Bonnie Cha,
Senior Associate Editor
April 1, 2009
We've yelled, we've honked, we've all experienced the pain and the frustration of traffic. And as people spend more time in their cars and endure longer commutes, is there any relief in sight? Some GPS manufacturers are betting so. The latest crop of portable navigation devices(PNDs) from the likes of Garmin, TomTom, Navigon, and Magellan is incorporating traffic services to provide you with real-time road updates; highlighting construction zones, slow-moving roadways, and traffic accidents. Many of the models will even suggest alternate routes around the affected areas.
Now, in the past, you've had to pay a monthly or annual subscription fee for the privilege of getting traffic updates (as you do on the Magellan Maestro 4050), but now we're seeing a trend where GPS manufacturers are offering the services for free. For example, the Navigon 7200T offers a lifetime of free traffic as does the Garmin Nuvi 265WT, though as a trade off you have to put up with some minimal advertisements on the Nuvi. Meanwhile, both the Dash Express and the TomTom GO 930 require extra costs, they also use historical traffic data to provide you with the most efficient route to your destination. Check out our full reviews of these PNDs to see if one is right for you.
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| Price | $179.99 to $196.48 | $214.14 to $298.00 | Check Prices | $259.95 to $549.99 | $229.99 to $406.98 |
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| Review date | November 26, 2008 | October 09, 2008 | March 27, 2008 | May 28, 2008 | April 05, 2007 |
| The Bottom Line | Though the Navigon 7200T doesn't have cleanest user interface, the portable GPS offers plenty of advanced navigation features and accurate directions. | Despite some minor performance issues, the Garmin Nuvi 265WT is a good value GPS, offering a number of high-end features for an affordable price. | The two-way connectivity of the Dash Express portable navigation system offers powerful search and traffic capabilities to drivers and increases the value of GPS to the next level, but the system needs some refinements before we're willing to invest in it. | If you're looking for a high-end in-car GPS with the latest features, the TomTom GO 930 delivers with accurate directions and new navigation tools like advanced lane guidance and voice address entry. | Sporting a sleeker design and interface, the affordable Magellan Maestro series offers drivers an accurate in-car GPS device with useful trip information, thanks to its partnership with AAA. |
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| Features | |||||
| Included GPS accessories | Car holder Dashboard disc Car power adapter | USB cable TMC reciever Vehicle mount Car power adapter | Dash express Mounting arm and cradle Mounting arm extension and wrench Dashboard mounting disk Car power adapter Wall charger USB cable Alcohol wipe | Remote control Docking station Mounting bracket Car power adapter | Carrying pouch AC power adapter Car power adapter Windshield holder |
| Audible assistance | Navigation instructions Street name announcement Voice command recognition | Navigation instructions Street name announcement | Audible signal(s) | Navigation instructions Voice command recognition | Navigation instructions Voice command recognition |
| Services features | Speed Assistant Reality View Pro Lane Assistant Pro | Auto re-route Route avoidance Photo navigation Picture viewer Garmin garage Garmin lock | TruTraffic Traffic alerts/detours Alternate routes | ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) Distance Speed | Info unavailable |
| GPS PC connection | USB | USB | Wi-Fi | Bluetooth | USB |
| Antenna | Built-in | Built-in | Built-in | Built-in | Built-in |
| Weight | 6.5 oz | 6.1 oz | 13.3 oz | 7.8 oz | 8.5 oz |
| System features | Automatic routing Calculator Calendar Clock Compass Touchscreen | Clock Calculator Custom POIs Garmin Lock Photo viewer Garmin Garage Built-in speaker Automatic routing Currency converter 2D / 3D map perspective Hands-free calling via Bluetooth | Keyboard Built-in speaker | Built-in speaker Built-in microphone IQ Routes technology 2D / 3D map perspective Built-in FM transmitter TomTom Map Share technology Hands-free calling via Bluetooth TMC (Traffic Message Channel) ready | Preinstalled POIs 2D / 3D map perspective Hands-free calling via Bluetooth |
| Destination | Automotive | Automotive | Automotive | Automotive | Automotive |
| Design features | Touchscreen Day mode Night mode | Clock Currency converter Unit converter Calculator Touchscreen Qwerty or ABC keyboard | Touch screen | Calculator Calendar Clock Photo viewer Built-in speaker Touchscreen | Info unavailable |
| Included GPS software | SiRF GRF3i+ | MapSource City Navigator North America NT | SiRF Star III | TomTom HOME | NAVTEQ ON BOARD |
| Data memory type | microSD | SD Memory Card | Info unavailable | SD Memory Card | SD Memory Card |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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