Ultra Cool Gadgets

Garmin’s nüvi 700 series brings two exciting new features — multi-destination routing and, “Where am I?/Where’s my car?” — to its popular pocket-sized GPS navigator lineup. As with all nüvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of an integrated high-sensitivity receiver, a slim, pocket-sized design with a gorgeous display, an easy, intuitive interface, and detailed NAVTEQ maps for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico with more than 6 million name-searchable points of interest. All of the 700-series navigators also feature a rich array of features including spoken directions in real street names, MP3 player and photo viewer, and an FM transmitter that will play voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle’s stereo system.The nüvi 760 and 770 add integrated traffic receivers and Bluetooth capability for hands-free calling. The nüvi 770 adds maps for Europe. The nüvi 780 adds enhanced MSN direct content capability..

Technical Details
4.3-Inch Diagonal Touch Screen Color Display
480 X 272 Pixels, Wqvga Display With White Backlight
Preloaded With City Navigator(R) North America Nt
Bluetooth(R) Wireless Technology For Hands-Free Calling
Speed Limit Indicator Displays Speed Limits For Highways & Interstates

Customer feedback:

1. How do I like the 760? For the most part, I am extremely pleased with the performance and functionality of the 760. Like most people I do have a list of my personal improvement and enhancements for the system but they are not deal breakers. When I first received the unit, I tested it on a trip to Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park. The directions to and from the Park and Palm Springs were flawless and the GPS recognized all the main roads within the park. We actually encountered some road construction on one of the main highways and the traffic receiver recognized the jam but gave us a strange recommendation. It directed us to go down the off-ramp and immediately get on the next on-ramp. We did this twice and it actually moved us ahead in traffic. I’m not sure how effective that strategy would be in other similar situations. The speaker volume could be louder but I could easily understand the commands traveling at 80 mph. I have also tested the system on several routes throughout Southern California and the system performed very well. All of the main features worked as published with a few exceptions noted below. The user interface is very well designed and I was able to operate 80% of the functions without reading the manual. In addition to the 760, I also purchased the Garmin Friction Dashboard Mount which I believe is superior to the glass suction mount provided.

2. Garmin 760
Pros: routing engine seems very good, multi-destination routing optimization, good POI database, more map updates compared to competition, great user interface
Cons: touch screen is not very sensitive, outdated map data, FM transmitter is useless, expensive

What if one device could help you navigate anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, while offering travel tips, storing your favorite tunes and photos, providing translation assistance, and more? That device is here, and it’s not much bigger than a deck of cards. The Garmin nüvi 350 is set to revolutionize what we expect from a GPS navigation device, or from any device for that matter.
With a total weight of 5.1 ounces and slim measurements of 3.87 x 2.91 x 0.87 inches (WxHxD), the nüvi 350 is just right for the pocket or purse. A bright, 64,000-color display dominates the front of the device and a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels means that there’s plenty of room for displaying map data and other elements of the device’s interface. An SD memory card slot is provided for expansion software, such as a points of interest database, media files and electronic guides (see below). The flip-up antenna includes an MCX-type connector for connecting the unit to an external GPS antenna. Meanwhile, a powerful built-in speaker resides on the back of device. A built-in lithium ion battery will give you for to eight hours of battery life, depending on use. In addition to an AC charger, the unit also ships with a 12-volt power adapter for vehicle charging, as well as a windshield suction cup mount.

Technical Details
Compact 700 MB GPS navigator with bundled MP3/audiobook player, photo viewer, and world travel clock
Small enough to fit in a pocket or purse; mounts on vehicle windshield with included suction cup
Preloaded with City Navigator NT maps of U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico
Turn-by-turn directions, automatic routing, and 320 x 240 color touchscreen display
Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot; measures 3.87 x 2.91 x 0.87 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty

Customer feedback:

1. After trying other Garmin units, this is the one I kept. Simply wonderful. I bought it when it was more than triple its current price and thought it was good deal then. It’s a great deal now. It has all the characteristics that I was looking for:
- VERY compact — easily able to fit in a breast pocket
- Text-to-Speech — announces proper street names, not just “turn left in 500 feet”; radically reduces how much you need to look at the screen to figure out the real instructions; wouldn’t own a GPS unit wihtout this
- Bright Screen — readable in virtually every situation
AND
Faster location of the GPS satellites. This turns out to be quite important in day-to-day use. In the other systems, it wasn’t unusual that we could be driving for a couple minutes before it located the satellites and could give us directions. With this unit, the satellites are located almost as quickly as the unit fully starts up.

2. The thing is great at telling you what to do and where to go. There are no second guesses. It says take a right, it highlights the turn graphically and it even tells you the road or route you are turning onto verbally, something most GPS’s are missing. Instead of “turn right in .02 miles”, you get “turn on to Vista Drive in .02 miles”. It even has some landmarks that comfort you along the way.
On of the best features is something my wife experienced on a trip to NY. She is not familiar at all with the roads here on the east coast and was taking a rather long drive to NY to a hotel we had never stayed at. Along the way, she managed to mess up and miss one turn. For her, that could have been a major hassle. I mean, you know what it is like. I have spent as much as an hour getting back on track when I was lucky. Even more time was lost when I wasn’t lucky because of detours or road work. One detour in California took me over two hours to recover from on what was originally a 1/2 hour trip. Other GPSs do this too, but this one seems incredibly adept and efficient at it.
When she missed her turn, the system immediately recognized it and redirected her. She lost about five minutes for her goof and didn’t have to ask directions or even pause in her travels.

Enjoy the advantage of GPS mapping on the golf course with the GolfLogix GPS-8 handheld unit, which calculates and displays distances to the front, center and back of every green along with hazards. The most precise, durable and user-friendly golf GPS on the market, this new version of the GolfLogix now recognizes what course you are playing automatically.
The GolfLogix GPS-8 includes Garmin’s high sensitivity, 12-channel GPS receiver which ensures faster satellite acquisition time and superior accuracy. Nicely compact in your hand, it weighs 5.3 ounces with batteries and measures 1.2 inches thin. The case is 100 percent waterproof (submersible in water per IPX7 standard tests) and is shock-proof and impact-resistant for rugged outdoor use. The large LCD screen (1.25 by 2.25 inches) has a 64 x 128 pixel resolution and features excellent visibility in direct sunlight with adjustable screen contrasts and backlight screen setting for dark playing conditions.

Product Features:
- User-friendly, golf-oriented GPS unit for displaying key yardage distances on the course
- Calculates instant, precise distances to the front, center, and back of greens, plus hazards; unit holds up to 20 courses with more than 21,800 available
- 1.25-by-2.25-inch LCD offers excellent visibility in direct sunlight; waterproof and shockproof
- Compatible with Windows Vista, XP, and 2000 and Mac OS X; up to 22 hours of battery life
- Includes belt/bag clip, USB-serial cable, and AA batteries; measures 2 x 4.4 x 1.2 inches (W x H x D)

Hewlett-Packard has used its considerable expertise as a computer manufacturer to introduce improvements into the iPAQ-310 that make the company’s first dedicated GPS navigation device astand out from the crowd, but help raise the bar for portable GPS navigators in general. At 4.3 inches wide, 3.4 inches high, and 0.7 inches thick, the device is quite small and slim, but fits rich navigation and multimedia features, better than DVD screen resoulation, a unique true 3D display, and robust business support into that little package. HP touts this as “different and unique for the travel connosieur,” and it’s innovative features certainly make a convincing argument to back up that claim.
The iPAQ-310’s advanced 3D navigation system provides stunning visuals. For select cities, rather than the simple lines and color blocks you see on other navigators, you get actual 3-D models of buildings in space. Nothing else puts you in space and gives you a real feel for where you are and where you need to go than this device. Panning and zooming are smoother and faster. Plus, the 4.3-inch (diagonally) widescreen display has far better resolution than competitive models, 800 x 480 pixels compared to the current standard 420 x 272 pixels, which means all of those 3D maps are clear and detailed.

Technical Details

# High Definition 4.3 Inch WVGA Display Screen/ 800 x 480 3X to 5X Higher Resolution
# 128MB Fast DDR Memory with 2GB Flash Storage
# Centrality/ SiRF/ Titan Dual Core 600 MHz Processor with 3D Graphics
# Centrality 40 Channel with Autonomy TTFF Acceleration GPS
# 0.41 Lbs (WxLxH) 4.30″ x 3.40″ x 0.70″
# Audio: Large speaker for navigation volume, integrated microphone with echo cancellation, 3.5mm 3-pin stereo headphone jack
# Ports: 1 mini USB, 1 headphone/line-out, 1 microphone in, 1 GPS antenna
# Slots: 1 microSD
# Display: 4.3-inch Transflective color TFT with antiglare 800 x 480 pixel touch screen with LED backlight
# Input devices: touch screen, stylus
# Wireless: Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR
# GPS: Advanced SiRF embedded GPS receiver with InstantFix time-to-first-fix acceleration
# Software installed: HP navigation software with text to speech guidance and web based trip planning, digital video player, digital music player, picture viewer, games, Bluetooth hands free, calculator, world clock, contacts with Outlook sync

Customer Feedback:

1. This is is very nice device. If you have looked on the web at videos of the IGo version 8 software, then you know exactly what you are getting. The unit acquires satellites very quickly from a cold start (less than 10 seconds). Routing and recalculating is good. Certainly on par with the two leaders in the GPS market (Garmin and Tom Tom). The screen is magnificent! The graphics are the best I’ve seen on a GPS device, although I wish I could modify the screen colors. You see terrain, texture, overpasses, bridges, etc. in 3D! The buildings and attractions are quite interesting, too. I can’t wait to visit a 3D rendered city that’s included in the map. (I browsed Atlanta and NYC). There are a few icons on some screens that are not accessible yet because HP has not yet opened their new Ipaq website for updates. I cannot add any contacts, etc., from Outlook yet. I’m sure the website will open soon as it is already up, just no way to access anything. Overall, a good device and one I would definitely recommend.

2. QUICK REVIEW: This is a great GPS unit. It has outstanding graphics on 3D maps with good routing capabilities. The sound could be a little better, but it is good enough for me. It comes with additional features for Bluetooth, media, and utilities as the cherry on the sundae. Detailed review based with usage comments follows.

The Garmin nüvi 360 GPS Navigator and Personal Travel Assistant is a GPS navigator, personal translator, multi-media entertainer and tour guide all wrapped into one. In addition to all the advanced features of the Garmin nüvi 350 — including automatic routing, turn-by-turn voice directions, an MP3 player and audio book player, JPEG picture viewer, and much more — this pocket-sized personal travel assistant comes with hands-free Bluetooth wireless technology, making it the hands-down go-anywhere travel companion.
The nüvi 360 integrates wireless technology with a microphone and speaker that lets you make hands-free mobile phone calls using your compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone. Simply dial numbers with the nüvi’s touch screen keypad to place a call, and to answer calls, just tap the screen and speak directly into its built-in microphone. In addition, you can easily look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or from your phone’s call history log. Don’t know the phone number for your destination? Simply find and dial it from nüvi’s database of more than six million points of interest — including hotels, restaurants, stores, and attractions.

Technical Details

* Bluetooth wireless technology, built-in microphone, and speaker for hands-free calls with compatible phones
* MP3 player with pre-loaded sample songs and audio books, JPEG picture viewer, travel alarm, and currency converters
* 2D or 3D views; pre-loaded with most recent Navteq-driven maps for United States, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Canada
* Turn-by-turn directions with actual street names; real-time traffic and weather info
* Super-bright 2.8 x 2.1-inch sunlight-readable color screen

Customer feedback:

1. This is such a handy device, and is so well executed, that you would be hard-pressed not to love it. The first thing I noticed about the Nuvi was its incredibly small size and weight. I could not believe how light it was. I literally expected it to have at least twice the heft when I went to pick it up the first time - it was like picking up a deck of cards, but lighter. The antenna is a flap that is raised from the back, maybe about the size of a matchbook. When raised the Nuvi immediately starts locking in on satellites, when lowered, the unit knows you are through navigating for a while. Intuitive and effective.
Navigation on the Nuvi is very good, fast, and intuitive. It’s no different from many of Garmin’s other offerings in that regard. Some buildings and businesses that you would expect to be shown as POIs are not there, but most are. One thing I would suggest: when a route is less than ideal, Garmin should allow you to correct it permanently so that it does not re-suggest the non-preferred route each time.
2. This is the smallest, most elegant and compact AIO (all in one) GPS navigation solution I’ve come across. The mapping details are excellent. The Nuvi 360 has map v8 updated from the v7 in the Nuvi 350. The voice prompts are loud, clear and timely. The ease of use is just fantastic and the visibility and quality of the display are very good. The 360 uses the low reflection screen and brighter display which were only found on the very latest 350s. POI access is excellent and can be navigated to much more simply than the TomTom unit which requires additional cumbersome steps. The attachment system for the Nuvi is superb and very secure. With the Nuvi 360 you can access your POIs directly by name rather than having to go through a cumbersome category menu and then only getting the POIs by proximity as is the case with the TomTom 910. The new screen display in the 360 is nearly as good or equal to the TomTom 910. The automatic panning is not quite as good as the TomTom. And bright light visibility is nearly as good as the TomTom 910. Despite these minor comparative deficiencies, all the other advantages of the Nuvi much more than outweigh the disadvantages of the TomTom 910 (their top of the line). As with all GPS units, you want to place the Nuvi so as to reduce the sun’s glare.

Stay in touch or locate loved ones with this easily locatable GPS cell phone– perfect for children, seniors or those with special needs.

* Built-in GPS location technology
* Command GPS locates via the Internet and text messaging
* Request location online of from any phone
* “Managed Dial” keypad lets parents program specific phone numbers for easy, safe one-touch dialing to key contacts
* Two-way GSM cell phone
* Emergency “SOS” button
* Parent-managed phone book
* 3 “hot dial” programmable buttons for key numbers
* Slim, lightweight design

Product Details:

* Tri-band for GSM
* SOS’ button in of case emergency
* Five programmable buttons for one-touch dialing
* Push button location services
* Earpiece jack for hands-free mode

Customer feedback:

1. Stress reduction. I’m a sandwich generation person (I have kids, I have elderly parents) and so I need to know WHERE my kid is and how to reach him. Yes, we have rules and he follows them (call home, ALWAYS leave phone numbers where you’ll be, etc) but this still leaves lots of room for error. What about when kids are playing outside or outside the range of a land line phone? With this phone, I can log online and know where he is quickly. It also works like a regular phone. The only risk is losing it.
2. I recently purchased this phone for my 5 year old daughter, I have her take it with her to pre-school and it is a good feeling when I can be on my computer at work and track my daughter in her school, on the school bus and when she arrives at my home. It becomes very addicting because it is so easy to get her location. Thank you Wherify for relieving a little stress from my life when parting with my daughter who means everything to me. Keep up the good work, the feature to locate using my cell phone will be awesome. Please get it soon!

The TomTom GO 720 Color GPS Navigation System with Mapshare is one of the newest, and most advanced GPS navigators to date, from one of the most trusted names in vehicle navigation. The GO 720 features a high-quality finish with an extremely elegant and slim design that allows it to not only complement any car’s interior, but also fit perfectly and easily in your hand or shirt pocket so it can go anywhere you do. Despite its sleek and portable size, the TomTom GO 720 is packed full of all the functionality you need to easily get where you are going, as well as a ton of features to make your trip as safe and enjoyable as possible.
This navigator comes with the latest and most complete maps of the USA and Canada pre-installed for door-to-door navigation anywhere across the North American continent. Providing easy and quick access to extensive information such as building footprints and live traffic information, the unit includes multiple information options for personalization to your needs. What’s more, the 720 is fully future proof, with new maps and free software upgrades available through TomTom’s “Home” service so you’ll never be out of date.

Product features:

* Stylish and lightweight pocket-sized design; preloaded with complete US and Canada maps and millions of POIs
* Spoken directions with real street names; 4.3-inch touchscreen with TomTom’s award-winning navigation
* Bluetooth for hands-free calling via your cell phone; real-time traffic and weather via TMC or TomTom Plus
* MapShare technology–make your own map changes and download verified updates from the entire TomTom user community
* MP3 player and photo viewer; integrated FM transmitter gives directions and plays music through your car stereo system

Customer feedback:

1. I really love the 720. I have tried the Garmin Nuvi and just didn’t like the software nearly as much as the TomTom. Entering addresses is really fast and you only see towns in the state you are looking in. This means no more having to scroll through 30 different Springfields to get to the one you are searching for. You can hide the keyboard to see a long list of close matches so instead of having to type out the full city or street name you can just hit the first few letters and then pick from a list.
2. Since then the 720 has performed consistently and dependably. The map data had some minor errors, most of which, incidentally, I have already corrected and shared with the Tomtom database using Map Share while connected to the internet. It even uses the 2 road name corrections I have made for a couple of local streets, using them in route calculations and even pronouncing them correctly when making navigation announcements. I have had no technical glitches at all.
I have interfaced the 720 with my cell phone using Bluetooth. Making and receiving phone calls using the 720 works flawlessly. It downloaded my entire list of telephone numbers from my Starcom and can easily recall them and place calls. The 720 internal speaker sound quality is good considering its size.

Dash delivers traffic and destination information in exciting new ways, and offers a wide range of new capabilities available from the car that makes a typical GPS practically obsolete. Dash is the smartest way to get from A to B, and find everything in between. Most portable GPS devices offer only a single route to your destination. Dash presents up to three different routes, provides the distance to your destination, and uses real traffic information to calculate travel times for each route. Even after you’ve selected a route, Dash automatically alerts you if traffic conditions change significantly.
Dash approaches traffic in an entirely different way — by collecting it from other people driving real commute routes, during real commute times. Each Dash Express anonymously and automatically sends its position and speed back to servers at the Dash Network Operations Center. The Dash servers then update all other Dash devices in the area with current road speeds. That way, members of the Network always have the best, most up-to-date traffic available.

Product features:

* Get true up-to-the-minute traffic data from the most reliable source–other Dash devices
* Find anything you need right from the driver’s seat using Yahoo! Local Search
* Automatically and wirelessly receive updated software and new features
* Send addresses straight to your device from any computer via your Internet browser or Microsoft Outlook
* Interact with your device and other Dash users on my.dash.net
* A unique “theft-deterrent” feature that can remotely disable your Dash device instantly, removing your personal data, shutting the device down, and making it a worthless target to would-be thieves.
* Automatic Day and Night Mode: Screens can automatically switch between day and night mode depending on the time of day
* Gas Prices: Search for gas stations and get gas prices, so you can compare prices - and then let Dash route you there
* Movie Listings: Search for movie theaters, see what’s playing (when and where) and get ratings - and then let Dash route you there

Customer feedback:

1. I have also been a beta tester since day 1. As it is now, this is the best GPS device available. I can’t stress enough how convenient the WIFI search is. If you need to know how to get somewhere, you just type in ANYTHING and search Yahoo! In the mood for a type of food? Just type it in. Meeting friends at a club you have not been to? Type in the name only, it will find it. Need to find a Target, any chain? Just type in the name of that Chain and pick any of tons of listings it will display in order of closest to farthest. This is sooooooo nice to have I would never have a GPS without it.
2. This device is a little large, but it is very manageable. Also, I have never had a problem with the Dash saying I was blocks away from my location. My experience has been once it has a lock, It even knows what lane I am in on the freeway (I believe I read that it will even route you through carpool lanes on the freeway if it senses you are already in one). I beta tested the very first units, and have been using this newly released unit for about 2 months now. While it does have a few quirks, I will never go to a non-connected GPS unit again. They have truly revolutionized the way that the GPS device functions. I love being able to recieve updates (including maps) for the fee of being connected.

Time to smarten up that smartphone of yours by adding powerful GPS navigation and hands-free calling capabilities. The Garmin Mobile 20 is a Bluetooth-enabled wireless GPS navigation system that supports Nokia, Windows Mobile, and Treo smartphones, allowing you to navigate and make calls while you and your smartphone are on the go in your vehicle.
The Mobile 20 consists of an integrated phone mount, called the GPS 20SM, that accommodates nearly any size phone. The mount features a built-in, highly sensitive GPS receiver with the powerful SiRF Star chipset for fast acquisition times and accuracy, even when you’re traveling under heavy foliage and near city skyscrapers. Meanwhile, the included mapping software provides wireless mapping and navigation to deliver you directly to your destination. A Bluetooth wireless interface, powerful speaker, and noise-canceling dual microphones let you drive and talk hands-free without using a headset.

Customer feedback:

1. This is a nice GPS to use with your PDA phone.
Positive: Four devices in one, “a smart mount” which means that the GPS sensor is embaded in the mount also included are charging cables to charge the phone battery for long trips, the mount can also be used as a speakerphone for hands free calling. The other best feature that i like the FREE! Garmin online service as long as you get a data plan from your service provider. You get wheater, traffic, hotel, and gas price at your current location, This is awsome!! right? and the good thing about it, it’s free!!
Negative: The volume is too low when using the device as a speakerphone and the Garmin maps could me more up to date, when i am supposed to be their latest updated maps. other than that i would rate it with a five stars.
2. Some of the problems I encountered were experienced by the other reviewers. Originally, it would not work in New York City but was just OK at home. My solution was to call Garmin support. The person I spoke with resolved all the issues over the phone in a through and professional manner. It works really well, in fact, much better than the Street Pilot I own and almost as well as the GPS in my car. I requested the free map update online -and it was delivered by USPS in about a week.
This review, if rating only the Garmin support, would have been 5 stars.

Product features:

* Receiver: High-sensitivity WAAS-capable GPS receiver by SiRF
* Interfaces: Connects to Nokia Symbian, Windows Mobile and Palm OS Treo smartphones with Bluetooth wireless technology.
* Voice prompts: yes
* 3D or 2D map view: yes
* Hands-free calling with Bluetooth wireless technology: yes

Add wireless navigation to your Bluetooth-enabled laptop, smartphone, pocket PC or PDA with the Garmin Mobile 10, a GPS and Bluetooth wireless package that includes a portable receiver along with navigation and map software. By connecting to your laptop, Pocket PC, Palm OS, or compatible smartphone via Bluetooth wireless technology, this system makes it a snap to find your way through North America.
Convenient and easy to use, the Mobile 10 includes a portable, high sensitivity, WAAS capable GPS 10x receiver by SiRF for clear, reliable navigation. It also combines all the software you need on just one DVD: the Garmin Mobile XT and nRoute help with navigation, while the City Navigator NT supplies detailed street maps, including a hefty points of interest database, to help make sure you get where you’re going as quickly and safely as possible.
Getting started with the Mobile 10 is incredibly easy–simply download included maps and navigation software to a data card for your mobile device or insert the DVD into your laptop to put navigation at your fingertips. In seconds you’ll be able to easily look up addresses and services and receive voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Thanks to saved routes and tracks, automatic off-route recalculation, and an auto sort function that handles multiple destinations, you’ll have access to the most direct route possible, even when there’s traffic or other unexpected delays. If you prefer to personalize your travel options, you can also select the route with the shortest distance, offroad, or one that avoids highways and tolls. Voice prompts and 3D and 2D map view (laptops excluded) help keep you on track.

Customer feedback:
1. The Bluetooth receiver is battery powered and can use a car adapter for recharging and normal use. The receiver is nice and small and has rubberized feet so that it stays in place on your dash without any kind of mounting necessary.
The idea of having my phone, PDA, and GPS in one small device was something that I absolutely wanted, but I also did not want to spend a ridiculous amount of money for it. Even though the actual GPS receiver is separate, it is small and easily gets placed in my glove compartment.
2. This device is very small and picks up satellites very quickly. Once it has acquired a satellite signal, I put it in the center console in my car, which is covered. It is nice to not have to have a line of site to see the satellites. My husband has a garmin pda and it easily takes 4 or 5 times longer to acquire satellite signals and loses them much more easily. The only time I have not been able to get a good signal was inside a large concrete condo in a hurricane zone. The battery life seems to be great.

Product details:

* GPS and Bluetooth wireless package helps you find your way through North America
* Connects to your laptop, pocket PC, and palm or compatible smartphone
* Includes a portable, high sensitivity, WAAS capable receiver along with navigation and map software
* Convenient and easy to use; simply download included maps and navigation software to a data card for your mobile device or insert the DVD into your laptop
* 1.65″W x 3.04″H x .7″D (42 x 77 x 18mm) Weight: 2.1 ounces (60 g)