Saturday, February 26, 2011

Order Garmin 010-00718-29 Nuvi 255wt


I gave this 1 star because 0 stars was not an option. I purchased this gps in 11/09 and have had to replace it 3 times all because of the same problem. After about 1 month of use they will loose signal on a clear day and not be able to get it back for days. The traffic is unreliable. The features are not very good. I have an older Garmin that works fine. I would look for another model.Get more detail about Garmin 010-00718-29 Nuvi 255wt.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Shop For Replacement Elastic Strap for Hrm


On a beautiful sunny morning, in a time long, long, ago. There lived an angry giant that enjoyed running. As the surly giant prepared for his run, he noticed that the heart rate monitor strap of his Garmin 305 was not as elastic as it once was. As he ran, the giant couldn't believe that his HRM strap was falling down his chest and this angered him greatly. Feeling eXtremely unhappy, the giant searched the land of the Internet to find a replacement. And he did find one, and it was from the kingdom of Amazon. It was also cheaper in price than the one offered by the evil Garmin. When the giant placed the new HRM strap into his HRM he saw that the strap was perfect, and this was good. Suddenly all of the giants runs were less complicated and this made the giant a Happy Giant. THE ENDGet more detail about Replacement Elastic Strap for Hrm.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Nextar ME 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator


I purchased this GPS unit around August of 2009 at Target. Target had the units on sale for $89.99 at the time. It wasn't the best GPS unit in the world, but I was pretty happy with it. It did always get me where I wanted to go, however I often felt that my girlfriends Garmin took more sensible routes.

My feelings about this unit changed in November when daylight savings occurred. We fall back an hour but the GPS failed to do so. Instead the little Nextar unit can't decide what time it is anymore. It jumps around from between 2 hours ahead or behind the actual time and never stops. Me calculated ETA is never correct from this point forward. There apparently is no way to set time manually and turning off auto GPS time doesn't help. Nextar's solution of a hard reset also failed to do the trick.... great! I opted to hold onto the GPS unit a little bit longer as I needed it for a 5 hour trip, which is when another problem popped up.

Towards the end of November the sound started to go on my GPS unit. At first the voice simply cutout or got scratchy every once in a while. As time progressed the sound the voice commands became incomprehensible and then sound stopped working all together on the unit. Nextar's solution? A hard reset, which obviously failed to fix the unit.

The unit is under warranty and Nextar agrees to take it in for service. I think everything has gone quite well and am pleased with the service I received over the phone. A few minutes later I receive an e-mail from Nextar detailing how to send the unit back to them. The e-mail asks that I include a money order or cashiers check for $25 with the unit for return shipping and handling!!!!! So, I have to pay to ship it to them, and I have to pay them to ship it back to me? What kind of warranty or service is this? I've dealt with a lot of companies and none of ever asked that I pay a return shipping fee on an item in warranty. Realistically, it would cost me $4-$5 to ship it to them, but they need $25 to do the same? That's more than 1/4 of what I paid for the unit in the first place.

I ended up taking the unit back to Target and exchanging it for a Garmin. Lesson learned. I would have considered a Magellan except for the fact that Target doesn't carry that brand.

I'll admit the Nextar wasn't all bad. It does have a lot of advanced features for the the price. You would pay a lot more for features like lane guidance and multi-point routing if you bought a Garmin or Magellan. However, I don't feel the Tele-Atlas maps are as good as the Navteq maps after now experiencing both. What could be a decent little GPS is very much let down by the horrid service Nextar provides and the apparently poor build quality or quality control of the company.

If you were to ask me, I'd recommend pinching a few extra pennies so you can pick up a Garmin or Magellan GPS unit.Get more detail about Nextar ME 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

Car Windshield Flexible Gooseneck Mount for TomTom One 125 130 130S 140 140S Ease XL 325 325S 325SE 330 330S 335S 340 340S XXL 530S 540S GPS Review


Other than that, its a good product. The suction cup works very well. It is just easy to knock the gps off of the flexy arm because the "locking action" of the mount (if that makes sense) is loose. I feel that part couldve been designed better.Get more detail about Car Windshield Flexible Gooseneck Mount for TomTom One 125 130 130S 140 140S Ease XL 325 325S 325SE 330 330S 335S 340 340S XXL 530S 540S GPS.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Garmin nüvi 260 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished) Top Quality


I have this from Tiger direct with cheap price, but the good thing is I can update my map to lastest version for free that Garmin offer nowaday. Even thought refurbished product, It works great that I have tested so many routes. Thank Tiger direct.Get more detail about Garmin nüvi 260 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished).

TomTom XL 340T (Lifetime Traffic Edition) 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator This instant


When considering my second gps unit I looked for a specific feature which my first one lacked. Quite simply, it is the ability to step through the destination route and avoid a specific road. This is NOT like the generic "avoid highways", "avoid toll roads" or the "detour" selection on my Garmin unit which has caused me so much frustration, that I have come dangerously close to pitching it out the window, while the calm computerized voice tries to drag me back to the original route after a quick sidestep. After researching, I purchased this TomTom unit which has and performs road avoidance very well. I rarely write reviews but wanted to make this functionality known for those who are unaware of it.Get more detail about TomTom XL 340T (Lifetime Traffic Edition) 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

TomTom XL 335S 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Immediately


I got my TomTom XL335TM as soon as they were available in April 2010. The traffic update feature is fantastic. On a trip to Philadelphia it warned me of a traffic jam and asked me if I would like to routed around it, I pressed yes and it took me on a road I never knew about saving me time. I was very impressed. You do have to be plugged into your power outlet for the traffic receiver to work, since the receiver is part of the power cord that is shipped with the unit. I also hooked my XL335TM up to my laptop and used the activation key to download the latest map. It takes a while to download and install so leave yourself enough time before you start. This is my second TomTom, I bought an early edition of the One in 2006. If this unit is as rugged and reliable as my last TomTom that I still use on my motorcycle, the lifetime map update will be very handy to have years down the road. I see that a few reviewers here have had difficulty using theirs but I can recommend this unit without reservation. I paid $169 w/free 2 day shipping with Amazon Prime. Good deal on a great GPS!Get more detail about TomTom XL 335S 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

GARMIN 010-10823-00 Suction Cup Mount Best Quality


The garmin suction cup mount works quite well. The only problem i found that it lost its suction power once or twice and it came off the windshield. Get more detail about GARMIN 010-10823-00 Suction Cup Mount.

Monday, February 21, 2011

National Geographic Adventure Paper Get it now!


This paper is quite expensive, but very high quality. Waterproof, and the ink doesn't run. I printed off some topos and they look great.Get more detail about National Geographic Adventure Paper.

TomTom XL 330 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator (Box Version) Buy Now


I got this as a gift. I was borrowing a Garmin 650 or something close but in the 6-series... This TOM TOM doesn't feel cheap like the Garmin. Its well designed and slim, not bulky like the Garmin. The display and graphics is of far better resolution than the Garmin. Even though it doesnt tell you the streets you can see it crystal clear on the display, and yes, it sort of drops you off where your destination is but all you have to do is LOOK and you will see it. Are you looking for a GPS to serve your drinks or something? The voices are also crystal clear. This is a far better unit than GARMIN. To me its the difference between eating at Olive Garden (garmin) and a fine dining establishment (Tom Tom). Olive Garden is all bulk and no refinement. Also Garmin would go many miles out of the way to find a location over 15 minutes away, I have not had this problem with the TomTom. The POI are also more thorough than Garmins. I cant emphasize how nice the graphics are on the Tom Toms. And its loaded with options of all kinds. I have not downloaded any maps but I have not needed to. It works perfect out of the package. Get more detail about TomTom XL 330 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator (Box Version).

Sunday, February 20, 2011

NEW RAM GPS BICYCLE BIKE OR MOTORCYCLE MOUNT FOR GARMIN NUVI 750 760 770 780 Order Now


When I got a new GPS, I needed a new mount for my motorcycle since the old was 4x3 and this one is wide screen.

I considered some of those cheaper mounts that hold on essentially with a large zip tie. I finally decided to pay the extra money and go with this mount manufactured by RAM Mounts. I'm so very glad I did.

The quality is excellent and it really holds the GPS securely. Plus, RAM offers a large number of spare parts and optional add-ons for their products, so if it breaks way down the road, I know I can replace anything that is broken. With those other mounts, they seem to be pretty much an all-in-on device, meaning it's replace it all if part of it breaks. That giant molded in zip tie worried me a lot on those other solutions.

Here are a few highlights of this mount:

- It has a very robust adjustment arm that pretty much lets you place the GPS about anywhere you need it. I have mine set so, when I'm on the bike, it appears below my gauges. That makes it easy to check everything in essentially one spot.

- The mount attaches to the bike with a large U-Bolt. There is a plastic insert to protect the handlebar chrome. You may have to trim the ends of the threads down for very skinny handlebars since they're pretty long. I have 1" diameter bars and it was very close to avoid interfering with the arm. I couldn't use the rubber caps provided since those made the threads stick up just a bit to far to allow full arm motion. I may trim them down, though I'm not sure if I'll use the caps. They seem like something that is bound to fall off on the road, anyway. I mounted the arm right above the clamp for my windshield, so if it does slip, it won't go far.

- You can adjust the arm in multiple directions with one friction knob. It holds very securely when tightened by hand.

- The GPS is held on both the top and bottom and stays thoroughly put. I have no fear it will pop out of the cradle. There is room to leave the car power adapter attached while in the mount. You'll want to connect it to the back of the GPS before placing it in the holder, though or you won't be able to fit it in behind. There's just enough room back there when it's already installed, which is good. It means the connector won't pop off the GPS.

- The only negative part is the lack of directions. It fit together fine, but there were extra screws provided that worried me until I realized they really were extra. There was a set of black and a set of shiny screws you can use to attach the mount. It's pretty easy to figure things out, though: screw the holder onto the arm with two of the steel screws and the nuts, stick the U-bolt around the handlebars with the plastic insert on the curved side. Tighten the nuts onto the U-bolt until it doesn't move. Then use the knob on the arm to adjust things. It may be easier to loosen it and remove the arm from the U-bolt assembly while you tighten the nuts. If the thread ends stick out too far, just use a hack saw or Dremel tool to shorten them.

I rode for at least 20 miles, half on the highway and half on our famously beat up streets we have in the Northeast. The GPS didn't budge. The mount held it very well. I have no worries it will do its job on longer trips.

I'm very pleased I didn't cheap out.

I included some photos at the top of the page so you can see the mount in use.Get more detail about NEW RAM GPS BICYCLE BIKE OR MOTORCYCLE MOUNT FOR GARMIN NUVI 750 760 770 780.

Garmin zumo 665 Portable GPS Navigator Decide Now


I bought my Zumo 665 when Garmin started offering the [...] Rebate. I specifically bought this unit to take advantage of all of the features and mounted it on my Honda Goldwing.

First of all this unit is WAY over priced but I managed to get a pretty good deal after I get the rebate back which will hopefully be soon.

I've been using this every day I ride which is multiple times a week and haven't had a single issue with the connections as someone else mentioned. The GPS is one of the best I've used from Garmin and I've had several of them. The Touch Screen is very responsive even with gloves on, bright and easy to read in all lighting conditions.

Everything you need to mount this one a standard bike is included in the box. I had to add a few things to get it mounted on my Goldwing but that is because of the non-standard handlebars. You can also use this in your car and it automatically detects which mount you have it on and remembers your settings for that vehicle type. I should mention that I've only really used this on my motorcycle but did try it in the car and it is just as responsive.

When you turn the bike on the unit will automatically power on and and acquires the sat signals very quickly and so far I've had very good luck with the routes and the setting (like avoid Highways and Unpaved Roads). I like how it shows a green line on routes / roads that you've taken before when not in directions mode. I also love that you can customize the data fields that are shown on in the bottom corners of the screen just buy touching them and picking the data you want it to show. Another neat future is the fuel tracking this will keep track of how many miles you've driven and lets you know when you are getting low with a warning on the screen and then gives you locations of the nearest gas stations.

What else can you say about the GPS Unit itself, it's a Garmin GPS if you like them you will love this one.

As for the other features... This is why I bought the unit, I've added on the XM Subscription for Music, Traffic and Weather. While this is an additional pay service I find it nice to have the same channels with you no matter where you go. The added bonus of being able to pair my cell phone with the unit and make calls on it is very cool.

The only reason I give these additional features only 4 Stars is due to the cost and the issues I've had dealing with XM to get them activated. Now that they have been they are really helpful like the traffic and weather alerts that tell you when things are approaching.

All all I would certainly purchase this item again but would like to see it selling for about half the price it is selling for now. I know that this is a new unit and it will eventually come down. If you are considering investing in an all weather unit I don't think you can go wrong with this Zumo.Get more detail about Garmin zumo 665 Portable GPS Navigator.