New toy

[tbayboy]

Garmin just announced a new model that's designed for driving, cycling, walking and boating. Takes their bluecharts maps and is waterproof and also has all their regular in car stuff. Think I found the GPS I've been waiting for. Of course Canadians get screwed as the to get the Canadian roads you loose the Topo maps (US gets both) but oh well....

 

Garmin Nuvi 500/550

[MrMike]

Neat looks like a great toy

[bbog]

Only problem is "up to 8 hours battery life". This unit is fine for mostly car use then the occasional off road adventure but serious outdoor use requires much better battery performance using standard AAs (not available in this unit).

[fishnsled]

It seems like a great unit but I'd have to agree with Barnie's Band of Gold. I don't know how many times I've been with someone and the li-ion battery had died in the camera. Either because they forgot to charge it or bring the spare. At least with double A's you can grab them at any corner store if necessary. My present gps takes 2 AA batteries and I get a couple of days off of them in the summer or 1 day in the winter. My camera takes 4 AA batteries as well and they seem to last forever. I'm not totally sold on the lithium batteries for certain items. Mind you the one in my cell phone gets about 3-4 days of light use before it needs a charge.

[danc]

A good hand held will do all that this machine does, and more. The hand held is about $150.00 cheaper, but doesn't come with decent maps. You can buy a top on the line hand held and North American navigator for about the same price as this unit. Topo maps are a dime a dozen. I'd go with a hand held. Garmin GPSmap 60Sx or 76Sx.

[tbayboy]

I was looking at the 76cxs before this but didn't like using it for in car driving, the buttons and small screen were hard to use while driving solo as well as not having voice assisted turn by turn directions and the easy point of location lookups. The map costs make the cheaper hand held a wash though you'd still have to buy the hydro maps

 

The battery is a good point if you plan to be out for more than 5 or 6 hours but it is a user replaceable standard lithium ion (same as your cell phones) so you can buy a spare and bring it along (but much more expensive than a couple double As for sure).

 

I did notice it doesn't do text to speech (it'll say "turn left in 500 feet" vs "turn left on Sheppard avenue") which kinda sucks considering you get that with a $250 model but I guess they had to compromise some stuff.

 

Anyhow, i'll wait for some user reviews before saying one way or the other but I like what I see as I wanted a car navigator (I need driving help more than anything) that can also be used on the water.

[douG]

A RAM mount for your 76 CSX is handy, plop it on your dash. The turn by turn directions function is supported too. That machine has saved my butt several times.

[danc]

Everyone that I know that has voice guided turn by turn directions has disabled it (if they can) because apparently it's just so annoying. Mine beeps in plenty of time when your next turn is coming up. And you can set when it beeps and how it beeps. Never missed a turn yet.

[GbayGiant]

Yeah, I'm in the need for a new gps boat as well, and finally decided to go with the H20c Lowrance, the new lowrance XOG could potentially be better with the bigger screen and road maps but the battery life is only 2h so that's no good at all, this Garmin 500 is a little better on battery life but they still have work to do over at both companies, and the US Canada issue sorta stinks too when they all come with free US maps when you think it wouldn't be to difficult for them to stock Canadian retailers pre loaded with Canadian maps.