Archive for the ‘Brands’ Category

Garmin Forerunner 205-One of a kind!

Monday, October 5th, 2009

Garmin Forerunner 205The Garmin Forerunner 205 is one of the new GPS devices to be launched this year. This is one of the personal training aids and is very different from the standard automobile devices that have been released. Featuring in the mid range of the price spectrum, the new design definitely stands out.

The Garmin Forerunner 205 adopts the watch style as it can be wrapped around your wrist. The only downside to this is that the device is actually quite bulky and looks nothing like an average watch. The good thing is that the face of the watch is pretty easy to read, and this combined with the excellent button placement makes the device quite pocket friendly. The buttons are easy to press, making menu navigation easy. This change makes the Garmin Forerunner 205 much better than the predecessor which instead has the buttons all spanning the bottom edge of the unit. The menus on the Garmin Forerunner 205 feature drop down menus which is intuitive and easy to understand. The resolution of the screen is also pretty decent as it does not share the outdated appearance of the Forerunner 201.

The SiRF Star II chipset if the best feature as this allows you to lock in to very weak satellite signals. Whether you are in the second floor of a building, or under heavy tree cover, the signal remains strong and clear.

Moving on to the exercise features, the Garmin Forerunner 205 has the Virtual partner application which allows you to set up a string of parameters for your workout. This makes it easy for you to run quick workouts and courses that you can customize. The runner icon with the distance you are from it can be displayed on the screen making monitoring your workout even easier. Read all the Garmin Forerunner 205 reviews available online.

Enjoy top class navigation with the TomTom GO 540 LIVE

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

TomTom GO 540 LIVEThe TomTom GO 540 LIVE is one of the new GPS devices to be launched at the high end of the price spectrum this year. Pre installed with maps of the UK and Ireland, there is no doubt that the TomTom GO 540 LIVE is going achieve GPS stardom!

The sleek outer appearance is the first thing that catches your eye as soon as you see the device for the first time. The rounded edges looks excellent and it even feels quite solid when you hold it in your hands. The sturdy outer casing has been designed to make the device last for a while without breaking after a small fall.

The beauty of this device is more than just skin deep! There are a range of top class features that make it one of the best devices to be launched this year. One of the biggest shockers is the inclusion of a GPRS module. This allows you to download the data that you need directly to your device instead of having to download it to a computer and then transfer it. Updating your device can be done in real time as soon as the updates are available. Even with these, the biggest advantage of the GPRS is that the new HD traffic service is far better than the TMC service that most previous similar device seemed to feature.

The only downside to this is that you have to pay monthly to be able to download files. This means that the whole thing is not worth it unless you spend a lot of time on the road.

Finding the address of a particular destination is easy as you can just enter it into the device by speaking into the microphone. Read the TomTom GO 540 LIVE reviews available online to make sure that this device is exactly what you are looking for.

TomTom GO 530-Entry level device

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

TomTom GO 530Of all the devices in the Go range, the TomTom GO 530 stands out. This entry level device is better than the Tom Tom XL both in terms of design as well as features. It is ideal for anyone who is looking for a user friendly navigation tool and is not too fussed about maps of North America or Europe.

The black outer casing of the TomTom GO 530 looks really good. This is a refreshing change from the silver casing that has littered the market today. The design of the front panel has been kept simple and plain with a clutter free 4.3 inch display. This touch screen is very finger friendly, making it easy to work on even if you have large fingers. The only button on the TomTom GO 530 is the power button on the top of ht device.

The software for the device can be easily obtained from the website. This allows you to get the most out of the unit using the supplied desk dock. The only thing that you have to watch out for is that the maps on this unit only cover the UK. Buying maps for other areas can be really expensive and is not productive.

The main reason why you should go for the TomTom GO 530 is that it is extremely easy to use. You can start using it as soon as you take it out of the box. Attaching it to your automobile is easy via the suction mount and it does not form an unsightly bulge when you attach it.

To top it off, the TomTom GO 530 also has a Bluetooth chip and an FM transmitter built in. You can access your address book and even read out your incoming text messages which is a nice touch. Read all the professional TomTom GO 530 reviews available online.

TomTom GO 520-Slim and stunning!

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

TomTom GO 520The TomTom GO 520 is one of the new personal navigation devices to be launched this year. Featuring at the mid range of the price spectrum, the TomTom GO 520 comes with a range of features that are bound to impress. The addition of certain features to the TomTom GO 520 makes it better than even the Garmin and Navman devices.

The TomTom GO 520 comes preloaded with maps of the UK. This device is an excellent successor the 510 and is ideal to be used in the UK itself. You have the option of purchasing maps for the rest of Europe as well if you want to.

The streamlined appearance of the TomTom GO 520 is what makes it stand out. The thickness is even less than the One XL! With a gorgeous, bright touch screen, the whole effect that the device creates is very professional and reliable. The widescreen is easy to use as the menu icons are large and well spaced. Finding your way around is easy as you can find your destination by just entering the postcode. Points of interest can also be found as there are destinations of a number of hotels, motels and ATM machines stored in the memory of the device itself. The addition of speech recognition allows you to tell the device exactly where you want to go, which is an advantage if you want to change your destination when you are on the move.

Finding your destination is easy as you can find out where you want to go by just entering the postcode. Saving favorites in the memory of the TomTom GO 520 also makes using the devices get easier over time. If you want to get an overall view of the device, check out the customer TomTom GO 520 reviews here.

Blaupunkt ROUTE 66 MINI-The ideal navigation tool

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Blaupunkt ROUTE 66 MINIThe Blaupunkt ROUTE 66 MINI is a pocket sized mini satnav that is bound to be a big success. With its tiny frame and relatively low price, this device is one thing that almost anyone can afford to buy and carry around. With a thickness of 19.5 m and a weight of 149g, the Blaupunkt ROUTE 66 MINI is definitely one of the smallest, lightest and cheapest standalone navigation systems in the market.

The appearance of the Blaupunkt ROUTE 66 MINI is quite neat with the outer black casing on the back of the device and the silver front panel. Turning it on is easy and you can do so by just clicking a switch. One weakness of the device is that the arm clamp that comes with it is quite disappointing. Once you set it to the angle that you want, adjusting it is difficult as the flexible arm should be pushed quite a bit before it actually shows some sort of difference. Even the 3.5 inch screen can seem a bit cramped as the touch keys can be a bit difficult to use. Luckily, the menus on the ROUTE 66 MINI are pretty straightforward, making it easy to type out what you want to by just removing it off the dashboard. You can then type it out by just holding the device in your hand. Adjustments made on the move, on the other hand are a completely different story.

The maps that have been developed for the navigator are pretty clear and the names of the roads are quite legible. Complex multi level junctions can be a bit difficult to fathom but with a little bit of practice, this should also not be a major problem. Anyway, the road that you are on shows up on a different color than the rest of the roads which does help to a certain extent. Read all the Blaupunkt ROUTE 66 MINI reviews to sure that it is exactly what you are looking for.

Danew GS130-An entry level GPS device

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

Danew GS130The Danew GS130 is one of the new entry level devices launched this year. It has all the basic functionalities and operations that you would expect it to have. This comes in a user friendly package that has an attractive appearance to top it off. Targeted purely to entry level users looking for a basic navigation tool, the Danew GS130 is likely to feature at the low end of the price spectrum.

The dimensions of 10 x 7.9 x 1.9 cm make it quite a small device easy to hang on to even the bars of a bicycle! The 3.5 inch touch screen is also easy to use though it can seem a bit cramped, especially when using it on the move. The touch screen allows up to 65000 colors to be displayed and can be used without having to recharge for up to 3 hours. The Destinator 7 browser and the Windows CE .Net operating system are powered by the Centrality Atlas III 372MHz processor which is quite efficient as even multiple applications run smoothly without too much of a time lag. The internal 64MB RAM and 256MB ROM allow you to store any information related to applications that are being run on the device. You can expand this memory using the microSD memory card on the side of the phone. There’s even a lot for a USB on the side of the phone.

Maps of UK and France come preloaded with the system along with a number of different points of interest. You can even locate an address using the postcode. The In-car sat nav system allows you to run the car safely without having to take your eyes off the road at any instant. The Danew GS130 also comes with dynamic routing facility that allows you to return to your original path if you take a wrong turn. Check out Danew GS130 reviews here.

Garmin Colorado 300-Compact yet efficient!

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Garmin Colorado 300The Garmin Colorado 300 is a handheld GPS unit that will not disappoint. Not only does it have a good 240 x 400 pixels color display, it also allows up to 15 hours of battery life. This device is designed specifically for the outdoors as it is also waterproof. Complete with a worldwide base map, you can find your way around wherever you are. In addition to this you can also add a range of local maps using the microSD memory card slot on the side of the phone. This makes the device ideal to be used by walkers and climbers. You can use the software that is there on the device with a range of third party mapping software. This allows you to plan and save your routes along with the topographic options to make it even easier to use as a navigation tool. This allows you to adjust your route to recognize all the geographical features. Featuring on the high end of the price spectrum, this is one device that you should go for only if you are after something that has all the fancy bells and whistles! Affordable devices have also been released by Garmin which have a more basic set of features.

One good thing about the Garmin Colorado 300 is that it performs very well. Not only are the innovative features easy to use and efficient, the user interface also looks nice and uncluttered. The operating system is very easy to use, as running applications on it take hardly any effort at all. Operating the unit in one palm is easy as the device feels both solid and looks great.

The new “Rock’n Roller” input wheel is quite the shocker looking out of place on the straight edged device! It is quite easy to get the hang of after using it for a few days. Check up on the device by reading all the Garmin Colorado 300 reviews available online.

Garmin Edge 205-Ideal for the exercise zealot!

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Garmin Edge 205The Garmin Edge 205 is one device which will definitely take your exercise experience to the next level. This GPS enabled exercise coach is one of the best devices to be released in recent times. Not only is it lightweight and compact, it has an easy to use user interface which can be customized to a certain extent. This makes the device ideal to carry around for touring and camping. Being the ultimate fitness partner makes the Garmin Edge 205 easy to attach to your bike as you know exactly where you are going.

The screen of the Garmin Edge 205 is not that large though it should be sufficient for anyone who does not have an eyesight problem. A large screen would actually have been a disadvantage as the overall size of the device would have been larger. With a reasonable thickness, you should be able to fit the device into your pocket. The heart rate monitor operates using the wireless speed cadence sensor which allows you to push yourself to the limit without going overboard. Measuring speed, distance and calories burned allows you to monitor your exercise at all times. Even the altitude sensor comes in handy as you will know exactly how high are above the ground if you decide to say trek up a mountain.

All the mapping software comes from Google which is both clear and efficient. Google maps are very clear and you can even update your mapping software if you want to. The sport tracks merge with the GPS data and the heart rate monitor data to record your overall workout and store it in memory. This allows you to try to beat your personal best with every workout. Read all the Garmin Edge 205 reviews available online to get an unbiased view.

Garmin Edge 305-Cycling GPS device

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

Garmin Edge 305The Garmin Edge 305 is one of the new devices to be released by Garmin to feature at the low end of the price spectrum. Based on the highly sensitive SiRFStarIII, the Garmin Edge 305 is dedicated to the sport of cycling, especially for the cycle enthusiast who wants to monitor their performance over a period of time. The reason why this device is perfect for this is that it can record heart rates as well as cadence in additional to the normal GPS data that it can store. The Motion Based software allows you to upload the data to the Motion Based system and then analyze and compare it to previous performances. Sharing this data with other users also in the Motion Based community is easy.

The Lap History of the Garmin Edge 305 can go as far as 2 years. You can even download these histories to your PC using the software included with the device. Recorded courses are also available online to help you to compete against a range of previous workouts. There are a number of other additional software features in the device including Auto Pause, Auto Lap, Auto Scroll and Multi-sport. Auto Pause allows you to pause your timer when you slow down and then automatically start it when you start running faster. Auto Lap triggers a lap after you have run a specified distance or to a location. This allows you to run anywhere you want to and still get the accurate performance data that you are looking for. Auto Scroll scrolls through data pages as you move in our workout while Multi-sport sets up different profiles for all the different sports that you are involved in. Garmin has actually outdone itself with the Virtual Partner software which displays a graphic virtual partner which will run with the same goals as you. Read all the Garmin Edge 305 reviews available online for more details.

Garmin Edge 605-The ideal training buddy

Saturday, September 26th, 2009

Garmin Edge 605The Garmin Edge 605 is one of the new exercise user targeted GPS devices to be launched. With a grey outer appearance, the rounded edges of the device actually make it look quite compact. The keys on the Garmin Edge 605 are pretty good as they are slightly darker making them stand out from the light grey body of the device. There are a number of inbuilt GPS features to help you make your way around during your workout. The software features allow you to maintain a detailed training log without having to write out all the details. There are no unnecessary wires required to transfer data to and from the device.

The color display of the Garmin Edge 605 features a very accurate sensitive satellite signal receiver with wireless installation and operation. This device is definitely one of top high end models to be launched by Garmin as it has a color screen. The design of the device is definitely one of its best features as there are no pesky wires that come in the way. This makes it stand out when compared to other cycling computers. You do not have to calibrate the device as you get the data related to your position directly from satellites and not from the wheels on the road. You can even switch the unit from one bike to another without having to make any sacrifice related to accuracy.

On the downside, the Garmin Edge 605 does not come with a heart rate monitor which makes the device less appealing then even some of its predecessors. You can store data related to your exercise, though unfortunately this data will be limited to only time and distance. Lack of a barometric altimeter is also a disadvantage as this makes this device less accurate. Read honest Garmin Edge 605 reviews here.