My Garmin has a memory stick that you can fill with as many data sets as it will hold. You get street data for the entire US on a CD and then load the data sets you need on the memory stick (via your PC) that you then insert into the GPS. If you're in New York, you won't need data for Los Angeles.

It takes some planning ahead, as in "which way to I want to go from Chicago to Houston" and then loading those data sets on your memory stick, but even if you just want to keep your "local" data set on the memory stick, 128 MB is plenty of space. For example, it basically gives me the entire road network of Texas, New Mexico and parts of Arizona.

 

I have a Magellan RoadMate 300. I travel a lot on business and having the GPS takes the strain off finding my way around. I like the Roadmate because I can enter all of my destination information ahead of time on my PC so I am all set when I get out of the airport. It is a good idea to know the first couple of turns out of the airport because it takes a few minutes to lock onto your position. It is also great on pleasure rides when you forgot where a particular winery is, etc.
I can't imagine being without one now.

jerry

 

I have a Garmin 2620. It is, after my PC and my cell phone, the single best piece of technology that I've ever bought. The time I've saved, and the misadventures that I've avoided so far have more than paid for it.

I often have to visit new clients, and occasionally have to go from one client to another. Without my gps I'd be lost. I often have to find alternate routes because of accidents, traffic congestion or construction. Without my gps, I'd be lost.

While I agree with Jerry, that oftentimes it's fun to get lost, I always have that option. Now that I have my gps, I can get lost when I choose to, and not when I can't afford to. I no longer wonder if I passed my exit or turn off, now if I did, it will tell me, and if I didn't it will keep me informed to how much further I have to go.

Often, when I am driving in a familiar area, I know of a better route than the one that my gps sends me on, but that is not the point of the gps. I don't need it for familiar routes. The point is to get me to where I am going and home again when I am on a non familiar route. So far it has lived up to my expectations. When I first got it I was reluctant to trust it, but I've come to trust it completely.

I really don't have any problem updating the Garmin 2620. I simply download the new maps to my computer and plug the Garmin into the USB port. It's as easy as that.

I like maps, and my wife is a great navigator, but I don't know how I ever got by without a gps.

 

Today we got to try out our new Garmin StreetPilot C330. It is very user friendly as a touch screen that is big enough for "Vintage" eyes. That was one of the main "selling features" for us. We have tested the dynamic route re-calculation feature and it works perfectly SO FAR. Of course this was on local roads close to home, but in theory the back roads that it rerouted us on should work any where.

The only draw back that I can see is not being able to import trips from MS Streets and Trips or DeLorme into it with way points. But the user friendliness and artificial intelligence seem to make up for that BIG TIME!

So far.

I guess that only time will tell when we go on our "road trip" to Upstate NY and Maine soon. As the PlantPixie will be the navigator, we will report our findings when we return. But so far it seems VERY easy to use.

 

I can definitely see the value of the GPS for these uses of Rob....with a heavily congested metro area.

Most of my driving is to 'known' destinations or road trips....where paper maps work pretty well

It usually takes me about 5-10 years after intro to adopt a new technology. Same with color TV, handheld calculator, cell phone, CD player.....now with GPS

Hey, I'm still dawdling over getting my first digicam... but should have one by Rte 26 drive time

 

I owned a Garmin for about three weeks. It was the unit that works on both land and sea. It was supposed to hold street maps for the entire country, and one region of nautical charts. The trouble was, it comes blank and you have to load the maps. This requires all kinds of unlocking and on-line registration. I ran into a problem and couldn't get past the point where I was supposed to be able to load the maps into my computer. Now, this is no big deal by itself. Old Legal Bill always gets int trouble when it comes to loading computer software. I think it has to do with the fact that I am left handed, and the people who create computer software are generally out of touch with the humans they create the product for.

Anyway, after I screwed up the install I said to myself "no problem, it's a $1,000 unit, I'm sure customer support will be glad to help." Well, Garmin's customer suport is 9/5. They were opend from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm 5 days a week. Bad news Garmin, cause I work for a living and I don't take my home computer into the office with me. I was so frustrated that I packed the thing up and returned it to the store. I got some grief from the store clerks too. I told them that if the people who make the products could help me out, I'd be glad to keep it. The clerk felt that the fact that Garmin was open till 6:00 pm should be good enough for me. I just shook my head and said "process the return, we are done talking."

Anyway, that is my rant against Garmin and the store I bought from. The resto f you can now post about how your Garmin was a piece of cake to start and load and how you were able to do it all with a 1983 Coleco 1mb processor while you were driving home from the store.

 

Bill,

Good for you. If a company selling a $1,000 GPS can't give better instructions and support, they don't deserve your business. I'd have done the same thing.

My Garmin came with the maps preloaded (land only, it is not a nautical GPS) and I didn't have to face those problems. As a result, I wasn't aware of Garmin's customer service.

One of my colleagues flies and has an older Garmin avaition GPS. It too has to be updated via computer. I generally help him with the update, and I must admit it is very difficult. Fortunately, I found customer service to be helpful.

 

<--- big gadget freak! And my Apline GPS has saved my butt many times! I also have a handheld I use for hiking which is great fun and can be a lifesaver.. It also goes on the boat as back-up for deep sea fishing trips

 

This unit looks very impressive I really like the form factor! My mom has the 2610 and s it! I look forward to more info on this newer Garmin unit.

 

I have a Garmin Quest. You have to load the maps from the computer as it's a compact lower priced model. I had no issues loading it for local or for Spring Fling. I will have to reload again before I go to Florida next week.
Sorry Bill no issues here.