<body><script type="text/javascript"> function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } </script> <div id="navbar-iframe-container"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://www.blogger.com/navbar.g?targetBlogID\x3d7503318382026255132\x26blogName\x3dReviews+Of+Gps+Systems\x26publishMode\x3dPUBLISH_MODE_BLOGSPOT\x26navbarType\x3dBLUE\x26layoutType\x3dCLASSIC\x26searchRoot\x3dhttps://thegps84602.blogspot.com/search\x26blogLocale\x3den_US\x26v\x3d2\x26homepageUrl\x3dhttp://thegps84602.blogspot.com/\x26vt\x3d-2701788176859172769', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe", messageHandlersFilter: gapi.iframes.CROSS_ORIGIN_IFRAMES_FILTER, messageHandlers: { 'blogger-ping': function() {} } }); } }); </script>

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Garmin MapSource BlueChart CD-ROM for Garmin GPS Units, Americas (010-10317-00)

Whether you're exploring new coastline or cruising your favorite bay, BlueChart Americas v7 contains the most detailed marine cartography around. These electronic nautical maps give you peace of mind when navigating offshore. Version 7 additions include rigs and artificial reefs for the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico.

Main Features

  • Manufacturer: Garmin, Ltd
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 010-10317-00
  • Manufacturer Website Address: www.garmin.com
  • Software Sub Type: Maps & Traveling
  • Software Name: BlueChart Americas v.7.0
  • Features & Benefits:
  • Now with rigs and artificial reefs for the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico
  • Chart-specific information, including chart name and number, scale, revision date, latest Notice to Mariners date
  • Object-oriented cartography
  • Shaded depth contours
  • Intertidal zones
  • Spot soundings
  • Navaids with view range and coverage
  • Port plans
  • Port services including marina names, addresses, telephone, and types of services provided
  • Tides, wrecks, restricted areas and anchorages
  • Trip and waypoint management function lets you transfer waypoints, routes and tracks between your GPS and your PC
  • Real-time track plotting allows you to interface your Garmin chartplotter or handheld GPS with a PC laptop and must have compatible GPS with unlock code
  • Note: These functions of this product work with nearly all Garmin GPS units, excluding the GPS 100 family and panel mount aviation units.

  • Platform Support: PC
  • Compatibility:

    Handheld GPS devices:

  • GPSMAP 162
  • GPSMAP 168 Sounder
  • GPSMAP 172
  • GPSMAP 172C
  • GPSMAP 176
  • GPSMAP 178 Sounder
  • GPSMAP 178C Sounder
  • GPSMAP 182/182C
  • GPSMAP 188/188C Sounder
  • GPSMAP 192C
  • GPSMAP 196
  • GPSMAP 198C Sounder
  • GP
    Customer Review: Blue Chart Data for Newfoundland
    The Blue Chart Data on this CD for Newfoundland is considerably overpriced. I purchased the same data for Polynesia two years ago and was able to get chart data for the entire area we anticipated being in from the Marquesas to Western Polynesia--a fair amount for the money involved. This time, however, I was able to unlock on SW Newfoundland. I would have needed to unlock two-three more regions for the rest of Newfoundland and nothing in Labrador. Not sure why this region should be so expensive for so little. My second complaint with Garmin is that they still do not provide support for Apple computers--my platform of choice. Many promises, but no delivery.
    Customer Review: Amazon shipped old version
    Amazon doesn't specify which version of BlueChart you will get. Amazon sent me version 9.0. I later found out that the current version is 9.5. Garmin now charges $75 to upgrade from 9.0 to 9.5. The charts are good, but Amazon should tell you which version you are getting.


    If you've been thinking about buying a GPS, then your first step is to compare GPS navigation systems to find the right one for you. Although they all do basically the same thing, there are a number of differences you need to know about. Also, the price range varies enormously--from less than $200 to over $700! Figuring out your budget and what you can buy for the money is the trick to getting a system you're going to be happy with.

    When I talk about GPS navigation systems, I'm usually talking about those made by the three big manufacturers, Garmin, Tom Tom, and Magellan. I'm not saying the others are not good. There are plenty of other companies that make excellent systems. I guess I have a personal preference for staying with the big companies.

    Also, when I think about GPS systems, I mean the after-market, car variety. Not the kind you take hiking!

    All GPS systems essentially do the same thing. They show you where you are on an electronic map and plot a route to where you want to go. So, at base, all GPS navigation systems share the same basic features. Those are:


    • Spoken directions

    • Touch screen

    • A list of destinations--called Points of Interest, or POIs

    • Maps of the lower 48 States--or at least regional maps

    • Auto calculation of the best or shortest route

    If those are what you get with any system, what other features are there?

    Common features you can get are:


    • More extensive maps--including Mexico and Europe

    • Integration with Bluetooth technology

    • Real-time traffic and weather--usually by subscription

    • Plays music and serves as a audio book reader

    • Much larger database of POIs

    There are other features that you can get with specific manufacturers. Garmin is coming out with a unit that responds to voice commands. Magellan has teamed up with AAA to include their Tour Book with many of their GPS navigation systems. And Tom Tom is experimenting with a user generated database of points of interest, which is neat because users can record changes much faster than the company can.

    Comparing GPS navigation systems is not hard once you learn what's out there and how much it costs. Your next step is to visit some sites and gather more information about price and exactly which units do what.

    Lee Cole is a true GPS enthusiast! You can check out his website and find more information about how to compare GPS navigation systems!

  • Garmin nüvi 660 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

    With a gorgeous widescreen display, the Garmin nüvi 660 GPS Personal Travel Assistant is your answer to the call of adventure. A sleek navigator and a keen travel assistant, the nüvi 660 is preloaded with highly detailed City Navigator NT road maps for the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. This map database features nearly six million points of interest (POIs), including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions, and the data is provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping.This preloaded navigator brings all this fantastic map data to your fingertips with a super-bright, 4.3-inch widescreen display for improved map viewing, day or night. Use the touch screen interface to select destinations, look up POIs, and play your favorite MP3s and audio books. The display also helps you control hands-free calling, traffic alerts, and the FM transmitter, all from the screen of your personal travel assistant.

    Which nüvi is Best for You?: Click here to see a quick, simple comparison of features for all Garmin nuvi GPS navigators



    Wider screen lets you see more of what's around. Compare these actual size views of a 3-inch (diagonal) screen
    3-inch screen


    and a 4.3-inch diagonal widescreen
    4.3-inch screen
    Widescreen -- See Better, See More
    The widescreen format gives you 70% more actual screen area than a 3.5-inch screen. Primarily this translates into a better view of the area through which you are driving. This is especially useful in showing you what parks, restaurants, ATM, gas stations, etc. are nearby, or in letting you know whether a detour is a good idea. Also, the device itself is larger, meaning controls on the screen are more widely spaced and somewhat easier to push.

    FM Transmitter -- Hear Better, Hear More
    Instead of straining your ears to hear turn-by-turn directions or your favorite MP3s, you can enjoy wireless FM audio transmission via the nüvi 660's wireless FM transmitter. Tune your car's radio to the appropriate station and you'll hear all the nüvi's audio, including voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle's stereo system. The nüvi 660 includes many "must-have" entertainment and travel tools, including digital music and audio book playback, JPEG picture viewer, currency converters, and more. All these great features make the nüvi 660 a complete Personal Travel Assistant.

    First Rate Map Data
    The nüvi 660 comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps, including a hefty POI database with hotels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. Garmin gets its map data from NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping.

    In addition, the nüvi 660 accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs

    Important note about map updates: Due to our high volume of sales, almost every Garmin portable GPS navigator sold by Amazon.com will come with the most recent map version. If you ever do need a map update, you can purchase one from Amazon.com at our Garmin Store.

    Hands-Free Calling
    In more and more places, it is becoming illegal to use cell phones while driving without a hands-free kit. The nüvi 660's Bluetooth capability, microphone and speaker lets match it to any bluetooth-capable phone to make hands-free mobile phone calls. Simply dial the phone number with the nüvi's touch screen keypad to make a call on a compatible phone. To answer an incoming call, just tap the screen and speak into the built-in microphone. Making and taking calls on the road has never been easier, or safer. In addition, Garmin makes it a breeze to look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or even tap into your cell phone's call history log.

    Integrated FM Traffic Receiver

    TMC traffic service coverage map
    Steer clear of traffic with an integrated FM traffic receiver designed to receive alerts from TMC Clear Channel about traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. All you have to do is simply touch the screen to view traffic details and you'll be ready to detour around any problem area. And if you end up missing a turn, or you're forced into a detour that is not relayed through the traffic receiver, the nüvi's sophisticated automatic routing will get you back on track in no time.

    In most areas, TMC Clear Channel traffic broadcasts are continuous - there's no waiting for scheduled traffic news updates or random alerts. Because traffic broadcasts are received via a "silent" FM data channel, you can still listen to music or news programming on your car radio without interference from incoming FM traffic data transmissions.

    A 3-month subscription to TMC Clear Channel's Total Traffic Network is included with purchase of this device. For more information on subscription fees, coverage in individual cities, and traffic data networks in the United Kingdom and Europe, check the Garmin website.


    Easy To Use Interface
    Garmin's interface is a key to their success and one of the things that makes their devices such a pleasure to use. Simple controls and sub-screens make it easy to enter or search for destinations and get data about your trip.

    Garmin's own navigation is easy to use

    Beyond Navigation

    Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer.
    MP3 PlayerA handy MP3 player lets you play songs stored on SD memory cards. nüvi 250W accepts custom points of interest (POIs). View larger.

    Navigation is just the beginning. The nüvi 660 features travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, MP3 player, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. It also comes with Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map.

    This device is compatible with optional content plug-ins available via SD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide provide detailed data for attractions and information on nearby merchants offering discounts, so you can customize nüvi for your travel needs

    Garmin has also added the ability for customers to add custom points of interest (POI's) from third parties such as school zones and safety cameras.

    Trick Your GPS Ride

    custom vehicle icons
    Custom vehicle icons let you ride in style, at least inside your GPS.
    See more icon options
    All Garmin nüvis support configurable vehicle icons. These fun, customized car-shaped icons come in a variety of colors to add a personal touch to your vehicle's position on the map.

    With this GPS system on board you'll be prepared to steer clear of traffic with the integrated FM TMC traffic receiver. The nüvi 770 is designed to receive alerts about traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. All you have to do is simply touch the screen to view traffic details and you'll be ready to detour around any problem area. And if you end up missing a turn, or you're forced into a detour that is not relayed through the traffic receiver, the nüvi's sophisticated automatic routing will get you back on track in no time.


    What's in the Box
    nüvi 660 GPS navigation system, preloaded City Navigator North, America NT data, vehicle suction cup mount, A/C charger, carrying case, FM traffic receiver/12-volt adapter with 3-month free trial subscription, dashboard disk, USB interface cable, sample language guide content (preloaded), sample travel guide, sample MP3s (preloaded), sample audio books (preloaded), owner's manual, and a quick reference guide.

    Notes

    • Optional software for language translation, detailed travel guides, and savings programs allow you to customize your nüvi to fit your travel needs
    • The FM transmitter feature is only available in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
    • This nüvi comes with a free, three-month trial for MSN Direct services.
    • Like most USB Mass Storage Devices, the nüvi is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me.

    Which nüvi is Best for You?
    Note: All nüvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.



    Screen
    Size
    inches
    (w x h)
    Included Maps
    Text-to-Speech
    (Directions in
    Real Street
    Names)

    Traffic
    Bluetooth
    Media

    FM Transmitter
    (audio through
    car stereo
    system)
    Multi-
    Point
    Routing

    Battery
    life
    (hours)
    Cont. U.S.,
    Hawaii, and
    Puerto Rico

    AK and
    Canada

    Europe
    nüvi 200 2.8 x 2.1
    check




    Photos


    up to 5
    nüvi 200w 3.81 x 2.25
    check




    Photos


    up to 5
    nüvi 250 2.8 x 2.1
    check check



    Photos

    up to 5
    nüvi 250w 3.81 x 2.25
    check check



    Photos

    up to 5
    nüvi 260 2.8 x 2.1
    check check
    check

    Photos

    up to 5
    nüvi 260w 3.81 x 2.25 check check
    check

    Photos

    up to 5
    nüvi 270 2.8 x 2.1
    check check check


    Photos

    up to 5
    nüvi 350 2.8 x 2.1
    check check
    check FM (with opt.
    receiver)

    Photos, MP3s


    up to 8
    nüvi 360 2.8 x 2.1
    check check
    check FM (with opt.
    receiver)
    check Photos, MP3s

    up to 8
    nüvi 370 2.8 x 2.1 check check check check FM (receiver
    included)
    check Photos, MP3s

    up to 8
    nüvi 650 3.81 x 2.25
    check check
    check FM (with opt.
    receiver)

    Photos, MP3s

    up to 7
    nüvi 660
    3.81 x 2.25
    check check
    check FM (receiver
    included)
    check Photos, MP3s check
    up to 7
    nüvi 670
    3.81 x 2.25
    check check check check FM (receiver
    included)
    check Photos, MP3s check
    up to 7
    nüvi 680 3.81 x 2.25
    check check
    check MSN (receiver
    included;
    1-year free);
    FM (with opt.
    receiver)
    check Photos, MP3s check
    up to 7
    nüvi 750
    3.81 x 2.25
    check check
    check MSN-enhanced
    (with optional
    receiver);
    FM (with opt.
    receiver)

    Photos, MP3s check check up to 5
    nüvi 760 3.81 x 2.25
    check check
    check MSN-enhanced
    (with optional
    receiver);
    FM (with opt.
    receiver)
    check Photos, MP3s check check up to 5
    nüvi 770 3.81 x 2.25
    check check check check MSN-enhanced
    (with optional
    receiver);
    FM (with opt.
    receiver)
    check Photos, MP3s check check up to 5
    nüvi 780 3.81 x 2.25 check check

    MSN-enhanced
    (receiver inc.;
    3 months free)
    receiver);
    FM (with opt.
    receiver)
    check Photos, MP3s check check up to 5
    nüvi 850
    3.81 x 2.25 check check

    MSN-enhanced
    (with optional
    receiver);
    FM (with opt.
    receiver)

    Photos, MP3s check check up to 4
    nüvi 880
    3.81 x 2.25 check check check
    MSN-enhanced
    (receiver inc.;
    3 months free);
    FM (with opt.
    receiver)
    check Photos, MP3s check check up to 4
    nüvi 5000
    4.5 x 2.7 check check
    check MSN-enhanced
    (with optional
    receiver);
    FM (with opt.
    receiver)


    check check external
    battery
    only

    Customer Review: What a Deal!!!
    Great Product, and wellll worth the money!! These usually go for Over $700 and as usual, on Amazon, (Amazing)zon, this was $300!! I researched the Garmin on Consumer Reports, and it is just as good as they said!! I would buy another all over again if I had too!
    Customer Review: My third and best Garmin
    I got my first in-truck Garmin GPS 15 years ago complete with external antenna and black and white LCD screen. Really was a navigation at sea device. The Garmin nüvi 660 is incredibly easy to set up, the bluetooth phone hands-off works flawlessly in the noise of a highway vehicle and is echo-free for the other party. Voice dial works if your phone supports it. Route instructions are quite clear and easy to hear. Makes my F150 competitive with my wife's BMW 5 Series in GPS capablity.


    Unless you're in the oil industry, then like everybody else, you in all likelihood got hit severely by the high gas prices. If you live in those big metropolises where it is easy to gain access to mass transportation, then you can get past this trouble moderately well by getting the bus, the underground, or a taxicab to and from work.

    Yet, if you're like the bulk of people who have to drive their own automobile, then you can not easily escape from this.

    By putting in a GPS tracking system into your car, you'll be able to cut down your costs on gas. You may be questioning how this is possible. This is because a Global Positioning System will consistently afford you the best direct routes to where you want to go. If you're going to be driving in a heavy cloudburst and driving visibility is less than normal, then a GPS unit can help you navigate so that you can find your way irrespective of where you want to go.

    This can save you not only cash from gas, but it can likewise save you a good deal of time that you usually waste by driving around lost. It can likewise relieve you of the worry you inescapably get from getting lost and frustrated. Your GPS unit will not just give you accurate directions; it will likewise afford you an approximation on how long it will take you to progress to your destination by taking a different route. This will enable you to compare the dissimilar routes and the times it takes to go down them so that you can choose the best route for you.

    When you think of all that a GPS unit has to offer, then you can see why paying a few hundred bucks for the unit is zilch compared to what you are going to be saving in the long haul. For instance, if it costs you $40 to fill up your gasoline tank up each time and you get it filled up at least once a week, then over the course of a year you'll drop $2080 on gas alone.

    On the other hand, if you've a GPS tracking system established in your auto, you'll be able to progress to your destinations faster by choosing shorter paths. This will rapidly diminish how much gas you usually waste by not getting lost as you're driving. If this cuts down the number of times you buy gas to every fortnight, then you'll be saving $1040 a year just on gas.

    This is simply an example. Your real amounts will be dissimilar, but you can see how much you can economize and how rapidly your Global Positioning device will pay for itself. A good GPS system costs anywhere between $100 to $1000. Still, you can purchase one in the $200 to $400 price range and acquire everything that you require from the system as a whole and not have to dole out a ton of cash.

    James Hunaban is the owner of http://gps-systems.jims-info.com a site full of GPS information.