Garmin GPS Reviews

The guys at GPSMagazine recently took the nüvi 465T- Garmin’s first navigation device designed for the trucking industry - out for a test drive and have posted about their experiencefrom start to finish, calling it “the best GPS for truckers, hands down.” This device was built with the truck driver in mind and can navigate routes based on a truck’s type, load and physical restrictions. Customizable by height, weight, length, width and hazardous materials, this nüvi will provide specialized routing to support truck-related restrictions based on your vehicle profile. Simply enter dimensions and load restrictions and let the nüvi guide the way. According to the GPS Mag crew, ”trucking isn’t just an afterthought slapped on at the last minute; everything about the 465T reflects the well thought out needs of a truck driver.” We couldn’t agree more - especially because the nüvi 465T is the first navigation device to link locations in the National Truck and Trailer Services (NTTS) Breakdown directoryto its relevant point of interest content. Drivers can even enter multiple point routing for a more efficient route between multiple stops. Keep your eyes out for the 465Ts to land on store shelves soon, but in the meantime, check out the full review and our video for more information, screen shots and more!

Thanks to the 1,300+ new golf course maps now available on the Approach G5 website, I can finally get around my local track while actually knowing exactly where to hit the ball…or more accurately, where to aim the ball.

Swope Memorial Golf Course, an historic A.W. Tillinghast classic overlooking downtown Kansas City, is laid out in some of the hilliest terrain in the area. The course flows up and down, turning and twisting through large, old-growth trees creating a bevvy of blind shots. Even if you’ve played dozens of rounds at Swope, you’re still left with numerous blind shots that you haven’t faced before.

So to have the Approach G5 in my bag - specifically, having the ability to see the entire hole laid out in brilliant color, having the ability to touch the exact spot on the map where I want to hit the ball, and then zoom in for a better view of layup areas and greens, was invaluable.

Instead of employing the traditional method of “…aim left of the third oak - the one with the big leaves, two trees left of the squirrel,” the Approach G5 offered my partner and I crystal clear views of exactly where we needed to hit it.

The Approach G5 was particularly handy playing the diabolical 560-yard par-5 17th, a huge blind, uphill then downhill dogleg left.

As you can see in the attached images, the tee shot is uphill, turns left and if you’re a bigger hitter, blind as a bat. Same thing goes for the second shot - a downhill, blind shot left to a tiny landing area. The typical technique is to either walk 150 yards forward to see the landing area, or to try and remember which building in the distance lines up with where you need to hit it.  For the first time in recent memory, both my partner and I hit the tiny landing area and finished the hole with two net birdies.

We were playing in an 8-man scramble, so we weren’t keeping our own score. Instead, we used the Digital Scorecard feature to keep track of our round. A handly little tip for when you’re playing a club event or tourney, but still want to keep your own score.

It happens. Your employer asks you to make an emergency international trip, your significant other surprises you with a birthday getaway to New York City (and your birthday is tomorrow), a friend suggests a spur-of-the-moment hiking trip. We’ve all been there – and now we’re making it easier to get there with downloadable content for your compatible Garmin GPS.

In the past, you could get additional maps and guides by purchasing a DVD or a pre-programmed data card. It’s easy enough . . . but last-minute trips could present a challenge. That’s where our downloadable content really shines.

We have downloadable content for a variety of uses. If you’re planning a trip to a new city and want to get out on foot and explore, our cityXplorer map data (for compatible Garmin products) is the ideal navigation companion. With cityXplorer, you can plan and use routes that include public transit options such as bus, tramway, metro and suburban rail systems. You can also download Travel Guides as well. Travel Guides provide reviews and recommendations for restaurants, hotels, shopping and more.

Garmin is proudly offering downloadable maps for many parts of the world for a variety of uses. Whether you’re hiking, biking, fishing, or driving in unfamiliar areas, you’ll be able to get the content you need when you need it.

Visit our Download Page today and learn more about all of our Downloadable Content options.

Look for Garmin on the track of the Kansas Speedway this weekend when the NASCAR Truck Series comes to our own backyard! The last time Garmin teamed up with TheGPSStore.com and the #07 truck, driver Chad McCumbeefinished third at the two-mile California Speedway in February - the best finish ever for the team. Chad has had some pretty good success at Kansas and noted that, “the track is smooth and each year the racing gets better as the surface wears.” Chad is currently eight in NCWTS point standings and we’ll be cheering him on Saturday from the sunflower state. The O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 will air live on the SPEED channel at 6 pm ET tomorrow. Good luck to Chad and the entire #07 crew!

Are you thinking about upgrading your panel from out-dated steam gauges to all-glass? Now is the time because we announced the deal of a lifetime at Sun ‘n Fun. If you purchase a G600 between now and June 30, you’ll receive a $5,000 rebate. Plus, if you plan to add more Garmin equipment to your cockpit, you have an opportunity to participate in an ongoing Garmin program where you can save an additional $4,000, for a total savings of $9,000!  We’ve never offered a deal this big, so don’t hesitate and let it pass you by.

The G600 is an all-glass retrofit avionic suite that received FAA certification in July 2008 and covers over 785 aircraft makes and models. The G600 received EASA’s ETSO approval in April 2009, which makes it eligible for installation in European registered aircraft with a certification weight up to 5,700 kgs.

The G600 is designed so you can remove the six-pack from your panel and replace it with a PFD and MFD that are mounted side by side in a single bezel (10”w x 6.7”h). After you install the G600 in your plane, you’ll feel like you’re flying a brand new airplane, and the situational awareness it brings is incredible. The PFD display increases the pilot’s attitude indication by over 50 percent over a traditional 3-inch attitude indicator, and this is the first time pilots have had such a large MFD in their primary field of view.

Stop by the Garmin booth (Hangar D) to get a full G600 demonstration, or learn all about it at a Garmin seminar near you. Click here to see what a G600 would look like in your plane, and visit Flickr to see pictures from Sun ‘n Fun.