Easy and Fun to Use

ring TomTom Navigator Lifetime Roadside Assistance

Advanced Lane Guidance is great for navigating large cities where you can't be sure what lane to be in unless you've been through there before.
Updating the unit online is simple and easy, the software is very user friendly. The traffic updates and reroutes are good, but if you're not in a medium to large size city they aren't that useful very often. That said, when they are they can shave a lot of time off your trips and keep you from sitting behind an accident on the interstate.

The user interface is simple and easy to read. I plugged it in and got busy teaching myself how to use it without reading any instructions. You can get additional voices (and there is a promo code you can find pretty easily to get a $10 credit towards those) and after my wife and I tried a couple we found that Mr. Burns from the Simpsons was the funniest with the most original phrases. This thing is a ball to have and use on trips.

I can't fathom other people's lower ratings unless they just aren't technically savy at all. My wife and I both got them and had no issues with them. If this unit is too complicated for you then you might want to stick to a paper map.

The unit comes with a suction cup windshield mount and a dashboard peel and stick mount and a charging cable that doubles as the traffic radio cable (it uses radio signals to receive traffic updates). It also comes with a miniusb interface cable for updating the unit online.

Get your TomTom Navigator Lifetime Roadside Assistance Now!

worked out of the box for me.

buy sunglasses TomTom 1505TM Navigator Lifetime Traffic

Large, bright screen and refreshed interface that will still be familiar to Tomtom XL users. Navigation has been perfect so far with a large lane-assist database. One of my favorite features is that it displays almost all information I could want by default including arrival time, time until arrival, miles until arrival, speed, speed limit, and current time. On my garmin, I could only choose 4 of these items to display on-screen. Overall, the VIA series is not necessarily worth the update from XL (unless you don't have lifetime map updates with your XL) as the interface is essentially the same but with a refreshed look. But if you are looking for a new GPS, look no further.

One huge advantage is that with the lifetime traffic version (which I did not get since I don't think it is accurate enough at this time), there are NO ADS. This is crucial. All garmins with lifetime traffic include on-screen advertisements that are displayed when the vehicle is not moving or has no GPS signal (such as in a tunnel). The time when a car is stopped at a red light or stop sign is the safest time to consult the GPS, but Garmin obscures the map with ads at this crucial time while Tomtom does not.

My only complaint is that lifetime map updates are not yet available as part of the MyTomtom software. One map update is available as part of the 6-month guarantee, but the lifetime maps should be added to the software sometime in the future (make sure to save the promotion code in the box for when it does become available). Once it is updated, free safety camera warnings will also be made available.

Get your TomTom 1505TM Navigator Lifetime Traffic Now!

Glad I got it

dress women review Garmin eTrex Worldwide Handheld Navigator

As with any electronic device, it takes some learning and getting used to. Give it a chance is all I am saying. The Etrex 20 has been out with me geocaching, hiking, and scouting for about a week now. I have used it quite a bit in the little time I have had it. It has proven to be a very good unit. Satellite signal is very good and does not appear to be hindered by heavy cover. I have on several occasions, gotten a signal inside a house. The screen is very easily read- even in direct sunlight. I got the bundle package with the Topo US 100K maps and while it's not as detailed as 1:24K, it's still pretty darn good and quite accurate. Very well priced compared to buying the GPS and mapping software separate. I will say that it took me a minute and some questions to GPS forums to figure out how to get this unit to talk to Google Earth and import/ export data from Google Earth. But once you learn how, it's incredible. You can actually get aerial images from Google Earth and get them onto you GPS!! There are a lot of other mapping and POI managing system out there besides Google earth and the KML file converter that I am using so shop around and try a couple. They all have a learning curve. The batteries on the unit, seem to last quite some time (I have my backlight turned down to 50% though). I am still on my first pair of batteries and I am reading full power after using the hec out of it. The menus are pretty user friendly and you will get good at accessing them after some practice. The manual that comes with it is only "quick set up", so you will need to download one off the internet. Using this in the car I have it mounted on the dash and have not lost signal yet- even on cloudy days while driving fast. Garmin custom maps is a pretty cool tool that I used to get the aerials on my unit. You can access learn about that from Garmin's website. The only downside that I have seen with this unit so far is the toggle stick on the front top right of the unit that is used for scrolling through menus and maps. The unit does not have a "lock feature" for it and if you pocket the unit, there is a very real chance of bumping the toggle stick and putting you somewhere else in the GPS than where you want to be. Other than that little glitch, I am very pleased with this unit. My friend after watching mine in operation is seriously considering getting one. I would recommend it to anyone that wants a real affordable and dependable GPS mapping and geochaching unit.

Get your Garmin eTrex Worldwide Handheld Navigator Now!

Perfect, buy one immediately!

wotches man Garmin Foretrex 401 Waterproof Hiking

I bought this primarily for mountain biking and hiking. It is simple to use and works well. Satellite aquisition is very fast and I have had no trouble maintaining a strong signal under heavy tree cover (usually around 5-10' accuracy). The unit is pretty small for what it is and is easy to wear during rides. It seems pretty rugged so far.

I have read complaints about lack of software compliance, but I assure you it is very easy. After each ride, I simply plug the unit into my USB port. I then open Garmin Base Camp, select the GPS device, right click on the track I want to save and select "send to". Just send it to the file and it is saved on my Base Camp. Base Camp is lacking in detailed maps however, so I just click "view" in the Base Camp program and open the file in Google Earth. Works great and allows me to save detailed satellite images of each hike/ride. It takes less than 5 minutes to complete. I can then delete the track from my GPS and transfer the routes from Base Camp to my Foretrex whenever I need it.

My only complaints are very minor. It would be nice to be able to pause my trip data (such as my timer and distance) when I take a break. Accessing the battery compartment is not the easiest but it isn't too bad. Some reviewers complained about how tedious it is to delete tracks and waypoints. It is actually pretty simple. Tracks can be deleted by pressing "enter" on the map page and then selecting "clear track log". Waypoints can be deleted by selecting "setup" in the menu, then "reset" and "delete all waypoints".

Hope this helps. I would definately buy this again and recommend it to anyone looking for a small gps unit that does what it says and does it well. If you are looking for a detailed map and fancy color screen, you should look elsewhere. One last thing, I purchased a SquareTrade warranty with this unit. I have not used it, but it covers defects and accidental damage for 3 years(ie: falls while biking, drops, water damage, etc.)which seems fairly likely to occur when using this for mountain biking and heavy outdoor use. For $35 dollars it seemed like a good idea.

Get your Garmin Foretrex 401 Waterproof Hiking Now!

The Best GPS I've Used

watches woman TomTom Bluetooth Navigator Lifetime Recognition

Large, bright screen and refreshed interface that will still be familiar to Tomtom XL users. Navigation has been perfect so far with a large lane-assist database. One of my favorite features is that it displays almost all information I could want by default including arrival time, time until arrival, miles until arrival, speed, speed limit, and current time. On my garmin, I could only choose 4 of these items to display on-screen. Overall, the VIA series is not necessarily worth the update from XL (unless you don't have lifetime map updates with your XL) as the interface is essentially the same but with a refreshed look. But if you are looking for a new GPS, look no further.

One huge advantage is that with the lifetime traffic version (which I did not get since I don't think it is accurate enough at this time), there are NO ADS. This is crucial. All garmins with lifetime traffic include on-screen advertisements that are displayed when the vehicle is not moving or has no GPS signal (such as in a tunnel). The time when a car is stopped at a red light or stop sign is the safest time to consult the GPS, but Garmin obscures the map with ads at this crucial time while Tomtom does not.

My only complaint is that lifetime map updates are not yet available as part of the MyTomtom software. One map update is available as part of the 6-month guarantee, but the lifetime maps should be added to the software sometime in the future (make sure to save the promotion code in the box for when it does become available). Once it is updated, free safety camera warnings will also be made available.

Get your TomTom Bluetooth Navigator Lifetime Recognition Now!

Great GPS Watch

statement ring Garmin Forerunner Waterproof Running Monitor

This is a great product.

I was hesitant to purchase a GPS watch because of many negatives I've read from other users online. I needed to find something when I agreed to pace a marathon. I chose this one because 1) it's waterproof (I sweat when I run), and 2) it has a high-sensitivity receiver.

My experience has been even better than I'd hoped for. The device is reasonably easy to set up and it has a lot of expansion possibilities (will connect to heart rate monitor, foot pod, certain scales, etc.) It found the satellites within about a minute of turning it on. I tested it at first on known courses so I could see how accurate the distance tracking is - no issues there. Then I started running "anywhere," for the first time in my running career. This was incredibly freeing, knowing I could take little adventures and still have an accurate record of my mileage. When I return home, it automatically transfers data to the computer as soon as it's in range. The amount of data - Google map with my course, mile markers, split times, elevation profile - blows me away.

When I ran the marathon, I just set it to my required pace time and found it quite easy to adjust as needed to maintain that speed. The display is large and easy to see while running. The backlighting is adjustable and provides plenty of light, even for night running.

Just FYI, you won't use this as an everyday watch - it's really for fitness activities. It does tell the time of day, but not on one of the main displays and it's pretty small. Plus, the battery life is only about 18-20 hours (it's rechargeable). It's pretty large (but doesn't interfere with running at all.)

Get your Garmin Forerunner Waterproof Running Monitor Now!

Simple and reliable

cheap silver heels Magellan RoadMate 1700LM Portable Lifetime

I've never owned or used a GPS before, so I have nothing to compare with this. What had put me off all these devices previously was the small screen size of so many of them, and the very mixed reviews from brand to brand. It seemed like none of them stood out with reviewers. When I saw this one in a store, I decided to give it a try, and if it had the various problems I'd been reading about, then I'd return it. I'll start by saying I was not looking for a bluetooth compatible device to run my phone through, and I did not want to subscribe to any service for "extras." Since I wear reading glasses, the huge 7" screen was a big plus in getting me to try this out. I can read everything without glasses!

We tested it yesterday on a long 400 mile trip. You can choose various options: fastest, fewest miles, freeways, no freeways. I chose "fastest", and the route it set up was faster than we were doing this route previously, and everything was perfect, never an error in anything. You get alerts about 2 miles before a turn, you get lane assist, close to the turn you get another comment, and then very close to the turn you hear a bell or some other sound alert you can choose. When we came upon places where the road split and you could get confused, there was always an alert to either stay on the current road, or take the right fork, etc. You would also see the appropriate road signs on the screen at this point, indicating the lanes which applied to each sign. This was REALLY useful! If I deviated from the path it set up for some reason (i.e. stopping at a coffee shop), it picked right up and got me back on track as I left my stop. I used it to find coffee shops, a store I wanted to find, and so on. Since when you look up things, for example Costco, you get the full address and phone number. So I can avoid cell phone information charges! You can find wherever you want to go, add it into the trip, and in the whole trip with a lot of stops to new places, not a single glitch. It has both day and night screen versions....the day one is quite bright so you can scale it back with a dark, lower light background for night driving.

It's very intuitive. I deliberately did NOT do more than quickly peruse the manual. On this trip, I easily figured out the features and how to access them, very quick and easy, and everything soon became second nature.

It has built-in AAA information, too, which could be useful.

When you type it's a qwerty keyboard, but there is another option for the other style keyboard too if you want that. The keyboard is nice and large due to the big 7" screen. You can zoom in and out in the screen to see more or less, it has 2D or 3D, although frankly, I don't see a huge difference in the two. There are a lot more features I'm probably not remembering right now, but I really love this thing. I'm a convert!

Cons: I think the built-in rechargeable battery is probably fairly useless. When you use this, you absolutely MUST have it plugged into the car charger. The battery seems to die down within 10 or so minutes of battery-only use. So don't plan to run on battery power! (This may be true of all GPS units). I bought an extra house charger for it, but I can now see that was a waste of money, basically. When you turn the car off (even while it is plugged in), you get a message that it's going onto battery power, so obviously it doesn't stay "on" when the engine is off. So when we turned the car off, we also turned off the GPS.

Another Con: The great large, easily read screen turned out to be a bit of a negative: It's really too big to put in the window area, it blocks your sight. Probably smaller would be better....or if I could figure out a place to put it where it's easily seen yet not in the window area. Darn...

Voice/Sound: It's a woman's voice, a bit tinny, and the sound could definitely have been richer and better. But it's OK. The speaker is on the back side, so if you had this on your lap as I did, the voice couldn't be heard well that way. The unit is better in its upright position. I'm planning to get some sort of dashboard holder to do this (can't mount it on the windshield in Calif).

I can't comment on the longevity since I haven't had it long. I hope it will last a long time without problems.

I gave this 5 stars because it does exactly what I want it to do in a great, easy to use way, and the screen is HUGE and easy to read.

Get your Magellan RoadMate 1700LM Portable Lifetime Now!