Product Description

One of the smallest GPS units you'll find with built-in coastline, road and highway detail, the eTrex Legend is right at home on your dash or in your backpack. Stores up to 500 waypoints and 20 routes. Features include built-in basemap, rugged, waterproof construction, 12 parallel channel GPS receiver and 8 MB of internal memory. Perfect for anyone who spends time outdoors, the eTrex Legend is compatible with MapSource, Fishing Hot Spots and BlueChart databases. WAAS-enabled. Runs up to 18 hours use on 2 AA batteries, not included. 5.3 oz. 4-2/5Lx2Wx1-1/5D". ... Read more

Features

• Accuracy to less than 3 meters with WAAS correction data
• Rocker switch on front panel for quick and accurate map panning
• Compatible with optional Garmin MapSource software; includes serial PC interface
• Global positioning system (GPS) receiver with built-in Americas basemap
• 8 MB of internal memory for map and data storage; PC cable included

Reviews (121)

Working together
I've been GEO cacheing for 6 mths now. My wife has a Magellan Meridian Platinum and the combination of the two systems puts us right on top of our finds.I like both systems but the Legend brings you in closer. The Magellan has optional memory espansion. As for which is really the best, its not in the name, it is what you are willing to pay and what bells and whistles you want. The low ends of both manufactures you will be dissatisfied if you stay with it.

Reliability Problems with the e-Trek Legend
Bought my e-Trek Legend in March 2002 for geocaching; initially it did ok, tracked well but lost signal often when under leafcover in the woods.Started noticing power shutoff problems when first turning it on;thought it was the battery connection, I'm beginning now to think it was poor/thin soldering in the manufacture.Now the click stick will only work in two of four directions.For what I paid for it, and as little as I used it, I doubt if I'll replace it with another Garmin e-Trek, they just don't seem substantial enough for hiking (to think, I cradled that thing like a baby in the woods, being careful with it!).

My first one, not easy to figure out without book.
Well, so far I kind of dig it. Its not easy to manage without learning it first. Its not a "duh obvious" operating system. I am trying to figure out still how to map where I have been but not save the whole thing. I want to save just legs.

It is almost one hand useable, but some of the buttons are hard to press with one hand. It is a nice size and very easy to read. It does not come with any computer software and I am not sure how to get other maps on it yet.

I guess I need to buy additional software. Its been fun playing with it since I bought it yesterday, now I need to learn the nitty gritty.

Excellent little unit.. Handy to have.
I've had this unit now for about a week Unit offers alot in a little package. Only Highways and State Roads on it, but shareware software on the web really made mapping possible and fun (GPS Track Maker v12). Has lots of POIs (Points of Interests) loaded from the factory.Unit seems very accurate (usually displays 18 or 25 foot accuracy in clear view of the sky).Picks up a good signal on the dash of my car.

I wound up also buying the Mapsouce CD and loaded up all of CT. Fine details to all minor roads and points of interests.
It did wipe out the factory maps some (noticed that channel or river bouys no longer in the unit, but the factory map can be reloaded at any time from Garmin's website).

For the price ($130.00 thru Amazon) it's a fantastic unit. Don't bother with the Etrex Yellow and shoot for the Legend.
Mapsource was $74 on line..

Even though the unit comes with a comport cord, go with a dual 12v & com connection in one.I'm running it indoors plugged into a 12v power supply.Unit is also good on Battery life too.

not bad for the price
I have owned this unit for a couple of years now and have been pretty happy with it.The joystick makes screen navigation a breeze.I glanced over the manual, but really did not need to - the unit is very easy to use.Accuracy varies from 15 to 30 feet in most instances.I have had it reach 8 ft. accuracy a few times.Battery life is ok, but not great.Screen is beginning to lose a pixel here and there, but not enough to hinder usage. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

A few years ago, when personal GPSs first became available, every geek from here to Poughkeepsie was enthralled about the possibility of always knowing exactly where on the planet they were. While the Garmin eTrex isn't the most feature-rich GPS out there, it will definitely come in handy if you don't want your next camping trip to end up like a scene from The Blair Witch Project.

The eTrex is sort of a dumbed-down, rugged version of the company's more advanced eMap. Designed specifically for hiking, biking, and camping, the eTrex is one of the easiest-to-use GPS units available. It offers the ability to track up to 12 satellites so you never lose contact with one. The eTrex won't work inside--however, we don't anticipate that you'll get lost inside a building very often.

Among the eTrex's notable features is its ability to calculate your current and average speed. We used the eTrex to determine the distance from work to home, and calculate how fast we were walking. This helped us gauge the average time it should take to get to work. This feature should really come in handy on extended hiking, camping, or cycling trips where planning your average speed and tracking the distance traveled is critical.

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbspMain menu &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbspMap page &nbsp&nbspPointer page &nbsp&nbspMark pointer page

Sticking with its theme of simplicity, the eTrex has only five buttons, making it easy to use with just one hand (It's specifically designed for the left hand.) Weighing only 5.3 ounces with the batteries installed, the eTrex is also ultralight, making it an easy addition to a daypack. The eTrex is also waterproof, so a little water shouldn't damage the unit.

The eTrex can hold up to 500 user-created waypoints. And using Garmin's TracBack feature, it's easy to plot a course with up to 10 waypoints and follow it in both directions. --Julian Strate

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Light
• Waterproof

• Batteries only last about 20 hours

Features

• Global positioning system (GPS) receiver continuously tracks and uses up to 12 satellites
• Calculates current and average speed, time of sunrise and sunset, trip distance, and more
• Automatic track log--10 saved tracks let you retrace your path in both directions
• Tough waterproof case; runs for 18 hours on 2 AA batteries
• Compatible with optional Garmin MapSource software for downloading trip and waypoint data (not map compatible)

Reviews (148)

Too much
It's a great unit for someone who would like play around with GPS. More advanced users will be dissapointed with it's lack of features.

The eTrex has the ability to make your own maps right on the screen and that's about all it's good for. Each landmark you place on the map can only have 6 characters and must be unique. If you were to purchase the optional data cable you could make these landmarks on the pc and transfer them over. This makes things easier because you don't have to actually travel to each landmark to create it on your map.
It has a tracback feature (so you can retrace your steps) but if you were to go on a trip for more then a few hours the memory quickly becomes full.

If you want a gps to play with for the weekend, this unit might interest you. If you were to use it any longer, you quickly realise how limited it is.

Do yourself a favor and get the model or two up with downloadable maps and more memory.

"NOT waterproof"
I have had this unit for several years and it has performed adequately.It's repeatability is usually about 30 feet.It's easy to use, but doesn't take maps.

But despite Garmin's claims, it is NOT WATERPROOF!I took it sailing, where it got splashed.Then I noticed it stopped working and there was water in the screen.When I got home, I tested it by holding it under water in my sink to see where air would bubble out from.This test showed no bubbles(leaks).Confused, I decided it must have sucked the water in through a hole somewhere.So I filled the sink with HOT water.Sure enough, as the air inside warmed up, bubbles began streaming out of a little hole built into the back of the unit.This test also proves that if this GPS is warm (like from being in the sun as you might be when you're using a GPS) and then it gets splashed with cold water (70 degrees here in FL), it will suck that water up through that little hole and destroy the GPS. To clarify, the hole is not a flaw in my unit, it is very intentionally molded in to the case.

I am extremely dissapointed in Garmin, and since they claim the unit is waterproof when it is not, I don't know how I'm going find a new one that truely is.

My advice, if your GPS is really going to get wet, is to do the hot-water test and see if it leaks air. If so, return it.

Cheap, yes-- but not a good option for geocachers
I purchased a yellow Garmin eTrex GPS about a year ago. My main reason for buying it was because I learned about the sport called 'geocaching', and, knowing little about these devices at that point, I purchased one on the advice of a couple of friends. I used it heavily for for about 5 months before coming to some conclusions about this device's capabilities.

I will first list the yellow eTrex's good points:

- It's cheap-- one of the cheapest GPS receivers you can find.
- It's easy to find-- you can buy one at Target, or at most any sporting goods store.
- It's durable. You can drop it several times or dunk it in water, and it'll still work (dry it out first before you attempt to use it again).
- It has an interface to hook up to your computer to download new firmware and to download geocaching waypoints, if you have the need for this.
- It's easy to use and very intuitive for first timers.

Now, its drawbacks. Realize that I am rating this device from the viewpoint of a geocacher, and we're probably the most demanding users of GPS receivers out there:

- It is not an accurate device if you're attempting to get a definitive lock on a waypoint within 50' of your goal. Once in the general search area, the signal will likely bounce around and give you wildly varying readings. For example, if you've entered a waypoint and get within 50' of your search area, expect to find readings bouncing around from 5-50 feet with each step you take. I used this unit in varying terrain, under varying tree/bush cover, under varying weather/cloud conditions, and in varying temperatures, with the same results. I was able to obtain two other samples of this receiver, and those tests came up with the same results, so I surmise that my eTrex wasn't just an errant sample of these receivers. Upgrading the receivers' firmware did nothing to help the accuracy.

Granted, my experiences with this receiver probably won't matter that much to most of those who will purchase this unit for tasks such as finding your way around while camping, hunting and hiking. For those uses, this unit will work just fine. However, if you're a geocacher and want a GPS unit that will pinpoint your goal effectively, without bouncing your readings from 5-50 ft. as soon as you walk two steps any direction, you will want a GPS unit that has WAAS capabilities (wide area augmentation system). I now have a GPS receiver that has WAAS, and it provides a much more stable lock when in the area of my intended goal.

In short, I found this unit to be frustrating to use for geocaching. There are other GPS units that will provide more stable signal-lock than the Garmin eTrex for close to the same price.

Perfect for ATV use!!
I bought this unit not knowing what to expect. Well it has exceded my expectations in every respect. First of all the one I just received has a newer software revision. It has WAAS and is software revision 3.10 which has a new screen which my friends with revision 2.* doesn't have. I looked on there website and they don't offer this revision for download so it must be something that just brand new usits offer. Well anyways...I use this with a program called ExpertGPS which overlays my tracked trails on an Aerial Photomap from Satellites. So cool. I can see excatly where I rode. Mine worked flawlessly in the woods. Now it is winter here and there are no leaves on the trees but I think it will work just as good in the summer. I got the bike mount and mounted the unit to my Yamaha Kodiaks handle bars. Workes great. Battery seems to last a very long time for me. I have used it a few days hours at a time and there still going. I am one very satisfied customer. Oh you need to get the serial cable to hook this to a computer to view your trails and edit your waypoints and many other cool stuff.

A must have for world travelers....
It's perfect for the price. It's rugged and durable, seems waterproof, backlit, and light weight. This model has no map information of any kind stored in it, however allows you to create and store your own personalized maps of YOUR world.

Every step you take, or mile you drive is stored into memory. However the "tracks" memory can only hold about a day's worth of traveling at a time. However you can map a seemingly limitless number of points to store forever, even after changing batteries. For example, you mark, "home" or "hotel" on the map, ect. While the device doesn't have any map of it's own, if each time you visit a site, you click "mark" and give it a title and an icon, a map will be formed of places important to you. It's extremely accurate, down to 10 ft. In the car, you'll find it more accurate at calculating your speed than the cars speedometer. It calculates elevation, bearing, direction, measures distances, and even tells you when the sun will set or rise next in your location. It's clock is also constantly updated by satellite as well.

When at home in the United States it's useful, but it's overseas that it's the most valuable. I use my eTrex whenever I'm in a strange Asian city or when hiking in some new place. In a new city, mark your hotel, mark a landmark, then you'll be able to find your way back without any questions. You'll know the taxi driver is taking the most direct route, and on buses and trains, you'll know when to get off without asking anyone for help. It actually keeps you safe and independent in many ways. It looks like a cell phone, so nobody will know you're walking around using GPS for guidance. I will confess though, it was confused when I arrived in Hong Kong. It took about 8 minutes to get it's bearings. While the Garmin eTrex works all over the world, it needs a clear view of the sky to work well. The first time you power it on, it will take 3 to 5 minutes to calculate where it is, then on, the information will be delayed by about a second. In a luxury car, you'll have to set it on the dashboard or hold it out the window to get a clear signal. I find that it works in most busses and trains if set near the window. In a building, forget it. You'll need a set of good AA batteries every full day of use.

If this is for use only in an automobile, or in the urban United States, spring for a model with maps or designed for a car. However, if it is for use hiking, biking, foot travel, camping, or overseas, it's a must have.
... Read more

Product Description

Ideal for climbing and trekking, the compact Garmin eTrex Vista features a data basemap of North and South America along with an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter. A 24 megabyte internal memory capacity accepts downloaded mapping data from Garmin's MapSource CD ROMs. Basemap data for North and South America Barometric Altimeter accurate to 10 feet with user or automatic calibration (1 foot resolution) Altimeter range: -2000 feet to 30,000 feet Electronic Compass accurate to +/- 5 degrees with user calibration 24-Meg internal memory capacity 500 waypoints/icons with name and graphic symbol Automatic track log with ten saved tracks for path retracing 20 reversible routes with up to 50 waypoints Trip computer calculates speed, average speed, sunrise/sunset times, trip timer, distance and more More than 100 map datums Position format: Latitude/Longitude, UTM/UPS, Maidenhead, MGRS, Loran TD and more Requires 2 AA batteries Owner's manual with operating instructions Waterproof design and built to withstand temperatures from 5F (-15C) to 158F (70C) Size: 4.4 in. x 2 in. x 1.2 in. (11.2 cm. x 5.1 cm. x 3.0 cm.) Weight: 5.3 oz. (150 g.) with batteries installed ... Read more

Features

• Store more maps and different types of data (marine, roads, and more) with 24 MB of storage; PC cable included
• Accuracy to less than 3 meters with WAAS correction data
• High-resolution liquid-crystal display for easy reading
• Compatible with optional Garmin MapSource software; includes serial PC interface
• Global positioning system (GPS) receiver with barometric altimeter, electronic compass, and Americas base map

Reviews (80)

Good so far
I have had this unit for just under a year.So far it has worked fairly well.Several reviews complain about poor sat reception and that it doesnt even work in the car.

I have been able to get good reception in the car, as accurate as 6 feet (when laying on the dash).While on my knee it stayed within 15-20 feet.Even in my house, away from the window i get spotty reception.I have not tried it under trees yet.

The features are awsome.all the data collection when laying a track is great.

I have also read in a few reviews that the unit will turn off for no reason.I have experienced this twice.When i turn it back on it goes back to what it was doing before shutdown (i was laying a trail).Not sure why this occurred but it is a bit annoying

This unit was a gift so i didnt get to do research and make my own choice.Had i had that oppt. i probably would have either bought this one or more than likely the 60CS. [...]

I go backpacking annually in SW Colorado and this was the only reason i was given this.I had no intensions to use the unit for street navigation.But I have played around with it.It seems to work ok but it certainly wasnt designed for street applications.

Once i start doing so geocaching and packing with it, testing it under different environments and coverage, i plan to update this review.

Until then i would have to say i have been please with the unit.

Reception
I am in the mlitary and the use of this GPS was solely in a field environment.I orginally purchased this product when I went to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA.As a tank commander, I used it only when I was dismounted.There is no external antenna attachment so it was obviously useless inside the tank, even with the hatch open.A buddy of mine had a magellan in a Bradley and his worked and my Garmin did not.The next test was in Iraq.I deployed with 2/2 ACR out of Fort Polk, LA.All we had was HMMWVs so I thought the Garmin would work great.To much disappointment, the etrex would not get a signal in the HMMWV unless I had it propped up in the window.Fortunately, I had a plugger and FBCB2 so it really wasn't that big of a deal.The most usefulness was for marking UXO cluster bombs that had not exploded in civilian areas.I would mark the spot with a 10 digit coordinate and pass it on to the engineers.After about 6 months in the Iraq heat and extreme weather conditions, my screen started messing up.It had all these lines and I had to squeeze the sides so the screen would come into viewagain.It was very frustrating.I would not recommend this version for military personnel traveling in vehicles or needing something that is rugged.

Everything is good except the compass
I have used my eTrex Vista for over 200 miles of geocaching now.I really like everything about this product except the compass.In order for the compass and direction finder to be accurate, you must hold the eTrex perfectly level.This can be very annoying, especially when walking or on a slope.And folks, the direction finder is a very important feature of any GPSr--you might say it is the reason you get a GPSr.If I get another GPS unit, it will be a Magellan brand with a 3-axis compass.You can hold those at an angle and the compass is still accurate.If you bike a lot, get the Garmin handlebar adapter--turns your eTrex into the world's greatest bike computer!

GARMIN HAS GOOD RECEPTION
I own 3 GPS receivers and I will say Garmin did an excellent job. The receiver is much more sensitive to satellite signals than my other GPSs. Just don't expect too much from this small unit with tiny screen and very slow CPU for screen refresh. It will drive you nuts to use it for street navigation. It is suitable for back trailing in the mountains. For street navigate, I strongly suggest that you hook this unit up with a laptop but make sure that GPS is set to NMEA and the software GPS setting is also correct. Conclusion, don't street navigate with this unit alone and don't buy a no brand GPS under $90 because you will not be happy with the reception.

Eddy

A poor offering by Garmin
This expensive (for gps units) includes the PC Cable but DOES NOT include the ability to comunicate with your PC.After waiting 17 minutes for customer service I was told that I had to purchase a $29 software to be able to download my waypoints to my computer. I don't need extra maps - I only want to download my waypoints.

In the waypoint view - over half of the display is the flag symbol and the co-ordinates are so small as to be practically useless in the field.

This is my fifth Garmin product and in the past have been happy with the performance.I give this a 1 as it is little better than a $99 unit. ... Read more

Product Description

Never get lost again! The Garmin Automotive Navigation GPS will point you in the right direction every time by following the turn-by-turn commands and voice prompts. Select maps and transfer data directly to the unit through a USB connection and on to a standard CompactFlash memory card. Features a powerful microprocessor for fast redraw and route calculation; built-in patch antenna with an MCX-type connector for optional external GPS antenna; CompactFlash data card (type I or II) slot for map storage; audio and visual navigation instructions and warnings; 3-5/16Wx1-11/16H" (305x160 pixels) bright, automotive-grade 8-bit, 256-color LCD display with automatic dimming backlight and touch screen; and alphanumeric remote control. Includes 12/24V adapter cable and A/C power adapter. 3-3/16Hx5-19/32Wx2D". ... Read more

Features

• Indefinite data storage; no memory battery required; CompactFlash map storage: type I and II compatible
• Integrated dash-mounting system provides easy adjustment and quick release
• Comes with alphanumeric remote control and external speaker; includes USB interface with cable
• Bright, automotive-grade 8-bit color LCD: 3.3 x 1.7 inches; 305 x 160 pixels
• Audible and visual navigation instructions and warnings

Reviews (79)

not mac compatible!
i would've given it a higher rating if not for the fact is only supports winblose. but, because i was in a car that had this 2610 and seemed to work superflous in the streets of brooklyn, except when you are under the el(elevated trains). i was the sitting on the passenger side, so i really did nt have to really rely on it as if i truly had, if i was alone, and the other passenger knew her way around. but it was fun staring at the map and the other info it gives.
he paid $800 at amazon with a rebate, last xmas. it is now $599, and w/o any of the rebate hassle. i may still get it and breakdown and use my gf's winblose, ugh!!!!

GPS is good but strange things have been happening at Amazon
First of all the GPS is good.But strange things have been happening at Amazon.I wonder if any of you guys have the same experience.I have a habbit to place items of interest into the save-for-later shopping cart.That way I can easily add it to cart if and when I do decide to buy it, and it makes it easy to monitor the price.But in the last few months, after I placed an item into the save-for-later cart, next time I looked at it, the price of the item had been jacked up by 20-30%.I was really puzzled about the fact that they decided to raise the price after I expressed my interest.And this has happened at least 4 or 5 times in the last few months.It happened to some of the expensive items like this GPS, a Tag watch as well as a couple of inexpensive items.Of course, I didn't buy any of them with price increase.Then I would watch in amazement as the price slows come down as the days go by, eventually down to the same price as when I first placed it into cart.Is this a new marketing strategy at Amazon or am I being too cynical?

Nice little Gadget
I purchased this GPS about 3-4 months ago and I am really pleased with it. It comes with all the stuff you need to get started. Installation was a breeze and in no time I was surfing around unknown towns without fear of getting lost. Upgraded to latest version of maps from the Garmin website and they are pretty good. Off course there are few glitches here and there but that true for any map. Overall accuracy is great though. All you might need extra is a bigger CF which is cheap these days. I have my state and neighbouring states in the 128 MB one which comes with the package and have not felt the need yet to get a bigger one. Maybe cross country drivers need it but for most people 128 MB CF is enough. I like this unit better than the 2620 even though 2620 is the later one.Both of these are essentially the same unit except 2620 comes with whole USA and Canada maps preloaded but is more expensive. I don't think this justifies the price difference between these 2 units. Overall I am a happy customer who loves this little gadget..

A gas saver!!!!
I purchased this unit 5 months ago, and I am still very happy I did.
The computer interface was easy to navigate for the initial setup.Setting up waypoints and routes was fun, and all the addresses for my friends around this great country of ours are programmed, as well as routes from "home" to each.I was able to load all the maps around all the pre-selcted routes in a 250MB card.This feature is useful if you don't want to use up all the memory space with entire states, unless it's your home state, or the ones you visit the most.Either way, the preloaded maps are adequate for when you stray from the beaten path.As I enjoy exploring new towns, I can search for addresses, by zooming and pointing in the map (with the touchscreen interface, like a PDA), or by searching the internal database of points of interest by proximity. I'm able to sit in my car and look at what's around:restaurants, hotels, points of interest, museums, hospitals, etc.
I have no problems with the accuracy of positioning.The unit's WAAS is awesome, and it has never let me down.I am a music lover, and sometimes I can't hear the voice instructions.I keep the volume medium low, otherwise, it's annoying.You can push the "speak button" if you missed the last instructions, and you can see the distance to the next turn at any time on regular map view.I have learned to glance at the screen from time to time.The screen displays the name of the street for the next turn long before the voice prompt.This makes up for any short-fuzed announcement in busy streets without having to cut-in at the last minute.It also has a numerical view screen, which allows the unit to act almost like a digital speedometer.I find it fun, but since it takes a second or two to process the information, it seems to have a small mph discrepancy (2-5 mph under normal driving circumstances).
The biggest advantage I found with owning this unit is the tremendous amount of gasoline I have saved by quickly navigating around my own town after relocating.I enter the address of my destination, and shortly thereafter, I'm there!When I first moved here, I called my post office for direcctions to my nearest office.I made the 30 minute drive several times, until the Garmin maps revealed that there was one within 5 minutes from my house.It has a different zip code, which is why I was not informed initially.Tha't just an example of the utility of this small unit.
I don't leave it in the car, since it would be the only thing worth stealing from it!, so I bought a camera case that fits perfectly for only $8-10 at the electronics store.I leave the cables and beanbag stowed in a compartment in the car.
What I would like to see improved:wireless computer interface (it already has IR for the remote).A bigger included card (even if only 256MB).A sexy male voice option. :)
Even after my purchase, I have continued to explore what's out there, and i have not found a better option than this.It's amazing how much time and gas a person with poor sense of orientation like me can spend.This also makes a great gift for our real estate friends, and other roaming professionals.
As for me:I never leave home without it!.

Best aftermarket GPS in car navigation unit, period
I know all about the aftermarket GPS in car navigation because I bought and used them all.I tried Magellan, TomTom, PocketPC bluetooth GPS, etc...They all failed to meet my standard for varies reasons:My brother's Magellan is slow to acquire satellite, sensitive to heat (I am in sunny California).Tomtom's map is poor, there were several addresses it could not find, and it would not tell me if the address is on the left/right of me.PocketPC GPS is a pain in the a$$, battery is limited, map is questionable, Windows crash, startup delay, super glare under the sun.

The reason Garmin 2610 is superior is because:
1.Even though its screen is small and only capable of 256 colors, it is very very viewable under the sun light.
2.Map is very good, I have yet to find an address it could not find.
3.Satellite acquisition is fast and reliable.
4.Voice navigation is good, if a bit too frequent.
5.Takes CF cards, which is cheap, fast, and high capacity.

Now things that can make it even better:
1.A better car mount system.How about a good window mount?
2.Bigger LCD screen, resolution, and colors.
3.Internal battery would be good.
4.Reduce its bulky size.Tomtom can put everything in that small package and battery.
5.Make its user interface more friendly.

Oh, I have had my Garmin for over 8 months now.It performs fine under the scortching Southern California sun.I am very happy with it. ... Read more

Product Description

Get help getting there with the rugged and waterproof GPS V Personal Navigator. This compact, handheld unit looks up a location and automatically calculates a route, guiding you to your destination with turn-by-turn directions and audible beeps. Features a WAAS-enabled, 12 parallel channel GPS receiver that continually tracks and uses up to 12 satellites to compute and update your position, plus a trip computer with re-settable odometer, timers, and average and maximum speed indicators. Includes MapSource City Select CD that gives you access to detailed, street-level maps with locations of restaurants, hotels and other services in the U.S. and metro areas of Canada. 19 MB internal memory allows you to store data from this CD, plus information from optional MapSource CDs (sold separately). Also features variable screen orientation; dedicated zoom in/out keys; rocker pad designed for easy, one-hand operation; high-resolution screen with backlighting and built-in celestial tables. Stores 500 waypoints and 20 reversible routes. Includes a portable antenna, PC interface cable, 12V adapter cable and automotive mount. Weighs 9 oz. Imported. 5Lx2-1/3Wx1-3/5H". ... Read more

Features

• WAAS capability provides position accuracy better than three meters
• Autorouting gives access to the shortest and fastest routes
• Turn-by-turn directions; includes serial cable for PC connection
• 12-channel GPS unit with 19 MB of built-in memory
• Includes MapSource City Select CD-ROM with street-level maps and points of interest; full unlock capability for US and Canada

Reviews (46)

Economical Way to Navigate
It has been a very succesful unit for us. We have two cars at home, only extra thing we purchased was a base unit to fix into another car. Every time we need to use this GPS we just manage accordingly in any car.

Some time it gives you different names of routes. I guess it because the data has not been updated properly.

Memory is limited but good enough for daily use, covering all areas where we usualy travel. Keep in mind we always have an option to add or delete maps according to our needs. I would not recomend this unit for any long distance traveler.

For beginers this is the best unit..

You cannot go wrong with Garmin...
My husband and I have several versions of this product, as it has evolved through the years.It is a very good GPS unit.At work, we often have to use a fancy $5000 professional Trimble model.Many times I have not been able to get a good enough signal and have had to use my personal Garmin instead.I don't know why a product that costs less than 1/10th of the price works better, but it often does.

Simple tech problem, no customer service=expensive trash
I have what is probably a simple tech issue getting my software to talk to my device.Reinstall doesn't work, and the vague suggestions on the websight don't help.They are impossible to get a hold of for help, and I am about 1 day from giving up and attempting a return.

The phone (business hours only) is almost always busy.The two times I got an answer there was a wait of 40 minutes.THe first time I had to go back to work before they got to me.I am still waiting on my second connection.The other 40 tries got busy signals (I have memorize their number though).

Meanwhile the email off the websight won't take my product's serial number.It has no failsafe device, and I don't think they are actually getting my email.If they are, they simply haven't answered.

Best of First Generation GPS Units
The Garmin V's strong feature set and ease of use make this my first choice of first generation GPS units.Although the single four-way directional pad is way more frustrating to use than would be four separate buttons, it is very compact while sporting a large 320 x 240 screen.Color would be nice, but it truly is not necessary.

It is very good for using on streets as well as the back country.Finding your destination is easy with its comprehensive searchable database of addresses and points of interest, and with its fine turn-by-turn navigation assistance.But park your vehicle at a trail head and the unit becomes a terrific tool for exploring and enjoying the great outdoors.

However, first generation GPS's such as the Garmin V have their serious drawbacks.Managing and downloading detailed map sets is cumbersome due to its limited 19MB of writable memory.In metro areas, such as So. Cal., the map and address data is so cumbersome that you can only fit a very small geographic region into memory at any one time.Also, loading map data via the serial port is painfully slow and further reduces its usefulness for the regular traveler.

Current generation GPS units have two advances that greatly improve their usefulness. First, many now feature removable storage cards which allows you to hold address and map data for much, much larger geographic areas.For example, for our Garmin iQue I can fit the entire MapSource North America map set on two SD cards so I always have quick and easy access to all maps and addresses.

The second benefit of many new generation GPS units is the USB interface rather than serial.Maps sets can now be loaded into GPS units far more quickly then before making it much more convenient to keep your unit loaded with relevant map and address data.

Using MapSource detail maps is important as the default base map contained within the Garmin V is not only sparse but also woefully inaccurate.For example, Elizabeth Lake Road in Leona Valley is mislabeled the California Aqueduct, and many common rural highways are simply not there.This isn't so bad in metro areas, but in rural areas the base map is virtually useless.

Although the Garmin V is the best of the fixed memory/serial interface GPS units out there today, I recommend to those looking to purchase a GPS look to the new generation of devices that address the issues of limited memory and slow data transfer rates with expansion card slots and USB capability.

Great auto routing GPS for the money
Overall this is the ideal for factor for me as I use it both on a motorcycle and in cars, , the newer 60c units block my motorcycle dash too much and I really do not care about Color, in fact with the issues of color screens washing out in sunlight I prefer grayscale as they will NEVER wash out, they perform better in direct sunlight. Reason it is 4 vs 5 Stars, EXPANDABLE MEMORY, this unit desperately needs at least 32 MB of ram and honestly they should have allowed for some type of media card (using one of the standard ones not the proprietary stuff). But if this came with 32 standard then I would have probably given it a 5. ... Read more

Product Description

A GPS receiver for the serious navigator, Magellan Meridian Gold offers superior tracking and 3-meter accuracy, with an extensive, 16 MB, built-in mapping database that provides an easy way to view your location, heading and route. Rugged enough to go with you on any adventure, or just across town, Meridian Gold is designed to make getting where you?re going a fun, easy and safe trip. ... Read more

Features

• Waterproof; rugged, ergonomic design
• Oversize gray-scale screen with backlight; includes serial PC interface
• 12-channel GPS unit with 16 MB base map
• Built-in detail on U.S. cities, interstate highways, major roads, parks, waterways, and airports
• Secure Digital memory-card slot for expanded storage

Reviews (29)

Read the directions, all of them
After reading the reviews from others I am posting a reply to some problems others have had with the Magellan Meridian Gold. I have been using mine for two years, I have also used other Magellan products as well was Garmin products. I have sold GPS gear going beck to before the first gulf war and I have been a retail GPS buyer, I have put issues that others have had in quotes, followed by some simple explanations.

"The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is that it does have the rebound effect or whatever"

Well this is a non issue, if you are geocaching you are going to start looking for a cache when you are within 20-30 feet, just put the GPS in your pocket and start looking.


"I find the Magellan software to be a bit primative. For example, if you add map data for a region to the Meridian memory, it erases all the old map data you had before."

Not if you use a card reader


"Probably the strangest shortcoming is that you can't get the unit to display the map, speed, and odometer at the same time!"

You have to customized the screen to do this.

"The Ugly: Magellan's method of setting routes and backtracking is absolutely terrible for my usage. I am so annoyed with this, I would return it if I hadn't already used it 2 weeks. Here's the deal -
If you go out for the day and retrace your route exacty, or just set it for the car in general it works very well. But so does a few cents worth of flagging, popcorn, or the cheapest GPS available."

Well, this is what a backtrack is, I do not know what this reviewers use would be, but it appears to not be the norm.

"Okay, so you set waypoints along your way using the GPS. Great, it does this well with 2 clicks. But THEN what??? It's back to the problem above."

This person does know what a back track is.

"The GPS consistently showed me 50-500 feet from my actual location."

In two years on using my Meridian gold I have never had this problem, check the map datum

Great all round use GPS
I've had my MeriGold for a little over a year now and have been completely satisfied.

I use it in cars, planes, hiking and geocaching.It has great features, but especially the expandable memory is what made the decision for me.

The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is that it does have the rebound effect or whatever, but it is minimal and easily dealt with if you know about it.It really only is an issue while geocaching.In a car or plane or even hiking, it wouldn't be an issue.

Good GPS for Bicycling
I use the Meridian mounted to my bicycle, and have found it to be excellent!It's accurate, and works fine under even heavy foliage.The display is generally easy to read, and it's easy to operate while pedeling.

I rode 350 miles in nearly constant heavy downpours of rain during the 2004 Bon Ton Roulet ride in the Finger Lakes region of New York.Without any additional water protection, the unit came through like a champ!

The bicycle mount Magellan sells is not suitable or use without modifications.The first time I ran over a large bump, the Magellan GPS unit popped off the mount and slammed into the pavement.The good news is that the unit survived with no damage.A little stick-on velcro was all it took to prevent a recurrance - though I now also tie the wrist strap to the bike as an additional safety measure.

I find the Magellan software to be a bit primative.For example, if you add map data for a region to the Meridian memory, it erases all the old map data you had before.On the other hand, the tracking function is fun - upload the track to your computer, and you can watch the history of your progress as a moving pip on the map.All this requires extra software of course.

Probably the strangest shortcoming is that you can't get the unit to display the map, speed, and odometer at the same time!So on a ride with cue sheets, one is constantly toggling back and forth between the odometer and the map.You can disply all kinds of other useless combinations of data you would never want - but the one that is built-in to every vehicle ever made (distance and speed) isn't available when the map is shown!

A set of batteries lasts me about one solid day of riding (maybe 8 hours or so).The map display is easy to read.Some of the other data (the odometer, for example) consists of black on a dark background, and can be hard to read.

Despite its shortcomings, which could be easily addressed, I really enjoy my Magellan Meridian - it's gotten me out of trouble more than once, and its extremely relliable and rugged.

Good hardware, aggravating map software
As with other reviewers, I look long and hard at Magellan and Garmin, but ultimately chose Magellan because of the memory card capability. I like the hardware but the base map is complete rubbish and you need to have a memory card and buy optional map software to get a usable unit. The problem is the copy protection on the software ... you must have the distribution CD in the drive to load the software and backup copies are not allowed. To add insult to injury, if you damage your distribution CD, Magellan charges the outrageous price of $25 to swap for a good CD. All in all, the negative points on the software tip the scale to Garmin.

Meridian Gold
This review is how to make your Meridian GPS more useful.
First buy the Magellan MapSend DirectRoute 980654-03 Map CD.
As the Meridian Gold lets you load street level maps onto SD memory cards.I got a 512 SD card and loaded 8 regions onto the card.When using the Mapsend directroute software you can create
64 MB or less regions.I was able to put the entire US into about 20 regions (with overlap).I was then able to save these regions to my hard drive (and then copy them to another medeia).
Once your regions are saved you can rename them anything as long as you leave .IMG at the end.
Now with a SD memory card reader all you have to do is drop and drag your regionmaps to any number of SD cards.I used a 512 SD card and I can fit 8 regions onto my Meridian Gold (Go into the menu page down to card utilities and load whatever map you have on your SD card, If you gave them a name to can tell them apart.You can only load one region at a time but this will save you from going back to the CD everytime you need new maps). ... Read more

Product Description

The GPS 72 is a low-cost solution for land or marine navigation designed to provide precise GPS positioning using correction data obtained from the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS).The GPS 72 can provide position accuracy to less than three meters when receiving WAAS corrections.This rugged, waterproof, unsinkable GPS receiver offers a large, 4-level grayscale screen.Designed as the next generation in basic, entry-level GARMIN GPS, the GPS 72 will get you there, and back again. ... Read more

Features

• Floatable, waterproof to 1 meter; built-in celestial time tables for best time to fish
• 12-channel handheld land/marine GPS receiver
• WAAS-enabled for 3-meter accuracy
• 1 MB built-in memory for points of interest storage (not map compatible)
• 500 user waypoints with name and graphic symbol; 50 reversible routes

Reviews (6)

an excellentGPS
I have tried a Etrex Vista, Sportmap, and a Gekko but I bought a Garmin 72. I like the 72 for use on my kayak where I can usethe large screen to see my speed three feet away. This unit has beenputthrough the ringer and it just keeps working. I don't miss the mapping at all.

Garmin GPS72
Have used the GPS72 now for 4 months. It has been a pleasure to use.The Garmin operating system is is easy to follow and the prompts make it unnecessary to carry the manual to use all of the features.So far it is waterproof as advertised as it lives in my canoes and while not fully submerged is subject to splash and spray every time it is out.Approximately 66 hours of use to data and am totally happy.

Pinpoint precision
This is a great GPS, probably the best I've ever used. I started with GPS in 1997 with the Garmin GPS 38, and three years later purchased an eTrex. I was satisfied with that, but when I heard about the added features of the 72, I went ahead and bought it to replace the eTrex. It is far more powerful than the eTrex and easier to use. The 72 makes excellent use of its dedicated zoom and menu keys. These alone make this unit quicker and easier to operate than some entry-level units. The display is of higher resolution which makes things like track lines more precise--a real problem on the eTrex, on which the track appeared as a thick black line that didn't show many meanders or fine movements. Many of the software features that the GPS 38 had, but the eTrex didn't, are included here, such as the ability to measure distance between waypoints, pan on the map page, and time-stamp marked points. The receiver in the 72 is very hot and sometimes gets you a fix within seconds. The software is apparently upgradeable and the receiver is WAAS-enabled, so it's ready for the next generation of navigation. Like most GPS units it's completely waterproof and it's worked for me under very unfavorable conditions. The third GPS I've owned and probably the last one I'll ever need to buy. Another job well done by Garmin.

Nearly perfect for non-mappers
I'm one of those rare people who decided to get a GPS not for mapping, but for additional display info while driving (in my case, speed, elevation, and navigation) and since I planned to mount it upright on the dash, it needed an antenna that would allow good reception in that position.The GPS 72 fit my profile the way I wanted things to work in every way except one...the time format available for the Navigation page, which is almost the only page I use, doesn't include seconds.

If Garmin would allow the customizable display to include the date-time format line available on the Satellite page on the Navigation page, this unit would be perfect.As it stands, I can toggle to the Satellite page if I need to know pretty easily, so otherwise, I'm good to go.I did find a Garmin unit that can do this, but I would have spent twice the money.

The unit is simple to understand out of the box even for a GPS novice like myself.The manual is laid out well and, with a bit of practice, complete functionality should be easy.The black body blends into the dash and the screen size is perfect for me.I can see myself marking Waypoints this Christmas for the best neighborhood light displays so I can find them again next year.

I like it.I like it a lot.

Best value for money
Extremely satisfied. Largest screen for the money. Pages are customizable and easy to read/customizable text size. User friendly interface. Excellent reception by just putting the unit on the dashboard. External antenna not needed. ... Read more

Product Description

This Garmin Geko waterproof GPS is an especially small and lightweight waterproof GPS unit with a sleek, bright green case and simple operating system. It allows more waypoint and route storage, as well as available PC and external power connectivity, and built-in WAAS capability. Features an accuracy of 10' or less with WAAS; 5-button, one-hand use for easy operation; 64x100 pixels high-contrast display; trip computer; 12-hr. battery life; and more. ... Read more

Features

• Easy operation: five buttons for one-hand use
• 12-hour operation on 2 AAA batteries; includes serial PC interface
• Compact 12-channel GPS receiver with high-contrast display (100 x 64 pixels)
• WAAS-enabled for 3-meter accuracy
• Stores 500 waypoints and 20 routes with 125 waypoints per route

Reviews (18)

Small, accurate, very user friendly
Many years ago when I lived in Utah I used a Garmin 12XL for exploring the desert areas.I sold that when I moved to Illinois as what little public land space there is has well marked trails.

A few months ago however, I decided to purchase a Geko 201 to work as trip odometer for my main exercise which is walking around our small town or on country roads.I was very surprised to see how well this GPS worked in comparision to the 12XL.It seems much faster at acquiring satellites and is more accurate.It does as well, if not better, under trees.The trip odo feature is easy to use and all the info you need to check your workout; such as distance, avg speed, and time moving is on one screen.

I also tried it on a business trip to find my way back to my motel from a location across a good-sized town. Instead of backtracking the indirect route I used following freeways to get to the location, I wanted the GPS to show me the shortest way back on city streets. It has no map feature but just using the arrow to judge which way to turn got my right to the front door with no problems at all.I also found it even worked sitting on the console of my car!

Two small downsides: The track feature that shows a breadcrumb trail of where you have been is so small it is pretty much useless.However, that is a trade off I will take for the small size of the GPS.If there is a way to manually plug in coordinates for a place you want the GPS to guide you to I have not found it.

I highly recommend this GPS, as for its intended use, it is close to perfect.

I would recommend this for its size and performance
I have owned this GPS for about a year now, I love it for it's size and detail it provides on the track log or "breadcrumbs", it can remember ten thousand points, which is great for downloading your last trip.It pulls in signals very well.I se this to find my car in the parking lot at the shopping center or after a sporting event.There is just one flaw I found and I wish garmin would issue a fix via software update.If you put in a jean pocket or in tight quarters.I have on several occasions had my batteries go dead cause the unit powered on, it takes just a very quick touch of the power button to turn it on and a longer hold to shut it off.I recommend this night and day over the Garmin 101, this unit adds WAAS and computer interface.Use the interface its great with Expert GPS to view your data or easily add waypoints.

Excellent value for money
The Geko 201 is a great GPS. I've had it for almost a year and never had any complaints. Sure, it doesn't come with mapping features, altimeter, etc. But if you are only going to use it for light hiking and geocaching, this is the best in the market. It's lightweight and compact and can take quite a few knocks! I've dropped it on rocks and into the water a few times and it still managed to survive with just a few scratches. Like other GPS units, it doesn't work very well if you are walking in an area closed in by trees or buildings.

WAAS overhyped
I have been using my 201 for several months.Compared to the only other GPS I have used, a $10k Trimble, it is a bargain.

On its Website Garmin claims, "A WAAS-capable receiver can give you a position accuracy of better than three meters 95 percent of the time."I have yet to see that accuracy.I get 5-6m accuracy 95% of the time.New buyers should be aware that you must use the menu system to put the 201 into WAAS mode for the first time.

In my work, the lack of pan capability in waypoints is a serious limitation.

A reviewer complained about short names for waypoints.Be aware that you enter names by scrolling through the alphabet for each letter: I make do with short names.

I have had no problems with the on/off switch.

Don't worry about the on button!
I just bought a Geko 201 after using one that my friend let me borrow for a few weeks. My friend's unit had a protruding power button that admittedly was easy to push by accident. I decided to purchase one anyway for it's size, price, and convenience. I figgured that I would just be careful and remove the batteries when there was a chance that the button would get pressed. When mine arrived I was surprised to find that the 201 has been redesigned. The power button has been recessed and there is now a small ridge around it to protect against the accidents that have been outlined in many other reviews. I would highly recommend this GPS ... Read more

Product Description

The First Meridian Gps Receiver For Serious Navigators Who Want A Vibrant Outdoor Viewable Color Display In A Go-anywhere Handheld System. 120x160 Pixel, 16 Color Display For Easy Viewing Outdoors. Features 16 Mb Built-in Map With Navaids Ad Obstructions, Sd Card Expandability. Waterproof - It Floats. External Antenna Connector. With Rubber Armoring In A Classic Platinum Gold Color. - Type: Meridian Color * Reference-ID: EB01_20092-5023018 ... Read more

Features

• Rubber armored construction is impact resistant and waterproof
• Runs for up to 13 hours on 2 AA batteries; includes USB interface with cable
• Full-color 120 x 160 pixel display; backlit for easy night-time use
• Uses WAAS technology for accuracy to within 3 meters or better
• 16 MB of built-in memory includes mapping of North America and unlimited expandability

Reviews (13)

What a great device
The Magellan Meridian Color is my first GPS receiver, so I can't compare it with others. But it is an amazing piece of equipment. It is extremely versatile, well made, fun and useful. With the latest firmware upgrade, v5.34, and the excellent optional MapSend DirectRoute mapping computer software (made by NavTech) this is both a great handheld hiking GPS and an in-car, turn-by-turn, street/address routing device.

Although the internal memory is only 16 MB, enough for the adequate base maps that are pre-installed, the capability to use SD memory cards for uploading detaled street or topo maps from the computer greatly expands the usefulness. I am using a 256 MB memory card in my Meridian Color, on which I currently have uploaded detailed street maps for most of California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas from the DirectRoute software. These have to be limited to no more than 64 MB regions that can be selected on the GPS through the "card utilities - change map" menu, and are available in the GPS at all times. If I want more maps than fit on one card, I can buy another card and swap them as needed.

The color screen is very good and can be seen well in a car from the drivers seat position when the unit is held in the optional dashboard suction-cup mounting bracket. Unless the sun is right on it, it is bright enough to be seen in the middle of a sunny day, and can be dimmed at night. The zoom function allows you to quickly zoom out to see your current position in reference to the whole world, or zoom in in reference to as close as a 100 ft scale of detailed street or topo maps.

The only negative comment I have is that the output connection from the GPS to a computer is a serial port type, rather than USB. Most newer laptops don't even have serial ports anymore. However, this is remedied by using a serial/USB converter (about $20). The uploading of detailed maps is much faster anyway when done directly to the SD memory card using an SD memory reader/writer (also about $20), which makes it mostly unnecessary to connect the GPS directly to the computer.

The GPS receiver goes through 2 AA batteries in about 6 hours of use with screen continuously at full brightness. I bought an AA battery recharger with 6 batteries for about $20 which works great and takes away the cost of replacing batteries.

The Meridian Color can quickly convert among all major coordinate systems, and has multiple screens to show you such things as your current coordinates, elevation, speed, heading, and needed bearing toward a chosen destination ("waypoint"). It can store up to 500 waypoints and 20 routes. For hiking purposes it can track your movement and then allow you to use a "backtrack" function to see and re-trace your path back to where you started.

Warning:Product does NOT meet specifications
When I first got the unit, I loved it.It appeared accurate, though it took a long time to acquire satellites at times.In fact, many times my Delorme Earthmate would acquire within 15 seconds, and the Meridian would take several minutes (while moving in a car sitting on the dash).The ability to use SD/MMC cards and load maps onto the unit was great for general usage.I used Magellan GPS for everything, from hiking, kayaking, driving, to boating.

HOWEVER, the specs say that the unit is IPX7 compliant, which means accidental submersion underwater for up to 30 minutes in 1 meter of water.I was in a kayak, got hit by a wave with the Meridian in my pocket, and was in less than 1 meter of water for less than 15 seconds, and water made it's way into the unit.

I sent Magellan/Thales navigation an email and gave them a call but was not given much help, even though I own multiple Magellan products (including the GPS companion, etc...).They noted that I could have it serviced for $150, which is what an new unit cost (this was not the platinum edition, but it is the same form factor and same case).All customer service would tell me is that sometimes water may enter through the keypad area.Well, if water enters through the keypad area, how can they advertise that it is IPX7 compliant?

I may be an isolated incident.However, with the customer service I received, I don't think I would ever buy another Magellan product, and will probably get rid of the rest of my Magellan products.I think the product design, features, usability, and intuitiveness is great, just the product does not perform up to expectations or promise.I would also consider customer service as well.

Meridian COLOR vs. PLATINUM
Display:
The COLOR has no-light/dim/bright, as does the PLATINUM. But the COLOR it is only usable with bright lights in daylight and dim during nighttime, with no lights you don't see anything. The Platinum w/o light has still an acceptable display and runs for about 8 hrs, the COLOR on bright runs slightly over 4 hrs (1.850 mAh).

Functionality:
The colored display is very helpful together with Topo Send. You can easily distinguish between different graphics by the color; like arroyos and dirt-roads, specially marked arreas and lakes, etc.
What is missing on the COLOR compared to the PLATINUM is the baro, thermo and the build in electronic compass (not gps dependent). I thermo and baro I found fun to play around with but never really found a serious application. The compass needs constant alignment and is often considerably off. For all those applications there is way better stuff out there.
The COLOR has the better software wich might be due to the fact that I downloaded the latest software to it (v. 5.12). After v. 5.xx there is supposed to be a street navigation function to it, which I haven't found yet- maybe only works with MapStreets.

Durability:
As I pointed out in my earlier review on the PLATINUM this unit is extremely rugged and highly reliable in the field. I figure so will be the COLOR.

Deficiencies:
The backtrack function is higly deficient. When you wanna walk back you have to hit every single point this function created on the way back. Often you don't do that because you do a shortcut. Neither one of those units does allow you to bypass one single point and from now it desperatly points back to the one point you might have missed by a couple of feets.

Map-Download:
has certain limitations which are discussed in some other reviews on this side. Even with the latest software I was only able to download 3 regions to one map, but 4 maps alltogether with a total of 120mb over my PDA (Card-Reader might be even better) by doing the following:

1. Without connecting your Meridian to a PC, begin the map Upload process (click Regions; then Upload to GPS).
2. When the map data conversion process is done, MapSend will display a message that it cannot find your GPS receiver to perform the download.
3. Stop the process here by selecting "Cancel".
4. Using Windows Explorer, go to Program Files/Magellan/MapSend/Export and locate the file called "maps.img".
5. Copy this file to the SD card using USB card reader.Do not create any folders within the SD card where you place this file.Your Meridian will always looks at the top, or "Root" level within the card.
6. Rename the file "XXXXXX.img" - Example (SO California.img).
7. Remove the card and place it in your Meridian.You can use your Meridian as you would normally from here. (If you have at least software version 3.12 loaded on your Meridian, you will be able to select a map image to use from the Card Utilities menu - Press MENU to find Card Utilities)

Verdict:

I do recommend both units, but do personally prefer the COLOR for its more consise display even considering the extra functions on the PLATINUM. Because of certain flaws in the software I give both a 4 out of 5.

A wonderful GPS worked great!
Just returned from a trip to Europe, and I have to say this GPS is stellar. I read some of the other comments below and let me offer some advice that clears up some of the problems.

The backlight is adjustable, there is Bright, Dim, and Off. You change from one to the other by holding the power key down for a few seconds.

There is a work around for the maps. I was able to download all of german, netherlands, italy, most of poland etc. You need an SD card programmer to do it, and either 128 mb or 64 mb cards. I needed 192mb total to store what I wanted. Each "Region" that you want to store has to be under 16mb. You can store up to 4 regions in a "Map". You can store as many maps as you want to the SD card, but you will need to rename them from "Region00." to "Region01", "Region02", etc. In this way you are able to store multiple 64 mb "Maps". You can change which map you are using by going to card utilities->select map. Waypoints and routes are stored in the GPS, so they will be sticky if you switch cards.

Using this method you can download all the maps you could possibly need during your trip, and not have to lug a laptop or any software around with you, maybe a couple of postage-stamp sized sd cards. Also note that you'll want to load at least 16mb of the European basemap onto each sd card if you will be using it in europe.

Be sure to format your SD cards before using them!

I think the unit would work with 512mb sd cards, but I don't have a 512mb card to test with.

Another important note is that magellan is releasing Turn-By-Turn software for this GPS this Month! It will retail @ 149.99 and if you do a cost comparison between the magellan and the garmin software, the magellan will now work out cheaper AND provide turn by turn routing with voice prompting (This is just a fantastic software upgrade, I can't believe it can be done without buying a new GPS. I will have to see how well it works when I receive my copy however.).

Some items that keep this from getting 5 stars:

Non-intuitive user interface for loading multiple maps (workaround described above)

Battery life - I went thru about 4 2100 maH AA batteries a day. I had the backlight auto-off set at two minutes, but wanted the gps on all the time to get accurate routing. I remember by GPS V goes for a couple days on one set of batteries, although it uses 4 batteries instead of two.

No compass - this makes it kind of tricky to navigate if you're walking. The directional arrow is frequently inaccurate, so you have to cross check the street that you are on. I'd love to see a screw on magnetic compass attachment for this unit. The sport-trak color has the compass, but only allows 10 or so MB of built in maps.

No built in auto routing - was kind of dismayed to find it didn't have this originally, but with the promised software upgrade, it should be good. I do feel that this should be built into the unit, as a I think every user out there would want it. $150 is a bit much to pay for software that should really be included with the unit.

Annoying alarm when battery reaches critical - There are some times that you don't want to advertise that you are carrying around an expensive device, and having the alarm go off in the middle of a subway or something could be dangerous. Didn't fully investigate if this can be turned off.

Difficult to tell which button you're pushing if it's in your pocket - a little bump on the power and enter buttons would help for unseen operation.

External connector is slow to connect disconnect - you have to turn a screw to connect the external car power or PC interface cables, which takes 60 seconds or so, maybe 30 when you get good. Very difficult to accomplish while driving.

Annoying alarm when external power lost in car - my car connector kept turning off when bumped with the hand, and then this alarm would go off. A single beep would suffice guys!

External power should turn off backlight saver automatically e.g. the backlight should stay on. (or better yet, seperate backlight saver mode for battery and external power). Ditto the auto-off functions although I wasn't using those.

Display - the display was pretty good, and the color definitely helps to clear up the map. Street names are a bit difficult to read and certain zoom levels, the detail level/zoom level threshoulds might need a bit of adjustment.

Antenna - Definitely works better when the gps top is pointed up. This is only my second GPS but it seemed a little less sensitive then my GPS V is.

Cursor - cursor didn't track correctly when entering in a street name where the second word of the street name caused it to wrap to the second line; the cursor remained on a blank square - annoying, no big deal.

German streets - geez, the first 17 characters are the same, can someone figure out how to do the UI so it is easier to get to the right street? I think using the up/down arrows to scroll thru the possible repeat characters would be much easier then the current methods.

Fantastic
Excellent GPS.Has no problem finding and maintaining a lock.I tried two other GPS (Garmin and Magellan SporTrak) before buying this unit, and it is by far the best of the three.The color screen is beautiful (although its resolution is not as good as the new SporTrak Color).This unit is also the largest of the ones that I tried, but much of the size is tied to the antenna, and a larger antenna means better performance.One word of caution: don't buy the MapSend Software--the points of interest (restaurants, etc) are significantly off from their actual positions.Magellan is working on a new version of this software, which is supposed to solve the problems encountered here.Also, don't think this unit with the MapSend software will give you directions for how to get to an address; it will pinpoint the location (using Goto), but finding the right roads to get there is up to you.Also, becuase this GPS uses an SD memory card, it is possible to have maps that cover far greater areas than on units with built-in memory.

The color display is nice, but without the backlight it looks like it's black-and-white.

The person who wrote earlier about only being able to have 4 maps on the memory card was WRONG.It's true that the Magellan can only have 4 maps active at once, but the user can switch between map files.(For instance file 1 can have maps of Georgia, Alabama/Mississippi, Florida, and Louisiana; file 2 can have maps of DC/Maryland, Pennsylvania; etc.)

Overall a very good unit.Takes a little bit of time to understand how to use it, but it is worth it. ... Read more

Product Description

Magellan Meridian Platinum is the ultimate GPS receiver for the serious navigator, featuring a 3-axis electronic compass that provides rock steady readings regardless of how you hold the unit. A built-in barometer gives you advance notice on the weather, and an extensive, 16 MB, built-in mapping database shows your position to within 3 meters or better. Rugged, weather-proof design, large display, intuitive operation and nearly unlimited expandability make the Meridian Platinum an incomparable GPS receiver ... Read more

Features

• Waterproof; rugged, ergonomic design
• Oversize gray-scale screen with backlight; includes serial PC interface
• 12-channel GPS unit with 16 MB base map, barometer, and 3-axis digital compass
• Built-in database of U.S. cities, interstates, major roads, and airports
• Secure Digital memory-card slot for expanded storage

Reviews (36)

Expectations were apparently too high
I have owned this unit for a couple of years, and I have upgraded the software recently as well (rev 5.4). I would not buy another GPS of this model, and I have doubts about Magellan products in general after my experience with this unit. My reasons are a little different than other reviewers.

On my unit, the electronic compass is unreliable, and has to be recalibrated every week. This is particularly so if it is used around the electromagnetic environment of a vehicle, and whenever batteries are changed. Most importantly, there is no warning that the compass needs to be reset. Therefore you might find yourself walking along a heading that is completely inaccurate, without realizing it.

One of the key issues when using a unit like this is trust, and in particular trust when in the 'nearly lost, semi panic' situation that we all hope to never find ourselves in. My unit falls short often enough that I cannot trust some of the data I am getting.

In an effort to improve reliability I have set the compass orientation to "GPS course", so that when the compass fails, then at least the direction of movement on the map will be reliable. However I find it disconcerting when 'heading' is so dramatically incorrect. Evidently 'heading' is data derived from the internal compass, and the unit is happy to give data that is inconsistent with it's own data from the GPS direction. For example, when walking quickly east, the unit will always accurately show my movement on the map as east, even when the electronic compass has lost calibration. However on the next screen the 'heading' will be labeled as a ridiculous 221 degrees, or some other bizarre number, even when the unit is pointed directly along the eastward line of movement. It seems to me that it should be easy for the unit to be programmed to show a warning to the user that the compass is giving inaccurate data, since the data from the unit is in conflict with itself. If such a warning were reliable, then I would at least know when the unit needs recalibration. Sadly, Magellan seems to have made no effort to accomplish this. Without an internal check of the electronic compass I wouldn't trust this unit to get me out of trouble.

In some ways I should have anticipated this. Clearly, a GPS should not be relied on for simple information as to which way north is. It is much better for pinpointing your exact location, ultimately the most important data that a GPS offers. Therefore if I ever need to buy another GPS I would get one that does not have an internal compass. It would be nice if Magellan were to offer a software upgrade that allowed the user to turn off the internal compass, so that battery use would be lower and data would be more reliable. Spurious data is worse than no data at all.

bad for street level detail
this gps unit is pretty much useless for car navigation-- it showed me a block from where i was standing, on another street, past a creek that doesn't exist! (in south florida, using usa streets and destinations).

what the $#%% is the point of a GPS if it doesnt even show you where you are? it embarassed the hell out me when i was showing it off. you can only imagine.

in terms of hiking on trails and wooded areas and whatnot, i cant judge because i didnt test that aspect before i returned it, but im sure its great.

Great piece of technology!
Well, my experience with this gadget has been swell, a piece of cake when it comes to set it up (I didn't even have to read the manual) and a very easy to use and understand HANDHELD! Has many great features that I don't really use but I'm ok with that, I prefer more that less... Great for treking, my main activity when I use it... I wouldn't leave home without it, it's my favorite "high tech toy" to use for my job, as I am an archaeologist...:) I only had one problem with it because after two months of use it's system crashed down and it just wouldn't turn on again... I took it to the store where I bought it with my warranty on hand and they gave a brand new GPS, the same one of course, after 3 days!!! Anyway, I did what other customers already said: UPGRADE ASAP. So I did and I hope I don't have anymore trouble with it... Apart from that, I'm very happy and satisfied with this GPS.

Exceptional Unit
I've had my unit since June of 2003.I've taken the unit deep into the woods while hunting and on several road trips. In both cases, it performed superb.

During my pre-hunting season scouting trips, I was able to mark areas of interest in the woods.Three months later, using this GPS, find those same locations with ease.Secondly, I pack-in a climbing tree stand and use the GPS to find my way back to it before sunrise the following morning using this GPS with ease. The temperature and barometric functions help with identifying changing weather conditions where radio reception is spotty at best and keeping noise down is imperative to the hunting experience.I use the sunrise/moonrise function to keep me within legal hunting hours and the game movement calculator is within a few minutes of those published in the local papers.The diffent orientations of the display, heading, north-up, and course are also very helpful while navigating through the woods.

I've also had the opportunity to use the unit on a few road trips between South Texas and Oklahoma.Using cities along the way as waypoints, I always new how far it was to the next town which can be important when determining if you should stop for gas or restroom break or continue to the next town.It also kept me informed as to when my turns were coming up.I had inputed waypoints using latitute and longitude locations I got from Micorosoft's streets and maps for locations outside of the current maps I had previously loaded into the GPS. I couldn't see the minor streets but I definitely knew where I had to go.The speed indicator was also very accurate.I had noticed that the GPS showed me 2-3 MPH slower than on my vehicles speedometer.I had thought this was an error in the GPS until I had passed a few of those roadside radar speed signs.The Radar indicated speed and the GPS were identical.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the Meridian Platinum.If I had to make the decision over again, I would buy this unit again.

A full featured GPS receiver
I've been using my my MeriPlat on almost a weekly basis for over half a year now.I'm very happy with the purchase!The features I love most are the SD slot and the three-axis magnetic compass...meaning it works while held vertically, horizontally, or on it's side.It also has a superior built-in antenna when compared to Garmin's Etrex series of receivers.I've been out in the woods with friends who had Etrex.They periodically lost signal reception while I stayed locked in.The MeriPlat even works inside the house away from windows!In fact, the only time I have ever lost signal was under heavy tree canopy during a down pour. I highly recommend buying Magellan's Direct Route software...it gives the unit turn by turn routing ability and works great! ... Read more

Product Description

The GPS for serious mountaineers and outdoor enthusiast has arrived.With a powerful twelve parallel channel receiver, it provides amazingly accurate bearing information as well as serving as an altimeter and electronic compass.Quickly and easily calculate your rate of climb to satisfy curiosity or help decide whether or not you have enough daylight for the return.Waterproof for marine and recreation use, its compact design allows you to take it with you anywhere and access information via the operating buttons located on both sides of the device.Precision GPS, electronic compass, and altimeter all in one12 parallel channel receiverDesigned for marine and recreational useWaterproof: submergible to 1 m. for 30 min.Compact design ... Read more

Features

• Navigates up to 50 waypoints in sequence with animated graphical interface
• Waterproof case; adjustable, backlit LCD; battery-save feature
• Compatible with optional Garmin MapSource software for downloading trip and waypoint data (not map compatible)
• Palm-size global positioning system (GPS) pinpoints location anytime, anywhere--regardless of cloud cover or weather
• Automatic track log with two-way navigation; stores 10 custom tracks

Reviews (13)

Great!
I use it when I go sking, so I see how fast I can go, I use it for biking, so I can tell how far I have gone. I can be in the middle of my two story house and still get a signal (It takes about 10 minutes though) Outside it will pick up a signal in under 30secconds. Its Great!

Pro-Easy to use
-Lots of info
-Can be used for rec/work
-Very accurate

Con-Sucks up batteries fast

Great GPS, less accurate than I would like
This GPS is a great help for any kind of GPS work you would need to do that didn't require you to be any closer than about 20 feet. Within 20 feet is is inprecise.

I've found that the altimeter needs regular calibration to be accurate as well.

Too bad it doesn't come standard with an A/C adapter. You'd think with all the money you're paying the least you would get is an A/C adapter!

Altitude profile doesn't download
I've checked this GPS out in the toughest test and I guess you get what you pay for, this model can display the profile for up to 25 miles on the screen , but when you download the data the profile is very hard to re create on the PC, I've tried using several kinds of download software and then Harvard Graphics or excel , with the same result, a horizontal scale problem.

Every check I have made on its accuracy shows no problem , just this end of the line processing, perhaps I'm the only user trying to print off the profile

can't ask for better
I am an avid hunter,before buyýng my gps a did an extencýve search for the best suited one for my needs.there is no question
that the eTrex Summit has all I ask.the electronic compass is the
most important future.When I hunt I always go deep in the forest.
I used to have some terrible lost instances,I tell you getting lost in deep forest is no joke at all.now with my summit in my pocket I am the kýng of forests.the poiter page future is also extra advantage the summit has.Any hunter or camper should own one for hýs or her securýtýy.

eTrex Summit Fun, Forest Fires & Work too...
I bought my eTrex Summit for Forest Fire GPS mapping support.I knew I would get a +/- of 12'-20'and for most forest fire support this is acceptable to us. I also use it for the altimeter at our helicopter landing fields, once calibrated it seems to stay relative based on at least 100 meters from the cal point.

It is great for recreation, has all the waypoint and track/route storage you will need. The "Geocaching" treks are great with this little gizmo.It is a great starter for the kids too!They are not intimidated by it and find it fun to play around with. I am so greatful that it is waterproof and for a second or three it floats!

I have been using it in my geophysical surveys to gage the general elevation change from a known surveyed-in well head elevation and have seen 1.5' accuracy relative to the survey point calibration. With a 1/2 to a mile-ling line this us very useful and you don't need to bring survey equipment with you. This is a great navigational tool!We input well locations and/or our planned survey lines and nav to them and end up where we wanted to be based upon an aerial photo review.

The odometer and speedometer are sure to surprise you in that they are very accurate considering most GPS units can track a vehicle, of any kind, up to 1,500mph to 1,800mph, ha, ha.

I do wish that the "Auto" calibration process would keep up with me after I have calibrated it once and have not moved more than three or five miles away from the cal point.It seems to loose it's cal quickly.This is a problem if you are not in a position to do a field cal on the fly, if you don't know the elevation or the altimeter.

I wish it had a WAAS upgrade! This would give me a 2-3 meter diameter of accuracy.

I may need to buy a WAAS gizmo and retire this one. ... Read more

Product Description

The Garmin eTrex Venture GPS offers a lot navigational muscle for being among the smallest handheld GPS receivers in the industry. At 4-1/2Lx2W” it is roughly the size of a cell phone with easy-to-use Power, Page, Zoom In, Zoom Out and Find buttons along the side. You get a worldwide database of cities and 1 megabyte of internal memory, which lets you download additional information from Garmin’s new MapSource Points of Interest CD-ROM. Once downloaded you can easily lookup destinations like restaurants, hotels, campgrounds and more, and read telephone and address information clearly with a new high-resolution liquid crystal display. The backlit display and superb contrast also make the Venture an exceptional unit for nighttime navigation. ... Read more

Features

• Rocker switch on front panel for quick and accurate map panning
• High-resolution liquid-crystal display
• Compatible with optional Garmin MapSource software for downloading trip and waypoint data
• Global positioning system (GPS) receiver with database of world cities
• 1 MB of internal memory for map and data storage; PC cable included

Reviews (28)

Great GPS receiver for basic hiking and backpacking.
I returned a Cobra GPS 100 and upgraded to the eTrex Venture for the extra money. What a difference only a few dollars more can make! this is my first GPS unit ever, and I had no problems picking everything up within a day.

For starters, it only took about two minutes to locate a satellite for the first time (supposed to take up to five) and averages about 30 seconds to locate one in general. The screen resolution is easy to read and the options for customizing the map make it even easier if you have trouble reading small text. The waypoint markers are easy to define and edit. The compass seems to be very quick in picking up your movements. Almost everything is customizable giving you endless options for your specific use for the GPS unit. The unit is comfortable in the hand, although some of the buttons are a little stiff at first.

My satellite reception is excellent. I took it hiking in 40°F rain and hail (obviously very overcast) and only lost reception once while walking under heavy tree cover. On the way home I placed it on the dashboard and it tracked me 33 miles home without losing reception once. This was in 500 ft visibility fog on a one lane curvy mountain road. This unit definitely gets the job done.

My only gripes are there's no beep or sound when it loses reception and you have to press enter to acknowledge you have lost reception, thus it begins tracking you again. So if you hike by turning the unit on and placing it in your backpack, or even on your belt, you could have lost reception and not known it, and because you haven't acknowledged the unit, it's not tracking you anymore (as far as I can tell).

Other than that, this unit works perfect for getting you in and out of areas where there's no trails and finding that perfect spot to spend the night or fish and hunt.

Just OK, or maybe a bit less than that.
This was a mild disappointment. It is the second Garmin product that fails me, I also owned a Pilot II, whose firmware at some point lost its marbles, and now it displays only some pages and refuses to get a GPS fix.

The Venture had, almost from the beginning, a problem with the display, which flickered and became alternatively all black or white, or lost some horizontal lines, creating a nice "blinds" effect.

The problem normally went away by moderate slapping. But it is not a nice start.

Second point: the battery contacts are sub-quality, you just need to shake the unit a little and the electrodes lose contact with the battery, causing the unit to switch off.

Third: when the memory is fairly full, the operating system goes in overload mode, sometimes it does not manage to acquire the user input, and you find yourself trying to use the buttons without actually managing to do nothing. Erase the memory and the problem disappears.

Four: a few leaves overhead and you lose the fix, the sensitivity and selectivity is not great.

Maybe I had a bad firmware, who knows, but I don't want to change my firmware every month, I expect the original firmware to be OK for a while.

I just bought a Magellan, I'm curious to see if it's better or worse.

Used for both kayaking and geocaching
I purchased the Garmin Venture a year ago.I have used it on several 20 mile kayaking trips down a river and this past April used it for a 135 mile river trip.It was extremely accurate and we not only knew where we were, but how far it was to the next landing or landmark.

It did take some time to learn how to operate the unit.The instructions were not as clear as I would have liked but trial and error is a great teacher.I had a friend who got me interested in geocaching and that really helped me learn how to use all of the Venture's features.It is easy to upgrade from the Garmin website and to also download maps from the Mapsource CD-ROM's.It is kind of like learning to use a computer.Don't be afraid to try something.You won't hurt it.

I usually average 18+ hours on a pair of batteries.I also purchased a power cord so that I could use it in my vehicle.I just plug it in and wedge the GPS between the windshield and dashboard and follow the arrow to the next geocache.

I have been impressed with the toughness of this unit.I have dunked it in the river, dropped it, and generally given it a rough time.I would recommend this to someone who is interested in a GPS but does not want to invest a lot of money.

too advance for begenner
much too advance for a begenner!

Awesome GPS
This product works freat. I use it very often for geocaching and always find my mark. With the addition of Mapsource software this is the piece of equipment to have! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

You don't need to buy a luxury car or spend thousands installing a multipart system to get advanced GPS navigation capabilities in your automobile. Garmin's StreetPilot III delivers all the high-end features you need--from detailed street maps and sophisticated auto routing to voice prompts and a color screen--in a compact, inexpensive, and portable package.

The Garmin StreetPilot III sports a brilliant LCD display

Setting up the unit was surprisingly simple. First we installed the software from the MapSource City Navigator CD onto our PC and connected the card reader, with the 32 MB data card, to the USB port. Then we went online to unlock one of 10 detailed coverage areas included on the disk; for instance, Area 1 covers California and Nevada, Area 7 covers New England and New York. After that we downloaded detailed maps of our city (San Francisco) and surrounding areas to the data card. We also downloaded waypoints--locations like our home, office, and other places we often visit--onto the card and inserted it into the StreetPilot III. If you don't have a USB port, you can also use the included serial cable to connect the entire unit to your PC.

The physical installation went just as smoothly. We affixed the plastic base to the top of our dashboard with the included adhesive mounting disks, snapped the StreetPilot III into place, connected it to the cigarette lighter for power, and extended the small fold-down antenna. The dashboard mount's quick release makes it easy to store the StreetPilot III when not in use or, if you purchase a second mount, lets you use it in multiple vehicles.

We turned the unit on and in less than a minute it locked onto the GPS satellites and displayed a map of our current location on the clear, bright, easy-to-read color display. As we drove along, it displayed our position and direction on the map, the name and address number of the street we were on, and even the name of the upcoming cross street. The two zoom buttons let us get a very detailed street-level view or a broad overview of our current position, and the menu button allowed us to customize the display.

By using the ‘find’ key, points of interest such as attractions, restaurants, banks, intersections and many more are easily located and routed to. Simply choose the destination from the list and press ‘route to it’. The Streetpilot III will calculate the best route and talk you through to the destination. The crisp, colorful LCD makes checking out your destination easy--even before you leave! This screen displays your possible destination of the St. Louis Zoo as well as local restaurants and emergency medical locations. It’s easy to become familiar with services provided even when you’re 244.1 miles away. Try that with a paper map!

The trip computer screen calculates all the travel data for your trip with incredible accuracy, while verbal instructions inform you of the next turn. Valuable information like distance to destination and time to destination are constantly updated--perhaps even putting an end to the question ‘are we there yet?’ Routes can be displayed several ways such as this turn by turn instruction screen, which highlights your next turn to make. The distance to go and time to go information gives driver’s the forewarning and confidence to watch for the approaching turn. The smooth verbal instructions will let you know when the next turn is approaching.

The fun really started, though, when we used the StreetPilot's routing capabilities. Using the arrow buttons, we input the intersection of a store we'd never visited, and within a minute it calculated the most direct route. The voice navigator told us where to go and when to turn, and it was simple to monitor our progress both on the map and on the text display. We knew the exact address of our next stop and entered it into the unit. The StreetPilot then guided us onto the freeway and successfully to our second destination, telling us exactly where to stop along the street and even on which side of the street the store was located. To get home, we just accessed a waypoint with our home address that we'd preprogrammed on the PC.

Even if you don't know exactly where you're going, the City Navigator maps include points of interest, such as restaurants, shops, and parks. For instance, the StreetPilot can find the closest fast-food restaurant and present you with a list of nearby options.

Testing in San Francisco, we did lose satellite lock a few times in extremely hilly areas or in areas with very tall buildings. We think this was due mainly to the fact that the unit's antenna is inside the car; an external antenna option is available for less than $100 that should solve the problem.

Once you use the StreetPilot III for a while, it's hard to imagine driving solo again. Whether you're planning a road trip or just need help getting around town, it's an extremely helpful companion that's cheaper and easier to install than anything else currently available. --Ken Feinstein

Pros:

• Compact, portable design
• Easy-to-read color screen
• Auto routing and voice prompts

Cons:

• Optional external antenna will get better satellite reception in some cities than the built-in antenna

Note about review: This review was written using the original version of the Garmin StreetPilot III. The deluxe version includes a 128 MB data card and full unlock access to all maps on the City Navigator CD-ROM.

What's in the Box
StreetPilot III with portable antenna, PC interface cable, dashboard mount, portable Mount (bean bag mount), external speaker with 12-volt cigarette lighter adapter, owner's manual, quick reference guide, USB data card programmer, Americas Autoroute Basemap, MapSource City Navigator North America CD. ... Read more

Features

• 16-color display with backlight for dim lighting
• Compatible with optional Garmin MapSource software for downloading maps and waypoint data
• GPS receiver with turn-by-turn navigation
• Includes MapSource City Navigator CD-ROM with street-level maps and points of interest; full unlock capability for US and Canada
• Automated voice prompts tell you when to turn

Reviews (77)

Nice, but a bit confusing
My first GPS was a very old style that gave you longitude and latitude only.No roads.No water.Nothing.So the jump to the SP III was a big one.

Had to struggle a bit to download the info (updated from the website) onto the unit.Tough for this first timer to get the hang of it initially, though it gets easier with time.Working with the unit alone is a bit more complicated as naming waypoints and such can take a bit of doing using the toggle switches.But again, I'm still new at this and am looking forward to working with it a lot more in the near future.

My plan is to use it to have a constant knowledge of the location of gas stations between my home outside Philadelphia, and Sturgis SD for my motorcycle trip out there in August.I'm attempting to complete the 1,700+ mile ride in under two days and will need to stretch out my gas stops as much as I can.It's currently mounted on the dash of the bike for me to get used to it and play with its functions during my daily commute.

I agree with others regarding its unnecessary rerouting when I've never strayed off course.Strangely, it even gives different directions although I don't change the route I take on a daily basis.Rerouting calculation takes a bit, but I seem to remember that the calculation time can be adjusted through the menu.Unfortunately, it also continually gives me a slower route than the one I know is faster even though it's set for highway use and the fastest time.Perhaps I can adjust the pre-set surface street and highway speeds to get it to work more appropriately.Less than 5% of the time, the crossroad names are incorrect.

My other issue is the interference the unit seems to be getting from time to time from my satellite radio that's mounted on the handlebar less than a foot away from the dash-mounted GPS.

I thought this GPS would be able to take me right to where I wanted to be, using the most efficient route, ALL BY ITSELF.If I have to set up specific waypoints on a specific route in order to get it to follow what I know is the fastest way, the unit is of no value to me.The only good point is that I didn't pay over $500 for it.

Garmin StreetPilot III: A driver's best friend.
I admit it. When driving, I used to get lost...all the time. That was before I bought Garmin's StreetPilot III Deluxe. With this amazing portable GPS (Global Positioning System), now I never get lost and you won't either. With its crystal clear voice prompts and colorful, easy-to-read, non-reflective display screen, it will deliver joyful, stress-free driving.

The StreetPilot III gives you clear, automated voice instructions, alerting you to necessary turns, distance to upcoming turns, and distance to final destination. In addition, the map page also displays your current direction, speed, and even counts down the seconds to your next turn. The GPS receiver continuously tracks and uses up to 12 satellites to compute and update your position every second. With downloaded maps from the included "MapSource" CD-ROM, you get comprehensive, street-level detail. There is no Internet access required and no service charges and monthly fees.

Just enter an address, intersection or point of interest using the rocker keypad, and the StreetPilot III automatically calculates a route and provides turn-by-turn directions to that location. If you accidentally, miss a turn, don't worry; the unit automatically recalculates the route to get you back on track. It also can store up to 500 locations of your choosing called, "waypoints".

The screen's map scale allows you to zoom in 900 feet or zoom out to 6,100 miles! The screen color actually changes at sunset from a daytime mode to a nighttime mode.

The one flaw with the unit is that you have to enter in a specific street number to an address in order to route it. It won't calculate the route without the street number. Fortunately, most addresses do have street numbers.

I recommend buying the Deluxe version because it includes the following:

* 128 mb datacard (instead of standard 32 mb datacard).

* Full "unlock" access to all maps contained on the CD, which is virtually of all of North America.

* Beanbag mount. This great accessory secures the StreetPilot onto a non-slip, portable, support base which allows you to securely place the unit on top of your dashboard without slipping or moving. The StreetPilot literally locks securely onto the "beanbag" mount. While locked in place, the StreetPilot can also tilt and rotate.


INSTALLATION:
First install the "MapSource" CD-ROM software into your computer. It's easy; just load the CD-ROM in the drive and sit back. When prompted, enter a custom code that has been included in the box. This code "unlocks" all areas of coverage within the United States and Canada. No additional unlocks are required.

Once you've downloaded the software into your computer, a map of North America appears in a window. You zoom way into the land areas you'll eventually want your StreetPilot to cover. Land areas are separated into quadrants of varying size. Each quadrant uses a specific amount of ram depending on the complexity of the roadways within it. As you tap on each quadrant, the program instantly lets you know exactly how much ram it consumes. At the same time, it instantly updates the total, letting you know how much of the 128 mb of total ram you've used.

The 128 mb of ram that's included in the Deluxe version, is enough to include all the roadways within numerous states. For example, I was able to save onto the StreetPilot, all of NYC, Long Island, Connecticut and most of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and almost half of New York and New Jersey.

Once you've chosen your coverage, you now transfer this information from your computer to the 128mb data card included with your StreetPilot III deluxe. Simply connect the included "USB data card programmer" cable (like a smart card reader) to a USB port on your hard drive, push the tiny data card into the other end of the programmer and it transfers all the information from your computer to the data card. Remove the data card from the progammer and slip it right into the bottom of the StreetPilot. Your done!

"POINTS OF INTEREST":
In addition to addresses, the StreetPilot III also routes to specific "points of interest". Within each point of interest, are many categories. Within each category, you will find a multitude of establishments within close proximity of your location. The StreetPilot will even give you the distance from your present location to each establishment. Once chosen, it will route you to that specific establishment. The following is the complete list of the points of interest with their respective categories:

FOOD & DRINK - American, Asian, Barbeque, Chinese, Deli/Bakery, International, Fast Food, Italian, Mexican, Seafood, Steak/Grill, French, German, British Isles, Specialty Food Products, Other

LODGING - Hotel/Motel, Campground/RV Park,

ATTRACTIONS - Amusement/Theme Park, Museum/Historical, Library, Landmark, School, Park/Garden, Arena/Track, Hall/Auditorium, Winery, Place of Worship

ENTERTAINMENT - Live Theater, Bar/Nightclub, Movie Theater, Casino, Golf Course, Skiing Center/Resort, Bowling Center, Sports/Fitness Center

SHOPPING - Department, Grocery, General Merchandise, Shopping Center, Pharmacy/Chemist, Convenience, Apparel, House and Garden, Home Furnishings, Specialty Retail, Computer/Software

SERVICES - Auto Fuel, Auto Repair, Post Office, Bank/ATM, Dealer/Auto Parts, Marina/Boat Repair and Storage, Wrecker Service, Parking, Rest Area/Tourist Info, Automobile Club, Car Wash, GARMIN Dealer, Personal Service, Business Service, Communications, Repair Service, Social Service, Utility, Truck Stop, Other

TRANSPORTATION - Auto Rental, Air Transportation, Ground Transportation, Transit Service

EMERGENCY & GOVERNMENT - Police Station, Hospital, City Hall, Court House, Community Center, Border Crossing, Government Office, Fire Department




COST: I paid $740.00 plus $18.00 for shipping & insurance. (Mfg. Part No : 010-00232-10). At the time this is written, you can buy it from www.ecost.com for $739.99 plus shipping. It seems like a lot to pay, but compared to the cost of built-in GPS systems, it's significantly less expensive. Plus since it's portable, you can transfer it to any vehicle.

SUGGESTIONS:
I recommend NOT buying the eternal antenna unless you find that you absolutely need it. Initially, I read that sometimes the GPS unit may lose reception with the satellites, but so far, it hasn't. FYI: If you do find you need it, keep in mind that it conveniently magnetizes to to the top of your vehicle's roof.

Also, I bought (and then quickly returned) the Garmin carrying case. It's WAY too small. So small, in fact, that you almost have to stuff the unit into it. There's no room for the external speaker/12-volt cigarette lighter adapter.


The DELUXE package includes:
* StreetPilot III with portable antenna
* PC interface cable
* Dashboard mount
* Portable Mount (bean bag mount)
* External speaker with 12-volt cigarette lighter adapter
* Owner's manual
* Quick reference guide
* 128 MB datacard
* USB data card programmer
* MapSource North America City Navigator v4.01 CD
.Voice: Navigation instructions and warnings
.Waypoints: 500 with name and graphic symbol
.Track log: 2000 track log points
.Trip computer: Resettable odometer, timers, average and maximum speeds


FEATURES:
Basemap: Includes oceans, lakes, rivers, airports, cities, interstates or major motorways, principal and major thoroughfares, political boundaries, federal interstate highway exit information for services such as food, lodging and truck, RV and automotive service stations (U.S. only).

GPS Accuracy: Position: Less than 15 meters

Antenna: Detachable with standard BNC-type connector

Physical:
Size: 3.2H x 6.8W x 2.6D inches (8.0 x 17.3 x 6.5 cm)
Weight: 1.4 pounds (635 g)

Display:
3.4W x 1.8H inches (8.6 x 4.5 cm)
305 x 160 pixels, high contrast
16-color LCD with backlighting

Case: Rugged; fully gasketed

Power Source: 6 AA batteries or 12-volt adapter cable
Battery life: 2 to 20 hours based on backlight setting

*Update (May 8, 2003): My unit's external speaker with 12-volt cigarette lighter adapter cable was malfunctioning. After contacting Garmin, they immediately replaced the cable with a brand new one. No muss, no fuss. Garmin rates high in customer satisfaction.

Piece of s.......
I like electronic things that work.That is usually the measure of if it is worthwhile or not.This thing doesn't work.

1)Installation.The install wizzard immediately starts off with a suggestion to update your software.But you can't update the software because the wizard doesn't find any software installed.

2) The USB drivers that come with the unit don't work.The unit won't recognize it's own USB drive even though it is installed. You have to download the updated USB drivers after searching the garmin web site.

3) The unlock wizard fails with the initial installation. Tells you to reinstall the .dll.After 3 attempts, found a hidden link on the Garmin web page to update MapSource software to v6.5.

4) Saved maps, inserted batteries, plugged the unit in.A brief flash on the screen then nothing. Dead.Black screen.
Removed batteries, reset connections, reset memory card.Nothing.Unit won't even flash.

Save the money. Buy a Thomas Bros. Map book.It will be much more reliable.

Battery placement destroys SPIII
I just destroyed my unit by getting one or two of the batteries reversed. I removed it from my truck to update the software from my PC. I never used the internal batteries while it was in the vehicle because of temperature conditions. It was always plugged into the lighter socket. So I connected it to my PC and of course it doesn't work with out batteries. So I got some fresh alkaline AA cells and put them in. I got a low battery indication right away when I turned it on. The batteries were brand new.

Anyway it wouldn't stay powered on for more than a minute or so, not long enough to upload new data to it. So I set it aside for a while. An hour or so later I picked it up and liquid was leaking out of one of the AA cells, it had ruptured. I quickly pulled all the cells and washed the compartment down with soap and water. The unit is fairly well sealed so this is no problem.

The alkaline ate away the battery polarity symbols so I checked my manual, it had no picture indicating battery placement. I had to download a picture from a newer on line manual at Garmin. Well it seems Garmin used coil spring battery contacts for some of their + positive connections! Two of the AA cells have the + ends against these coil springs. The rest go against flat springs!

I guess in my haste to add batteries I used the old fashioned method and ended up putting the negative ends on the coil springs and the positive ends on the flat springs. Now the unit only beeps and nothing more. Garmin wants $255 bucks to fix it, flat rate, out of warranty. I'd still end up with a 3 year old GPS. Time to look for a different unit, and perhaps a different manufacturer!

Awesome Product, Highly recommend
I tow a show car around the country and didnt want to fumble with road maps, so I bought the Street Pilot III. The thing works great, its very portable, and rarely gives me any problems. I load in the data for the area im traveling to before I head out, then use all the preloaded info to help me find restaurants, hotels, whatever!

I recently upgraded to a 256 MB data card because I had to drive from NY to Las Vegas, It stored the data for the whole route I chose and worked great the entire time. Driving 12-13 hours a day with it on and no problems. It also found some cool stops along the way that were worth checking out on a cross trip. The data card it comes with is fine for the normal traveler, but a cross country trip you should upgrade to the 256MB card.

Easy to work with, easy to navigate, and very accurate! ... Read more

Product Description

Compact, rugged, waterproof, powerful, ergonomic full-featured design. 12 parallel-channel receiver. WAAS enabled for up to 3 meter positioning accuracy. Quadifiler Helix antenna for superior tracking in harsh environments. 9 key keypad with large easy-read display. 7 navigation screens. 8 MB North American base map of highways, major roads, parks, waterways, marine navaids, buoys, lighthouses & more. 24MB of built-in memory for downloading detailed maps from the MapSend line of CD's. Uses 2 AA batteries, Not included. Rubber armored impact-resistant plastic construction. PC Cable and User's Manual included. ... Read more

Features

• Rugged, waterproof design; Quadifiler Helix antenna for superior tracking in harsh environments
• 12-channel GPS receiver; WAAS enabled for up to 3 meter accuracy
• 9 MB North American basemap of roads, waterways, parks, and more
• 23 MB memory for additional map downloads
• Large, easy-to-read display; 9-key keypad for quick access to software features

Reviews (25)

Technically GREAT, but limited
I bought this in the Warrior Pack with MapSend Worldwide and MapSend Topo.It works great, has all of the capability expected.But it is not perfect.

Pros:Easy to use, accurate navigation, large screen, VERY Rugged.

Cons: Uses a DB9 parallel connector to hook to the PC.This connection is not on all PCs and not on most laptops.I had to purchase a DB9 to USB cable to hook to the PC.Parallel connections are slow.The 4-color gray scale screen is difficult to use for navigation.It is impossible to tell the difference between a topo line and a stream.Does not pick up well in forested areas or in metro downtown areas.

All in all, I would not recommend this due to the limitations of the 4-color gray scale screen.I would recommend either a 16-color gray scale system or a color system, such as the SporTrak Color.

Just an incredible deal.
I didn't spend a lot of time researching GPS units, just an afternoon googling around the web.The Magellan looked pretty good, features and memory wise, so I bought one.They were just on the market, and I stole one cheap because it wasn't a Garmin, and of course it couldn't be as good, so a couple of early ones sold cheap.That was in June, 2003.

At first, I just enjoyed owning one and being able to download detailed maps from my laptop that would cover a whole state at a time.It only has 24mb of memory available for map loading, but it turns out to be plenty.I usually never used it unless I was lost in a strange city.

I bought the 12v car adapter and started using it like a car GPS,small screen but it was useful.I gradually began to notice some other funtions, like the built in speedometer that seemed to be more accurate than the one in the car.From what I understood of civilian GPS accuracy, that shouldn't be right - then I found about WAAS, and the increased accuracy it offered, and gee whiz - the Sportrak already had it built in.

Gradually, I started looking to do more with GPS, and I had a German friend tell me about using the unit with a laptop as a really big screen in car GPS unit.Hmmm... I was given some old Microsoft map software (Mappoint) and figured I was going to have to buy a new unit to make that work..but pushing a few buttons ....good grief this thing has the NMEA 2.0 function built in too!It can talk to Mappoint and all kinds of other aftermarket software.After looking around for an updated package, I bought Delorme Street Atlas which is an amazing talking package.It doesn't cost much, and the detail and functions are great.

I started to get interested in Geocaching, and lo and behold on one of the GPS nutcase sites, I found a test of the Sportrak where it basically trounced a Garmin 76s for positional accuracy.http://gpsinformation.net/mgoldreview/sportrak-pro-rev.html

SO I'm still trying to figure out if I need another GPS. The Sportrak Pro is certainly a great deal, and superior especially for accuracy to any other unit in it price range, even today.Since a already own a laptop, I have a very sophisticated GPS unit that I load in the car for vacations and business trips, and that cost me far far less than the $700 to $1000 a good in car unit costs.

Accurate, durable navigation tool
I've had my SportTrak since May of 2004 and have enjoyed it very much.I've used it while hiking in both Texas and Louisiana in hot, muggy conditions and it's never missed a beat.I've dropped it on the road more than once and other than a scratch or two on the body, you'd never know.The built-in North American map contains the primary highways you'd expect, but it also shows a surprising number smaller roads as well.It's gotten me out of trouble more than once.With the MapSend software, it's even better.I use it on road trips as well as while hiking and wouldn't trade it for anything currently on the market.

Solid But Flimsy
This GPS does exactly what it's supposed to do.I haven't had the opportunity to load any maps into it yet, but the navigation aids included in the on-board memory are pretty good.My only complaints are that the clip for attaching a lanyard to is way too easy to break, and that connecting the serial cable is cumbersome.My lanyard clip broke off after only a few cache hunts, and the serial cable has to be screwed on (literally) to the unit.

Critical Deficiency
I returned this unit because of an inaccurate trip odometer and will probably replace it with the Garmin GPSMap.The accuracy of the odometer on my Sportrak was off by about 20% at walking speeds.Try the following test: drive a one mile course away from and back to your home with the unit on the car dashboard.You will find quite close agreement (within a couple of percent) of the odometer reading on your car and the Sportrak.Now walk the same course holding the unit in your hand.My unit would record approximately 0.8 miles on the odometer on the same 1 mile course.I have conducted this experiment with a Garmin unit (the Foretrex 201) and found this unit to have the same accuracy at walking speeds as at highway speeds.Since I wish to use the system for mostly walking speed trips the Sportrak was unacceptable to me. ... Read more

Product Description

SporTrak Color provides superior tracking and accuracy, showing your position to within 3 meters, even in difficult environments such as cities or mountains. Featuring an impressive 10 MB North American or 11 MB European, built-in mapping database, SporTrak Color puts rich color maps at your fingertips. The large, high contrast, full color 240 x 160 pixel display enables you to easily find your location, heading and route. An additional 22 MB for North America or 21 MB for Europe of memory enables you to expand your mapping capabilities by uploading detailed maps from optional Magellan MapSend software products. A clear advantage over the competition, SporTrak Color also offers a built-in barometer, giving you an advance on the weather and an innovative 3-axis compass for superior navigational accuracy no matter how you hold it. Built tough, SporTrak Color is waterproof and rugged enough to go with you on any adventure. ... Read more

Features

• Features include Save Track-to-Route, sun/moon positions, fish and game calculator, and satellite status
• Compact, lightweight, rugged, waterproof design
• Large 240 x 160 pixel, high contrast, backlit, full-color display
• Uses WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) and the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS) to provide accuracy to within 3 meters
• Built-in barometer and 3-axis compass

Reviews (10)

Disappointed
I have a Magellan Sportrak Pro and I like it a lot for its practical design and accuracy.Naturally I was keen to move up to the Sportrak Color and improve performance.Instead I have found the Sportrak Color has what appears to be a design flaw so serious the unit is almost unuseable.

The problem is that the screen is so dim it can't be seen in normal daylight.I'm used to my Sportrak Pro's screen and I've never had problems in any environment, day or night.This unit is very nice at night only, I mean ONLY.In the daylight, you can't see any detail on the screen at all - Period.The screen is so dark, you just can't make out any details.

I tried contacting Magellan and they were unresponisve, saying only that the contrast control would adjust brightness - It Doesn't - and nothing else.

It appears to me that Magellan did not do its homework on this one and I am disappointed, both with the unit and with Magellan's response, which is basically zero.

I am now back to looking at Garmin.

Good GPS Outstanding Price
I recently revieved this GPS for a gift and I love it. It's very sturdy and it has a nice color display. The reception is outstanding, I can even recieve strong signals in my basement. The only down side to this device would be the roadways. They are not very detailed, but interstates, state roads, and county roads still show up. I find the ammount of roads in the US plentyful, but there are very few roads in Canada displayed. Although this may seem as a downside it is not that bad, because software can be purchased giving the roadways full detail. Another Pro to this device is that it is much smaller than it looks in the pictures. This makes it nice and easy to fit in your pocket or put in a cup holder in a car. I especially like the GO TO features on this device. You can search airports, parks, lakes, cities, roadways, etc. You just type in the name of the place you want to go to on the GO TO display and it will draw out a route from your current position. The routes that are displayed are shown as a crow flies, which is a downside, but it's quite simple to find the quickest roadway, allong the line drawn. This device also has many points of interest to mark including, highway exits, hotels, gas stations, airports, campsites, and a whole lot more. In other reviews it has been said that this device is "hard to use with too many displays" I disagree. This divice is very easy to use once you get the hang of it. It has many features and the screens are customizable to your preference. It has many helpful features like a barometer, fish and game calculator, and sunrise/sunset. I also enjoy how it gives me an exact speed (more acurate than the actual speedometer in the car) It tells you estamated time of arival, how many more miles to arival etc. So far I have only gotten to use this device on one trip, but it was extremely useful. Instead of searching through a huge map I just scrolled around on the display making it allot easier. The best advantage of this device is the price. For a device of such high calibar it is extremely cheap, although only on AMAZON. There are better color devices, but you are going to be expected to pay a couple hundred dollars more. This is a great item, and if you are looking for not-so- complex GPS, or you want a more economic device, and want a beutiful color display, this is definately the GPS for you.

Many components, poorly thought out..
After reviewing different gps devices for months I finally came down to the sportrak color. The only experience I had with them was the garmin rino we use at work. When I opened the box for some reason the gps unit was in there upside down. Shortly after opening it I noticed that the control pad was stuck off to one side. That upset me but I wasn't going to return it over just that. Me and a few of my friends went down to the lake later that day to do some geocaching. I felt pretty secure climbing the rocks next to the shore, its water resistant right? WRONG. I dropped it in 3 inches of water and in the 5 seconds it took me to get it out of the lake water had leaked inside of the screen and the gps itself. Needless to say it didn't work after that. BAD design flaw. In conclusion.. the sportrak color is very fragile and has many flaws that magellan needs to work out.

Works great, but you can't see what's on the screen
The display on the SporTrak Color is very poor.I'd take a sharp B/W display over this any day.It is unreadable on the dash of your car unless it is dark and the backlight is on.The battery door is really flimsy too.There is only a small plastic tab to keep it closed instead of a screw or something more trustworthy (like on the SporTrak Pro).Waterproof?Maybe.The unit works great, [...].

I Returned Mine
This was my third GPS. I've been using a Garmin EMap for several years and love it. Most of my use has been while driving in the boondocks of New England, to get me back to a highway. I also use it while hiking. But I've been getting into geocaching lately and I wanted a WAAS equipped unit. Since I only kept this unit for a week before returning it, I'll concentrate on what led me to take it back.
Display: It's smaller than on the EMap. Sure the resolution is better, but while driving I had a lot of trouble watching the screen. The color display is also a lot darker than the EMap's. I needed to use the backlight a lot.
Menus: After seeing comments about how intuitive, or not, the menus are I spent a bit of time with them. After 5 hours spent sitting and walking with the GPS, I still had problems.

I liked some of the the ergonomics. This GPS feels good in the hand. But the buttons are awkward to push. if you aren't spot on, you can easily miss your button.
The receiver is also very good. It picked up more satellites indoors than my EMap. ... Read more

Product Description

Sleek design doesn't add bulk to your handheld * Flip-up antenna can be adjusted to optimize GPS receptionwhether the PDA is secured in a vehicle with a PDA mount (included) or carried by hand * Dimensions: Measures 1.7" W x 2.0" H x 0.5" D (4.3 x 5.1 x 1.3 cm) and weighs only 1.5 oz. * Installs securely in a standard Type I or Type II CompactFlash slot * Universal PDA mount (included) allows optimum positioning of PDAs on most dashboards and windshields * Comes with the MapSource City Select (U.S./Canada or Europe) ... Read more

Features

• Measures 1.7" W x 2.0" H x 0.5" D
• Location awareness, address and points-of-interest look-up features, electronic mapping, automatic route generation, and off-route recalculation
• Basemap with highways, major streets, rivers, lakes, coastal waters, and significant borders
• 64 MB of memory that can store detailed map data from Garmin’s exclusive line of MapSource cartography
• PC software provides trip planning plus waypoint and route storage

Reviews (7)

Don't toss the atlas just yet...
It was with great expectations, set in large part due to previous reviews, that I purchased and installed the Garmin CF Que 1620 on my new Dell Axim x50v.After a week's worth of use, I'm in search of Prozac.What a bummer.

By now, we've all read with disdain reviews of various mapping software that is outdated leading the device to choose a less than optimal route.The 1620 along with its included software yields an opposite problem.It suggests routes on roads that HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN BUILT YET.Yes, you read it here first.The GARMIN 1620 will suggest routes for you that DO NOT EXIST.

Where's your proof, you say.Read on.

My first route was a test from my church to my home.A route I've taken hundreds if not thousands of times.Imagine my shock when the Garmin told me to turn onto a road that is to be built, but won't be completed for another five years.The road is planned, but they haven't even broken ground yet.Yikes!

So, how can I trust this thing?How can I take it on a trip knowing it may well suggest a route that doesn't exist?

That said, when it does work, it works well.Several routes chosen in my home city were OK.Not always optimal, but good enough to get you there.

Bottom line, it is a nice toy, but I can't completely rely on it.I want to, but I can't. Wish things were different.Keep this in mind when you make your purchase.If you set your expectations properly (I admittedly did not), you'll be satisfied.It will make some mistakes now and then, so don't through away your paper maps just yet.

Simply awesome!
I purchased my CF Que 1620 from an Ebay seller 1 month ago. The seller did not have the MapSource unlock code, but Garmin's excellent customer service dept. provided me with the code for my unit once it was determined the code had not been activated by the previous owner. I give Garmin's customer service department 5+ stars, they even offered to stay on the phone with me as I unlocked the product (after normal business hours!). The product was shipped to me with Mapsource v5 and since a newer version was available (v6) I signed up on Garmin's website to receive the updated software (free upgrade / free shipping). It arrived about a week later and installed with no problem (using a new unlock code). My initial tests with the CF Que were not good. After inserting the CF Que into my PDA (an Ipaq hx2415) I would have satellite lock within 1 minute, but after 10-20 minutes satellite lock would be lost permanently. The only way to reset the CF Que (and regain satellite lock) was to re-insert it into my PDA and hope it worked again. At first I thought I had a defective CF Que but I soon received an email from HP (manufacturer of my Ipaq) that a problem had been discovered with the CF slot dropping "modem connections". Since the CF Que acts as a modem in the CF slot I decided to try the upgraded ROM for my PDA provided by HP. Wow, what a difference the ROM upgrade made. Satellite lock occurs in 1 minute like before, but the CF Que doesn't drop satellite connection now. I used my Ipaq and CF Que to make a 5 hour trip into West Virginia last weekend and lost satellite connection only once, during a 180 degree turn up a steep mountain road. Within 20 seconds the CF Que had re-established satellite lock and never lost it again even after several more 180 degree turns. I am very pleased with my CF Que now that my Ipaq CF problem has been resolved and would recommend the CF Que to anyone needing robust turn by turn PDA-GPS capability.

Great product and fast delivery
Ordered the item on Sunday and arrived on Tuesday!Plugged it in, loaded the base map and used it that day.Comes with a great mounting device (non slip weighted bag type that does not require any mounting screws on the dash).The system works as well as my BMW's $1700 navigation system without the cost.

Finally find the best choice
I have an iPAQ H3955 with CompactFlash expansion and been looked for GPS solution for a long time. This Garmin product becomes my final decision. First of all, its unique multi-angle flip antenna is very convenient for different usages like driving, hiking and biking. When not using it, just flip the antenna all the way down to store my pocket pc in the pocket.
The display modes are not as fancy as other products but the most important is the calculation is much more accurate than other products I have used. It never guides me into the wrong direction of a one-way. (Well, other product did that to me.)
Garmin provides wide range of maps for different purposes. For example, MapSource US TOPO is compatible with cf que 1620, this is good for outdoor activity lovers.
I don't worry about getting lost in Europe trip anymore because Garmin also has Europe street map available.
H3955's built-in speaker is loud and clear so I don't need ear phone or external speaker. If your pocket pc's speaker is not loud enough, you may consider a "PDA holder with speaker".
Overall, it is an excellent unit as compare to my previous products (other brands).

Took a chance
This device works wonderfully and is very accurate.I have an IPAQ 2215 with a 1gig SD card and I have not had any issues downloading maps, routes, etc...If you are thinking about doing some research on this, stay away from pocketpcmag.com.The 'mantra' of the 'expert' on that site is if you are not buying bluetooth then it sucks. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Gekos are the smallest and lightest waterproof GPS units on the market - inexpensive, with sleek designs and simple operating systems.With its sun-yellow case, the economical Geko 101 is perfect for navigational novices.Features such as one-touch waypoint marking make it a snap to use.Easily maneuver from one waypoint to the next using its 250-waypoint storage capacity with symbols, and pan along your track with PanTrack. ... Read more

Features

• Easy operation: five buttons for one-hand use
• 12-hour operation on 2 AAA batteries
• Compact 12-channel GPS receiver with high-contrast display (100 x 64 pixels)
• Stores 250 waypoints
• Waterproof: submersible for 30 minutes in one meter of water (IEC 529 IPX7 standards)

Reviews (9)

Well worth the money.
I initially purchased a Whistler GPS200 unit. The GPS200 had a ton of features, integrated maps, etc but suffered from one inexcusable flaw. It did not find the required minimum satellites (it needed 3) 9 out of every 10 times - even in the best of conditions. When it did find a signal, it took 15 mins to lock and frequently dropped the signal. It was an extreme disappointment and I was hoping that the Geko would fare better. The day the Geko arrived, I powered it up and left it (on a cloudy afternoon) in my back yard for it to try and lock on a signal. The manual said this should take 15 minutes. It took barely 2 minutes. Ever since then, it locks in less than a minute and has yet to drop a signal. I use alkaline batteries and so far (after a few hours of use), it still has almost a full power band. I did set the "battery-save" option the first time I used it. Its redeeming features: It is very small (like the size of a slim Nokia 6100 cell phone), light, reliable, attractive, easy to use, comes from the best GPS company around, and has a host of sales, support and accessories available. It's negative: does not have the advanced features that the much more expensive units have (WAAS and mapware) .. but the price is so much lower so can you really complain. I cannot comment on its longevity (I have only had mine a short while), but so far, I am very pleased with it.

Excelent for Geocaching
First off, after reading reviews here about low battery life, I have used this unit now for three days of geocaching, doing 3 or 4 geocaches per day, PLUS all the time to learn the unit, program in coordinates from home, etc.I am STILL on the first set of batteries, and still have 2 out of 4 on the battery meter.

But then again, I use alkaline batteries, not the rechargable gimicks that only have 1.2 volts per cell rather than 1.5 of a REAL battery, and never last long in any device.

ALSO...there is a BATTERY SAVE feature in the menu that you can select, that I guess the others never bothered to find or read the manual about. This turns the receiver part on and off that is not noticeable to you at all, and I recommend leaving it on, unless you are trying to get accurate to one foot, which might be harder to do with the battery save feature on.

I leave the battery save feature on until about 50 feet from the cache, then turn it off so I can zero in to the exact foot of the cache.

That's right. I am able to go in and narrow to the exact foot of the cache.

What you have to do, is when you get around 15 feet, start walking REAL SLOW!Because if you keep walking fast, you will pass it as the counter keeps going if you are walking fast.

If you pass it, just keep walking about 15 feet, turn around and try comming back REAL SLOW, following the arrow step by step, and you should have no problem getting right to the exact coordinates. I sure don't have any problem doing so.

Walk slow so you can see the distance go down one foot at a time, until you are at ZERO. Many caches I have found were exactly at the location the Geko 101 led me to. There were a few caches that were 10 feet off, but that was the fault of the people who hid the cache that didn't get the exact coordinates right with their GPS units. This unit led me to the left side of a real small bridge about a foot away from the edge, and when I went under the bridge, the cache was in that EXACT spot under where I was standing on the bridge when I got to zero on the Geko.

The coordinates are only as good as the people and thier GPS units that hide the caches. If they have an old GPS that isn't as accurate, or don't measure the exact location accurately, and YOU use the best, most expensive and accurate GPS unit available, you are NOT going to get right to the cache, because the hider made a mistake in plotting the cache coordinates!

I have been waiting for YEARS for GPS units to come down in price, and wanted one with street maps, but they just will not come down in price. And on Ebay, you only find used ones that actually end up selling for MORE than I can buy one on Amazon!

Auctions are nothing more than contests where participants compete to see who can pay the MOST for something.

Finally got this as a gift, tested it out with Geocaching, and it is more than perfect for the job.And you don't really need streets and maps in parks and woods, as they don't show trails anyway, only streets.

You make your OWN trail maps automatically with this unit as you walk around.

I even use it while driving to find the Geocache sites, and even without roadmaps, you can figure it out just by folloing the big arrow, and watching the miles go down.It even has the ability to tell you exactly how many minutes you have left, or what your arrival time will be.Even when you are walking on trails.

It is nice and small and perfect for Geocaching as not too many people will notice it.It is the exact size of a tiny cell phone, so you can quickly hold it to your head as if you are talking, and people will just think it is a phone. Only the top half is yellow, the other side is dark.

NICE rubberized parts on the unit. I can just set the thing down on the dash of the car, and it does not slide around. Sure, I can't see the display with it flat on the dash, but it stays put, until after I make the complex turn or whatever, and then can pick it up again.

There are optional mounts you can get for the car, but I like the one for bike handlebars.

So many times I find neat secret areas on bike trails and have a hard time finding them again. Now I can just plot the locations, title them with an alphanumeric name, and next time, this unit will lead me right to my favorite spots on or off the bike trails, even letting me know how much farther I have to go in miles or minutes.

When you get down to .1 mile, it jumps to around 500 feet and counts down the rest of the way in feet.

Since I am still using the first set of batteries, and it looks like I still have a lot of use left out of them, I didn't get to test and see if indeed all the waypoints and info I saved into it will stay when replacing the batteries as the manual says it will do.

The manual says, so long as you change the batteries right away, you will not lose any information you have stored in it.

If after this set of batteries dies out, and I replace them and this is NOT the case, I will add to this review an update saying so.

I have since seen this unit in another store, and noticed that the green Geko logo was not on the unit as it is on mine.Why would some units not have the Geko on it and others do?

Glad mine has the Geko on it.

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UPDATE:

Half way through geocaching yesterday, the battery went down to the last bar of 4 bars on the meter. The manual states that it will TELL you when you have only 10 minutes of power left, but I didn't want to have to change batteries in the middle of a long cache, so even though the batteries would have lasted who knows how much longer, I decided to change the batteries sooner than I may have had to.

I took out the old batteries in the car, and put in the new set. Turned on the unit, and was pleasantly surprised to find that indeed, all my waypoints and other information was still in the unit, nothing was lost!

This was my biggest fear, as I had spent a long time entering in a lot of cache locations into it.
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Another update:

I accidentally forgot to turn the battery save function back on after finding a cache, and the batteries were being sucked very quickly!As soon as I noticed the battery meter going down fast, I double checked, and sure enough, I didn't have battery save on.

The default on this unit is NORMAL, not BATTERY SAVE, and if you don't use battery save, this thing will probably eat a set of batteries in only an hour.

You should leave the unit in BATTERY SAVE mode at all times, unless you are within 50 feet of a cache and need to narrow down closer.

In battery save mode, I have no problem spending an entire two days, morning to dusk, finding geocaches, without having to change batteries.

I may make a C or D cell battery pack for this unit so I can go even longer, there is no reason they had to make this with tiny AAA instead of AA batteries, except for the uneducated consumers that demand tiny and small devices all the time.

I would have been happy if the unit was twice the size, if it meant longer battery life. But in a democracy, you always have three wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for lunch. In other words, mob rule.

Excellent for the price
I bought this GPS unit to locate the exact location of my telescope.I have also done some limited geocaching (4 caches) and have been able to find all four caches.It seems to be far more accurate than the literature and readout would indicate.I like the small size (easily fits into your pocket) and the intuitive user interface.It does not have all the bells and whistles of a more expensive model.However, I purchased mine for $69.99 on Amazon and received a $20 rebate.With free shipping, no tax and rebate, I purchased my Geko 101 for 49.99.It's hard to beat a price like that.I think this is an excellent introductory GPS unit.If you're not sure how much use you will get out of your GPS unit, the Geko 101 might just be for you.

I am disappointed with this product
No matter what this product offers to a buyer it really takes him too much out of its poor battery life. I used rechargeable batteries NI-MH. They can be used only less than 2 hours. Garmin needs to improve its battery life. I strongly discourage anyone buying this product. I am upset that I can't return the item since the item is packed in such a way that you need to violate amazon return policy. Unless you don't open the product you can't feel its poor battery life.

Excellent GPSr for the price
I just purchased and received this recently as a Christmas gift for myself.I have just gotten into Geocaching and this unit fits the bill perfectly.You cant beat the size and ease of use for this unit.Its very compact but packs all the features you need into this small package.If you are geocaching you dont need WAAS.A WAAS receiver will get you within 15-30 feet of a cache and this one will do the same.I was able to learn the basic functions of this receiver with little or no difficulty.I wanted a unit that I could use for awhile and then upgrade.When I got mine...it was 69 bucks minus 20 for mail in rebate which means I got a good quality basic GPSr for under 50 bucks.Sure you can find some cheaper on ebay, but they are not brand new, nor as easy to use as the Garmin Geko 101.The only things that would make this GPSr perfect would be the ability to download/upload data via computer and the ability to connect an external power source.I knew it didnt do that when I purchased it so thats why I ranked it at 5 stars.I will upgrade later on to a receiver that has those functions.If you need a basic GPSr to use geocaching, or doing other outdoor activities...this is your baby! ... Read more

Product Description

The GPS V is one versatile navigator that delivers automatic routing, detailed mapping and WAAS capability - all in a compact handheld GPS. It comes with the MapSource City Select CD (unlock capability for one region in US or Canada), which gives you access to detailed street-level maps with locations of restaurants, hotels and other services. Use the GPS V to look up a location and it will automatically calculate a route and guide you to your destination with turn-by-turn directions and audible beeps that alert you to upcoming turns. You can even switch the display from horizontal, for mounting on a bike or a vehicle dash, to vertical for handheld use. ... Read more

Features

• WAAS capability provides position accuracy better than three meters
• Autorouting gives access to the shortest and fastest routes
• Turn-by-turn directions; audible beep alerts you to upcoming turn; mount on the dashboard or use as a handheld device
• 12-channel GPS unit with 19 MB of built-in memory
• Includes MapSource City Select CD-ROM with street-level maps and points of interest; unlock capability for one region in US or Canada

Reviews (36)

horrible item
I just bought the item for 3 months and initially it works Ok, but it refused to receive any signal later and I have to send it back.

Slow product. Terrible software and customer service!
My first impression with the Garmin V is equal to a visit to the dentist. The Garmin V GPS receiver comes with a serial cable (so 80's and sooo slow) and no USB nor Mac support. The process of getting the software installed took aprox. 2 hours. You MUST be on-line to get the key that will unlock the software that will give yout the serial number that must be sent via email and then must jump through another hoop - anyway you get the idea. Better have brand new batteries in the device. I spent four perfectly good batteries just getting the mapset into the device.
The downloading process took 30 mintes. The time remaining bar goes up instead of down???? Don't even think about contacting support since they are only available through email.

Great Product
After months of research I purchased the Garmin GPS V. I first used it our family vacation.The unit performed well, I used it to find many out of down locations such as places to dine, shop, and to amusement parks near our hotel. For trouble free travel the Garmin GPS V is a must.This unit is great for finding streets with missing street signs. Just type in a location enter "go to", and in no time it will guide you there. Very easy to use, I purchased a USB adapter for the standard serial PC interface cable.

Primitive Software and horrible Customer Service.
I purchased the unit with high hopes. My unit straight from the box was defective. The beeper didn't work. Also, the software was very expensive to 'unlock' different areas and user-hostile. I sent it back for repairs and it was returned to me untouched.

I decided to take the device on a 'shake-down' trip before I sent it back a second time for repairs. I took a straight forward trip from one city to another about 70 miles away. After selecting 'fastest' route, the device started to give me directions for navigation. Since the beeper wasn't working, I had to keep checking the screen occasionally.For some reason, the algorithm decided I needed to get off the freeway and drive me up some narrow mountain roads (through some rock-slide areas).Needless to say, the device can't be trusted to find you a quick or logical route.

I called their customer dis-service line. They confirmed over the phone that the beeper didn't work and then checked out the illogical routing system. They found that it, indeed, couldn't be counted on to do as it is advertised. Their proposed resolution to the matter was to send it back for a second repair and they would let me buy the 'upgraded' software at a discounted price of $100.I was foolish enough to do it.

The unit was sent back and they 'confirmed' that the beeper doesn't work.They returned it to me without fixing it.

It is clear that this device doesn't function as advertised (the software must be told exactly how you want to travel) as it will even take you off freeways onto wierd side-trips. Garmin doesn't seem to care about any warranty work. Twice they have returned the unit without repairs.They don't stand by their products and their products work poorly.

Instead of buying this junk, I'd recommend Microsoft Streets and Trips and a Pocket PC PDA with a GPS antenna.It would be about the same amount of money and it would work.

Garmin should be ashamed of their lack of quality control and lack of customer support. I would advise anyone who is considering their products to think again before dealing with a company that couldn't care less about their people once they have picked their pockets.

GPS V still needs improvement
My first encounter with GPS is from Hertz car rental about 3 years ago. It helps me to navigate through the dark winding country road ofNew Jersey in the winter evenings. With turn-by turn voice prompt, it is an amazing tool. The only draw back is the$1500US price tag, which is a lot more than I want to pay.

I always wanted a GPS with auto routing feature for my personal trip. The Never Lost cost too much. The Garmin Street Pilot III Deluxe with color screen and voice prompt is the closest alternative to Never Lost. Again it is too costly at $800US and it is too bulky to carry it around.
In Spring/Summer 2002, Garmin markets a GPS V Deluxe version, with all North America regions on CDROM unlocked and price is not much more than a eTrex. The GPS V unit is very similar to Street Pilot III (SPIII). The major difference is that GPS V has a smaller monochrome screen and beeps instead of voice prompt on SPIII.

I have had my GPS V for over 3 months now. I have used in Toronto, southern Ontario region, San Diego California, Cap Code, Boston, Newport Rhode Island, New Heaven Connecticut, Kittery Maine, Washington/Dulles area without major fault.
Over all, I am quite satisfy with the unit when taking price into consideration, but it is not as accurate or fast as Magellan Never Lost.

My GPS V locked up twice in NY State. I could not turn it off.I had to remove the power supply to turn on the unit again.
On I-90, around Albany, NY. The GPS V sensed the vehicle went off-course and recalculate the routing again on two occasions.
In Boston area, the text message instructed me to turn left, but the graphic arrow points to the opposite direction.

Recalculation speed is the major drawback for GPS V. When the vehicle goes off-course (missing a turn), GPS V has the option to automatically recalculate a new route. This can takes anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes depends on the distance to the destination.The Magellan Never Lost usually takes no more than a 5 seconds to put you back on route.
There is major difference between the two when comes to recalculation. Never Lost recalculates to the last point where you went off-course, so you can continue your original routing. Usually Never Lost would prompt you to make a U-turn to go back on the route.
On the other hand GPS V recalculates a new routing base on your current direction. Only on one occasion GPS V suggest making a U-turn to get back to the original routing. All other times, GPS V recalculates a new detour which could be a lot longer than the original route. In GPS V, there is a Setup screen to setup your routing preference such as to avoid U-turn, avoid Toll road and 5 levels of calculation detail. I suppose if you pick the `Best route' option, it would take longer to find the optimal route. I took the default setting which do not avoid U-turn, do not avoid Toll road, medium setting for calculating route.

Recalculation and redraw after a turn is very slow especially in Boston downtown where visibility to satellite signals could be very limited due high rise buildings and narrow streets. I often miss next turn because redraw was too slow. In situation like this, I suggest switching to text mode and following text instructions instead.

Both Never Lost and GPS V has excellent Hotel/Restaurant database. Never Lost's database is more up to date and accurate. Both found my favorite `Legal Seafood' and `McCormick & Schmick' restaurants and some shopping centres. GPS V has a large Asian restaurant database for Toronto area, restaurant such `Big Mouth Kee' and `Taste of Japan' can be found in GPS V database.

GPS V's memory is fixed at 19M which is big enough for the entire Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara Fall, Mississauga, Pickering and North Bay area. But 19M is not big enough for Los Angeles region. To download 19M from PC to the GPS V through serial port at 11500 baud takes almost an hour.

My biggest complaint is slow process speed. Redrwaw/update the screen is too slow, recalculate is too slow. ... Read more

Product Description

Moving map graphics average and maximum speed and trip timersWaterproof case with military-tough construction and rocker keypad for one-hand operationFast satellite acquisition even in the toughest conditionsFeatures 500 waypoints and 1024 track log points with 9 proximity points for steering clear of dangerous areasTracBack function allows you to reverse routes instantlyPosition averaging feature reduces positional reporting error Shipping package dimensions: 8.5x6x3 (len x wid x dep) ... Read more

Features

• 20 reversible routes with up to 30 points each, plus MOB and TracBack modes
• Large, easy-to-read display
• Keypad designed for 1-hand operation
• Built military tough

Reviews (16)

Very reliable and accurate
I have used this unit for VFR navigation in my aircraft for the last 8 years. Prior to this unit, I had a Lowrance. This unit is much better than the Lowarance.
You can get the location for all of the nav-aids and the airports on line, and enter them yourself. It is easy.
After using VOR's, and then a King Loran for years, this unit is all you need. Though not suggested, I believe you could shoot a instrument approach (GPS or NDB). Really good CDI screen. I actually have two, and use one as a cheap DME in ORD airspace!

Great GPS
I have had a GPS 12 since about 1996 and used it extensively without any problems. It is a great, solid, reliable unit. I have mountain biked, hiked, drove, geocached and backpacked with it.

I heartily recommend it to anyone needing a good basic GPS.

My only complaint about it is the battery compartment isn't waterproof. This has never been a problem for me, even in the rain, but it seems it would have been simple to make it so it could handle accidental submersion better.

Now I am handing it down as I have recently received a Foretrex 101 for Christmas and love it even more, and it cost even less.

The closest thing to the best
I owe 2 of these and just recently bought a etrex . The GPS 12 is still far better . I get a signal just about anywhere , easy to use . I've had these for years and would buy them again . There're worth every penny .

GPS 12 - A Sleeper
At first glance this device is very deceptive.No fancy color display; just a few little buttons.A closer look still deceives:No map capabilities, no external antenna hook-up; and without the batteries inside, it's almost as light as a feather.

But this unit is no lightweight when it comes to navigational support.I have kept this device in my vehicle for the past three years and have lost count of the times it has kept me from getting turned around.I can count the number of times it has kept me on the trail and back to home without a false move.I keep a detailed journal of such trips on my web site.

Even after all this time, it's still very satisfying to know that I can load in some map coordinates, and just set out to my destination, without worrying about getting there.My greatest trek to date is a 1500-mile journey to the wilderness of Maine, where we consistently hit all our marks without a hiccup.One of those days would have been impossible or ended tragically without the GPS.

Recently I decided to purchase a new GPS and considered selling the GPS 12.But after a few days with the new unit, I decided the GPS 12 still had plenty to offer me for my type of use (Off-road driving).I think it will be with me for many years to come!

Very Durable, Works Great In Hard Conditions
I've used the Garmin 12 for the last 4 years in the desert of Northwest Kenya.It has endured the sand, heat, sun and abuse I expose it to.I've never even bought a case for it!It's even tracked well in the pocket of my shorts while hiking.If you are needing a handheld GPS that is TOUGH and BASIC, this is the one for you. ... Read more