GPS reviews, news, tips, tricks and deals
UPDATE: This model has been superseded by the new Garmin eTrex 30.
UPDATE 2: This model has been discontinued. For more current recommendations, please refer to our handheld GPS buyers guide or our Garmin handheld GPS comparison chart.
The Garmin eTrex Vista HCx
UPDATE: Check out our MediaTek vs. SiRFstar III smackdown.
Two independent reports are confirming that the new Garmin eTrex H series is using a MediaTek chipset.
One is coming from Groundspeak, Geocaching.com’s message board, where people are reporting good reception.
Another report, via GpsPasSion, includes screen shots comparing the MediaTek chipset in the Vista HCx with the SiRFstar III chipset in the 60CSx. While I can’t read German, it looks like the Mediatek chipset holds its own pretty well in that comparison.
EDIT: While this post originally focused on the Mio C520, the points are generally true for the Mio C220 too. Its not quite as complex, but it is still not as simple to operate as a nuvi.
Following my review of the Mio C520, I wanted to delve a little more deeply into why you might buy a Mio or a Garmin nuvi. I’m a big fan of Garmin; they rock — intuitive menus, great customer service and quality products. But Mio really grabbed my attention with the C520.
So let’s say you’re in the market for an auto navigation GPS. Which do you buy — a nuvi or a Mio?
Reasons to get a Mio C520
EarthNC.com, best known as a source for nautical data, has announced a new service and website — TakItWithMe.com, which allows you to transfer Google Maps data and KML files directly to Garmin receivers, or download them as GPX files. The site utilizes the new Garmin Communicator plugin.
I just gave it a try and it worked very well. Output can be downloaded as waypoints, tracks and routes. The team there has put together a great video (shown below, after the jump) that does an excellent job of showing you how. It’s really pretty simple.
UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For current recommendations, please refer to our auto GPS buyers guide or check out our other Mio GPS reviews.
I’ve spent the last ten days or so trying out the Mio C520
Before we get into the details, lets talk about the basic feature set. The Mio C520 comes pre-loaded with TeleAtlas maps of the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. It has a thin, flat form factor, 4.3" wide touch screen, SiRFstar III chipset, 6 million POIs, an MP3 player, Bluetooth for hands free cell phone use, and can be upgraded for live traffic. The C520 features text-to-speech, so you’ll get "turn left on Highway 128" instead of just "turn left." Heck, this device can even play videos! If you don’t want all those bells and whistles, be sure to check out the budget-priced Mio C220. To see how the Mio C520 compares to other units, check out my Mio GPS comparison chart.
Early this year I posted about the GolfLogix GPS, based on the Garmin eTrex platform. It turns out that Magellan is into golf too, as evidenced by the SkyCaddie SG3 and SkyCaddie SG4, which are based on the Magellan eXplorist line.
The SG4 is showing up in a couple of different places on Amazon, where it is attracting (depending upon which page you go to) both good
Via Digg.
Related post: GPS for golfers
Last weekend I installed an invisibleSHIELD
screen protector on my Garmin GPSMap 60CSx. I became interested in this product after reading rave reviews on Groundspeak, the geocaching message board. My tendency to crash my mountain bike and scratch my GPS didn’t hurt either.
The Invisible Shield installation was very easy. I did end up with some micro-bubbles which the instructions said would work their way out over the next 2-3 days. The bubbles did get smaller, but they were still there. So I took a pushpin and popped them, then used the supplied squeegee to remove the rest of the air from underneath them. Screen visibility is impacted in only the most minor manner, and the benefits of protecting the screen far outweigh any downsides. I just wish I would have had this when I purchased the unit.
GPS Business News is reporting this morning that TomTom has filed a European patent for the use of real-time video for navigation (registration required).
There’s been a lot of buzz for the past year or so about next generation navigation systems using 3-D imagery to create artificial cityscapes, and map data providers are on the verge of offering such imagery for major cities. And while it wouldn’t have surprised me to see map data providers begin to use captured video imagery, ala Google Maps Street View, this goes way beyond that, integrating real-time video on the GPS receiver’s screen.
Ever been crossing a mountain pass when you wondered just how high you were? This review of the Garmin nuvi 650 reminded me that it’s not the most intuitive thing to find on a nuvi.
UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For current recommendations, please refer to our auto GPS buyers guide.
The Garmin nuvi 250W is a 4.3″ wide-screen version of the Garmin nuvi 250. Depending upon which side of the pond you live on, the nuvi 250W comes with pre-loaded maps of North America or Europe. This is a basic navigation device – no MP3 player, no Bluetooth, no text-to-speech. The one frill is the extra wide touch-screen. Yet even without the bells and whistles, it’s Garmin nuvi quality through and through. Like all nuvis, it comes with nearly six million points of interest (POIs).
UPDATE: A new model, the nuvi 255W, offers these features and more.
