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Well, my hour is up but thanks so much for joining me and submitting your GPS questions. Hopefully I was able to help out a bit!
And don't forget to check back every Thursday for more Ask the Editor Live sessions. For upcoming topics, check out:
http://forums.cnet.com/4520-12548-6748916.html
Thanks again and talk soon!
Cheers,
Bonnie
I've been looking at a number of portable GPS units with 4.3"+ screens and Bluetooth for phone use. There are two that have come to the top with a third that may be decent but at a cheaper price. In order they are
TomTom 920
Garmin Nuvi 780
Magellan 4250
Is there anything that distinguishes one from the pack?
Thanks
Alexa
Hi Alexa,
I would say that the TomTom GO 920 and Garmin Nuvi 780 are pretty comparable, and you'd be fine picking either one. However, the Magellan Maestro 4250 doesn't quite have the smooth performance and ease of use of the other two, so that's my only hesitation.
Hi Bonnie,
The Garmin 260 and 750, and the TomTom GO 920 are all available locally for about $300. The 920 has a lot of whlistles and bells, a few such as bluetooth I would use. Garmin says the 260 and 750 both have what they call ultra-sensitive GPS receiver circuits. How does the TomTom 920 stack up as far as satellite aquisition and drop out?
Thanks,
Tim
Hi Tim,
We didn't review the specific model you're looking at, but I've checked out a number of other TomTom models and never had problems with satellite acquistion or drop out. I just posted a review of the latest TomTom GO 930 yesterday, and was really impressed by the strength of its GPS receiver.
Hi Bonnie,
I am first time GPS user. I will be travelling little bit this summer so wanted to buy a GPS navigator. I asked for suggestions to many of my friends and they are suggesting me to stick with Garmin or Tom tom.
I was thinking of buying TomTom GO 720. Do you think it is good choice? Do you have nay suggestions on other models which i can check out. I was trying to keep my budget <$350
Thanks
Venkat
Hi Venkat,
I would agree with your friends and say that Garmin and TomTom are good choices. Both companies have been in the industry a while, so they know what they're doing. As far as specific models, since you're a first-time user, I'd go with something like the Garmin 200 series or the TomTom One series.
Hi Bonnie,
Of course features vary on the GPS units, but which one would be recommended for someone who has to have their eye on the road allot? I know my own experience with my GPS is that it provides the street on the map and tells me when to turn on that street verbally. In some businesses where you have a need to be paying attention to the traffic, these features are important. In choosing these units, it's not always clear what you are getting from the basic description. What is the best way to be sure you have the type of unit you are looking for with all the features. Do the websites for the various manufactures explain in depth each model for a company to determine if there is a model that might best suit the needs of a business for its employees who must be on the road for a big part of their job and need to find locations quickly?
Hi there,
I know with all the different GPS devices in the market right now, it can get really confusing on which model to buy. Based on your question though, it sounds like you need one with text-to-speech functionality. This feature means that when the system gives you voice-guided directions, it will actually speak the street name instead of giving you a generic direction like "Turn right in 100 feet." I really like this feature and hope it becomes standard on all GPS, since it allows you to pay more attention to the road than staring at the screen.
So look for this feature when shopping around. Unfortunately, some manufcaturers call it different things (for example, Magellan calls it SayWhere) but typically they'll expand and say that it "speaks street names" so just look for that.
Hi Bonnie,
What are your thoughts on the Navigon devices? Are they as good as they advertise? Are they any better than their competitors? They just came out with a 2100 Max model, maybe you could review it in a near future.
Thanks!
Andy
Hi Andy,
We've tried out a couple of Navigon devices, the 2100 and the 7100, and I haven't been terribly impressed with them. They're not very easy to use and the performance was really sluggish, which is unfortunate because these devices offer some great features and affordable prices. I will be getting the 2100 Max model in, however, so hopefully they have worked out some of the kinks!
Hi Bonnie,
There is a lot of talk about Mobile Mgmaps. www.mgmaps.com/. I'm aware that it does not speak voice directions, but what are you comments on this when compared to Telenav.
Mgmaps is free whereas Telenav is a subscription based service.
Thanks.
Ensquares
Hi again,
I haven't heard of Mgmaps, but I would say that if you're using it for navigating on foot (say, walking around NYC or something), it might be worth a try, especially if it's free. However, I probably wouldn't recommend using it on the road. Using a cell phone as an in-car navigator is already hard enough since you're staring at a smaller screen, but I will say the voice-guided directions provided by TeleNav make it much more useful. Plus, you get local search, traffic data and more with services like TeleNav.
Bonnie,
I would like to use a GPS unit in my real estate business. Let's say I have to visit 10 properties. I have a list on my computer (xls. csv. etc) and I want to upload the list to my GPS via USB and then hit the road. Are there any units out there that will do this?
Thanks,
Jonathan
Hi Jonathan,
To be honest, I don't know the answer to this off hand. I know a number of GPS include multi-destination trip planning on the device itself, but I'm not sure about transferring from your computer to the GPS. Let me do a little research and get back to you on this. Thanks!
Hi Bonnie,
i was wondering if any of the hands free calling devices actually work properly? I have heard reviews suggesting that they do not. Is it worth paying for this feature?
Thanks, C
Hi C,
I'm guessing you're talking about pairing a Bluetooth phone with your GPS and using it as a hands-free speaker system? If so, I've found it works for the basics. I've tested a number of systems with this feature and have always been able to make and receive calls.
Hi Bonnie,
What system do you recommend for someone who tends to get lost and turned around very easily. I should also note: not technologically advanced.
Thanks,
JZ
Hello Jen,
Hey, I know plenty of people who get lost easily so don't feel bad. Since you're new to the technology, I'd suggest these three easy-to-use and affordable devices:
TomTom GO 130S
Garmin Nuvi 200
Mio C230
Hope that helps!
Hi,
I'm interested in a GPS that i can use on both hikes and in my car. The main requirements i'm looking for are
Great battery life,
Sturdy,
Easy to use in car
build in radio for emergency contact.
What are your suggestions?
Hi there,
I'm not sure there is one device to meet your needs. The problem being form factor and maps. Of the in-car GPS I've reviewed, I haven't really found any that are really suitable for taking on a hike. Plus, you're not going to get the topographic/trail maps on them as you would with a dedicated handheld GPS. So unfortunately, this may not be the answer you're looking for, but I recommend getting two devices: one for the car and one for hiking.
Looking to standardize a business on the Garmin Nuvi 350. It's been around for awhile, and am curious to find your thoughts....is there a better device for end user ease
Thanks for taking the Q's Bonnie.
Hello,
Happy to take the questions!
As far as ease of use, the Garmin Nuvi series would definitely be one of my top picks. also find TomTom devices to be easy to use, but sounds like you've done some research into the Nuvi 350 and as I told one reader earlier, the Nuvi 350 is a slightly older model but still solid.
Hi Bonnie,
I am getting ready to graduate and am looking at buying a GPS unit for hiking and backpacking (Self graduation Present). I am looking for something with expandable memory,a good interface, and decent battery life. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi there,
Unfortunately, we haven't had much of an opportunity to review handheld GPS for hikers and such. It's definitely something we'd like to expand on though. That said, I know Garmin makes a number of handheld GPS and heard good things from users. Magellan also has the Triton GPS: http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9758291-1.html
If anyone out there has further suggestions, please feel free to post!
Bonnie
Greetings
I'm a first-time GPS (auto) purchaser looking at the Sony NV-U73T and the Garmin Nuvi 660 for vacation travel (Midwest and East Coast/New England). Your thoughts? Other $200-300 options that may be better?
Thanks.
Robt. M.
Hi Robt,
Between the two models, I would say the Garmin Nuvi 660 is the better bet. It's easier to use and performed better than the Sony NV-U3T. However, I'd also suggest taking a look at the Mio C520 or the TomTom GO 720.
Have you reviewed the GPS application embedded within the Blackberry devices?
Hi mekpdue,
Do you mean the BlackBerry Maps application? If so, I've only briefly used it but got a bit frustrated with it, since I found it takes a while for the maps to redraw on the devices. I've had more success with other location-based services, such as TeleNav.
Hi Bonnie,
I was wondering if you had anything to say about the Garmin Nuvi 260. I'm looking for a basic TTS GPS unit, that's compact, and easy to use. I also see the Nuvi 350 for a little more features. What are your comments on the two devices.
Thanks.
Ensquares
Hi there,
I actually haven't personally tried the Garmin Nuvi 260, but I have tested the Garmin Nuvi 200: http://reviews.cnet.com/car-gps-navigation/garmin-nuvi-200/4505-3430_7-32370612.html
The Nuvi 200 was great for basic navigation, so if you're looking for a simple GPS, the Nuvi 200/260 should be good for you. As for the Nuvi 350, it's several years older than the Nuvi 200 series. There are some design differences, but it's still a solid device. Plus, you should be able to get it at a good price now
Why the traffic info options of GPS requires an extra antenna?
Will there be free traffic info from TomTom and Garmin in the future?
Thanks,
David
Hi David,
A separate traffic antenna is required to connect to the various traffic channel networks, while the GPS radio built into the device is used to connect to the satellites. I'm not sure if traffic will be free in the near future. A lot of manufacturers are including at least some complimentary service (from a few months to a year) but afterwards, you'll have to pay the subscription fee.
TomTom, however, has started something called TomTom IQ routes which creates routes based on historical traffic data.
Hi there,
I actually haven't personally tried the Garmin Nuvi 260, but I have tested the Garmin Nuvi 200: http://reviews.cnet.com/car-gps-navigation/garmin-nuvi-200/4505-3430_7-32370612.html
The Nuvi 200 was great for basic navigation, so if you're looking for a simple GPS, the Nuvi 200/260 should be good for you. As for the Nuvi 350, it's several years older than the Nuvi 200 series. There are some design differences, but it's still a solid device. Plus, you should be able to get it at a good price now.
Hi guys,
I'm here to take your questions about portable GPS so bring it on! Looking forward to chatting with you all today.
Thanks,
Bonnie
