A good GPS is invaluable to hunters and fishermen these days. Not only do they help keep you from getting lost, but they will help you find those areas where you saw those buck signs, or locate that fishing honey hole all over again.
I have decide to list the top 3 GPS Systems
Garmin nüvi 350 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
After trying both Garmin’s i3 and c340 GPS units, this is the one I’m keeping. Simply wonderful.
It has all the characteristics that I was looking for:
1) VERY compact — easily able to fit in a breast pocket
2) 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
3) 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.
One comment on how we use this: We don’t mount it on the dash board or on the window (which is technically illegal here in California). Instead we just lay this on the center console in our van or car. The antenna system is plenty sensitive to work just like this and we’ve never lost the satellite signals except in tunnels.
We also like all the potential of the traveling features (clock, calculator, etc.), but this is the one to own even if you just use it for the basic GPS features.
Magellan Maestro 3100 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
| By | KKN |
I have used it only for a week , Once for a long trip spanning 3 states, otherwise local routes.
Pros
—- Nice interface, very easy to use,works right out of the box, minimal setup. very friendly & intuitive user interface.
—- Price, as low as $200 if you look around, a great bargain
—- Decent maps/updated NAVTEQ mapping data (I think as of April 2007)
—- fast re-routing/detour calculations
—- Fast satellite acquisition even indoors
—- Nice features like Current location finder
—- Decent size for portability
—- So far no crashes or freezes
Cons
—- No AC adapter included in the box, need to charge in car
—- No provision for Map updates in future
—- No text to speech/Bluetooth
(No other GPS at this price range has these features anyway)
—- Uses Windows CE, no wonder it is sluggish (but once route is prepared it is quick to reroute or detour calculations)
—- Terrible battery life
Overall, For price around $200, it is a great bargain. I initially bought Mio C220 but returned it next day. I think in budget GPS category, there are very few if any who can give you so many features & performance as 3100 gives.
TomTom One, 3rd Edition 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator
By Lee S. Mairs
It’s the end of the year and that can only mean one thing…the GPS market is introducing new toys for consumers to play with. What we have here is the newly updated TomTom One (3rd Edition) which is the exact same dimensions and weight as the regular TomTom One ( 3.8″ x 3.2″ x 1.0″ and 6.1 ounces ) with added features and of course newly updated Tele Atlas maps.
Lets start with the basics, for consumers looking to upgrade from the prior released TomTom One, the cosmetics of the product have changed slightly. The thin black plastic that outlined the screen has been replaced with the ever popular color silver. This gives the TomTom One a new space-age look that may appeal to some people while others (myself included) will find the new look cheap and clichéd. The SD card slot on the bottom of the unit has been replaced with an RDS-TMC antenna connector which is used for traffic reports. The antenna itself does not come with the unit and is available separately for roughly $129.00 but I find this accessory unneeded and pricey.
Moving on to the interface…needles to say the TomTom One (3rd Edition) borrows heavily from past TomTom operating system software so anyone who has used TomTom products will have a decent idea on how to maneuver around the already user-friendly interface. They have managed to add a few extras to the touch screen interface such as a “Help Me” button which when pressed opens features such as “Phone For Help” which displays emergency numbers for the current location (such as and typically 911) “Drive To Help” which show you the quickest way to the nearest police station or hospital and a “First Aid Guide” which is provided by the British Red Cross.
Also included in the safety features is an option to sound a custom alarm if any of the following occur:
1. When approaching a school or church
2. When driving faster than a set speed
3. When driving faster than allowed
A nice addition to the TomTom One (3rd Edition) is the ability to make your own map corrections. For example the city I live in recently shut down an existing department store and rebuilt a Super Center about a mile down the road about 3 months ago. Because of this recent change the Points Of Interest database had to be updated. I simply used the “Map Correction” feature to edit and move the existing Point Of Interest to its correct location on the map. Very convenient. The “Map Correction” feature also allows users to (Un)block A Street, Reverse Traffic Direction, Edit Street Names, Add Missing POI, and Report Other Errors.
Without say the TomTom One (3rd Edition) has been preloaded with the best maps on the market. The unit now runs on USA and Canada maps version 705.1481 provided by Tele Atlas. When compared to other GPS products on the market I’ve personally found that TomTom products have the edge when it comes to accuracy and map detail. The TomTom One is even polite enough to warn me when there is a toll road on a calculated route and then has enough courtesy to avoid it if I so desire, I’ve never gotten this kind of respect from my Garmin Nuvi 200.
The only down side to the TomTom One (3rd Edition) is its battery life. Even with all the upgrades we still only have a 2-hour battery charge that leaves us dependent on the cigarette charger in our cars. Oh well, can’t win `em all.
For consumers interested in purchasing their first GPS unit the TomTom One would be perfect if not only for its quality then for its simplicity. Other units might come close but I’ve found that the TomTom One delivers time and time again.
What’s in the box? I’m glad you asked:
- The TomTom One (of course)
- (1) Car Charger
- Documentation Pack (Quick Start Guide, Installation Poster, Accessories Catalog, and Warranty/License Agreement)
- (1) Windshield Mount
- (1) USB Cable
- (1) Adhesive Disk For Windshield Mount (for mounting the TomTom to your dash)
