 What in the world is with all the complaining?? This is a fantastic little GPS. |
| Review Date: September 8, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Method2Madness, Hampton Roads, VA |
Ugh. I cannot believe people are making such a hoopla about the omission of a $3 USB cable. I realize that whole $3 argument works both ways, but why in the world people are making such a big deal out of it, is beyond me. I mean you barely USE the dang thing, not to mention the fact that you probably have one around the house already! I sometimes think people just LOOK for a reason to complain.
Anyway, on to the review:
First of all, I have the 1300T, which is identical except it includes lifetime traffic. That being said, I have had this going on a month now and find it to be one of the best, if not THE best GPS Vehicle Nav I have come across. I have several handhelds of various names, but in sticking with the scope of this review, I will only mention my previous experience with the vehicle GPS units.
I've had just about every brand name of GPS unit in search of the "perfect" one. Up until now, the closest I came was with a Nuvi 350 when it was first released in 05, which I foolishly sold as I wasn't using it as much as I had originally thought. Back then, GPS Nav was a nicety and not nearly as "big" as it is today. Since then, I've had units from Magellan, Cobra, Finedrive (Ugh!), Whistler, TomTom, Mio(My favorite TeleAtlas based brand) and Navigon. All had their plusses and minuses but, never really hit that sweet spot. With the exception of one small detail, the 1300 FINALLY gets it.
I can't tell you how happy I am to be back to a Navtech based device. While TeleAtlas certainlny has come a long way, it's still not as accurate as Navtech. I still have two of my TeleAtlas based units(Mio and TomTom) and have done a series of comparisons between the 1300 and the others, with the 1300 being the most accurate. The Navigon actually has free map updates and is running the very latest maps, but still falls short in comparison.
The routing alogarythim is also much better in this unit than with rest. With the exception of the Nuvi 350, of course, which routes very similar to the 1300. That's not to say, there are no routing flaws. All GPSes have flaws, and this is no different. However, the strange routes are far less than with my previous units.
And last, but not least: Appearance. Good lord this thing is gorgeous! The map display is top notch and looks great scrolling through whatever road I may be on. I know this doesn't really matter to some, but for those who like good looking graphics, this is the unit for you!
Also, I HIGHLY suggest looking for the 1300T, or ponying up for the add-on lifetime traffic kit for the base 1300. That is if you live in an urban area and are affected by traffic on your commute. This has saved me TONS of time, as people around here can't seem to drive through a simple tunnel without crashing daily! I will point out, however, the free lifetime traffic does come at a small cost. There are unobtrusive ads(hotels mostly) at the bottom of the screen when on the traffic menu. These only show when not moving and are quite small. Definitely not something to get in a fuss over, but thought I'd point it out.
The only thing I would change about this model(and the whole Garmin vehicle line) is the ability to better control your detours. On my previous TomTom, Magellan, Navigon and Cobra, I could tell it how far to reroute and in some instances, choose the route. Garmin just gives you one Detour and that's it. Sometimes even putting you back on the same road a few miles up. This isn't as much of a problem with the traffic module, as it automagically routes you around the traffic. But it would still be nice to have more tweakability. |
Gruvi Nuvi!
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| Review Date: August 21, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Jean E. Pouliot, Newburyport, MA United States |
I received my Nuvi a week ago for my birthday and am thoroughly delighted with it! It's very easy to program and provides nearly flawless directions. The graphics are easy to read, the computer voice (in Jill and Jack formats) is comprehensible and the features are fun. I wish we had this device on recent trips to New Jersey and Virginia. It answers my classic question, "Where is the nearest Dunkin Donuts?" with amazing ease and rapidity. It can locate street addresses and business names with equal facility. It calculates the cost of gas used on a trip, and the number of miles spent at rest and moving. It gives real-time feedback on speed, compass direction and distance to the next turn. I am so impressed by the care that went into the voice interface. I am warned in good time about upcoming turns. And the Nuvi even knows the names of those short access roads I didn't know existed. And to show the level of care that went into the device's design, the suction cup that holds the Nuvi to a dashboard has a little tab to break the suction, making it easy to move the device. That's great design!
The Nuvi is not quite perfect. Navigating in New England -- with its confusing maze of overpasses, rotaries and one-way side streets -- has occasionally fooled the Nuvi. I have been invited to take a left on a street across an impenetrable metal guardrail. But Nuvi recovered well and immediately recalculated the route when I continued past the turn. First-time Nuvi setup was a little of a hassle -- it took a good half hour to pick up a satellite and to program the definition of "Home". A little patience and a check of [...] got me going. I have not had a problem with satellite pickup since.
I love my Nuvi and wonder how I ever got along without it. A great gift and a great find! |
Garmin 1300
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| Review Date: January 7, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Moefugger, |
Acquires satellites very quickly and works right through the roof. I do not have to mount it on the windshield. I just keep it on the seat next to me, this way it is not being advertised to thieves. The large display is great and the voice is loud and clear. Being a repairman I know basically where I am going just not how to get there so I usually just turn on the map without entering a destination to let it track where I am so I can navigate and take shortcuts that I never knew were there.
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