Sunday, March 18, 2012

Magellan Maestro 3200 review

Magellan_maestro_3200

The Magellan Maestro 3200 is the entry-level device in Magellan’s thinner and lighter second generation Maestro line up. It has a 3.5″ color touch screen, preloaded maps of the entire U.S. except Alaska, and 1.3 million points of interest (POIs).

Step up to the Maestro 3210 and you’ll get maps of Alaska and Canada, six million POIs, and AAA TourBook info.

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Navigon 2100 review

Navigon_2100

NOTE: Navigon has pulled out of the U.S. market and we are no longer recommending their receivers. Check out our auto GPS buyers guide for our current recommendations.

UPDATE: The new Navigon 2100 max updates the 2100 with a 4.3″ wide screen and the DirectHelp emergency screen.

The Navigon 2100 is Navigon’s entry level GPS device. Even so, it offers text-to-speech, so you’ll get “turn left on Oak Street” rather than just “turn left.” It also has the “reality view” feature for major highway interchanges, as shown above.

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TomTom GO 920/920T review

Tomtom_go_920t

UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For current recommendations, please refer to our TomTom comparison chart.

The TomTom GO 920 / 920T is TomTom’s new top-of-the-line GPS navigator. This one has it all — pre-loaded maps of the U.S., Canada and Europe, voice commands, FM transmitter, Bluetooth, text-to-speech, Map Share, remote control and an included traffic receiver. The TomTom 920 has everything except that the traffic receiver, which is available as an optional accessory.

The really hot new features on this unit are voice commands and what TomTom calls Enhanced Positioning Technology (EPT). This uses dead reckoning sensors to help keep track of your position when you lose satellite coverage (in tunnels, etc.).

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TomTom RIDER 2nd edition review

Tomtom_rider_2nd_edition_2

UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For a list of current TomTom models and their features, please see our TomTom comparison chart.

The TomTom RIDER 2nd edition, designed specifically for motorcycles, updates the first-generation TomTom RIDER. This new model adds a RAM mount, Bluetooth for hands-free cell phone use, and includes a high-quality Cardo scala-rider(R) Bluetooth(R) headset for in-helmet spoken instructions. It comes with pre-loaded maps of the U.S. and Canada.

An optional car mount with integrated speaker transforms the RIDER into an auto navigator.

UPDATE: TomTom has announced that the RIDER 2nd edition will now include TomTom Map Share™, Help Me!, Fuel Prices Service (option), and TomTom Traffic with a 30-day free trial.

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Magellan Maestro 4250 review

Magellan_maestro_4250

The Magellan Maestro 4250 updates the Magellan 4050. Thinner and lighter, it also increases the number of points of interest (POIs) available to 6 million, compared to the 4050’s 4.5 million. Otherwise, the two units are identical in their key specs. Both offer pre-loaded maps of the U.S. and Canada, text-to-speech, Bluetooth and live traffic info.

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Garmin nuvi 750 review

Garmin_nuvi_750

UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For current recommendations, please refer to our auto GPS buyers guide.

The Garmin nuvi 750 is one of the new high-end 700 series of this popular product line, adding the following to an already outstanding feature set:

  • Multi-destination routing
  • Automatic sorting of multiple destinations to provide an efficient route
  • Tracklog recording
  • Speed limit display for many interstates and highways
  • The newer internal antenna found on the nuvi 200 series
  • Automatic marking of your last position when the unit is turned off (to help you find your car in mega-mall parking lots)
  • A “Where am I” safety feature that gives your current location,
    nearest address, nearest intersection, along with quick access to POIs
    for the nearest hospitals, police stations and gas stations

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Mio C230 review

Mio_c230_review

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 been trying out the Mio C230 for the past week or so. Also know as the Mio DigiWalker C230, this unit updates the C220, adding one thing most low-end units don’t have — text to speech. This means that you’ll get “turn left on Oak Street in 200 feet” rather than just “turn left in 200 feet.” It also offers a much brighter screen than that of the C220, along with pre-loaded maps of all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

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Magellan Maestro 3210 review

Magellan_maestro_3210_3

The Magellan Maestro 3210 is one of Magellan’s new thinner (0.7″) line of Maestros. It has a 3.5″ screen, six million points of interest (POIs), pre-loaded maps of the U.S. and Canada, and the SiRFstar III chipset. What it doesn’t have is text-to-speech, so you’ll get “turn right in 200 feet” rather than “turn right on Oak Street in 200 feet.” Nor does it have Bluetooth or live traffic capabilities.

Step up to the Maestro 3220 to get maps of Mexico too. Meanwhile, the Maestro 3250 adds text-to-speech, Bluetooth, traffic and voice commands to the 3210’s feature set. Going the other direction, the basic Maestro 3200 has a very weak 1.3 million POIs and drops the maps of Canada and Alaska. Finally, the 4200 series boosts the screen size to 4.3″.

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Garmin nuvi 760 review

Garmin_nuvi_760

UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For current recommendations, please refer to our auto GPS buyers guide.

The Garmin nuvi 760 is one of the new high-end 700 series of this popular product line, adding the following to an already outstanding feature set:

  • Multi-destination routing
  • Automatic sorting of multiple destinations to provide an efficient route
  • Tracklog recording
  • Speed limit display for many interstates and highways
  • The newer internal antenna found on the nuvi 200 series
  • Automatic marking of your last position when the unit is turned off (to help you find your car in mega-mall parking lots)
  • A “Where am I” safety feature that gives your current location,
    nearest address, nearest intersection, along with quick access to POIs
    for the nearest hospitals, police stations and gas stations

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Hands on with the Magellan Triton 2000

UPDATE: Read my Magellan Triton 1500 review.

GpsPasSion got some quality time with the upcoming Magellan Triton 2000 and has posted pictures for all to see. They are reporting exceptionally fast map scrolling and zooming, which may help account for the short (AA) battery life being reported. From the images, we can tell that the Tritons will use a Windows CE platform, opening the door to all sorts of user hacks. It also appears that the device may use an old style Magellan to USB connector, rather than a mini-USB.

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