Automotive GPS Recommendation
I was thinking of maybe getting a GPS unit for my mom for Christmas. It would have to be easy to use and idiot proof, preferably with a voice that tells her where to turn next. Any recommendations?
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I think David Pogue (tech columnist) from the NY Times recently reviewed a few of them. Try searching there. It's a free registration to their website. 0 -
It's hard to beat, "Tom-Tom". NPI
Their very reasonable, and do everything the big mega-bux systems do, and in some cases,,, more.
I bet if you look at that guys reviews, thats what you'll find.[;)]
Good luck with it Dave..
Jeff0 -
I think the TOM TOM is about as idiot proof as you get. Put in the address and it gives you a route, simple as that, even talks to you if you want. You can find things along the route like meals, hotels, ect.
I haven't used a Garmin for any comparison though.0 -
Here's a review from NY Times (not Pogue), that seems to echo what everybody else is saying: TomTom! It ain't cheap, but a GPS unit that understands voice commands might be invaluable to an elderly user!
Link to review
or just read my C&P (they're identical):
Finally, a System That Will Listen
By JOHN R. QUAIN
Published: December 5, 2007
PORTABLE satellite navigation units for cars are becoming more sophisticated as the technology moves beyond just navigation, putting more control in drivers' hands.
Skip to next paragraph
TOMTOM GO 920T Portable navigation units are getting smarter. The 920T can listen to voice commands.
NAVIGON 7100 What you see displayed are actual lanes. It also provides free real-time traffic information.
COBRA XRS R9G This system offers worry-free driving. It can do things like warn you about radar deployments and pesky red-light cameras.
ANYTRACK GPS-100 This model can keep you on track and also track others if you slip the tiny device into their car.
TOMTOM GO 920T
One problem with navigation systems is that in spite of manufacturers' warnings, they inevitably entice drivers to tap in destinations on the touch screens while driving. It's a potentially dangerous distraction. The GO 920T (about $700) avoids this problem by allowing drivers to bark out addresses to the portable device and have it recalculate directions on the fly. No awkward stretches to peck out a house number. Just say where you want to go.
The 920T's screen, at 4.3 inches on the diagonal, is large enough to keep directions in focus. And inveterate travelers even have the choice of sharing favorite routes with other TomTom owners online, where people tag points of interest and can personalize directions.
NAVIGON 7100
Aesthetics has typically not been a hallmark of G.P.S. devices. The Navigon 7100 (about $500) is the exception, from its sculptured mounting arm to its slender piano-black profile; it's an accessory that looks handsome perched above any dashboard.
Better still, however, are the 7100's 3-D views of thousands of complex intersections across the United States. Instead of squiggly lines, drivers see the actual lanes with orange arrows indicating where they should be to make the next turn. Navigon has added free real-time traffic information to the device, a feature that usually requires paying a monthly subscription fee on other devices.
COBRA XRS R9G
Radar detectors have gotten an upgrade with the Cobra XRS R9G (about $350). Not only does it detect radar and laser traps, but it also can alert the driver to speed and red-light cameras that can generate tickets without a police officer present.
To do this, the XRS R9G has three components: a radar detector, an attached G.P.S. receiver and a wireless remote display and control. Using a regularly updated and verified database of cameras in the United States, the XRS R9G tracks a user's location and then warns drivers as they approach intersections where there are cameras. As a result, drivers tend to slow down. (Radar detectors are not legal in all states; consult state laws.)
ANYTRACK GPS-100
G.P.S. devices can not only tell you where you are but also tell you where someone else is.
That's the idea behind the AnyTrack GPS-100 ($229 at anytrack.com). Plant the device, which is about the size of a snack box of raisins, in a glove compartment or anywhere else in the car, and you can follow the car remotely or find it immediately in an emergency.
To track the location, AnyTrack owners must subscribe to an online service that maps the car's whereabouts. The company offers several monthly plans, including one for $19.95 (plus a $29 activation fee) for moderate use.0 -
Garmins are the best and the best supported even after they are discontinued, but with all of the features, they are hard for older folks to learn. Tom Tom is easier to use, but they don't have as good customer support as Garmins and no one knows if they will continue customer support for the original models after the new ones come out.
Garmin for you, Tom Tom for mom.0 -
Garmin Streetfinders are great, definately idiot proof 0 -
I just bought this yesterday.
Garmin StreetPilot c530 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-StreetPilot-3-5-Inch-Portable-Navigator/dp/B000FCSXBQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1196949867&sr=8-10 -
tom tom 0 -
Tom Tom One. If you can't operate on of those then you don't need to be driving. 0
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