Navigon 2200T 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)So far I am REALLY happy with the Navigon 2200t.I kept going back and forth between the 2200t and the 7200t.Although the 4.2" widescreen on the 7200t is nice I didn't need the bluetooth capability since my car already has it.

The 3.5" screen on the 2200t is plenty large and easy to read and type on.It would be nice if it had a QWERTY keyboard onscreen but the keyboard is intelligent only displaying relevant keys.I had no problem typing my destinations error free.

One of the complaints I read about past Navigon units was slow performance for GPS acquision, routing, and the menu system.That issue has absolutely been resolved with the new Navigon line.The menus are quick and the GPS locks on almost instantly.The traffic features are nice to have especially here in Atlanta.The speaker is surprisingly loud and clear when speaking the directions.

The reality view is a really nice feature when navigating complicated highway junctions and was one of the reasons I went with Navigon.Although I just received the unit I am very pleased with the build quality, performance, and routing so far.Its really a great deal considering similiar features are hundreds of dollars more with TomTom and Garmin units.

My only complaint would be the directions included in the box are pretty poor (just a quick start guide).I had to get on the Navigon website to download the full instructions.Not a big deal though.

Overall I am very happy so far and highly recommend the Navigon 2200t.

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Product Description:
Both portable and stylish, NAVIGON 2200T delivers a superior navigation experience unlike any other with features that are both useful and exclusive. Route around traffic jams with Free Real-Time Traffic Updates, alerting you to traffic issues ahead and providing alternative routes - all free for the life of your 2200T. Never miss your exit again with Reality View Pro - which automatically displays photo-realistic images of virtually every highway intersection and exit complete with sign text and lane guidance. Plus, the 2200T includes a host of other features that make navigating the road ahead easier, such as Advanced Text-to-Speech Voice Guidance, Lane Assistant Pro, Multi-Destination Trip Planning and DirectHelp.

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Garmin StreetPilot c320 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you are a first time GPS buyer and want an easy to use unit with intuitive touch screen controls and the best unit you can get for under $300, I recommend the C320 (or C330 which comes with pre-loaded maps). I bought this unit for much more a little over a year ago and so far I am quite happy. It has saved me many miles of extra driving! It also makes me a braver night time driver as I have difficulty spotting a sudden turn in the road at night time. But with my GPS I know exactly when to turn and it even tells me 'stay right' etc. This was confusing at first but now that I know what it means I find it very helpful to not have to change lanes at the last minute. It makes me feel safer on the road at night in unknown places! I can easily type in addresses on the touch screen with it's large display or look for a place of interest (a restaurant, library etc.) if I change my mind while at an intersection and then continue on the specified route. I often type in store names like "Target" or "Borders" on a whim and it takes me to the nearest one in the area. It just made a couple of mistakes so far once for a Kroger and once for a Walmart as the store had moved to another location about half a year ago but even Google maps had shown me the wrong location for that Walmart. It is also convenient to be able to specify the cuisine and locate the nearest restaurant to your current location or near your destination. However the restaurant choices are by no means exhaustive, it may miss a couple of good ones here and there but may show you ones you never knew existed.

I chose the C320 as you can load whatever maps you need by just getting a larger SD card, especially as SD cards have come down in price.
Before using this unit, I had used the Magellan Roadmate 300 for a few days, and Garmin's routing is a definite improvement over Magellan in terms of speed of route calculation and accurate routing. The Magellan locked up a couple of times although it was a new unit and I had to pull off on an exit and power it down for several minutes before it started reading the correct route. The Garmin C320 has never frozen on me. If I do not take the prescribed route or miss a turn it takes just about 2-3 seconds to figure that out and recalculates my route, this is way faster than Magellan or any other GPS system I've encountered so far. This is great feature as the next turn might be just 5 seconds away and you may miss it again if the unit takes too much time to recalculate!

Some reviews complained about the maps sayingthe unit said that they had reached the destination even though they were 100-200 feet away and sometimes confused between left or right of the street. But if you have used other GPS systems you would know that no GPS navigation system is perfect and I generally prefer Garmin navigation over Magellan.

The C320 allows you to specify your preferences such as - Avoid highways, avoid U turns, avoid toll roads etc. And you can set it to "Shortest distance" or "Fastest time". I've found that the shortest distance can sometimes take you on backroads or unusual roads which you normally may not take. This option gave me a great new route between office and home which avoids traffic but when I used the same option on a longer drive it suddenly detoured off the highway ans took me through bumpy back roads, a most unpleasant experience! But with experience I have learned the best way to calculate my route using the options. There is a bit of a learning curve with all GPS systems and the more advanced GPS users have rated Garmin navigation very highly in the several comparisons I read on the web.

The C320 does get a bit confused in situations where -a) there is a small roundabout (like in apartment communities) and may keep missing the exit turn and b) when there are intersecting highways over and under the highway on which you are traveling, especially if it takes you more than 15-20 seconds to cross that area where the highways intersect c) In very long tunnels. But now that I know this I just stay on route and as soon as I've crossed that area it starts showing the earlier route.

Some reviewers complained that the unit does not show the complete route turn by turn text instructions - that is not correct- as it will show you the turn by turn text instructions if you touch the green text bar over the route map.
If you want to take a detour at any point in your route it will calculate an alternative route for you if you touch the detour button, but will try to get you back on the original route very quickly. You can create points of interest in the route through the software and you can also save your favorite locations or most used addresses on the unit.

I prefer having a portable GPS than an in-car GPS as the software update is cheaper than in car GPS and I can carry it with me to use in rental cars when I travel. I tried out the in car GPS system in my friend's Honda and Garmin had better routing and a better "voice". The Honda GPS's high-pitched "Chinese Schoolgirl" voice drove me to distraction....!

January 7, 2007 update: I've gotten so used to my GPS that I don't know how I lived without it. The only complaint I have about the unit is that it is very hard to read in bright sunlight and I have to depend on the voice instructions. Also, please don't leave it mounted in the car if it's above 90 degrees as my unit's battery died after it was out in the summer for a few days at 100 degree temperatures and now it takes time to read satellite signals when I start out as it starts from a "cold" state.
May 7, 2007 Update: I called Customer Service last week as my internal battery died and the unit started falling off my windshield as the heat exposure reduced its grip. Hold time was very short, 3-4 minutes each time I called. They offered to have the unit repaired for $150 which is more than half the cost of a new unit, so I refused as it wasn't a critical problem. However, they offered to send me a new mount (including the windshield mount piece and car adaptor) for free despite being out of warranty . It was FedExed and reached me in 3 business days. That's good customer service!

Overall I am satisfied with C320. Better GPS systems exist (some made by Garmin) but this one is the best bang for my buck by far!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin StreetPilot c320 3.5 Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
With a simple touch screen interface, automatic route calculation to any destination, and turn-by-turn voice-prompted directions, the StreetPilot c320 GPS navigator is a powerful companion for your adventures on the road. Plus, Garmin has designed the "c-series" of car navigation units to be as simple and easy-to-use as possible-- no more intimidating features,just straightforward, basic navigation at your fingertips.

The streetPilot "c-series" GPS navigators feature a simple touchscreen interface, with automatic route calculation to any destination.

The 3.5-inch diagonal, 16-bit color display makes navigation a snap.

A convenient touch screen allows for quick access to features such as addresses, recent locations, food, and lodging. Selecting a destination is as simple as a few finger-strokes, and you can choose between a three-dimensional navigation view or the more traditional "bird's eye" overhead view.
Although the c320 boasts distinctive and sleek styling, simplicity is the name of the game. The only buttons are a rotary volume knob and an on/off switch. The device is secured by a suction-mount cradle that fastens to the windshield for easy portability between vehicles. You can customize the unit's appearance with an array of colored faceplates that are sold separately.
For navigators who only require detailed maps for a limited area, the StreetPilot c320 features an SD card slot, a 128 MB SD card, and MapSource City Select street data on CD-ROM. To load the area you need, simply select the specific area of interest on your computer and the data is transferred from a PC to the unit via a fast USB connection. The c320's bright, 3.5-inch diagonal, 16-bit color display makes navigation a snap. The unit also features dual integrated speakers for high-quality voice prompts, and an internal lithium-ion battery for out-of-car route planning.

What's in the Box
StreetPilot c320 receiver, vehicle suction cup mount w/integrated power cable, PC/USB interface cable, 128 MB SD memory card, and setup guide. Also, Americas Recreational Basemap and MapSource City Select North America CD with full unlock.

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Navman PiN 100 Portable GPS Pocket PC Navigation System Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After seeing the terrible review at InfoSyncWorld, I became very worried that I was going to regret having just purchased the Navman PiN 100. There is very little in the way of reviews for this product so I will try to be as thorough as I can.

As a Pocket PC, I am completely satisfied with the Navman PiN 100. It is actually just a Mio DigiWalker (it even has the Mio DigiWalker logo on the back of it) so if you have seen reviews for that, then this is the same thing. It runs Windos Mobile 2003, has one expansion slot (an SDIO slot), and a suitably fast CPU and on-device storage & memory. I have used it as a Pocket PC for many things now and have not once felt the hardware specs to be lacking. Handwriting recognition is still awful but that is something to mention in a review of Windows Mobile 2003 operating system itself, not the Navman.

You WILL need a 256 or 512MB SD card to hold maps. The included 32MB card is basically worthless, I left it in the box and never used it. Many if not most states are over 30MB and that means you would not even be able to load them onto the card. I suggest getting one of those 256MB cards with wifi ability built-in, then you can kill two birds with one stone. Wifi is a neat thing to have.

As an in-car GPS solution, the Navman is hands-down absolutely the best value on the market. For under $500 (which is including the absolutely necessary additional purchase of a memory card) you get a Pocket PC, all necessary cables, an unobtrusive GPS receiver, a windshield mount, a car charger/adapter, and of course the Smart ST v2 GPS software. The Garmin iQue 3600 is its closest competitor -- I tried it too and decided the Navman PiN was both the better value and the superior product (bigger, brighter screen among many other things). Unfortunately the Navman PiN package feels exactly like what it is -- not one well-integrated product but a box of products sold as a bundle. When you open the box you are confronted with several envelopes, nearly a half dozen CD-ROMs, three different user manuals, and a confusing pile of cords and accessories. They burden you with actually loading the Smart ST v2 software on the Pocket PC, before you load it on your PC, register it and activate it, then install ActiveSync from another CD, and a bunch of other hassles like configuring the GPS COM port and baud rate -- TOO many hassles -- before you are finally ready to use the product. There was so much paperwork in the box that I spent several confused minutes wondering where the serial number was that the software wanted in order to install it. I would like to see the software pre-loaded on the handheld and all of the necessary stuff for your PC come on one single DVD ROM. I just plunked down 5 benjamins for a GPS toy, do you think I have not found myself a DVD drive for my computer yet? Get with the 21st century people.

Battery life is certainly better than the iQue 3600. It is at least 3 or 4 hours but I haven't done any real tests so I don't have an actual figure to give.

The GPS receiver takes some time to pick up satellites. Anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes on your first use, and 2 to 5 minutes from a cold start after that. It seems like definitely longer if you are moving. This is too long in my opinion, I don't know if other receivers are better, or not. As an in-car device I generally want to take it out of my pocket, put it on the dash, and have it ready to go. Instead I have to sort of sit there in the car for a few minutes or just wait until the first stoplight to check on where I am or where I am going.

The car charger is just that -- nothing to say about it. It gets the job done and is nice to have. The windshield mount is a suction cup mount and secures excellently to the windshield. I wish I could say the same for how well it secures the handheld. It barely does at all. It sort of just cradles it lightly. If you put your Navman in it without the utmost care, it is liable to fall right out. That is NOT good. I recommend angling it back some so that gravity holds it in a little. This seems to work for me. I would have rather it clipped in or snapped in, but no.

The rest of this review is going to sound pretty harsh because I don't really like the GPS software that the Navman PiN comes with (Smart ST v2 2.00.0036 SP2). It is promising, but fatally flawed. I want to say up front though, that I would not give up using this device just because I think the software sucks. I just deal with the frustrations and hope there will be an update to iron them out later.

First off, the map view. The map view is gorgeous, in full 16-bit color, with color coded roads to show your route, the current road you're on, roads that pass under/over your road, and little arrows indicating direction of traffic. Major and minor roads are different colors, and the roadnames are displayed very clearly and legibly. Geography like lakes and forest is marked with blue and green. The view switches to a 3D angled view whenever you are on a route to a destination, and rotates so that up is always your heading and you can see more in front of you than behind. The graphics are state-of-the-art for this market and nothing in its price range with the exception of TomTom Navigator can touch it. Your friends will be impressed.

The voice navigation is well-timed and intelligible, with the exception of "make a legal u-turn" which to most people sounds like "make illegal u-turn" (worth a few laughs). Voice only says when to turn and which direction, it doesn't say the street name or even highway number, which is too bad but that's typical for a PocketPC program.

The two big disasters of this software are its address input for destinations and routing, and the routing algorithm itself. These are the fatally flawed features which keep me from recommending this device to anyone who would get frustrated easily.

When inputting an address, you are allowed to select from your contacts (a Windows Mobile 2003 feature), however if you do this, you will 100% of the time be told that you have selected an invalid address. Sometimes this is because the map data is 18 months old and doesn't know this address exists, but most of the time it will accept the address if you re-enter it by hand. This is unacceptable. Also, when you start entering it by hand, it will suggest a drop down list of possible locations, and they will all seem pretty much like the same place. There is no way to tell if the address you are entering should be in Richmond VA, Richmond MCD VA, or one of several other entries for what is obviously the same place. Then you will enter a street, for instance Lotus Lane, but it will not be found because you didn't type Lotus La. This is asinine. Entering the address for a destination takes 5 mintues because of this nonsense, when it should take 5 seconds. And you will have to do this every time you enter the address, unless you pick destinations off of your "Recent" list. Once, I loaded a destination off of my contact list and ignored the "invalid address" warning and Smart ST2 routed me to some completely non-related location of the same town. From now on I make sure I do the address input in the way it wants it.

As for routing, it has a lot of quirks. I will describe some of the ones I have experienced. To put it blunty, it can recommend some DUMB routes -- I mean really out of your way sometimes. I use "quickest" navigation and "shortest distance" is even worse. Once it took me to what appeared to be a complete dead end, and the map said I could keep going -- not without a machete I couldn't. I drew an "avoid area" and the route put me back on the course I should have stayed on in the first place. Other times, it takes you pretty close to where you have to go and says you have reached your destination, but you could be anywhere from one to eight blocks away from where you need to be. This can be frustrating if you fight hard for a parking spot in the city and get out and realize you still have to walk 8 blocks. It might have to do with the way the software estimates street addresses. It uses ranges of addresses and estimation to guess where a particular street address is. Sometimes this works reasonably well and other times (when ranges are large) it doesn't work at all. You might be better off never giving it a street address. Instead only give it street intersections and take yourself from there. Autorouting works fairly well, but Smart ST2 is slow to route anything, and so it will display a question mark for a minute or two until it suggests a new route. Sometimes when you know better and have a better route in mind, it will stubbornly insist you make a u-turn at every cross street until finally re-routing and "seeing the light" of what route you had in mind. I have seen other PocketPC software be smarter and faster at re-routing.

So in conclusion, I highly recommend this product to geeks willing to deal with some quirks (and hope for fixes), but not to the general public who would probably be hopelessly frustrated by the routing and input problems, despite the pretty interface and good value.

P.S. my review of the software is of the version after you apply the currently available patch on Navman's site. Before I did this, all of the routing problems I mentioned above were like twice as bad, and I would have given two stars instead of three. When reading any poor reviews of the Navman PiN, try to check if they are using the software before or after the patch.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Navman PiN 100 Portable GPS Pocket PC Navigation System

Product Description:
Navman PIN 100 PORTABLE GPS POCKET PC NAVIGATION SYSTEM

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Nextar Q3 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)"WOW!

1.What a winner this "Q3" is. Fast and accurate acquiring satellite signals, even in my living room. Comes with AC AND DC adapters. My car accessory socket is ignition controlled and turns off when I am out of the car.I have to re-charge it in the house.2.I set up all my "Destinations' and "Favorites" in the house so I love that it has the AC adapter included.

3. It has an SD/MMC slot for playing MP3 music and talk I have on my PC. I transfer to the SD/MMC card and insert it into the "Q3" to listen. It may also play MP3 while navigating but I haven't yet been able to do both at the same time.

4.It fits very nicely into my shirt pocket so I can "Plan n Play" at the coffee shop.

5.Once I learned the "Menu tree" I can get around the menus pretty easily. Since this is my first experience with a GPS device and GPS Navigator I had a bit of a learning curve.

6.It comes with two books, one for the hardware showing how to install it and how to set it up.The other book is primarily for the software. It duplicates much of what is in the hardware book. My "Q3" screens look a lot different from the screens shown in the books. I don't know if my screens are the latest version or if the books show the latest version, but THEY ARE DIFFERENT. This difference made it more difficult to learn how to use it.

7.While just driving around the "Q3" was able to pinpoint my exact location including altitude. It offers North as a fixed display or it offers "heading" with North as it North moves around in relation to your heading. Just a tap on the "compass" toggles back and forth.

8.Displays are included to show 2D, and 3D in variations of perspective and depth. Very nice! It gives a feeling of"horizon" perspective.

9.I found the names of streets and roads were not as the actual street signs showed in many cases. It seems to prefer the US-# or the State Road #'s if known. Many local streets have "City" or "Town" names that are used locally. One US-64 is shown on the "Q3" as 'US64' but the street signs say "Four Seasons Blvd". IF I enter the name of this road, it tells me it doesn't exist. Street number can vary by a block or more in many instances.I suspect this is true of most GPS navigators. Updated maps usually come out every 1-3 years.

10. One point six million "POI's", points of interest still don't include MANY restaurants. etc. Some of our local schools, which are four years old, still are not listed under the included POI's.

11. If the "Q3" will save data to the SD/MMC card I have not found out how. If the "Q3" will download data to the "Q3 Flash Memory" from the SD/MMC card I have not yet found out how to do it.

12. Accessories and upgrades are listed on the NEXTAR website but are still not available online or from the supplier. BUT, I can see the potential of this little guy and I love it's size and accuracy.

14.If I have set a destination and am on the road, if I make a turn different from the Voice Instructed action it IMMEDIATELY RECALCULATED THE NEW PATH! within 10 seconds, and it is always correct in the instructions. Hard-drive based models are very very slow and not very often recalculating it AUTOMATICALLY without asking, Butthe "Q3" does it automatically, instantly!

15.Support gathered from the website is WAY BEHIND AND SLOW if non-existent! These are becoming hard to get because they are so popular they can't keep them on hand for sale. If you want one you'd better grab it NOW!

16. SUMMARY. i don't work for NEXTAR! I bought mine from HSN who is SOLD OUT at this time! It took me a week of many hours to learn what I do know about the "Q3", and suddenly I fell in love with it. If I need to know where I am at any given moment, it tells me, address, city, street, longitude, latitude, and elevation, and CHECK THIS OUT!

The SPEED indicator is more accurate than my speedometer! and it has an alarm that CAN tell me if exceed the speed limit or it I exceed a Preset Speed Limit of my own choosing.



I returned the competitors' GPS Navigators for refund , not accurate, too slow, can't acquire or maintain satellite readings.

NEXTAR Q3 IS HOT!"

Click Here to see more reviews about: Nextar Q3 3.5 Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
Getting lost is so last century. This GPS Navigation System from Nextar brings your navigation skills up to date with all the accuracy and modern magic of satellite-aided way finding. Just mount your Nextar navigation system in your car and head out on the road. You'll enjoy the confidence of having built-in maps of all 50 states complete with over 1.6 million points of interest, ranging from hotels and restaurants to airports and landmarks.GPS Navigation System with 3-1/2" Screen by Nextar Includes:* GPS receiver with 3-1/2" TFT color display touch screen* Voice-guided directions* Mounting cradle* Suction cup mounting bracket* Dashboard mounting disk* Remote control* Car accessory port adapter/DC adapter* AC adapter* USB cable* Carry pouch* ManualsProduct Features: * Built-in maps of the 50 U.S. states* 1.6 million points of interest* Built-in rechargeable Li-Ion battery * SD card slot for added memory* MP3 song playing mode (requires SD card, not included)* 2D or 3D map viewing modes* Day and Night modes - Night mode features additional light on thescreen for easier viewing* Turn by Turn voice prompts* Comes with manufacturer's 1-year limited warranty

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Pharos Traveler 525 2.27-Inches Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Bought the Pharos 525 2 weeks ago.It's a very neat device, and is one of the first to include all three wifi, bluetooth and gps in the one unit.It is smaller than most PDA's, but has the same amount of pixels as other QVGA Pocket pcs (320x240) in its smaller screen, giving it a very sharp and readable appearance.Its big enough.Battery life is great - I accidentally left the GPS running one morning on arriving at the office, it was still going when I next looked at the device 8 hours later!My old Garmin Ique would've been dead after about 45 minutes without power with the GPS running.The GPS receiver is also super sensitive, and does not require a flip out antenna, meaning you can often leave the device in its pleather case while operating the GPS, and not in your car window if you don't want either, a nice nod to convenience.

I can't agree with the other reviewer comment "Nice job Pharos".The device is basically a rebadged HTC Galaxy, aka Qtek G100, aka Dopod P100, aka I-mate PDA-N.Pharos has done nothing to the unit apart from added their splash screen at start up.The only thing Pharos has done is include their Ostia software, which is, quite frankly, absolutely terrible and without doubt the worst GPS software I've ever used.Hopelessly old fashioned and non-intuitive, the worst thing of all is that its routing algorhythms are way off and the routes it chooses are shockingly terrible.I'd have no confidence to travel somewhere unfamiliar with this software - you will get to your destination, but it'll probably take you a while, on the scenic route - this is what those rip off New York style cabbies must use!

Thankfully, you can bin this terrible software and install something else.I'm currently running Mapopolis, which is an excellent inexpensive program, not the best looking (blows Pharos's terrible effort away, mind you) but the routing, directions and features included are excellent, and the mapping is bang on.You can even try before you buy off their website.Other good ones are TomTom 5, Copilot 6 and Iguidance.

All in all, very happy with the device now - just be sure you budget in some extra to change the navigation software - even if you've never used GPS before, and think the supplied Pharos Ostia is OK, you owe it to yourself to at least have a look at one of the other programs - you'll change your mind very fast!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pharos Traveler 525 2.27 Inches Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
The Pharos Traveler GPS 525 Portable Navigation System is the first pocket GPS device to combine Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 into a single, compact device. With the GPS 525, you can access your Outlook e-mail and make PC-to-PC calls via Wi-Fi while you're traveling, and with its advanced GPS navigation tools, you'll never get lost. This is truly the first portable device that's designed for today's mobile professional.

Simple controls, powerful GPS reception, Wi-Fi, and Windows Mobile 5.0. What more could you ask for? Preloaded with the top 50 U.S. metropolitan maps, the GPS 525 uses GPS satellites and digital street maps to show you where you are, locate points of interest, or set a route to your destination. The uniquely sensitive GPS receiver ensures you'll be able to get a position fix just about anywhere. You can find hotspot locations while you're on the road, download maps over high-speed connections, look up Points of Interest (POI), and much more. The device includes a 512 MB SD card with maps of 50 major U.S. metro cities preloaded. A highly accurate and sensitive SiRFstarIII GPS receiver built into the GPS 525 will keep you on track, and voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions will make navigation through unfamiliar territory a breeze. For car travel, the unit comes with a windshield bracket mount and 12-volt car charger.
The device features an easy-to-see color screen with a durable windshield bracket mount that allows for both landscape and portrait screen orientation, as well as a three-dimensional mapping perspective or two-dimensional overhead view.
In addition to its advanced GPS capabilities, the Pharos Traveler GPS 525 includes Microsoft Windows Mobile applications such as Pocket Outlook, Windows Media Player, and Internet Explorer. You can seamlessly sync GPS navigation with your Outlook database of contacts so you can navigate directly to any of your Outlook contact addresses. The Pharos Traveler will guide you along the way with voice-prompted, turn-by-turn instructions and will give you the choice of taking the highway or the back roads.
The GPS 525 also features Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VOIP, functionality that operates via a built-in 802.11b wireless receiver with 64-128 bit WEP standard data encryption. In other words, having the GPS 525 in the palm of your hands will make you wonder if you ever need to go to the office again.

What's in the Box
525 GPS unit, windshield bracket mount, AC adapter, 12-V car charger, USB SD card reader, headset, 512 MB SD card, and navigation CD with U.S. maps.

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Maxon HCB-10C 40-Channel CB Radio (Refurbished) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is greate because you can just put it in your trunk or where ever and pull it out when you need it or want to fire up channel 19.

I would suggest getting a mobil magnet mount antenna with it to give it that boost it needs to reach other CB'ers out there.

It could use an autoscan feature but overall it's a great little unit. Comes with a 12 volt cigarett adapter so you don't have to worrry about keeping fresh batteries in it all of the time.

Also great for hicking and camping. Full legal power and great range 5-7 miles out in the woods. Reach base camp no problem.

Not sure of the battery life yet. Takes 9 AA's and has a low/high power output 1/4 watts

Click Here to see more reviews about: Maxon HCB-10C 40-Channel CB Radio (Refurbished)

Product Description:
Maxon's HCB-10C is a compact, portable Citizen's Band radio designed to operate in the 26.965 to 27.405 MHz band. This lightweight unit provides maximum RF output power, and you can power it using batteries or your vehicle. The radio transmits maximum legal RF output power (4 watts) with high-level modulation (in accordance with FCC Part 95 Rules). You can use it as a portable CB radio (powered by Ni-Cd or alkaline batteries) or in a vehicle or boat with the provided 12V DC power cord.
A phase-locked-loop synthesizer provides clear voice transmission and reception on all 40 available CB channels, while accessory jacks allow "hands-free" operation when used with an optional headset with boom microphone and mini-VOX unit. Built-in Automatic Gain Control (AGC) and Automatic Noise Limiter (ANL) provide constant sound level (from weak or strong signals) and clear reception, and automatic modulation control eliminates "peak" and "valley" transmission signals. Last channel memory recalls last channel displayed.
Accessory jacks allow "hands-free" operation when used with an optional headset with boom microphone and mini-VOX unit (Maxon WTA-13G). The unit can also be used with the QPA-1425 lapel/ speaker microphone.
The antenna is a major component in the strength of the radio's transmission signal and its reception range. The radio requires a 50-ohm mobile or base antenna. For greater range and clarity, Maxon recommends a vertically polarized telescopic antenna (like Maxon's optional WTA -1) or mobile magnetic mount CB/weather antenna (Maxon's optional WTA-4W). The "Rubber Duck" antenna included with this radio is suited for applications where maximum range is not required.
No FCC license is required to operate the unit, but, you must know and be familiar with Part 95 of the FCC Rules in regard to Subpart D of the Citizens Band Radio Service; a copy is enclosed.This model requires either 9 rechargeable Ni-Cd batteries or 9 AA alkaline batteries (not included). It can also be powered by the 12V DC power cord supplied with the radio. Use Maxon's optional AC/DC Wall Battery Charger (DV-7210) for recharging nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries--and Ni-Cd batteries only--in the radio. A hi/lo power selector button conserves battery power.
What's in the Box
Main CB unit with attached belt clip and carrying strap, a "Rubber Duck" antenna, a 12V DC power cord with cigarette lighter plug, a user's manual, and a copy of FCC Part 95, Subpart "D".

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Mio C310x 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I researched all GPs units for over a year.Two GPS's I have experience using plus I spent countless hours researching on the Internet and I played for hours in the store demonstrations.

Some generalities one needs to realize concerning "ALL" GPS units.You will not find any GPS unit that is 100% accurate 100% of the time.You will find that "ALL" GPS units at one time or another will not always take the shortest route or fastest route no matter what you try.This is due to many reasons which include the number of satellites tracking you, weather, map accuracy, etc..,. I have heard often that to buy a unit using NavTeq mapping and avoid the TeleAtlas mapping.Personally, I have ran 2 different GPS units that used "current" NavTeq mapping and I was not impressed.Locally I would sometimes find myself being shown off road with no roads existing while the roads I were on were major secondary roads and had been there for 10+ years and then while driving several long trips on major highways, I would be shown as being off the interstate driving¼ to ½ mile off in the pasture somewhere.I have found just the opposite with the TeleNav mapping.I have run the TeleNav mapping in the same spots that I had trouble with the NavTeq mapping and I have not had one problem with its mapping navigation.Locally, the NavTeq mapping would sometimes only take me within 1/4 to 1/2 mile of my destination saying I was there when I wasn't.Not with the TeleAtlas, most of the time right on the money but has never been off more than 200 feet.Even running address look ups and points of interest in the demos at the stores, the NavTeq mapping did just not show updated information.Just the opposite with the demo of the TeleNav."Personally", I like and support the TeleNav mapping over the NavTeq mapping, but please remember this is based on using the TeleNav mapping only with the Mio C310X with the note that this GPS unit comes with the most up to date mapping available (Aug 2006) to this date.

You will find that the majority of GPS units in the GPS market are Garmin and Magellan units."Personally", I do not like the interface of the Garmin GPS units.In general, the public has Magellan units rated less "overall" compared to Garmin units plus Magellan is known not to have good customer service."Personally" I do not know but that is the general consensus you will find when one researches.There are many brands out there now which are trying to compete with Garmin and Magellan GPS units.Some are rated pretty good and some are rated quite average or below.BUT there is now a unit that competes head to head with the best of Garmin and Magellan GPS units and depending on your taste, leaves them in the dust.Such aunit is the Mio C310X.

I was very impressed when I bought the Mio C310X and now after driving several long trips, it has not only lived up to its new reputation on the market but has even exceeded my initial review.Here are my thoughts and please realize when you read anyone's pros and cons that some pros and cons can be things that are not "NEEDED" but just nice to have.

Pros:

Uses 20 channel SIRF GPs satellite tracking
Uses TeleAtlas mapping.Has been accurate 99% of the time I have used it
Auto screen dimmer switch from daytime to nighttime use
Speaker is loud and clear
Over speed limit alert on some roads
Can play MP3 while navigating
Small and lightweight unit
2D or 3D viewing with automatic angle viewing
Displays mountains of information for you to see on the screen to include your speed, distance to destination, and time remaining on trip.Also displays cameras at stoplights.
Power is provided by DC car plug, computer USB , or built in battery (approx 2 hours)
Superb windshield mounting bracket
Some units will have 1GB extra memory (check box)
Impressed with customer service (used twice to ask a general question)

Cons:

Comes only in white color
For some people......No built in wireless Mp3 transmitter (easily fixed by using headphones, cassette adapter, or wireless fm transmitter unit and do remember that the built in speaker is a pretty good speaker)
For some people.....does not announce the name of the road you are turning onto ( I don't find this a problem as it displays the name on the unit's screen)

You should be quite happy with this GPS unit.Its fast, accurate,and has lots of bells and whistles that only come with much higher GPS units.Good hunting deciding on which GPS unit that will fit your needs and budget.



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Product Description:
The Mio DigiWalker C310x is a stylish, pocket sized device which combines GPS based portable navigation with a fully featured MP3 audio player. Whether you're heading across town or across the country, the Mio DigiWalker C310x is the perfect travel companion. Wherever the road ahead takes you, the C310x makes it easy to get where you're going.


The C310x is a stylish and powerful handheld personal navigation and digital entertainment device. See more detail: Back - Memory Slot. You can also see it in action.

Large icons and a bright display make it a snap to use.

Built in audio player plays mp3s or audio books.

User friendly menus in 16 languages. Design
One of the most striking features of the C310x is its stylish design, which invites you to take the device with you no matter where you're going. Completely self contained and ultra portable, the C310x slips easily into pocket or purse and truly adds a new dimension to the concept of portable navigation. The unit is also easy to use; large, easy-to-read icons, a bright 3.5-inch display, and a user-friendly touch screen make it simple to set your destination.
The C310x weighs only six ounces and measures 4.33 x 2.76 x 0.79 inches (W x H x D). Under the hood, the unit features a WAAS-enabled, SiRFstarIII GPS chipset for extreme accuracy, 1 GB of onboard ROM and 64 MB of RAM, as well as an SD/MMC card slot for memory expansion. The unit connects to your PC via USB, and the included lithium-ion battery lasts up to five hours.
Navigation
The C310x comes complete with preloaded maps of the entire U.S. (Alaska and Hawaii included) to make sure that you're up and running right away. You also get a huge database of preloaded points of interest (POIs) so you can easily locate restaurants, hotels, gas stations and more. The device guides you every step of the way with clear voice instructions and user-friendly menus in 16 languages, including English, French, and Spanish.
Entertainment
To make sure your road trips are complete, the C310x also features a full-featured MP3 player. Great for listening to your favorite albums or audio books while you're on the road (or on the plane before you get on the road) the C310x MP3 player boasts a number of customized EQ settings, a built in speaker and a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. And for the ultimate in convenience, you can use the integrated SD memory card slot to easily carry your music collection with you.

What's in the Box
C310x, USB cable, car charger, mapping DVD, device holder, mount

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