Well, I just picked this up at the store and have spent a few hours playing with it. Since GPS seems to be a hot topic that comes up frequently, I thought I’d just do a quick little thread about it.
The nRoute software that comes with this is pretty straightforward. A full install needs 2 gigs, but you can install just those sections of the country that are interesting to you to save space. A standard install + map data for CA, OR, WA, ID, NV, and part of WY came to about 920megs.
The GPS 18 unit is a small, black, 3” across hocky puck with around a 6’ USB cable that trails behind it. Satellite fixes from cold start seem to happen very quickly.
nRoute provides for a fair level of pre-recorded speech to give you near turn-by-turn instructions. I found myself easily arriving at destinations, especially with the voice prompts alerting you to distance, side of street (left or right), and a special chime when you’re about to arrive at your destination. Pressing the spacebar at any time makes nRoute repeat the last spoken command. Multiple waypoints, favorites, and even favorite Point-Of-Interest searches can be stored, making it easy to find just what you’re looking for (one such factory-installed POI search is for GARMIN dealers).
Points of interest include name, address, type of locale (restaurant, hospital, bank, etc.), and phone numbers. (!!!) I was unable to figure out how to make nRoute dial the numbers, but it’s a nice addition.
However, I do wish that the directions window was larger, as it takes a good-sized glance to absorb ETA to Destination and a quick moment studying your location and escape routes when the traffic is bad.
Lastly, the GPS receiver itself seems to put out a proprietary data stream that only Garmin knows how to decipher. If wardriving is your thing, occasionally, this GPS receiver won’t cut it for you.
All in all, a decent package for $140 at my local Staples. For me, the wardriving was half the fun, so this will be going back to the store.
Let me know if there’s anything else you guys want to know!
—Neil
