Garmin StreetPilot c580 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The StreetPilot c580 is for the GPS navigation fan who wants it all. You get easy to use navigation, built-in Bluetooth, traffic alerts and MSN Direct displayed on your screen.
I previously owned a c530 with just the basic GPS features so I was really impressed that I could add all those features for about the same price I paid for the c530 just 9 months ago! The StreetPilot 500 series have a brighter screen and faster satellite connectivity than previous models.
The Bluetooth is a safety feature if you own a Bluetooth cell phone. This enables you to talk hands-free while you're driving.
The MSN Direct is cool but limited to only 4 functions: weather, gas prices, movie times and traffic alerts. A minor complaint is that the gas prices usually have a one or 2-day delay and are not necessarily current. This is OK if you are driving through an unfamiliar area and want to know approximate gas prices.
The StreetPilot c580 is a feature-laden GPS that not everyone would need. With current prices, the basic StreetPilot is $200 less than the c580. Whether you need all the bells and whistles for $200 is a decision only you can make!

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Now you can easily receive door-to-door directions while staying on top of the weather, traffic and other localized information with the new Garmin StreetPilot c580 Auto Navigator with MSN Direct. The StreetPilot c580 comes loaded with convenient features such as hands-free calling, preloaded maps and an MP3 player, and then on top of all that provides you with dynamic content from MSN Direct.
The new StreetPilot c580 lets you get localized information with dynamic content from MSN Direct, making it one of the most resourceful navigators available. Using the included receiver and free trial service to MSN Direct, you can check your local weather, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, and even check movie times and locations, all while you travel. Easy and virtually fool-proof to use, the MSN Direct receiver is plug-and-play portable so you can quickly connect to your navigator unit when you are out and about.

Despite being loaded with features, the StreetPilot c580 still allows you to navigate with ease. This unit comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded NavTeq City Navigator NT street maps, including a hefty points of interest (POIs) database with hotels, restaurants, fuel stops, ATMs and more. Simply touch the super-bright, sunlight-readable color screen to enter a destination, and the c580 takes you there with either 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. This navigator voice even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road, and can concentrate on your driving to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. In addition, the c580 accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras, and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs that require your special consideration such as speed zones and safety cameras.

Speaking of keeping you safe, the StreetPilot c580 lets you make hands-free calls so you can talk freely during your worry-free driving. By integrating Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker, you can pair your c580 with any compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free while staying focused on the road. You no longer have to fumble with your phone's handset to answer a call or dial a number, just tap the c580's screen and you're instantly connected. And with 1-touch dialing for your POIs, you can quickly and conveniently call ahead to make reservations or get needed information.

Completely portable, the StreetPilot c580 conveniently moves from vehicle to vehicle with an easy, adjustable mount. This navigator has a compact size that makes it convenient to take along on business trips or use in rental cars, and also comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery for out-of-car route planning.

In addition to all of this functionality, the StreetPilot c580 is packed full of other features that make it the perfect navigator. Its high sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver acquires satellites quickly and maintains signals even under heavy foliage or near skyscrapers. This unit also comes with an MP3 player so you can take your favorite music with you, Garmin Lock as an anti-theft feature to keep you investment safe, and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map. What's more the StreetPilot c580 allows you customization via optional software such as Travel and Savers guides on plug-and-play SD cards.

The c580 lets you view, navigate and operate it via its anti-glare, bright color display through its fingertip touch-screen interface, which measures 2.8 x 2.1 inches (W x H), and has a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. As a whole, the c580 measures 4.4 x 3.2 x 2.2 inches (W x H x D), and weighs only 9.0 ounces. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery that comes with this unit provides you with an on-the-go battery life of eight hours.

What's in the Box Garmin StreetPilot c580, City Navigator NT maps for North America (preloaded, full coverage), MSN Direct receiver with integrated vehicle power cable, 1 year of free MSN Direct service, vehicle suction cup mount, dashboard disk, USB cable, carrying case, and quick reference guide, and owner's manual.

Notice: MSN Direct service will be available only until January 1, 2012.

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Mio Moov 200 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-To-Speech Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought the Mio Moov 200 as my first automotive GPS a couple of weeks ago. I've had the chance to use the GPS for one long 4 hour trip, as well as around the city here in Minneapolis, and these are my first impressions.
How it looks:
The Mio Moov 200 GPS is a tiny little thing, at less than an inch deep and about 4 inches wide by 3 high. It can easily fit in your pocket if you don't want to leave it in the car. It has a black plastic casing with a brushed metal surface around the touchscreen. It really does look nice sitting on the dash.
The unit has a on/off/reset switch on top of the unit, making it easy to turn on and off whenever you need or reset if it freezes (this hasn't happened to me yet). The left side has a port to insert your SD card with additional maps, or whatever else you need. There are also rumors that the unit is hackable through the SD port to become a small PDA of sorts. The bottom of the unit has a small USB port that allows you to charge the unit, as well as connect to your home PC. On the back of the unit is a small speaker.
How it works:
So far my impressions of the unit are pretty good. Keep in mind I don't have much to compare it to, but so far it does everything that we've wanted it to. We set up a route to go from our house here in Minnesota to a resort at the Wisconsin Dells - about 4 hours away. It got us there without any problems, clearly announcing any turns we needed to make along the way - with clearly spoken names of the streets themselves - not just a "turn right" or "turn left". The speaker is reasonably loud, even when in a loud car - and we had no problems hearing it. In fact if you're in a quiet room by yourself - it seems almost too loud.
We have noticed a couple of quirks/problems with the unit.
1. Funny pronunciations: the unit will sometimes pronounce street names incorrectly, or call them something they aren't. For example there is a "Dean Lakes Trail" near our house, but the unit calls it "Dean Lakes Triangle". There have been quite a few of these types of instances, but overall it does a good job. Definitely not a deal breaker - just more of something to give you a chuckle every once in a while.
2. Incorrect POIs: The unit does have a pretty good sized database of points of interest, however, we have found that some of them aren't quite right. For example, on our trip to the Wisconsin Dells, two or three times that we tried navigating to a point of interest (Walmart and a restaurant), the unit didn't get us to quite the right spot. In both cases we were a block or two away. It may be that the POI was old, or something along those lines, I don't know. There has also been a couple of times we searched for a gas station or other POI we knew was there, but the unit doesn't show it. Not sure why that is.
3. Strange routes sometimes: The unit will sometimes take routes that you may not have thought of, or that aren't really the quickest way to take. It DOES get you there, but not always in the way that you thought it would.
4. Keyboard is hard to type on if you have big fingers like me. Kind of annoying, but again, not a deal breaker.
Conclusion:
We've been happy with the unit so far. For the cheap price and the features you get - it does the job, and it gets you where you need to go. I'd buy it again.


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Turn-by-turn Spoken Street Name Voice Guidance. Never miss a turn with 3D indicators andauto-zoom views. Clear voice guidance lets you hear the directions so you can focus on the road. Stylish Design that fits easily in a pocket or purse makes it easy to take the Moov 200 with you. Preloaded U.S. Map of All 50 States and Puerto Rico. No PC download or SD card required.Moov 200 is ready to navigate straight out of the box. Preloaded with Over 3.5 Million Points of Interest. The Moov 200 makes it easy to findrestaurants, gas stations, emergency assistance, hotels and more. No More Waiting for GPS Signal with InstantFixII. Get fast and accurate GPS signal reception every time. No extra fees and PC connection required. 3.5¿ Touchscreen Interface. The bright, anti-glare touchscreen makes it easy to type in your destination and easy to see while you¿re on the road. SD / MMC Slot for easy additional map loading.

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