Top deals on CNET here
The Maestro 5310's roomy 5-inch screen makes for much easier viewing.
(Credit: Amazon)Shopping for a GPS? You can get one with a 3.5-inch screen for as little as $50, a 4.3-inch screen for under $100, or a 5-inch screen for--well, these models are relatively rare, so prices start at around $300 and rise sharply from there.
Not today. TigerDirect has a refurbished Magellan Maestro 5310 5-inch GPS for $129.99 shipped.
What's the big deal about a 5-inch display? That seemingly small amount of extra screen estate makes maps easier to view and onscreen menus easier to operate. Consequently, I'd say it's a safer GPS than one with a 3.5-inch screen.
The Maestro offers everything else you'd want in a GPS, too, including text-to-speech (i.e. it pronounces street names), 6 million points of interest, a windshield mount, and optional real-time traffic.
Even if you don't spring for a traffic subscription (which costs $60 annually after a free three-month trial), you can use the Maestro's SmartDetour feature to plot a route around suddenly slow or stopped traffic.
You don't get a lot of fancy frills like Bluetooth or a media player, but I consider that stuff fairly superfluous anyway. The big screen is the big attraction here, and the traffic option is icing on the cake.
CNET hasn't reviewed the 5310, but the handful of user reviews over at Amazon are overwhelmingly positive.
Because this is a refurb, the warranty expires after 90 days. As always, I think that's a potential positive: whatever problem might have existed has already been corrected.
In any case, this deal has been running all weekend, so there's a chance it'll be ending soon. If you're in the market for a nav system and you'd budgeted $100 or so anyway, I'd definitely consider paying a little extra for this big, beautiful screen.
On Sale Now:
$179.99
- $259.22
View the latest prices for Magellan Maestro 5310
This nicely equipped GPS can be yours for under $50.
(Credit: TomTom)Gonna make this quick because I'm late for the airport (San Francisco, here I come!). Amazon has the refurbished TomTom One 130 GPS for $47.98 shipped.
That's after a $20 mail-in rebate, but still. The TomTom 130 has some pretty decent features for an entry-level GPS, including text-to-speech and an optional traffic receiver.
You can also have a little fun by adding celebrity voices. Remember the Homer Simpson GPS from a couple weeks ago? You can add that voice, and many others, to the 130.
Amazon doesn't list the warranty, but because this is a refurb, assume 90 days.
I know nobody likes rebates, but when you take that into account, this is the lowest price I've seen yet on any GPS. If you don't already have a nav system for your car, you'd be crazy not to hop on this deal.
HP iPaq 310 Travel Companion
(Credit: HP )Last year, HP introduced its HP iPaq rx5900 Travel Companion, a sleek gadget that combined the powers of a PDA and a portable navigation system into one solution. It was the first GPS device for the company, and based on user opinions, it was a pretty successful product. Now, HP has decided to embark on its first GPS-only venture with the new HP iPaq 310 Travel Companion. I got a sneak preview a couple of weeks ago, and I must say, I'm pretty impressed. Unlike the rx5900, which used TomTom software, HP created its own interface for the iPaq 310, and it was pretty intuitive to use from the brief time I had with the product. Maps looked nice and sharp on the 4.3-inch, 480x800 pixel resolution touch screen, and I was really digging the 3D building renderings. Everything else is pretty standard; the system comes preloaded with maps of North America and features text-to-speech functionality, integrated Bluetooth for hands-free calling, and an online trip planning site. The HP iPaq 310 Travel Companion will be available in late September and will go for somewhere in the $399 to $499 price range--not too shabby.
On Sale Now:
$269.00
- $379.99
View the latest prices for HP iPaq 310 Travel Companion
- prev
- 1
- next
