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Now that GPS technology is going down in price I think I'd like one for my Honda Accord. I'm confused when I read the specs on different models though and would like some recommendations (and deals if any are available). I know Staples has the TomTom One on sale for $299 this weekend.
One big question I have that I don't see answered anywhere is just how do you enter info into the thing like where I'm starting from and where I'm going? Do you have to enter this info on a small keypad like a phone?
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Big Brother knows what you're up to, where you're going and steers you down the righteous path.
The one I played with had a touchscreen.
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UPS just delivered a Garmin i5, from Costco. Haven't used it yet 'cause can't get a signal at the home location. Not a good sign, even though it does say tall buildings(none around here) and tall trees (lots of those) can affect sig. Reviews said it had good sig acquisition so will play with today and report. FWIW, I chose the i5 for it's small size and price point.
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Same boat as you a few weeks ago. Taking a week-long trip to Chicago for business, and was planning on doing a lot of driving.
After a lot of research, I chose the Garmin Streetpilot 340C. Color, touchpad (instead of scrollwheel or buttons), optional speak names and directions (with choice of voice), mounts on dash or windshield, comes pre-loaded with North America and Canada.
Worked great - was able to find gas, restaurants, street adresses, etc. in seconds. It was around $320 at Amazon a few weeks ago.
Cheers, J
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I bought my dad a Garmin Street Pilot c330. It was $300 @ Amazon back in Dec. I set it up for him and I like it a lot (much better than the OEM Nav in my BMW). It's got very readable 3D maps and easy to program (even for my non-tech dad). The only thing it doesn't do is traffic info. You have to get the 340 for that + subscription.
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Best place to start from is where you are. :-)
(some will let you do pre-planning A to B )
You are in the midle of the screen (excpt some units allow you "look ahead mode", which will put more of the screen in front of you.
There are usually a number of ways to pick a destination.
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I have had a TomTom Go700 for over a year and really like it. However I am looking to upgrade to one with a 7 inch screen because the 3 inch screen is just too small for convenient viewing in our 40 foot Monaco RV.
To answer your other question, I bought a $30 remote for the TomTom because it is so much easier to use than the touch screen. The Garmin Street Pilot 7200 that I am thinking of getting comes with a remote.
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I have a Garmin that is a couple years old. It has a touch screen and it comes with a very nice remote. I NEVER thought I'd use the remote but I was wrong. The touch screen is great, but if I am at a stoplight and want to find a nearby restaurant or post office the remote is much easier than the touch screen. As it turns out, I use the remote more than the touch screen.
When I start to put in a new route, it gives me the option to start from my current location (wherever that may be) or to put in a specific location. I use the specific location when I want to gauge the distance between two points I know I want to hit.
On my unit I can also set a "home" point which is nice. That way it is easy to set a route home from wherever I am. If I am out of town for an extended period, I set the hotel as "home" for the duration of the trip.
I have mine set to always find the quickest route, but there are options for scenic routes, routes that avoid highways etc.
Good Luck-
DM
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I purchase a Magellan RoadMate 2000 just before the holidays to use on a cross country trip. Got it for $290 at Sears after they price matched Staples and took 10% of the difference off.
I posted a short review before, but in summary it is a very nice unit with a touch screen. It's only real limitation id its POI database. It has 1.5 million entries as opposed to other units that have between 3 and 6+ million. This isn't really a problem for me as it really only surfaced when looking for shopping POIs. It would list that a mall was nearby, but not the shops in the mall, for example. It's navigation capabilities are great and worked very well.
