Saturday, October 2, 2010

Lowepro Volta 30 3.5-Inch and 4.3-Inch GPS Carrying Case (Black) Right now


Absolutely love it! This one is a perfect fit for my Nuvi 265WT and was very happy with it. Lengthwise, was perfect fit (no more room to give). Widthwise had about 1/2" extra on each side so no biggie. It cannot fit any other cables though, but I knew that beforehand. The case is hard, even along the edges so the GPS should be able to take a drop w/ this case. I like the belt strap bc if I were to walk in an unfamiliar city and use the gps as my map, that is where I like to keep the gps - on my belt. Although it would have been nice to have included a hand strap, it is something you can improvise by adding your own strap or carabiner clip on the belt strap. Had the gps been much thicker or slightly longer, it would not likely fit. I recommend you compare the size of your gps to the nuvi 265wt before getting this just to be sure. For example, my portable HD is just a tad too long to fit into case so this hasn't been a multipurpose case for me so far.Get more detail about Lowepro Volta 30 3.5-Inch and 4.3-Inch GPS Carrying Case (Black).

Cobra CPI-A20 AC Power Inverter Remote Order Now


If you are mounting your Power Inverter in your Vehicle and want to turn it on from the Dash or up front under the hood, this remote switch for your Cobra Inverter will keep you from lifting the back seat where it is mounted to turn it on or an extra trip up under the hood.Get more detail about Cobra CPI-A20 AC Power Inverter Remote.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps Decide Now


This is an excellent tool for navigating. However, here are my complaints, and the reason that I returned it, and got the tried and true 60csx instead. It does come with pre-loaded topo maps, but there 100k which does'nt do much for you in the backcountry ( you really want 24k) which you have to buy seperately anyway. No big deal, there cheap enough now that it's not a problem. My biggest concern was that this model has been discontinued, and when you go to the update page, there's a warning that the update is not backed up by Garmin, (use at your own risk). They still can service this model, but for how long will they have all the parts? And I've heard that all the parts are the same, but, I'm not sure about that. My biggest concern, or dis-like is that the screen is not sun light readable. You have to use the backlight to really see anything cleary (unlike the 60 series) and it just did'nt feel very comfortable in the hand, a little bulky, and seemingly fragile. The 60 series, though lacking some of the goodies, is tried and true. It's the #1 Choice of everyone I know who really uses there GPS. Garmin just came out with a brand new edition of the 60 series with all the goodies, but I'll wait until they work out the bugs. For now, I'm sticking with this.Get more detail about Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps.

Magellan 2009 One-Time U.S. Map Update for Magellan GPS Navigators (SD Card) Get it now!


We live in San Antonio, TX and the last update available (2008) did not include many of the new roads and highway ramps recently completed in the area (especially the highway ramps connecting 281 and 410, and much of the new construction in the north end of town). This update has those ramps and a large majority of the new construction recently completed.

I wish there was a way to "sample" a map update prior to purchase (i.e.: being able to enter a location and verifying it's accuracy), to ensure you don't waste $$$ purchasing an update that really doesn't help (like the 2008 update for me). Thus 3 stars for "improved performance". At the time of the 2008 update, Google maps had many of the new roads/ramps, so I figured that update would to.

Search around on Google for better prices, as I paid a lot less than is currently advertised on Amazon. As info, I am using the Maestro 3250.Get more detail about Magellan 2009 One-Time U.S. Map Update for Magellan GPS Navigators (SD Card).

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

For Garmin StreetPilot 2610 / 2620 / 2720 / 2730 / 2820 / 7200 / 7500 / c320 / c330 / c340 / i2 / i3 / i5 / StreetPilot III GPS Portable Travel USB Plug-in Rapid 12V Car Charger Best Quality


A great product at a great price...If you found anything better and paid more for it, you paid to muchGet more detail about For Garmin StreetPilot 2610 / 2620 / 2720 / 2730 / 2820 / 7200 / 7500 / c320 / c330 / c340 / i2 / i3 / i5 / StreetPilot III GPS Portable Travel USB Plug-in Rapid 12V Car Charger.

SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger unit, Silver/Black Top Quality


I purchased the SPOT 1 last Spring, and started using it right away. We used it at the house, and it worked great! I almost pinpointed my exact location in my house. Then we tried to use it while hiking.......not so good.

The first hike we used it on was a qucik little hike down to the Lewis river in SW Washington. Once we got to the river bank I turned it on and sent an "OK" message. None of the contacts on my list received it. I thought I should have let it transmit longer (I let it go for about 10 min). So, on our next hike near Silver Star Mountain, I tried again. This time giving it about 15 min of transmit time without moving it. Still.....no one got the message. On our third attempt to use the SPOT, my wife and I hiked up to the top of Silver Star Mountain in SW Washington. Once we got to the top at (about 4,300 feet), I tried again. This time I left it transmitting for 20 min, sitting up on a rock, on a clear day, and without a tree in sight. Still, NOTHING!

After this last attempt, I called spot and told them I thought I had a defective unit. They had me test it right then and there from home, and guess what...it worked great! I got my location in just a couple of min. The guy on the phone told me to try everything I had been doing, and that my unit was okay. So, I think my spot will be going on ebay.

When I was looking at SPOT, I also looked at the ACR line of emergency satellite beacons. I chose SPOT due to it's price compared to ACR. I work in the maritime industry, and am very familiar with ACR products...they are solid and reliable! But, at the time they did not offer the "I'm okay & tracking function" as SPOT did, so I went the cheap way......and got what I paid for. Not to mention the $100 a year subscription fee.

I can't say SPOT is no good, because there are many wonderful success stories. All I know is that it has not worked for me in the wilderness, and I do not have faith in it when I'm out hiking/camping. So, peace of mind being one of the main attractions, I think I'm going to go with the more expensive ACR. They have just introduced their own "I'm okay/tracking service" now, for about $60 a month.

As far as SPOT 2, they just cut some weight, and moved the buttons around. The electronics are the same.Get more detail about SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger unit, Silver/Black.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Garmin TOPO US 24K Northeast Map (DVD)


This works well on my desktop (MapSource) and GPS (Garmin 76Cx). I like seeing the detail in both. The GPS is a bit slow in processing between zooms and movement. It might not be as noticeable in newer hardware. That's not a fault of the product, though.

I like having state lands (parks and forests) indicated and even many trails. Even the routing is adequate enough that I often keep my City Navigator in the dash and just use the Topo.

I had a problem loading the 3.8G onto a 4G MicroSD. I'm not sure where the problem was, but customer support was helpful in getting me running. I copied to an 8G card and then transferred to the 4G and everything was fine.

Well worth the money for me.Get more detail about Garmin TOPO US 24K Northeast Map (DVD).

Shop For GPS and Phone Car Holder Works with iPhone, Blackberry, MP3 Player, GARMIN NUVI 1370T 1390T 1690 265T 275T 285WT 1200 1250 1260T 1300 1350 1350T 205 205W 255 255W


Beware! Not strong enough to hold up my GPS for viewing. Cheap and flimsy plastic that broke in a few hours. Don't waste your money. Spend a little more. Buy a better quality product.Get more detail about GPS and Phone Car Holder Works with iPhone, Blackberry, MP3 Player, GARMIN NUVI 1370T 1390T 1690 265T 275T 285WT 1200 1250 1260T 1300 1350 1350T 205 205W 255 255W.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Purchase Magellan eXplorist GC Handheld Geocaching GPS Navigator


The speed of satellite lock and the accuracy of the device is very fast and it works nicely. If there was any problem I encountered it has to do with the selection button which seems a bit too small and moves from selection to selection too fast. That said, I have to acknowledge that I do have very big hands. My wife didn't find this to be a problem so I assume that anyone with "normal" sized hands would also find it to be acceptable. The screen has great color resolution and it functions very well. I am using it to replace an older Garmin device and between the two there is no comparison.... faster, lighter weight, more accurate and really made for geocaching. Based upon all these factors and the cost, I don't think anyone would be disappointed in the Magellan eXplorist.Get more detail about Magellan eXplorist GC Handheld Geocaching GPS Navigator.

Order Garmin ecoRoute HD Vehicle Diagnostics Communicator


The Ecoroute HD works exactly as advertised. It took about 5 minutes to install and set up the unit. It was dead simple I have a 2010 Jetta and my OBD port was underneath my steering wheel and a bit to the left. The unit was easy to hide. I have it connected to a 1690.

The unit provides a wealth of information about fuel consumption. It's amazing how much data this thing collects It also gives you the option of about 10 different gauges if you are into that sort of thing. The diagnostic feature will even read your car's diagnostic codes and reset warning lights. My car was clear of any error codes.

The unit connects to my 1690 via Bluetooth. However, you can still use your Bluetooth phone as well. Overall, I highly recommend the Ecoroute HD if you own a compatible Garmin GPS unit.Get more detail about Garmin ecoRoute HD Vehicle Diagnostics Communicator.