Magellan RoadMate 1470 4.7-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator Get it now!

Bought the 1470 and worked great right out of the box. I charged it for about 6 hours + then decided to do the latest firmware update (ver. 2.20 release) from the website.

After the update the Magellan bootup screen just sits there forever with no way out. No menus, nothing. I tried cycling the power and reset to no avail.

I did the exact same thing with my 1440 Magellan and the update worked without a hitch. But the 1470 is either defective or a bad firmware update?

It seems to have turned into a brick after the update was ran?Get more detail about Magellan RoadMate 1470 4.7-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator.

Magellan Maestro 4700 4.7-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Buy Now

I just switched from Garmin because my Garmin 1490T would reboot constantly, stutter badly when speaking and the keyboard was slow and unresponsive. That said the Garmin is light years ahead of this unit in terms of features. For example on the Garmin I can choose a 3D map that stays on all the time, choose a different voice / language, a different vehicle icon and the list goes on and on. It's very customizable whereas this unit is not. I personally like Garmin better for many many reason but since their quality control seems to have slipped with their software I was forced to look for an alternative.

This unit has some nice features NOT found on the Garmin such as voice recognition however it will not accept a destination via voice by address. Magellan does NOT provide a free map upgrade and the unit I got came with the 2008 maps. Garmin allows 1 free map update so that you can get the latest maps. The mounting cradle is not as sturdy on this unit and it seems to flex and move around if you're trying to use the keyboard while it's stuck to the windshield. I have no idea why but this unit insists on having you input the city for every destination rather than using your current position. Garmin on the other hand assumes that you are looking for a destination in the current city unless you change it first which is an option but not required for each address entry.

My opinion, when Garmin gets their software sorted out I'm switching back. Until then I'll use Magellan.Get more detail about Magellan Maestro 4700 4.7-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator.

TomTom XL 340-S 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Order Now

This is a great system, and so easy to use and set up. This is my 2nd TomTom, and we upgreaded and are very pleased with the selection.Get more detail about TomTom XL 340-S 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

Garmin nüvi 265/265T 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic Decide Now

This is the 2nd GPS I've purchased. It has a lot more cool features than the Tom Tom 130. I especially like the free traffic service, which comes in very handy. That's one of the main reasons I use it, even when I'm driving to areas in Seattle where I don't need directions. I didn't think that having the street names called out would make that much of a difference, but that really seems like a necessity now with a GPS.

The only issues I've had with it were in the beginning. For some reason the voice would get all wacky and distorted and I would have to turn it off and reset it. But that mysteriously stopped happening. I also don't like the cumbersome wire that hangs down to the power outlet, which is required for the traffice service.

Overall, I'd say it's a great buy.Get more detail about Garmin nüvi 265/265T 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic.

TomTom XL 330S 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished) Right now

The support provided by Tom Tom is very poor. Map updates are expensive. The refurbished unit is not eligible for Tom Tom's latest map guarantee. Tom Tom would not honor map updates I had already purchased for this machine even though they were expired.

The person on the phone is very nice but they push you off on the website very fast and their online customer support system is poor.

Next time I'll buy a Garmin.Get more detail about TomTom XL 330S 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished).

Lowest Price TomTom XL 325 4.3-inch Portable GPS Navigator

The screen size and ease of use is fantastic. I just plugged it in my computer and the tutorial did a great job of showing me how to use it. It's so easy that I'd even recommend it to a technophobe like my dad.
The pre-loaded maps were more than sufficient for my hometown (Anchorage,AK) and if they are good for here, I imagine they would be good for any major US city without having to pay for extra services.
My favorite thing about it though is definitely how customizable the display is. You can download all sorts of voice and icons from the website and load them up via the enclosed USB cord including some very cute fan type things. Mine is all set up to reflect my family's favorite tv show to the absolute amusement of my friends.
My husband's favorite feature is that you don't have to use it in the car, you can carry it in your pocket if you are walking some place.
Wonderful gadget for the price. I'm looking forward to using it on my next vacation. Get more detail about TomTom XL 325 4.3-inch Portable GPS Navigator.

Low Price Garmin nüvi 205W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

I am very pleased with my purchase. I've made purchases since then through amazon and am pleased with my purchases. Thanks for your good service and keep up the good work.Get more detail about Garmin nüvi 205W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator.

Save TomTom XL 340 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

This device is good. Easy to install. In the car also easy to use, although the attaching plate is quite loose. Battery life is good too.
No experience with the update yet.
Be careful with the navigation!!!
I needed to go somewhere one day, so I set my navigation etc. on the night before. Then the next day started the navigation, but then it directed me to a quite different place, about 7 miles off. It was so weird, and so I missed my important appointment. The moral is: ALWAY DUBBLE CHECK YOUR NAVIGATION BEFORE DEPARTURE!!!Get more detail about TomTom XL 340 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

Discount Garmin nüvi 255 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

This purchase was easy and problem-free. I would use this vendor again, the products I purchased arrived in a timely manner in great condition.Get more detail about Garmin nüvi 255 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

Cheapest Garmin nüvi 205 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

i was already familiar with garmin and how easy it was to use one from using a prehistoric one my friend tried to sell me that i had used. i wanted to get a gps for about $100 maybe $120 then i got to where i just wanted maybe a $79 tomtom. then i found this garmin for $89, I am very pleased and garmin is the bestGet more detail about Garmin nüvi 205 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

Cheap Garmin nüvi 780 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Service

When ordering, my husband said we did not need the AC adaptor, as we would be using this in the car with the cigarette lighter hole. I wish we had gotten the AC so that we could input our destination information while still in the house, instead of waiting to get into the car. There is usually not enough battery charge to do it remotely. It would have been worth the little additional expense to have the electric option.Get more detail about Garmin nüvi 780 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Service.

Buying Garmin nüvi 855 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition

We really like having this garmin and found that it was very user friendly and easy to figure out (which was a good thing as the instructions were very limited). Everything seemed pretty intuitive. As with any navigational system, there are limitations in that it doesn't always give the best route. It is great to have the points of interest as we are able to find out what restaurants are coming up on our route and how far they are, etc. The same is true for gas stations or other points of interest.

It is nice to have the voice recognition on this and one of the reasons why we purchased this model rather than a lower model.

Also, it is fun to download other voices and icons from the garmin website. They have holiday themed ones (sled for christmas with elf voice) as well as other regular ones so you don't have to get bored with the same one all of the time.

It is also useful to know that you can buy a lifetime map update for about $100 that gives you free maps for the life of the product. If you plan on updating the unit for 2 years, it pays for itself. Depending on your amount of travel you might not find this beneficial. My sister didn't update hers at all for the first 2 years. For me, I tend to prefer to make sure i get the most up to date maps.

A surprising feature that i loved that didn't anticipate is the speed limit notifications next to your current speed. I have been frustrated traveling many times and not knowing what the speed limit it. This was accurate about 98% of the time and when it was off it erred on the side of saying the speed limit was slower than it was (i'm guessing the limit had been changed recently as it only happened in one town). I would rather mistakenly drive slower than faster as i don't want a speeding ticket.

Another great thing that i love is the estimated arrival time that changes based on your speed, stops, etc.

I would highly recommend this unit or other units that also have voice recognition. voice recognition helps tremendously if you are the only one in the car because you don't have to look at the screen and navigate from one thing to the next. when more than 1 person is in the car, it is useful to have the 2nd person operate the garmin as opposed to the voice recognition (in my opinion).Get more detail about Garmin nüvi 855 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition.

Buy Garmin nüvi 255W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

Gave this to my wife and she has thanked me every day for a week!!!Get more detail about Garmin nüvi 255W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator.

Purchase Garmin nüvi 285W/285WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic

The Nuvi 285W compares extremely well with my first love, the Nuvi 350. I drove around for a day with both running at once. With a crisper, larger, and more visible screen, the 285W is a definite jump up. The 285 also is better at getting GPS signals faster even without the antenna flap of the 350. The 285 refreshes the vehicle on the screen much more smoothly. The wider screen shows the side streets and directions way better.
The volume, navigation, speed of turning on, and directions are almost exactly the same. The voice directions are easier to understand, the directions are spoken faster, and the diction is better. The voice is lacking in inflection and is less appealing than "Jane" which I miss. Pressing the screen is a tad harder. The menu is more streamlined and easier to navigate but one thing has changed (Custom Points of Interest are buried under tools-Extras rather than under POI- go figure). I also found out that I EXCEEDED the number of POI when I downloaded some Custom POI and went over the 1000 mark. The new unit looks much better. It has a slippery on/off switch compared to the 350 button.
Updating the unit over the internet is as easy as the 350 but still pokes along at a slow USB speed. Bluetooth and MSN Direct I have not tried and I may not ever bother to turn on but they are there. The price is so much less than the 350 that it is embarrassing to compare the two. Overall verdict? Buy without hesitation if it is your 1st GPS. If you are replacing a 350, do not bother unless Bluetooth is needed or you fall in love with the terrific new wide display.
With a second car came a need for a 2nd GPS. I could not even drive the other car home from NH without cursing about where the next damn gas station was. 3 exits later, finally found a gas station! I can no longer go without a GPS in my car than I could live without the internet.
Smart phone? Not quite there yet and having to fumble mounting the thing, plugging it in, and pulling up the app is way too much hassle for everyday driving. Stick with a dedicated unit that is left set up in the car.
UPDATE: Like a poster before me, my unit suddenly went blank while I was arriving at my destination. It rebooted twice before coming back on without any intervention on my part. Battery was full. Acted like the power switch was suddenly turned off and then while it was 1st rebooting, the power switch was turned off again. Close as I can come to duplicating the issue. So far just the one reboot. If the reboot does not occur again, I will bump this back up to 5 stars.
UPDATE 2: Apparently Garmin or someone objected to the Amazon post about this reboot issue (or my "solution" about maps) and it was removed. Just google "Garmin Nuvi rebooting" to see some of the posts, even on the Garmin site. Sorry if I was the one who had the post removed.Get more detail about Garmin nüvi 285W/285WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic.