Garmine 2610/20, Magellan 700, TomTom Go700??? (1 Viewer)

[George_W_K]

Hello,


I've been wanting to buy an in-car navigation system for some time now. Ron did a review of the Magellan Roadmate 700 awhile back at it sounds like a very nice unit. Doing more research, I found some information on the Garmin 2610/2620 units, and in another thread here I found out about the upcoming TomTom Go 700.

The problem I'm having is with finding any reviews on these units that are up-to-date. The Magellan 700 has had a couple of updates since Ron's review and even has a bigger HD. So, I'm curious if anyone here has any experience with these units, especially with the most recent versions.

Thank you,
George

 

[George_W_K]

Ok, I'm going to add the new Garmin c330 to my list. It seemed like a really nice device.

So far I'm leaning towards the Magellan Roadmate 700, but the Garmin c330 is making me hesitate from pulling the trigger. I think the Garming 2620 is more than I need, and maybe a little too complicated to use. Especially after having the chance to play around with the c330 at Best Buy.

I'm still stuck at this point. Anyone have some experience with these devices?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I have the predecessor to the Garmin 2620 -- the StreetPilot III. For road navigation, it's a terrific device. We used it on a 5,000 mile road trip a couple of years ago, and the device paid for itself on that trip alone.

The only thing I do not care for regarding Garmin is the cost of their updates to the mapping software -- $150 for updated maps is too high, IMO. So, my map data is about 4 years old right now. I'm not sure what Magellan charges.

 

[Jeff Peake]

I have both a Garmin Streetpilot 3 (the predecessor to the 26xx series), and a Garmin 2620.

I find the 2620 to be a great device. The touchscreen and remote control make it alot easier to use while driving. It has a much faster processor than the SP3, calculating routes usually takes only a couple seconds. On the SP3, it could take 30+ seconds.

I opted for the 2620 (which has built in hard drive), as it was a pain with the streetpilot 3 to load maps onto the memory card. If i could do it over, I would probably get the 2610 with a 2GB flash card. That way you can load the entire US on the card and not have to worry about the 2620's hard drive failing.

Check out this site for the best reviews on GPS units: http://gpsinformation.net/

 

[DaveBB]

You're going to have to go to European GPS sites to find anything about the TomTomGo700. The 300 has been out in America for a while but the 700 is not shipping until June '05.

cnet.com has a review of the 300. http://reviews.cnet.com/TomTom_GO/45...-30960607.html


Sounds like the TomTomGo700 is a great unit. Some people have complained about the address find interface. Apparently you input the City and State first and then the address. It supposedly speeds up the search time

 

[Don Black]

The c330 has a 3D mode I believe while the MR700 does not. I used the MR700 out in LA about a year ago and it worked fairly well. My biggest problem was the 30-90 seconds it took for the unit to find the satellites from a complete stop. The one built into my car doesn't have that problem.

 

[George_W_K]

I really like all four units. After reading about the TomTom Go 700 at their website, it is starting to sound very interesting. I checked out the link for updating an older model unit, and it showed a bunch of features that are available in the new units (300, 500, and 700). It's the most info I've seen yet.

Thanks for the replies so far,
George

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

Not to thread crap here but only offering another option
My vote is for a pda such as the Dell Axim X50V or X30H with either a Bluetooth gps receiver or a CF/SD card based receiver. I have used the Garmin 2620 and it does not even come close to the flexibility of a pda-based unit.
imo Price wise it is an much more affordable option.
You have a choice to use any gps software.

 

[Don Black]

Ease of use trump flexibility when barreling down the road at 70mph.

But seriously, I don't think the PDA route is the best way to go. Similar to why I don't use an HTPC instead of a dedicated PVR... And I'm a geek who can do both!

 

[DaveBB]

I just got an email from newegg.com and they have a bunch of GPSr navigation units on sale.

Mio MIO168RS Navigation System for $464 (after rebate)
NAVMAN iCN-510 for $405
GARMIN iQue M5 for $549
MAGELLAN Magellan Roadmate 700 for $799 (after rebate)

These are just a few of the ones listed in the email.

 

[George_W_K]

Jerry,

No thread crap, I'd like to hear all my options, I'm new to this field.

Right now, I'm leaning towards the TomTom, but I may wait to see a review of the actual unit. The 300 did receive a nice review, but the 700 is a little different.

The Magellan and Garmin are a close second. I'm looking for something easy to use, because this GPS is not just for me. This is tough!

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

Ease of use.
I have used a pda with a wireless Bluetooth unit for well over a year. The gains are touch screen, raw 624mhz power. Unlimited storage for maps, unlimited software choices.
You retain full voice navigation with one-step better.
Get a cheap Bluetooth headset if you do not already have one for your cell phone. Now turn up that car sound system and can still hear the voice prompts in your ear.
Bluetooth can operate several devices simultaneously.
You also retain all the options of a dedicated unit and more, this does include points of interest. I actually run three different gps software applications. Each has their strong points. You really can not do this with a dedicated unit.
Even a $100 Axim x5 with 300 MHz will work great.
Buy a CF gps unit $50-$75 and you have a very flexible affordable upgradeable option.
Nice thing about the pda, you never have to trash your gps investment to get the latest features, software.
Now when you arrive to your destination, you can surf the net on any hot access point community internet network.

Like I said, this is only an option.
A simple Google search of pda handheld gps with bring in a wealth of information.

Did I say you can also have true VGA screen, the X50v offers this

 

[George_W_K]

Thanks a lot, Jerry, just as I was zeroing in on a decision....



Back to the drawing board!

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

I did not mention you can also take a few movies on the road as well. Again the screens are not huge, but during a layover or what ever, surfing the net and watching movies on your gps is nice.
I spent some time with my mom's garmin 2620 and I could never find myself buying such a device.
It just does not offer enough extras or features for the overall size, but this is just me and my needs.
Take your time, the prices of both only continue to fall.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Garmin makes a bluetooth-connected GPS adapter for Windows-based PDA's that sells for approximately $200, including software. This would allow you to place the satellite receiver on the windshield without any cables run to the PDA.

If I didn't already have a StreetPilot III, I would probably go this route. In fact, when I finally feel the need to get updated maps this will be a much more attractive option -- $150 for updated maps for my StreetPilot III vs. only $50 more for a new, second setup (I bought a Dell Axim 50v PDA last year for work).

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

The dell bluetooth gps unit is a clone of the Belkin which is also a clone of the Fortuna ClipOn bluetooth unit.
There are many other bluetooth gps receivers that can be had for much less in cost as well.
The SD/CF based gps cards are also affordable options for pda units.

 

[Eric_L]

I have a cheezeball delorme program for my laptop. It works well enough, but the voice directions are always way off.

'Turn right here' when driving along a road with canals on both sides and no intersection....

 

[Peter Kim]

I'm also beginning an interest in GPS systems, particularly the TomTom GO 700. I saw another review of the GO 300 at Autoblog: TomTom GO 300 Review. Sounds like he loves the unit, and holds it in higher esteem than the Garmin StreetPilot c-series.

However, Jerry introduces an intriguing alternative to the GPS systems with the pda option. I've had my Palm Tungsten T for nearly 3 years and was vaguely aware of this option but never explored it.

But like Don, my (perhaps mistaken) impression is that a dedicated gps system, like the GO 700, is less prone to pitfalls of 'handoffs' between software and hardware. In other words, do you gain by going the route of a dedicated unit, since the hardware is tailored specifically to the software. Resulting in greater 'snappiness' and reliability (my Tungsten T crashes every so often, and I've heard much, much worse of PocketPC's)?

Fortunately, Costco sells a good variety of GPS units, including the TomTom GO 300 & 700 (on the website, but won't be available til June 20, '05). Because of Costco's outstanding return policy (lifetime, no questions asked), I feel comfortable testing the waters starting with the TomTom GO 700.

TomTom GO 700 @ Costco

Nonetheless, tough decision although tempered with the knowledge that there exists some good options. I seem to have a really tough time pulling a trigger on the techno purchases, as I've just spent weeks and countless nights researching and vacillating on a digital camera, finally deciding on the new Casio EX-Z750.

 

[George_W_K]

Well, I really appreciate all of the feedback from everyone. I decided to preorder the TomTom Go 700. Although I liked the PDA idea, this seemed like a simpler solution as I won't be the only one to use the device. In fact, it is more for my lady, than it is for me. And I really don't have a use right now for a PDA. However, I'll definitely keep the PDA option in mind for later on down the road.

As for the TomTom, I found as much info as I could on it, the Magellan Roadmate 700, and the Garmin c330, and then I made a chart of all the options that each one had. The TomTom Go has almost all of the options the others have, and a few more. I like the idea that they are working on a way to use your own voice to give directions. If you guys heard some of the ringtones I've made for my phone, you'd see why I like this idea. If it doesn't come to fruition, there's still a lot of potential upgrades to customize the unit.

The problem now, is that I have to wait at least a month before it is released. Costco says June 20th, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Thanks again, guys,
George

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

Keep in mind; if you like the TomTom interface, they have the Navigator software available for the pda as well.
btw: they are also just into the smartphone & pda gps market themselves.
Also, I have zero lag in my voice commands, this has much to do with the raw cpu power in my case its 624mhz.
any unit dedicated or not will only be as good as the software and map data it has. Use updated software and life is good. as for ease of use, it takes me a few seconds to start the gps and have never had an issue with lockups or other. I can even send email or do other tasks simultaneously while navigating. Before someone comments, the email and other task being conducted on the pda are not being done by the operator of the car