Showing posts with label navigation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label navigation. Show all posts

8/27/2012

Mio MOOV 300 4.3-Inch Widescreen GPS Review

Mio MOOV 300 4.3-Inch Widescreen GPS
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I need a GPS for my daugther, who got her driver license recently and have been calling home asking for direction often :-) After surveying the field I narrowed my choices down to: Garmin 260W, TomTom XL-S, and Mio Moov 300. The main selection criteria are:
1. bigger screen
2. text-to-speech
3. all gps functions, none others (e.g. bluetooth)
Since Moov 300 is fairly new and there aren't a lot reviews it is sort of a risky buy. However, since all 3 are pretty much the same functionality-wise, the tie-breaker came down to price. After a couple of weeks, here are some opinions:
Pros:
1. fairly easy to use (never read the manual).
2. find satellites almost instantly (< 15sec), even inside my house. Note that performance might vary, I can only speak from my experience.
3. Good text-to-speech, announce direction in advance. Again, I read some people complained it announced turns too late, but not yet to me. It usually announces twice, once to remind you beforehand, the other when the turn is near.
4. fast re-route
Cons:
1. Battery is weak, less than 2 hours.
2. Sometimes the route is devious.
Overall, I consider it worth the money if you are not too picky.

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Turn-by-turn Spoken Street Name Voice Guidance. Never miss a turn with 3D indicators and auto-zoom views. Clear voice guidance lets you hear the directions so you can focus on the road. Stylish Design that fits easily in a pocket or purse makes it easy to take the Moov 300 with you. Preloaded U.S. Map of All 50 States and Puerto Rico. No PC download or SD card required. Preloaded with Over 3.5 Million Points of Interest. No More Waiting for GPS Signal with InstantFixII. Get fast and accurate GPS signal receptionevery time. No extra fees and PC connection required. 4.3 Touchscreen Interface. The bright, anti-glare touchscreen makes it easy to type in your destination and easy to see while youre on the road. SD / MMC Slot for easy additional map loading.

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8/23/2012

Cydle T43H 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Cydle T43H 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
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I bought this device instead of renewing my XM NavTraffic subscription. So far, I have been very pleased. Driving in the Los Angeles Area, I find the data to be much more accurate than XMs... and delivery over HD Radio is about 10X faster than I had become used to. I do wish that the device had a little larger screen, but the quality of the display and software's ease of use are quite good. After 60 days, I'm still very happy with my purchase and a few of my friends have bought one too.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cydle T43H 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator



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8/12/2012

Alpine PND-K3 - GPS receiver - automotive Review

Alpine PND-K3 - GPS receiver - automotive
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Pros
Price - Very Solid and functional GPS.
Good screen and easy to use. Acquires Sat Signal typically in 30 seconds or less.
Bluetooth works fine with my phone however no address book transferred. It does seem to handle calls well. Clear and Loud enough on both ends.
Fairly intuitive to use. Intuitive typing is a real plus.
Windshield mount is solid and well built
Again, for the price, cant go wrong. No much more than some spend on Map updates on other models.
Called Cust Service before purchase. Quickly got to a rep . Talked generally about the PND-K3. Said it is a current model that will continue to be supported.
Cons
Battery? Not sure. Will typically have it plugged in.
Routes? Not always the best routes if you know where you are going. Not bad routes but not always the absolute best.
Some missing POI's but haven't noticed any missing streets.I have played around with all aspects of the GPS. It is fairly intuitive, but the best way to learn is just by playing and touching the screens in various places.Plugged it in to my computer and it found a software update. No problems. Installed fine.
Having used other GPS, it seems that they all calculate some routes that you may disagree with. Again, if you don't know where you're going, the routes seem fine. No routes were just totally wrong. Most GPS use the same mapping company so I imaging the routes and POI's are similar.
One poster mentioned that the voice was too low to hear. There are 2 audio settings. One is in Audio settings the other is thru up and down buttons on the top of the unit. My guess is that the other poster did not use the buttons as the voice is loud and clear when turned up. At half volume it is very low.
I did not get the MSM version although after the update and MSM icon appeared. Sure that this could accept MSM with and add-on.
Noticed other expert reviews that were good. But there biggest drawback was the initial price. Would imagine that it would be rated very high based on today's price


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8/05/2012

Power Acoustil PTID-5000 Single DIN A/V Source Unit w/ Oversized Digital 5? TFT-LCD Touch Screen; Motorized Front Panel w/ 4 Pre-Set Angles Review

Power Acoustil PTID-5000 Single DIN A/V Source Unit w/ Oversized Digital 5 TFT-LCD Touch Screen; Motorized Front Panel w/ 4 Pre-Set Angles
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I wanted so bad to love this HU (head unit) but I can't. What you get for the price is amazing but it comes with it's down sides...
Pro's:
DVD picture quality is perfect (I don't think you could get much better)
Motorized face is nice
Touch sensitive buttons work well
Good Price
Nice Remote
Con's:
Sound quality is average or less
Bass and treble adjustments only, no other audio fine tuning available
Touch screen was intermittent, sometimes it was good and sensitive, sometimes you had to press hard or multiple times
Very annoying buzzing/ringing sound when an auxiliary device is plugged in
Some DVD's froze/skipped (DVD's were in perfect condition)
Subtitles kept coming on while playing DVD's. Had to keep going in the menu and turning them off
Takes forever for a disc to load (either CD or DVD)
Can't do anything else while a CD is playing (ie., can't adjust audio settings while disc is playing, but can in AUX mode or am/fm)
I expect a lot from my car stereo systems and I have been doing this for 15+ years. I think this HU would be good for an entry level user or someone not as picky as me. Also I hope the other ones don't have the AUX input buzzing/ringing that mine did. Remember that one key thing your parents always told you......You get what you pay for!


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8/01/2012

Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition Unlocked Phone with Free Voice Navigation and Nokia Navigation Accessory Kit--U.S. Version with Full Warranty Review

Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition Unlocked Phone with Free Voice Navigation and Nokia Navigation Accessory Kit--U.S. Version with Full Warranty
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Update on 5/8/2010:
-------------------
It's been a couple of months since I bought this phone. Finally, I've updated the firmware and some software, so I'd like to give a quick update / review on the new changes, because some of the things I mentioned before are no longer accurate.
- Firmware v40.2.005 is great. It's just a slight improvement but good nonetheless. One can update the firmware either through over-the-air (ie. 3G / WIFI) or from a PC. I'd prefer to use Nokia Ovi Suite on a PC to update the firmware because you can backup all your settings / contacts / data. Although updating the firmware is relatively safe, you'd want to do a backup just to be sure.
- Ovi Maps v3.03 is a nice improvement. The interface is about the same. The biggest change is you can download voice guidance that speak street names during navigation. With this update, it really depends on one's usage to think if this phone can replace a dedicated GPS unit. It's getting harder to say now.
- Nokia Email Messaging is Nokia's way of doing Push email. It works pretty well with GMail / Hotmail / Yahoo and I'd assume it works with other email service providers too. It basically syncs all the contents in each email accounts (up to 10). The updated client displays HTML contents which is a significant improvement.
Many new phones (especially Android phones) have come out in the last couple of months. I still think this phone still proposes excellent values with its price and features. Most of all, it's unlocked, and it can be used anywhere in the world, even without a SIM card.
The phone's user interface remains its Achilles' heel, however. As long as the user finds the phone hard to use, it really doesn't matter if the phone has the best price / features / performance in the market. Most users are using this phone to be more than just a phone. It's a smartphone because the phone is smart, not because it expects a smart user to use the phone.
Original Review:
----------------
I'll try to keep it short. I'll give the phone 5 stars without hesitiation. Others have provided very good (or bad reviews) of this phone, and mostly they are right-on. The key about this phone is you need to know why you want this phone, and how this phone suit your needs. Do not have an unreasonable expectation. The strength of this phone is its cost vs. feature proposition. In my opinion, there's simply not a phone out there that provides such a rich feature set while costs < $250.
If you want to buy an iphone (and pay ~$1000 total - $200 for the phone + $720 for 2-year data plan @ $30/month), don't buy this phone. Buy the iphone instead. This phone is not an iphone, not an iphone killer, and not an iphone replacement.
If you want to buy a Garmin GPS, don't buy this phone. Buy a Garmin GPS instead. This is not a GPS replacement.
If you want to buy a good quality digital camera, don't buy this phone. Buy a Canon or Nikon. This is not a digital camera replacement.
If you want to buy a FM radio, don't buy this phone. But who needs a FM radio anyways.
If you want to buy a music player, actually this phone's music feature is really nice.
With the above being said, buy this phone if you want an excellent phone AND want to do all of the above without carry all of the above gadgets at the same time. In particular you want:
- a phone that is unlocked, quad-band (international use), no contract, no $30 data-plan, no $10 GPS navigation plan and costs ~$250
- a phone that has strong signal, excellent call quality, and long battery life
- a phone that can play music/video/games, browse the internet, check email, take pictures/videos, provide GPS turn-by-turn drive and walk navigation (North America only) and maps service (global map is free download), provide VOIP video calls (using the 2nd camera in the front) over WIFI (fring and nimbuzz apps are free download) EVEN WITHOUT a sim card (excellent for travel)
Some tips while using this phone:
- the touch screen is a resisitive touch screen (unlike iphone's capacitive touch screen). Do not use your "finger tip" to control the touch screen. Use your "finger nail" or the included stylus instead. Personally I like "finger nail" much better. Once you get used to this, everything is a breeze. If your "finger nail" is as sharp (or unsharp) as the included stylus, it will not scratch the screen.
- the user interface takes a while to get used to. The iphone user inteface is more superb (and it's not even close, so I'll give credit where credit is due.) However, the Nokia 5800 features are excellent and there are plenty of supported (and unofficially supported) apps to download. No need to download itunes. No need to wait for Apple certified apps. Basically, you can download whatever you want and do whatever you want with this phone (e.g. use it as a USB storage device), and that's why it's not an iphone.
- speaking of iphone interface - there's a PAID (for money) app out there that you can buy and install iphone-like user interface onto your Nokia 5800. Get that app if you really need the iphone user interface. Just google "Nokia 5800 myphone app" and you will find the link and reviews.
- use the GPS without data plan (and do not get charged for data usage) by going to
settings -> phone -> app. settings -> positioning -> positioning methods and check only "Internal GPS".
The GPS without data plan may take up 5 mins (or more) to acquire a lock. The GPS signal is weaker than a dedicated GPS unit, and the voice navigation does not speak street names. That's why it's not a GPS replacement, but a GPS capable phone that you can use while a dedicated GPS unit is not available.
- browse the internet and check email using WIFI. Make sure you don't get charged for extra data usage by going to
settings -> connectivity -> destinations -> Internet (or MMS or WAP) -> "Your service provider" and make sure "use access point" is set to "after confirmation".
It's annoying that you will keep getting asked if you allow internet connection, but you'll get the peace of mind that you'll never accidentally connect to the cellular data network.
- visit Chinese (Traditional or Simplified) / Japanese / Korean websites by downloading "Opera Mobile with Asian Language Support" (not the regular Opera Mobile, not Opera Mini). Just google it and you will find the link.
- take pictures / videos while outdoor and with good lighting. Poor picture / videos quality is expected for any camera phone when taking them indoor with poor lighting. The phone flash does not help. That's why it's not a digital camera replacement, but a phone with camera that can use during social outings (e.g. Facebook Mobile upload).
Some nice to have (but not required) for this phone:
- get a data-plan if your service provider has a cheap alternative compared to the standard $30 smartphone data-plan. Being able to browse the internet and check email anywhere without WIFI is very convenient. Plus, the GPS / maps include additional features like traffic, weather, additional point-of-interests update that require a data-plan. More plus, with data-plan, you can turn on A-GPS (assisted GPS), which allows the GPS to acquire a lock in less than 30 seconds and to maintain a much stronger GPS signal throughout.
And most of all enjoy your phone while you are sitting somewhere nice, like a coffee shop. People, do everyone a favor - DO NOT USE YOUR PHONE (TALK OR TEXT) while driving.
Hope my review helps.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition Unlocked Phone with Free Voice Navigation and Nokia Navigation Accessory Kit--U.S. Version with Full Warranty

Nokia's 5800 Navigation Edition builds on the success of the 5800 XpressMusic phone, utilizing the brilliant 3.2-inch touchscreen as a navigation platform. Preloaded with complete maps of the U.S. and Nokia's Ovi Maps software, the 5800 offers premium mapping features such as 3D landmarks, terrain maps, weather service, traffic warnings and more. Included is a lifetime subscription for both walking and driving directions, along with all the necessary accessories--holder and suction mount--for vehicle use. On top of navigation, you'll get all the connectivity and multimedia features that have made the 5800 a best-seller.


Nokia Ovi Maps GPS Navigation The 5800 Navigation Edition includes lifetime GPS navigation license for driving and walking, full USA and Canada maps so you can navigate and search in offline mode, and an intuitive interface that leverages the 5800's touch UI and brilliant 3.2-inch widescreen. You'll get 3D landmarks for over 200 cities, high-resolution aerial images and terrain maps, traffic and safety warnings, and more.
When online, you can check out weather forecasts and nearby events, explore premium travel content by Lonely Planet and Michelin for over 1000 destinations globally, and find thousands of POI listings for sights, restaurants, hotels, shops, nightlife, and more.

Navigation licenses come pre-installed and ready to use, and included in the box are a charger and suction mount for out-of-the-box navigation.

GPS navigation can be used without a SIM card, but works optimally with a data connection through your network Carrier. Data charges may apply.

Select Navigation Features
My position--Find your current location easier and faster with integrated AGPS.
Find places--Find places and addresses around you.
Favorites--Save your favorite places and routes. Sign in to your Ovi account, and synchronize all you personal favorites with maps.ovi.com.
Drive--Use GPS car navigation with voice and visual instructions, lane assistance, and speed limit warnings.
Walk--Use GPS pedestrian navigation with routing through pedestrian zones and shortcuts, stairways, plazas, and pathways through parks and buildings.
Car kit--Complete navigation solution for your car with car kit and suction mount included with your device.
Free maps--US and Canada maps data come pre-bundled on your device. Donwload more than 180 countries using Nokia Maps loader and you'll never need a paper map again. Visit http://www.nokiausa.com/maps for more info.

About The Nokia 5800 The Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition is a WCDMA/3G/GPRS smartphone featuring a large 3.2-inch color display with 640 x 360 pixel resolution and a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. The touchscreen provides tactile feedback, and is ready for input from the included plectrum, styluses, or your fingertips.
The internal battery provides up to 9 hours GSM (5 hours WCDMA) of talk time on a single charge, with up to 17 days of standby time.

Nokia's handy contacts bar makes it easy to share media and communicate with your friends, and the media bar means ultra-quick access to your favorite media. Enjoy MMS and SMS messaging, along with a wealth of features outlined below.

Connectivity The 5800 gives you Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) and 3G mobile broadband connectivity with a fully capable web browser and easy-to-use e-mail client. The microUSB port lets you quickly transfer photos or GPS info between the phone and PCs. Bluetooth wireless technology means you're set for streaming stereo audio or wireless headphones or earpieces, and the 3.5mm A/V output lets you enjoy audio and video on external devices. An FM transmitter is also built in, so you can tune your vehicle's radio to the device's audio.

Nokia Ovi Suite Ovi by Nokia gives you a bundle of smartphone features to help you be more productive, along with plenty of entertainment options.

Access photos, music and files stored on your computer with Ovi Files. Easily sync your calendar and contacts with your PC. Share your photos and videos anytime, anywhere.

The Ovi Store lets you purchase apps, games, videos and more for enjoyment on your device.

Music The 5800 is a great music platform, too. With support for up to 16 GB microSD cards and playback of MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMA, and WAV audio formats, you can take your music library with you. Enjoy playlist editing and sharing, a graphic EQ for dialing in your sound, and integrated stereo speakers with 3D surround sound. You'll get up to 35 hours of music on a single charge.

You can also browse, stream and download millions of songs over the air at Nokia's music store.

For those who prefer the radio, a stereo FM radio lets you catch up on the news or your favorite shows.

Video Video looks great on the 5800, with support for MPEG4, AVC, WMV, RV, and Flash Video. Enjoy up to 5 hours of video on a single charge.

The 3.5mm TV output gives you a composite output for enjoying video, images, and more on your television.

Camera The 5800's camera features Carl Zeiss optics and 3.2-megapixel quality. The dual-LED flash is great for low-light conditions, and the 3x digital zoom and autofocus are features you'll find helpful. You can also record video at up to 640 x 480 pixel resolution, and take video calls thanks to the front camera.



Nokia 5800 Specs
Weight: 109 g/ 83cc/ 3.84 ounces
Size: 111 x 51.7 x 15 .5mm (4.37 x 2.04 0.61 inches)
Display: Touch-sensitive 3.2-inch QVGA LCD with 16 million colors
Display resolution: 640 x 360 pixels
Display aspect ratio: 16:9
Internal battery: BL-5J
Talk time (WCDMA/GSM): Up to 6.4 hours/4.3 hours
Standby time (WCDMA): Up to 400 hours
Music playback time: Up to 35 hours
Band: NAM VARIANT WCDMA 900/1900, Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Internal memory: Up to 80 MB user data
Expandable memory: Expandable by microSDHC memory card, up to 16 GB
User interface: Symbian OS, S60 5th Edition 5.0
Bearers and transports: WCDMA, EDGE, GPRS



What's in the Box Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition device with stylus and Li-Ion battery, 4 GB micro SD memory card, Stereo headset, Audio controller, Charger, Car kit (car holder pack, rotating swivel adaptor, easy mount), Data cable


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Worldwide Walk and Drive Navigation With the 5800's Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation application, drivers receive turn-by-turn voice guidance including lane assistance, traffic information (in 10 countries including the U.S.), and safety camera and speed warnings, while pedestrians will be guided on shortcuts through parks and pedestrian-only zones in over 100 cities across the globe. And unlike other mobile navigation mapping solutions, Ovi Maps works offline--no cellular service is required.
With the new Ovi Maps for mobile you get for free:

Maps for over 180 countries and free map updates
Drive and Walk navigation available in over 70 countries with real-time voice guidance
My Position enables you to find your current location easier and faster than ever.
New one box search for quicker access to finding places and addresses.
Save your favorite places and routes, then synchronize them with your Ovi account over the air.
Car navigation with voice and visual instructions, lane assistance and speed limit information. Now also with text-to-speech voice guidance.
Pedestrian navigation with routing through pedestrian zones and shortcuts, pathways through parks and buildings, stairways and plazas. Now with text-to-speech voice guidance.
Get real-time weather information including a 5-day forecast, for your current or any location found via search.
Lonely Planet and Michelin offer you dynamic access to the best and most relevant editorial travel content for over 1000 destinations. Find thousands of listings for sights, restaurants, hotels, shops, nightlife, and more. Look these places up on the map and get to them with Walk and Drive navigation.
Discover the events happening nearby your location on the map or any place found via search.
Share your location on Facebook--where you are, what you are up to and finish with a photo.

No Hidden Costs The new version of Ovi Maps comes with all the maps and high-end, car grade navigation features you need for free and is yours to keep for the life of the smartphone. No additional licenses needed for extra countries, regions or services like traffic information or city guides. Data charges from network operators may apply.

Voice Guidance and Traffic Information Turn-by-turn, voice guided navigation comes free for both drivers and pedestrians. For drivers this includes lane assistance, traffic information, safety camera, and speed warnings. For pedestrians, this includes shortcuts through parks and pedestrian-only zones for over 100 cities around the world as well as 6,000 3D landmarks in over 200 cities to help you find exactly where you are.

Unique Hybrid Technology Ovi Maps is built on an advanced technology called hybrid vector maps. Vector maps are high quality but less data intensive and allow you to continue to navigate even if you lose your network connection. This means that maps downloaded or updated across a network connection are about half the size of bulky bitmaps used by other mobile map providers. The hybrid technology ensures that, unlike other providers, any downloaded map data is stored on the device for future use.

No Network Connection Required When Navigating Avoid expensive, battery-draining network connections with Nokia's unique hybrid technology. Maps can be pre-loaded on to your Nokia smartphone so you can set Ovi Maps to offline mode, saving battery power, and the navigation system will still work. This is particularly useful for those worried about data connection costs when travelling abroad or when you are travelling through areas with little or no network coverage.

Best Global Coverage You take your mobile with you wherever you go in the world so, as standard, voice guided navigation for both pedestrians and drivers is available for 74 countries in 46 different languages and there are maps for over 180 countries. This gives you the best maps with the largest global coverage for free.


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7/18/2012

Navigon 7100 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Navigon 7100 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I ordered my Navigon 7100 at the end of August and received it on September 7th. In the last few weeks, I have been all over .... New York City, Washington, Northern Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, San Francisco/Oakland, California, etc. For most of those journeys I have had my Nuvi 660 next to the Navigon 7100. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. Overall, my personal conclusion is that the Navigon 7100 is for me the way to go. I will be packing up my Nuvi 660 in a few days and sending it off to one of my kids.
Below I will list some Pros and Cons of the 7100. The 7100 has not by any means been flawless. But its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. And most of my complaints are easy software fixes. I feel that Navigon has gotten the message from those of us in the USA and is attempting to address our issues. They won't be here long if they don't. They may believe that they have the superior product but they may go the way of Beta in the Beta / VHS competition, if you remember that from years and years ago.
I have spoken to higher ups at Navigon and they could have brushed me off. Instead, once I got that far, I found someone willing to listen, acknowledge their shortcomings and say they will fix things. So far they have done so with the 4 GB fiasco. The rest remains to be seen. I am hopeful. I believe that they will now do what it takes. The people I have dealt with struck me as sincere and willing to do what it takes.
By the way, while I adjusted the route profile based on recommendations on forums and even from Navigon to the Optimum setting, I have found the Fast profile setting works best for me.
I also have turned off the Menu animation setting which seems to work better for me.
-----------------------------------------
Pros of 7100
Excellent screen and info. I like info and I get all I need with the 7100. I especially like the upcoming turn arrow showing up if it is a close turn to the next turn you are taking.
The 7100 adjusts for your time zone automatically. You need to do this manually on the Nuvi 660. In California my 7100 showed the correct time while my Nuvi was on Eastern time. I was only there a day and didn't bother to change it.
The 7100 makes it easy to engage the night/day mode, as well as 2D/3D mode. Though an auto setting for day/night would be a nice add-on, it is too easy to do manually to make a difference for ME. And I like the color scheme of the night view. Very cool.
Ability to block portions of route and have trip recalculated. Makes life easier if I want to avoid certain roads.
Seems to lock onto 1 or 2 more satellites than 660 when I was able to check, not always though, but a lot of the time which may help explain my next observation.
Its position in relation to the road in my observations was a bit more accurate than the 660. I would be just about passed the exit ramp when the 660 would show me just entering it.
I found the refresh rate to be a bit more frequent than the 660. While it may be an optical illusion, it seemed to be moving more often than the 660. Again, this is my personal observation and might help explain the above observation.
Reality View is excellent. It has helped me on countless highways. Once though it showed one more lane than the highway had. But it helped me navigate the right way anyway. This is probably the number one feature for me.
Lane Assist is not visible when Reality View is on, but if you hit the screen to disable Reality View (quick feature and easy to do) I often see the Lane Assist present there. Helped me getting to Oakland, Ca. airport as I exited and needed to turn left by showing me both lanes were left turn lanes way ahead of the pavement markings showing me that. Helped me to decide what lane to use for the upcoming turn.
Speed warning (caution) has helped me keep my speed where I want it to be. Though I got used to it and needed to remind myself that it isn't always there, especially on the local streets.
Time of arrival is more accurate for ME than 660. The 7100 would on short trips show 5 to 10 minutes longer to get there but ended up being closer to the actual time of arrival than the 660. On a 5 hour trip the 7100 showed arrival to be 35 minutes longer than 660 at the start. Ended up being closer to actual arrival time than 660. Nuvi kept adding time, even though trip was going smoothly. Much prefer a more conservative approach. Again this is what I experienced in my journeys.
Fairly fast recalculation of route when turn not taken (I did that intentionally at times to test it out). Though once it seemed to take forever.
Traffic info reception is excellent. External antenna not needed in major cities, but helps in outlying areas.
Windshield mount is easy to put on and take off. Stable and secure. Wobbles on occasion but not noticeably an issue for ME. Brings the 7100 closer to you than any other system I have used that I mounted on the windshield. And I found it has lots of adjustment options to get the view I wanted. Had my doubts at first, but love how it just floats near you. My Nuvi mount would fall off until I started using water on the rubber mount before attaching. Even then once or twice it came off.
Easy to spot a McDonald's on your route and by turning in its direction get to it fairly easily rather than search the POI database.
----------------------------
Cons of 7100
No feature to avoid HOV roads/lanes. I have an entrance ramp near me to a major highway that is open only during morning rush hours and is only for HOV use. The 7100 always wants to take me to that highway that way. I can never use it since it is only me in the car. And the times it tells me to go that way it is closed anyway.
I enabled the feature to avoid U-Turns, but the 7100 tells me to make them anyway, even if I could easily go around the block. I could understand it doing so if I am at a dead end but that hasn't been the case. There has been a clear view of the sky and good reception at the time.
My saved destinations do not show up on the map. It would be nice to see them as I go near them. The Nuvi shows all my destinations on the map as I go by them.
Text to speech needs improvement. While I have found that most streets are named, the pronunciation is awkward. If not spelled in a conventional way it is mispronounced. Centre becomes Cen-tray. Marble is Mar-blay. Stonefield becomes Stoney-field.
Toll roads are labeled as TOL for some reason. Even though there is plenty of space for it to be TOLL. As a result the text to speech says, turn onto xx "tall"... for TOL.
Battery life is not as good as I expected. It has a nice warning though to tell you that the battery is almost gone. Maybe Navigon should check with Apple and its iPhone for a better approach. '
Finding a Point of Interest if you don't know the city it is in is difficult. The Nuvi will tell you all the POIs close to you, though you have a long wait as it loads them to get to the next screen. If I want a gas station nearby it doesn't tell me if it is ahead of me or behind me. The Nuvi would give me arrows to help me see where it was. Not knowing could mean circling back to get to it rather than hit something along the way. Its POIs on the route don't give you a lot of options. I would much prefer getting a list to choose from than the ones the unit selects to position on the route I am taking.
Long start up time. Though it is a breeze when I stop for gas and get going again. It took seconds for the 7100 to crank up the times I bought gas or had a quick lunch. My Nuvi was still loading as I headed on my way. Blocks away it joined the 7100. Most of the time though (other than the quick stop routine), the Nuvi was the winner here.
----------------------------------------------
Again, these are all MY PERSONAL observations. I know others have had different experiences on many of these observations.
All in all I find the Navigon 7100 to be an excellent GPS for MY needs. And even though I paid a higher price for it when I bought it than it sells for today, I think I got my money's worth.
Is it perfect? Not at all. It has many things that could be better. Is it the best GPS I have come across and owned? Yes, I can honestly say that it is FOR ME. I have owned the Tom Tom GO, the StreetPilot III, the Nuvi 350, 360 and 660. For now, this is the one for me. I change GPS units often. Buying the newer maps was not worth it for me since if I added to that price what I could sell my GPS on ebay for it would come close or fairly close to buying a newer model. And I need the latest maps, which are outdated when they are released.
All in all, I am sold on the Navigon 7100. For ME it is a clear winner!
---------
10-18-07
In the last few days I have been to Memphis and Boston. I must say I am happy to report that the start up time when I get into my rental car seems to be quicker. Also, while I didn't expect to get traffic info in Memphis and almost didn't hook up the external antenna to pull in traffic, when I did I got an alert quickly about a 2 mile congestion spot on a highway on my route. I hit avoid and got diverted to side streets which got me to the hotel fairly quickly. I passed over the highway I was to go on and sure enough it was stop and go traffic. Really saved me time and aggravation.
In Boston I noticed a few things.... one is that in the underground tunnels the 7100 kept...Read more›

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In the U.S., German-based Navigon may be the biggest name in gps you'venever heard. Navigon has long been a major provider of navigation software to automotive manufacturers for in-dash gps navigation devices, but only recently did they introduce portable navigation devices under their own name. What they offer up, however, demonstrates immediately that this is a company that knows navigation inside and out.
More about Navigon
Navigon...James Navigon The first thing you notice about the Navigon 7100 GPS Navigator is, well, the Navigon 7100 GPS Navigator. It's beautiful. It's the kind of device you'd expect an international spy to have in their rocket car. It's less than an inch thick, and its shiny black casing will go well with just about any car interior. Paying the same attention to every detail, Navigon's included car mount raises the bar even higher, with a design that is not only easy to use, but echoes the 7100's in a way that makes device and accessory become one, adding a touch of style and elegance to any vehicle's interior.


Packed with Features When you stop ogling the outside and really start using the 7100, what you notice is that Navigon has decided to avoid media support and instead has focused on navigation-based features. This means the 7100 is packed, offering an array of features that are, at the time of this writing, unmatched at this price point. It provides you with turn-by-turn directions, including actual road names via text-to-speech. It includes built-in Bluetooth technology that enables hands-free mobile phone integration, which not only increases driver safety, but is fast becoming a necessity as states pass laws against talking on a cell phone hand set while driving. It warns you when you are exceeding the speed limit. It offers 2D and 3D map views with incredibly precise road visualizations (more on that below). Its Navteq data contains millions Points of Interest (POIs) such as restaurants, hotels, golf courses, gas stations, banks, etc.

Reality View and Lane Assistant The 7100 has two features that are a great help in negotiating unfamiliar or complicated road systems. Lane Assistant recommends the best lane for you to be in relative to the proposed route, so you won't find yourself trying to move over three lanes when the freeway splits. Reality view guides you with photo-realistic 3D images of junctions, complete with actual sign text and exit ramp guidance. This makes translating what the navigator is telling you to what you see on the road instantaneous.

Free Traffic for Life This is a biggie. The Navigon 7100 comes is the first GPS device to offer subscription-free, real-time traffic information via the integrated traffic receiver with no additional fees or setup for the life of the product. Be advised on traffic flow and incidents, as well as the best alternate routes. The traffic info starts working as soon as you get the 7100 out of the box.

Zagat Ratings and Branded Icons for POIs All of Navigon's gps navigators offer Zagat ratings and reviews for their POIs, so while this device may not get you a beer, it can tell you where to find the best one. Branded icons displayed on your map make it easier to navigate to a familiar location of your choice.

Superior Software and Hardware The features and functions of the Navigon 7100 are controlled via intuitive, easy-to-use animated menus that use predictive text input to quickly and easily select your city, state and address. Maps and menus appear on its extra-large and elegant, high-contrast 4.3-inch, full-color touch-screen display with an easy-to-read 16:9 aspect ratio for an exceptional view of the road. The Navigon 7100 includes a powerful Samsung 400 MHz processor, a fully integrated SiRF Star III GPS chip, 64 MBs of both RAM and ROM built in, and a rechargeable 1,200 mAh lithium ion battery that is rated for 4.5 hours of continuous use. All this is housed in an ultra-thin, sleek piano black housing that weighs only seven ounces, and measures just 5.1 x 3.5 x 0.9 inches (W x H x D). The Navigon 7100 even comes pre-loaded with complete maps of the U.S. and Canada, providing you with superbly accurate, seamless door-to-door directions wherever your vehicular travels might take you.

Note that the 7100 runs on the Microsoft Windows CD Net 5.0 operating system. A PC is required to use additional map data, and in such cases users require Windows 2000, ME, XP or higher, as well as a CD ROM drive and a USB port. An SD/MMC card reader is recommended as the 7100 not only uses SD cards, but also comes with a 2 GB SD card in the package.

What's in the Box The Navigon 7100 preloaded with North American maps, 2 GB SD card, car charger, wall charger, car mount, USB cable, CD and user manual on DVD, quick installation guide, and warranty information.

About Navigon NAVIGON has been a leader of GPS navigation since 1991, and has a long history of industry innovations. NAVIGON created the world's first dynamic personal GPS product in 1996, launched the industry's first navigation software for the Pocket PC in 2000, and unveiled the first Traffic Message Channel-based (TMC) avoidance feature on mobile navigation product in 2002. NAVIGON has helped revolutionize how consumers get from place to place with software products for practically any navigation-ready hardware. Personal navigation devices (PND), smartphones, and in-dash navigation systems directed by NAVIGON's award-winning MobileNavigator (MN) software delivers reliable information on millions of destinations in an intuitive, easy to use format. NAVIGON is a valued partner to the automotive industry, and in 2006 strengthened its category competency by acquiring NAVTEQ's navigation software business. NAVIGON is a privately-held software company based in Hamburg, Germany, with NAVIGON USA headquarters in Chicago, IL.


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7/09/2012

TomTom GO 740 Live 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable Live Internet Connected GPS Navigator Review

TomTom GO 740 Live 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable  Live Internet Connected GPS Navigator
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I have used multiple generations of the TomTom, and I have been a fan for a while. TomTom has always had the best user interface, but the rubber meets the road on directions and map accuracy, and here the new GO 740 Live shows solid improvement.
I drive in the Washington DC area, and occassionally commute up I-95 to New York and Long Island. In other words, it's traffic, traffic everywhere.
I depend on the TomTom GO 740 Live. The traffic updates are frequent, and almost always match what I am seeing in the real world. And IQ Routes are clearly having a positive impact on route selection. IQ Routes is the feature than anonymously gathers actual driving experiences from all TomTom users and then factors that history into its route computation. I suppose it works best in metro areas where there are many users.
Why this matters: Anyone who drives north out of DC knows that 16th Street is much, much better than Georgia Ave. They both appear as normal city streets, and though Georgia appears more direct, it has more untimed lights and more local traffic. Before IQ Routes, TomTom would suggest Georgia, and I would ignore it. Now, TomTom suggests 16th. With IQ Routes, TomTom is gathering the experience that only local drivers have.
After second-guessing TomTom for a few months, and usually being wrong, I now let it automatically route around traffic. Between the traffic reports and the IQ routes, I am getting the right routes and very accurate estimates of arrival times.
My previous TomTom was the 930, which reached its traffic service through a bluetooth connection to my phone. The connection was flaky (I blame Verizon, not TomTom.) and did not work if I was on a call. The new LIVE series has it's own cell circuitry built in. I stopped paying $15/month to Verizon for "broadband access connect", and I will gladly pay $10/month to TomTom for the LIVE services, which include traffic, fuel prices, speed cameras, Google searches, etc.
Final note: In addition to the LIVE services, I subscribe to TomTom's map update service, and I dock the unit to my PC often to download map corrections. I depend on my GPS, so these update services are a positive feature for me, and my review assumes use of all these services.

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Amazon.com Product DescriptionTomTom GO 740 LIVE is navigation and so much more. Real-time information saves you time, money, and stress. GO LIVE automatically accesses traffic feeds, updated fuel prices, Local Search powered by Google, Weather, and Buddies--so you can stay in the know on the go. Real-time services work right out of the box via a built-in wireless data connection.* Three months of service included.


TomTom's award-winning software means the ultimate driving experience. Switch on and go right out of the box. Just enter your destination address with voice recognition or on the touchscreen and start driving anywhere in the US and Canada. TomTom GO 740 LIVE guides you door to door with turn-by-turn spoken instructions, including street names.

The GO 740 LIVE features IQ Routes Technology, which gives you the fastest route every time by using actual average speeds of travel on your route to calculate your trip time rather than posted speed limits. You'll always travel the smartest route.

TomTom has the most accurate maps, and with TomTom Map Share technology, you instantly can modify street names, street direction, POIs, and more on your own device.

The TomTom GO 740 LIVE is the ultimate connected car navigator.

*Services available in the United States only.

GO 740 LIVE Features
LIVE Services
TomTom Traffic
Fuel Prices
Local Search powered by Google
Weather and more

Maps of United States and Canada with TomTom Map Share
IQ Routes Technology
Voice Recognition
Advanced Lane Guidance
Bluetooth Hands-Free Calling
Spoken Street Names

All TomToms Feature
Plug & Go--Works right out of the box.

Preloaded Points of Interest--Easily find millions of gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and more on your route.

30-Day Latest Map Guarantee--Up to date, off the shelf.

TomTom Map Share--Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share.

Help Me! Emergency Menu--Easily access local emergency providers, such as police, fire stations, and hospitals.

TomTom HOME--Always up to date.

Traffic Ready--Optional RDS-TMC traffic receiver accessory keeps you up-to-date on traffic events to minimize potential delays.

Fuel Price Service (optional)--Know more, pay less.

Why TomTom? TomTom believes that personal navigation should be as easy and safe as possible. TomTom develops smart technology that gives you straightforward solutions, innovations to make life easy.
Easy to Use

Award-winning navigation software
Plug & go

Best Maps

30-Day Latest Map Guarantee
Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share

Best Routing

QuickGPSfix
Traffic ready

Leader in Safety

Help Me! emergency resources menu
Safety preferences menu

What's in the Box GO 740 Live device, windshield mount, USB cable, adhesive disk, car charger, and user guide
About TomTom Founded in Amsterdam in 1991, TomTom has established itself as a global leader in navigation by being an innovative company with a strong brand, clear customer focus, and high-quality products and services.
TomTom is a leading navigation solutions provider with navigation products sold in 30 countries and in over 20 languages. To further its commitment to car navigation, TomTom acquired Tele Atlas maps in 2008 so that the company can continually provide the most up-to-date maps and intelligent routing.

TomTom has its own mapping company!

Did you know that every year, roads change by up to 40% in high-growth areas? Tele Atlas manages this by using the world's most comprehensive systems to identify and incorporate these changes into our maps with unprecedented levels of speed and accuracy. All TomTom devices benefit from the Tele Atlas advantage--more coverage, more points of interest, and more freshness and accuracy.


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7/02/2012

Power Acoustik NAVIBOX-1 Navigation Add-On Module Review

Power Acoustik NAVIBOX-1 Navigation Add-On Module
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This review is in conjunction with:
Power Acoustik PTID-8970NRB 7-Inch In-Dash Widescreen TFT/LCD Monitor with DVD
The reason I'm writing this is because I scoured the 'net looking for reviews on this unit to give me piece of mind. Well I'm glad I took the plunge. It's $200 extra, but well worth it. It's well programmed, you won't have a problem switching from a Garmin or a TomTom. It finds the satellites a lot quicker than my Garmin too, and I assume (though I don't have many tall buildings or mountains around me that it will hold on signal better there as well. And I have the antenna buried behind my glovebox. I imagine if I gave it more prominent positioning, the signal would be even better. The maps seem to be better than my garmin: it has less unnamed streets in my experience. And the fact that it's built into your dash and you don't have to sucker it onto your windshield is great. I'm really interested if anyone knows about software updates for it (just because I'm geeky that way). The website it points to doesn't seem to exist. You can quickly switch between your nav screen and your audio screens. You can continue listening to your source audio while in the nav screen and you can continue to get audio nav directions when off of the nav screen.
Added: and with my PTID-8970 it plays the audio from whatever source just fine while in nav mode.

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6/29/2012

TomTom GO 700 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Review

TomTom GO 700 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
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The TomTom Go700 is great! I own a Garmin c330 (also phenomenal product), but this one is equipped with excellent new features that keep it bleeding-edge car navigation.
First off, the Bluetooth connectivity makes this product a winner in itself. The phone calls are crystal-clear with my Ericsson T637. Callers also say they can hear me perfectly. The connectivity is awesome, plus with web access on your mobile, you can collect current weather and traffic data from TomTom. The voices are loud and clear, and the 3D navigation outperforms the Garmin.
Navigation-wise, the product is also awesome. Route planning is easy and intuitive. If you don't like a certain route, you can select alternate routes on-the-fly. You can select from a large number of route views (text only, map, both, etc.), and route demos can be sped up or slowed down (unlike c330).
Other awesome features include tips and tutorials for learning the intracacies of the product. You can also download new voices to the device (such as John Cleese) for added customizability. This is so much fun! The features go on and on....
All in all, this is a significant improvement over the Garmin c330. It adds all the functions I wished were available on the Garmin. This is so greatly customizable and easy-to-use. I consider it the Mac version of GPS car navigation.
-----
One week later...
After owning the product for a week, I decided to return it. I had a few issues with the unit powering up; I needed to reset it several times. I also found a few annoyances with looking up points of interest. Unlike the Garmin, you must first select a category before searching for a POI. This made it impossible to search for Dry Cleaners, Banks, and many other very necessary locations!
Map data is also a bit outdated. Entering my office address didn't work on the unit. It only registered a certain range of "house" numbers, with mine not being one of them. TomTom also uses TeleAtlas maps, which (in my opinion) are not as nice as Garmin's NAVTEQ ones. They both work, but I find usability easier and more efficient on the Garmin.
Also, reading cell phone text messages via the unit was practically useless. Messages were encoded with a string of strange text before the actual body of the message.
Many fun features (such as Traffic & new POI's) are not yet available in the US, either. This product is a little bit of everything rolled into one. It's a really cool unit, with tons of features, but I think it's a bit flawed. I hope TomTom continues to support many of the features it advertses (Weather, Traffic, Voices, etc.).

Click Here to see more reviews about: TomTom GO 700 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

The TomTom Go 700 Portable GPS Car Navigation Systems is the smart, easy, and connected portable car navigation system. Featuring all the great navigation functionality of the original award-winning TomTom Go, the TomTom Go 700 is easier and more convenient to use than ever before. You won't find a smarter portable GPS navigation system anywhere, as the TomTom Go 700 not only speaks more than 30 languages in over 50 voices, but its user interface now also includes 18 languages. With the improved functionality, you can quickly access millions of points of interest and plot your quickest, shortest choice of road in no time at all. For maximum driver and passenger convenience, the TomTom Go 700 works with an optional remote control accessory (not included with product). The remote uses radio frequency so you won't even need to point it. Mount it anywhere you want, and do away with the need to touch the screen. A compass mode displays a compass on screen, giving you even more orientation while driving. Plus, with the volume of the device linked to your car speed, the volume of the unit's voice instructions will increase or decrease depending on the speed of your vehicle. An improved on/off switch means that you'll never turn the unit off by accident, and an antiglare screen ensures that you are always offered an optimal view, even in direct sunlight. Just plug in your TomTom Go 700, switch it on and go. There's no need for any special installation or activation. A set of clear, accurate, turn-by-turn voice instructions and crystal-clear 3D graphics will help you to get where you need to go. The unit's simple design allows you to take the TomTom Go 700 with you from car to car quickly and easily. All the newest TeleAtlas maps are now installed on a 2.5 GB hard drive as one seamless map, allowing you to find your way to any address across all of the United States and Canada. The TomTom Go 700 is USB 2.0-compatible for faster data transfers to and from your PC. Meanwhile, the unit's Bluetooth receiver allows you to download real-time TomTom Plus services through the internet connection on your Bluetooth phone anytime and anywhere. TomTom Plus gives you the real-time information you want on traffic congestion and weather conditions, plus extra downloads such as detailed city maps, additional voices, points of interest, and more. Note that some TomTom Plus services require a subscription fee. Also, TomTom Plus services require a GPRS ready device equipped with Bluetooth and a GPRS subscription with your mobile operator.
the TomTom700 in action
What's in the Box TomTom Go 700 portable car navigator, carry case, screen cloth, installation CD, AC adapter, cigarette lighter cable, USB 2.0 data cable, installation poster, quick start guide, product code card, TomTom GO accessory leaflet, and component parts of a suction-mount cradle.

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5/28/2012

Sony NVU83T 4.8-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Review

Sony NVU83T 4.8-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
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One of the big concerns with this product was the fact that most users had mentioned that the routing and the software was buggy. I decided to purchase the NV-U83t anyways expecting a firmware upgrade. Prior to the upgrade (version 1.0) I ran into several issues where the routing was quite terrible, and I found that when searching for GPS signal the unit would not inform you that it was "searching". On April 7, Sony came out with a firmware update version 2.0. I tried this out and it really fixed several issues especially the routing issue and GUI(graphical user interface) slowness. I initially had this rated as a 2/5, but now rate it as a 5/5. I couldn't be happier with the GPS product from Sony. I'd like to express that I have experience with other GPS products such as the Garmin Nuvi 260, Magellan Roadmate 1200, the Sony NV-U83t is the best featured GPS unit. In my opinion, I would definitely recommend this GPS unit.
Users, if you have Version 1.0. UPGRADE to 2.0!!!
Update 7/14/2008:
I updated to Version 3.0, I do agree that the POI was slow, I took a long trip with V2.0 and finding POI was really really bad where it would take minutes to find a location. with Version 3.0, it's a difference between NIGHT and DAY. Upgrade to Version 3.0, not only is the poi searching better, the overall user experience is BETTER. I'm happy Sony is providing firmware updates, this is important since the product itself was released too early. I do believe there will be a few more software revisions, but using the update tool is VERY VERY easy. Good luck with those that do decide to purchase the NV-u83t, it's an awesome unit and I am definitely happy with it.

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The Sony Nav-U portable satellite navigation system is more than basic navigation Behind it's elegant design you'll find, intuitive and easy to use functionality along with pre-loaded map content covering the continental US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. While the Super Suction Cup affords installation flexibility in an endless variety of situations, easy to read 4.3" and 4.8" Touch Screen displays will allow you to keep your eyes on the road and not the screen. TTS (Text to Speech) also eliminates second-guessing when making a turn; the device utilizes spoken commands ensuring you are able to follow the directions by street names. The Sony Nav-U portable satellite navigation system, is the perfect companion for that cross-country trip or short ride across town.

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4/29/2012

TomTom GO 740 Live 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished) Review

TomTom GO 740 Live 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The New go 740 Live is a great device from a family of easy to use GPS's.
My only issue is related to buying a refurbished one here from Amazon. The site didn't indentify that the device would not come with the 3 months of free Live Service, nor did it mention that 'Latest maps' would not be included to allow for a subscription.

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4/25/2012

Garmin nüvi 885/885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition Review

Garmin nüvi 885/885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition
Average Reviews:

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Excellent features and very good GPS. It gets a satellite lock inside my house!!! The voice recognition is the gem in this thing. It really works and once you start using it, it is very useful and functional. You don't have to push buttons.
Positives: Voice recognitions, lots of POIs, on-line sites like POI-Factory to add custom POIs (easy to do), and a very good set of features. I have tried (it works) but not extensively used the bluetooth hands free and mp3 player yet (8GB microSD card ordered) but I think it will be useful. MSN Direct is the way to go and works very well. I am getting helpful traffic updates in Louisville.
Negatives: I have to say the volume on the unit should be higher. I realize the FM radio option is there, but sometimes you are listening to the radio or a CD and it is hard to hear the Garmin. On a trip do they expect you to only listen to the Garmin? I figure if I use the mp3 option on an FM channel that maybe that is a way around the CD because I assume it will give voice prompts through the music audio (have not tried). Also the few hands-free calls I have taken have given very poor sound on the Garmin speakers making it not useful (maybe a software update? Not sure they are using the A2DP or a good profile.). They must fixe these two issues. They should already have this perfected. One other small potential issue. The band for the voice recognition button barely fits my steering wheel (last notch), on some others that are larger it could be an issue (but I think this may be minor)?
I will post more as I use it. I should give it 4 starts because of the sound issues. I will come back and re-review as I use it. It is worth buying. My brother and siter have Tom-Tom and another Garmin (780) and this is definitely better. The voice command and satellite lock really distinguishes it. When you are driving you don't want to have to reach and push buttons on it. Garmin, please improve the audio ASAP.

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4/16/2012

Nokia E5-00 Unlocked GSM Phone with Easy Email Setup, IM, QWERTY, 5 MP Camera, Ovi Store with Apps, and Free Ovi Maps Navigation (White) Review

Nokia E5-00 Unlocked GSM Phone with Easy Email Setup, IM, QWERTY, 5 MP Camera, Ovi Store with Apps, and Free Ovi Maps Navigation (White)
Average Reviews:

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I was hesitatig about buying this product since there some reviews stating that this phone is below E72. Well, it is in absolute numbers since it does not come with secondary camera, which I've never used in E71 and E72, however, the SO is clearly more stable and runs faster, designed also to incorporate facebook and twiter among other social networks apps natively.
Also, the assisted GPS computes your position faster than E72. I can say this because I did a simple benchmark between them. E5 took less than 10 secs, E72 more than 3 minutes.
The keyboard, although similar in size and key distribution, is more comfortable, I guess it is due to an improved key shape and they are slighly wider, which is very noticeable when writing.
The camera is 5MP, I guess is the same. I have to say that comparing only pixels in cámeras is like comparing food only with calories or cars with hp. There are more things to evaluate.
The construction.... well, I don't know why people complain a lot about plastic construction since it's very similar to that of the E72, all plastic but the battery cover, made of stainless steel, which gives a nice feeling. Ok, it is not fron a casting as the E71 but that doesn't mean it has a weak built, it feels rock solid and less suceptible to be damaged since it weights less and then less energy is needed to be absorbed, thus less prone to be damaged.
In general conclusion it's a great phone, with less features like the secondary camera, which I never use, but it costs less and IT HAS improvements learned from the very unstable E72.

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Great for mobile messaging as well as providing excellent voice communications, the Symbian-based Nokia E5-00 unlocked mobile phone follows the successful blueprint of devices such as the Nokia E72 and Nokia E63. It combines high-quality business features--such as synchronization of contacts and e-mail with Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveler environments--with all of the personal networking and entertainment capabilities that a busy professional expects from a smartphone. The E5 also provides access to social networks directly on the homescreen, enabling you to view, comment, and update your status and share pictures to social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

You'll stay on track thanks to the integrated GPS with free Ovi Maps Navigation for voice-guided directions, and you can find nearby restaurants, landmarks, events and other points of interest as you travel from place to place. Keep on top of your emails from your phone or computer using the free Ovi Mail service, and discover and download apps and games via the pre-loaded Ovi Store. You'll also be able to sync, store, and manage your documents and files remotely with Ovi Files.

The Nokia C6 comes with a pre-loaded 2 GB microSD memory card that includes Ovi Maps data for the US, Ovi Suite, and bonus content--no need to download anything from the Web or discs. And you can add more memory via optional microSD memory cards up to 16 GB in size.

Type a quick email, SMS or note using the full QWERTY keyboard--built for fast, efficient messaging--and see everything clearly on the 2.36-inch widescreen display. Other features include Wi-Fi networking, 5-megapixel digital camera with DVD-quality video capture, Web browser with RSS feed support, multi-format digital media player, personal organizer tools, and up to 5.5 hours of 3G talk time (18.5 hours on standard GSM networks).

Unlocked Phone
This unlocked cell phone can be used with a GSM network service provider. It does not come with a SIM card, and it requires that you provide a SIM card for usage with your selected service provider. This phone comes with a full manufacturer's warranty.


When paired with a compatible 3G network, you'll enjoy a high-speed connection offering a variety of feature-rich wireless services--from data connectivity to your office to multimedia streaming, and take advantage of simultaneous voice and data services. In areas not served by a 3G network, you'll continue to receive data service via EDGE network (depending on network compatibility).


Note that the downloading of maps, games, music and videos and uploading of images and videos involves transferring large amounts of data. Your service provider may charge for the data transmission, and the availability of particular services and features may vary by carrier.


Key Features
Fast 3G connectivity with broadband-like speeds via 850/1900/2100 MHz UMTS/HSDPA (with EDGE data connectivity where 3G not available).
Integrated assisted GPS (A-GPS) receiver with free Ovi Maps enables you to find your route quickly and easily, whether walking or driving. Use the Walk pedestrian navigation to find your way, or the voice-guided Drive navigation to find the best route. (Learn more)
2.36-inch LCD screen (320 x 240 pixels, 256K color depth)
Full QWERTY keyboard with dedicated home and messaging keys; five-way Navi key with soft keys, call and end keys.
Symbian OS version v. 9.3 (S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2)
See and share your Facebook and Twitter feeds from friends and colleagues right from your homescreen
5-megapixel camera with 3x digital zoom, LED flash, multiple scene, white balance, and capture modes (such as panorama), and still image editor
Video capture capabilities with VGA resolution (640 x 480) at 15 frames per second (fps)
Digital audio/video player with compatibility for MP3, WMA, and AAC/eAAC+ audio formats, plus MP4 and 3GPP video formats
Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go.
Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.0) includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and the A2DP Bluetooth profile--enabling you to wirelessly stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones or speaker dock.
256 MB internal memory
Included 2 GB microSD memory card with support for optional cards up to 16 GB.
SMS and MMS messaging with common inbox
Instant messaging via AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Live, and Google Talk
Corporate e-mail connectivity via Mail for Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveler
Access to personal e-mail via Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Windows Live, Hotmail, and other popular POP/IMAP services. Easy Ovi Mail free email account creation directly from phone.
Nokia Web Browser (OSS) with Mini Map, Web feeds support (RSS) and xSP framework support
Pre-loaded applications include Quick Office Suite, PDF reader, ZIP (for compressed files), and Dictionary
Organizer tools including calendar, to-do list, notes, active notes, recorder, calculator, clock, and converter
Airplane mode allows you to listen to music while the cellular connectivity is turned off
3.5mm headphone jack
USB 2.0 port

Vital Statistics The Nokia E5-00 weighs 4.4 ounces and measures 4.5 x 2.3 x 0.5 inches. Its 1200 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5.5 hours of talk time on 3G networks (18.5 hours on standard GMS networks), and up to 705 hours (29+ days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies, plus 850/1900/2100 3G networks (HSDPA).
What's in the Box Nokia E5-00 handset, rechargeable battery (BL-4D), charger (AC-8), 2 GB microSD card, connectivity cable (CA-101D), wired stereo headset (WH-102), user guide
Free Worldwide Walk and Drive Navigation
Nokia now offers its Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation application free across the globe. Drivers receive turn-by-turn voice guidance including lane assistance, traffic information (in 10 countries including the U.S.), and safety camera and speed warnings, while pedestrians will be guided on shortcuts through parks and pedestrian-only zones in over 100 cities across the globe. And unlike other mobile navigation mapping solutions, Ovi Maps works offline--no cellular service is required.


With the new Ovi Maps for mobile you get for free:

Maps for over 180 countries and free map updates
Drive and Walk navigation available in over 70 countries with real-time voice guidance
My Position enables you to find your current location easier and faster than ever.
New one box search for quicker access to finding places and addresses.
Save your favorite places and routes, then synchronize them with your Ovi account over the air.
Car navigation with voice and visual instructions, lane assistance and speed limit information. Now also with text-to-speech voice guidance.
Pedestrian navigation with routing through pedestrian zones and shortcuts, pathways through parks and buildings, stairways and plazas. Now with text-to-speech voice guidance.
Get real-time weather information including a 5-day forecast, for your current or any location found via search.
Lonely Planet and Michelin offer you dynamic access to the best and most relevant editorial travel content for over 1000 destinations. Find thousands of listings for sights, restaurants, hotels, shops, nightlife, and more. Look these places up on the map and get to them with Walk and Drive navigation.
Discover the events happening nearby your location on the map or any place found via search.
Share your location on Facebook--where you are, what you are up to and finish with a photo.
No Hidden Costs
The new version of Ovi Maps comes with all the maps and high-end, car grade navigation features you need for free and is yours to keep for the life of the smartphone. No additional licenses needed for extra countries, regions or services like traffic information or city guides. Data charges from network operators may apply.
Voice Guidance and Traffic Information
Turn-by-turn, voice guided navigation comes free for both drivers and pedestrians. For drivers this includes lane assistance, traffic information, safety camera, and speed warnings. For pedestrians, this includes shortcuts through parks and pedestrian-only zones for over 100 cities around the world as well as 6,000 3D landmarks in over 200 cities to help you find exactly where you are.
Unique Hybrid Technology
Ovi Maps is built on an advanced technology called hybrid vector maps. Vector maps are high quality but less data intensive and allow you to continue to navigate even if you lose your network connection. This means that maps downloaded or updated across a network connection are about half the size of bulky bitmaps used by other mobile map providers. The hybrid technology ensures that, unlike other providers, any downloaded map data is stored on the device for future use.
No Network Connection Required When Navigating
Avoid expensive, battery-draining network connections with Nokia's unique hybrid technology. Maps can be pre-loaded on to your Nokia smartphone so you can set Ovi Maps to offline mode, saving battery power, and the navigation system will still work. This is particularly useful for those worried about data connection costs when travelling abroad or when you are travelling through areas with little or no network coverage.
Best Global Coverage
You take your mobile with you wherever you go in the world so, as standard, voice guided navigation for both pedestrians and drivers is available for 74 countries in 46 different languages and there are maps for over 180 countries. This gives you the best maps with the largest global coverage for free.


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4/08/2012

TomTom ONE XL 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Maps of the U.S. and Canada (Factory Refurbished) Review

TomTom ONE XL 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Maps of the U.S. and Canada (Factory Refurbished)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This TomTom unit works well, screen is easy to understand, and using it is simple. I had a Magellan before, would NEVER buy one again. Magellan's customer Service is horrible, TomToms support is much better and their website allows you to upgrade sattelite locations on your unit, so if you turn it on while you're driving, it finds you in less than a minute. The Magellan takes 5 - 10 minutes in the same situation!
There are less points of interest on the TomTom, but that's not that important to me. Most of the time I have an address or I'm looking for a gas station or hotel, which are usually listed.

Click Here to see more reviews about: TomTom ONE XL 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Maps of the U.S. and Canada (Factory Refurbished)

We ship all of our items directly from our wearhouses located in San Francisco, CA and other locations in the USA.This items comes with manufacturer warranty. This item is listed as a *Special Promotional item; hence it may take 5-10 business days for delivery. Please review our Return Policy & the FAQ under the Special Promotional section for terms and conditions. 100% Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed !!!The TomTom ONE XL boasts a large, easy-to-read 4.3" color widescreen touch display that makes navigation easy on your mind and your eyes. This portable navigator comes preloaded with maps of the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. The ONE is ready to navigate right out of the box - future map updates are covered with new Secure DigitalTM (SD) cards or downloads from TomTom, so you won't have to worry about your maps going out of date. Enter your destination on the ONE XL's touchscreen, and it will guide you with turn-by-turn voice prompts. You have the option of 2-D or 3-D map view, and the choice of 55 different voices for spoken guidance. You can even add celebrity voice prompts that are available for paid download from TomTom. You can choose the quickest or shortest route, elect to avoid toll roads or interstates, or use multi-destination programming to find the fastest way to run all your errands in one trip.For extra safety, you can program the ONE to tell you when you're going over the posted speed limit. The voice guidance can be set to increase in volume with your car's velocity, and a compass mode adds a compass to the display for easier navigation. The lightweight ONE XL is portable too - its built-in battery lets you take it with you when you're on foot.Plug & Go: Works straight out of the box.Large 4.3" touchscreen: provides greatly expanded view of your surrounding area. Tip Feature: discover everything ONE XL has to offer through useful onscreen tips.

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3/26/2012

Power Acoustik PTID-8310NRB Single-DIN 8.3-Inch Flip-Up Nav-Ready TFT-LCD Touchscreen A/V Source Unit with Bluetooth Review

Power Acoustik PTID-8310NRB Single-DIN 8.3-Inch Flip-Up Nav-Ready TFT-LCD Touchscreen A/V Source Unit with Bluetooth
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
So i bought this deck awhile back, like last year, anyway its a great deck, you can hook RCA's up or wires for your speakers right out the back of the deck. anyway, its a really great deck, everything worked, and everything is very impressive, screen is huge, and fits perfectly in my car. Now ive read some other reviews and people are complaining that the DVD player and SD card reader dont work. TO THOSE PEOPLE< READ THIS !!!!!!!!!!!!. If you want that to work you have to go into the harness of the radio and install and ground the BLACK WIRE, to the ground, this wire is suppose to be installed to the handbreak so when it is pulled you can watch movies (its a safety option) you can by pass it by grounding it out. i really hate that this deck is very impressive but is getting horrible reveiws becuase of the dvd option, i will assure that the deck will work and be a perfect addition to your car. Message me with any questions, i could install these things for a living haha.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Power Acoustik PTID-8310NRB Single-DIN 8.3-Inch Flip-Up Nav-Ready TFT-LCD Touchscreen A/V Source Unit with Bluetooth

Power Acoustik's going huge with this receiver--the single-DIN unit boasts an 8.3-inch flip-up screen. Yes, you read that right: The company developed a new ultra-slim transport (only half an inch) and rotational mechanism to give you the big picture. It comes with two cages that will allow for hooded dash installs or a flusher install where no hooded dash exists. Enjoy a superb picture with 800 x 480 resolution, playback of your favorite media, AM/FM radio, Bluetooth technology, and then some. You can also add the optional NaviBox-1 for full NAVTEQ navigation.

Huge 8.3-Inch Screen The PTID-8310NRB boasts an 8.3-inch in-dash screen, for uncompromising entertainment. The motorized, LED-backlit LCD telescopes forward and backward with preset angles. It offers 800 x 480 pixel resolution with a 400 NIT brightness rating, for a picture to rival anything else out there. It's also a touchscreen, for quick and easy navigation of system features.
When not in use, the screen tucks safely away into the receiver, thanks to Power Acoustik's unique rotating mechanism. A standard DOT display picks up the slack when you're not using it.
Integrated Bluetooth Make hands-free calls or stream music with integrated Bluetooth technology. The PTID-8310NRB works with most Bluetooth-enabled cell phones, and it includes a built-in microphone.
A2DP profile support means you can stream audio from compatible devices directly to your stereo, with no cable needed.
Enjoy Your Media Play back your favorite discs with support for DVD, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, and VCD formats. You can also enjoy DivX and MP4 video, along with MP3/WMA audio (from disc, SD card, or USB devices).
Dial in the sound with custom or preset EQ settings, along with audio staging controls.
Prefer the radio? The PTID-8310NRB features an AM/FM radio with 18 FM and 12 AM presets, for instant recall of your favorite stations.
50W x 4 MOSFET Amplifier The built-in 50W x 4 amp provides plenty of output to start with; but for those who want a little more system, three sets of 4V preamp outputs (front, rear, sub) are included. Add some external amps for some chassis-shaking power.
Front-Panel Inputs You get plenty of input options with this receiver. Put your favorite media on SD cards or a USB thumb drive, and plug right into the slot/port on the front of the device.
There's also a standard 3.5-mm auxiliary input, so no matter what your device, chances are you can connect it.
Navigation-Ready Just add the optional NaviBox-1 (sold separately), and you'll have a full-featured NAVTEQ navigation system at your fingertips. Get realistic intersection views, turn-by-turn instructions, 2D and 3D map viewing, and plenty more.
Remote Included Control unit functions with the provided full-featured remote.
What's in the Box PTID-8310NRB receiver, Bluetooth microphone, remote control, wiring harness, and installation hardware.

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3/19/2012

Motorola Motonav TN765T 5.1-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Review

Motorola Motonav TN765T 5.1-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Thanks to Amazon for a very prompt refund! In twelve years this is the only item I have ever returned to Amazon.
Let's start with the headlines, the good the bad and the ugly
Good:
* Very good screen resolution compared to other GPS of this type
* Address search is way fast - 6 seconds to calculate a coast to coast trip
* Good screen brightness
* Thin and light
* Lots of extras, live search options, fuel prices and all else
* Very good map and junction detail
* Physical map overlay on the 2D views
* Easy to change between 2D and 3D view
* Good phone integration - works with an LG Dare
* Good phone contact search
* Good volume and easy controls - but there is a down side
* Very well rendered 3D landmarks - but there's more to that too
* GPS lock on is very very fast. By the time it came up from cold the first time it was already locked on.
* The traffic receiver appears to be much more sensitive than the Garmin one
* Much better mount than Garmin or Tomtom, more reach, more adjustable and has locking joints.
Bad:
* Hesitates during text entry. Makes it difficult to know if it has accepted the keystroke and thus makes typing difficult
* Fiddly mount - not easy to locate the GPS correctly without practice
* Rear mounted buttons are easy to catch accidentally, especially when trying to adjust the angle
* If there's a way to enter custom POIs I haven't seen it yet
* Recent calls list appeared to be out of order, maybe oldest first?
* The adverts say Google, the menu says Bing
* The 2D North Up display hunts from side to side
* On high volume the speaker can be buzzy.
* Way fewer 3D landmarks than the advertising and manual suggest.
* Traffic information was iffy. It diverted me round incidents that were long gone or had never existed.
Ugly:
* Adverts! They come from the traffic receiver and interfere in other things.
* In 3D view the furthest you can see is about a mile. As you try to zoom further it turns in to 2D and reduces the distance you can see ahead.
* The auto zoom always zooms in until you are looking at just the next few hundred yards at most
* I took 16 minutes off a 90 minute predicted journey. It's hard to beat a Garmin route or ETA.
* Re routing likes to get you back to the route it suggested, long after it becomes ridiculous.Even after paying $330 for the unit and possibly another $50 per year for MotoExtras the traffic service is supported by advertising. This isn't just the little pop-up adverts that sit at the top right of the screen with no apparent way to dismiss them. I got a pop-up for Red Lobster, now I can't search for any restaurant without Red Lobster being inserted at the top. I guess they have a relationship with some vendors and push them to you. I thought I bought a GPS not an advertising portal!!!
To select a destination you can drag the screen, touch and move, don't tap. This works well in 2D. Just drag the map until you find where you want then zoom in to get a precise location. Hold your finger on the destination until the options pop up and select the destination flag. Alternatively tap the screen then enter the address or business name. I am in San Francisco CA, it took six seconds to plot a route to an address in the woods near Manchester NH, 2500 miles away. I could not route from the US to a Canadian destination, so cross border routes seem to be a problem.
POI searches are limited to your local, it showed me nearby locations for Elephant Bar but not the one in Dublin, 18 miles away, that I wanted to go to. Probably OK in a big city, not so good in central Nevada. I currently pay to not have adverts on my Nuvi 670, this doesn't not seem to be an option on the TN765t.
The windshield mount has adjustable locks on the moving joints, it give good flexibility and yet can be locked tight. Mounting the unit was a little fiddly, the locating pins are hard to find by touch.
It's a nice machine, but I am sending it back. A 3D view is best for seeing where you are and what is coming next but the way Motorola has implemented it robs you of the necessary long distance view. At under a mile you are only looking 40 seconds or so up the road. Not far enough to see where you are in relation to other things. With the auto zoom on, Garmin will show you hundreds of miles ahead when you have a long way to the next turn. The TN765t shows only a few hundred yards. Useful to see if there's a turn coming, but not to see if you are passing a city or coming to a ferry in ten miles.
When you are navigating somewhere the route is displayed down the left of the display as a vertical bar. The distance traveled is shown as a bar graph moving up from the bottom. Traffic issues are shown as red areas on the line. The time to go is shows at the bottom. If you tap this line you get an overall view of the route with known incidents and your route displayed, but it is very small. In the SF Bay Area on a Friday afternoon there are so many incidents that you can't see the route or the traffic. The Garmin traffic display works much better. The right 2/3rds of the display has plenty of resolution to show its normal display. The left has two buttons that allow you to select various views including route information, turn by turn directions, traffic details and so on.
Routing round traffic the Motonav initially didn't want me to leave I880 though the Garmin told me there was a 25 minute delay. Once the traffic cleared up the Motonav wanted me to take side roads in East Oakland on the opposite side of I880 from my destination. The Garmin knew there was no traffic and directed me straight home. At that time the Garmin was telling me I had 8 minutes to go and the Motonav said 19. I made it home in 6.
Connecting and syncing my LG Dare phone via Bluetooth was very easy. At full volume the Bluetooth hands free phone was buzzy and distorted, the far end said that the call was very clear, especially compared to the Garmin. Reducing volume cured that. Voice recognition was poor for my deep toned English accent.
The map display shows restaurants and warning indicators on the 3D display, it also shows Arco gas stations but not my favorites, Shell. I'd like to know how to add the POIs that matter to me. Maybe it's possible and I just haven't found it yet? In the Garmin and Tomtom it is easy to add the current POI list for Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. For what it's worth the Tomtom does a better job of showing them.
To change between 2D and 3D tap the eye symbol on the left then tap the current setting and the three options are shown. In 2D modes you can zoom far out so that you can see the whole country. The 2D views also overlaid the physical map, so you could see the roads picking their way through the mountains. This can be very useful. You can also disable autozoom here.
The track up displays, 2D and 3D, hunt from side to side at low speed. When you stop the map sometimes spins as the position shifts slightly, GPS is accurate to 10m so you can appear to be wandering slightly even when stationary and especially when coverage is bad. Coverage was good and the Garmin doesn't do this.
Voice commands are clear and timely. Voice warnings are also given for 'safety cameras' and speed traps. If you want to mute the sound you just have to tap the button on the bottom right rear.
In the advertising and manuals the 3D views show a city with all the major buildings as landmarks. Right now there are very few shown in San Francisco, but there may be a download to improve this soon. I have not seen it, if I do I will update.
The map rendering is smooth compared to other PNDs I have used. Motorola obviously didn't go cheap on the processor the way Garmin does. Garmin tends to spoil the whole effect to save ten bucks on the processor. At freeway junctions the lane choices are shown at the top of the screen. Very useful, though not 100% accurate, 7 lanes shown when there are 8 or 6 in reality.
So, most of it works great, but some of the bits that I really rely on, and need, aren't acceptable. After about four hours of side by side comparison we still prefer the Garmin 670. They just haven't got the usability right. With the Garmin I very seldom need to change the zoom to see something else, when I am close to a turn I have the detail I need and further out I have the big picture. Garmin has always been good at the auto zoom.
So near and yet the issues are just something I can't live with.
Their web sites are still in Beta and the upgrade site isn't available yet, however there's an update application to download and install instead. Once I fired it up I was informed there were two updates, 12MB and 474MB, probably program and maps. I installed both with no problems. I believe I registered on three different associated web sites before I finally got a username and password for all the things I needed.
The Motorola Extras package is $50 per year or $100 for 3 years. I don't think I need that, my phone already does all that, so it provides nothing to me though it is convenient.
FWIW this is certainly not as good as the factory fit navigation in the Infiniti QX56 or the Ford Flex's Sync system.

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