Want bluetooth, free usb to mac downloads, traffic reports without subscription on the unit or bluetooth and option to attach ipod - oh and larger screen than a Garmin Nuvi. Suggestions?

 

TomTom Go 910

 

That list is a little vague/confusing. In particular:

1) What do you mean by "free usb to mac download"?
2) larger screen than *which* Nuvi?

Also, I don't think any of the GPS units provide traffic monitoring without a subscription, at least beyond a limited trial period.

 

free traffic?

There are a myriad of GPS reviews sites. Just google ... and you will find

 

Well, to be fair, the TomTom 910 *did* provide free traffic for a while (through the end of 2006), but then they switched to a subscription-based system. Likewise, the traffic monitoring was free on my Nuvi as well, but only for a limited trial period.

If by "option to connect an iPod" he means "the ability to control an Ipod from the GPS unit", I think he's narrowed it down to one of the TomTom units, unless he gets one of the aftermarket stereo head units that offer both GPS and an iPod interface. He's still out of luck on the free traffic, though.

 

Clarifications on GPS wish list. I heard the Tom Tom 510 did traffic by bluetooth cell, but maybe that costs. Ok. So forget the free traffic. I wanted not to be limited to a cd or dvd or pre-loaded sd. I wanted to be able to do upgrades to the maps via computer connection. Garmin 330 and up screen size is nice. Something about that size.

 

The traffic thing is through navteq, MSN, local Clearchannel stations or XMtraffic (may be others). Nothing in life is free Handing out free samples is an ancient technique to get you addicted

hehe.

 

Well, I think all of the handheld units can be updated via a computer connection. (Mac compatibility may vary, though - Garmin just recently got their Mac-compatible updating software up and running). Keep in mind that although the updates for the unit's firmware and operating system will be free, map updates won't (at least, not the detailed street-level maps).

And while it's nice to be able to upgrade the maps, the cost of a map upgrade might not be attractive compared to just buying a new GPS with more features and the newest maps already loaded. As an example, the map upgrade on my old Garmin 276c was almost halfway to the cost of a new Nuvi 350.

I'd really recommend a Nuvi (we have the 350 and the 660 in our cars), but it offers no ability to control an iPod.

If the iPod interface is important to you, I'd look into the Macintosh compatibiltiy of the TomTom units and go from there.

 

Most map updates are PC based on DVD to the units internal HD. I recently updated my Magellan and it was about $100.

I would agree about going Nuvi today.

I dont agree with buying a new one because an old one is "old". You still get from point A to point B. They aint putting up new GPS satellite requiring different technologies.

For the OP, if your still looking for BT, check out MOT IHF1000. Dedicated BT is always better than add on stuff ... kind of like you dont order fish at a steak house. Comes with an external speake just for the human voice frequencies and all voice activated (except to initiate/end call).

 

No, but the receivers in GPS units have gotten much better in just the past few years. It's true that a GPS purchased today that holds an entire country's worth of street-level maps won't seem outdated as quickly as one bought a few years ago, but they're still improving the feature set. Just comparing the feature set of my Garmin 276c that I bought in 2005 to the Nuvi 660 that I bought earlier this year:

The Nuvi is smaller, lighter, has a bigger, brighter screen with better resolution (actually, the raw resolution on the Nuvi is actually *lower*, but since it's a 65,000-colour display instead of the 256-color display on the 276c, the dithering and anti-aliasing make it *appear* to have much-better resolution).

It's also much faster to respond to user inputs, has Bluetooth, an FM transmitter, an audio output jack, and the ability to play MP3 files and audiobooks. It can also do language translation, act as a calculator, and several other features, but those aren't as important to me as they are to other people.

The Nuvi has the maps for all of North America pre-loaded on it, where the 276c had proprietary memory cards that would only hold a portion of the maps at any one time, so I would frequently have to reload the card depending on where I was going.

The Nuvi is also touch-screen, which is nice because the "buttons" for each screen are software-programmable, so you don't have a bunch of hard buttons that either aren't needed on all screens, or have to do double-duty depending on which screen you're on. Also, a touch screen means that you don't have to enter a waypoint name with a rocker panel, scrolling through half of the alphabet on average before you get to the letter you want.

The reception is *much* better on the Nuvi. I can get a ten-satellite lock, plus WAAS, from inside my living room, where the 276c sometimes had trouble locking onto even a single satellite if I was in my garage with the garage door open. Needless to say, I've never had a problem with overpasses, crowded city streets with lots of buildings, or wooded areas.

The Nuvi also speaks street names, which is more of a benefit than I originally thought it would be.

So while I could have kept updating the 276c with new maps every few years, I felt that the feature set and performance of the Nuvi 660 was enough to make me want to switch, even after less than two years.

Again, a new unit probably won't seem outdated as quickly as one from a few years ago, but changes in the GPS satellite system itself are far from the only reasons to upgrade. Look at one of the handheld units from 2000 and ask yourself if you'd really want that as your everyday driving GPS.

 

+1 Received mine for Mother's Day...and I love it!! Plus, I have it set up with a sexy male British voice. Puuuuurfect for all my MINI motoring adventures.

 

This might be what you are looking for:
http://www.streetdeck.com/

www.mobiledesk.com