PC Magazine GPS Roundup Review

[+DirtRunner]

PC Magazine has a fairly good article on GPS units and how they stack up against each other.

 

I thought it would be a good idea to post this to all those out there that wanted a good second opinion on what kind of GPS they should get.

 

Odd thing though, the basic Meridian and Meridian Gold were not included in the review, but the higher end Magellan models were (SportTrak and Meridian Colour)

 

OK then, know you know

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

[geoStrider]

Thanks DirtRunner,

 

That is quite a range of units to compare. Such an offering almost warrants looking at them by some sort of class division. I noted the Legend was absent as well.

 

I've never been lost, but I was a might bewildered for three days once. Daniel Boone

[Cache Canucks]

A nice objective article; however, when I clicked to view the overall scorecard (thinking that perhaps the long-standing 'Chevy vs. Ford' debate might finally be put to rest), I see that the usual suspects pretty much came in tied.

 

It just goes to show you, whether you favor the 'bow tie' or the 'blue oval', chances are that either one is going to start when you turn the key in the ignition.

 

[+Renegade Knight]

Interesting. Not how I'd rate them.

 

I'd put the Vista ahead of the Sport Track Pro.

 

The pro has a larger screen but the Vista has better resolution and is easier to read.

 

But even so you could toggle the choice on other features. Like Cache Canucks said. Hit the on switch and odds are you will find a cache.

 

Now as for the Ford vs. Chevy debate. Had both the Chevy always started but always broke when there was real work to do.

 

Now the Ford didn't always start, but it didn't let me down when work needed done.

 

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Wherever you go there you are.

[+Searching_ut]

The article only reminds me why I quit subscribing to the magazine. So many obvious errors, one has to wonder if they actually looked at the units and the software. It appears to me they probably just read the literature from the manufactures.

 

quote:

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With its comparatively large 16-color, 120- by 160-pixel backlit display, the Magellan Meridian Color adds a whole new dimension to GPS receivers. It's the first color standalone GPS device in the industry.

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Hmmm, makes it sound good, but it's not true. Garmin had a version of the GPS 12 in color, magellan had the colortrak etc......

 

quote:

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The Magellan products display the most topographic information of any of the devices we tested. This was most impressive during our testing of the devices in New York's Adirondack and Shawangunk mountains. They were the only devices in our roundup that could display detailed contour lines, making it much easier to visualize our surroundings while in mountainous terrain

---

 

Interesting in that the Vista they tested has twice the resolution, and the TOPO maps from Garmin are in fact more detailed when it comes to contour lines.

 

Every segement of the article seemed to be so full of obvious factual errors, that I personally see no reason to consider any of it worth reading. To pick out the worthwhile and correct parts, you have to have enough knowledge of the GPS units tested that you don't need to read the article.

 

Not as bad as their work on digital cameras however.....

[+GOT GPS?]

 

From PC Magazine

[+OzzieSan]

Getting a couple laughs outta the article.

 

From the Vista Review...

 

quote:

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That said, the device is designed for left-handed users

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I am "right handed" and very seldom carry ANY of my gps units in my right hand. That said, am I really right handed or a lefty and just dont know it?

 

HA! Then I notice my avatar is right handing my Venture!!

[+Renegade Knight]

Ditto. I use my right hand for things like grabbing rocks, my walking stick, poking sticks into holes. The GPS now feels wrong in my right hand.

 

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Wherever you go there you are.

[+Cadence]

Interesting, I'm left handed yet use the Rino and the Etrex's left handed. I have to switch back and forth between hands during the endgame.

Kinda like Sam Colt making the single-action revolver left handed - the loading/unloading gate is on the right side - not where a 'righty' would have put it had they made it first...

 

Well, the neck lanyard will resolve this issue!

T.