Looking to make a purchase but looking for suggestions from people who use them. Not interested in all the "bells and whistles" but rather just the basics: maps, directions, points of interest, etc. Don't need an mp3 player, traffic report, etc.

On a little tight of a budget so I'm looking to stay around/under $200.

Thanks for the help.

look on ebay

MyHero uses gps units a lot maybe he could help..............

I'd love to help. Looking for one just for driving? Camping? Hiking? Hand held or stationary(fixed)?

^^^^^^^Year round Santa Claus^^^^^^^^^

:D:D:D:D:D

I appreciate the help/suggestions. Ended up purchasing one today and the girlfriend is using it as I type on her way down to the USWDGC.

I tested it home from work and it worked so hopefully my crash course in how to use it for her will work.

Thanks again.

They must have both gotten lost......

He did say he was "taking a 'crash' course in how to use it..." :eek:

MioMaps Digiwalker. You can usually find them for around $100-$125 each. They are pretty basic with a media player. It has a 4.3" touch screen. I think mine is a C350.

The secret to this one is that it is windows based. If you know someone, you can load all the other GPS software on it as well as music and video. I have TomTom and IGO8 loaded on it. It has a slot for memory chips.

The MioMaps is pretty good but I use IGO.

I appreciate all the suggestions. I ended with a Garmin nuvi.
Thanks again.

My mom has a Garmin, she loves it. My family had fun playing with it when we were there this summer. My dad had loaded 400 songs into it from the 50's and 60's.

I'm guessing Route 66 must be in there... :p

Actually it was.

Lots of Johnny Cash too :D

IMHO Garmin is the best money can buy. You chose well young GPSr-hopper. ;)

Can you load other programs on it? I loaded Garmin on my phone and didn't really like it as much as IGO. Maybe i'll load Garmin on my Mio and try it again.

I drive for a living and my Garmin 660 has accurately led me to and through hundreds of cities and towns throughout the US and Canada.

I haven't used it for music or wireless calling (yet) but its navigational properties and user friendliness are unparalleled.

I've been thinking about a Garmin 4.3" with Text-to-Speech like the 255W or 265W. Think I would be disappointed with this? Looks like it's currently not available but this special pops up every so often:

The Magellan MAESTRO 4040 4.3" Color GPS $99.99
- Large 4.3" Color Touch Display
- Built-in Bluetooth
- Hear street names with Text-to-Speech
- Maps include the entire Continental U.S. & Canada
- AAA Info and travel guides
- Smart Detour
- 4.5 million points of interest
- Refurbished

All for just $99.99 (no rebates...no hassles), but
hurry...These always sell out within hours...Don't
say I didn't warn you.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...CCODE=WEM1728TT (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3809079&sku=M775-0064%20RB&SRCCODE=WEM1728TT)

Are you only using this for your car? I am looking at a Garmin 60 CSX for a do everything unit!

Are you only using this for your car? I am looking at a Garmin 60 CSX for a do everything unit!


Yes. I've had a Garmin Etrex Legend for course design mapping for several years now.

The eTrex series is a good one. Not sure why they discontinued some of them though. The 60CSX is all you'll ever need if you are looking for one that has great maps for car navigation but doubles as the best portable marine/hiking/trail GPS ever made.

My only worry about this module is that once I purchase it they will put out a new module since this one has been out for a few years now! I went to best by and they wanted 399.99 for the 60 csx and I found it online for 250.00 new!

The 60csx unit is very sophisticated! It does ridiculous functions. The software (maps) are what you need to keep current, say every 2 years or less i would buy updates.

Can you make fritz tonight?

avoid the perceived value of electronic mapping!
why would anybody want to be able to be tacked wherever they may be?
these systems arnt just for your convininence but for big brother as well.

I believe the units help you find where you are, not help others track you. You should worry more about your cell phone if Big Brother is your concern.

why would anybody want to be able to be tacked wherever they may be?



They are receivers, not transmitters.

does the user have to register or sign on to a service to use this equipment? if so the the equipment is being monitered by somebody.
the equipment is inherently a receiver as well as a transmitter.
the satilights have to comunicate back and forth for the systems to work.


in response to the cell phone statement thats why i have a dinosaur for a phone. i recognize if big brother wants to find you the can by many electronic means. However i dont use credit cards or receive mail or list an address anywhere for this body because this body can be any where at any time.
does any body else feel that our freedoms of free movement are being encroatched upon for our "protection" as stated by big brother?
there is no doubt that the electronic simplify peoples lives but at what cost to our freedom?

in response to the cell phone statement thats why i have a dinosaur for a phone. i recognize if big brother wants to find you the can by many electronic means. However i dont use credit cards or receive mail or list an address anywhere for this body because this body can be any where at any time.
does any body else feel that our freedoms of free movement are being encroatched upon for our "protection" as stated by big brother?



No matter what you do the black helicopters always know where to find you!

If you're worried about the man watching you then why would you post on a forum?

About gps units, buy the cheapest with a memory card slot and install the program you like the best. Update the maps yourself. Add other features also like movie player and movies.

does the user have to register or sign on to a service to use this equipment? if so the the equipment is being monitered by somebody.




No.



the equipment is inherently a receiver as well as a transmitter.
the satilights have to comunicate back and forth for the systems to work.



Negative. All it is is an antenna with a pretty screen that moves around.

There is no return signal - it's all one sided from the satellites to the GPS units.

The satellites each send signals that have their spacial position and the exact time of the signal (including corrections for general and special relativity) encoded. The GPS picks these up and determines its exact position by basic trigonometry. The satellites just keeps pumping out the signals and all the tracking [edit] locating is done in the GPS unit.

(Unless Echelon is involved... )

There are GPS trackers but they just have a transmitter built-in to relay the coordinates.