Magellan Premium Car Kit for iPhone and iPod touch Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Well I have been using this for a bit over a week now and here are my impressions:
Pros:
-Excellent build quality; very solid and holds my iPhone (in a Speck PixelSkin case) very sturdily.
-Good mounting of iPhone with swivelling dock connector and flexible/adjustable top clip.
-Fits iPhone perfectly with my Speck PixelSkin case. But be warned - it was adjusted to its highest point, so it wont fit a case larger than the PixelSkin.
-GPS fix more accurate than iPhone's internal GPS. This resulted in less jerky movements and less jumping around during GPS application usage.
Cons:
-GPS signal dropped out far more often than my standalone TomTom PND. This is unacceptable in a product meant to improve GPS reception that actually uses the same GPS chip as the TomTom PND I am comparing it with.
-With kit mounted on windscreen the iPhone overheated and stopped working (displayed a temperature warning message and forced itself into sleep mode) once. Mind you this was after three hours of driving, directly towards the Australian summer sun on a 35C/95F day. This is not a shortcoming of this Magellan kit, but rather an issue with mounting iPhones in car windscreens in general.
-When switching the car ignition from 'accessories' to 'run' and then to 'on', the Magellan kit naturally loses power momentarily. However when it powers back on, it often would not sync with the iPhone's Bluetooth as the power cycle was too fast. I would need to manually power cycle the Magellan kit (ie. remove power plug, then reconnect) allowing enough time for the iPhone to lose Bluetooth sync before re-establishing the power.
MAJOR MAJOR CON:
-When you plug a 3.5mm audio cable into the AUX connector on the Magellan kit (for attaching to a car stereo, or external powered speakers, etc.), the music and application sounds CONTINUE COMING OUT OF THE BUILT-IN SPEAKER!!! This is a ridiculous design, as it means to listen to music through your car stereo without the crappy built-in speaker ruining the music for you, you need to turn down the volume on the Magellan Kit (as this only controls the volume of the built-in speaker). But then if you receive a call, the call audio (via Bluetooth) cannot be heard (as you have turned the volume down on the built-in speaker, which is where the call audio is sent), so you have to manually turn the volume up on the Magellan kit again (using a fiddly little dial that is difficult and dangerous to find while trying to concentrate on driving). You have to do this EVERY TIME a call arrives... STUPID!
Why oh why was the kit designed like this? We will never know. However Magellan have responded to my question about it and have indicated that they will release some sort of firmware/software/application fix for this speaker problem in the near future.

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The Magellan Premium Car Kit transforms your iPhone into a complete in-car solution for GPS navigation. Simply place your iPhone in the cradle and connect the power. There's no need to remove your protective case--the cradle adjusts to your needs.








Magellan Premium Car Kit for iPhone / iPod Touch
Requires purchase of a navigation app. Sold separately.
The Premium Car Kit lets you use great navigation apps like the Magellan RoadMate App for iPhone and iPod touch (2nd generation) and instantly enhances your navigation experience.

This powerful, built-in receiver boosts GPS reception, ensuring accurate directions. Simply place your iPhone or iPod touch into the cradle and connect the power. The cradle even works with most turn- by-turn routing applications available today, including the Magellan RoadMate App for iPhone (sold separately).

The Premium Car Kit connects via Bluetooth (iPhone only) to deliver a superior hands-free calling experience. The powerful, amplified speaker delivers crystal clear calls and turn-by-turn directions. No need to even remove your protective cover--the cradle adjusts to accommodate most cases or skins.

Navigate in confidence with the Magellan Premium Car Kit!

Features
Built-in GPS receiver enhances performance A powerful, sensitive built-in GPS receiver provides faster and more accurate location information to your iPhone or iPod touch
Turns your iPod touch into a GPS navigator The built-in GPS receiver adds GPS capability to your iPod touch (2nd generation)
Fits hard shell cases or silicon skins Accommodates most cases or skins for maximum flexibility when inserting into the cradle
Works with most navigation or location-based apps While optimized for the Magellan RoadMate app for iPhone, the cradle is compatible with most GPS navigation apps
In-car charging The cradle automatically powers and charges when connected. No need to worry about running out of battery.
Noise-canceling, hands-free speakerphone Full duplex speakerphone for crystal clear calls
Powerful, amplified speaker Use the volume control for loud and clear voice guidance
Secure, adjustable vehicle mounting Quickly secure the cradle to your windshield or dashboard and easily adjust for portrait or landscape viewing
Audio line out for music playback on your car stereo Listen to your favorite tunes through your car's audio system

Car Kit Compatibility

iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4
iPod touch 2G, 3G
Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later and purchase of navigation app (sold separately).

What's in the Box Premium GPS Car Kit, Vehicle Mount, Adhesive Disc, Vehicle Power Adapter, Getting Started Guide

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PC Miler PCM430 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got this in August from Dieselboss and it already had the new maps on it. It definitely made a huge difference once I set up my truck and road profile properly. It came with the settings on "default" which drove me like a car until I read their quick-start guide and saved a profile that matched my truck's height, weight, length properly. It also has a further setting for favoring the larger roads (interstates) and telling it to NOT use local and smaller roads. I agree with other reviews about the speaker because once you have all of your truck noise it is difficult to hear what it is saying. I bought an FM transmitter and plugged it into the headphone jack and now it's nice and loud out of my stereo speakers. I don't need the voice out on open, long stretches of highway anyway and only turn on the FM transmitter to hear it when I get close to my destination. The new maps also seem to have the points of interest (truck stops, weigh stations, WalMarts, etc) very accurate. Nearly every truck stop I punched up was current and took me right to it. All-in-all it is no replacement for common sense of course, but has been very valuable so far in keeping me from going out-of-route and on time. I bought the Garmin 465T previously and though that one seems to have a few more raw addresses in it, this one has been much more accurate in keeping me on proper truck routes than the Garmin was.

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PC Miler Navigator, powered by CoPilot, is changing the way commercial truck drivers work, making it possible for spoken street-level directions to be generated anywhere within seconds. It's the first GPS navigation system specifically designed for company drivers, owner operators, and leased operators, and it's the only way to get industry-standard PC Miler directions in the cab. PC Miler is used by more than 22,000 motor carriers, shippers, and logistics companies around the world.


Navigation Features
PC Miler Routing: Practical, Shortest, 53'/102"
Trailer, HazMat, National Network, and Toll Avoidance
13' 6" height, 48' length, 80,000 pound weight, and 96" width restrictions
Large, clear 4.3-inch touchscreen
Truck-specific, loudly spoken dock-to-dock directions throughout the United States and Canada
Easily detours around unexpected congestion and avoids specific roads
Optimizes up to 50 stops
Miss a turn? With fast automatic route recalculation, drivers will never be lost
Truck stops, rest areas, weigh stations, and 6 million additional POIs
Easy-to-see driver safety screen; flexible and clear
2D and 3D map views
Pre-installed software and map data; works out of the box


Driver and Fleet Benefits
Reduces out-of-route, empty, and deadhead mileage
Reduces fuel costs
Improves driver efficiency and dispatcher productivity
Helps avoid costly fines and vehicle damage
Provides accurate pick-up and delivery times
Safe and stress-free driving on truck-legal roads
Improves operational consistency with PC Miler in the cab and back office


Truck-Specific Map Data
794,000 highway miles and more than 7 million street-level miles
140 million nationwide U.S. street addresses
30 million nationwide Canadian street addresses
More than 850,000 miles of truck restrictions (e.g., bridge heights, load limits, left-turn and dangerous turn restrictions, and urban road classifications)


Additional Features and Benefits

Text-to-Speech Provides spoken dock-to-dock directions with street names in a natural and clear voice for hands-free truck-legal navigation


Load Profitability Preview trips before hitting the road. Analyze trip cost, time, and pay to make smart load choices, with HOS break times factored in


Customize Vehicle Dimensions Enter the exact height, weight, length, and width of the vehicle for optimal routing. Maximum values are 13'6" (H), 53' (L), 120" (W); 132,000 pounds


Warnings If a driver inadvertently turns onto a restricted road, a warning appears on the screen, and the best alternative route is automatically calculated


Career Enhancement Improves driver retention and recruiting planning


What's in the Box PC Miler navigator, pre-installed CoPilot truck GPS navigation software, quick start guide, windshield mount, truck charger, home charger

Click here for more information about PC Miler PCM430 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin Nuvi 750 4.3"- inch Portable GPS Navigation Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I gave one of these to my son for Christmas. I've been using the 200w for quite a while and I've been very happy with that. But I couldn't believe all the additional features and improvements the 750 has over the 200. I'll be upgrading myself soon but I'll probably go with the 760 to get the Bluetooth capability.

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Dual XDVDN9131 4X50 watt AM/FM/DVD with 7-Inch Touch LCD/USB/SD/BT/NAV/iPod Multimedia Receiver (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought the Dual DVDN9131 at Wal-mart on 1-23-10. Today is 3-6-10 and I just shipped it back to Dual to be fixed or replaced. The unit worked fine when I first installed it, but now when I try to use the blue tooth to make phone calls people cannot understand what I am saying. My voice is Garbled like I am talking under water or something. I contacted Dual customer support and they told me to ship it back for repair or replace. I don't know what to expect from here, I have never owned any Dual products before. This radio seems to be a nice unit, I just hope they take care of the problem in a timley manner.

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AM/FM/DVD w/7-Inch Touch LCD/USB/SD/BT/NAV/iPod, 4X50 watt. 200 Watts Peak (50x4) Motorized 7-Inch touch screen TFT LCD monitor Integrated Navigation DIN chassis (all-in-one) Import ISO/DIN mountable Fold-down detachable front panel Internal cooling fan Electronic volume, bass, treble, balance, and fader MOSFET audio output 4.1 audio outputs (RCA) 1 Audio/video input (RCA) 1 Rear camera input (RCA) 1 Composite video output 1 Audio/video input (3.5mm) 24-Bit D/A Converter Infrared remote control

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USA SPEC PA15-TOY - iPod in-vehicle interface adapter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is one of coolest "black box" gadgets I have had in a long time. I got this USA Spec PA12TOY ipod adapter for my 2008 Toyota Tacoma with 6 CD changer factory stereo (not JBL). Installation was a breeze (simple plug & play). I popped out the stereo, where there is an empty plug waiting on the back side. A cable from the USA Spec plugs into the empty plug of the radio. Then an additional cable runs from the USA Spec to your ipod. This USA Spec has additional RCA plugs that I connected my Sirius radio into (cable not included but only a few dollars). The unit is pretty small and was easilly hidden up behind my glove box. If you search the internet you may be able to find photos of individual installations and advice on how to take your radio out (I was for the Tacoma). Important to note that your CD changer is disabled with the use of this (but who needs CDs when you have your ipod?). For my radio/vehicle, the ipod operates under CD1-CD5 (corresponding to the first 5 playlists on my ipod). CD6 is the auxillary RCA plugs (my Sirius radio). I control the ipod either on the ipod itself, through the controls on the stereo, or on the steering wheel stero controls. USA Spec appears to upgrade the unit from time to time, so you should check their website for the latest unit that goes with your vehicle. I am extremely happy with the product and will be looking for one to go with my other vehicle. Highly recommended!!!

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iPod control adapter for select 1998-up Toyota-built factory stereos * track up/down, fast-forward, reverse, and shuffle play * use up to five playlists (select five favorites, or Auto Playlist will let you choose from the first five on your iPod) * Direct Mode lets you control everything via the iPod itself, giving you access to all playlists (requires a DIP switch change on the USA Spec adapter) * auxiliary input (RCA connectors) for another audio source *

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Navigon 7200T 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigation (Factory Refurbished) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)In general, I am pretty good with navigation by myself, using only printed directions from Mapquest. I bought this unit mostly for my wife that has a lot of traveling this summer. It is our first GPS.
Of note - my unit had in the box a small cardboard with a sticker on it, that said it has Win CE 6.0 installed.
I previously had a chance to "lay my hands" on Nuvi 750. Pretty decent and very simple device. It was actually too simple for me. I then started looking for something that has more navigation options. All I cared about was navigation - I didn't take into account things like mp3, photo viewer, FM transmitter, bluetooth, nor even the speech recognition.
So we selected the Navigon 7200T, and for about $160 it was a very good deal, a lot cheaper than Garmins. Once it arrived, I disabled bluetooth and started testing it by letting it direct me to locations that I know well.
I live near Springfield, PA. First trip was to the PHL airport - I quickly figured, that the best route is calculated using "fast" profile. It took me the correct way out of the parking lot at the airport - unlike Nuvi. Then IKEA in Conshohocken, Port Richmond district in Phila, etc - the device was showing me routes that I would normally take. Best surprise was our recent trip to Staten Island, NY. Instead of my normal route: I95 to I76, through the Franklin bridge to NJ turnpike, it took us the other way to I476 and then I276 to NJ turnpike. It was truly the fastest route. Along the way it was *correctly* and *right on time* displaying traffic information about the jams on NJ turnpike. We got a little confused at the I476 to I276 intersection and took I276W instead of I276E - the unit immediately took us back on the right way.
On the "not so good" part - when we were approaching exits on the turnpike, the unit was displaying the lane guidance (very nice feature), but it was constantly telling us to "keep left", when we were supposed to pass the exit. It should be saying "keep straight" instead - gets a little used to. Another instance: we decided to take a break and have a coffee at Starbucks. Navigon nicely directed us to Starbucks at Exit 7 from NJ turnpike, but... there was Dunkin Donuts instead. Unfortunately we hate coffee from DD. And finally - a stressful moment was when we were going back home from SI, NY and we were to enter the I278. The main road we were on was turning left, and the ramp to I278 was straight ahead of us. The unit was silent - it didn't tell us to keep straight, nor to take the ramp. I had to look at the screen to find out where to go.
What I like about Navigon 7200T:
- Features (navigation) for the price - unbeatable for me
- Routing using "fast" profile is excellent
- Live traffic info - very helpful
- Nice screen showing POIs with brand icons
- Multitude of options and satisfactory level of complication - I hate overly simple stuff
- You can select which roads NOT to take when creating your route
- Making detour allows you to select what distance of your route is to be avoided.
- You can look up POIs in the upcoming exits on Interstates, or near your current location, and make a "stopover".
- Spoken directions (gets a little used to)
- Big buttons - easier to hit in a riding car, and a responsive touchscreen.
- Estimated arrival time is razor sharp.
What I like less:
- The unit sometimes doesn't tell you what it should (recalculating, keep straight, etc)
- It tells you to keep left on a highway instead of "keep straight"
- Navigon is gone from USA (not a big deal for me)
- Maps are from 2008. "Please Touch Museum" in Phila is in the wrong (old) location. Some stores in my neighborhood are shown with incorrect address (Oak Ave N instead of Oak Ave S).
- Battery life (even with bluetooth off) is less than 2h.
- Limited language and voice selection. There is only one English TTS voice (+ one French and one Spanish). Garmin had menu in Polish and a voice in Polish (not TTS though).
- No calculator nor unit converter (not a big deal also)
What I really don't like:
- You can't download POIs from internet, unless you buy "POI Warner" for 20 euro. On the other hand, that is an excellent application, but others have some of this features for free.

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The ideal combination of style and substance, the Navigon 7200T delivers next generation features, such as Landmark View 3D, Free Traffic Updates for Life, Voice Destination Entry, and Reality View Pro, plus a plethora of useful and exclusive features found nowhere else.

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Type S CM12969-60/6M Small Lighted Compass Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)These lighted compasses looked great in the photo, so I bought two -- one for each of our cars. When they arrived, the first one out of the package wouldn't light up. Then, when the second one would only light up intermittently, I got really depressed. First thing I've ever had to return to Amazon. Great idea, but didn't work as intended. =(

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Type S Small Lighted Compass by Winplus accurately directs drivers and passengers in the correct direction. This compass works well as a primary compass if the vehicle is manufactured without a built in compass as well as a secondary compass. The lighted feature can be switched on or off simply by a tap for easier nighttime viewing. Quality styling makes this accessory an excellent addition to your car's interior. Simply clean desired dash mounting location and apply compass to use.

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