Miss Direction

Q: I will be going to Italy next month, and I am being told that the Budget Rental Car does not have a GPS option. I am very nervous about not having help on the Italian roads. Can you recommend the right mapping system for Italy? Does the Magellan Maestro 4040 work in Italy? Any help would be appreciated. I only have a very limited budget to purchase a device, and don't need anything fancy. --Michael, via e-mail

A: Hi Michael. Driving in a completely new territory, especially in a foreign country, can definitely be nerve-wracking so I think … Read more

For those movers and shakers who cruise on four wheels, two wheels, by sea, and even hit the pavement with their own two feet, we've got a do-it-all GPS unit for you. The new Garmin Nuvi 500 series, which consists of the Nuvi 500 and the Nuvi 550, has multiple modes that let you use the portable navigation device (PND) in the car, on a boat, on foot, or strapped to a bicycle. Both models feature a rugged design, waterproof casing, and accept different types of map via an SD expansion slot, including topographic maps and Blue Chart cartography … Read more

Today, AT&T announced that it's expanding its AT&T Navigator location-based service overseas, making it the first U.S. carrier to offer international navigation capabilities. Dubbed AT&T Navigator Global Edition, the service is available now and works in 20 countries, including North America, the U.S. Caribbean, and most countries in Western Europe. It will also work in six cities in China--Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, Shenyang, Tianjin, and Qinhuangdao--all of which will host Beijing Summer Olympics events. (AT&T is an official sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team.)

Like the domestic version, AT&… Read more

With all the iPhone hysteria, I missed last week's Q&A--shame on me. Fortunately, the dust has mostly settled, so I'm getting back on track. And believe it or not, this week's question isn't about the iPhone 3G and its GPS capabilities--mostly because I haven't had the opportunity to try it out yet--but I could also use the iBreak. So let's get on with it, shall we?

Q: I need a unit that I can plug 10 to 15 addresses into and it will map out a route hitting all the addresses in … Read more

Today, Dash Navigation set free a wireless software update that brings a number of new features and fixes to its Dash Express GPS device. The June08 update will be delivered over the air to Dash owners, so there's no need to connect to a PC or purchase software DVDs; you'll simply receive a notification when you next start your device. But what exactly are you getting? In short, smarter routing options and hopefully, better performance. Here's the breakdown of features:

FasterFind: This should let the Dash Express get a faster GPS fix by using over-the-air GPS satellite … Read more

Hi everyone. Starting this week, I will be answering reader questions about all things GPS right here on Miss Direction and Crave. If you need product recommendations, have questions about the technology, or ever wondered if a GPS can actually tell you to drive into water, this is the place to be. I'll be posting these Ask the Editor blogs every other week so don't be shy, send in those questions, and I'll do my best to answer them all. So without further ado, on with the show.

Q: Can you help me? I am looking for … Read more

This past weekend word leaked out that Mio Technology had a Knight Rider-themed GPS in the works, and now we can officially say that it's real. Since we were bound by NDA (nondisclosure agreement) till now, we couldn't really spill the full details when the news broke (please don't get me started on this) on Friday afternoon, but the floodgates are open now.

The Knight Rider GPS will indeed feature the voice of William Daniels (aka KITT), and there will be a database of names so you can customize the device to have KITT personally greet and … Read more

If you ever dreamed as a child (or as an adult) of owning a car like KITT of Knight Rider fame, you're dream is about to come true...sort of. Unless you're rolling in money, you can't have the actual Trans Am or David Hasselhoff, but you can have the next big thing. Word on the street is Mio Technology is prepping to release a Knight Rider-themed portable navigation system that uses the actual voice of William Daniels (the actor who provided the voice of KITT) to present you with audible directions. KITT's soothing voice will … Read more

Citing "outstanding results from our partners' recent Dads and Grads promotions," Dash Navigation today announced a $100 price drop for its Dash Express portable navigation system. You can now get the Internet-connected GPS for $299 rather than $399, though you will still have to pay for the Dash Express service after the three-month complimentary period is up ($9.99 a month with a two-year plan to $12.99 per month for month-to-month). Now, while we certainly think that the grads and dads promotion helped spur the price drop, we can't help but wonder if it also has … Read more