GPS

Ten months after its debut at CES 2007, the Alpine IVA-W205 is finally hitting the shelves and we got our hands on one for a full review in our CNET test car. In its most basic configuration, the IVA-W205 is an in-dash multimedia player with the ability to handle a range of audio-visual disc format (CDs, MP3- and WMA discs, DVD video and VCDs) plus a bunch of other media sources such as iPods, HD and satellite radio via add-on modules. The star feature of the system, however, is its ability to swallow Alpine's standalone portable Blackbird GPS device, … Read more

Back in May, we reviewed the Mio C220 portable navigation system, which we loved for its ease of use and affordable price, but ultimately we had to diss it because of an awful screen. Well, we're happy to say that its successor, the Mio DigiWalker C230, offers the same intuitiveness and budget-friendly price plus an improved display and text-to-speech functionality. It's rare to find the latter in an entry-level GPS device such as the C230, so that's a nice surprise and gives it an edge over its competitors, including the Garmin Nuvi 200 and the TomTom One. … Read more

It seems like there's a new company hopping on the GPS bandwagon every week, trying to loosen the grip that big boys Garmin, TomTom, and Magellan have on the market. Truth be told, these three companies have been in the industry for a while, and they know what they're doing, so these newcomers have a tough task ahead of them. However, we've been pretty impressed with one company in particular: Mio Technology. With the exception of the Mio C220, which had a horrible screen, it has consistently churned out some solid portable navigation systems and always packs … Read more

CNET News.com reports on and posts photos of Caltech's entrant for the DARPA Urban Challenge. This Ford E-350 van, named Alice, is rigged with GPS, LIDAR, and other sensors, the data from which is processed by Caltech's custom programming. The goal for Alice is to negotiate an urban course designated by DARPA without a driver. This Urban Challenge is a new twist on DARPA 2005 Grand Challenge, which ran through the desert. In the Urban Challenge, cars will have to follow basic street rules, like staying in their lanes and obeying traffic signs and signals. The race … Read more

We don't often list a refurbished gadget as a "Hot deal," but this one's an exception, since the price is so remarkably low.

When CNET News.com reporter Daniel Terdiman went on his 2006 Road Trip, the Magellan RoadMate 3000T is the Global Positioning System, or GPS, device he brought along.

Terdiman is not alone in feeling that the RoadMate 3000T is accurate and, with good resolution and responsive controls, easy to use. While it's not the sleekest or smallest GPS tool, being designed primarily for in-car use, its features set it apart from the … Read more

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 … Read more

Far be it from Garmin to let TomTom have all the spotlight today. Yes, Garmin had some news of its own as it introduced the Garmin Nuvi 700 series of portable navigation systems. The family includes three models--the Garmin Nuvi 750, Nuvi 760, and Nuvi 770--and features an enhanced user interface that makes these systems simpler to use. For example, you can now choose between a QWERTY or alphabetical keyboard. I know, it may not seem like such a huge deal but after struggling to enter addresses on an alphabetical keyboard, I'm pretty excited about this new functionality. … Read more

Today, TomTom took the wraps off of its latest portable navigation systems, adding three new products to the portfolio: the TomTom One 3rd Edition, TomTom GO 920, and the TomTom GO 920T. So without further ado, here's your friendly little breakdown of each.

TomTom One 3rd Edition: This entry-level GPS device is similar to the TomTom One but adds the Map Share technology and "Help Me" safety feature that was first introduced in the TomTom GO 720. Map Share allows you to make adjustments to your maps (such as noting blocked roads, updating points of interest, adding … Read more

Magellan must be one happy camper, as the veteran GPS manufacturer has teamed up with National Geographic for its new line of outdoor handheld GPS devices. The Magellan Triton series includes five models--the Triton 300, 400, 500, 1500, and 2000--and are compatible with National Geographic's topographic maps. Prior to this, you could only download waypoints and routes to the company's other handheld GPS devices, but now you can get full-color maps. Just be aware that these are sold separately by National Geographic, though the Triton quintet comes preloaded with Magellan's topographic maps. Other highlights include touch-screen controls, … Read more