Which navigation you suggest for 07camryhybrid?
tomtom or garmin?
if tomtom,, which one?
if garmin,, which one?


thanks

 

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/default.asp?group=2

Currently, I'm leaning towards the Garmin Nuvi 660 but I haven't done that much research yet.

 

Quick PicksBest overall:
Garmin Nuvi 350 $800
Garmin StreetPilot 2730 $850
Magellan RoadMate 760 $700
All are capable and full-featured. The Nuvi is very compact. The StreetPilot is easy to read and has built-in XM satellite radio reception for traffic data. Its bean-bag mount can slide around in sharp turns, though. All three can call out street names. The Magellan calculates especially fast and is easy to program, although its mount can vibrate when the car is in motion.

If portability is a priority:
Garmin Nuvi 350 $800
Garmin StreetPilot i5 $350 CR Best Buy
Navman iCN550 $550
The Nuvi has all you need and is as slim as a wallet. The more rudimentary StreetPilot i5 is baseball-sized. You program it using a roller wheel--more tedious than using a touch screen. The Navman is quite compact but, like some PDAs, requires a stylus to program, and it can vibrate in its mount.
Best for $500 or less:
TomTom Go 300 $500
Garmin StreetPilot i5 $350 CR Best Buy
The TomTom lacks some advanced driver-feedback features, but it is easy to use and performs well. The StreetPilot i5 also covers the basics well. The i5's roller-wheel programming is not the ideal method, but it's not too difficult to master.

 

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/t...21&whichpage=2

Check out the pictures in the middle of the page. The TomToms are huge!

I did more reading and I think I'll be ordering the Nuvi 660 later today.

 

I beleive the garmin nuvi is Euro only. I have the i5 street pilot and it works quite well. My only concern is that you have to be careful using the suction cup mount because it may fall off unexpectedly. Just wet it slightly before mounting to the windshield and it should be ok. It's very portable and you can carry it with you so theives cant smash and grab.

Since i'm getting older, my close up vision is not what it used to be so my next unit will be one with a bigger screen and text to voice street audio.

 

To those interested in an aftermarket navigation device I would recommend a Mitac Mio Digiwalker. I have one of the earlier models (168RS). It is a PDA with fully embedded GPS. I use it mostly for my Sienna on long trips (i have the factory nav in my TCH). It has voice navigation, POI, 2D, 3D and bird's eye, day and night display etc. It worked flawlessly for about two years now. Of course you can also use it as a portable PC and it comes with Windows, Word etc installed. You can synchronize it with your home desktop. Some of the newer models (ie P550) have Bluetooth connectivity that should work with the TCH.

 

I have the Nuvi 360 and love it. Big enuff to see clearly in the car but small enough to fit in a shirt pocket as well. Lots of extra features, from a tip calculator to a language translator (touch the phrase and it speaks in target language - only a demo included with the unit). Operational time on rechargeable batts is over 5 hours if you don't want the cable hanging.

VERY accurate, we did a 1K mile road trip, it saved our tail on a detour twice AND using the Fodor's guide found a few good restaurants.


I got mine for under $600 on Amazon and then picked up the Fodors guide and a better case, total outlay, less than $700.

<added note - the difference between the 350 and 360 is that the 360 has a bluetooth dial/speakerphone interface. With the TCH I didn't need that feature but I travel for business so thought it would be nice to have in rentals.>

 

I have used 6 different navi systems from magellan to tomtom but the one that i found THE BEST in accuracy, directions was Alpine blackbird. no one even comes close.

 

None of the portables mentioned do Dead Reckoning.
At $1200 for the factory NAV it's the best GPS deal on earth.
Huge Hi-Res display, fantastic voice quality, voice recognition, bluetooth
integration and of course excellent Dead Reckoning capabilities.
I'm glad I opted for the factory NAV.

 

There are quite a few that have dead reckoning.

I almost always drive to the same places. Once in awhile, I'll go someplace new so my need for NAV isn't that dire. I'm still using a laptop + GPS solution and just got new software to try out.

I wonder if I'll miss the big laptop screen if I switch to a portable unit.