Mio Moov 310 / 300 Review

Note: Mio Moov 310 and Mio Moov 300 are identical with 1 year Traffic messaging service included in the Mio Moov 310

Pros
The Mio Moov 310 is one of the most stylish and feature packed portable GPS navigation system available at such an affordable cost. The Moov 310 features a 4.3" widescreen LCD monitor that is almost 1" bigger than most GPS navigation devices at this price.
The Moov 310 joins a handful of GPS devices that is considered the thinnest on the market, measuring at less than 3/4" thick. The stylish and compact design of the Mio Moov 310 houses a powerful Samsung 400 MHz processor with 1GB of internal memory. This attractive GPS device also features a 20-channel GPS receiver with a SiRFStar III chipset with the new Instant Fix II technology. The processor and the chipset both are new technology that were recently released. Users will be enjoy the incredibly smooth and fast navigation that the Moov 310 has to offer. In addition, this GPS unit has built-in map database, so you won't ever have to shuffle for various SD cards for your maps.

The Mio Moov 310 also features a text-to-speech technology that will give drivers turn-by-turn direction with speech guidance that tells a driver of exact street names. In addition, its internal TeleAtlas-based maps covers all 50 US states as well as Puerto Rico with 3.5 million points of interest. If you need traffic information to be displayed on to the screen, TMC (Traffic Messaging Channel) is included with a free 1 year trial subscription on the Mio Moov 310. There is also an SD/MMC card reader as well as a USB port for PC direct connection.

Cons
The downside of the Mio Moov 310 is its inability to play media files. The SD/MMC and the USB port are all for map updates and firmware/software upgrades. But at this low price, you're probably looking for a basic GPS navigation system anyway. If you're not too concern about media playback, the unit is a great stand-alone navigation device.

The battery life of the unit is also relatively short when compared to TomTom's 4+ hours of battery life. The Mio Moov 310 has about 2 hours of battery life, but that's at optimal factory conditions. Expect this number to diminish as you use it more often.

The unit features a small database of 3.5 million points of interest. This is considerably smaller for today's standards. However, 3.5 million is still quite a large number and should cover most of your favorite major-name stores, hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and emergency facilities.

Overall
Ultimately, the Mio Moov 310 is worth buying if you're looking for an essential and affordable navigation unit. Expect to find this basic GPS device anywhere from $190-$250.

Magellan Triton 2000 Review

We realize that hikers need GPS navigation too. Where in the city you would need to navigate the streets, hikers would need to navigate trails. The Magellan Triton 2000 could do both. This hand-held waterproof navigation device is the perfect combination for the multi-dimensional traveler.

Pros
Keep in mind that the unit is a hand-held navigation device, not a mount-style navigation unit. Having said that, a 2.7" LCD touchscreen isn't a bad size. This screen delivers high quality images with brilliant colors and high contrast. The Triton 2000 showcases an array of features that would benefit hikers. One is an integrated LED flashlight that would provide great illumination for late evening treks. Magellan has designed the Triton 2000 to integrate the LED flashlight with minimal power consumption and is built for the battery to last as long as possible.
Another hiker-minded feature of the Triton 2000 is the electronic compass that would give the user an accurate compass reading of a location, whether standing still or hiking. It also has a barometric pressure monitor that provides accurate readings of weather and elevation changes. The Triton 2000 offer users the capability to display topographic maps, as well as marine cartography. In addition, the GPS receiver on the Triton 2000 is also very sensitive and highly accurate; and when coupled with the SiRFstarIII processor, the unit will navigate smooth and lag-free.

Now you're probably thinking "I want to pack light." Don't worry because when you bring the Triton 2000 with you, you wouldn't have to bring your digital camera. The Triton 2000 features a 2 mega pixel built-in camera. Now you can navigate and take pictures with the same unit. This highly versatile portable navigation device has a recorder, a media player, and an SD Card reader that will allow users to upload various topographical or cartographic maps, as well as media files.

Finally, this hiker's GPS navigation device is also capable of being mounted on a bicycle or any vehicle with the purchase of additional accessories. It even has a headphone output jack for an enjoyable hiking experience.

Cons
The price. The unit is expensive, listed at $499 MSRP. If you don't need all the bells and whistles of the Triton 2000, we suggest the Triton 1500, which is $399 MSRP but does not feature the barometric pressure monitor or the built-in digital camera.

Triton Series Comparison Chart

There is also the Triton 500, priced at $249 MSRP. It features everything but a 2.2" LCD display instead of the 2.7", no media playback, no camera, and no audio outputs. The Triton 400 is priced at $199 MSRP with the features of the Triton 500 but with no barometric pressure monitor and no compass sensors. The Triton 300 is set at $149 MSRP with everything Triton 400 features but with no SD card reader. The Triton 200 is set at $129 MSRP, which features similarly as the Triton 300 but with less points of interest.

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