Cobra GPSM 2100 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

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(More customer reviews)Went to the store with every intention of purchasing TomTom One or the comparably priced Garmin GPS I had researched online for the past week. Really confusing considering all of GPS reviews I'd read gave no definitive explanations on why one rated over the other. Since it all seemed to come down to personal preference, I figured the only way to make a final decision was to demo each model at the store.
The TomTom One would not work! Each time I started to enter an address, the unit would revert back to demo ads. The Garmin model I was interested in was not on display. The sales clerk was kind enough to turn on the TomTom go to demo, but it annoyingly shifted between a loud demo and attempting to pick up a signal. If not for this, I would have overlooked the Cobra 2100 entirely.
What first caught my attention was price. Having failed to demo the units I wanted, the Cobra 2100 was the only GPS on display within my price range. In fact, it was the same price as TomTom One, but appeared to be larger. Side by side comparison made TomTom One look like a toy! I clicked through the various demo options and watched a simulation of a drive from the store to my home. Fine, yet I still had my heart set on the TomTom and was about to find another store to demo the model, but I changed my mind.
Though never owning any Cobra products, I'm aware that Cobra was a big name in radar detection at one time. In addition to GPS navigation, the Cobra 2100 comes with traffic light camera detection and speed alerts already installed. There are more traffic light cameras being installed throughout Baltimore City everyday. This feature and the Cobra name convinced me to give the 2100 a try.
Had the 2100 installed and operating in no top flat. As mentioned elsewhere online, it took more time to get it out of the box than it took to connect it. Once turned on it quickly detected a signal and showed me my present location. After quickly scanning through the menu, I typed in my home address, clicked 'NAVIGATE' and was routed to my destination.
The Cobra 2100 offers a clear visual presentation of the route you're traveling while giving clear and precise verbal directions of how to proceed. Advisories are given continually and well in advance of any turns or deviations from your present course. There is no text-to-speech, though IMHO, none is needed as a quick glance identifies all streets along your route.
Options are given to choose specific routes, but I ignored this on my initial run. The Cobra 2100 (like MapQuest, sometimes) attempted to route me away from what I knew to be a quicker route. Upon ignoring the route suggested, the Cobra 2100 quickly recalculated, suggesting a route based on my adjustment. I followed the same route later, this time taking the route suggested by the Cobra 2100. Cobra added an additional 10 minutes to my journey by unnecessarily routing me on and off the interstate. The "detour" consisted of a series of rapid lane changes and turns. As it was night and the maneuvers demanded I pay strict attention to driving, I didn't chance glancing at the screen. To it's credit, the Cobra 2100 provided precise verbal navigation so there was no need to watch anything but the road. I find I'm not particularly concerned about Cobra's routing suggestion. Had I been unfamiliar with the area, the additional 10 minutes would not be factor at all since the Cobra 2100 WILL, it demonstrates, get me to your destination safely.
Oh...before I forget...I passed through one of those camera intersections while testing the Cobra. It signals the driver by producing a series of camera clicking sounds and displays an on-screen traffic icon as an advisory.
WAY COOL!

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Cobra's Nav One 2100 is a specialized, portable navigation system designed for use in vehicles. Simply pick a destination via the easy-to-use touch-screen and you're on your way, as the Nav One 2100 automatically calculates the best route and gives you turn-by-turn directions (with voice and visual guidance) to your address or point of interest.
The Nav One 2100 features Cobra's iA.S.A.P. (Intelligent Accelerated Satellite Acquisition Protocol) technology, which takes advantage of 12 parallel channels for faster acquisition and uninterrupted satellite signal reception in urban canyons and dense foliage. The easy-to-read 3.5-inch color display features an ultra-bright, backlit touch-screen and a photo sensor that automatically adjusts the display for day or night viewing with superb readability even under bright, sunlit conditions. This complete plug-and-go system also includes a cigarette-lighter power cord and windshield suction-cup mounting bracket, letting you use it in any vehicle without performing an elaborate installation routine.
The Nav One 2100 comes with a pre-loaded North America street-level detail map that covers the 48 contiguous U.S. states, plus Hawaii and the major metropolitan areas of Canada. This unit is also traffic-ready, with up-to-the-minute traffic content available via the optional traffic receiver and subscription, which delivers personalized traffic data for 50 major metropolitan areas throughout the United States. In addition, Cobra's patent-pending Compare Routes feature allows the driver to choose from two on-screen routing options to get you around traffic. Also accompanying you on the ride are more than two million points of interest which are searchable by business phone numbers, trip data functions such as an odometer, speedometer, and trip timer, and a trip planner that lets you pre-program up to 10 destinations per plan, for up to five total plans. This unit even includes a trail mode so you can go off off-roading and mark your favorite waypoints for future return.
For your convenience, this GPS system includes English, Spanish, and French navigational voice languages and an automatic shutoff system that preserves battery power. This unit features highly accurate digital map data and rich content from Tele Atlas, and an SD memory card expansion slot for future feature expansion. Cobra's Nav One 2100 is backed by a one-year warranty on parts and labor.
What's in the Box GPSM 2100 receiver, 12-volt cigarette lighter power adapter, windshield suction-cup mounting bracket and user's manual.

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