Thursday 22 October 2009

A Review of Popular Car GPS Systems

By Joseph Aaron

Motor Vehicles have enjoyed being a convenient mode of travel for years, but there are still trips when time and gas are wasted or intended stops are passed up entirely because of outdated maps or complicated directions. To answer these problems and help you to benefit from a convenient driving experience, vehicle mounted GPS devices are now here to help and are quite affordable for normal drivers. It is highly recommended to have a GPS device on road trips to make sure that the quickest way is available. The usefulness of specific GPS devices varies by different makers. To attract customers and attention, optional features are available on some models to add value and increase the gee-whiz factor. Below are several of the entry level products that warrant a closer look. A nice option to consider is the Garmin Nuvi 1350 Portable GPS Navigator.

Garmin Nuvi 265W

The disadvantage of quite a few of the lower priced Car GPS products is that their list of functions is so stunted that one is unsure whether the device is actually finished. The Garmin Nuvi is a budget level piece of equipment, yet it nonetheless offers all the more useful features and level of performance consumers would expect from its more expensive colleagues ? the 705 and 805 series. A speech function is integrated so you shouldn?t be required to read the street names while driving and it is quite simple to install for the amateur. The cost may not fit everyone?s financial situation, but because of its useful applications and minimal issues, a Garmin Nuvi is worth every dollar.

TomTom ONE Classic and Routes edition

TomTom ONE devices seem to have purchase prices that are far below their actual value, but its functions and specifications tell just why Tom Toms ONEs are dirt cheap. Their ease of use is ineffective and several of the performance features like Bluetooth and text-to-speech won?t be provided by nearly any of the models. Even though earlier models weren?t very sought after by middle to lower income customers, new ONE systems were offered, including a few with widescreens and a few more with special features such as advanced lane guidance, which is only available in the Routes edition. The classic edition does not have this feature, but the price could be low enough to at least consider. Another model to look into is the Garmin Nuvi 1350 GPS Navigation System.

Magellan Roadmate 1212

The Magellan Maestro products are the better selling Magellan products because they hit the market first, although the Roadmate 1212 is going to easily eclipse the Maestro thanks to its reduced profile and also its affordable price. The acceptable performance in tandem with the easy user interface obviously makes this a pretty good purchase if you are able to work around the delayed menu button response. The text-to-speech capability is also included, although using it too long can easily drain the battery which means you could find yourself charging the battery within 3 hours. A great alternative is the Garmin Nuvi 1350 Portable GPS Navigator.

Bottom Line

When it comes to lower priced Car GPS units, you will understandably be forced to choose between affordability and performance. Garmin Nuvi easily stands out with its insignificant annoyances, but the other two don?t cost as much. The most sensible thing to do is to invest in a Garmin Nuvi unless you intend to allow a GPS device continually distract your from your driving.

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