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(More customer reviews)So far, I like the Garmin nuvi 1300LM 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.
I'm a newbie to the GPS world. As a local professional truck driver, I finally decided instead of purchasing maps for areas I'm unfamilar with, I'd spring for a GPS unit.
Why a Garmin? Well, I narrowed it down to between a Garmin and a TomTom. I actually was leaning towards the TomTom XXL 540TM 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) until I learned that the Garmin units do a much better job at finding addresses the likes of N1234 W9876 Booneyville Rd. There are GPS units available for truckers, however, the price tag is a bit north of my budget. Since I'm generally familiar with the roads I travel on, I decided to stick with a lower-priced model and download POI's (Points-of-Interest) associated with the trucking community such as low bridges, truck stops, etc. The lifetime maps bundled into this unit was the deal-maker for me. I plan on keeping this unit for a long time (got a 2-year accident replacement plan on it).
I purchased the unit yesterday and my family and I have used it for shopping purposes yesterday and today. We sure had a chuckle when we switched the unit's voice to German and tried to follow the directions. Anyway, here's the skinny on the 1300 LM.
20-seconds after switching the unit on, you're ready to choose either "Where to?" (getting/typing directions) or "View Map" (to see where you are). The touch screen is nice--it responds well to your touches. Of course, if you're not use to a touch screen (or have fat fingers), it may take a while for you to get comfortable with it. The screen is bright enough--even in direct sunlight (keep in mind that most screens wash out a bit in direct sunlight). You can manually control screen brightness or have the nuvi 1300LM adjust it automatically for you. Volume control in an automobile is more than adequate. We had the radio on mid-way and could still hear the text-to-speech instructions clearly at 80% of the volume.
Actual navigation was impressive. Then again, I'm new to the GPS world. The GPS navigation tried to steer us on a different route a few times (we knew the shorter route) but quickly recalculated the route after giving up on the route it wanted to take us (even though we had the "faster time" option selected). The 4.3-inch screen is fine for viewing. While a 5-inch screen would probably be beneficial for driving an 18-wheeler or RV, I'm sure I won't have any problems with the 4.3-inch screen.
After giving it a spin straight-out-of-the-box, I later downloaded both software updates and map updates at [...] using "myDashboard". I had 4-6 successive software updates (why can't they bundle them as one?) followed by a map update. The entire process took somewhere between 4-5 hours on a DSL line. Not a big deal since I knew it would take some time to get the latest updates. By the way, Garmin has included a mini-USB cord to connect the 1300LM to your computer. The sales technician sold me a cord (which I returned) because he wasn't aware that Garmin has decided to start including the cord with certain (or all) GPS units.
My family doesn't plan on using the cityXplorer feature (fee-based) to navigate various cities by foot. However, eventually, we like to tour Washington, DC by walking and the Nuvi 1300LM presumably would be handy to have for that trip.
In summary, if you don't need bluetooth in your GPS unit (I've heard volume levels are very iffy in GPS bluetooth units) and you don't rely on traffic updates a lot (traffic is a hit/miss type of thing with a GPS unit from what I can determine), the Garmin Nuvi 1300LM just may be the unit you're looking for.
If warranted, I'll update this post after I've used the 1300LM in my big-rig.
P.S. The Garmin Portable Friction Mount (bean-bag) works great. Keep in mind that the cord from your cigarette lighter plugs into the garmin unit itself rather than the mount. Over time, I can see how that connection could become compromised with repeated plug-in/plug-out action. However, the mount itself seems very stable in warm weather. I would guess it will also do fine in colder weather.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nüvi 1300LM 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Map Updates
The thin nuvi 1300LM has a widescreen display, yet it's slim and light enough to take along on all your travels. This affordable GPS comes with free Lifetime Map updates, announces streets by name, offers pedestrian navigation options and calculates a more fuel-efficient route with ecoRoute.
Affordable, Widescreen GPS Navigator With Lifetime Map Updates
Includes Free Lifetime Map Updates With free Lifetime Map updates, you always have the most up-to-date maps, points of interest and navigation information available at your fingertips. Map updates are available for download up to 4 times a year with no subscription or update fees and no expiration dates.
Navigate City Transit With its enhanced pedestrian navigation capabilities, nuvi 1300LM is the perfect travel companion for getting around town. Download optional cityXplorer content to help you navigate city public transit. Know where to walk, where to catch the bus, subway, tram or other transportation and how long it will take to get there. nuvi 1300LM easily fits in your pocket or purse. cityXplorer maps are available for select cities throughout North America and Europe. And with prices as low as $9.99, you'll have money left over to spend in the big city.
See More With nuvi 1300LM's widescreen display, you'll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3-inch (10.92 cm) display is easy to read--from any direction.
Get Turn-by-Turn Directions nuvi 1300LM's intuitive interface greets you with two simple questions: "Where To?" and "View Map." Touch the color screen to easily look up addresses and services and get voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination. It comes preloaded with City Navigator NT street maps for the continental U.S., Hawaii and Puerto Rico or one European region or country (click versions tab to view all), millions of points of interest (POIs), and 2-D or 3-D maps. Its digital elevation maps show you shaded contours at higher zoom levels, giving you a big picture of the surrounding terrain. With the 1300LM's enhanced user interface, you can slide your finger to conveniently scroll between screens. You also can upload custom points of interest (POIs). And with HotFix satellite prediction, nuvi calculates your position faster to get you there quicker.
Go Beyond Navigation Navigation is just the beginning. nuvi 1300LM saves you gas and money with ecoRoute--a green feature that calculates the most fuel-efficient route, tracks fuel usage and more. The 1300LM includes many travel tools, including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. With photo navigation, you can download pictures from Garmin Connect Photos and navigate to them. It's also compatible with lifetime traffic alerts (receiver purchase required). With its "Where Am I?" emergency locator, you always know your location. Simply tap the screen to get your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations. The 1300LM features Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and is compatible with our free Garmin Garage where you can download custom custom voices and vehicles. Enhance your travel experience with optional plug-in microSD cards.
What's in the Box
nuvi 1300; Preloaded City Navigator NT Data for the Lower 48 States, Hawaii and Puerto Rico (no Alaska or Canada Detail); Lifetime Maps; Vehicle Suction Cup Mount; Vehicle Power Cable; Dashboard Disc; Quick Start Manual
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