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Apr
28
Mio C320 Portable Car Navigation System
Portable Car Navigation System with GPS and MP3 Music Player.
User Ratings and Reviews
2 Stars Weak on Features
I purchased this as my first GPS system. Once the initial excitement wore off and I actually started using this, some of the capabilities of this unit, a few items stood out.
First, Finding an address is easy enough. Routing to from wherever you are is ok although you have to go to another menu to get to that function. Although you can refer back to an address in the History Menu for the same trip, there is no way to add a former destination to a special folder for special destination you want to save. The History can be deleted by accident very easily. This was a dissapoint for me as I saved about 15 histories and mistakenly cleared it by hitting the wrong key. I also couldn’t save this directly as a contact as well.
Not sure about this device. It tracks ok.
Update July 2008 - Have been using the unit successfully but just uncovered a major software bug. After changing the display to night vision then back again, the night vision mode will not go off. Tried various settings changes. So what do I do next, go to the MIO site and of course, no software firmware updates or Map Updates. There appears more features and updates for the Europeans than North America.
1 Star Directions are wrong
I bought the Mio C320 because it had most of the features and screen size of the others, but a much lower price. However in one day’s use it didn’t get one direction correct. It told me to turn right when the store I was going to was visible to my left. Another store was still 3 miles away when I was already in the store’s parking lot. I returned it the same day.
1 Star Beware: No AC adapter included
This GPS receiver does not include an AC adapter. So you must learn to use it in your car, with the unit attached via the accessory cable. That is the only way to charge the battery. Since you should have your car running so that you do not exhaust the battery, and with gas selling at $4.00 per gallon, this is a very expensive way to learn how to use this unit.
Mio will sell you an AC adapter via their e-store for $20 + $12 shipping. It should have been in the box when you bought the product.
4 Stars Pretty nice system
I just bought it today and the product works great. I updated the system and added TTS into it and unlock it with several programs. It just like a pocketpc…working great…love MIO…But one thing that i seem be annoyed with this c320 is the time/date…it seems to be a delay on adjusting the time/date when you are using MioMaps…it always go back to default when you shut down the MIO…
But overall it works great…love my new GPS and love how it allows you to load windows operating system into it…
Now i can watch video, view MS word, Excel, and PDF with this little handy-system…
2 Stars Now I’m Very Let Down
As many other reviewers I purchased this on Black Friday at a great cost and put it in my truck. I had no problems, I’m in the military and use GPS devices long before sold to the public. We are getting ready to go to Italy and I wanted to take it along to go in the rental car and cannot find maps. I called tech support and was informed that they were not available but I could purchase a euro device when I got there. What a load of crap. The device is top notch as long as you stay in the U.S.
Apr
26
Escort Passport 9500i Radar and Laser Detector
radar/laser detector featuring SiRFstar III GPS protection * digital voice and audio tone alerts for radar, laser, and POP * “Mark Location” feature remembers points for future warnings * TrueLock feature remembers sources of false signals and mutes alerts * 3 sensitivity modes: automatic (speed-based), highway, and city *
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Damn Laser!
My last detector was a Cobra 9930 and it was great for the money. For a great portion of the time, the Cobra served me well; the Ka band detection was at 80% of what the 9500i could do. But the big difference is the 9930 would have 1 bar up to right when I pass the cop before going into 5 bar, the 9500i was much more confident in showing the range of signal. The last time I encountered Ka band, it was over several incline and decline straight road. The Ka band went from 1 to 5 in a matter of seconds, then drop back to 3 when I was in the lower end of the road, then 5 when I was on top. Then it stopped. I thought to myself at that moment that it maybe have been a false alarm, but it was too rhymically synchronized that it couldn’t be. that’s when I passed the cop who has already pulled someone to the side of the road and stepping out of his cruser.
The other reason I upgrade to the 9500i was it’s range in both X and K band. But that would have been a double edged sword as in the case of the X50, which I owned briefly via eBay buy and then sell, because there are so many false alarms. The GPS feature of the 9500i make it bearable.
Up till now, I’ve been pretty positive about this device. And don’t get me wrong, I think it’s the best detector out there. But the achilles’ heel for my 9500i is the laser detection. This topic is of course about false alarms. The Cobra 9930 gave me a good dose of false pop alerts, but this Escort 9500i gives a lot of false laser detection. And it’s not random. I get a laser detection every time I accelerate hard from a dead stop. If I pull some G higher than a certain point, it’ll go off. I push on the gas, beep! I enter the freeway, beep! damn that laser. Although I can’t imagine that it’s the electronics that reacts to acceleration. I really don’t know what it is. My latest theory is that it’s the clear suction cups acts like a prism and refract the light next to the senor at the top. But it’s just a guess.
Overall, I would still recommend it. I like it so much I bought one for my wife. Market rate when I purchased brand new on EBay and Craigslist is $340.
1 Star Do not buy through this unauthorized reseller
I am not knocking the product. I was looking for the 9500ix and it is not listed on Amazon. I went to the manufacturer’s website to check release date and noticed 6ave is not an authorized reseller. You can check at http://www.escortradar.com/unauthorized-list.htm
You will not have a warranty by purchasing an Escort detector that is shipped and sold by 6ave.
1 Star A Big Ripoff!
Bought this item, and it came with three months of free downloads. These downloads will gave you the latest info. on radar traps, traffic light cameras, etc.
However, after spending $500 on the detector, Escort is too cheap to provide one with a $10 USB cord or a $10 12-volt adapter to download the updates they charge you for after the 3 month trial. With Shipping & handling the accessory items will run you about $40 so you can give Escort more money to download their updates which of course will cost you even more money.
Unlike GPS manufacturers which give you free updates, Escort wants to charge you for them. In addition, Escort claims a standard USB cable will work and a standard 12V adapter will work as well. Complete lies, they make them completely non-standard so you will have to buy the accessories from them.
If you are looking for a much lighter wallet this is the radar for you. Otherwise stick with the V1.
3 Stars Watch Out - Model Is Upgrading to 9500ix
Nice detector but the Escort 9500ix is already coming out with ‘enhanced’ features. I just bought my 9500i a few days ago and it works well. I have owned multiple Escorts over the years. Wish I had known the detector was being upgraded so soon.
5 Stars Pretty darn good!
This is our first radar detector and it did not disappoint. As with any detector, it requires a little skill to use but it has never failed to alert to a real “threat”. The GPS speed verification is a pretty decent plus and the ability to lock out false signals related to a location is excellent.
The only negative is the pretty crummy means to mount the detector to the windshield. The suction cups work OK if you apply the lick-n-stick method but don’t overdo the licking or the detector will slide on the windshield.
The manual cautions that you have very little time to react to a laser indication. Make that “NO TIME” to react. I got hit with a laser and it was a darn good thing that I was doing the limit at the time because the cop was less than 100 feet away from me at the time. I’m guessing that if I’d been “haulin’” at the time I’d have been busted. The unit DID alert but by that time I’m sure it was too late. This isn’t a negative but more of a warning to behave in congested areas such as construction zones.
Apr
21
Garmin Automotive Mounting Bracket for GPS 60 Series 010 10457 00
Filed Under Electronics | Leave a Comment
Garmin Automotive Mounting Bracket for GPS 60 Series 010 10457 00
Every Garmin product is designed to meet the most demanding standard: customers’ satisfaction. That’s why Garmin equipment is manufactured to give you reliable service for years to come, with intuitive features you can grow into over time - all at a price you can afford.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars BUEN PRODUCTO, PERO LE FALTA MOVILIDAD HORIZONTAL.
ES UN BUEN PRODUCTO, PERO IDEA SERIA QUE TUVIESE MOVILIDAD HORIZONTAL.. CREO Q ESO ES UN DEFECTO QUE TIENE
4 Stars Garmin Mounting Backet
I enjoy this item, but it should have a slider slot that you can make it longer or shorter. Some car windows are sloped different then others. It just fits, but the antenna is right against the windshield, its not a bad thing it holds it in place but its hard to read the screen sometimes.
5 Stars A must have for auto use
I use my Garmin in my cars, on my bike and handheld. For auto use the bracket is a must have. The GPS must be able to “see” the sky to pick up signals from the satellites so ideally it should sit on the dash by the windshield. This bracket securely holds the GPS onto the sandbag like base and allows the unit to be angled and tilted in various ways to reduce glare on the screen.
I’ve also purchased the Garmin bike handlebar mount and the bracket portion attaches directly to that as well.
5 Stars Garmin mounting bracket
You have to position it so that the bottom will rest lightly on your dashboard, otherwise the unit jiggles too much while the vehicle is in motion. But that’s a very small issue. The grip on the windshield is excellent and I like the way the bracket piece swivels so that I can get the GPSr on and off easily.
4 Stars Holds its weight, most of the time
Im not disappointed in buying this item, however it does have its flaws. Just as any suction cup holding unit would do, it looses suction and comes undone. All and all, its worth its weight in gold.
Apr
18
Nextar W3 01 3 5 Inch Touch Screen GPS Vehicle Navigator
Never miss a turn again with the Nextar W3-01 GPS navigator. Preloaded with maps of the 50 U.S. states and equipped with 1.6 million points of interest–including gas stations, restaurants, movie theaters, and more–the W3-01 makes it easy to get just about anywhere. Simply enter information on the navigator’s 3.5-inch touchscreen display and let the voice prompts guide you to the destination. The navigator is also notably versatile, with both 2D and 3D viewing modes, along with a night mode feature that adds light to the screen for easier viewing. And should you make a wrong turn or take a detour, the navigator automatically recalculates the route and gives you new directions.
The navigator sits at an easy-to-read angle on your dashboard. |
Other details include a built-in MP3 player that will entertain you en route, a Secure Digital (SD) card slot for added memory, an address book with room for up to 300 addresses, a speed alert that tells you when you’re exceeding the speed limit, and a built-in rechargeable battery. Bundled with a DC adapter, USB cable, pouch, and suction cup, the W3-01 measures 5.19 by 2.99 by 1.2 inches (W x H x D) and carries a one-year warranty.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Excellent price, cool features and hasn’t got me lost…yet!
I bought this recently, knowing nothing about any GPS models and the differences between them. I was attracted by the low price and decided I would take a chance. If it didn’t work well, I would simply return it within the 30 days.
It didn’t take long for the unit to establish my location (home). Figuring out how to use it took less than 10 minutes. Entering destination information is easy, simply tapping on the screen, and the unit allows you to store favorite locations. Voice instructions are clear and easy to follow and there have been no misdirections. Amongst a number of cool features, I like the fact that you can do a “demo” run - sort of like a trial run of the journey before driving - very cool! So far, no problems at all and I wish I had bought one earlier, instead of trying to follow printed MapQuest directions. I would like to come back and rereview once I have used this for longer.
One reason I have not given this 5 stars at this time, is that the mounting unit (which for some reason does not match the picture in the instructions) is a little short, which makes positioning in the car a little challenging. Not enough of a problem to bother me though.
Also a little troubling, is sometimes it doesn’t recognize a street name, which means that you have to either be familiar with the area or experiment a little to help the unit pinpoint the exact location. I can do this in the state where I live. Not sure I could do this in other states though.
Overall, so far so good and, as it hasn’t got me lost yet, I am very satisfied with performance and price.
Apr
14
Garmin Oregon 300 3 Touchscreen Handheld GPS Unit with a Built in Basemap and Shaded Relief
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Garmin Oregon 300 3 Touchscreen Handheld GPS Unit with a Built in Basemap and Shaded Relief
handheld GPS navigator for use outdoors, in a car, or on a boat * 3″ LCD touchscreen display (240 x 400 pixels) with built-in picture viewer * WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) capability improves GPS accuracy to within 3 meters * electronic compass and barometric altimeter * short-range wireless transfer of data to other Garmin Oregon and Colorado navigators *
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Incredible for Multiple Purposes
I did several weeks of research prior to making the purchase of the Garmin Oregon 300. My needs for a GPS unit were several, including going geocaching with my two children, the need to have a unit that could give me street navigation (I purchased the City Navigator card also), as well as for use while distance walking. Some things that others may want to consider - the learning curve is simple. Having used the Etrex Legend in the past, the menus on the Oregon are really simple and self-explanatory. It’s quick at locating satellites, and locking in your location. I added a screen protector, as in the past having used Palm Pilots, there were several times these came in handy for protection. My one and only fault I can find is that geocache locations once loaded into the GPS can only be deleted when you then attach to the PC, and delete through Windows (come on Garmin, make this something I can do from the unit itself!) In conclusion, just remember it’s a Garmin, so you are buying the best technology in a durable unit!
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