Designed for use with Garmin's Astro Dog Tracking System, the DC 30 is a redesigned GPS dog tracking collar that is more rugged, lighter, gets better reception, and has a lower-profile antenna. Used in conjunction with the Astro 220 receiver, the system pinpoints exactly where your dog is and what he's doing - running, pointing, or treeing - even in dense cover, up to seven miles away, depending on terrain. The collar retails for $199, and is expected to ship by the end of the summer.

Continue reading "Garmin Announces Lighter, Slimmer Dog Tracking Collar" »

Posted by Fletch at 1:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Verdict: Gorgeous. Innovative. The Best TomTom Yet. Speech Input Still Needs Work.

TomTom's GO 930 is the company's latest high-end GPS navigator, and features voice recognition, IQ Routes, Enhanced Positioning Technology, Map Share, and Advanced Lane Guidance in a sleek, elegant design. There's still room for improvement, but this is the best TomTom yet.

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Posted by Fletch at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

At first glance, Garmin's upcoming nuvifone sounds like the business equivalent of trying to conquer Russsia in the winter. Hopes of one-upping Apple's iPhone or the Blackberry Bold are the delusional fantasies of a fool. So why is Garmin even trying? Is it time to sell your Garmin stock and wait for massive nuvifone related losses to clear the books? Not necessarily.

Continue reading "Why Garmin's nuvifone Makes Good Business Sense" »

Posted by Fletch at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Verdict: Get's Traffic Right (But Not Much Else)

Dash Navigation is applying 21st-centry technology to solve a problem as old as driving itself: traffic. While other GPS devices all receive the same incomplete and outdated traffic updates via FM or MSN-Direct, Dash is creating its own traffic network using multiple sources, including live data from actual Dash owners. The results are impressive, and Dash actually manages to produce traffic data that is noticeably better than anyone else's.

Unfortunately, Dash Express is so singularly focused on traffic, that the rest of this GPS still feels rough around the edges, and its appeal will likely be limited to serious commuters and all but the most hardcore early adopters.

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Posted by Fletch at 1:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

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

Update: By popular request, re-posted without the background music...

Posted by Fletch at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (21)

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 (99)

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 (29)

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 (5)

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)