GPS Navigation

Tomtom One Xl GPS Review

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 01:00:27 +0000

TomTom One XL has a bright screen and pre-loaded maps right out of the box. It also picks up your location quickly and has built in bluetooth capabilities. The main difference between the XL and the One is that the XL has a larger screen 4.3″ compared to it’s predecessor at 3.5″ and an option for real-time traffic via a bluetooth enabled device such as a cell phone. This unit is compact and very portable.

What is great about the TomTom One XL Gps?
The TomTom One XL has a large, bright touch screen and comes with pre-loaded maps right out of the box. This unit picks up your location quickly and has built in Bluetooth. This also enables you to add optional services, like real-time traffic and weather information as long as you have a Bluetooth enabled cell phone. I don’t believe this service is available in the United States at this time. I also do not an if it will ever be available in the US for this device. It has a large choice of routes including the fastest, shortest, non-toll roads, highways and more. This GPS also speaks instructions very clearly.

What is not so good about the TomTom One XL?
The unit does have text-to-speech capability. Restaurants are not listed by type in the POI database. It is not easy to view contact information. The menus are a bit laborious to get through. Bluetooth cannot be used for hands free.
TomTom One XL features include, and SD card slot, which allow you add additional maps and POI.
There is a power button located on the top of the unit, which is easy to press.
The TomTom has the mini-USB power inlet/connection on the bottom.
It has 2D and 3D map perspective as with most Gps’s these days.
This unit uses an internal lithium ion battery that the manufacturer estimates will last 2 hrs, but it does include a car power adapter.
The TomTom One XL offers numerous POI like, gas stations, motels, restaurants, ATMs, beaches and concert locations. However there is no easy way to search for these locations unless you are browsing the map.
You do have the option of choosing between 55 different voices with various accents that are built in to the device.

TomTom GPS and Smartphones

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 01:00:15 +0000

How many times have you had that annoying voice tell you that you’ve just missed your left turn, but then it very kindly re-corrects and adjusts for your missed turn and tells you how to get to that Krispy Kreme in Richmond that you just need to have? Or maybe that was just me, but most people who have GPS/portable navigation systems in their cars have managed to settle down to having a small, inexpen52sive TomTom or other form of nav system that sits on their dashboard and is kind of small and petite.
While these things are incredibly valuable for when you’re lost somewhere, the fact is that the most recent iPhone and Smartphone is about to make GPS systems in cars obsolete. Yup, you read that right. Obsolete. In fact, the current iPhone has a function that allows you to find out just about your exact location, due to a nicely-tuned program with Google maps in that little beauty. The current iPhone will triangulate your position with a ton of different Wi-Fi hot spots in the area and attempt to pinpoint your location from there. Thing are about to get even more complicated in the business market, though, as the brand new Apple iPhone, the one that Steve Jobs is going to reveal in just a few days, is going to have an entire GPS system right inside that little machine that would all but destroy the market for GPS systems.
Not that the iPhone didn’t have enough bells and whistles to really get your techno-motor going, but with this nice little GPS system, you’ll be able to find out where you need to go no matter what way you’re traveling. This way, if you’re a pedestrian who’s trying to figure out where to go, rest assured that your iPhone can tell you. The new smart phone is also amazing in its navigation system.
And if that isn’t good enough for you, apparently, these plans have officially scared the life out of the manufacturers of the TomToms, S-Dals and many other GPS automotive navigation systems. The fact that the iPhone is going to be with their customer all the time will essentially eliminate the need for a dash-board navigational system, since they can just pull it up on their phone and keep driving, which, many people still seem to do.
The only problem with this entire thing will be having people learn how to adjust to the smaller screen of the iPhone without creating an unneeded distraction while driving. The smart phone offers a better screen that can make it easier to use.

TomTom GPS Receiver - Fully Updated

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 01:00:51 +0000

With the increasing popularity of Global Positioning System, a host of GPS related products are coming into the market. The GPS receiver is one of those products that comes in a variety of styles and is manufactured by numerous companies. TomTom is one of the leading brands in the UK.
For anyone interested in a GPS receiver, certain things must be considered prior to purchase including manner and frequency of use. Those who plan to use their GPS receiver may be interested in those models that have a greater range of features. TomTom GPS receiver gives you the most advanced technology with added benefits. The dedicated TomTom receiver weighs only a little more than 10 ounces and measures 4.5 by 3.6 by 2.3 inches that makes it the smallest all-in-one devices ever seen. Its multi color touch-screen display and black case with removable silver bezel surrounding gives it a look of tiny television screen. Its functions are so simple that you will get only two buttons below the screen. One is used for power and the other is used for removing the device from its mount.
This phenomenal GPS device is having another unique feature called as SD (Secure Digital). It is used for loading OS and maps. TomTom’s products emphasize innovation, quality, and simplicity of use, safety and consumer value. Therefore, TomTom GPS receiver is masterpiece in terms of quality. You can avail many benefits if you avail this GPS device. One of the key features is that it navigates directly form the PDA addresses book integrating TomTom software into the PDA menu.
TomTom GPS receiver is a perfect solution to all your connecting needs. It eliminates the need for connecting cables. It is so small in size and having a lightweight that it can be used in the car, or in your bag or pocket for use on bike or on foot. Thus it is the worthwhile device if you are a tech-savvy guy.

Comparison Of Garmin Car GPS Vs Tom Tom

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 01:00:00 +0000

Is the Garmin car GPS the best model to buy? Or should you go with Tom Tom? Opinion seems divided between the two makers, even though Garmin out sells Tom Tom over 2 to 1.
To help you decide between the two, I’m going to compare the Garmin car GPS with Tom Tom. Hopefully, this will give you a little help on deciding which company and which of their models is right for you.

Garmin Car GPS
Garmin sells 50% of the GPS devices sold in the United States. (To be fair, in Europe Tom Tom is the industry leader.)
There’s a reason for Garmin’s dominance of the U. S. market. They simply have more models to choose from at more price points.
I’m not going to discuss every single Garmin model in this article. But I will mention a few that I like at various prices.
In the entry-level market, you have the Garmin nuvi 200 and the nuvi 350. The nuvi 200 is a true entry-level device. It can do everything a GPS is supposed to (tell you where you are and show you how to get to where you’re going), but it doesn’t have many features beyond that.
The nuvi 200 currently runs about $150.
The nuvi 350, on the other hand, has a few great features like maps of the whole United States and Canada. It also can receive traffic and weather alerts (with subscription). At only $200, that’s a lot of GPS for the money!
In the middle of the market, Garmin has the incredible nuvi 760, which sells for just under $350. The 760 has a wider screen than either the nuvi 200 or the nuvi 350. It also has Bluetooth capability, traffic and weather alerts, and it can route its sound through your car’s stereo system. It also does multiple points routing, which means you can enter more than one destination in at a time.
Consumer Reports called the nuvi 760 the best overall GPS on the market, recently. I happen to agree.
At the high end of the market, there’s the nuvi 880. It can do everything the nuvi 760 can and also has several impressive cutting-edge features that no one else has. The nuvi 880 will set you back a cool $900, but if you’re looking for state-of-the-art, look no further!

Tom Tom
Tom Tom doesn’t really compete with Garmin at the high end of the market. Actually, no one does.
Where Tom Tom is most competitive is the low end.
Their Tom Tom One, 3rd Edition can do much more than the nuvi 200, but sells for essentially the same! If I were going to buy and entry-level unit, I would probably spring for the One, 3rd Edition.
In the middle of the market there’s the Tom Tom GO 920T, which sells for about the same as the nuvi 760 ($350). The GO 920T has Bluetooth and the wider screen. It also has Tom Tom’s own Map Share technology, which lets users actually correct Tom Tom’s map database.
Personally, I would go with the Garmin nuvi 760, if I wanted a middle range product.
So, my comparison ends up like this: Tom Tom One, 3rd Edition for $150, the Garmin nuvi 760 for around $350, and the Garmin nuvi 880 for $900.
There’s certainly more to know about GPS devices than just this. For one, there’s the company Magellan and their fine products.
But this at least will give you a start.
What you need to do now is get on an informative website where you can browse individual models and check out current prices.

Great Features Of Garmin GPS Systems

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:00:28 +0000

Surely if I keep on driving I’m bound to reach my destination, and yes we did need to pass through those ten other towns on the way. It’s a mode of thinking that has often got men into trouble. We are renowned for not taking instructions and heaven forbid we should take advice from our wives or partners.
What we men desire is a way of getting from point A to point B without having to put too much thought into it and without looking like a fool. We put the expectation on ourselves to be all knowing even though those around us know better. In this age of technology help is at hand. There are some great electronic systems available that can ensure you experience a stress free journey.
One such system is the Garmin GPS system. These units are interactive, so much so that they can do just about everything for you except drive the car. While there are other systems that are inbuilt into vehicles these systems are removable. This offers a clear advantage because the unit can be moved from car to car. The unit itself can be attached to the windshield, which is great because it makes viewing the screen easier and allows unrestricted access to the unit. There can be no real benefit if you need to look towards the floor to see where you are and not focus on the road ahead.
One of the other great attributes of this system is that it comes with voice software. This means that you don’t even have to look at the screen to see where you are. The system is designed to tell you new directions so you can focus on driving. This is beneficial to all passengers because there is no need for manual navigation.
There are many additional features to this system as well. For example, this system has specific locations programmed into it. If you’re hungry and looking for a coffee shop the solution is easy. The Garmin gps systems will inform you of every coffee shop that lies ahead. You can even see exactly where any store, shopping center, or restaurant is located. It will also tell you how far away they are and whether you need to veer from your current path to get to it.
When it comes to traveling on the road there are some things that you just can’t get away from like traffic. Why then wouldn’t you want to make life easier for yourself and use a system such as to Garmin GPS? There really is no excuse for getting lost these days. You can even get to your destination with little prior route planning.

Tom Tom Go 720 GPS Navigation

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:00:01 +0000

TomTom 720 is an extension of the tom tom line that we can expect to see in future. It adorns lot of specifications to the model being thinner and faster. It has a nicer screen than many pervious models; also it hosts new features that make the 720 an important device.
The TomTom 720 looks like the ONE XL, but a bit thinner than the ONE XL, so it is extremely bright and very easy to read. The screen doesn’t fade when viewed from very wide and very high angles like other screens. The screen is 4.3 inches and runs at 480×272 pixels and performs very well in bright sunlight.
On the top is the power button, and on the back are the speakers and a newly designed way for the mount to connect. SiRFstarIII chipset makes for very fast signal acquisition, which can stay in environments like urban gullies that are tough for older chipsets. The maps of the USA and Canada come pre-installed on 2 GB of internal flash memory. So the SD slot remains free to add more maps or to install MP3 files for the music player for that matter. Bluetooth for data connectivity as well as hands free calling can be found under hood. There is also an FM transmitter to pipe the music into the much better audio system in your vehicle.
If your device was sitting on a store shelf while a map update was taking place you can upgrade to the latest map within that 30 day period by going to the website.
The TomTom GO 720 is the first TomTom device to feature their new version 7 application. When navigating to an address, you are now prompted for the state, first and independently of the city. A current street name field has been added to the primary interface. Brand logos for certain POIs are now displayed on the map which they call “brand icons”. The 720 produced much faster routes and a faster interface than offered in the ONE and ONE XL devices. Multi destination routing is available through the TomTom Itinerary Planning feature.
TomTom is doing a lot on accentuating new safety features in version 7. There is a new ‘Help me!’ for help of getting specific information about your current location. Now you can search the nearest car repair facility, hospital, police station, pharmacy, fire station etc, etc more easily. To add more hiding options while driving, suggests breaks on long drives, warns on over the speed limit, or when you are near a school or church. Safe option to read aloud incoming SMS (text) messages using a combination of text-to-speech and speech recognition technology is like an icing on cake.
The 720 also makes wide leaps towards user customization. Through custom vehicle icons, you can now pick a different type of car to use in your display or even can create it. Create your own voice prompts. Viewing of certain document file formats.

Discount Garmin GPS At Its Best

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 01:00:53 +0000

Of the many various GPS manufactures, Garmin has become the most popular. Not only do they make a high-quality product, but they offer a wide variety of GPS units for average consumers, mariners and pilots. However, quality can come at a price, as some Garmin GPS units can range in price up to thousands of dollars. This is why it is important to try to find a source for discount Garmin GPS products if at all possible.
The first way one can try to find as source of discount Garmin GPS products is from the Garmin website itself, Garmin.com. The company website does not sell discount Garmin GPS directly; rather they provide a list of stores that do sell their equipment. They also provide access to refurbished GPS units that sell at greatly reduced prices. Refurbished units from authorized sellers come with a short warranty. Most refurbished Garmin GPS products are very reliable. Another option to finding a discount Garmin GPS unit is to check out the special offers on their website. Discount coupons are frequently available to many Garmin GPS products. To find Garmin retail stores, one has to make two selections: what country they are in and what type of GPS system they are looking for. The resulting hits will show information about the store including: address, telephone number, email address and a link if it is online. The potential buyer will have to search through the list to see which store offers the best discount Garmin GPS.
The second way one can locate a source of low priced Garmin GPS is from auction sites such as Ebay or Ubid. These sites work through a bidding system. Sellers post their items which contain a starting bid. The buyer places their bid and if they bid the highest after a number of days they have purchased the item. Auction sites also allow sellers to utilize the “buy it now” feature. Of course, “buy it now” tends to be more expensive in comparison to bidding, but it gives the seller an option to buy the item immediately. When the buyer is ready to pay, they can use their credit card or bank account through a payment system known as Paypal. Often using online auctions will provide the best prices for discount Garmin GPS products.
Another way you can buy a Garmin GPS at a reduce price is through shopping comparison sites, such as Froogle.com, Bizrate and Pricegrabber. Why would one even consider other methods of buying discount Garmin GPS if these options are available? It is because though these sites are very helpful, they do not always provide the match one might be looking for. Sometimes the results may not even be related to what one was looking for. Other times what they would consider a discount Garmin GPS would not necessarily be what the person searching would consider a ‘discount Garmin GPS’, since the prices could actually be those of regular retail Garmin GPS. This is a major downside when using shopping comparison sites, which are why one should be aware of the different sources of, discount Garmin GPS units.
There are several methods for finding discount Garmin GPS products: through the Garmin website itself, auction sites or shopping comparison sites. Through these resources one can save hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars on their next Garmin GPS unit. Purchasing a Garmin GPS at any price is a good investment. However, there should be no excuse why anyone should have to settle for a lesser quality GPS brand when you have access to discount Garmin GPS products.

Evaluate Garmin GPS Systems

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 01:00:18 +0000

GPS and Garmin have become synonymous. They are the leading GPS manufacturer in the world today by a long way. They started out in 1989 and today they have sold millions of GPS receivers.
So how do we know which Garmin GPS device will be perfect for our needs? There are so many which makes it very difficult to decide. The Garmin Nuvi and StreetPilot are some of the most popular GPS devices on the planet. Lets take a look at some of the automobile GPS systems and compare the differences.

Garmin StreetPilot 340
The Garmin StreetPilot c340 has a big advantage over the c330. That advantage is text converted to speech. Instead of GPS saying, turn right in 50 meters, it will say, turn right at Glover Street. This feature helps a lot when you don’t want to look down at the device to confirm the street name.
Another great feature of the c340 is that it can easily be upgraded with an optional FM traffic receiver. What this means is that live traffic information can be sent to your GPS device to warn you of construction work, accidents etc. The StreetPilot c340 can then show you the way around the traffic and guide you to your destination.

Garmin Nuvi 250
The Nuvi 250 is famous for its simplicity. It doesn’t have the advanced options most of us never use. So many buyers waste money on GPS systems that have features they will never use. They could have saved a lot of money and at the same time satisfy all there needs with a cheaper GPS system. If you’re not the hard core type then the Garmin Nuvi 250 will be the perfect match for you.
The Garmin Nuvi 250 comes with a 3.5 inch display, which is the standard among the entry level GPS devices. 3.5 inch display is a big enough screen to find your way with ease. You can also insert a SD card if you would like to load additional products and maps.
The only feature the Nuvi 250 doesnt have is the text to speech feature I explained with the Garmin StreetPilot c340. Things like Bluetooth, MP3 player, FM transmitter and widescreen is not available on the Garmin Nuvi 250 but many will agree that its not necessary. If Garmin decided to include text to speech it would have been the perfect GPS system at entry level but if that doesn’t bother you it might just be the one for you.

Low Cost Car Navigation - Garmin Vs Magellan

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:10:39 +0000

The prices of car GPS navigational systems are falling – that’s the fact. However, it is also true that when it comes to really affordable models (around $400 or below), the choice gets smaller and is generally limited to only a few Garmin or Magellan GPS units.
Garmin c320 (and c3×0 family) and Magellan RoadMate 2000 (and 2200T)
Garmin c320 is probably the simplest and lowest priced of all Garmin GPS units and the same can be said about RoadMate 2000 and Magellan. They are available at roughly the same price - around $349.00 for c320 and $399.00 for Magellan RoadMate 2000 (the prices are for the products sold on www.gottronics.com). Their newer models (c330 and RoadMate 2200T) are a little more expensive, they cost roughly $50-$100 more. Both product families seem to be intended for beginning users with only little experience with GPS units before.
Screen: the LCD touch screen of Garmin c3×0 is the Achilles’ heel of this model and the low quality of the screen is the major complaint of c3×0 users. Unlike in case of most other Garmin GPS units, c3×0’s screen washes out in the daylight and the map becomes barely visible in the sunshine. RoadMate 2000/2200T units have no similar problems and their screens are able to show easily visible maps all the time.
Batteries: While not the most important in case of using car GPS devices, batteries’ life is extremely important every time we want to plug our GPS unit from the car and go hiking. C3×0 are much better then – their batteries give c3×0 series Garmin GPS units over 4 hours of life, compared to maximum 3 hours of RoadMate 2000/2200T battery life. Generally, the RoadMate 2000/2200T family Magellan GPS units are intended for the car use only and should not be taken on hiking.
Maps & software: Both families of GPS units rely on NAVTEC maps, one of the best GPS maps available. However, Garmin c3×0 GPS units store over 5 million POI (points of interest) compared with only 1.3 million in case of RoadMate 2000/2200T Magellan GPS units. In practice this means that c3×0 models can provide a lot more information and “see” more potentially interesting places nearby than RoadMate. As for the software, both models are tight-packed with various trip-planning and address-finding features (c3×0 models have a little more of everything, but not decisively so).
While both interfaces were clear and friendly, we felt that the Magellan RoadMate 2000’s was a little easier to use, perhaps due to the better screen.
The bottom line: These two navigational units are really a close match. While in case of most expensive ($700 plus) models, Garmin GPS units are virtually unbeatable, in case of economic models such as those presented above, Magellan GPS units are often just as good or even a little better than similar Garmin devices. We felt that RoadMate 2000/2200T models were better than Garmin c3×0. By inches, but better – mostly due to the better screens.

Magellan Car GPS Navigation Systems

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:00:24 +0000

I’ll be honest with you. Magellan car GPS navigation systems don’t get enough written about them from reviewers like me. With Garmin controlling almost 50% of the market share, and Tom Tom rapidly catching up with very aggressive pricing, sometimes Magellan gets lost in the dust.
But Magellan’s products are definitely worth considering when buying a GPS navigation system.
Magellan was one of the first companies to pioneer car GPS navigation. They offer an excellent range of products with some features that other companies such as Garmin and Tom Tom do not offer.
They don’t have as many models as Garmin, especially in the high end of the market, but what Magellan does have is really top notch.
If you’re in the market for a car GPS navigation system, then Magellan is something definitely to consider.
Let’s take a brief overview of their product line.
There are essentially three lines of Magellan’s car GPS navigation systems–the Maestro line, the RoadMate line and the Magellan Crossover. We’ll look at each of these three.
The Maestro line is Magellan’s more fully-featured models of car GPS systems.
The Maestro 3100 is their entry level unit in the Maestro line. It’s currently selling for about $150, and has all the features you would expect of an entry level unit. It can tell you where you are on an electronic map and give you voice instructions how to get where you’re going. It also comes with a large database of pre-programmed destinations, called Points of Interest, or POI’s.
At the other end of the price spectrum is the Maestro 4250, which sells currently for about $250. The Maestro 4250 is, to my mind, one of the best deals on the market. Besides doing everything a mid-priced GPS should do, Magellan has a deal with AAA where they have their Tour Book directly on the GPS device. This is for AAA members only, but what a great feature!

The 4250 also has a larger display than the 3100.
If you’re looking for a big screen, however, you might want to think about the Maestro 5310, which has a 5-inch screen. (All these dimensions are measured on the diagonal.) The 5310 is a newer model and currently sells for slightly more than $300.
If you just want basic navigation and are looking for a cheaper system, you might want to consider Magellan’s RoadMate line. The RoadMates are billed as being “budget” models, but they still have a lot of features. You can get the RoadMate 1200 for less than $120! Or you can go for the more feature-laden RoadMate 1412, which is currently selling for around $200, and has the larger screen.
Of special interest to active people should be the Magellan CrossoverGPS. The CrossoverGPS is the only GPS navigation system on the market that is designed for use in the car as well as for hiking or biking. It’s small enough to easily fit in your pocket, yet has enough power to do everything you need a GPS to do.
Right now the CrossoverGPS is selling for about $220. If you’re interested in on and off road flexibility, then the CrossoverGPS really needs to be on your list!
There are certainly more Magellan car GPS navigation systems than I’ve mentioned. But this article will at least give you a good overview.
I’m not saying that Garmin and Tom Tom are not good companies and don’t make great products. I like both of those companies! All I’m saying is that you definitely should include Magellan in your list of possibilities when you buy your next GPS.
To find out more about Magellan’s (as well as Garmin’s and Tom Tom’s) products, you need a good, informative website where you can browse individual models and check out their current prices.