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Navman Navman GPS E Series For Notebooks
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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1
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4918
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1/3/2004
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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Average Rating
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100% of reviewers
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$120.00
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6.0
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Guide
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Posts: 967
Registered: November 2000
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Author
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dogjaw
Guide
Registered: November 2000
Posts: 967
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Review Date: 1/3/2004
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $120.00
| Rating: 6
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Pros:
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Excellent GPS Reception In All Areas / Can Use Choice Of Map Software
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Cons:
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Included Rand McNally Map Software Is Subpar
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The Navman E series connects to a laptop with USB. Reception is excellent. It has a large antenna the size of a PDA. It will even work inside my house. The review has ultimately more to due with the map program used. The unit attaches to your windshield by suction cup. It's powered through the USB connection. The output message is NMEA 0183 version 2.01, GPGGA, GPGSA, GPRMC and GPGSV.
I installed the Rand McNally software included with Navman. I also had DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2003 already installed on my computer. Both programs have GPS functions. Since the Navman is simply an antenna, the software is the real issue. The low rating of 6 is due to the Rand McNally software. A rating of 10 would be given using Delorme software.
Software:
Rand McNally Street Finder Deluxe software was included. If this is their "deluxe" program, I'd hate to see their standard version. Wait, I actually have their standard version, it sucks too. The split screen Navigator function is excellent. Set a GPS destination and a dot shows up in the middle of a compass, showing which direction to target. This view also tracks odometer, est time to destination, altitude, current speed, average speed, direction. GPS tracking on the map was excellent. There is auto centering, so the map will move when you do. The actual map is lousy. Only the largest city names appear on the map. Anything smaller than Kalamazoo will not appear by name. The direction finder is a joke. You must be connected to the internet to find route directions. Once I downloaded directions and tried to track my progress, the system locked up. I never did get it to work.
Delorme Street Atlas 2003. At first, I could not get this program to recognize the Navman. I could not assign a com port in the options section. Went to Navman.com and downloaded their USB drivers. The drivers load up and Street Atlas worked. This is the program to use ($50.00). It has a ton of business locations, the map is highly detailed, and the GPS worked flawlessly. The voice activated program tells you your getting close to a turn which road and direction to turn. The route tab keeps track of the directions and continuously updates, so you can see how far to the next exit or turn. You can even zoom in, zoom out, pan left, pan right by voice command. The GPS tab also shows speed, altitude etc. It does not show the GPS target on it's compass like Street Finder.
If you have a laptop and inverter or 12vda power cord for it, this is an excellent way to go for traveling. A laptop screen is big enough to easily see, and you always know when your coming up to that road your looking for.
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http://www.qtm.net/~ght/dogjaw/dogjaw.htm
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