Top Ten GPS Mystery Unravelled- Number Eight!

This article is part three of a ten part series on the Top Ten GPS units for 2010. Working our way down from number ten to number one. Although our choice for number eight is not one of the latest gps units on the market today, it is still a solid gps option, and is in high demand. Without further ado, number eight: the Garmin Streetpilot c550.

Features:

Preloaded with highly detailed maps of North America or Europe, depending on where you live or what you need. Once again, this is pretty much the standard in gps units today.

Highly sensative receiver for excellent reliability. It can't be said enough that reliability for a gps unit is job number one! The Garmin Streetpilot c550 has been praised for being able to pick up satellite reception under heavy foliage and walking through major cities, surrounded by tall buildings. This is reassuring for the rest of us who generally don't go to such places.

Integrated traffic receiver with a free three month subscription to traffic updates. This is a useful feature to help you avoid major traffic tie-ups and delays. But don't get too excited just yet. This feature is really only supported in major metropolitan areas. If you're not sure if your area qualifies under this term, at least you'll have three months for free to find out.

Bluetooth technology for hands free calling. The Garmin Streetpilot c550 features a microphone and duel integrated speakers. We're taling stereo sound baby! This comes in handy if you live in a state with hands free calling laws like I do. With a gps unit like this, you can avoid buying that separate hands free kit for your cell phone. Did I mention this Garmin also has an integrated mp3 player?

Spoken directions and street names. An absolute must in a gps unit! Never compromise on this feature.

One touch dialing for points of interest or pre-loaded phone numbers with bluetooth connection. Want to call ahead to a restaraunt or hotel without pulling over to do it? Now you can. With your cell phone and a bluetooth connection it only takes one touch of a button.

Up to eight hours of battery life. This will not be a factor if you only use your gps unit in the car, as you can keep it fully charged with the included cable. How you use your gps will determine whether or not battery life is important.

Easy to take with you. Although the Garmin Streetpilot c550 is not as sleek as the Nuvi series, it is still compact enough to take it with you wherever you go. Remember that at the very least, you should take your gps unit out of the car whenever you're not using it.

Anti-glare technology. This particular unit features an anti-glare surface on the screen, so you can see your directions at any time of the day or night.

Garmin Lock anti-theft protection. Nothing to get excited about. It doesn't mean somebody can't destroy your car window and take your gps unit. It just means that if they do, they won't be able to use it. Cold comfort I guess. In order for your gps to be reactivated, a pin would have to be entered or your gps unit would have to be taken to a predetermined location. Just take it out of the car with you!

Optional language and travel guides. These will cost extra, but may come in handy when travelling. And with an integrated SD card slot, you know you'll have enough memory to keep all your favorites on hand.

Pros:

Excellent reception. You won't have to worry about whether or not you can get where you need to go.

Stereo sound. Along with a clear picture, the Garmin Streetpilot c550 has excellent sound, so you can here your directions instead of having to look at them.

Anti-glare. It's important to be able to see your screen when you need to.

Cons:

Does not offer multi-point routing. If you just need to get from point A to point B, this is probably not a feature you need anyways. But if you're an outside sales professional who makes multiple calls per day to new prospects, multi-point routing might be good for you.

Comes with a quick start manual, but no real instruction guide. Garmin makes their menus simple to use, so to get to the more advanced features on this gps unit, you might have to play with your new toy a bit.

Complaints about slow map updates. The bad news is it may take hours. The good news is that now you know, so plan your time wisely. Also, you'll probably only need to update the maps one time per year at the most.

Estimated travel times offered by the gps unit are often incorrect. This will most often be the case with any gps unit. Remember that a gps unit cannot factor in red lights and traffic. Think of its estimate as a best case scenario.


For more information on the top ten gps units for 2010, visit: http://www.squidoo.com/top-ten-gps.