Sunday, March 18, 2012

Garmin nuvi 2597LMT review

Garmin nuvi 2597LMT review

We go hands on with the Garmin nuvi 2597LMT

Hands on Garmin nuvi 2597LMT review

The Garmin nüvi 2597LMT is the top of the line 5″ model in Garmin’s 2013 Advanced series. Improvements in this years model include active lane guidance, traffic announcements, “Real Directions” and the slide-out Up Ahead feature shown above. I’ll explore those features in more detail below. As a high-end model, the 2597LMT includes lifetime traffic and map updates, Bluetooth for hands-free calling and voice command. read more

Video: Garmin’s new Active Lane Guidance feature

Active lane assist Garmin nuvi 2597LMT

Active lane assist on the Garmin nuvi 2597LMT

One of the biggest improvements in the latest Garmin nuvi Advanced and Prestige series models is (IMHO) the active lane guidance feature. It’s simply more clear what lane you are supposed to be in and when to move into it. This is especially true as you approach a multiple exit interchange such as you see above, something that might be labeled Exits 10A and 10B. The older versions of lane assist and junction view simply could not make the maneuver as clear as it is with active lane guidance.  read more

California court: Don’t use maps on your phone while driving

California Appeals Court rules hands-on use of smartphone maps illegal

Appeals Court rules hands-on use of smartphone maps illegal

A California appellate court has effectively extended the states’s texting while driving law to the use of maps on your phone. The statute in question says you can’t use your phone while driving unless you do it in hands free mode — don’t touch. read more

This week in GPS — April 6th, 2013

This week in GPS is a weekly link roundup of (mostly) GPS related odds and ends, from GPS Tracklog and other places around the Web. To get a few of the biggest stories as they break, follow me on Twitter. This week’s lead video (above) is of an Earth-year through stunning NASA imagery; via Engadget. read more

UPDATED: Garmin Monterra and Virb coming this year?

Garmin Monterra Garmin Virb

A sneak peek at some new Garmin devices?

UPDATE: There is an Amazon page for the Monterra that lists it as a 4″ unit with WiFi, 1080p video, and an Android OS with the ability to use Android apps — opening the door to app developers creating  “new outdoor-centric apps.” The MSRP is shown as $699.99. 

Here’s a couple of new Garmin trademark filings that may interest our audience. The Garmin Monterra (a possible Montana successor?) is billed as a… read more

Garmin nuvi 42

Garmin nuvi 42 reviewThe Garmin nuvi 42 is one of the company’s 2013 Essential series models, their entry-level line. Even so, this 4.3″ navigator is quite capable, and features speed limit display, junction view and lane assist — things that were relegated to top-of-the-line models not too long ago. The nuvi 42 comes with preloaded maps of the entire US except Alaska and is a great choice for someone who needs a basic navigator without all the bells and whistles. read more

It’s official — DeLorme inReach SE

DeLorme inReach SEDeLorme has quietly acknowledged the forthcoming inReach SE two-way satellite communicator. The big improvement over the previous inReach is that you don’t have to pair it with a smartphone to send and receive text messages. Also of note, the virtual keyboard uses predictive text. And while the unit is a bit taller than the original, thankfully it’s slimmed down quite a bit in the other two dimensions. read more

Best selling GPS for March 2013

Bestselling GPS March 2013

The Garmin nuvi 2595LMT and eTrex 20 topped our charts this past month

It’s that time again, when we look back on the past month to see what our readers bought. The rankings below are based on the number of units sold on GPS Tracklog, through our various partners like Amazon and REI. On the auto side, the Garmin nuvi 2595LMT claimed the top spot, while the eTrex 20 was the most popular unit on the handheld list. On to the charts…
read more

This week in GPS — March 30th, 2013

Small cat GPS tracker

A GPS tracker small enough for cats!

This week in GPS is a weekly link roundup of (mostly) GPS related odds and ends, from GPS Tracklog and other places around the Web. To get a few of the biggest stories as they break, follow me on Twitter. This week’s lead image is of a cat tracker (via Outdoors Magic)! read more

Why I love Eneloop batteries

Eneloop rechargeable batterySimply put – Eneloop batteries are awesome. If you’re a user of handheld GPS units, I highly recommend that you check out these rechargeable NiMH batteries which feature a low self-discharge rate. That means you can charge them and put them in a drawer, and they’ll retain 85% of their power for a year and 75% for three years. Apple thinks highly enough of them to rebrand Eneloops as their own, and come on – how many batteries have their own Wikipedia pageread more