Portable GPS for Driving
 

I've been considering getting an automotive GPS unit; I've heard that the new garmin Nuvi 350 is 'to die for'. Anyone with experience or thoughts?

mpc1

PS: Most of my driving will be in North America with the odd trip to Western Europe

Search for nuvi on the this forum:

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/search.asp

Looks like Garmin has been setting the minimum advertised price at $899 now.

take a look at the iway 500c. It is heavy, but is designed to be moved from car to car.

I'm on my second Garmin, and when it's time to upgrade, if Santa isn't bringing me one, I'll probably stay with them.

First one I left in a hotel in China, second one I love, but it's an older mapping unit and can only hold maps for a very limited area at one time in it's memory.

Lots of people here have recommended the Tomtom units too.

I like my TomTom. It works in the car or portable. SD cards for Europe and the US maps. The same TomTom software works in my Palm Treo when I need a really small GPS.

Love my TomTom Go300, connects through Bluetooth to my phone to pickup traffic and weather, and has awesome maps and POI database. BEST nav unit I have ever had.

Do you need a seperate antenna on the Treo?

Take a look at the Garmin "i" series, the "C" series, or the TomTom Go models. All are very similar in shape/design.

I had the TomTom and it was great! I took it back though because now I have a corporate-provided Nextel phone and I use the TeleNav function on it (which by the way is as good as TomTom, etc which is way more expensive!)

So... my advice... get a Nextel :) The service sucks but the GPS is good. Seriously, the TomTom is highly recommended by me.

Although I like the Tomtom a bit it has some serious drawbacks

1) the exits are listed as numbers rather than names - not good for California where almost nothing is labeled as a number and useless if the signal is lost to know what exit you are looking for

2) I can't find any decent way of getting support in the US - even to ask simple questions - like do they plan an update of above?

3) maps are quite old and have led me astray a few times in N Calif b/c of lack of current map (which Magellan had correct - but I didn't like the magellan for other reasons)

Yes, I use a Bluetooth wireless receiver that is about the size of a Zippo lighter. I keep it in my coat pocket and it works fine.

I just got the portable Mio 269 plus last week. Cheaper than the Garmin and so far I have been thrilled with the results. The speed limit indication helps a lot with the crazy photoradar in the Netherlands!

http://www.mio-tech.be/products/gps/269plus/default.asp

sony soon
 

Sony is going to be releasing their entry into portable NAV systems, Q1 of 2006, I'm waiting for that before I buy another.

I have many, the original tomtom, a NAVMAC 510, and about four differant pocket pc applications, destinator, tomtom, copilot (the best imho) etc.

I tried the magellans, and didn't like them. the new GARMINS looks nice.

Whatever you get, using in NA and canada is pretty easy, using abroad will require more map data. Some make the available for a fee of course 100-200$ for the european maps, some don't.

Most, use one map data providor for NA and another for Europe. so, it makes it a bit difficult for the SAME HARDWARE to be able to do both. It can be done, especially on the pocketpc, but that is a bit more involved for some.

here is a link to the sony

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news.php?newsId=2028

If I am not mistaken all the previous Sony's were just rebranded Navman units, and got terrible reviews in the media. The new Sony looks VERY similar to the TomTom Go units, I wonder if TomTom made the guts of that unit?

Shame we can't get the Japanese Sony nav units here...

After alot of research and advice from here and elsewhere, I had settled on the Roadmate 800. But when I went to gpscentral to purchase the unit I was talked into the Garmin Nuvi 350 and it is simply amazing.

It uses SD cards also for expansion which you can buy preloaded with maps or purchase the CD's and load your own card, which I did for Europe. It uses the Text to speech which is very nice also, you don't really have to look at the unit just listen to it. It is extremely compact and has great battery life if you want to use it in pedestrian mode for walking, or if you want to use it as a MP3 player/photo viewer (I think I will still be using my Ipod for this).

$899 cdn at http://www.gpscentral.ca/products/garmin/nuvi.htm