Pioneer AVH-P3300BT 5.8-Inch DVD AV Bluetooth Receiver with iPod/iPhone Control Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First of all, the reason why I had purchased this item was because it had bluetooth and it was navigation ready on sale for only ($359). If the price is listed higher then $359 don't get it. Just wait for the price to go down. The higher end models that are twice as expensive and do not even include bluetooth or navigation ready. As soon as I had this item installed,
I was very impressed by the sound quality (you can custom tune the EQ), and I love how it's very simple to use. And it just came out as well.
It comes with a microphone where you can set it anywhere you want in the front of the car to talk into and it has the iphone function where you can dial numbers and view your phonebook through the screen. The touchscreen sensitivity is pretty good, not the best, but pretty good. I would rate the touch sensitivity 3.8 of 5 stars because its the push technology. I'd give the iphone's touch sensitivity 5 of 5 stars.
This system has a new feature called APP MODE which is awesome because you can view and control any of your applications from your iphone 4 or itouch through your head unit screen. The only downside to the APP MODE is Pioneer makes customers buy a specific cable for that feature to work. You need the Pioneer CD-IU51V which costs like $50.00 bucks. Not the Pioneer CD-IU50V. Total Rip-Off but its cool to own.
This unit comes with a remote control but it's really uncomfortable to use because it's so tiny and its hard to get a grip while driving. I would recommend you go on Pioneer's website and purchase a remote control separately (it's around $19-$29).
What's cool is that it can read SD cards. You can put pictures, movies, music, and etc. I prefer using an SD card over an ipod because ipod's require a long cable. Its just a pain to pull out the cable and then hide it every time you step out of your vehicle so that nobody see's it and tries to rob you.
Also, make sure you let the installer know that you want this head unit bypassed so you are able to watch movies as you drive. (Not that I recommend anyone doing that, but maybe for the passenger to watch and get comfortable with). If you don't get the head unit bypassed, videos will not play unless you are parked. I did the bypass myself and it doesn't take more than 5-10 minutes if you know what you're doing. In order to bypass it, you are going to need a Standard Bosch Relay (can be purchased at any electronic store for a few bucks or less). You do not want to get it bypassed by using a switch (let the installer know you don't want it done this way) because then you are going to have to turn the switch on and off every time you get in the car.
What I also like about this unit is that it will read almost any type of dvd video format. Also, you can go on itunes and burn 600 songs onto a dvd disc (format it as data disc), and it will play beautifully, all 500-600 songs. I recommend again, if you want to watch movies on screen from your itouch or iphone 4, you need to purchase the USB cable that pioneer has to offer (Pioneer CD-IU51V). NOT THE Pioneer CD-IU50V. You need the Pioneer CD-IU51V.
If you have any questions including which EQ setting sounds best, how to install or bypass, where the best place to set the microphone, etc. Let me know. Hope this review was helpful.

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Pioneer's AVH-P3300BT adds Bluetooth hands-free calling to the long list of features on their 2011 multimedia receivers, complete with 10-key dialing via the 5.8-inch widescreen touch display. Pioneer's improved touch interface lets you customize things to your preference, and easily enjoy your favorite DVDs and CDs, USB thumb drives, and SD Cards full of your favorite files. You'll get direct control of your iPod or iPhone, and Pioneer's Advanced Sound Retriever to put some life back into those compressed audio files. Pioneer's Auto EQ feature lets you use the CD-M20 microphone to further optimize the receiver's EQ for your vehicle. And when it's time to grow, add GPS navigation, satellite radio, and more with Pioneer add-on devices.
A versatile touchscreen DVD receiver with wide media support. Click here for a larger image

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LITTLE BUDDY Child Tracker Review

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(More customer reviews)Apparently now only sold at Best Buy, the Little Buddy runs on the Sprint network and works almost exactly like Sprint's Family Locator service (powered by Wavemarket). In my area the accuracy is usually within a few yards, which I think is fantastic.
The monthly service is one of the least expensive out there - and the only one I know of with a $0/mo, price per locate option.
The battery lasts at best 24 hours. This makes it pretty much useless for my purposes. A cell phone on Sprint/Family locator lasts about a week.
If these parameters work for you, you might be very happy with this device. For me, battery life is paramount and I had to return the device after a trial period.

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Pioneer AVIC-U310BT 4.3-Inch In-Dash Navigation Receiver with CD Player and Bluetooth Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The boss (Wife) had the stock 6 CD changer in her 2006 Explorer XLT. She wanted a new radio that would allow her to listen to her iPod and have Bluetooth for her phone. I also wanted to add GPS, since if I was going to replace the darn thing, I may as well give her all the functions she might need for the future.
I looked online for a new head unit but it seemed that all the units were in the above $500 range. I saw that Amazon had the Pioneer AVIC-U310BT on sale for $259.00. I did some research and found a mixed bag of reviews, for every good review, there was a not so good one. After a bit of thinking, I decided to bite. I'm glad I did.
I bought the head unit along with the PAC Can Bus module05-08 FORD RADIO CAN BUS MODULE INTERFACEand the Scosche Scosche FD1426B Double ISO DIN Kit for 2004-Up Fordmounting kit. The harness was about $80 and the mounting kit another $15. If you look at a lot of the head units out there, they offer Bluetooth as an option, not include it with as with this radio. That would have added another $100 to many of the competitors out there.
I opened up all the parts I bought and read all the documentation on all the items BEFORE I went outside. I prewired the Pac module, connecting all the wires to the wiring harness from the radio. This made it easy when I went out to the truck. Plug and play, the only wiring I need to do was routing all the wires for the microphone, GPS antenna and the Aux output wire for her Sirius radio.
About that Sirius, Pioneer offers the built in module for Sirius or XM. Both cost $100 and you have to find a place for the big Sirius modules under the dash. They don't offer some of the features the little Plug and Play units Sirius offers; pause, FF, and favorite song or artist reminders. We decided to keep her existing Sportster 5 and plug it into the Aux port.
I got it all installed in about 90 minutes. I placed the GPS antenna under the top tray on the dashboard. The antenna sees right through the plastic tray, and stays hidden. The iPod cable is simply the USB cable that came with the iPod. You can buy the cable from Pioneer for about $40. I don't see the need, as it works fine with the Apple cable. I put the iPod in the glove box, as you don't need to access it, all the controls can be reached from the head unit.
The sound from the radio is great. The GPS navigation seems to be good, but I can tell you more as we use it in real world driving. Some people have said that they had issues with Bluetooth not connecting consistently. I started and turned off the truck about 20 times so far, and each time it finds and connects to my iPhone....no issues at all. The sound quality of the included microphone seems good, so far. Again, we will see how it goes in real world driving conditions.
Overall, it isn't as neat as the $500-$1000 dollar head units out there, the screen is not as big, and it may not have all the features of its higher priced cousins. But to have GPS, CD, iPod and Bluetooth for about $350 total, it cannot be beat.
Edit 4/27/10 After a week of use:
Wanted to add a few items on the use of this system. First, some have complained about the quality of the microphone that is supplied with the unit. For us, it works well. I have been involved in both ends of phone conversations as both the sender from the truck, or as a reciever of a call from the truck. Both come in loud and clear. Perhaps other people had issue with the location of the microphone? We clipped it directly to the driver's visor.
Sound quality is fantastic. This head unit really takes advantage of the factory sub woofer in the Explorer. We never heard such powerful bass from the stock unit.
The iPod control takes a little getting used to, but once you figure it out, it works well. My wife has simply put the iPod on random from the head unit controls. It is like a juke box with thousands of songs.....it is playing songs we long ago forgotten that were on the iPod.
GPS navigation has been fine. Sure, not a lot of POI's, but we simply enter in addresses. For my wife, it is no big deal.
Using the PAC Sys can bus module made the wiring easy. The system knows when the truck is moving, it knows to dim the display when the headlights go on, etc. It is just like a factory installation.
Overall, we are still happy with the purchase.

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Pioneer's AVIC-U310BT is a no-nonsense in-dash navigation receiver with CD Player and Bluetooth. Get fast, easy-to-use in-dash navigation, talk hands-free with built-in Bluetooth, control your iPod or iPhone directly, and plenty more, all without breaking the bank.


Navigation Built with You in Mind The AVIC-U310BT is provides the ideal solution for those who are ready for a fully integrated in-dash solution and want the full-featured navigation for which Pioneer is known. Out of the box, this system comes with an extensive map database to help you find your next destination. The built-in Text-to-Speech engine clearly pronounces turn-by-turn direction and street names to ensure smooth travels.
On the Map The easy-to-operate Pioneer Navigation system has built-in maps that put the world at your fingertips. This includes major points of interest, such as restaurants, ATMs, gas stations, entertainment venues and more. Featuring convenient turn-by-turn voice guidance and detailed maps that display intersections and lane information, your Pioneer Navigation system is ready to go when you are.
AVIC Feeds The system's database is fully expandable with AVIC feeds, Pioneer's PC application, which lets you create custom trips and your own points of interest.
Voice Control The Z-Series offers convenient voice-activated navigation, which allows you to simply say an address or find nearby points of interest.

AVIC FEEDS for iPhone now available Unleash the power of your Pioneer navigation system with the AVIC FEEDS for iPhone application. Find a destination, then transfer it to your Pioneer navigation system for turn-by-turn routing.
Bridge the Gap Start Planning your route before you even step into your car with the free AVIC FEEDS app. Now you can seamlessly use your iPhone with your Pioneer navigation receiver. Simply find your destination with the built-in Google Maps interface and transfer it via Bluetooth for easy, turn-by-turn directions.
Picture Yourself There The AVIC FEEDS app also allows you to use the geo-tag data in your photos to be routed directly to places you've visited. The built-in GPS feature of iPhone 3G and 3GS has the ability to embed geo-tag information in the photos you take with its camera. AVIC FEEDS allows you to save destinations by reading these geo-tags. You can also use AVIC FEEDS to create destinations from geo-tagged photos that are sent to your iPhone.

Your iPod (and iPhone) Will Thank You On top of being an exceptional navigator, the AVIC-U series delivers an iPod experience that blows away FM transmitters or cassette adaptors. Even at the first glance, you will fall in love with the easy-to-use touch screen controls for your music on a brilliant 4.3-inch display.
With the optional cable (CD-IU50) connected to your iPod, you will notice how easily you can find songs, artists, or playlists with a few simple taps of your finger. The AVIC-U310BT also features powerful searching tools such as Link Play to help you quickly find the artist, album or genre that you want to hear.

Ditch the Headset with Built-in Bluetooth Take incoming calls through the AVIC-U310BT, and be heard clearly without a headset courtesy of Bluetooth technology. Connecting your compatible phone is easy and gives you instant touch screen access to your contacts.
With the X and Z-series receivers, you can also conveniently use voice-activated dialing to call contacts simply by saying a name.

Media Mogul Built to navigate, but born to entertain, the AVIC-U310BT offers audio playback from the most popular formats. Whether you're listening to WAV audio files, MP3 audio or iTunes AAC files on a CD or compatible USB device, there are several playback options for your favorite media.
From Disc Play back CDs and CD-RWs, and burn discs with all your digital media, since the AVIC-U310BT also plays back MP3, WMA, AAC, and WAV files from CD.
From USB Device If you don't feel like burning CDs just throw the MP3/WMA/AAC/WAV files you want on a USB device and enjoy.

Sound Minded Just because the AVIC-U310BT features a robust navigation platform, doesn't mean it holds back on sound quality. With 50 Watts through four channels, it packs plenty of punch.
Room to Grow With 2 sets of pre-outs, MOSFET50 power and a 3-band parametric equalizer, you can build a massive system with massive sound.

Expanded Listening The AVIC-U310BT gives you plenty of room to expand your broadcast options. With optional tuners, experience the vast channel selection of XM Sirius Satellite Radio and HD Radio.
Auxiliary Input You can connect auxiliary audio devices using a stereo mini cable with the included aux in.
What's in the Box AVIC-U310BT Main Unit, Power Cord, USB Connector, GPS Antenna, Microphone, User's Manual, Installation Manual

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Blue) Review

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(More customer reviews)After using this camera for a few weeks I am amending my rating and giving it 5 stars. This camera is truly incredible. The intelligent automatic is amazing---I only move it to manual for a few special situations. The only real complaint is that I occasionally inadvertently hit the video button. Otherwise it is simply amazing.
It handles difficult situations with grace. Sunset with sky and foreground properly exposed. Delivery room newborn with no flash and low ambient lighting. Black and white is fantastic. Couldn't be happier.
This is a great camera for a beginner---Point and shoot. Lots of control for advance photographers. I'm sorry to say I don't lug around a camera bag and tripod anymore. Just slip this in my purse.
I waited a long time to upgrade from the first generation Panasonic Lumix TZ1 (complete with dangling lens cover & 5MP) Glad I did. The best improvements are the quick power-up and lack of a shutter delay for catching fast action. If you leave it in the completely automatic mode it does an impressive job---and if you need control there's plenty and then some. Lots of programs plus aperture and shutter priority or complete control.
Other notable improvements are in the macro end of things where capturing very fine close-ups are greatly improved---my TZ1 was always focusing on the background if I could get it to focus at all. This does an incredible job! Almost too much detail (if that's possible) Every speck on the petal of a flower is exposed. This camera is slightly smaller and has a larger display screen. Most of the functions and dials are similar and I find easy to use but that may be because they are familiar.
Flash is improved over the first generation.
The zoom on the original was 10X. 12X even better. I took incredible photos of bullfrogs 15 feet away. Unbelievable detail.
This camera isn't perfect and no camera will ever be. It would be nice to have a more powerful flash and nice if you could shoot in lower light with less noise without flash and it would be nice if it had a 20X optical zoom and a faster lens but for what it is its an incredible piece of engineering. AND don't forget the Leica lens which is just plain beautiful.
All cameras have limitations and this is no exception. However it will get you a great photo most of the time. The wide angle to long telephoto range is why I bought my first Lumix. This flexibility makes for great travel photos. I did side by side comparisons of a Sony, Canon, Nikon and the first Lumix in the store and then we printed them out on the spot. No comparison. No ghosting, better color correction, better macro. And I like the ergonomics. I always place the wrist band over my wrist and hold onto the camera with fingers and pad of thumb and it feels secure. Some of the ultra small cameras are almost too small for me. (Didn't compare to current models)
What is truly awful about this camera is that the manual is on a disk and covers this camera and its 2 predecessors making it a bit (if Not totally confusing at times). It also does not come with MAC compatible editing software which is really not a big deal for me. One person asked if it is MAC OSX 10.6.3 compatible and it is. The only problem I've encountered is in using Aperture (a MAC program)it doesn't want to import directly into a project that has other images from my other Lumix camera. Make a new project and problem is solved but irritating. (Manual software and downloading from card to MAC is compatible)
Haven't tried uploading video yet.
DO purchase an extra Panasonic Battery DMW-BCG 10PP. Make sure it has the PP (It won't work without it) Also you'll need a SD Card. It's not necessary to go to the Class 6 cards unless you are shooting HD video. A SDHC 4GB card will hold 700+ photos at full MP.For most people this will be more than adequate. I carry two cards in case one goes south. You can always find them on sale for under $20. I also like the Caselogic TBC-302 Ultra Compact Camera Case for under $8.


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Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 Point & Shoot Digital Camera - 12.1 Megapixel - 3" Active Matrix TFT Color LCD - Blue DMC-ZS7A Digital Cameras

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Pentax Optio WG-1 Adventure Series 14 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 5x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Check out my updating youtube videos. I am user: "PentaxWG1" The good the bad the ugly. The over all feel of this camera is strong and gripable. I love having metal and rubber on my electronics. I have dropped this camera. It was on my lap in the jeep and there was a hornet. I jumped out and it threw to the ground. No problems. The removable circle around the lens (macro stand) has threads. They are 46mm and can screw on filters and caps. I got a cap, uv filter, polorized filter, and flourecent filter on e-bay for $6. So other than the sony TX10, this is the only camera that can protect the lens. Can't wait to buy a telescopic lens. My camera has been underwater about 15 ft. I've seen no problems with leaking. It has two openeings; one for battery and sd card, and one for hd/av hook-up. Both seem strong and sturdy to me. Battery cover does move ever so slightly but seems fine. Ok, thats the construction. As you have already heard, the macro/super macro is awesome. If you can get your specimen to sit still, you can get some pretty great material. The movie macro is even pretty cool, but you have to stay at a consistant focal length or it gets blury. I recorded a wolf spider in pitch black and the l.e.d. lights around the lens made it look like a monster movie! One bad thing about the macro is that when set straight down on the subject it will focus and take the picture on something as flat as a leaf or picture.... if it protrudes as much as a dime width or more it won't stay focused. But when I pulled back just a hair the dime did look awsome. N-E-Wayz, It seems the closer you are to the subject with this camera the better it looks. A closer shot of two people, shoulders and up, look really good. But further away not so much. pictures of groups of people (full body) or the shot of a pond or a... cow...I say the camera is about par. Not bad but not great. I have tried the cybershot TX10 and if you strictly want waterproof picture quality go that way or panasonic. TX10 was beautiful but not as fun. Back to the WG-1. With par pics I do feel the camera is more consistant than its predesessor w90. Better with stand, free hand not as good..but always the same. Never a crappy picture out of nowhere. I also feel it does much better in lower light than the w90. It gets noisey but I was getting decent lighted shots (no flash) in areas that where very dim to the naked eye. The l.e.d. lights are handy, too. Optical zoom works pretty well for pictures. You'll want a steady hand or stand if zoomed all the way in. Digital zoom sucks. The panorama is not sweep. You take 3 pics and line them up, then the camera stitches them. Not as convinient as the TX10 but it looks good and you can do tricks...As for underwater. Pictures and video where pretty darn good. Anti shake or wudever made it pretty smooth. With video underwater or above the zoom works but it doesn't refocus very well. But over all regular video was better than I expected. Once again when things are close it seems very virbrant. I got about a foot from a cow's face and the fur on his head got very HiDef-ish. Battery life....sucks, but I got and extra generic one when I ordered mine for 6 bucks. Over-all I really love this camera. I've been totally entertained for 2 days and havn't even gotten to time lapse phtography yet. Although I do think of the pic quality of the TX10 now and then. I would have been bored with that camera after one dip in the lake. I can get a 10 mp zoom camera for less than a hundred and fill in anywhere the wg-1 lack.

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Flex your sense of adventure with the newest generation of waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, coldproof, and now crushproof digital camera models.The 12th generation of PENTAX adventure series digital camera, the Optio WG-1 takes adventure photography to new heights (and depths).New and improved features on the PENTAX Optio WG-1 model include a 14 megapixel sensor, waterproof to 33 feet, shockproofto withstand falls up to 5 feet and new crushproof construction to withstand weight force up to 220 pounds (100kgfkilogram-force).PENTAX enhanced the Digital Microscope mode with a total of five macro LEDs for excellent macro lighting plus a detachable macro stand for steadier capture. The handy new Self-Portrait Assist mode is perfect for Facebooking and other social networking activities.

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BlackBerry 9300EUBK Blackberry Curve 3G 9300 Unlocked GSM SmartPhone with 2 MP Camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth - Unlocked Phone - No Warranty - Graphite Grey Review

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(More customer reviews)3G does not work on AT&T! I received a T-Mobile branded phone that only supports 2G (EDGE) on the AT&T network. When I asked to replace the phone for one that supports 3G on AT&T, I was told that I should have known in advance whether or not the phone would work on 3G before I bought it, and since I had opened the box to test it, I would not be allowed to return it for a replacement or refund! The description of the phone states that the supported HSPDA (3G) networks are 850, 1900, and 2100 (AT&T uses 1900, T-Mobile 2100), so a reasonable inference would be that 3G will work with AT&T, but it doesn't. It doesn't because when either AT&T or T-Mobile brand their phones, they disable 3G capability if the phone is used with the other carrier. The sellers of unlocked 3G phones should be required to disclose who's branded phone they are selling, so that the customer can make an informed choice. Because they aren't required to do so and don't, I was sold a product that does not perform as advertised. Buyer beware!

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Magellan Crossover 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

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(More customer reviews)One the whole, I like my M. Crossover. Generally speaking, it does everything I need it for in regard to GPS. I do not use mine for the audio or visual playback and do not care about those functions. To date, I have done nothing with the computer software either and cannot vouch for that aspect.
The best features to me were in having a GPS unit that I could use to plot courses in the car and yet have a GPS that would work well for hiking. I have driven all over north Texas with the unit and had it mark my travels in both the road mode and outdoor (hiking/contour map) mode. I have not used it in the Marine mode. With just a few exceptions, it has had all the roads I have been on. The exceptions were a couple of very small roads in the middle of nowhere and roads in a brand new development. No surprise. Strangely, it had some dirt roads that I would not have expected. So that was really handy.
In the outdoor mode, I have plotted various key points and had it track my progress, both while driving and while hiking. It has done this all relatively well.
Before I go further, let me say that if I lost this unit, I would not hesitate in getting another. However, it is not a perfect unit and has some shortcomings that are a bit of a bother, but not fatal at all. It has been my experience that all GPS units seem to have various shortcomings, often varying depending on the type of intended use of the unit. I do think the Crossover, with its shortcomings, does enough of the cross over functions to cover my needs sufficiently well and I do not currently see any other units on the market that match it in such versatility.
I have run the unit on battery (most of the time) and while charging in the car. I have charged it with the 120v outlet charger as well. They promise 8 hours of run time and so far I have run as much as 6 on full screen brightness and not run out of power. The 8 hour estimate seems good.
On my recreational property, I have plotted the locations of the property corners, gates, and other specific locations. Subsequent return trips have the show very good match between my previous plots and locations, to just a few feet, well within the unit's specifications. It performs consistently well in this regard, as it should.
The shortcomings...
In the 150+ hours of use with probably 80 or 90 start-ups, I have had it fail to properly boot 4 times. This necessitated the use of the reset switch on the side and after resetting, the unit booted fine.
The green rubber ring around the unit is to help absorb shock if dropped and it probably does help to some extent (I have dropped it once). However, it is prone to slip off when carried in a pocket or pack during periods of lots of motion and the grippy aspect of the rubber can make it hard to extract the unit from a snug pocket if one wants the rubber ring remaining on the unit.
The on screen controls vary with the mode that it is in and as such, the features I like in one mode are not in the same place in the other mode and that can be a bit annoying if you go between modes on a regular basis. This is especially true of the brightness function that is onscreen on the map page in the outdoor mode but not in the car mode.
You can't plot points in the car mode, but if you are in the car mode, the map does not show the icons for gas/food etc. that it does in the outdoor mode. That seemed a bit counter-intuitive.
I have medium-sized guy fingers and sometimes find that I have not been able to precisely press an onscreen button properly. Maybe I need more practice or smaller fingers.
Even on the brightest setting and while out in the sunlight, it can be hard to see the image on the screen. As long as sun is not shining directly on the screen in the car, it does well enough.
As with all GPS units I have used or experienced in the past, letting the GPS decide your route from point A to B should not mean that the traveler should blindly accept the route as the best option, even with the various choices given (fastest, shortest, most use of freeways, etc.). It will get you from point A to B, but what it asserts is the best route may actually be much less than optimal.
I don't know of any other way to charge the unit other than with the accessories provided. You can't take the unit on a 2 day hike and use it all the time without running down the battery and you can't change out the battery. It would be nice if there was a separate battery pack that could be jacked in or a solar charger. Otherwise, the unit is somewhat limited to either sporadic use on multi-day hikes or day hiking because of the battery limitation.
Lastly, while it can track something like 14 satellites, it can lose track of them as well. While hiking in Big Bend with the mountains, signals came and went a lot. It was a bit annoying. No doubt this will happen with other units as well, but the access to 14 didn't seem to make it keep track any more often or continually than with other GPS units I have used.
As I noted above, I would buy this unit again if I had to replace the current unit. I harped on the shortcomings because if you have read Magellan's promo for the Crossover, then you know what it can do and it has been my experience that it pretty well does what is claimed. I only point out the shortcomings such that other potential buyers can make a better informed decision.

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The Magellan 2500T Crossover the world's first full featured, pocket size crossover GPS that you can use both in the car and on outdoor expeditions. Enjoy driving, hiking, geocaching, boating, fishing navigation with this all-in-one GPS. The 2500T is also water resistant to IPX4 standards, and features a sleek, intelligent design with a powerful, integrated antenna, MP3 player and picture viewer.
Convenient Crossover Navigation If you've ever wished for a single unit that could guide you on the drive to the park, on the hike in the park, and up the river to the next park, the 2500T is the GPS system for you. The large, easy-to-read, 3.5-inch diagonal touch-screen is ideal for either showing you the best route to a new restaurant or keeping you on-track during your next outdoor excursion. Simple touch-screen menus make it easy to select virtually any destination and get turn-by-turn voice and visual guidance on the road. Or you can take the 2500T on your next hike, mark waypoints along the way and save the route to go again next weekend. Detailed built-in street maps of North America and light topographic maps of North America help ensure that you'll never get lost again, no matter where your travels take you.
Advanced Auto Navigation The 2500T gives you the tools you need to make sure your next car trip is as enjoyable and hassle-free as possible. Advanced auto navigation features include multi-destination routing, which is ideal for vacations; SmartDetour to route you around slow freeway traffic; and SayWhere text-to-speech, which tells you both where to turn and the name of the street to turn on. If you miss a turn, or suddenly find yourself stuck in traffic, the 2500T will save you time and stress by automatically recalculating your route. Powerful and reliable, this system runs on a high performance battery that offers up to eight hours of use so you can search points of interest and plan your trip with ease. Once you're on the road, you can take advantage of the optional TrafficKit accessory, which makes it easy to avoid traffic with Real-time incident reports. (Note: subscription required for traffic reports).
Easy Outdoor Routing Its sleek and rugged design makes the 2500T easy to take with you wherever you go. The included SportsGuard provides added armor to enhance this system's endurance during outdoor use. As you take on new adventures, you can even add detailed regional topographic or marine maps via Secure Digital memory cards. And whether you're traveling in the car or on foot, you can enhance your trip by listening to music and viewing pictures whether you're in the car or on a mountain trail.

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Garmin nüvi 1450LM 5-Inch Touchscreen Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am a long time Garmin user. I currently own a Garmin 660 nuvi that is absolutely dependable. It gives correct and accurate directions every single time. But the volume is dying on it and I can hardly hear it anymore. Thats why I started looking for a new one.
This is my third Garmin GPS in less than 2 weeks. All were returned.
This unit sends me in circles when my destination lies straight ahead. Returning home I needed to make one right turn and drive 1 mile to my house. Simple enough right? This unit had me take a left turn onto a street that drove through a park, and around a ball field and a swimming pool. Can you imagine how crowded that would be on a summer weekend? Then it tried to put me the wrong way on a one way street. Enroute to one destination that should have required two turns, it sent me zig zagging through allys and side streets.
Enough is enough. I am finished with Garmin GPS's for good.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nüvi 1450LM 5-Inch Touchscreen Portable GPS Navigator


See the big, wide world with the large screen nuvi 1450LM. It offers free Lifetime Maps, multiple-point routing, lane assist with junction view to guide you through busy highway interchanges, pedestrian routing options and ecoRoute to find the most fuel-efficient route.

Extra-Wide, Feature-Rich GPS Navigator Lifetime Maps
Includes Free Lifetime Map Updates With free Lifetime Map updates, you always have the most up-to-date maps, points of interest and navigation information available at your fingertips. Map updates are available for download up to 4 times a year. It's ready to go, right out of the box, with no subscription or update fees and no expiration dates.

See Even More It's easy to see where you're going on nuvi 1450LM's 5-inch touchscreen display. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. With its big, bold display, you won't miss a thing.

Navigate City Transit With its enhanced pedestrian navigation capabilities, nuvi 1450LM is the perfect travel companion for getting around town. Download optional cityXplorer content to help you navigate city public transit. Know where to walk, where to catch the bus, subway, tram or other transportation and how long it will take to get there. cityXplorer maps are available for select cities throughout North America and Europe. And with prices as low as $9.99, you'll have money left over to spend in the big city.

Know the Lane Before It's Too Late No more guessing which lane you need to be in to make an upcoming turn. Lane assist with junction view guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. It realistically displays road signs and junctions on your route along with arrows that indicate the proper lane for navigation.

Plan Ahead nuvi 1450LM includes advanced navigation features to take the worry out of traveling. With route planning you can save 10 routes, specify via points and preview simulated turns on the 1450LM's large screen. In addition, nuvi 1450LM automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands, deliveries or sales calls. A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you've been on the map.

Get Turn-by-Turn Directions nuvi 1450LM's intuitive interface greets you with two simple questions: "Where To?" and "View Map." Touch the color screen to easily look up addresses and services and get voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination. It comes preloaded with detailed City Navigator NT street maps, nearly 6 million points of interest (POIs), 2-D or 3-D maps and the speed limit for most major roads in the U.S. and Europe. Its digital elevation maps show you shaded contours at higher zoom levels, giving you a big picture of the surrounding terrain. With the 1450LM's enhanced user interface, you can slide your finger to conveniently scroll between screens. You can also upload custom POIs. And with HotFix satellite prediction, nuvi calculates your position faster to get you there quicker.

Go Beyond Navigation Navigation is just the beginning. nuvi 1450LM saves you gas and money with ecoRoute--a green feature that calculates the most fuel-efficient route, tracks fuel usage and more. The 1450LM includes many travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. With photo navigation, you can download pictures from Garmin Connect Photos and navigate to them. With its "Where Am I?" emergency locator, you always know your location. Simply tap the screen to get your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations. The 1450LM features Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and is compatible with our free Garmin Garage where you can download custom voices and vehicles. Enhance your travel experience with optional plug-in microSD cards.

What's in the Box
nuvi 1450; Preloaded City Navigator NT North America (U.S, Canada and Mexico); Lifetime Maps; Vehicle Power Cable; Vehicle Suction Cup Mount; USB cable; Dashboard Disc; Quick Start Manual

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TomTom GO 930 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've owned Garmin's for more than 5 years and I currently own a NUVI 760. I've heard the great news about the TOMTOM 930 with IQROUTES, lane guidance, and the HOME feature so I decided to buy the 930 so I can give it a spin and compare it to the NUVI 760 with MSN DIRECT.
TOMTOM Pluses:
Arrival time -
The arrival time with IQROUTES are MORE accurate than Garmin's. The NUVI keeps updating the arrival time during the trip. I compared the arrival time from the start and the TOMTOM was more accurate. TOMTOM is constantly collecting the travel times and updating their database. When you sign in to the HOME program the IQroutes from your trips are uploaded to the TOMTOM server.
Routes:
If anyone writes a review about a GPS and states that routes are 100% accurate then they are lieing, I have not found the perfect GPS with perfect routes.
The routes on both the 930 and the NUVI 760 have been identical. With the 930 I see minutes left on the trip, time left, and arrival time. I can even tell the 930 what time I would like to arrive at my destination.I can AVOID any of the roads on my trip. You CANNOT avoid roads on the NUVI 760.
TRAFFIC:
I'm using traffic on the 930 through my ATT Tilt phone and it seems to work and it is accurate. It uses my Tilt to access the traffic on the TOMTOM server through the Internet. If you have cell coverage you should have traffic data.
MSN Traffic on the 760 is not accurate and the avoidance feature does not work that well. The bad thing about the MSN Direct feature is that it does not have good range. I live in Chicago and the service does not work in many of the outlying suburbs.
PLUSES:
Iqroutes are more accurate than the NUVI.
Lane guidance works in my area.
Avoiding roads on your trip.
Being able to correct street names, closed streets, one ways, and many other errors is a big plus.
Traffic works well.
The GPS chip has not lost reception. I've lost the signal numerous times on the NUVI.
More information on the 930 screen than on the 760.
TOMTOM minuses:
The screen is hard to see in sunlight.
The maps are not bad since I loaded the Garmin map look on the 930. I even have the magenta route line on my 930.
The battery does not last more than 1 hour.
The Text to speech does not work all the time. The street names are not pronounced as good as the NUVI.
You don't get the constant reminders that the NUVI 760 provides. Sometimes I don't think that I drive the 930 with my eyes close. With the 760 you can close your eyes and not miss a turn.
I cannot locate an address by ANY city like the NUVI. Sometimes the 930 cannot locate an address if it thinks it's in a different city. You have to input the surrounding city names to get the correct address and route.


Click Here to see more reviews about: TomTom GO 930 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

TomTom's award-winning software means ground-breaking new technology for the ultimate driving experience. Switch on and go right out of the box. Just enter the address on the touchscreen or use voice address entry and start driving anywhere in the US or Canada. TomTom guides you door-to-door with turn-by-turn spoken instructions, including street names. TomTom has the most accurate maps and with TomTom Map Share technology you can instantly modify street names, street direction, and POIs on your own device. New IQ Routes gives you the fastest route every time by using actual average speeds of travel to calculate your trip rather than posted speed limits. Enhanced Positioning Technology gives you uninterrupted navigation even in tunnels or highly built-up areas. And now, Advanced Lane Guidance brings even more clarity to complex multi-lane exits so you can be even more confident on the road. The GO 930 makes driving even safer with handsfree calling. And with the Help Me! menu, there are added safety features so you can easily access local emergency providers. The TomTom GO 930 is the ultimate car navigator.

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Pioneer AVH-P4200DVD In-Dash Double-DIN DVD Multimedia AV Receiver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)OK here is my review of the Pioneer AVH-P4200DVD. I bought it a few weeks ago and had it professionally installed in my 2009 Yukon XL. I wanted to give it some use before I wrote a review so I could give it an honest review. I know many people including myself use these reviews to make the deciding decision if they are undecided between a few different choices. I am not going to go into much detail around the interface options because the internet has plenty of info and videos already on that. I am going to tell more about how each of the modules work. So here we go.
Obviously I got the head unit, but I also got The Bluetooth module (CD-BTB200), the HD Radio Module (GEX-P20HD), The Sirius Satellite Radio module (CD-SB10 & SC-C1), Backup Camera (ND-BC4) and the IPod Touch/IPhone cable (CD-IU200V). Basically I got every possible add-on module, minus the navigation (AVIC-U220) which is not even out yet. I will go into each of the modules and explain.
Bluetooth:
Connecting your phone to the unit is pretty painless. Turn discovery mode on the phone and the unit immediately picks it up. Once the phone has been set up the first time, it is a breeze. The only thing that is needed, is the Bluetooth needs to be turned on, on the phone. The head unit automatically picks it up when it is close. It connects very fast, usually within a second or two. The factory Bluetooth would take around 30 seconds. The module comes with a microphone that I had mounted by my rear view mirror. The sound from the call comes out the cars speakers. Voice quality sounds great on both ends I have been told. Better than the one that came with the vehicle. The Bluetooth interaction between the unit and your phone is nothing special. You can press a button on the unit to register you phone so you can see missed call(s), incoming, outgoing and that's about it. The caveat to that is that the phone has to be paired to the unit when the call actually came, or it shows nothing. So in my mind, it is kind of pointless for almost $200. If you have a stock one with your vehicle (both units still work the stock and the Pioneer one, I can pick which to pair with), keep it, if you don't then buy it because driving while holding a phone sucks. Second part of this module is it does do streaming audio via Bluetooth. I have a Motorola Droid, so when it is paired I switch it to Bluetooth audio, open up my Pandora app and let it rip. Sound is good, but this is fully dependent of your phone signal.
HD Radio:
If you listen to radio this is a must. The sound quality is so crisp and so clear, even the AM stations. I have heard some misconceptions about HD radios not being able to broadcast a station that has not converted to HD. False and untrue. The stations that don't have an HD channel sounds like it does in your vehicle today. You can really hear the difference between the HD and regular. When you select a channel it comes out standard as it does today, then after a second or two, you see on the screen the signal changes to HD and the sound is night and day on the same station.
Sirius Satellite:
I have had a Sirius subscription for 4-5 years now and could not think of life without it. If you don't have satellite radio, I recommend you go the XM route. Yes they are two in the same now that they merged when it comes to what you get in regards to programming but not when it comes to your wallet. If you go the XM route, you only have to buy one module, the GEX-P920XM. If you go the Sirius route you have to buy the Pioneer module (CD-SB10) and the Sirius Connect module (SC-C1). I went the Sirius route because I signed a long contract years ago so I had to stick with them. The unit, when connected to Sirius, shows station, artist & etc. This is the thing on the radio that gets listened to the most. I feel it is a must have if you buy this radio.
Backup Camera:
Well......it's a backup camera. Nothing special here in terms of what it does. The picture is great on the units screen in any light conditions. Pioneer sells another backup camera (ND-BC20PA) that is almost double the price that is supposed to have better resolution, better at night, parking assist and yada, yada, yada . I am backing up out of my driveway or into a spot. I don't need assistance with that and if I did, I should probably not be driving backwards. I can't compare the two because I never used the other one, but I can pick out a leaf on the ground at night behind my vehicle, in great detail, so I can't imagine needing any more detail than that. I am glad I got this with such a big vehicle because it is good to see behind you at a lower level. If I had a car I would not have gotten this because I don't see the point.
IPod Touch/IPhone cable:
I did some homework before I got this one by downloading the head unit's manual off the Pioneer web site. Pioneers web site says the one to buy with this unit is the CD-IU50V but the manual says the CD-IU200V. I went with the CD-IU200V and it works just fine. I did mine a little different. I have an extension on the unit then plugged the cable (CD-IU200V) into that, then wired it to the inside of my center console. The reason I did that is for USB thumb drives. This way I can unplug the CD-IU200V USB part and plug in a thumb drive. I tried with a 16 gig thumb drive with mp3's, pictures and videos on it and they all played as expected. Using this cable with an IPod/IPhone is great. I have an IPod Touch and I plug it in and put it in my center console. Everything is controlled from the head unit. The touch on the unit is very responsive. The only point of this cable is to play videos. If you have zero intentions in playing videos, don't buy this. Just use the one that comes with the unit. That will play all of your music without the need to buy anything else. The video playback is great. It depends on the quality of the video save on your IPod of course. A few goofy things about this cable, or maybe it has to do with the software? Sometimes when I connect my IPod it charges it.....sometimes it doesn't. Occasionally it shows the message saying that this part is not compatible with the unit. Once in a while the menus lag from screen to screen when the IPod is attached and I am trying to go into playlists or search artists, and sometimes it is so quick and snappy.
SD Card:
The manual says it only supports SD cards that are maximum of 2 gb in size. I tried a 16 gb SDHC card at it worked flawlessly. Same with the thumb drive, that was 16 gb also. So this is another option if you don't have an IPod or want to keep DVD's in the car. It's just another way to keep additional media handy.

DVD:
It acts pretty much like todays DVD players at home allowing one to adjust angle, language and subtitles (if available on the DVD). The picture is amazingly clear. Sound coming out the speakers sound great. I put the Nine Inch Nails Beside You In Time DVD in and I felt like I was at the concert again. It is a great part of this unit.
CD:
No idea. The manual says it plays them but I can't remember the last time I actually went out and bought one.A few things that someone would need to know before buying. If you want to keep your steering wheel controls, you need to buy a module for that. If you have OnStar or want to keep the car chimes (blinker, door open etc.), you need to buy an additional module for that but it is not as cut and dry as that. If you have a Bose system, you need a different type of module. While this unit does provide dual zone functionality (i.e. video screens in the backseat), you will need to buy an add-on module for that too.
The sound is just what you would expect to come from Pioneer.....great. A few things I have run into that cause a little concern. About a week after I had the unit installed, it started rebooting constantly. I mean it rebooted for two days straight. I was unable to listen to the radio, watch a video, play my IPod, or use the Bluetooth for two days. I did a factory reset and that did nothing. It did that for two days then just stopped. I called the place that installed it and told them what was going on. They said to bring it in so they could take a look at it. Took it out, rewired everything, looked at the unit, said it did not seem like anything was loose or broken. The installed does not believe it is the actual head unit that is the problem. He thinks it is because so many modules are in play, that one might be causing the problem or the combination of all of them is the problem. About 3 weeks after it started up again and stopped. I am going to have to chalk this up as this thing needs a software upgrade if/when that becomes available to get out the bugs. No reason this should be happening within the first two weeks of owning it. While his diagnoses was clearly just an assumption after years of installations, I ask if this is the case why make something that needs all these modules if they don't play nice with each other? One other thing I would love to see in a software refresh would be station labeling on your presets. Now it just says Preset 1,2 ,3 etc. It does this for Sirius & the HD radio. When I search my presets, I have no idea when it shows them in a list which is which so I just end up cycling them which defeats the purpose.
Conclusion:
This unit is great for both sound and video. One of the best I have seen and heard. The low price tag of around $500 probably has gotten most people's attention. The great thing about this unit is, if you want to pick and choose this module or that module, you can verses getting everything and not using half of it. The reality is if you want it all, you are going to pay...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pioneer AVH-P4200DVD In-Dash Double-DIN DVD Multimedia AV Receiver

Get your media on the road with Pioneer's AVH-P4200DVD, an in-dash double-DIN DVD Multimedia AV Receiver featuring a seven-inch widescreen display. With versatile music and video playback, modern features like USB Direct Control and DivX support, a built-in MOSFET 50 W x 4 amplifier, and plenty of expansion options, it's the perfect way to turn your vehicle into a mobile entertainment center.


AVH-P4200DVD Features
Seven-Inch Touchscreen Display The AVH-P4200DVD boasts a seven-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display with 1440 x 234 pixel resolution. Navigating your media and system settings from the touchscreen is a breeze thanks to intuitive touch controls and customizable menus. Tap, Swipe or Drag--exactly the way you expect a touchscreen device to work.
Versatile Multimedia Playback Enjoy your favorite DVDs while parked with the full-featured DVD player, or add a back seat screen for your passengers to watch as you drive. The AVH-P4200DVD will play DVDs, DVD-Rs, Video CDs and even DivX files burnt to CD or DVD (or from a USB device). You can also use the rear A/V input to attach external devices like video game systems.
As for music, you can enjoy your favorite CDs, or listen to MP3/WMA/AAC files from either CD/DVD data discs or a USB device.
USB Input / SD Memory Card Slot Connect USB thumb drives or other devices and enjoy playback of your digital audio files or DivX video. Ditto for SD memory cards. This makes it a breeze to quickly grab some media from your computer before a big road trip, and enjoy hours of entertainment on the road.
iPod Direct Control (CD-IU50V required) Connect your iPod directly and experience exceptional sound quality while easily navigating through music, videos and album art on the AVH-P4200DVD's screen. Say goodbye to the annoying static of FM transmitters and other iPod half-solutions.
Advanced Sound Retriever Hear the detail, warmth and clarity, the way the artist intended it, from all of your highly compressed MP3, WMA and AAC files stored on USB memory device, iPod and portable digital players. By restoring data (especially higher frequencies) that tend to get lost in the digital compression process, Pioneer's Advanced Sound Retriever technology enhances audio reproduction nearly all the way up to 20 kHz frequencies.
Supertuner IIID AM/FM Tuner Pioneer's legendary Supertuner IIID combines the best of digital and analog tuner technologies to reduce distortion to bring you exceptional FM and AM performance. If you live in an area where reception is weak, you'll hear a big improvement in signal strength. And when you're near tall buildings, Supertuner IIID reduces the effect of multi-path noise, which occurs when the signal is reflecting off of the buildings.
Always have your favorite stations at hand with 18 FM and 6 AM user presets. And when you're somewhere new, let the tuner do the work for you by activating the Best Stations Memory (BSM) function. The tuner will seek out the 6 strongest stations in the area and set them into the tuner presets.
Dial in Your Sound Use and customize EQ curves, adjust the eight-band parametric equalizer, or change loudness and bass boost settings to get the perfect sound.
AUX-In Connection Use the built-in AUX input for connecting any digital portable player and other external auxiliary devices. For extra-convenient access, the AVH-P4200DVD has this A/V input on the front panel.
MOSFET 50W x4 Amplifier for the Power Hungry Compared to conventional power supplies, the MOSFET amplification circuit is smaller and more efficient, delivering power with less distortion and absolutely zero on/off switching noise. And that doesn't just mean a boost in volume: it means that your music will be cleaner at higher volumes because you're not pushing the limits of the amplification circuit. Clean, efficient power that will rock your vehicle.
For those who'd like a bit more power, three 4V RCA preamp outputs are also included for system expansion (front/rear/sub).
Available Bluetooth Wireless Technology Use the available CD-BTB200 Bluetooth Adapter and Bluetooth-enabled cellular phones for easy, safe, and hands-free operation, including talking via the headunit's microphone and your vehicle's speaker system. The system automatically mutes any other audio during incoming or outgoing calls.
Add the Power of Navigation This receiver is ready to take direction with the optional AVIC-U220 navigation module, a sleek navigation unit that supports AVIC feeds, enabling you to create custom trips, as well as your own points of interest. The plug and play AVIC-U220 puts Pioneer's legendary AVIC navigation at your fingertips.
Rear View Camera Capability Keep an eye on your backside using the optional Rear View Camera (ND-BC2 or ND-BC20PA): while you're in reverse the rear-view camera can be in full screen.An unit equipped with the optional rear-view camera adds a level of safety and assurance you can rely on.In addition to keeping you and your family safe, this feature also makes maneuvering in tight spaces easier.
Ready to Expand The AVH-P4200DVD is also compatible with Pioneer's XM and Sirius satellite radio tuners, HD radio tuner, TV tuner, CD/DVD changers and more.
AVH-P4200DVD Basic Specs

What's in the Box Pioneer AVH-P4200DVD Receiver, Wiring Harness, Installation Hardware, Owner's Manual

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Garmin Edge 800 GPS-Enabled Cycling Computer (Includes Heart Rate Monitor and Speed/Cadence Sensor) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As a basis for my review: I'm someone who owns a 305, 705, 500 and 800 (and has the Cyclemeter iPhone app). I've ridden thousands of miles with all of them (well, not the iphone app and 800- yet). I've owned polar watches in the past too. My current set-ups include bikes with a powertap and Quarq. My training rides during the winter include 5+ hour road rides- although this is nothing compared to what the rondo folks do. I'm also a Cat 2 road racer with experience in many many many races. (also race MTB and cyclocross- no track this year)
At first I was a little hesitant about the touchscreen having been so used to my iphone. Is it sensitive? Can I use it with gloves on? I will say for a fact that the touchscreen changes your entire interaction with the device. It does work with gloves- and surprisingly well at that. Have you ever tried to enter data into the 705 using the little thumbstick? Hunt, click, hunt, click. It's a frustrating experience. With the touchscreen it's a snap. Tap, tap, tap. Done. Don't expect iPhone/Android phone screen quality- if you did, you'd be paying a couple hundred more for it (and probably wouldn't be able to use gloves with it)
Benefits over the iphone: screen works with gloves on. Don't need to worry about it getting wet. If I drop it, I don't need to worry about it as much. I still have navigational capability and maps if I'm out of cell range (happens a lot if I'm in the Cascades or the Oregon coastal range).
Another bonus over the 705- the sheer number of screens and discrete informational elements. 3 data screens with a possible 10 fields per each. Plus more available data fields on the map, courses and workout pages. A bike geek's dream. If you want to change one of the data fields- for example, instead of power, you figure you need to see 3 second power, you hold your finger on the field and poof, you can select the field you'd like to change it to. Changing all the fields on the 800 is a much easier process too, and if you don't want a screen, you can turn it off. (most of them at least)
Another big improvement- writing speed compared to the 705. I plug the 705 in and if I have a lot of activities, it takes forever to mount- if you have the 705, you know what I mean- that stinking green bar. The 800 mounts much quicker and the files are much smaller as .fit.
Compared to the 500- it's a completely different unit made for different purposes. The 500 I use in race situations for data collection and I only have a few data fields shown. Distance, power, heart rate and time. I rarely look at it but it's nice to be able to know why I am about to blow at certain points. The 800 on the other hand is great for training- the ability to change fields on the fly, the maps are quite handy to see where roads go and having the navigational ability is handy too. 500 takes more steps to change fields too so I rarely like to change them. Other fields that are available on the 800 but not on the 705, temperature (is at freezing- kinda important to know), watts/kg.
There's still some elements that need to be improved but given Garmin's track record for providing excellent updates, those should be fixed. For example- during workouts, using instantaneous power for narrow band workouts is not the best. If you're trying to work at threshold, instantaneous power tends to bounce around, and it really should have 3 second power as the basis. Otherwise the outside of zone alarm keeps on going off. The other piece I wish for is the ability to custom tailor fields to each bike. (So I choose my cross bike, it shows the appropriate screens since I don't have a power unit on that).
The other improvement over the 705 is the mounting system. It has the twist lock like the 500 instead of the 705 mount with the flimsy push down flap that breaks.
My summary? I for one love the 800- and the linchpin is the touchscreen. It makes the unit much easier to work with over past units. I was a little jaded and didn't expect much from touchscreen but now that I've used it, it has made a world of difference. I would say this is a large step improvement, not incremental.
How would I compare these?
705- 2nd generation, good evolution from 305, data entry a chore, good navigation capabilities, limited screens
500- minimalist, lightweight- great for those who don't need to navigate but want enough info to train with.
800- 3rd generation, UI greatly improved, data entry a breeze, plenty of information available, flexible with potential for more improvements
Is it worth it? Yeah, in my opinion it is. For the amount of time I spend on the road, absolutely.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin Edge 800 GPS-Enabled Cycling Computer (Includes Heart Rate Monitor and Speed/Cadence Sensor)

Make the most of every ride with Edge 800--the first touchscreen GPS bike computer. Providing navigation and performance monitoring, Edge 800 is ideal for touring, commuting, competitive cycling and mountain biking. It has a built-in basemap and tracks your distance, speed, location and ascent/descent. Use it the included heart rate monitor and speed/cadence sensor for a finely tuned analysis of your ride.

Bundled Version This version of the Edge 800 is decorated in blue trim, and includes a premium heart rate monitor and a speed/cadence sensor, enabling you to gather more training data for analysis or sharing. To expand upon the basemap, it also includes a microSD card preloaded with City Navigator for U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico street maps.

The Edge 800 is also available on its own, with white trim.

At Your Fingertips We designed this display to be rugged enough to stand up to the elements, yet sensitive enough to respond to the tap of your gloved hand. Switch training pages or pan and zoom the map with just a tap. The bright, sunlight-readable color display is easy to view in all lighting conditions. Just don't let its good looks fool you--Edge 800 is waterproof to IPX7 standards and can withstand hard knocks and scrapes it might endure in mountain biking environments.

The aerodynamic Edge 800 has a carbon fiber look with either blue or white accents and attaches to the stem or handlebar of your bike with the low-profile mount. A quarter-turn mount design holds unit securely and lets you easily swap it between bikes using removable, reusable bands.

Know Where To Go Whether your bike is a means of transportation or escape, having maps at your fingertips makes every journey easier and more fun. Edge 800 comes with a built-in basemap that shows major roads and cities, plus it's compatible with our microSD cards packed with either street or topo maps. Select a destination and Edge 800 provides turn-by-turn navigation prompts on screen.

Edge 800 can also guide you along routes recorded by other cyclists. Explore our Garmin Connect site and choose from millions of rides uploaded by other users. Any activities you upload to your Edge 800 are stored as courses. You can follow the course with navigation prompts or, for a little competition, race it and try to beat previously set goals. You can also use Garmin's free BaseCamp software or other applications to create a route, view elevation changes and other data, and then upload to Edge.

Edge 800 records your every move with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver that stays locked on, even under tree cover. The receiver features HotFix satellite prediction to calculate your position faster, plus it has automatic time zone adjustment.

Data, Any Way You Want It Edge 800 tracks a bunch of data from your ride and lets you customize up to three training pages so you can see as much or as little data as you want. The barometric altimeter provides extra-precise climb and descent data and records temperature changes.

If you're a performance cyclist, you can pair Edge 800 with a third-party ANT+ enabled power meter to display your power output in watts as you ride. This valuable data shows you how hard you're working, regardless of conditions affecting your ride, so you can train smarter. Some versions of Edge 800 also come with a speed/cadence sensor and heart rate monitor.

Training Tools Need a little motivation to push your performance? See how you measure up to the Virtual Partner--a digital depiction of your goal speed vs. your speed in real-time. Other training features include detailed workout planning, Auto Pause, Auto Lap and Courses, which helps you compare successive rides over the same route.

Analyze Your Ride You logged the miles, now it's time to review, replay and share your ride. Just upload your data to Garmin Connect, our website for free data analysis and sharing. You can upload from your PC or Mac using the included USB cable. At Garmin Connect, you can see the route you traveled on a map, view a summary of your ride, create goals, share it with others and much more.
What's in the Box Edge 800 (Blue Trim); Premium Heart Rate Monitor; Speed/Cadence Sensor; Data Card Preloaded With City Navigator for U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico Street Maps; Bike Mount; AC Charger; USB Cable; Quick Start Manual

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Garmin Map Update 2008 City Navigator for North America NT (010-10989-00 and 010-10989-50) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros: Some updates to local roads and extra POIs that were not there before.
Cons: Missing major Interstate and local roadwork that has been in process or complete around for a year.
Overall: I'm using the NT Update 2008 map with a Nuvi 660 in the Los Angeles, CA area. We've had completed major extensions of the interstate system (downtown and other areas) and major road alterations that have been in the works for years and they still do not show up on the maps or navigation. One bypass that I travel on frequently never showed up. The land that was originally where my company was at before is still showing up as my company, even though there are residential housing projects popping up there (El Segundo/LAX area). POIs are hit and miss. While it seems to show catering services run from people's houses, it doesn't show the old McDonald's that has been on in the local shopping center for years. At least for Los Angeles it's not really worth upgrading from V8. It should have been a clue that there are no specific changes or dates listed in the ads or packaging.
Note: This DVD is labeled on the package as a map upgrade for ONE Garmin GPS. Once you enter the unlock code on the back of the jewel case, it will associate the map code with your Garmin via the internet. So you can't just purchase one DVD map and also install it on your buddy's Garmin. Worse thing is that when you update the map, it takes around 1.5 to 2 hours to update this thing. I tried to defragment my GPS afterwards to make it run faster, but it wouldn't let me defragment the 998 MB worth of map data!
Not worth it!


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Mountek CD Slot Mount MT5000-C, Universal Hands Free Car Mount for Cell Phones, Satellite Radios & GPS Devices Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)[Updated information follows]
Now that I have owned this for 2 months and used it a lot, I would like to update my review. They say that if you invent a better mouse trap, the world will beat a path to your door. I hope that Mountek has as good a door as they have a mount! Even with a couple of small quibbles, this is still the best engineered solution I have come across. I use the word "engineered" instead of "designed" or something else, because it is apparent that this is the work of a talented engineering-type who has a good grasp of how items are used in the real world and the importance of build quality as well as fit and finish.
What are the quibbles? Well, as someone else mentioned, the screw which tightens the mount in the slot is a little noticeable. It is also the only piece of this device which was not perfect in fit and finish. Mine has a tiny little burr sticking out that digs into my finger when I tighten it. Not a big deal, but this device is so close to perfect any tiny thing like this which detracts from that sticks out.
Second, I have a HTC/T-Mobile myTouch 4G. The micro USB for the charger is just in the wrong place for this design and is blocked by the arms. I have to either reverse it in the holder (which then causes the headphone/aux jack to be blocked) or remove the bottom stop. I, personally, do not like to remove that because it is not as solid that way. Plus, if I do remove it, I still have to slide the phone down far enough that the clamps hit the volume buttons and can cause some problems occasionally.
Third, my preference would be to have a wider spread of the holder brackets so the phone could be grabbed at the top and bottom and I'd have the use of the side controls. Something would then have to be done about the headphone jack on the top of my phone. Maybe a different kind of bottom bracket with part of the sides cut out?
Even with these nitpicks, this is still so far and away a better product than anything else I have seen or tested that it still gets all 5 stars from me. Not much product out there that I'll say that about.
Bottom line: You should skip the rest and buy this one. You're going to end up throwing the others away anyway and getting this, eventually. So, why not just start at the top and be done with it? Plus, at $19.95, it is a real bargain that will last a long time. -- 03/13/11
[Original review follows]
I will try to be as concise as possible, as I plan to do a longer, more in-depth review on my website soon.
I have been looking for something to mount my smartphone in the car for a couple of months now. I tried models by Bracketron and Scosche, as well as some less-known brands.
Simply put, for most people's needs, this product not only does the job better, but is so well thought out and engineered that I sincerely hope the developer gets his patent, 'cause everyone else will try to copy this.
It's so simple. You just find a place to slide it in (like the slot on your CD player or one on your console); tighten a thumbscrew to secure it; and slip your device into the holder. It can lock on there nice and solid too.
Oh, and the build quality is excellent too. The others (which seemed OK at the time) look like cheap toys compared with this one. It is solid and gives you confidence that it is not going to break or be damaged while using it.
What more could you want in any kind of product?
The others are all going back now.

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IG-A03: i.Trek Vent Mount for Garmin Nuvi 200, 200W, 250, 250W, 260, 260W, 270, 205, 205W, 255, 255W, 265T, 265WT, 275T, 500, 550, 680, 750, 760 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After doing some research, most reviews said this one locked on to the vent louver much better because of the spring loaded mount. I bought one off ebay and it mounted very well and mounts in snug because of it being spring loaded. So I would highly recommend this mount over the non-spring loaded mount. And also the mounting ball part does swivel for better viewing. It does take two hands to take it off the vent. Two hands to pull the springs back to wiggle it out of the vent. Maybe a third hand could be needed if you have smaller (louvers are closer together) vent louver opening.

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Blackberry 9100 Pearl 3G Unlocked Phone with 3 MP Camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Optical Trackpad and GPS - Unlocked Phone - Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Excelente equipo.... Primero que nada lo compre desde aqui en los Estados Unidos, pues ando de vacaciones. Apenas me llego en el tiempo acordado, lo que hice fue probar mi tarjeta sim de Venezuela (Digitel) y agarro el 3G en 5 segundos, super rapido... Abri el Blackberry Messenger y por supuesto que me agregue a mi mismo y me lo acepto. Esta desbloqueado, es decir, no es solo que puedas utilizar el equipo, sino que ademas levanta 3G y aparece el nombre de la operado en vez de aparecer "Requiere Activacion", que es un fastidio... Todos los accesorios y TODO NUEVO! Solo levantara 3G con Digitel si lo llevas a Venezuela como han escrito otros usuarios... Ya le instale el OS 6 .424 y va de maravilla!
BTW lo compre del vendedor FGS...Edicion! 6/5/2011
Excelente vendedor! HassleFreeCell! 100% recomendable! El equipo sirve para Digitel 3G a la perfeccion, me vino con todo menos con el push pero lo compre por 7$. Excelente!

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Garmin Montana 600 Waterproof Hiking GPS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First, a little bit about me: I have a degree in software engineering, I'm an avid day hiker, and a bit of a gizmo geek. This is the second GPS I've owned, the other one being a Garmin GPS II+. I was on the fence about getting an Oregon for a while but held off because of mixed user reviews, especially in regards to its usability in bright sunlight. The main purpose of owning the Montana is to have detailed statistics on our day hikes such as distance, elevation, time, speed, etc. I've purchased and installed the Garmin TOPO West 24k maps and uploaded all of Washington state to the Montana. Even then, I still have 2.5GB of free space.
After carefully considering how to approach this review, since I know there's a lot of buyers holding off until a few user reviews came in, I decided to break it down into three areas, hardware, software, and company. You need all three to have a successful product, and after putting the Montana through its paces and contacting Garmin about a few issues, I'm able to offer my thoughts on all of them.
First, the hardware. Garmin did an excellent job designing the Montana. The screen is nice and big, and to finally put one of the most noted issues to rest, it was definitely easy to read in sunlight. The touchscreen works just about perfectly. I never felt like I had to apply too much pressure to get action, or that I pressed something that I didn't mean to (like when using the virtual keyboard). It "feels" comfortable just holding it too. For my first hike with it I didn't have a case yet, so I just threw a lanyard on it and mostly carried it in my hand the whole way up and down the trail--never bothered me. Satellite aquisition is scary fast and never had a single dropout even in dense forest. Just to see how solid the reception was, I carried it in my front shorts pocket for about a mile--no loss whatsoever. GPS accuracy was good; most of the time it hovered around 14 feet. Once I downloaded the track from the Montana to my PC, the ascent and descent portions of the hike mirrored each other pretty closely, and those tracks mirrored the trail on the TOPO map very close as well. I was constantly checking speed, time, elevation, and distance to known data and the Montana was pretty accurate. For example, at one point we passed a mile marker that claimed we were 3.0 miles from the trailhead and the Montana said we were 2.9. Take another fifty steps and it clicked over to 3.0 miles. Final elevation, elevation gain, time and speed were also just about equally dead on.
I started the hike with the lithium battery at about 75%, had the unit on for just over four hours, and finished the hike at just over 50%. I did have the battery saver option turned on and the backlight duration at the minimum setting, but I was actively using it quite a bit during the hike. My thought is that Garmin's claim to 16 hours of lithium battery life is pretty spot on, since my four hours of powered-up time ate up about 25% of the battery.
On the computer, the Montana connects via a USB cable and is recognized as a mass-storage drive. Uploading of maps, downloading of software updates, and downloading of GPS data were all fast and issue-free.
The only conceivable hardware downside I can see is compared to other GPS units, it weighs in at 10.2 ounces with the lithium battery. So if you're one of those mountaineers who take the cardboard tube out of a roll of toilet paper to save weight the Montana probably isn't the best choice. Again, the weight never bothered me a bit.
But for any piece of hardware, you need software to run it, and here's where the distinction between hardware and software within the Garmin Corporation really shows. As stated, the Montana is a great piece of hardware. But as of the date I wrote this review, it has been on the streets for exactly one week and Garmin has already released two software upgrades for it. The evening I received the Montana, I spent nearly an hour trying to calibrate the compass. Half the time I couldn't pass the first step, and I could never complete it under any circumstance. The second software update that was released just today fixed the compass calibration issue, which at least says that Garmin is quick to respond to bigger problems.
The software you need to upload and download data to and from the Montana is Garmin's BaseCamp. BaseCamp is freeware, and it feels like it too. It works pretty well, but seriously had me scanning the internet with the belief that a true commercial product named BaseCamp Pro must exist. Alas, it does not. BaseCamp's user interface is primitive and somewhat unintuitive. Thankfully, Garmin has a help file for BaseCamp, but again it just feels like freeware--like no dedication of time, effort, or resources was put into it. As an example, I have geotagged photos that I added to my track. BaseCamp puts little thumbnails of your photos over the track where they were taken. Great. But it's not easy to separate out individual photos when several overlap each other. If you geotag a lot of photos, the entire track will quickly be obscured by thumbnails that you can't hide. Just a simple checkbox called "Hide Geotagged Photos" would be an immense help, almost a necessary one, but the Garmin software development team falls short of the mark. Little annoyances like this are all over the place. I'd gladly pay for BaseCamp if they did it right, but right now I envision a team of two underpaid developers working out of a windowless corner of the mail room.
Which brings me to the third part of the review--the company. In summary, Garmin knows how to make a great piece of GPS hardware. I love my Montana, and look forward to some very enjoyable hikes with this well-built, highly accurate unit. But I can't help but feel that Garmin treats its software division like the red-headed bastard stepchild of the company. Some serious attention needs to be devoted to firmware testing and the BaseCamp software for the overall product to succeed. Garmin just isn't there yet. But I will put in one last big plus for Garmin: when I called tech support I spoke to a human being within 60 seconds of making the call who was very pleasant, patient, honest, and answered all of my questions as accurately as possible. Customer service is becoming a thing of the past, and I'm pleased to say that for my one experience with tech support, Garmin did well.

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Take it hiking. Take it hunting. Take it on the water. Montana 600 features a bold 4 in. color touchscreen dual orientation display and supports multiple mapping options like BirdsEye™ Satellite Imagery, BlueChart® g2 and TOPO U.S. 24K. Montana has key features for the outdoors such as a 3-axis tilt-compensated compass and barometric altimeter. Buy the auto mount and a City Navigator NT® map and it'll give you spoken turn-by-turn driving directions. It's big. It's versatile. It's tough. It earned the name Montana. See the Big View Montana 600 features a vast 4 in., sunlight-readable touchscreen display that offers crystal clear enhanced colors and displays high-resolution images. Its easy-to-use interface means you'll spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time searching for information. Both durable and waterproof, Montana 600 is built to withstand the elements. Bumps, dust, dirt, humidity and water are no match for this rugged navigator. No matter the setting – on the boat, in the RV or on an ATV – Montana is right at home. Go Anywhere
Touchscreen dual orientation display


Supports multiple mapping options like BirdsEye Satalitte Imagery, BlueChart g2, and TOPO U.S. 24K

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Itronics ITB-70G Car Black Box Dash Camera Video and Audio Recorder with GPS Record Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)2 minutes of video added, one high speed highway, other, local traffic. Cloudy day on both. Camera set to highest resolution and in bright mode.
Review:
Itronics ITB-70G iPass Black
Introduction:
The Itronics ITB-70G (also known as iPass Black) is a dashboard/windshield mounted camera with built-in GPS.
Manufacturer claims (not my grammar, copied from their website):
Car black box with video, audio and GPS data recorder
The video and audio data are continuously recorder in H.264 compression format
Records data due to collision, sudden acceleration and brake by the built-in impact sensor
The recorder data is marked as event files in SD memory card
Manual "record" button to record any specific view
The front view camera can be tilted up to 180 degree and record inside the vehicle if necessary. Built in GPS records the driving speed and displays the data using your computer. Information from device is stored in memory card and can be analyzed to help determine what the vehicles were doing before, during and after the crash or event.
Specifications:
Type of Camera sensor: CMOS.
Coverage: 120 degree / 0.3 mil pixels.
Minimum Illumination: 0.9 Lux
Data Compression: H.264.
Sensor: Built in 3 axis impact sensor.
Resolution: 640 x 480 (VGA).
Selectable FPS: High 24fps, Standard 30 fps & 15 fps.
Power Input: 12 ~ 24 v.
Size: 92 mm (W) x 42 mm (H).
Weight: 85g.
What's in the box?:
Main unit, mounting cradle, 4 GB SDHC memory card (made by Sandisk), extra adhesive tape, cable holders, power cable, user manual, SD card reader (via USB port).
Review:
OK, now that the facts are all copied out above, let's get on with the review already!
Presentation:
I emailed the Amazon seller ahead of time to discuss return policies and the like but mainly to test if I was working with someone from the USA. They responded quickly and kindly. The seller was very helpful and I liked the return policy. The item showed up promptly.
The box is quite nice and shiny. Everything is placed in small taped bags to prevent friction during transport. There are remarkably many things to dig through in this little black box. Instructions are on top and the camera and accessories are in a vacuum shaped pack. Camera in a bag on the right, center is the mounting bracket, ready to be taped to the windshield, other side had the power cord and underneath I found the memory card in a sleeve and the memory card reader and cable holders. The card reader is for if your computer doesn't read sdhc cards. There is also an extra piece of double sided rubber based tape, in case you mess up the install.
Installation:
Slide the camera sideways into the mounting bracket, peel back the tape and stick it to the windshield. A nice touch, you peel back the tape and you can see through the rubbery adhesive, it says "Itronics" which can be viewed through the windshield. Put the memory card in the side, shut the flap and plug it in. That is all that is really to it, but the devil is in the details. It is advisable to keep it below any window tinting, so I had to mount it lower than I wished. It also has a bit of a fisheye effect so you may get part of your dash if you mount it too low. I decided that I would mount it behind the rearview mirror with the "REC" button slightly exposed in case I want to push it. Above all, make sure it is level or it will forever record your videos all crooked. You will have to take it down to straighten it. The unit comes with a cigarette lighter power cord and should be routed like your usual radar detector. It comes with looms to route it around your windshield. I am leaving it dangling straight down for now because I plan to hotwire it into the electrical system. If you find a switched source, it will turn off with the car. Otherwise it will stay on and you will have to unplug it from the unit to power it down. If left on with the car off, the mfg claims it will run in a lower power mode, lowering the frame rate. I have not and will not try this.
Operation:
Turn on the car power. You will hear 3 small ascending chimes and it is recording. I didn't realize this when I bought it but the letters "REC" on the record button glow red when it is on, and it started flashing. Per the instructions, the flashing means it is trying to get a signal from the GPS. Once a signal is established, it will stop flashing and stay lit. So I messed around with it for a bit, checking the angle and adjusting it. It took about 2 minutes to get a signal while parked inside my garage. Once it had a signal, I turned off the car and took the memory card to the computer. It lets out 3 descending chimes when you shut off the power. You can wire it into a permanent power supply and it will record in a lower power mode should you be concerned for the night where you parked. It will consume power though, so I have not tried this setup.
Software Installation:
Insert memory card into computer. Click the Playersetup.exe file and the software installs in seconds.
Software Usage:
The instructions explain everything fine in English with a few spots that could use explaining so here are a few tricks that make it easier to understand.
Please click the photo I uploaded, it will open up two more fully labeled photos of the software.
First, when you hover over a button, it doesn't display a description, so you should check the manual.
Second, you should go into settings right away before messing with anything else. The settings button is the gear in the bottom right corner.

Clicking this brings up a small simple menu for my recommended settings:
Route for file save: Find a spot on your hard drive (not the memory card it defaults to) that the files will be copied to, should you decide to copy the files from the memory card.
Capture Image Format: choose BMP or JPEG
Audio Recording: Select on (high), on (low), off. I chose on (high) because it is still too quiet. You can turn off the audio in the menu and there is an "amp" button which tries to make it louder.
Impact Sensor Sensitivity: 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, OFF. I choose OFF. The settings refer to G-forces that it measures in the x,y,z axis. EVERY SINGLE POTHOLE will make this flag a file with an exclamation point. Very annoying since flagged files do not get overwritten and each one will need to be deleted individually. A slow process when there are several hundred to go through. You can also just go to windows explorer and remove them there but they won't show up flagged. You are not obligated to use their software except for to set the settings and look at the g-force readings. WMP and QT play the files just fine.
Recording Quality: High 24fps, Standard 30fps, Low 15fps. I know what you are thinking. I made a typo, high should be 30fps. That is the way it is set up and I don't know what to tell you here except that each of my video editing software's showed that the Standard did indeed record at 30fps and the High did record at 24fps. Resolution stayed the same at 640x480. I keep it in Standard now.
Illumination Control: Standard, Bright. I keep it in standard. Bright didn't seem to help much since it is not a night vision camera. I barely noticed a difference.
Time Zone: set it and forget it.
There is a button with an exclamation point. Click this and all the flagged files will instantly be copied to you hard drive.
Next is a file to file button. Click and the highlighted file will be copied. Trash button deletes the selected file. You CANNOT highlight more than one file at a time in this software.
Next is a folder button that allows you to open files from your hard drive. Then there is a SD card button to go back to the SD card.
Above this is the GPS.
The GPS location is very accurate. It is from Google (I hope the path stays the same forever) and you can change from satellite to hybrid and map and zoom. You cannot scroll because it will automatically center you back in the screen.
Above this is the file selection showing File Name, Size and Date/Time. Every file is 11 megs and 1 minute long, unless you cut the power in the middle of a recording. It has a bit of back up power inside to finalize the file and then shuts down.
To the left is the viewing window for playback and it is date and time stamped, above which is a satellite icon (turns on if the GPS is locked in) and a KM/hour display. There is no way I have found to change this to MPH.
Below this large window is the g-force readings, hover over this and you will get a small reading for each axis.
Below this is a VCR type control, a zoom button, a brightness lever, flip video button, take a snapshot button, volume control and AMP button to make it louder.
Overall the software works fine. It is very simplistic and hasn't locked up yet. I was worried about spyware but it is a standalone product that didn't invade my registry with garbage. I wish there were more settings and I have yet to check the iPass website for a software update. The software comes on the memory card, so I recommend copying it off to somewhere safe in case the card gets bricked. The manual recommends weekly reformatting of the 4GB card. Firmware updates are stated to be easy to do by installing a .bin file on the memory card and inserting it into the camera. Also, inserting a new memory card into the camera will...Read more›

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