On the way back from a Brewer’s game the other week, I found myself turned around in the Wisconsin wilderness. After driving around forever, and doubling the time it should have taken to get back home, we searched for a gas station that was still open in the middle of the night (hey, it’s Wisconsin) and finally found a friendly older man to help guide us to Highway 59. If you’ve ever been completely lost, you know the frustration and fear that I was feeling - and how great it would be to never feel like that again. Enter Garmin. With top of the line GPS devices that will suit whatever your need is, “lost” will be a thing of the past.

 Garmin Zumo 550

For bikers, designed by bikers, this motorcycle-ready GPS device is perfect for this very-specific need. With the Zumo’s optional XM subscriptions and an XM antenna, you can check the weather, traffic and listen to XM Radio. This is more than a GPS, as the 550 comes with full Bluetooth capability, so you can talk on the phone safely, while driving, without removing your gloves or helmet. This GPS/Bluetooth/do-it-all-extraordinaire can also transmit navigation voice prompts to your headset so you can listen wirelessly. If you’re a biker and traveling light, this multi-tasking device will fill all of your cruising needs in one product.

Garmin Nuvi 360

With every dimension less than 4 inches, this pocket-sized GPS is the ultimate in packing functionality into a small package. It’s a navigator, translator, entertainer, and tour guide - this is definitely one versatile little GPS. This pocket-sized Personal Travel Assistant now comes with hands-free Bluetooth wireless technology in addition to the popular features offered in the Nuvi 350, making it the go-anywhere travel companion.

Garmin StreetPilot 7200

A GPS Car Kit meant for the customer that wants it all- and wants it big. This high-end GPS ensures you won’t miss a thing with advanced mapping and navigation. With added features for large vehicles - trucks, RVs, and vans, a 7-inch touch screen, and added entertainment, weather and radio features, the StreetPilot 7200 succeeds in meeting every need for a large-vehicle-driver.

 Garmin offers all the geographical help you need, in whatever setting you’ll need it in. Whether you’re on the road, at sea, in a plane, or on a hike, Garmin’s here to help.

With the huge success of the iPhone, Apple’s first phone better get ready for some company and competition. Everyone from established cell phone companies, like Samsung, to newbies in the cell industry, like Garmin and NVidia, are jumping on the touch-screen bandwagon. But can they compete with the trim, streamlined original? Here’s a look at some of the copycats and how they measure up:

Garmin Nuvifone

The GPS giant’s version of the touch-phone looks a little less smooth than the iPhone but still bares quite a resemblance to it. And with phones covering more bases all the time (photography, Bluetooth, mp3) it only makes sense that GPS will be a common part of phones in the near future - so who better to come up with a phone than a company that already has the extras down? Surprisingly, though, the GPS of this phone might not be up to par with the iPhone, as you cannot search intersections, but rather you need specific addresses or locations, and the touch-screen is also a bit harder to use than others we’ve reviewed.
Specifications

• 3.5″ Touch Display
• 3.5G data connectivity
• WiFi
• Speaker
• Mp3 Player
• Web Browser
• Photos (+Geo Tagging)

Interested in more reviews?

 Samsung Tocco (F480)

Of the touch-screen phones I’ve found, I think this best rivals the look of the iPhone, with sleek lines and a smooth, simple face and lots of fun features - including a a homepage that you can drag favorites for easy access and a ”smile-shot” camera mode that automatically takes pictures when a loved one is smiling. While it is lacking in internal memory space, it has a micro-sD slot that supports up to 8GB of external memory, a perk over the iPhone in that there is room to expand. Definitely a cool phone, but can it compete with the soon-to-be-released new iPhone?

Specifications

• TOUCHWIZ UI: a 5-megapixel camera featuring auto focus and a CMOS video lens
• Super thin body: 11.6 mm thick by 98.4 mm tall and 55 mm wide
• 240 MB of internal memory
• A microSD card slot supporting up to 8GB, HSDPA and USB 2.0
• Battery capacity: 1000mAh
• Estimated talk time: 3 hours
• Estimated standby: 250 hours

Interested in more reviews?
Other look-alikes to check out…

• NVIDIA Smartphone 2.0
• HTC Touch Diamond

The Verdict

Without even release dates for most of these Apple-alternatives, it’s going to be interesting to see which of these devices prevail. Apple’s full web browser and first-to-the-market advantage set a high standard for any competitor, but unique extras, along with flexibility and expandability, will help determine the success of these phones.

This might sound weird, but I have the tendency to look into other people’s cars while I am driving down the road.  Many times I see someone jabbing away on their cell phone, eating their lunch or even brushing their teeth.  But lately, I have been seeing people driving around with a GPS navigation system mounted to their windshield and they are following turn-by-turn directions to get where they need to go.  These people aren’t confused on which street to turn on (Main Street or Elm Street?) because their GPS system is talking to them and giving them the exact directions they need to get to their final destination.

Why GPS?

Many people have asked me what a GPS system can do for them.  And as I think about it, there are so many great features on all of the GPS systems that we offer, that it is hard to narrow it down to a few.  But of course I am going to try to do that … here is a list of the basic features that most of our GPS systems offer.  To find more details, check out Gammoth’s GPS Car Units on our main site.

GPS Features

• Compact and light weight (easy to transfer between vehicles)
• Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
• Preloaded North American Maps
• Voice Prompts
• 3D map view
• Touchscreen for easy interaction
• World travel clock, currency and measurement converter, calculator

 Gammoth offers Garmin GPS devices and has many options for different price scales.  We offer everything from the Garmin Nuvi 360 to the Garmin StreetPilot c550 and everything in between.

GPS — Even in the Air

As many people use their GPS systems in their car and for turn-by-turn directions, I’ve also heard of people who like to take their portable GPS system with them while in flight.  This way they can see what state they are flying over, how fast they are going (GPS hits 500+ MPH!) and other cool features.  No matter where you go or how you go, a Garmin GPS unit can take you there.