Garmin forerunner 305 GPS receiver with heart rate monitor reviews

Amazon.com ReviewJust when you thought Garmin had cornered the market on powerful, affordable, and effective wrist-mounted GPS devices, here comes the Forerunner 305. The release of this device is a major achievement from a design and technology perspective. This isn't just marketing-speak; the Forerunner 305 is the most accurate, most reliable wrist-mounted performance and GPS tracking tool we've ever tested. Yes, it's that good. While no device this compact can do everything (yet), the 305 pushes the boundaries of what is possible from something strapped around your wrist. The 305 model includes wireless heartrate monitoring and it can also be connected to Garmin's wireless bicycle speed and cadence sensor. If you don't need these features, consider the lower-priced Forerunner 205.

I use mine for cycling and running, the direct link to see your workouts mapped on GOOGLE EARTH is FANTASTIC!!!! (the included software is far more stable than the junk Polar included with their HRM's.

Heart rate strap with replaceable battery is coded and comfortable. It's better in my opinion than the Polar products (of which I've owned three)

This is much better than the Forerunner 201 which I previously owned (locks on satellites 10 times faster) and I'd avoid the 405 unless you really want to use this watch as a normal day to day wristwatch (check out the 405 reviews)

One nice feature is being able to customize the display screens. Another review criticized the 305 for the numbers being too small to read while exercising. I don't have an issue but would point out that you can significantly increase the size of the display by simply displaying fewer fields.

My only complaint is that it's easy to leave it on and run the battery down - which is a bummer if you're just about to work out. I wish there was an "auto off" feature which would shut it down if it detects no movement or heart rate within an hour or so. Fortunately, with Li-Ion batteries, as little as a 10 minute charge gives you enough juice for a 90 minute run.

If you've found this review to be helpful, please let me know!

Garmin forerunner 305 GPS  receiver with heart rate monitor lowest pirce clike.

Garmin nüvi 265W/265WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic

I have owned quite a few GPS units all including Phone, Laptop and Dedicated. Flat out before I even get started the Garmin Nuvi 265WT is the best I have ever owned. Let me just make a couple of comments on the most important features.

Touch Screen Interface

Very intuitive and easy to use. Touch screen is responsive but not instantaneous. What I particularly like is the ability to switch to a top down view by touching the screen. Once done you can use your finger to drag the map around at any zoom point. Once done you can hit the back button and resume your 3D view.

Turn by Turn

You have two options here. You can use one of the Text to Speech voices or one of natural voices. The text to speech voices will give you more information such as street names. This is what I use and even though you can tell it's a computer generated voice its quality is superb. The 265WT does a good job at keeping you updated. Also at any time you can hit the turn Icon and it will speak the distance to the next turn, giving you street name as well as direction. The audio is quite loud and in my noisy little Scion I have no problem hearing the messages.

Maps

I have found the map accuracy quite good. I live in Northern virginal and it seems to be very well updated as many of the very new streets included.

Automatic Routing

Very effective. You can choose between the quickest or the shortest with options to avoid U-Turns, Highways, Toll Roads, Traffic, Ferries. The automatic rerouting is faster than my TeleNav phone and my Laptop computers.

Points of Interest

On my TeleNav phone GPS system I can enter any business in the national database and I can get directions, address and phone number. This is where the 265WT falls short. The TeleNav system has the advantage of searching online. Since the 265WT is limited to onboard memory there is a limit to the number of points of interest. A good example is I was looking for "Off Broadway Shoes" and the unit could not find them. However a search for "Payless Shoes" worked very well.

Traffic Alerts

The lifetime free traffic comes at a price. You will get popup adds. These are very small popups that supposedly only come when you are in the menu. This is not true. I have gotten them while in the navigation screen. For now they it seems to be once per trip but there is nothing to say they wont start getting more frequent. The other thing I don't like about the messages is that you have to hit them to continue and doing so takes you out of the nav screen to a kind of favorites screen. You have to hit the back button to get back to your navigations screen.

How well does the traffic system work. I live in Northern VA and have coverage throughout my area. The included radio fails to pick up a single signal without using an external antenna. Sadly you can just go down and purchase an FM antenna.. The Power cable has a 3/32" jack. What I did was to pick up a 3/32" plug from Radio Shack and soldered a 4' wire to the tip pin on the connector. Once draped out one of the windows I get very frequent traffic updates.

Once you start getting traffic reports I found them to be accurate and they do help. You can automatically avoid high traffic arias or do it manually as they accrue.

I am still debating if the popup adds are worth the effort.

Bluetooth Integration

This is my favorite feature. I can keep my keyboard locked Motorola Q in my pants pocket and use my 265WT to make and receive all my calls at a touch of a button. All my phone features are available on the 265WT. Phonebook, Call history, Voice Recognition. The voice quality is quite acceptable on both ends. As a matter of fact the echo I get on my Motorola is not there when using the 265WT as a hands free set.

Picture Viewer

I found this to be a very useless feature. If the photos are very big it takes forever for the 265WT to load them. This may be due to the slow access to the SD card slot.

There are other features like the ability to connect the 265WT to your PC and automatically add favorite locations using GoogleMaps. All in all I am very happy with my purchase and would purchase it again.

FYI the Nuvi 265WT is the same unit as the Nuvi 255W without the Bluetooth ability and the FM reliever cable (GTM 25). You can even purchase the GTM 25 from Garmin. If you don't want the Bluetooth feature and don't currently need the traffic feature you can pick up the Nuvi 255W cheaper. Read  More...

Garmin nüvi 295W 3.5-Inch Widescreen Wi-Fi Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin's nuvi 295W offers a new take on an old favorite with Wi-Fi connectivity, a 3 MP camera with auto-focus, dual orientation capability and much more.

Get Connected

Wi-Fi connectivity on the nuvi 295W provides a full desktop experience with an HTML browser so you can surf the web whenever and wherever you choose. Check and send e-mail, including Hotmail, G-mail, AOL mail, POP3 and IMAP, and view email attachments of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF and JPG files. You can also search an abundance of customer-rated points of interest (POIs), such as restaurants, hotels and more, using Google Local Search.

Get Going

With a single tap on the dual-oriented screen, you can avoid writing down addresses and go straight to your destination. nuvi 295W offers a 1-touch navigation from your e-mail, address book and local search results. Additionally, the unique 3MP camera geotags pictures so you can create routes to them. You can also send the picture to a friend to route to or upload to the web to auto-locate on a map.

Get Turn-By-Turn Directions

With an intuitive interface that greets you with simple icons and a scrollable menu, nuvi 295W is the perfect travel companion for getting around town. With a quick tap on an icon or flick of the menu, you can easily look up addresses and services and get voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination. It comes preloaded with detailed City Navigtor NT street maps for the US and Canada with nearly 6 million points of interest (POIs) such as stores, restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues, gas stations, ATMs and more, and speed limits for the most major roads. cityXplorer maps are also available for your nuvi 295W. cityXplorer maps provide the latest detailed roads and points of interest for metroploitan areas.

Go Beyond Navigation

nuvi 295W isn't just for navigation. A quick tap provides access to the lengthy  Read  More...

 

 

Customer Reviews

 

Just recieved this the other day. Overall I am pleased. I was not expecting much out of it due to it's size and cost. It works well for what it is- a small gps. Yes, the volume is low. Yes, taking pictures is painfully slow. Yes, it is slow on every operation. Yes, it plays mp3 fine. Yes, you need to have a broadcasting wifi ssid on- will not join or stay connected to a hidden ssid.

I have my Nuvi 855 in my bag as a spare with the arrival of this unit. Although I did like the lane assist feature of the 855, that's the only feature I miss. This one has nice features as the pedestrian or vehicle mapping. The mounting is the same as previous versions so anything with the ball mounting will work with this dock.

If you need a gps and this is under 80.00, I say buy it. Do not expect it to be fast-it is not.

First off- great price! Shipped quickly. "Frustration free" packaging is a nice spin on cost savings but it was fine.

As for the product- WOW! Excellent GPS as expected (Garmin).

I like the 3.5 size so when typing I can hold it like a phone and use my two thumbs.

Email client is awesome. Ability to open MS Office attachments. Weather client is a nice feature.

Browser is a cell phone quality browser. Camera is "OK" quality (BUT IT'S A GPS)

Overall, very versatile product. If it had a cell phone it would be a smartphone.

 

 

Please click here to check Garmin nüvi 295W 3.5-Inch Widescreen Wi-Fi Portable GPS Navigator

 

 

Garmin nüvi 855 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition

Manufacturer's Review (January 8, 2009)

Garmin International's nüvi 855 is a GPS navigator and personal travel assistant featuring voice-activated navigation and lane assist with junction view. Navigate with confidence while nüvi directs you to the preferred lane while driving. Also, see realistic images of upcoming junctions where available.

The nüvi 855 offers full coverage mapping for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The preloaded map data features nearly six million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs and attractions. The map data is provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping.

Simply speaking, nüvi 855 is one advanced navigator. It features voice-activated navigation, a widescreen display, preloaded maps, an FM transmitter and more. Like the rest of the wide nüvi 800-series, just speak a menu option and nüvi obeys your command.

bought the 855 as an upgrade to my StreetPilot C550. I was reluctant to buy it, based on the less-than-stellar reviews on here, but after using it for a week, I have no complaints at all. Maybe that's due to the fact that I'm upgrading from the ancient 550, and not the 7X5 series. The other reviewers are right, the on/off switch can be awkward, and you need a fingernail to push it over to the left. But that is such a minor complaint, in my opinion. Also, some people say they like the smoother refresh that the 7X5 series has, and this is more jerky, as you move along your route. Well, you're not supposed to be watching it when you're driving anyway. Oh, and it only has 500 waypoints, compared to 1000 on other models. I'll be lucky if I use 100.

What makes this GPS so remarkable is the voice recognition! I feel like I'm using Star Trek technology. It rarely has any problem understanding what I tell it. Hands free GPS navigation! I never have to pull over to type a new destination (or try to do it while driving). I can't imagine any of the minor complaints offsetting the awesomeness of the voice recognition. Now that it's available, I wouldn't have a GPS unit without it. If your budget allows for a voice recognition GPS with 1000 waypoints, an improved on/off switch, and smoother screen refresh, then by all means get that one. But if you're looking to spend about $300, and want voice recognition, do not hesitate to buy the 855. I wouldn't exchange it for a non-voice recognition unit that has those features that this one lacks.

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Garmin nüvi 360

Product Description
Amazon.com Product DescriptionThe Garmin nüvi 360 GPS Navigator and Personal Travel Assistant is a GPS navigator, personal translator, multi-media entertainer and tour guide all wrapped into one. In addition to all the advanced features of the Garmin nüvi 350 -- including automatic routing, turn-by-turn voice directions, an MP3 player and audio book player, JPEG picture viewer, and much more -- this pocket-sized personal travel assistant comes with hands-free Bluetooth wireless technology, making it the hands-down go-anywhere travel companion.

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Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for nüvi Series and StreetPilot C5XX Series GPS Navigators

This portable friction mount requires no installation. Please note: This accessory is a replacement and does not include the entire automotive dash mount. The customer must use the mounting bracket that comes with the GPS unit to attach the portable friction mount. The Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount can be used with Garmin nüvis or the StreetPilot I series.

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Garmin nüvi 760

Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description -- January 8, 2008 Garmin's nüvi 700 series brings two exciting new features -- multi-destination routing and, "Where am I?/Where's my car?" -- to its popular pocket-sized GPS navigator lineup. As with all nüvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of an integrated high-sensitivity receiver, a slim, pocket-sized design with a gorgeous display, an easy, intuitive interface, and detailed NAVTEQ maps for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico with more than 6 million name-searchable points of interest. All of the 700-series navigators also feature a rich array of features including spoken directions in real street names, MP3 player and photo viewer, and an FM transmitter that will play voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle's stereo system.The nüvi 760 and 770 add integrated traffic receivers and Bluetooth capability for hands-free calling. The nüvi 770 adds maps for Europe. The nüvi 780 adds enhanced MSN direct content capability..

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Western Digital My Passport Essential 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive WDME3200TN (Midnight Black)

Product Description
These elegant portable drives are simple to use, light and easy to carry, and require no power adapter -- they are powered directly through the USB cable. Pack up your office files and take them home. Carry thousands of songs or pictures. Synchronize files between home and office and encrypt everything on the drive for added security. WD Sync synchronization and encryption software lets you take your critical data with you. Plug My Passport into any PC, edit files, read e-mail, and view photos. Then sync all of your changes back to your home or office computer. Your data is protected with 128-bit encryption (Windows only). Perfect for the business traveler who needs to transfer large amounts of data from laptop to clients or just daily backups in case of accidents from mishandled luggage to coffee spills. Also comes in handy if your worried about laptop theft and someone else having access to your important data, you can store it on this portable encrypted drive instead. For all those precious pictures, videos, music and data files, getting this external hard drive is a must have. WD Sync synchronization and encryption software lets you save your critical data and take it with you. Plug your drive into any PC, edit files, read e-mail, and view photos. Then sync all of your changes back to your home or office computer (Windows only) Search your drive, manage your photos, and simplify Web searches with included Google software (Windows only) Up to 480Mb/sec Bus Transfer Rate with USB 2.0 System Requirements - Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS X (10.1.5 or later), Available USB port Approximate Unit Dimensions - 0.59 (H) x 4.96 (L) x 3.14 (W) Approximate Unit Weight - 0.23lb

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Zoombak 101213 Vehicle Installation Kit

Product Description
mounting bracket and 12-volt wiring harness for Zoombak locator,keeps your Zoombak locator battery charged.

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Garmin 010-10889-00 Forerunner 305/205 Quick Release Kit

Product Description
Every Garmin product is designed to meet the most demanding standard: customers' satisfaction. That's why Garmin equipment is manufactured to give you reliable service for years to come, with intuitive features you can grow into over time - all at a price you can afford.

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GARMIN 010-00685-00 Mobile PC

Product Description
Add full-featured navigation to your Laptop or ultra mobile PC with Garmin Mobile PC. Get maps, millions of POIs, easy-to-use navigation software, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names, route planning and more - all from the trusted leader in GPS navigation, Garmin.Packed with preloaded maps, millions of destinations and full GPS navigation capabilities, Garmin Mobile PC software turns your laptop into a powerful street navigator. Its intuitive interface greets you with two simple options "Where to? " and "View Maps." Easily look up addresses and services and get turn-by-turn directions that announce the names of exits and streets to your destination. Also receive automatic corrections if you stray off course. With Garmin Mobile PC, you can upload custom points of interest, such as safety cameras, and conveniently navigate to Outlook Contacts.Garmin Mobile PC includes advanced navigational features to take the worry out of traveling. With route planning you can save routes, specify via points and preview simulated turns on your computer. In addition, Garmin Mobile PC automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands, deliveries or sales calls. A trip computer automatically records trip data and a trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail, so you can see where you've been on the map. Even avoid certain roads or areas.Check the weather, gas prices, your flight status and hotel information when you travel with your laptop and Garmin Mobile PC. Get the weather forecast for your location or anywhere in the world. View hotel rates, ratings and amenities information from hotels.com. Check the status of your flight along with departure and arrival information. Even compare local gas prices when out and about. These free, real-time services put essential travel information at your fingertips.

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GARMIN 010-10747-03 12-Volt Adapter Cable

Product Description
Every Garmin product is designed to meet the most demanding standard: customers' satisfaction. That's why Garmin equipment is manufactured to give you reliable service for years to come, with intuitive features you can grow into over time - all at a price you can afford.Charge your GPS as you drive with this 12-volt adapter cable.

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Garmin nüvi 850

Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #672 in Consumer Electronics
Color: Black
Brand: Garmin
Model: 010-00577-23
Dimensions: 3.30" h x 6.40" w x 6.40" l, 1.30 pounds

Features
Sleek, ultra-slim design fits in a pocket; high-sensitivity GPS receiver for fast satellite lock
Pre-loaded with City Navigtor NT maps for North America, including more than 6-million name-searchable points of interest
Speech recognition: speak menu options and keep your eyes on the road
Multi-destination routing: enter several destinations and get the best route to all of them; "Where am I?" and "Where's my car?" features
Full feature set: text-to-speech for spoken directions with real street names, MP3 player, and photo viewer

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Navigon 7100 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1296 in Consumer Electronics
Color: Piano Black
Brand: Navigon
Model: 10000140
Original language: English
Dimensions: 4.00" h x 5.00" w x 1.00" l, 2.35 pounds
Native resolution: 480 x 272
Display size: 4.3

Features
Precise turn-by-turn directions, including spoken road names via text-to-speech
Lane assistant recommends the best lane for you to be in relative to the proposed route
Photo-realistic 3D images of junctions, complete with actual sign text and exit ramp guidance
Free real-time traffic information via the integrated traffic receiver
High-contrast, wide-format 4.3-inch, full-color touch-screen display; unit measures 5.1 x 3.5 x 0.9 inches (W x H x D)

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Navigon 2200T 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-To-Speech and Free Traffic Alerts

Product Description
The NAVIGON 2200T offers a range of other outstanding features. Only NAVIGON provides free real-time traffic updates for the life of the product and makes it this accessible. Whether you're driving cross-country or across town, the NAVIGON 2200T will alert you to upcoming traffic. Color-coded incident icons make it easy to tell exactly what's going on, where the incident is, and, with one click, the best way to get around it. Reality View Pro provides 3D visuals of complex highway interchanges and now includes exits so you never miss another turn again. Advanced Text-to-Speech Voice Guidance speaks directions and street names. DirectHelp provides easy access to emergency services information and directions. Free Real-Time Traffic Updates re-route you around traffic congestion with color-coded incident icons, traffic flow data, and more. Advanced Text-to-Speech Voice Guidance enables spoken driving directions and street names so you can keep your eyes on the road. Phonetic technology ensures Navigon gets the pronunciation just right. Next generation Lane Assistant Pro guides you to the best lane to be in with clear lane maps. Powered by NAVIGON's next generation software, the 2200T is fast and easy to use. With fewer clicks needed to enter your destination, Navigon gets you on the road faster than the competition. Automatic Standby Feature Auto Day/Night Mode SiRF Instant Fix II GPS Receiver ATLAS III AT642D-XAC, 375MHz processor 3.5 Touchscreen display SiRF GRF3i+ GPS chip plus InstantFix II Micro SD card slot, USB 1.1 port 64 MB DDR SDRAM/2 GB mDOC flash Integrated traffic receiver and antenna Non-removable 740-mAh lithium ion battery Microsoft Windows CE 5.0 Dimensions - 3.8 x 2.9 x 0.7 Weight - 4.3 ounces

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Navigon 2100 max 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-to-Speech, Lifetime Traffic, and 2 Years of FreshMaps (Special Bundle)

Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1402 in Consumer Electronics
Color: Black
Brand: Navigon
Model: 10000308
Dimensions: 3.03" h x .74" w x 4.83" l, .67 pounds

Features
4.3-Inch Touchscreen in an ultra-slim design
Speaks real street names via text-to-speech; route planning feature
DirectHelp Information that helps you find emergency roadside services
Lane assistant and Reality View features that simplify your drive
Includes FreshMaps (2 years of map updates)

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