Garmin Nuvi 205 / 205W Review (nüvi 205 W)

A new release by Garmin coming soon is the Nuvi 205 / 205W, compact and affordable GPS navigation systems. Due to be released in the late second quarter of 2008, these portable navigation devices feature new navigation technology such as a built-in MSN Direct receiver.

Common Features
This new product is quite compact, housing its crisp and clear LCD touchscreen display in a chassis that is under an inch thick. What's nice about any Garmin units, such as this Garmin Nuvi 205 / 205W is the speedy access and GPS satellite lock, providing fast and true real-time navigation without sluggish performance. This is primarily due to its built-in flash memory and the speed of the built-in processor. Most users have never complained about Garmin's inability to respond quickly to navigation and commands, and we don't expect anyone to do so with the Nuvi 205.

The Garmin Nuvi 205 / 205W features Garmin's City Navigator map database which is specialized map database for regions in which you live in. The same Garmin Nuvi 205 will be available in most parts of major European countries such as France, UK, Ireland more. The navigation function of the unit allow users to do 2D or 3D perspective navigation with complete turn-by-turn voice guidance. However, the Nuvi 205 does not feature text-to-speech technology, limiting vocal directions to distance and directional turns without any street or highway names mentioned.

The Nuvi 205 / 205W does, however, feature an MSN Direct receiver that will give users the ability to check on weather, movie times, and even gas prices-- and it's all completely free service. It also features an emergency feature that displays not only your current location but also of nearby emergency facilities such as police stations and hospitals. Of course, with all new Garmin navigation products, users are free to download their own customized icons for their avatar displayed on the screen while navigating. This isn't a make-or-break feature, but it's definitely a fun addition to have.

The Nuvi 205 / 205W do not feature any audio or video media playback other than its built-in picture viewer (JPEG). It is indeed a basic compact navigation device. It weighs around 5 ounces and has a lithium-ion battery capable of lasting a maximum of 4 hours. They both have USB ports for firmware/software updates, possible future map updates, and SD card access from a PC. They both also feature some unique tools such as currency conversion calculator, mathematical calculator, and even clocks that could be adjusted to various world time zones. Last but not least, each of the new Nuvi 205 / 205W GPS navigation units could receive FM-based traffic information.

Differing Features
The Garmin Nuvi 205 features a 3.5" LCD touchscreen display while the Garmin Nuvi 205W features a wider 4.3" LCD screen. The screens are both equally high-resolution and crisp, with great visibility even in bright settings. Though the two screens differ in size, both GPS units are equal in thickness (measuring under 1"). Another difference is the Nuvi 205W SD Card reader where as the smaller, more compact Nuvi 205 features a Micro SD Card reader.

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The Nuvi 205 / 205W is Garmin's attempt to reach out to the average driver in need of an average navigation unit. The interface is easy to use and the device features key driver-friendly functions. The ability for the units to stay under $200 is already incredible, especially with its traffic and MSN Direct receiver, and a nice anti-theft feature that is common on Garmin products.

Amcor 3600B Review

Hands down, this may be one of the cheapest GPS navigation units out there. Given the price, it is pretty basic but it does have a series of crucial features that will set this above other lower-tier GPS navigation systems.

The Amcor 3600B is priced at under $190, a very affordable price for anyone to drool over. This GPS device features a compact 3.5" LCD screen that is above average in contrast and clarity, with a brightness rating of 300 cd/m2. What's nice about the compact screen is its incredibly thin chassis, measuring at only under 3/4". The Amcor 3600B could fit in anyone's pocket or purse, or even tucking it away in the glove compartment or the center console.

The Amcor 3600B has a built-in Centrality Atlas II processor, clocked at 300 MHz. The processor is a little bit slower than most of today's portable GPS navigation devices that feature 350 MHz or 400 MHz processors. To compensate for it, Amcor designed the 3600B with a built-in 64MB RAM that would be able to handle greater demands by the user. It also has a high-sensitivity SiRF STAR III GPS receiver chipset, an identical chipset found in most major brands GPS systems such as Garmin, TomTom, or Magellan. The SiRF Star III is also capable of locking on to 20 different GPS orbital satellites, allowing for maximum coverage and accuracy while navigating. The internal map database is TeleAtlas-based, so you know you're navigating with accurate readings and pre-loaded maps. However, Amcor never specified how many points of interest it has. We suspect that for the price, it probably features anywhere from 1.5 - 3 million points of interest (POI).

The Amcor 3600B features audio and video playback capabilities through its SD/MMC card input. The unit supports MP3, WAV, AVI, BITMAP (BMP), JPEG/JPG, GIF, and even PNG. What's amazing about the Amcor 3600B is of course its price, but with such a low price, it's amazing to find that the Amcor 3600B features a built-in Bluetooth interface for hands-free calling capable of displaying call status and caller ID on the screen. It also features a mini-USB port for updates or SD/MMC card access through PC, as well as a 3.5mm audio output to connect the unit to your existing car audio system.

For the price that it's set at, it's almost too good to be true. It is a compact and smaller than most GPS units, but the Amcor 3600B packs so many features and even a Bluetooth feature that is definitely hard to resist. If you're looking for a basic and cheap navigation device with Bluetooth capabilities, you'll likely to find it in the Amcor 3600B.

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.

TomTom ONE XL Review (Tom Tom 1)

TomTom recently released the TomTom ONE XL, a stylish new navigation device. The first thing you'll notice about the TomTom ONE XL is its relatively thin design. The market's thinnest GPS devices measure at less than 3/4" thick. The TomTom ONE XL measures at a little bit over an inch, so it's still relatively small. It is an upgrade from the older TomTom ONE model which featured a 3.5" LCD touchscreen display. The TomTom ONE XL features a 4.3" widescreen LCD that is significantly larger and much clearer as well as high contrasting.
Keep in mind that the unit is a very basic unit but it does feature Bluetooth connectivity that is optional with an additional subscription, as well as an SD Card reader that enables any user to update their map database. The TomTom ONE XL does not feature any playback of audio or video files, but it does receive FM radio-based traffic information that updates the displayed map. In addition, the unit could receive weather data of any user selected cities.
Also be advised that the Bluetooth technology is not designed for hands-free calling but only for addition TomTom Plus subscription. It picks up better traffic information through the Plus subscription. This portable GPS navigation device, however, features an SD Card reader that could read up to 2GB of map information.
On the one hand, the unit is a great basic unit that offers plenty of GPS functions; but on the other hand, there really is no other feature that would be attractive to more advanced users. The TomTom ONE XL features a SiRFStar III processor that runs at 266 MHz, which is unfortunately slower than most portable GPS navigation units today. However, there is truly only one function for this unit, which is navigation, so a 266 MHz processor would be adequate with most usage. If you're looking for a basic in-vehicle navigation system, the TomTom ONE XL could be the perfect easy-to-use navigation device for the basic user at under $250.

Navigon 2100 MAX (2100MAX) Review

There are so many GPS products out there, it may be increasingly difficult to find which one is better and which is worse. We would argue that instead of finding the answer to the "Which is better?" question, try asking yourself, "What's an important feature for me?"

We say this to stress the point that technology is becoming very universal and with that universality comes universal quality. There isn't really one better than another because there are so many categories that comparison isn't possible unless it is something very objective, such as price and size.
With all that being said, let us introduce to you, the Navigon 2100 MAX. This model is an upgrade of the Navigon 2100. Where last model featured a 3.5" LCD screen this new piece from Navigon features a 4.3" LCD touchscreen display that features a high resolution, vivid colors, and very nice contrast. Of course, all these truly help drivers in seeing the screen while driving in direct sunlight. The Navigon 2100 MAX
features a very attractive design and the screen is encased in a very thin and compact black-gloss finished chassis.

Navigon never specified how many points of interest the unit holds. However, Navigon's unique FreshMaps allow users to update the map and point of interest database on a monthly basis. In this sense, the Navigon 2100 MAX would never be outdated; but we're a little skeptical at how many POIs it actually has.
The Navigon 2100 MAX features a unique Lane Assistant and Reality View that allow drivers a very detailed and up-close look of upcoming lane changes. For drivers in busy metropolitan areas like Los Angeles or New York, the Lane Assistant will definitely be a greatly appreciated feature that makes driving much safer and easier. It also has text-to-speech technology, that complements the Lane Assistant feature. It'll tell you exact street names and freeway names instead of the vague "Turn left ahead", which is incredibly difficult with 5 left lanes at an interchange for 3 freeway splits. In addition, the Navigon 2100 MAX also features a DirectHelp function that directs a driver to an emergency facility such as hospitals, police stations, or fire stations, with a push of a button.

This portable navigation unit also features the optional add-on that allows it to receive traffic information. It could display your speed (and warns you if you're over the speed limit) and you could also plan your trip before you go out and actually get on the road. Unfortunately the unit does not play any sort of media nor does it have any secondary audio outputs such as a headphone jack or FM transmitter.

For all these unique navigation features and its stylish design, the Navigon 2100 MAX is relatively inexpensive with an MSRP set at $299. The only thing we're concerned about is its inability to playback audio and video files and the unspecified POI, which usually means it does not have a whole lot. If you're looking for a straight-up navigation device, the Navigon 2100 MAX offers innovative and incredibly helpful guidance through the busiest interchange in North America.