GPS reviews, news, tips, tricks and deals
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.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been trying out a Navigon 7100
Dropping down to the Navigon 5100, you lose Bluetooth and voice commands.
Only rarely do I stray from the established major companies in reviewing GPS navigators, but this one was just too tempting.
UPDATE: 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 Summit HC is a mid-level mapping receiver in Garmin’s eTrex H-series lineup. With a high-sensitivity receiver for superior reception under canopy, a bright color screen, and the ability to load topo maps (purchased separately), this is an excellent backcountry GPS.
UPDATE: Read our Mio C230 review and Mio C720t review.
I wasn’t going to post this weekend, but after a couple of days in the city testing GPS receivers with traffic data, there’s at least one newsworthy item that beckons.
Mio has announced two new units — the Mio C230 and Mio C720t, targeting the low and high ends of the GPS marketplace.
UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For current recommendations, please refer to our auto GPS buyers guide.
The Garmin nuvi 260
UPDATE: A newer model, the nuvi 255, offers these features and more.
You may have noticed that last Friday was a busy day here at GPS Tracklog, as we reported on a dozen new units from Garmin, Magellan and TomTom. These manufacturers used Berlin’s IFA consumer electronics show as a chance to announce a fall 2007 lineup, ahead of the holiday shopping season. Now that the dust has settled, let’s look at some details that escaped notice Friday, and take a quick look at market niches and innovations as well.
Nuvi 700 series to include tracklogs and MSN Direct option
While I reported that the nuvi 700 series specs include multi-destination routing, I should have read the product description more closely. Under "plan ahead" it states "a trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you’ve been on the map." A little further down it cites MSN® Direct as an option. One other note — they tackle the traveling salesman problem — the nuvi 700 series "automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands, deliveries or sales calls."
UPDATE: Read our reviews of the new Magellan Maestro line:
Magellan has announced the Maestro 3200 and Maestro 4200 series GPS receivers. What’s new is a thinner design (0.7"), and two units that have pre-loaded maps of Mexico.
Here’s how they break down; the 3200 series will feature a 3.5" touch-screen; the 4200 series widens this to 4.3". The flagship units, the 3250 and 4250, will include real-time traffic information and voice commands, ala the Maestro 4050. Models ending in 20 (the 3220 and 4220) will have pre-loaded road maps of Mexico, in addition to the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Most units appear to have 6 million POIs. I suspect that the budget-priced 3200 and 4200 will have less.
I’ll post images and links as they become available.
A few more details from the news release:
UPDATE: Read our Garmin nuvi 750 review, Garmin nuvi 760 review and Garmin nuvi 770 review.
Garmin announced today the introduction of three new models, the nuvi 750, nuvi 760 and nuvi 770. These units marry the slimmer form factor of the nuvi 200W series with the high-end features of the nuvi 650, 660 and 670.
What is perhaps the biggest improvement isn’t even mentioned in the news release though. The spec sheet says that, unlike other nuvis, these new units will store up to 10 routes, and will "auto sort multiple destinations (provides most direct route)." Finally!
UPDATE: The Garmin nuvi 700 series will also record tracklogs, and MSN Direct services can be added as an option. This is true for all three models — the 750, 760 and 770.
Last month we learned that Garmin was using a MediaTek (MTK) chipset in its new eTrex H-series. I’m currently testing an eTrex Legend HCx and decided to put it up against the SiRFstar III chip in my trusty 60CSx.
With a new baby in the house, I couldn’t get away for a long trek, nor could I record tracks over multiple days, so this isn’t the most scientific test possible. Fortunately, I live near redwoods, which are dense enough that stray track points occur frequently and lesser receivers will often lose their satellite lock. This made for an ideal testing ground.
UPDATE: We recommend the newer eTrex 10 instead of this model.
UPDATE: 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 H
UPDATE: 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 Venture HC
