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(hover mouse for details) Average Customer Review:
 (4 customer reviews)
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A great tool to have is a GPS receiver for navigation purposes as these small devices have the ability to pinpoint where located any given point in time on an on-screen map. Whether you’re trying to drive in a different city you’re not familiar with or hiking in the wilderness, these interactive maps are definitely a major asset.
There are literally hundreds of combinations of features and accessories to choose from and there are many manufacturers of GPS receivers. Additionally, you will have some type of learning curve in figuring out the system software and having to deal with any possible bugs that might come up (which is unlikely due to the quality of the GPS receivers in their software presently). And, like all electronics, you can also get very expensive GPS vehicle tracking systems that cost upwards to $1000. So it is very important you do your homework prior to purchasing a GPS receiver.
Consumer Reports Magazine
Consumer Reports is very likely the most reliable product review magazine that is available. It does not take advertisements, so its reviews are unbiased. The magazine periodically reviews many different kinds of electronics, including GPS receivers, both in print and online.
The testers at the magazine buy several brands of the same thing and put them through a battery of tests. They then evaluate the products, telling the reader not just the best value for money, but additionally the one that is most convenient to use, lightest, most rugged, and so on. The editors boil all this down to a concise article and clear table, so it is easy to compare all products at one time.
Reviews Online
Online Reviews come in two types: those done by professionals, and those that are collections of users’ opinions. Some sites combine both.
A good place to start looking for a review of GPS receivers is Cnet .com. This site has professional reviewers evaluate the product, but there is also space for individual users to share their opinions. The focus of each review is a score out of a possible ten points. The reviewer gives a score and you also see the average of users’ opinions. Cnet started out as a software review site, so you will see a lot of writing on each receiver’s software and user interface.
Different sites such as epinions .com, are basically a collection of various user reviews. Virtually anyone has the ability to log in and list an opinion of the product in question. This is a great asset due to the fact that common issues with any particular GPS receiver become very apparent after browsing through just a few reviews.
However, it is a good thing to keep in mind that individuals that go through the effort to post their opinion in regards to a GPS receiver are likely the people who are either extremely unhappy or extremely happy. The best situation is to read many different reviews to get an overall opinion of the quality of the GPS tracking system being reviewed.
[tags]gps receiver, handheld gps, globalsat gps, bluetooth gps[/tags]
Filed under gps system by on Jun 28th, 2007. Comment. 
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(mouse hover details) Average Customer Review:
(2 customer reviews)
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It is a fairly certain that the time has come: quite literally everyone and everything is listed somewhere on a map. GPS technology is making its way into the American lifestyle at a pace that even the most overzealous forecasters of this type of technology may never have dreamed of. Many people, you know are using a GPS unit for anything from locating their way from point A two point B to checking out what kind of restaurants are close by.
Now there’s an idea! Whatever happened to driving aimlessly around looking for a decent place to eat? How about an even older solution: getting out your car and asking a local citizen or police officer for suggestions? You are correct in your thinking, if you believe that GPS units are deeply infiltrating American life similar to cell phones did roughly 10 years ago.
The reasons why are numerous and different, as well as the forms; a GPS unit is not strictly a handheld GPS types of devices anymore. With the dawn of the 21st century, GPS technology is everywhere from cell phones, to cars, computers. Perhaps in five years or less the wallets we carry live micro GPS chips installed so that if they’re stolen the authorities will have the ability to track them for us and get them back quickly.
One particular model, the lowrance iWAY GPS 600C is a GPS system that simple to use offering precise NAVTEQ roadmapping passed through a 12 — parallel channel GPS+WAAS receiver with visual and audio navigation. You get a very detailed satellite imagery of numerous metropolitan cities which provides a birds eye view of your route while making accessible millions of points of interest (POI).
How Useful Is a GPS Unit?
According to the waves of consumers who are buying GPS units, GPS is the greatest thing to come around since the mp3 player. The most-often cited reason for adoring one’s GPS device is the capability that it has to get you from one place to another without getting lost and without trying to read a map or read the Mapquest directions that you printed out, and spilled coffee on when you took that sharp turn a while back.
Yes, when it comes to driving unfamiliar routes, there’s no doubt that a GPS unit is a very handy thing to have in the car with you. However, is it worth the price? Younger consumers, the device generation, could not more emphatically reply that it is absolutely worth the price. Older generations of consumers, and sometimes the parents of the aforementioned device generation who are riding shotgun in their children’s cars, often disagree.
Whether it’s for the cost (gps for car units costing $200-$400 and subscriptions for cell phone GPS costing more than $10 per month) or simply because they don’t find a GPS unit to be necessary, many older people find the GPS revolution as annoying as they found the cell phone revolution five years ago.
Though this is the official stance of many people, it shouldn’t be ignored that many of those older men and women who, five years ago, were complaining about all those youngsters having cell phones now have cell phones of their own. Will it be the same for GPS? Only time will tell.
[tags]GPS unit, automotive gps, lowrance iWay, iWay 600C[/tags]
Filed under Auto GPS by on Jun 26th, 2007. 8 Comments.
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Magellan Maestro 3100 Portable Auto GPS System for Continental U.S.
Average Customer Review:  (12 customer reviews)
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There are many different brands of GPS tracking system receivers to choose from, Magellan GPS being one of them. Numerous people buy these systems to use as a car navigation GPS to assist with directions, or monitor teen driving, or to track their vehicle in case it gets stolen. Still others have these handheld GPS receivers to take hiking or hunting to help keep them from getting lost. Regardless of what your purpose is for purchasing and using a Magellan GPS, you should do your research first then shop around for the best features at the best price.
First Impressions
Before you buy a GPS system it is best to decide what features you want the most from it. Is it more important that it be rugged or light? Is battery life a concern? Does the hardware come with a manufacturer’s guarantee? Also, all GPS systems will need occasional software updates. That is, you need to load new maps onto a GPS receiver periodically. And like any software, it will need patches sometimes. No matter where you buy, find out what kind of tech support the dealer offers, and compare prices on any monthly monitoring before you make your choice.
Shopping in a Local Store
Many stores, especially outdoors and automotive stores carry Magellan GPS systems. If you have a loyalty card or some other way to get a discount in a store, that may be the best way to buy. Especially around the holidays, stores may be giving away remarkable discounts. GPS prices can range from as little as $100 to as much as $1000. It is best to use promotions that allow a percentage off as opposed to a set amount for big-ticket item.
On the Web
Internet shopping is probably more convenient, and you will be able to easily see all the accessories and options available with a Magellan GPS system. However, you must, of course be careful when shopping on the internet; only use sites that are reputable. Reputable sites will include a physical address and phone number, a secure server for credit card transactions, and will have good reviews on sites like epinions .com. It is best to only use a site when you have read positive testimonials about it
Your first stop would be to check Magellan’s own company website. On the first page, you’ll find that it has a listing of the most current promotions. Even in the event that you choose not to purchase a Magellan GPS straight from the manufacturer, you can get a basic idea of the prices, how often you need software updates, and the range of products available by researching their website first.
Filed under Auto GPS by on Jun 23rd, 2007. Comment.