Posts Tagged ‘cars’

Software’s the Missing Link to Your GPS Unit

When consumers post reviews on the vaious GPS devices from the well-known companies, they appear to focus just on the technical aspects of the device; the packaging, how well it performs, and the user interface. What those reviews usually ignore, unfortunately, is the GPS Software which is required in order for it to interact with the Windows or Mac systems correctly. GPS software is necessary for functions like synchronizing and downloading the latest maps and POI’s to the GPS device. Similar to regular software, GPS software that is too complex should be avoided. Understanding the differences between GPS software may not be the deciding factor that moves you to purchase one particular brand, but knowing about the supporting software is necessary after you already put money down on one GPS device. The types of GPS software are going to often be nearly identical for different models within a specific brand. A nice model to look into is the Garmin Nuvi 465t Truck GPS Navigator.

Garmin Nuvi Software

Garmin Nuvi manufactures a respectable range of specific GPS software that a person might buy from Garmin’s main website. Software updates can be downloaded manually or with help from another kind of software called WebUpdater. When you want to make WebUpdater run, all that is needed is to plug the device in and follow the easy wizard steps. You may additionally find quite a few mapping programs that support PC as well as Mac computers. There is even a particular section just for Mac users so they can tap the full potential of their Garmin Nuvi GPS devices.

TomTom HOME

The TomTom HOME lets you search your device for applicable software and add upgrades when required. As well as some basic abilities like transferring maps, TomTom HOME also enables customers to download files which are installed in the device, then change and reinstall them to establish individual themes, giving it a more personal screen. Also, TomTom already managed to engineer software for mobile phones, the majority of which has been scrapped. Fortunately you can still purchase an application compatible with an iPhone 3G.

Magellan Software

Magellan is thought to have the established image of producing reasonably priced stuff, but they now offer a lot of software made to be downloaded at no cost, including two individual versions; VantagePoint and MapGuard. VantagePoint is a great application which lets you download all the GPS action to your desktop monitor. All the maps, roads, routes, and landmarks are displayed and all maps can be viewed by applying both the 2D and 3D effects.

MapGuard is the alternate program and includes MapSend Manager as well as Mapsend Lite. The MapSend Lite is a powerful application which lets you view any map on the PC, enabling you to choose waypoints and build courses. Magellan’s products also support Geocaching, and you can even convert distances and speeds into a variety of different formats. A great unit to consider is the Garmin Nuvi 465t Truck GPS Navigator.

Judging Each Application

To repeat, GPS software ought not be the sole reason in deciding on your next GPS device. These applications are  only manufactured to support the company’s products and tap into that product’s maximum usability. Out of the devices in this article, TomTom HOME easily outdistances the rest as a result of the option to tailor the user interface. Certain kinds of software may also be sampled even if you don’t have the corresponding GPS device.

Choosing the Magellan Brand of GPS Navigation Units

Most of the top GPS device companies are making efforts to further develop their global positioning products. The manufacturers are adding more up-to-date applications to make finding one’s way easier for travelers who use tires, hiking boots, or any other method of transportation possible. While these designers are striving hard to make their GPS devices affordable for the average consumer, the summation of all the technology offered in the unit will predictably be larger price tags. The best that those designers can do for those of us who can’t pay for all the latest gadgets is to produce absolutely basic editions of the GPS devices which are affordable for Joe 6-cylinder. A nice option is the Magellan Roadmate 1470 Portable GPS Navigator.

Magellan GPS devices are slightly different since this company has always designed their top-selling models to be reasonably priced and convenient. The downside of affordability, naturally, is that brand new technology is rarely found at reasonable prices. Predictably, then, the quality of Magellan’s devices has been given mixed reviews. Magellan answered this shortcoming by producing several higher-quality products for the most demanding GPS users.

Magellan Maestro

In case you are searching for an inexpensive companion for your auto, the Magellan Maestro collection contains a number of models which are especially for car navigation. Magellan Maestro models lie in the 3000, 4000, and 5000 designations. All of the 3000 models are very reasonably priced with one or two such as the Maestro 3100 selling for below $200 which is dirt cheap for a GPS device which offers 2-D and 3-D views. Probably their most appreciated feature is the QuickSpell feature, that enables simplified input for destination names.

Every other measurable quality, including the performance is mediocre and hanging is very constant. With the exception of a few of the 4000 and 5000 series devices, the Magellan Maestro is just not consistent, but the price stays reasonable.

Magellan Roadmate

As explained by it’s name, this group of Magellan GPS devices are manufactured for cars as well. Although they are superior to their Maestro siblings when it comes to appearance. Roadmates are intended to be easier to carry, having a slimmer footprint yet having the same interface. As a result the Roadmates are about as easy to work with and even easier to pack than the Maestros. A great unit is the Magellan Road mate 1470 Portable GPS Navigator.

As far as performance, the Roadmate is a bit improved with some specimens including the Roadmate 1212 offering the Centrality Atlas III Processor. If you prefer exploring the menus, you may detect a slightly irritating interval while using the buttons. The battery life isn’t that spectacular either; it’s usable for about 3 hours at which point a recharge is needed.

On a happy note, the Roadmate is thought to be superior to a few of the Maestro budget GPS units, offering quite a few more POI’s over the Maestro 3100 and its measly 750,000 points of interest. The Roadmate catches up with other brands by including over 6 million points of interest. Text-to-speech, which is always a welcome feature, is additionally included in a few of the reasonably priced models. The price isn’t much of a concern either, which is impressive for a slim device. A good device to look into is the Magellan Roadmate 1470 Portable GPS Navigator.

Even though Magellan has merely two line-ups to choose from, those sets provide at least 10 models for your consideration, in a range of different costs and options. The cheapest models aren’t that practical for frequent users on account of the occasional crashes, but high-end models can do wonders and will be enough for travelers to be happy with.

Choose the Right Accessories for Your GPS Unit

The most recent GPS models available in stores usually contain enough features to please many car owners who prefer their car navigation to be effortless and safe. Yet there could be situations when you reach the limits of your GPS device and still would prefer that your GPS device contained more features or more rugged design for not-so-smooth situations. A great model to look into is the Garmin Nuvi 770 Portable GPS Navigator.

Don’t get rid of your GPS device and shell out for a better GPS device to meet your growing needs just yet. There are GPS accessories that might be compatible with your unit and might offer some additional capabilities that can suit your needs. The prices you’ll pay for each of these GPS accessories are predicably far less than the price of a standard GPS device. The following are some of the usual GPS accessories that are made by every one of the popular manufacturers.

Chargers

Many of the more affordable models do not stay energized for very long because of many of them having a battery life of only 2-3 hours. Consequently you have to charge your GPS devices routinely in the course of extended road trips. Even though most of those devices normally are sold with a GPS charger, there will probably be days when the charger doesn’t work or will likely be mislaid. Never settle for one of the universal chargers since they will likely ruin the battery. Always get chargers from the makers of your GPS device. These chargers can fully charge the device rapidly, enabling you to rely on it for long drives. A nice option to consider is the Garmin Nuvi 770 GPS Navigation system.

Carrying Cases

These GPS accessories are quite affordable and useful accessories that are designed to sheild any GPS device from damage from an assortment of elements. Even though many GPS devices are rugged enough to endure these elements because of their own casings, a carrying case gives them an extra barrier against the world, and the cases with straps will be less complicated to hold on to. Travel cases are upgraded styles of carrying cases which are just as compact, but designed for holding additional GPS accessories such as chargers.

Adhesive Discs

Some types of GPS devices could be especially aggravating to install on certain styles of car windshields. As soon as the frustration becomes unbearable, try spending a buck or two on some adhesive disks. Fastening your GPS device needs to be as easy as adhering a disc to your windshield or any level surface and then fastening a GPS device onto the disc.

Car Kits

The style and quantity of accessories offered which comprise each car kit may vary depending on the manufacturer, but most often, car kits are the most comprehensive GPS accessories to purchase if you are unsure which accessories you really ought to get or if you only want to be equipped for any new and unusual situations. The majority of the car kits offer mounting kits, adhesive disks, data cables, and power adapters. If you have lost some accessories, a car kit can easily replace your supply or provide more for backup purposes. Take a look at the Garmin Nuvi 770 Portable GPS Navigator for a nice unit.

Some models may require more accessories than most; so the most sensible way to find accessories for any given GPS device is to open up the product page of your device and shop for the accessories made for your device to avoid paying for any unneeded purchases.

What Every Outdoor Enthusiast’s Gotta Have

Global positioning devices are particularly appreciated by car owners who prefer to maneuver safely through tangled and congested streets. Yet, if you explore the history of global positioning devices, you soon realize that GPS devices were most commonly used by campers and other people enjoying the wild places who prefer to avoid getting lost. As manufacturers went about developing the technology of the latest GPS devices for road warriors, the same technologies were applied to the handheld GPS models too. These updated handheld GPS devices have been styled more like mobile phones as a result of their silhouette and colored screen. For your car, an excellent unit is the TomTom GO 740 Live GPS Navigator.

Many of the GPS devices that mount on cars may also be useful for pedestrians providing they are at ease with the interface. Quite a few of the GPS devices made by TomTom, Garmin, and Magellan are compact enough to hold in an adult’s hand or fit in your pocket. Yet when it comes to operating the appliance while walking or using just one hand, more appropriate interface might be useful. What follows is a list of a few products to think about.

Magellan Triton Series

The Magellan Triton series is a useful series to explore since all of the models from the least to most expensive all look similar. The basic models have a very suitable 2.2” QVGA color display while some of the more expensive models offer a slightly bigger screen of 2.7”. Each of the devices sport a resilient design and  to be waterproof, therefore you can responsibly carry them around while crossing rivers or during rainy seasons.

Several of the Triton series devices have the AdventurePack label attached to them which means that those models contain some particular software called the TOPO! Explorer. Serious explorers ought to sincerely think about purchasing these packages. The nice thing about Magellan’s array of products is that there will be a Triton device that works with your budget with such a range of devices to select from. For your auto, a great option is the Tom Tom GO 740 GPS.

Garmin Series

Garmin offers a wide range of handheld products and each individual series handles specific types of navigation. For instance, the GPSMAP 7X series units are all marine-friendly and ideal for navigating the open water, but the GPSMAP 6X series models have a more resilient construction for heavy duty treatment, but are still reasonably priced and have a good set of applications such as microSD support and efficient navigation.

The eTrex series are handheld GPS devices consumers ought to look for when finances is a primary concern. They are particularly portable with some of them offering a monitor big enough to refer to with ease.

In case you consider yourself a professional traveler who would like a device made to be really durable and prepped with powerful features, the Colorado or Oregon series will probably suit you. Both series offer a full touch-screen display, an option not offered in other Garmin series, and they even have different maps particular for the individual model you get. For a great gps unit in your car, consider the TomTom GO 740 Live GPS Navigator.

Remember that the aforementioned handheld GPS devices ought not to be used as you are driving unless a non-driving navigator is using it. If you aren’t looking for all of the specialized functions and could use one device that will work on the city street as well as the trail, it might be more sensible to get an all-in-one device that you can keep in an automobile or in your pocket.

A Review of Popular Car GPS Systems

Automobiles have remained a popular means of getting around for years, even though there have been instances when time and gas are frittered away or destinations are skipped altogether because of incomplete maps or poor directions. To eliminate these quandries and help you to benefit from a relaxing driving experience, vehicle mounted GPS devices are now here to help and are very affordable for average car owners. It is very sensible to use a GPS device on road trips to make sure that the mose efficient route is identified. The usefulness of specific GPS devices varies by different manufacturers. To sweeten the deal, optional functions are included in a few models to maintain market share and multiply the fun factor. Following are several of the less extravagant GPS systems that warrant your consideration. A nice option to consider is the Garmin Nuvi 1350 Portable GPS Navigator.

Garmin Nuvi 265W

The drawback to most of the lower priced Car GPS products is that their range of applications is so underdeveloped that you’ll question whether the design is totally completed. The Garmin Nuvi is a budget level piece of equipment, but it nonetheless offers all the essentials and level of performance you would experience with its larger siblings – the 705 and 805 series. Voice generating software is included so you will not need to read the screen while driving and this model will be quite uncomplicated to install for the amateur. The cost may not fit everyone’s financial situation, but thanks to its plentiful functions and minimal drawbacks, a Garmin Nuvi is the best GPS for your money.

TomTom ONE Classic and Routes edition

TomTom ONE products look to have retail costs that are well below their worth, but its features and applications tell exactly why Tom Toms ONEs are dirt cheap. The Tom Tom’s navigation performance is ineffective and several of the convenient features including Bluetooth and text-to-speech were never found in the majority of the models. Even though previous models weren’t very sought after by budget conscious car owners, new ONE models were offered, including a few with widescreens and different models with advanced programming like advanced lane guidance, which is only available in the Routes edition. This brand’s classic edition comes without this program, but the price could be low enough to help you get over that. Another model to look into is the Garmin Nuvi 1350 GPS Navigation System.

Magellan Roadmate 1212

The Magellan Maestro products are the most popular Magellan products because they hit the market first, but the Roadmate 1212 should soon come into its own thanks to its slender look in spite of its affordable price. The acceptable performance in tandem with the uncomplicated user interface easily makes this a pretty good purchase so long as you are able to work around the protracted menu button function. The text-to-speech program is additionally available, but using it too long may soon drain the battery which means you may enjoy the opportunity of charging the battery after 3 hours. A great alternative is the Garmin Nuvi 1350 Portable GPS Navigator.

Bottom Line

With regards to reasonably priced Car GPS systems, you may continue to be forced to choose between price and feature list. Garmin Nuvi easily dominates with its trivial eccentricities, but the other two are cheaper. The best thing to do is to save up for a Garmin Nuvi unless you plan on letting the GPS device continually distract your from your driving.

Why Invest in TomTom ONE GPS Navigator?

TomTom is a company that is best identified with its TomTom GO models that have improved through the years at developing the newest technology for user-friendly and reasonably priced GPS units. Despite the fact that TomTom hasn’t made any updated TomTom GO devices since 2008, people still keep getting the current products for the reason that they consistently meet expectations when it comes to performance and user-friendliness. The single problem that a few consumers face is the cost. Another model to consider is the Garmin 7200 StreetPilot GPS.

The TomTom ONE GPS gives you the answer to this issue. The TomTom ONE is a newer lineup for consumers who prefer to keep some money but value the TomTom’s options. TomTom ONE actually offers several models, including XL models which are widescreen. Unfortunately, only the original TomTom ONE can be purchased in the US. The TomTom ONE has been known for its very low price, in addition to its absence of options and mediocre quality. Fortunately, the 2nd edition was developed with long-awaited design and software developments, rescuing us from the original model. This review will be concerned with the updated 2nd edition.

Look and Design

Looks just may be everything, which is why TomTom ONE is able to captivate with its petite and simple profile with a pleasantly curved top. The TomTom ONE GPS is compact enough to be carried one-handed and is able to be carried inside a shirt pocket. Just by looking at it, a person would never recognize that your TomTom ONE GPS is an inexpensive model.

Setup Process

The setup method is fairly straightforward given its plug and play functionality, and therefore you ought to be able to work with the appliance immediately after you unwrap it. The process involves a step when you need to activate the account online, which you won’t find explained fully in the manual. However; you ought to  be able to locate the instructions you should have about activation on the entire manual found exclusively on the CD. After you activate your new device, you are all set to go.

Navigational Features

The TomTom ONE is especially accurate in terms of positioning and revising as you move along. Once in a while you will notice it somewhat off by 25 to 50 meters, but it still performs more accurately than most other inexpensive portables out there. Its routing capabilities are exceptional too, and you won’t get too many of those frustrating instructions to double back occasionally. This device won’t find the best route possible, but it still does the job. The maps that are in your device have plenty of POIs, yet a few of the signs may not be found on the map, so make an effort to keep the maps updated.

Other Features

TomTom’s sound quality is up to standard even at top volume, when other devices get muddled. The digital pictures and advanced user interface are an agreeable change and will probably induce more GPS fans into giving the TomTom ONE a spin. The battery life leaves much to be desired, lasting a bit more than 2 hours, and it is provided with just a USB and car charger. Another solid car GPS unit is the Garmin 7200 StreetPilot GPS.

The TomTom ONE comes at an agreeable price and the most significant functions do their job very nicely. Consider this device as your pick if you truly prefer to save money.