Garmin Colorado 400t, 400c, 400i, 300 Handheld GPS: REVIEW
July 14, 2008 by Rated4Stars · 2 Comments
|
|---|
)
 |
The past few years have seen dramatic advances in the GPS units we use in our cars, with intuitive, user-friendly interfaces and an ever-growing number of features. Though handheld units have certainly benefited from new, more sensitive GPS chips and other advances deep in their electronics, they haven’t realized the same sort of game-changing advances as their vehicle-based cousins…until now. Garmin’s Colorados series ushers in the next generation of handheld GPS units, offering a rich feature set while incorporating the ease of use you’ve grown accustomed to in the car, within a rugged, waterproof shell. Outside Magazine sums it up, "The Garmin Colorado 400t was born for serious backcountry time, and you won’t find a more user-friendly or durable handheld GPS" while About.com concludes that the "400t lives up to its promise of being a next-generation handheld GPS."
Read more
Subscribe to the Rated4Stars RSS feed.
TomTom GO 930, 730 GPS: REVIEW
July 12, 2008 by Rated4Stars · 2 Comments
|
|---|
)
In our reviews of TomTom’s popular entry-level ONE series, including the ONE 130 and 130S and the ONE XL 330 and 330S, we’ve praised TomTom’s "ongoing innovative spirit and clever approach to design of their highly-customizable GPS devices." We’re impressed to see TomTom offering strong innovations in its mid- and upper-range offerings, too, with the GO 730 and 930 series (which replace the highly-rated GO 720 and 920 respectively), which offer a range of useful new features at even greater value. Laptop Magazine states, "the GO 930 is one of the best GPS values we’ve seen in the mid-range space," while, as About.com says the 930, "combines highly competent navigation and fast signal acquisition and route calculations with all of the latest technical goodies TomTom has to offer."
Magellan Maestro 4250, 3250 GPS: REVIEW
July 5, 2008 by Rated4Stars · 2 Comments
|
|---|
)
Magellan is a long-standing leader in GPS, especially famous for its award-winning RoadMate series and the Hertz NeverLost car navigation system. Though not as dominant as it was several years ago, Magellan continues to produce quality GPS units for the field and the car. Demonstrating their ongoing commitment to innovation, Magellan has rounded out their popular Maestro line with the 3250 and wide-screen 4250, which were among the first aftermarket vehicle GPS systems with voice recognition capability to reach the consumer. Drawing from Magellan’s lengthy track record in the business and building upon the proven Maestro platform, CNET says, "Maestro 4250 is a solid mid-level portable navigation system." We agree.
TomTom ONE 130, 130S: REVIEW
July 2, 2008 by Rated4Stars · 2 Comments
|
|---|
)
TomTom’s popular entry-level ONE 3rd Edition is updated with the ONE 130 and 130S, which vividly illustrate TomTom’s ongoing innovative spirit and clever approach to design of their highly-customizable GPS devices. Fortunately, TomTom hasn’t sacrificed any of the strong foundation of the ONE series, nor its solid reliability and appeal to first-time buyers. A leading consumer magazine states,"The TomTom One 130 and 130S are good choices for consumers seeking an entry-level device. They deliver the core features that matter most in navigators…[and] improve on the well-rated previous generation" and About.com calls it a " very competent navigator at a budget price."
TomTom ONE XL 330, 330S: REVIEW
July 2, 2008 by Rated4Stars · 1 Comment
|
|---|
)
TomTom’s successful wide-screen version of the popular ONE series, the ONE XL and XL-S is updated with the ONE XL 330 and 330S, wide-screen versions of the ONE 130 and 130S. As we indicated in our 4-star review of the 130 and 130S, the new ONE series vividly illustrates TomTom’s ongoing innovative spirit and clever approach to design of their highly-customizable GPS devices. Fortunately, TomTom hasn’t sacrificed any of the strong foundation of the ONE series, nor its solid reliability and appeal to first-time buyers. A leading consumer magazine states,"The TomTom One 130 and 130S are good choices for consumers seeking an entry-level device. They deliver the core features that matter most in navigators…[and] improve on the well-rated previous generation" and About.com calls it a " very competent navigator at a budget price."
Garmin eTrex Legend Handheld GPS: REVIEW
June 19, 2008 by Rated4Stars · 1 Comment
|
|---|
)
|
We first reviewed the Garmin eTrex Legend GPS in 2005 and were delighted to see that this classic workhorse is now available in an economic bundle that includes a PC cable, car power adapter, and Garmin MapSource U.S. Topo Map CD-ROM. Though it lacks some of the features we’ve come to expect in newer handhelds, such as a color screen or next-generation GPS chipset, the eTrex Legend remains a capable and proven workhorse in the Garmin family, and a beloved one at that (we still use ours), still used by many for a wide range of outdoor activities, including geocaching, despite its lack of any special geocaching features.
Read more
Garmin nuvi 200, 250, 260, 270: REVIEW
June 18, 2008 by Rated4Stars · 4 Comments
|
|---|
)
Garmin’s nuvi series, introduced with the 300 series, began as began as a high-end unit targeting the business traveler and "gotta have it" gadgeteer. Its widespread appeal, even at a premium price, is a testament to the nuvi line’s ease of use, full functionality, and reassuring capability.With the 200 series, Garmin puts nuvi excellence in the hands of the rest of us.
Tom Tom ONE 3rd Edition - REVIEW
June 17, 2008 by Rated4Stars · 4 Comments
|
|---|
)
|
Entry-level never looked so good in the vehicle GPS market. TomTom significantly improved upon its already solid-performing and crowd-pleasing ONE (2nd Edition), yet has priced the new TomTom ONE 3rd Edition only slightly higher than its predecessor. The 3rd Edition is well-worth the modest price increase. Like its predecessor, the TomTom ONE 3rd Edition is ultra-portable, easy to use, and sports a bright easy-to-read touch screen. As with the 2nd Edition, the ONE 3rd Edition includes an SD memory card with detailed maps of the United States and Canada. Maps for additional countries are also available for purchase.
Garmin nuvi 200W, 250W, 260W: REVIEW
June 16, 2008 by Rated4Stars · 3 Comments
|
|---|
)
Garmin’s nuvi series, introduced with the 300 series, began as began as a high-end unit targeting the business traveler and "gotta have it" gadgeteer. Its widespread appeal, even at a premium price, is a testament to the nuvi line’s ease of use, full functionality, and reassuring capability.With the 200 series, Garmin puts nuvi excellence in the hands of the rest of us.
TomTom ONE (2nd Edition), XL, XL-S: REVIEW
October 7, 2007 by Rated4Stars · 1 Comment
|
|---|
)
Slowly but surely, TomTom has been bringing to the United States the same sort of consumer enthusiasm it has achieved in Europe. Though it hasn’t yet toppled market champion Garmin, TomTom’s offerings are hitting attractive price points and offering more and more of the features consumers are seeking in an easy-to-use, stylish unit. The TomTom ONE (2nd edition) is a no-frills, entry-level unit whose competitive pricing and ease of use has made it one of our best sellers. Reviews have been solidly above the four-star level among editorial reviews and owner reviews alike. CNET calls it “…perfect for first-time buyers or drivers who just need a simple solution for getting from point A to point B.”
