Garmin Streetpilot C550 2.1-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator by Garmin
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List Price: Our Price: $299.00 You Save: $100.99 (25%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $50.00 (click here) Category: GPS or Navigation System See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin Streetpilot C550 2.1-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
Digital camera Review: EXCELLENT UNIT-A FEW **VERY** MINOR ISSUES
Summary: 5 Stars
Bought this unit a couple of days ago. I've had a chance to explore all the features, and overall, this is an EXCELLENT unit.
Here is what I like:
* From the time I opened the box to the time I started using it was less than 5 minutes. Very simple and intuitive interface.
* Incredibly sensitive satellite receiver. The unit even worked indoors in my kitchen when I first turned it on. How can that be, since I thought you had to have a clear view of the sky? I don't know, but it did. No issues in the car either. No dropped signals, and virtually instantaneous satellite acquisition.
* Directions for the most part were very accurate (see below for minor exception),
* You get plenty of advance warning for turns.
* When you deviate from the directions that the GPS gives you, it recalculates a new route almost instantaneously.
* Spoken street names.
* Anti glare screen (you can still see it in bright sunlight).
* Bluetooth phone link works perfectly with my Razor phone (see below for minor issue). Sound on both ends is crystal clear. I could even access my address book on the unit itself.
* Windshield mount is very easy to get on and off, and it held the unit very securely.
Here are the minor issues:
* Maps seem pretty up to date, but you still have to use common sense. There is a road that opened up near my house about 5 months ago, and the GPS didn't recognize it. It kept wanting to take me a different route, but since I knew the road was there, I took it. The good news is that it recalculated a new route almost immediately once I left that road. Along those same lines, I was visiting someone in a gated community, and I knew that you had to go in the front gate and not the back. The GPS kept trying to direct me to the back gate because it was closer. This is a common sense issue, not a technical issue.
* On very rare occasion it gives you an odd or unusual turn. Near my house, it wants to route me through a small subdivision to get me home (very small-only about 20 homes), when I can get there by staying on the main street and making one turn. Not sure why it does that (perhaps it may be a few feet shorter and the GPS thinks it's a shortcut).
* Remember to check or uncheck the box to avoid highways and toll roads depending on what you want to do. The very first time I used it, it sent me on a toll road for 1 exit, then had get me off and resume on surface streets. I could have gotten where I was going without going on the toll road. I don't fault the system because technically it took me the shortest route, but it's just something to keep in mind.
* When you are talking on the speaker phone, it mutes the voice giving you the directions. If you're talking and driving, that is a bit of an issue. You can still see the directions on the screen, but you lose the voice prompts. I read some review where the person said that you have the ability to change this feature, but I haven't figured out how to do it yet.
* Pricey, but you get what you pay for. The cost differential with the C340 (about $150) is well worth it in my opinion.
Digital camera Review: Ease Of Use
Summary: 4 Stars
I seldom make reviews unless an item perform exceptionally well or really bad. I purchased this unit for my wifes birthday based on the many reviews I read. I sought after affordability, ease of use, and performance. This unit fits the bill perfectly.
My wife is a "team mom", and she frequently drives to various gyms for games all over town. She also had a bad habit of driving with the phone to her ear (she refuses to wear an earpiece). Now she can receive calls hands free, and the screen clearly displays the incming caller ID. I had limited experience with GPS systems, so I was a bit nervous about what top expect. After our 1st use, I know I made a good choice. Afer "playing" with it for 10 minutes, the wifey handles her navigation like a pro. With a touch of the "Where To" menu she enters the address (if known) or she searches for it by name similar to a google search.
Its interface is simple and intuitave - we've yet to read the directions. The display is bright and clear under all lighting situations we've encountered; your next move is displayed clearly on the screen; and the spoken directions are given at about the right time as a reminder. There are several voice options, (my wife prefers the Brit guy voice, I prefer the Aussie babe accent :-)
As far as the navigation goes, I've observed that it "links up" in 3 seconds or less, and if you chose to stray off course, it recalculates within a second or 2.
I'm sure there are many more features, but we were looking for the ability to get simple directions clearly displyed and spoken. Really, I'm amazed at how often she uses it and how we got by this long without it.
Overall, you will have a hard time beating this model for something that works well.
Digital camera Review: Easier to use than falling off a log
Summary: 5 Stars
It's just the greatest. Speaking street names makes driving through complex intersections so much easier. Excellent value.Digital camera Review: Easy
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great little GPS. It's very easy to figure out and works great. We have had no issues with it so far. The mount is nice and easy to put up and take down from window. It's easy to read with it's bright screen and large letters.Digital camera Review: Easy to use, Great display lots of options.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great GSP system. I have see several of my friends use theirs and you need to have a great memory of where all the features are located. This model is easy to use that you don't even need to read a manual. I taught my father-in-law how to use it in 5 minutes but still has issues with his cell phone after 2 months. I was recommended to buy this from a sales man that trales all over the world and says he uses it everywhere. Great GPS all around!!!!