Garmin Colorado 300 Bilingual Handheld GPS Unit with North American Maps

Garmin Colorado 300 Bilingual Handheld GPS Unit with North American Maps

Colorado 300 is a Good Value for the Money.

I have had a lot of experiences with GPS units and systems. It seems that a lot of people are expecting too much from these inexpensive GPS units. None of the relatively low cost handhelds that I have used or tried come with detailed maps. You are not going to be able to get Google Earth levels of detail in a handheld GPS, at least not today. With optional map software you can get good details of limited areas. That said, I do take issue with every handheld GPS manufacturer's inference that useable Maps are included with their units. The Garmin 300 is described as "with North American Maps". True but it will only show Main Roads. If you were expecting your street to show up, you will be disappointed. I knew this would be the case so I did not factor the lack of detail into my rating score. I bought it for accuracy, a useable compass and primarily for tracking while trail riding. The Colorado 300 that I bought worked properly right out of the box. It quickly acquired satellites and determined position correctly. I never had to use the manual, all the functions were easy to use and understand (but probably not for a novice GPS user). I really like the menu wheel and its functionality. Easy and quick to get to any of the functions and settings. One function that worked much better than early GPS units was the Compass. The Compass in the Colorado works in any position, all the others that I had with a Compass required it be level to the ground. I am surprised that one reviewer said they were able to use an 8gb SD card as Garmin says the Colorado 300 will only accept a 4gb non-HC SD card. Garmin said that HC SD cards are unreliable if used in the Colorado 300. I cannot find a 4gb non-HC SD card, Garmin's response was to use a 2gb non-HC SD Card. At this point though, I am not planning on buying any additional map software but perhaps later.

Just What I Expected

I've been using GPS for quite a few years now. I actually started off learning on Survey Grade GPS (for work of course), and it peaked my interest and before long I had received my first consumer grade GPS. Since then I have went through several models with my most recent purchase being the Garmin Colorado 300. For me, the price was right, and since I already owned the Garmin MapSource TOPO maps, it didn't make much since to purchase a higher model with the same maps already included. I have used the unit for a couple of weeks now, and feel I have gotten in enough use to write a short review. Initial impressions of the unit out of the box where that it looks well constructed, with a large screen, and easy to get to buttons. I quickly installed the batteries, and let it find it's first satellites and get it's location. I then proceeded to go through the menus, locating where everything was, and getting myself acquainted with the GPS. I found it to be fairly intuitive, easy to use, and the menus were easy to locate. I actually learned to navigate through everything fairly quickly. I suspect it has something to do with previous use of GPS units, and being somewhat familiar with basic GPS menu configurations. Some of my friends who have previous GPS experience also found navigating the menus of the unit to be fairly easy as well. For someone new to GPS, I can understand all the new icons, menus, shortcuts, etc. being intimidating or confusing. It is a little more than a turn on and play type device, something I think many people have gotten use to from using digital cameras, MP3 players, and other user friendly electronics. A first use with a GPS can be a little tough, there are a lot of new terms and ideas to learn, but it's an easy learning curve that only takes a short time to begin to understand. The basemap was just what I expected. I'm afraid that many of the disappointments in GPS unit basemaps are that many people expect map levels found in dedicated navigation units. Something that will be hard to find in a handheld recreational use unit. Different uses require different maps, and it's always going to be hard to satisfy everyone. Something that Garmin is itself working on, with the 400t, 400c, and 400i units. You can now by hand held GPS units that have included topo maps, coastal maps, and inland lake and river maps. A huge step up from having to buy a GPS unit, and then buy a separate set of maps to load to the GPS. I, myself, already owned the separate TOPO maps, so just purchased the base model. I found that loading the maps to the GPS was fairly easy and straight forward. Once loaded the maps are rendered very nicely, with 3-d views also available. I have also been able to run Pocket Queries from [...] and load the GPX file that [...] sends directly to the Colorado. Making Paperless geocaching a snap. I found the process rather easy, and it adds a whole new spin to geocaching. With just the press of a button I have the cache details in front of me, and with another press of a button I can look at the past five logs, or the hint. So far, this has been one of the greatest features of the GPS. The only real downfall I have with the GPS is battery life. I only got about 10 hours out of a set of Duracell AA Alkalines. A real drop considering I'm use to getting close to 30 hours out of my eTrex Legend HCx on the same type of batteries. I have since bought a set of rechargeable 2500 maH Ni-MH batteries to use, and have been seeing better times out of those. In general my likes are: large screen size, uses regular SD Card, Geocaching capabilities, the ease of use after the small learning curve. Dislikes: Short battery life, screen can be hard to see at times with backlight off. I would (and have) recommend this GPS to my friends.

Great Product

This a great gps if you are out there camping or simply on the road this you may want to buy.

Not as good as Expected

Product i received had problem staying up. It abruptly shutdown without warning fewminutes after power up. Amazon sent me a replacement. The replacement fared better But after a couple of days wouldn't work saying "Cannot find system software" OR "Missing system software". I am trying to work it out with the customer support.

New generation of Garmin GPSs

I've used two other Garmin outdoor GPS before and I was expecting this new device. After a month of using, I'm almost decided to switch back to Garmin 60 CSx. Colorado +: - display - gc listings - holders (car, bike) - wig Colorado -: - battery consumption - gc listings (listing is sometimes bad formated) - roller, buttons, menus (60 CSx is much more powerful and faster to control, search...) So if you need listings/wig then buy Colorado. In case having PDA or smartphone, take 60 CSx...

Keyword : garmin

Garmin nüvi 500 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin nüvi 500 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin 500 - Very Nice

The Nuvi 500 hundred works very well in the car and on the trail. The "Where Am I" function is very useful for saving the current location or for finding near by intersections and emergency services. The included topo maps are great for hiking and driving. I bought the Nuvi 500 because I like to hike and sometimes I need to drive to a coordinate instead of an address (rural locations or geocaching). The detail is amazing. If you need a multifunction GPS, I would give the Nuvi 500 a try.

Best value for an allround GPS

I puchased this unit for mountain biking as well as driving. I am happy to say that it does both very well. The mapping is great. It's waterproof. I couldn't be happier with the unit.

An Excellent Multi-Functional GPS

Let me start by saying that I currently own and use several different GPS units: Garmins Nuvi 750, Colorado 400t, Rino 130 (a pair) and a Dash Express (I've also owned Garmins 2720, 2820, Nuvi 350, and a 60CSx in the recent past). I have so many of them because I use them for different purposes: * Automobile navigation: I travel all over the country and always take a GPS with me for use in my rental cars. * Walking in urban areas: I love to stroll around great cities and a good GPS not only keeps me from getting lost, it helps me to find areas of interest. * Hiking in rural areas: As a birdwatcher I find a hand-held GPS receiver essential. Getting lost in the desert or the woods is no fun at all. * Bicycling: I love to just bike and then try to figure out how to get home later. A GPS makes it easy to find my way back. * Geocaching: A wonderful hobby that involves finding things that others have hidden using coordinates posted on the web. A GPS is an absolute necessity if you want to do this. So, why did I buy yet another Garmin, the Nuvi 500? It is a part of my eternal search for one GPS receiver that is appropriate for all of these endeavors. It is important to understand that no GPS is perfect, nor is any one model ideal for everything. However, some accomplish some tasks well but are useless for others. The Nuvi 500 (and it's brother the 550) are useful for all of my needs. Instead of comparing it to other models that are more specialized, let me grade the Nuvi 500 in how well in works ,right out-of-the-box, for each task that I wanted it for: * Automobile navigation: C+ There are much better units for this purpose if that is all you are going to use it for. Still, it gets you there. One major feature that I miss in the Nuvi 500 is Text-To-Speech (or TTS). This is where the unit pronounces the names of streets and roads. With it a GPS will say "Turn right on Broadway Street". Without TTS is will say "Turn right at the next street". However, the unit will give you the street name in writing on the GPS display screen. TTS is not something that I need when walking or bicycling, but it is really helpful when driving as it is not always easy to read and drive. Also, the display is somewhat small, especially if the dash is deep and far from the driver. Although you can buy an optional FM traffic receiver, some units, like the Dash Express, have this feature built-in, plus it can connect via the internet and get real-time traffic info. My Garmin 2820 has built in satellite radio, however it is pretty big and needs to be plugged in. * Walking in urban areas: A Here is where the Nuvi 500 shines. First, it is small enough to fit in a pocket (although I do wish that it was thinner) yet it's big enough to see the display without squinting. However, my favorite feature is the user-switchable batteries. Most GPS receivers use built-in rechargeable batteries; nice but when they run down you either have to find a place to plug it in and recharge it or you are stuck without a usable GPS. The Garmin Nuvi 500's back opens up and the expended battery can be swapped out with a fresh one. This is a HUGE benefit for anyone using a GPS in any place other than a car. Another nice feature for the urban tourist is that you can download photos from a special web-site and not only see them on the Nuvi it will give directions to where the photo was taken. Cool. * Hiking in rural areas: B The Nuvi is not as ergonomic as those units designed to be hand held. It is a flat, rectangular device without a textured surface, still it is very usable outdoors. What I like about the 500 is that it comes loaded with both City Navigator and Garmin's Topo Map (the 550 does has more North American coverage but does not have topographical coverage). Both units feature "digital elevation model" (DEM) mapping which shows you shaded contours at higher zoom levels, however, the Topo maps will show much, much more. Details like elevations, streams, small bodies of water, trails, landmarks and many other features that can really be useful when you are out in the boonies. * Bicycling: A I had my Garmin Colorado mounted on my Trek 7300 bike and although it looked funny (I have photos of it on Amazon's Colorado 400t page) it worked O-K. Still, it did not come with the same type of street maps that the Nuvi does (I could have purchased it for about $100 and downloaded it onto the Colorado if I wanted to) and it was not as intuitive to use as the Nuvis are. Also, the Nuvi 500 really looks nice on my handlebars. Since it is waterproof (as is the Colorado) you don't have to worry about a rainstorm. * Geocaching: B+ If you haven't geocached and don't ever plan on doing it then you might want to skip this part of my review. However, if you are on of the many thousands that enjoy this growing hobby (over 600,000 geocaches have been placed worldwide) this is a GPS that can take you from your driveway to the cache and back effortlessly. Like the Colorado (and similar models such as the Oregon) you can download cache information directly to the GPS. Other Garmins can download the coordinates but the Nuvi 500 (and the 550) will display the cache information, hints, logs and just about everything that you need to successfully find what you are looking for. You can also record the results of your search (found, did not find, needs repair, etc.) for later transfer to the geocaching website. I've used the Nuvi 500 to find caches and it took me right to it. I'll still use my Colorado but if I only want to take one GPS with me, it'll be the 500. Additional things that I like: The Nuvi 500 lets you change your mode of travel (car, bike or on-foot) from the main page. It will then customize you directions based on your mode of transport icon (for instance, you can navigate one-way streets much differently on bike or on foot vs. by car). Another nice touch is when you choose a destination a little tab slides out from the "Go!" icon on the screen which shows your Usage Mode (car, bike, etc.) the Distance and the Time based on your chosen mode of travel. My 750 does not have this feature. Another thing that I like is that you can easily program the Nuvi 500 for on-road or off-road use. If you are traveling on foot you are not restricted to directions that require you to stick to the streets. Somethings that I am not crazy about: The specs list the battery life as "up to" 8 hours. I set the backlight to 50% and got 5 hours of use. Still very usable and with a second battery (which I bought with the unit and highly recommend) you can get 10 hours of continuous use without needing to recharge it or turn off the backlight completely. I also wish that the housing had a textured finish on the outside edge, giving you something to help you to keep your grip. One final gripe: I can understand why Garmin does not include the AC charger with other Nuvi models but this one should really come with one. After all, it's billed as a multifunctional GPS, not an automotive GPS. I am very happy with my new Garmin. I will be recommending this unit to all of my geocaching, birdwatching and bicycling friends. If you're are looking for a GPS that does it all, so far this one is the best. UPDATE 12/03/08: The price has dropped a couple of hundred dollars since I purchased it only a month ago. Now the value is even better! Grab it while you can. TR

Amazing Crossover Device

Alright, so it could've had save-able tracks and it is NOT an Oregon for off-road but it is an amazing crossover system. I have uploaded 500 geocaches using the premium member feature from Geocaching.com: Pocket Queries. I set a point in a field behind my house using Google earth and then sent the coordinates via USB cable to the Nuvi 500. It got me within 20 feet. Not too bad, I would say. Even tiny family owned local stores show up on the Nuvi 500 maps. Its super easy to switch between road maps and the topo map feature, just click off of the road map to switch to touch navigated topo maps. The more you zoom in, the more POI's show up. As far as i can tell Garmin loaded every POI my hometown has to offer and if it isn't on the map, chances are you can search for it on the Nuvi 500 and find it. It's perfect for me, a young driver, going off to college with big interests in being out of doors and also wanting turn-by-turn directions to get where im going. I'm a new Geocahcer and the dedicated Geocaching feature seems flawless. At time the Nuvi 500 seems a little bogged down with processing information but settings of detail levels can help speed up the process. The compass feature seems to work decently, however i rarely us it, relying instead, on zooming in on the topo map as i get closer to a geocache to find my way. The Nuvi 500 hooks up to my Mac, is quickly recognized and then opens as a removable mass-storage device with just under 1GB of free space. (500 .GPX files takes up only 5-600Kb). There is a picture viewer, you can send addresses and coordinates from google maps straight to the device and the street level mapping even in large cities seems flawless. No new maps or major firmware updates are available yet. Overall, it is an amazing system and worth every 385$ i spent on it. (much cheaper than 500$ at best buy).

Keyword : garmin

Holux GPSmile 52 Voice GPS Navigation System with US & Canada Map, MP3 player, photo viewer.

Holux GPSmile 52 Voice GPS Navigation System with US & Canada Map, MP3 player, photo viewer.

Great bang for the buck, you just have to work a little for it

The GPSmile 52+ is a device that, on the surface, seems mediocre at best. The hardware itself is a gem, easily on a par with PNAs costing twice as much or more. There are no bells and whistles (Bluetooth integration, subscription-based traffic updates, etc) but the machine includes the venerable SIRFstar III receiver, a battery that actually lives up to its advertised capacity, and just a solid, high-quality overall feel. What really handicaps this unit out-of-the-box is the provided Smart2Go map suite. The software itself isn't bad - directions are reasonably good (though GPS directions should NEVER be completely relied upon no matter how good or expensive the unit) and the information display on the map screen is nice and complete. However, the maps themselves are terribly lacking in detail and the street names, which are squeezed into each road illustration using a small font, are almost unreadable with the GPSmile attached to your windshield. Ditto that for the compass, now that I think about it. That nice, complete information display also blocks up much of the screen to the left of your position cursor so unless you zoom way out (which makes the street names even harder to read) you can barely tell what streets are to your left until you've already passed them. The software also takes an unusually long time to calculate routes and the zoom function is very annoying - far too many zoom levels and an over-sensitive slider are a recipe for frustration. Hardware issues are much less problematic. The screen looks a little washed-out when "light" colors are on the screen (can be worked around a bit by tinkering with the backlight setting), and the GPS cold-start acquisition time is a lie (I've waited 2+ mins to get a lock before), though this seems to be a common issue not at all limited to the GPSmile. That's about it - as I said earlier, this unit is surprisingly well-made considering its price. It's obvious that Holux can sell this so cheap because they paid bottom dollar for the GPS software rather than cutting corners on the device itself. They're also apparently saving money with their "tech support," which is possibly the worst ever. No response to several emails I sent regarding map updates, which you're supposed to get one year's worth of for free, though if you're smart you won't be needing them anyway (keep reading). So after using the GPSmile with the stock software for awhile, one starts to feel like they got what they paid for - i.e. one of the cheapest PNAs on the market. But then you stumble across GPSPassion Dot Com and learn how to unlock this unit and suddenly everything changes. By simply swapping a few files on the GPSmile's SD card, you can get into the guts of the device and have it behave like kind of a stripped-down PDA. This will enable you to try virtually any navigation program that's designed to run on a WinCE 4.2 device, of which there are probably about a dozen. Route66 and Destinator 6 seem to be popular choices, though my hands-down favorite has been iGo 2006 (which is essentially the same program that comes with Mio devices as well as a few others). So in sum, if you don't want to unlock the GPSmile then you're going to get what you pay for, but if you want to spend a few minutes and upgrade to quality navigation software like iGo or R66 then you'll suddenly find yourself with a quality PNA worth about twice the amount you paid for it. Wouldn't be surprised to see this device building somewhat of a cult following before long. Good luck and enjoy!

With a little tweaking this is a great unit!

I appreciate everyone who writes a thoughtful review. Consumers need to stick together. At this time there is only one other review of this unit on Amazon. The other reviewer had some routing difficulties that are not unique to this device. These types of routing issues have been the subject of many comedy routines. It is almost a subplot in the Robin William's movie RV. Anyone who has used one of these car navigation units can identify with the comedy. I purchased my first portable moving map GPS, a Garmin 95AVD about fifteen years ago for our airplane. Since that time I have used several types of later generation units. Laptop based GPS software, and even moving map software that runs on my phone. While there are major differences between the units... everyone that I have ever used comes up with routes that must be overidden by the common sense portion of my brain. To me the software that comes on GPSmile seems about average. It is pretty easy to use, has tons of POIs (Points of Interest), the routing is not any worse than a lot of other units I have tried, it has a lot of information available on the main map page, and I actually like the slight British accent. I still admit however that I prefer some of the other mapping software. If one does a google search using the terms, "gpsmile 52 unlock", the first result that comes up today is a thread from the Gpspassion forum that tells exactly how easy it is to get to the WindowsCE operating system and install software that for me at least works better and easier. Every software package has it's own set of followers. Some actually prefer the Smart2go software that comes on the GPSmile. What you are buying here is a tiny windows computer with a sensitive GPS receiver and bright 3.5" touch screen display. Out of the box the unit has some pretty good versatillity. It also plays videos and music, and displays pictures and text files. But the thing to remember is that it is a computer and you can run what ever software you want. The software I added to the device is is just plain easier to use. It's so easy that after I demonstrated how it worked to my elderly mother... She wanted one. I purchased a second unit for my mother; she can sometimes get confused trying to find her way home. Once you add home to your favorite location list, it takes about three pushes on the touch screen menus to have the new software route you back home. It won over my wife also. This GPSmile not only has a beautiful screen, it plays video, music, and displays pictures right out of the box. With some tweaking it is capable of playing or displaying files of nearly any format. I am also adding other software. I love the device. Sometimes bigger is not better. The thing has a robust little suction cup mount that hold it in place just below our rear view mirror. The map is very readable but doesn't block your view. The thing is made in Taiwan and a reviewer on another site reported that they basically provide almost no customer support. I would ask however if anyone here has tried to call HP customer support lately? The last time I did I wasted several hours on the phone and finally had to figure the problem myself. It least with Holux I am not even tempted to try. I have one of their blue tooth GPS units also; I found the help to be almost non-existant.

No smiles for the GPSmile

On so many levels the Holux GPSmile 52 Plus looks like a winner. First is the stunningly low price. Second is all of the quality hardware. A nice 3.5 color touch screen, the wonderful SIFR III GPS chipset and a new speedy 400 MHz CPU. The sleek device even sports a hidden antenna and a battery that is reported (on the box) to last up to 10 hours. An initial look at the software suggests that it is not a slouch here either. The GPSmile 52 Plus can also be your media center with the ability to play MP3, video and even display e-books. You can customize your routes in many ways and even route multiple destinations in a single trip. Wow, this sounds like a no-brainer, right? Wrong! This is why I would not recommend this GPS unit: The unit clearly was designed for a British market. Although, the accent sounds interesting the actual language can be confusing. For instance, instead of saying "Turn right" it will say, "Next opportunity turn right." It also gives distances in yards while all other GPS units I have used give distance in feet. OK, so you saying the above is no big deal, how about this. The unit has a very strong tendency to stick to the street. When you are "off road" like in a parking lot, the unit will tell you that you are actually on the street closest to you. Sometimes these streets aren't even accessible to your vehicle leading to all sorts of confusion as the GPSmile 52 Plus will then calculate a new route based on this information and it will start to issue command like: "Turn left in 75 yards and then left." This is extremely confusing. Most other GPS units will say something like "off road" or "please proceed to the route." OK, if this doesn't bother you, how about this? The following three "experimental routes" were run. Route One. From an office building to my home, about 14 miles. The unit had been set on my regular route choice (fastest). First, it thought I was on the street instead of a parking lot and so the initial directions left out the first turn of the trip. The computer wanted to take me to the toll way (reasonable) which normally would be the fastest route. I chose to take some major streets instead as it was rush hour. Other GPS units might try to get you back to the toll way once but then recalculate the route according to the new directions. However, the Holux started to issue demands "Make a U turn" (mostly illegal where I live) and repeated it every single block for about 4 miles. I then stopped the car and cleared out the destination and asked it to recalculate. The Holux wanted me to back-track to the toll way. Here again it continually gave the command "Make a U turn in XXX yards" over and over again until I had gone about 2/3rds the way home and had passed the toll way. It was one of the most aggravating driving experiences that I can remember. I have used other GPS units in this same maneuver without any problems. Route Two. From the same office building I routed to my office about 6 miles away. This would not involve a toll way so I was sure that the GPSmile would get it. It correctly routed my trip. I made the last turn with my office about 2 miles down the street on the left. All of a sudden the Holux started to issue "in XXX yards, turn around." It did this several time which totally confused me. It was only when I reached my office that I realize that the unit wanted me to go a block past my office and make a U turn in an intersection so I would eventually be on the side of the street where my office was. This would have been an illegal and dangerous maneuver. Instead, I pulled into the parking lot at which point the GPSmile recalculated a route that ran me through several miles of residential streets. This was despite the fact that I was at the destination. What would most other units do? They would say something like, "Destination on the left." Route Three. From my office to my home, around 6 miles. I was in the middle of my large office parking lot so the unit didn't stick me on a street. However, when it calculated my route it placed me on the inaccessible residential court to the north of my office building. If I took the instructions seriously the unit would have had me drive up an embankment, through a fence and into a backyard. Then trough a house to reach the cul-de-sac. Not only useless, but dangerous direction. The GPSmile 52 Plus did not make me smile. There are may cheap GPS unit available that do work. Avoid this one.

Keyword : tom+tom

TomTom ONE Portable GPS Automobile Navigator (Refurbished)

TomTom ONE Portable GPS Automobile Navigator (Refurbished)

Greay Portable GPS for the Price!

This is one of the most featured-packed portable GPS system one can get for under $200.00. I did a lot of research and decided to buy a used or refurbished One rather than get the 3rd edition which lacks a lot of features like advanced trip planning and multiple via points. I have only been using my refurbished TOM TOM One for a week but so far so good. I highly recommend it for someone who wants a simple GPS with some advanced features that may come in handy for long road trips. It is definitely a better bargain than the Garmin Nuvi 200 or Maegellal Maestro. If you can't find a used/refurbished TomTom One or One (LE), go for the Tom Tom One XL. It is the same exact device but with a wide screen. My one complaint is that the suction cup mount arm is too short. When mounted, it is quite a stretch for me to interact with the device. I think I will have to buy a ProClip mount for it and my Jetta.

Couldn't be happier!

I bought mine retail before X-Mas, so this is not a refurb review, but as far as the unit goes, it's great! I have been using it regularly in Texas since purchase and it has always given 100% accurate directions. Easy to use, love the voice navigation and the screen is easy to see in any light (including bright sunlight). We took it on the first big family trip last week and it performed like a champ. Took me straigt to every door we asked it to. We had paper directions as a backup but never had to pull them out. I have never used the traffic on it, but for navigation it's a winner in my book!

OK operation, lousy battery life

This GPS unit works fairly well if plugged into power, but it has unacceptable battery life. I charged the battery overnight twice but it still only holds a charge for about 10 minutes. The GPS functions are good, not great. If you don't arrive at your programmed destination, you are constantly alerted to keep moving unless you program a new destination. To end a destination early, you have to go several screens into the interface - very inconvenient. I ended turning off the voice directions most of the time. I bought a refurbished unit, and I have read several negative reviews of model One refurbs since, so I suspect Tomtom dumps their inferior refurbished products back on the market. Very disappointing. I will avoid refurbs and Tomtoms from now on.

An outstanding GPS but unfortunately Refurbished units are a Crap Shoot

TomTom One is an absolute delight to use in the Northwest area. Its fast, accurate, very easy to setup, and intuitive to use. But, I had to return the first two units to get one that worked. Despite the issues noted below, I would buy a TomTom again. They are really very good at what they do when they work. The first one locked up. After two hours of online trouble shooting, TomTom sent a replacement. This one worked but had to be reset after each use or it would not start. More online troubleshooting, and finally a replacement that worked. My online search indicates that about 15% of users experience the lockups and reset problem, even on new units. One gets the impression that failed units are being recycled with little or poor refurbishing. (Perhaps their repair work is outsourced?) Very well trained & friendly online support, but other than reloading faulty software, there is little they can do but authorize a replacement. If all you want or need is a simple to use get from here to there navigation without add-on frills and entertainment, you will love the TomTom One. It makes for a fun trip. However, be prepared for frustration with refurbished units. It would be smarter and much less frustrating and very worthwhile to search for a new unit at discount.

Bait and switch

I ordered a NEW TomTom One GPS from Amazon on October 2, 2007. I was sent a refurbished unit. I emailed Amazon 4 times starting October 3 to resolve the issue and had one "I am sorry" reply. I called and was told nothing can be done on the phone. I wrote a letter to Amazon on October 8, 2007 with copies of their ad advertising a new unit. It is now November 4, 2007 and I have had no reply of any type. The unit was charged to my card within within 8 hours of the order. I have a unit I can not review because I can not open the box without losing my ability to be able to return the GPS. I have no GPS that I can use and my money is gone. Amazon has made no attempt to reply to me in a month. No real service available. Careful what you buy - they do not reply. NO REAL REVIEW OF THE UNIT AFTER A MONTH AS I CAN NOT USE THE UNIT UNTIL THIS DISPUTE IS RESOLVED. EWB

Keyword : tomtom