massive backlight. Huge buttons that waste display space. Odometer is 15-20% low at walking speeds. Comments: I bought this primarily to view the 24K Topos from Above the Timber. My road warrior needs are limited at best. Since Amazon had yet to stock the 205W, I got it from CC for 2-C-notes. I have a color eTrex and with no backlight its easy to read Topos in full sun. I set the Nuvi display to 0%, it was so dark I couldn't even make out what buttons to press to go back to 10%, had to guess. Never set the backlight below 10% or you'll be sorry. I posted 2 screenshots with hover comments. Hold down the battery icon for 10-seconds to see the diagnostics.

Good value, great product!

I bought the Garmin nuvi 205w after experience and return of two Magellan products for about two weeks, the two Magellans, Maestro 3225 and Roadmate 1412 were buggy and felt cheap compare to Garmin. The Garmin nuvi 205w is just great, responsive, clear maps, extremely quick satellite reception from a cold start, you don't even have to be outside, just standing next to a window will do the trick. Built quality is superb, it feels like a little brick, the PC software to load IPO's is great; you can also look for an address on Google maps and click "send" to load the location to the Garmin. Accuracy in busy NYC streets is amazing, it will recalculate after half a block when you miss a turn, also, on the Henry Hudson Pkwy it will detect if I'm on the main road or the service road, and they are really close to each other. So far I'm very satisfy, easy to use, responsive and does not have anything that I don't need !

Best GPS for the Money

I just received one of these yesterday. It is everything the description says and more. I can't believe the enhancements over more expensive, current Garmins. Do not hesitate. BUY It!

Keyword : nuvi

Carrying Case with Strap for Select GARMIN NUVI Portable GPS Navigator models ** Not compatible with W models **

Carrying Case with Strap for Select GARMIN NUVI Portable GPS Navigator models ** Not compatible with W models **

Carrying Case for GARMIN NUVI

I bought a GPS carrying case. The product exceeded my expectations and the quality was exceptional. Sometimes you never know what you're going to get until you receive it. This was awesome. I was also impressed with the time it took to deliver. They care about their customers and it's evident. I highly recommend Accessory Genie. Thanks again, Anita

Nice Case

I use this over the original case, just because its more rugged and zips up. The 350 fits perfect inside it. Had no problems at all with it.

Good case, but shipping added expense

The case protects the Garmin well, but it is only for the unit....you'll have to put your charger cord (car or AC) somewhere else. This item comes from a 3rd party reseller, and could not be combined with the other items in my order, so I had to pay shipping on this relatively low cost item, making it less attractive. You may be able to get a camera case locally that works as well for less money.

AWESOME

I bought this carrying case for my son. The one that came with the Garmin did not close (no zipper). In removing the GPS from his car, he liked the fact this case zips up. Perfect size. GREAT!

Good case

I can fit my Garmin 200 with a Rhino Tuff casing on it inside this case. Very durable product.

Keyword : nuvi

Garmin Forerunner 201 Wrist-Mounted GPS Fitness Computer

Garmin Forerunner 201 Wrist-Mounted GPS Fitness Computer

Good... when it works.

When it works, it's terrific. Problem is that it's inconsistent in picking up GPS satellite. I start my runs from the same location every time and the 201 varies in its pickup of signal even though it's the same time, same location, same weather. Some days it works without a hitch -- and on other days, it will not pick up a signal even though it had no problem the day before. It will drop the GPS in the middle of a run in inconsistent places (again, I generally run the same route), and when it finally picks it up again it can misjudge the mileage by up to a half-mile. I know it's not top-of-the-line, but I would expect a company with Garmin's reputation to provide a better product. I'm hoping the 205 does a better job.

Can't connect to the computer

I have started using the 201 to track both my bike riding and walking. However, I can't get it to be recognized by the computer to use the tracking software. Garmin so far has not been able to help, another phone call to customer service is in the future. I really am satisfied with products that operate as they are advertised - I do not like to drag satisfaction out of a company.

Runners best friend - Forerunner 201

This is the second Forerunner 201 I have purchased and have been delighted with them both. As a keen but amateur runner the precision measuring of the distance of my running routes off road and in inaccessible places is superb. I use it in the British Virgin Islands in the hills and island pathways and the GPS never fails me. It's a terrific running partner and motivation tool. My only annoyance is it not having a USB link to my computer. The serial port connection cable is not user friendly to many new laptops and so I cannot use it to it's fullest extent. I think it's great value for money.

Great little unit

This is a great unit for tracking all outdoor activites. The ability to overlay your track onto a map is really handy when reviewing trails ventured off road.

Garmin Forerunner 201

Great product for runners or anyone else that want to know how far they have run or walked. Gives instant feedback to you on how well your doing. To those who want to get faster, get one. Totally worth the price. Also a great training partner.

Keyword : garmin

Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Pink)

Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Pink)

Grrrrreat product!

Garman came exactly how I ordered it. It is a wonderful gadget, I wonder how I've lived so long without one!

Great product

The product works just as advertised. The size is great in that it can fit in a pocket. But you should have the accessory case, that I did buy. One complaint is that in order to register the product you have to do it online and through the device itself. That menas you need a "mini-usb" cable that is an accessory. I ordered it through Amazon with no problem. But it should come with the product. It cost about $10.00 from Amazon. I still have been unable to connect to Garmin with the cable and contacting support has been impossible..

Great Investment

We purchased this for my husband for work. He goes on road calls throught the area and needs the quickest route. I did take it on vacation and it only missed on one turn. It is just the right size to tuck in my glovebox. I would recommend the Garmin Nuvi 250 to anyone.

unhappy

Be careful when you see the name Optics Planet in the description. Item listed as Trijicon TA31RCM150 Trijicon ACOG Rifle Combat Optic Rifle Scope 4X 32 Red Chevron Matte BAC-M150 List Price: $1,450.00 Price: $34.99 You Save: $1,415.01 (98%) I have seen deals on these scopes before (I also purchased them) and Optics Planet is not honoring the order, saying it is a case, not the scope and telling me that it is my problem and they will send me an "RMA" if I would like. Just be leary if you see a good deal from this company as it is probally not true. I personally don't feel that falsely advertising a sale is the customers problem. Other companies honor misadvertised prices on their products that were purchased prior to the correction. But you will not find that here. Here is a kicker they have modified the ad and now they want me to leave a review on it with the new price.

The Garmin nuvi 250 Is Fun!

Being new to the GPS world, I was unsure which brand and model to buy. I am happy with my choice, as it is fun and easy to use. The graphics are wonderful, the ease of inputting information is great, and the versatility suits my needs just fine.

Keyword : nuvi

Magellan Maestro 4040 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

Magellan Maestro 4040 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

GPS

This product so far as been reasonably acceptable. One small piece broke off of the docking station within the first week of use, but other than that it is working well.

Good when it actually works

I bought this GPS for the bluetooth and street names. If I had it to do over I would buy another brand. It would be nice to be able to change the voice but that's petty. I have bigger reasons for being unhappy with it: - a major local highway extension built almost 2 years ago not on the map. - the unit started having issues with the power adapter, the connection is loose and if the contact isn't perfect I get the message that it is switching to battery power. This blue screen pops up constantly and has gotten so annoying I can no longer use it. - Customer Service is horrible. I contacted them about my problem and got a vague scripted reply telling me to reset the unit. I replied that it didn't help and didn't hear back. A subsequent email still got no response. At this point I'm inclined to toss it in the trash but it would be an expensive loss. I will never buy another Magellan. Buy a Garmin or Tom Tom.

Get you there inefficiently...

We chose this because it's a lot like the one we purchased via Costco but they no longer sell it. The difference with this one is that when we updated the card, it takes us on crazy routes. Round about ways that takes more time rather then "fastest time". Maybe we just need to do another update but I don't have that problem with my other from Costco. But if you don't know where you're going, it'll get you there. Just can't say it will be the most efficient route.

Magellan

Have used the GPS for one trip of around 1,000 miles. In most cases iT was OK. Did get lost in Flagstaff due to road construction and also on one road or street in Las Vegas near the strip. One problem, I have, I probably have an update but it would appear that updates are only available on Windows machines and I have all Apple computers.

Fantastic

This is my second Magellan Maestro. I can't say anything bad about this product. It works extremely well. You will not be disappointed with this.

Keyword : nuvi

Garmin Nuvi 255W 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin Nuvi 255W 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

awesome GPS!!-little pricy

So now is my turn to share my thoughts with you guys. I upgraded from a Garmin C320 so this is a huge leap for me, I did some intensive research before purchasing this unit, [...] are two great websites... First I want to address the "potential problem" on 255w which is the robotic sound, I personally think it is absolutely understandable, the female sound is a little vauge at some point, however the man's (Jack) voice is very clear to me, so this is not a problem for me. And it is very fast locating satellites, the new interface needs some time to get used to, it is very cool now you can drag the map with your fingers! Definitely better POIs, it has 1000 POI which is the highest among all models, use this to find AMC cinemas, state parks and restaruants is absolustely a blast! (my previous C320 sucks...) It also has multiple language support (however only english voice has the TTS function, other languages will simply say "turn left at 200ft"). Also you can view your pictures on this unit which I think is fine but almost useless, (other useless functions in my opinions are bluetooth and MP3 which this 255w doesn't have). I haven't tested the battery life so I don't know about that yet, other cons is this unit is a little pricy I paid $[...]...(sold my C320 for 80). All in all this is a very nice GPS and I highly recommend it!

Great 1st GPS

First time GPS owner. Pros - Easy to use. - Fast satellite pickup. Hotfix works. - Included POI list is great. - Speed of map updates is awesome. Very smooth. - Search for POI and streets are fast. - Fast recalculation of routes. Cons - No easy way to delete images. - No easy way to organize custom POI's. You have to use POI-Loader. - Documentation is poor. Bottom Line: I would recommend this GPS to anyone. Simple yet powerful.

Not a bad little unit, but a few quirks

I purchased the Nuvi for my Jeep Wrangler. I had a factory GPS unit in my Toyota 4Runner that I loved... the Nuvi 255W appealed due the size of the unit and one's ability to remove it from the car and carry it around as a hand held if walking city streets. It was also appealing because it offered 'elevation contours' at higher zoom levels so you got some feeling of the lay of the land rather than the flat depictions you get on a lot of automotive GPS units. This review is heavily weighted text wise on the negative. That does not mean I think this is a bad unit... it is fine for around town and certainly a good unit to pick for your first GPS. I do have to say, that comparing it to my old GPS (factory unit in my 2004 4Runner), this unit is not as good. My old GPS has more useful mapping features and routes more reliably. It is, however, good to be aware that no GPS is perfect and understanding going in where the quirks are with this one will lessen any frustration you might feel in finding them later. The good - it's a cute little unit, simple, easy to operate, easy to install and does... as promised... update and reroute much _more_ quickly than my other GPS (no, I don't know the manufacturer Toyota uses). Have to give Garmin kuddos on that it's pretty awesome in comparison to other units I've tried. Actually real impressed with that. The batteries last a good long time. I haven't actually measured the time, but a guess says that it's close to the 4 hours spec'd. The bad - My unit only displays elevation contours at zoom levels of 20 miles or higher. Basically, that's a completely useless feature albeit slightly interesting. I had understood that one could view the elevation contours at zoom levels of 5 miles or higher, later read 8 miles or higher - both of which are close to useless but OK... better than not having it at all. Involved in a conversation with Garmin product support at the moment on that. I'm not clear whether my unit is operating correctly or not. The positive, Garmin product support is responsive. UPDATE ON THIS - It finally turned out that to see the elevation contours at lower zoom levels (you can see them at zoom levels as low as 2 miles) you have to reduce the amount of detail displayed. Go into Tools-Settings-Map-Map Detail and set the level down (it is set to 'more' by default') to normal, less or least and you will start to see the contours at lower zoom levels. This is a fault with their included (and web) documentation. The text-to-speech (TTS), not so good. It's very tinny sounding... I've got the unit set to American English - Samantha. I can understand it in my 4Runner. I have difficulty understanding it in my Jeep Wrangler (hard top) which is clearly noisier. My understanding is that Garmin really compressed the voice in this unit, far more than in previous units... and yeah, it sounds like it. I like my older unit better - better voice quality and it simply tells you how far to the next turn and what direction to turn. The TTS is quirky, not really ready for prime time yet. It seems to do well with English sounding street names like 'Questhaven'... does NOT do well with Spanish based street names (which if you live in So Cal as I do, is an issue). San Elijo is pronounced 'san' 'eli-joe' as a simple example. Via de la Valle is both 'SR 6 Via-de-lane-val' (I listened intently, it did pronounce 'la' as lane... then it occurred to me there must be some translation of an abbreviation for lane, which is truly odd but OK I could see that makes some vague sense in software programming land) and then, surprisingly, the actual correct Spanish pronunciation when I got off on the exit. Apparently the street was in the database twice? Who knows!? A programming 'feature'. A street called Olivenhain was pronouced 'O-lee-ven-tian' (it's actually pronounced 'O-lee-van-hain'. The TTS is definitely seeming more of a toy/curiosity to me than a "can't be without it" feature. I'd not be buying a unit thinking this was an critical part of the decision but it's nice. The routing I am still evaluating - in general, the unit seems to route well and quickly. It does, however, do odd things that I have not encountered in the same areas with my older unit (I've been using them simultaneously to test the Garmin unit)... as I was driving out of my driveway after having set a destination it said 'turn right on (my street) to street y'. The problem was that street y didn't connect to my street, it wasn't even in the same town. So yeah, not sure what was up with that. When I routed to a different destination I knew I needed to take street a, turn right to street b, and turn right on street c. The unit told me 'take street a .3 miles and turn right on street c'. It completely lost the intermediate street, which BTW, does show on its map and which has to be taken (streets a and c do not connect). I live in a _very_ urban area, near the 5 fwy in north county San Diego. There are NO new streets in this area, all has been established for over 10 years. My older unit, with probably a 2003 map database in it, does not make these errors in this area. So, not thrilled with the routing. It's definitely making mistakes in this area it shouldn't be making. There are quite a few features present in my 4Runner's now 4-5 year old GPS system that are not present in the unit. I deeply miss the 'route overview' feature, the Garmin unit does not have that. This allows you to easily review the route the unit set up to a set destination. With the Nuvi, you have to take your finger and scroll to see where it is going to take you. It also does not offer an option to view the route as a series of turn by turn directions. I use that quite a bit and miss it here. Lastly, it does not allow you to put in a series of destinations. My older unit allows you to keep adding destinations to the route. Not here, you get one. Then you can add another after you get there. I also miss the display of how far you have yet to go on your route. My old unit counts this down for you and provides an estimate of ETA on the map display. Not present here. The menu system is a bit too deep for my tastes. I have to hit too many buttons to get back to the map display when, for example, I am entering POIs. I can do that in one step in the 4Runner unit. The 'finger scrolling' is not overly responsive and yes, it does better if you use your fingernail rather than fingertip. I didn't mind that too much, but you might wonder initially if the unit does scroll the map... yes, it does... try with your fingernail. The zoom up/down buttons are kinda in a bad spot. I find that if I want to scroll sideways that I hit them accidentally quite a bit. You will read complaints about the lack of a USB cable with the unit. Personally, I didn't view that as an issue. Garmin uses a standard connector and the cables for both my (Sony and Canon) digital cameras worked fine as did the one for my ScanDisk MP3 player. I'm fine not having an extra identical cable. The documentation is light and I received a manual for a 205W series unit with the 255W. Yeah, OK they're similar but nevertheless it's a bit disconcerting at first. I'm sure Garmin was in a hurry to ship the new units. So... all in all... it's not bad, but there are definitely things to be aware of. I don't hate it, I'm not in love with it either. I wish Garmin would spend more time giving us the rich mapping features instead of integrating stuff that IMHO isn't useful and does run up the cost of the unit - like Bluetooth for your phone (the placement of the unit for this is all wrong, you want your Bluetooth close to your head and your GPS at eye level on your dash), audio books (we have MP3 player jacks in our stereos now guys, you cannot compete with the sound quality) etc. I get the photo navigation (but how many of you will use that? it's a curiousity for most of us), traffic and content updates (but I won't use that either since I'd use it rarely and don't want to pay a monthly fee for it). Those are navigation related, the other stuff is redundant and Garmin cannot provide as good a solution as the vendors that specialize in these areas. For anyone that is researching GPS units, I highly recommend spending some serious time on http://www.gpsreview.net. It's a very informative site and the forums are active.

Garmin Nuvi 255w

I actually could not decide between the Garmin Nuvi 255w or the 750 model, so I decided to buy them both for comparison. I mounted them both to my car windshield and gave them various addresses to find together. I found that both models took the same routes and announced upcoming turns and street names at practically the same time. One thing I noticed about the 255w was that it was updating my position on the road more often, I'd say about 3 times as often as the 750. This made for smoother graphics on the 255w of the vehicle moving along displayed roads, where the 750's display was more of a "jerky" movement. I also found that the display on the 255w was a bit brighter, clearer, and more vivid than on the 750 in both daylight and at night. Another feature I like on the 255w is the graphic turn indicator in the upper left corner, which the 750 lacks. This is a small arrow which shows upcoming turns and the distance to that turn. It also show things like a fork in the road, (ie: a Y intersection), and which fork you will be taking. The 750 just displays text on the top line for upcoming turns without the arrow. It's just a little extra feature on the 255w which I happened to really like. The 255 also automatically adjusts the font size of displayed text so that even lengthy text will fit. Another feature on the 255w is a display of the posted speed limit on the road which you are currently on right above your current displayed speed. I found myself not even looking at my car speedometer as I could easily see my current speed and the speed limit of my route at a glance. The 750 doesn't have this feature. I also like how they moved the zoom in (+) and zoom out (-) buttons on the 255w to the same side of the screen which makes it a bit easier. On the 750 the zoom buttons are on opposite sides of the screen. Now there are some features on the 750 that the 255w does not have. The 750 can broadcast it's sound over your FM radio with the supplied cigarette lighter cable, and it has a headphone jack, which I found to be nice features. The 750 also has an MP3 player and an Audio-book player, which the 255w does not. Another really nice feature of the 750 is the car locater. This is a great feature if you are parking in a really big lot, such as at an amusement park or a fair. The 750 marks your location when you remove it from the car, then you take it with you and it remembers where you parked and takes you right back to your car. The 255w doesn't have the car locater. I also thought the the voice prompts of the 750 where more pleasant sounding than the 255w's. The 750 sounds more like a real female voice, where the 255w sounds more robotic. Another thing to consider was that I paid $50 less for the 750 and it came with the FM transmitter cable and a USB cord to connect it to your computer for updates and downloads. My final decision was to keep the 255w and return the 750 because I really liked the graphic turn indicator and the posted speed limit and current speed indicators. I didn't find a need for the 750's MP3 player and Audio book player, but that is up to personal preference. Since the USB cable was not included with the 255w, I purchased it on this site for $10. I also intend to purchase the MSN direct cable when it is available in August 2008.

LOVE the Garmin Nuvi 255W

I received this GPS system about a week ago, and I haven't found one thing to complain about yet. The features are great, and all entirely user friendly. No need to read the manual, just plug it in and go! The Garmin Nuvi 255W connects to satellites extremely fast--So when I get in my car and turn it on, we're pretty much ready to go immediately. The new display posts speed limit signs of major roads flush left on the screen, which is a new feature that is also really helpful, if you're driving in an unfamiliar area. The widescreen display makes it possible to view the names of roads that you are passing on the screen--which makes it much easier to differentiate between which road to turn on when there are two streets on your right (not clearly labeled) that are only one house apart...which has happened to me twice... Also, the fact that the Garmin Nuvi 255W speaks street names is also helpful in times like these. In addition, another feature I find to be immensely helpful is how fast the Nuvi 255W recalculates your position if you do miss a turn. I love the detour feature, it saved me a ton of time when I heard there was an accident on the highway and took back roads that I would have never known existed! I would recommend the Garmin Nuvi 255W to anyone looking for a fast, reliable, and easy to use GPS system.

Keyword : nuvi

Garmin StreetPilot c530 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin StreetPilot c530 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

A dangerous GPS

The StreetPilot C530 is a model that does not provide spoken directions. This means the user must watch the screen while driving, in order to be aware of when and where to turn. This procedure can be very dangerous. It is much better to pay a few dollars more for a C550 and get a model that talks.

Excellent product from good dealer

I am pleased with this item and with the dealer who sold it to me. Very fast delivery at a good price.

Garmin C530

I like this better than the Magellan that my friend has but I wish there is a way to program it to take alternate routes and not to keep pointing you back to the highway that you wanted to avoid.

Garmin StreetPilot c530

This product is very user-friendly and easy to follow. The only worry I have with it is becoming overly dependant on it. I travel quite frequently and this product certainly takes a great deal of the stress away from planning trips.

Works great

It works great and has in general led me quickly to my destination and located restaurants in towns that I was passing on the interstate. One must get used to using it and I did find one location that tripped it up. I was driving along the Mississippi in New Orleans attempting to get on the bridge across to the West Bank. It directed me under the bridge and along a road parallel to it. There are multiple layers of roads on the bridge which apparently confused it for I heard the fateful word: "Recalculating". I followed the prompts and circled around a few times each time getting the dreadful "Recalculating". I finally gave up and found a sign directing me to interstate going in the opposite direction. I took it until I could exit, loop around and get on the road going in the right direction. My only wish would be for it to voice identify the road to turn on. It only says to turn right or left. The name of the road is in large letters at the top of the screen but I would prefer for the name to be included in the voice prompt.

Keyword : nuvi

Garmin nüvi 680 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin nüvi 680 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

Excellent product

We are very happy with this product. It is easy to operate and has many capabilities. We shopped long and hard before deciding on this particular Garmin, and we weren't disappointed!

nuvi 680 great, mapping software is not

I bought a Garmin Nuvi 680 quite a while ago. Prices have plummeted since then, and probably will continue. This is a great device, and has helped me many times. We even took it on a trip to Baltimore and Philly (we're in SoCal), and it is totally portable when you buy a beanbag (friction) mount. It took us to every historical site, and even to the local Baltimore McDonalds (you can take it on walks, by setting the Pedestrian mode, and it will route you even the wrong way on one-way streets, since you're walking). It did its best to figure out the bizarre maze of streets in older sections. It knew the layout of Valley Forge and Fort McHenry. It took me right to my mother's birthplace in Washington D.C., and Babe Ruth's birthplace in Baltimore. The Marine Memorial at Arlington is hard to find, but it found it. I would have never found half of these places without it. It even knew where every alley was, and called them "alley". The 4.2" touchscreen is great, and the text-to-speech very clear. It interfaced via Bluetooth to my cell phone effortlessly, and downloaded the address book automatically. Makes a great hands-free device. In simulation mode you can tell it to go cross-country, and it will start out on its trip, and just keep going (until it runs out of power because it's sitting on the bed, not plugged into the car). I have one criticism, and it's a big one. Garmin doesn't really care about you after the sale. I fell for the Garmin email that told me to update my mapping software "today!" No mention that within a week their distributors would be selling it for $15 less than their $70 price. When I got the software and loaded it, I found that this "2009 Update" added next to nothing. A Marine Air Station which had been leveled, and turned into a major shopping center over two years ago, was still listed as the air base. Major streets which had been extended through there were not shown. A local shopping center which has been here for five years is not shown, even though other, smaller shopping centers are. Garmin's only comment to this was that they depend on the same source of mapping information as everyone else. I though these companies had people keeping their software up-to-date, and that you could keep updating your maps for much less, if not free. So much for their industry leadership. If I find that something I need to find is not on my Garmin, I'll be checking out Tom Tom and others to see if they can do better. Hopefully they try harder. I agree with the reviewer who liked the Garmin friction (bean bag) mount. That and the car power adapter/MSN receiver work well (even if every time there is a drop of rain, MSN lists a flash flood alert in the OC). But the mount did slip off my dash several times, and so I fashioned a simple little metal hook and attached it to the mount, and that hooks into a defroster vent to keep it from sliding. Easy to do. I love "Miss Garmin" (as we call her), even if she does sound a bit put out when she is "recalculating" (when you don't follow her directions to the letter). She won't let you get lost, even if some times she takes you in strange directions.

there are a couple lacking features but it works well

The 680 works better than a few other gps's i've used and had alot of features but needs some work on the usability. If garmin had just made the menus customizable so you can decide what is shown on the map screen and put a "go back to map button" on every screen i'd likely give it a 5, for example, if your deep in the menus you have to hit the back button over and over to get back to the map. Also, you can't see the speed or the time when in route to a destination. I am still happy with my nuvi but would probably not buy it again unless (cough cough to any garmin guys reading this) garmin makes a few simple software changes.

I love this device

I've had my 680 for quite a while now and it has served me very well. Even the movie times and weather feature which is sort of a gimic has come in handy on several occasions. Roads are a mess in the area I live in but the maps have always been enough to get me to my destination. I've also used it on several trips around the US with much success. The wider screen is nice and the interface is easy and intuitive.

Great Product

Works great, the MSN direct works exactly as they advertise and the software is very intuitive. Yes the FM transmiter is weak-guess what they all are weak and yes the navigation will do some strange routes- again they all do. My cons are price of unit and then still will have to pay for subscription when free period expires. The traffic portion on MSN works well but is not intergrated with rest of system as well as I think it should be. And lastly materials used on unit could be little nicer, I also have a Harmon/Kardon 810 that is beautiful and feels more solid but the Garmin is easier to use.

Keyword : nuvi