Video review of Garmin's nuvi 880 speech recognition enabled GPS.

Posted by Fletch at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)

Verdict: Speech Recognition That Actually Works

Garmin's nuvi 880 can be controlled using speech recognition, includes MSN Direct for real-time traffic, gas prices, weather, and more, can navigate to geo-coded photos, supports multi-destination routing, and a whole lot more.

Sporting a new, dual-speaker design, the nuvi 880 is a significant update to Garmin's award winning nuvi GPS product line, and, all things considered, is probably the best GPS money can buy right now.

Continue reading "Garmin nuvi 880 Review" »

Posted by Fletch at 1:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (144)

A few weeks ago Garmin released its annual map update. The 2009 Map Update retails for around $65, and can be purchased as an electronic download or a physical DVD disc. If you purchased a qualified Garmin GPS recently (or even if you purchased it a long time ago but never registered it on Garmin's website), Garmin will give you the update for free.

I finally got around to updating my nuvi today. Here's the step-by-step instructions.

Continue reading "How to Install Garmin's Map Update 2009: A Step-By-Step Guide" »

Posted by Fletch at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (78)

Posted by Fletch at 12:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

If you're the kind of person who just can't bear to sign-up for yet another monthly service, Garmin feels your pain and is introducing lifetime subscription pricing for Garmin Mobile for Blackberry.

Continue reading "Garmin Announces Lifetime Pricing for Blackberry Navigation Software. Pay $99 Once, Use it Forever." »

Posted by Fletch at 9:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

As if you needed yet another reason to buy a GPS, it turns out many new GPS units can not only get you from point A to B, but they can also save you a bundle on gas.

Gas prices are on the rise, and the summer driving season is expected to bring even higher prices at the pump.

Many GPS models already have a powerful feature that could save you hundreds of dollars each year: the ability to view fuel prices at nearby gas stations. Here's how it works.

Continue reading "How to Find the Cheapest Gas with Your GPS" »

Posted by Fletch at 1:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Verdict: Garmin is king in the US, by a wide margin. In Europe, it's TomTom's World

According to new PND data, Garmin was the #1 GPS brand in the United States in 2007, and by a pretty comfy margin -- taking 47% of the total GPS market. TomTom ranked a distant second place with just 19 percent market share, followed closely by Magellan in third place.

Continue reading "GPS Brands Market Share Data for 2007" »

Posted by Fletch at 11:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Verdict: Stick to the Basics, Go For Ease of Use, A Big Screen, Text-to-Speech, and Routing Quality

Nothing says "I love you" quite like a spanking new GPS to adorn mom's dashboard. It's not too late to pick up a GPS, but which one is right for her?

Continue reading "Which GPS is Right for Mom?" »

Posted by Fletch at 11:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (38)

Winners: WorldTracker GPRS & Amber Alert GPS

According to the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC), 836,131 persons were reported missing in 2006. About 80% of those were juveniles (persons under 18 years of age), the overwhelming majority of which were girls. While most missing persons return home safely, that statistic shows that 2,290 times per day, parents or primary care givers felt the disappearance was serious enough to warrant calling law enforcement. Even more troubling, the number of missing persons reported to law enforcement has increased almost 500% in the past 20 years.

What if, instead of sitting at home in a terrified panic that harm has come to your child, you could instantly locate him or her on a map, pinpointing their exact whereabouts? That's the promise behind a new wave of GPS and RF (Radio Frequency) tracking devices aimed at helping parents keep electronic tabs on their children. I've spent the last few months testing a number of these products at length, sorting out the good from the bad.

The bottom line? Hollywood-style GPS tracking still eludes us, but there are some good products available that will indeed help parents keep track of AWOL kids. There's also some duds out there that either underperformed or simply don't work at all. Read on for the full review, including which products I recommend, and which ones you should avoid.

Continue reading "The Ultimate GPS Child Tracking Buyer's Guide" »

Posted by Fletch at 1:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (32)