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• Introduction • Averatec Voya 350 • Garmin Nuvi 360 • Mio C710 • TomTom One • Conclusion |
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• Image Gallery |
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So if the latest models all have similar designs and navigation capabilities, how do you choose one over another? There's price, of course; the products in this roundup range from $350 to $965. At the low end, don't expect much beyond basic navigation. By spending extra, you open the door to additional features. For instance, some of the pricier models provide text-to-speech capabilities, meaning the turn-by-turn voice prompts announce not only the distance to upcoming turns, but also the actual street names.
More Than GPS
An increasing number of GPS devices also double as media players, allowing you to listen to MP3s, view photo slideshows, and watch movies. The Garmin Nuvi even supports audio books downloaded (via your PC) from Audible.com. In most cases, you'll need a memory card to store music, photos, and the like (all four models in the roundup have SD slots), though it may be possible to access leftover RAM if the device uses internal storage. There remains the question of how best to listen to audio stored on a GPS; most models have headphone jacks, but it's illegal (and unsafe) to wear headphones while driving. And a tiny built-in speaker can't take the place of your car's sound system. If you're really keen on using your GPS for music, consider plugging in an FM transmitter -- the same kind iPod owners use to pipe music through their car stereos.
If you spend a lot of time on the road, consider a GPS that can download real-time traffic updates and suggest alternate routes to help you bypass congested areas. Usually this is accomplished via an FM antenna and a subscription to a traffic-reporting service. And if you spend a lot of time on the phone, look for models that offer a speakerphone option. These link to your cell phone via Bluetooth for hands-free conversations. Sure, it has nothing to do with navigation, but it sure is a handy feature.
