Garmin GPS Navigation System (C530)

[puneet]

seems like a good deal. Any one used this yet.........


http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0926INGFS10084275&catid=23496&logon=&langid=EN

[robskot]

Bbbrrrrrrrrrr

[can2000]

wow, half price...good?

thanks

[HaRdKoR 74]

I bought this for the wife a few weeks ago when it was on for the same price at BB.

Only cons I have on it is that it does not announce the street names and that the map is very outdated. 2006...

I know the higher end model announces the street names but couldn't pass up this price.

The sound is great, display works excellent and mounting is a piece of cake.

[bdearlove]

I have one, paid $100 more for it. Works great, fast response, fairly up to date maps. Has some of the Nuvi features such as downloading vehicle images, making it a bit customizable. Way better than any Mio I have used.

Only thing I do not like is they warn you of an upcoming turn a little too late, wouldn't mind more notice. Also no TTS but isn't a huge deal for me.

[elnady]

I was looking into it last night as well and BB site say's "Released April 2008", however when I went to Garmin website it says "discontinued product"... that's why I didn't place an order.... any thoughts?

PS. it sale almost the same price at Amazon

[milhouse6]

Thanks but is it really too hard to put a store and price in the title?
Or at least a price and specs in the first post?

It's $149.99 down from $299.99 at best buy.

[gg49]

if you accept the bulky shape it is okay. otherwise, add a little more to get a nuvi 250.

[pmeth]

Only cons I have on it is that it does not announce the street names

You could always try this hack:
http://geepeeex.googlepages.com/text2speech

[climacus]

You could always try this hack:
http://geepeeex.googlepages.com/text2speech

There is an even easier hack. First you need to downgrade the firmware to 5.40 or earlier, then download the text-to-speech files from the Garmin website (all legit). Edit the file using a hex editor and you've got text-to-speech. I'll try to find the instruction tonight.

IMO street name text-to-speech is not all it's cracked up to be. I tried using strictly text-to-speech on my GPS (ie. put the unit on the passenger seat and not look at the LCD screen at all), and it got pretty confusing because most street signs are virtually unreadable until you've shot past the intersection. You really do need to be able to see the map on the screen to figure out when to turn in.

The Nuvi are down to $199 now, in a much smaller form factor. If you're willing to sacrifice the text-to-speech feature, I think the Nuvi is a better buy for the frequent user.

[milobloom]

I bought this one during Doorcrasher Days as well - my wife is very happy to have it. :) I haven't tried the text to speech hack yet, but it is apparently doable. Haven't bothered to buy updated maps 'cause they still don't have the roads I was looking for. (maps on the unit are from 2006) It seems to lock onto satellites pretty quickly and has a lot of points of interest pre-programmed.

You don't see too many of the big GPS brands (Garmin, Magellan and such) priced under $200 these days for this kind of unit..

[gg49]

or you may get a refurb c550 for $189 at radioworld.com.

The portable StreetPilot® c550 comes ready-to-go right out of the box with preloaded maps and plenty of options. This navigator delivers the same, easy-to-use, affordable navigation as our popular selling c300 series with many enhancements like Bluetooth® wireless technology with hands-free calling, an integrated traffic receiver, MP3 player, plus much more.

New c500 series Features

In addition to the simple touch-screen display found in previous versions, the StreetPilot c550 comes loaded with new features including:

High-sensitivity GPS receiver – provides faster acquisition times and maintains signal under heavy foliage and near city skyscrapers

Automotive-grade, sunlight-readable, anti-glare display – makes it easier to see where you’re going
Streamlined design – creates a slimmer, more refined shape

Configurable vehicle icons – allows you to select a fun, customized car-shaped icon that displays when autorouting

Garmin Lock™ – anti-theft feature that disables the unit from performing any functions until you type in a specific 4-digit PIN or take the unit to a predetermined location.
Bluetooth Wireless

Features exclusive to the StreetPilot c550 include Bluetooth technology integrated with a microphone and dual speakers that lets you to make hands-free mobile phone calls on a compatible Bluetooth wireless phone. View incoming calls on your c550, and simply tap the screen to answer. Just speak into the built-in microphone while staying focused on your driving. In addition, retrieve and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or the phone’s call history log. You can also make calls from the StreetPilot c550's huge points of interest database – which includes hotels, restaurants, stores, and much more.

Integrated Traffic Receiver

Another feature unique to the c550 is its integrated traffic capabilities. The c550 includes, an integrated traffic receiver which notifies you of traffic, construction and weather delays and automatically suggests alternative routes.

GPS Navigator

The c550 comes with preloaded maps of North America and includes automatic routing, 2D or 3D map perspective, and turn-by-turn voice directions that speak street names — making navigation easy. It is also an MP3 player and accepts customized points of interest (POIs) such as school zones and safety cameras.

Optional Software

Optional software available on plug-in SD cards, lets you instantly add new features to your c550 — without connecting to your computer.

Travel Guide™ — gives you helpful and thorough reviews and recommendations for restaurants, hotels, shopping, nightlife, sporting events and tourist attractions.

Savers Guide™ — a “geo-coded” coupon book that notifies you of nearby discounts on restaurants, hotels, shopping, and more at thousands of participating Entertainment® businesses throughout North America.

http://radioworld.ca/product_info.php?cPath=4_90&products_id=3809

[Cheap Cat]

I was looking into it last night as well and BB site say's "Released April 2008", however when I went to Garmin website it says "discontinued product"... that's why I didn't place an order.... any thoughts?

PS. it sale almost the same price at Amazon

It is an old product. I almost bought it last month, when BB had it as a doorcrasher, thinking it was half price and had just been released. I read some reviews and decided to pass on it. I ended up getting the less bulky Magellan 3225 from Costco for the same price and I've been very happy with it.

[cccccory]

I bought one for my wife last week and it seems O.K. It does tell you to "turn left in 80 meters"..."turn left now" and so on. I really could care less about announcing the streets. A quick look at the G.P.S and it is very easy to see the street names. The only problem is that the suction cup to mount to the dash or window could be better. It takes a few tries to get it to stick and it fell off once while driving. Other than that , so far so good.