Consumer Reports rates Garmin nuvi 760 tops

Here is a recap of the most recent look by Consumer Reports into GPS units.

Overall, it appears, Consumer Reports did a pretty good job here, much better than in the past when they have rated units introduced years before.

"Despite the influx of several new brands and models, longtime GPS brands -- Garmin, TomTom and Magellan -- are still making the best Global Positioning Systems. The three brands accounted for 16 of the top 20 rated models in the latest tests in Consumer Reports June issue.

After months of in-lab and on-the-road tests of 39 GPS systems, the Garmin Nuvi 760 ($600) rated best with an "Excellent" overall score. CR's experts found the Nuvi 760 to be a good all-around package, easy to use, with intuitive controls, good guidance and a number of advanced features.

Rounding out the top five scoring units were the Garmin Nuvi 760 ($600), Garmin Nuvi 660 ($500), TomTom Go 920T, ($650), Garmin Nuvi 350 ($350), and Magellan Maestro 4250 ($400).

While all tested units scored "Good" or better, CR found that a high price tag doesn't necessarily indicate a top-performing GPS device. At a tested price of $550, the Jensen Rock-N-Road NVXM1000 scored lowest. Among its faults, the Rock-N-Road NVXM1000 is bulkier than most units, with a small screen for its size and a small size of display data that makes it harder to read than other units. Also scoring among the poor performing systems -- the Alpine Blackbird PMD-B200 II, whose $630 tested price made it the second most expensive system tested.

Consumer Reports GPS navigator ratings are based on a battery of tests that compare each system's ease of use, including the ease of entering in the destination, the quality and clarity of the spoken and on screen information, routing options, routing time, and portability. The complete ratings chart, detailed product pages, product selector and guide to purchasing a GPS device is also available online at consumerreports.org.

Consumer Reports Quick Picks

CR ratings rank models based primarily on which units provide the most helpful directions and are easiest to use. Extras such as MP3 players don't count towards overall scores. However, Consumer Reports Quick Picks consider other factors such as price and features. Below are some of CR's recommendations:

Best Overall: Garmin Nuvi 760 ($600), Garmin Nuvi 660 ($500), Magellan Maestro 4250 ($400), and TomTom Go 720 ($400).

All four units are simple to operate and have desirable features including large 4.4 inch screens, Bluetooth connectivity, spoken street names and traffic capability. Both Garmins and the TomTom also have an MP3 player and a photo viewer. The TomTom is the only one of four with an iPod interface.

Consumer Reports Best Buys: (For those on a budget) Garmin Nuvi 260 ($300), and TomTom One 3rd Edition ($200). Garmin Nuvi 350 ($350),

All three models provide very good navigation performance at an entry-level price. They are compact, easy to use, and have good-sized 3.5 inch screens, but they don't offer all the extra features common on higher-end models. Despite its low price, the Garmin Nuvi 350 ranks among the best. Both Garmin units include a few niceties, such as an advanced calculator, a photo viewer, and spoken street names. Of the three, the TomTom is the only unit that doesn't have spoken street names.

CR's GPS Buying Advice: Features that Count

All current GPS navigators include pre-loaded maps and provide spoken directions and automatic rerouting if drivers miss a turn. The following are additional features CR recommends considering when comparing models:

• A screen that's not too big, not too small. CR has tested portable systems with screens from 2.5 to 5 inches. The smallest can be hard to see, and the small touch-screen buttons can make it tedious to enter an address. On the other hand, the largest units can be bulky to carry when mounted to the windshield can obstruct more of the driver's view of the road. A 3.5-inch screen is a good compromise, but 4.3-inch wide screens are quickly becoming the benchmark.
• Real-time traffic. Units with traffic information can warn of a problem or slowdown ahead in time to avoid it. Some will even ask if you want to find another route and will reroute you at the touch of a button. The quality of information varies from city to city, and though the info can be limited, inconsistent, and sometimes inaccurate, CR found it can help. Expect to pay a subscription fee of about $60 annually. Some devices need an additional receiver costing up to $200. Higher-end models have a built-in or included receiver.
• Spoken street names. Better systems tell you to turn onto a street, highway, or route number by its name rather than the more general "right turn ahead" or similar direction. This function, sometimes called text-to-speech, helps the driver keep eyes on the road and less on the GPS unit.
• Predictive data entry and dynamic search. These functions make ntering a city name or address faster. With predictive data entry, available from Alpine, Cobra, Harman Kardon, HP, Jensen, Magellan, Mio, and Pioneer, as you type, the screen's keyboard will highlight only letters that help complete a known name.

The complete ratings for all GPS models tested are provided in the June 2008 issue of Consumer Reports, ..."

Shenzhen to build 4 to 5 satellites every year

2009-03-03 Shenzhen Daily/Agencies

BEIJING, March 3 -- The aerospace industry is expected to one day become the new growth engine of Shenzhen's economy with the establishment of a satellite manufacturing company on Sunday.

Upon completion, Shenzhen Aerospace Spacesat Co. Ltd. is expected to develop six to eight types of satellites and produce four to five satellites every year. The satellites will be used for global navigation, telecommunications, remote sensing and space exploration.

The enterprise was jointly founded by China Spacesat Co. Ltd., Harbin Institute of Technology and Shenzhen Aerospace Science and Technology Research Institute. It will be part of a research, development and manufacturing base for the aerospace industry in Shenzhen, company officials said Sunday.

A research institute subordinate to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., the main contractor for the Chinese space programs, will also move into the base in Shenzhen. On Sunday, national and city government officials broke ground for the Satellite Building, an infrastructure project at the base in the Shenzhen Hi-Tech Industrial Park. Costing 160 million yuan (23.39 million U.S. dollars), the 250,000-square-meter building will be used for research, development, designing, packing, testing and manufacturing related to satellites.

"Shenzhen has always attached great importance to the aerospace industry, which can gradually become the new growth engine of the city's economy," said Mayor Xu Zongheng. "With the backdrop of the global financial crisis, this new project can turn challenges into opportunities with the joint efforts of the three parties involved."

An aerospace industry chain will be formed in Shenzhen after the research institute of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. moves into the base, analysts said. The base in Shenzhen will also be capable of developing and testing some core components and accessories of satellites, according to Ma Xingrui, general manager of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.

It was reported previously that the State-owned company will gradually move its core business of space manufacturing and aerospace technology applications to Shenzhen.

Geocaching Wave

20090128
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The entire globe is literally awash in the Geocaching wave. New ways to play this game are popping up daily. From fun and enjoyment to exercise, mystery, and thrill of the hunt; are all benefits of this great game.

The game first started on May 3, 2000 when Dave Ulmer developed a way to celebrate the start of civilian use of the military GPS (Global Positioning System). He proposed all of the basic elements of the hobby that are still in use today. The container. The trinkets. The log book. The rule of take something, leave something, and signing the logbook. Within a day, the stash had been found. In a couple of days, more stashes had been hidden in California, Kansas, and Illinois. Within a month, a stash had been hidden as far away as Australia. The hobby was on its way to being a worldwide phenomenon.

The craze has now spread to schools, day camps, hiking and dude camps, civic groups, scouts, church youth groups, hobbyists, scientists, scuba diving groups, the YMCA and more. Using different rule sets, Geocaching is also being used in different ways such as treasure hunts or 'Hide and Seek'.

Advances in GPS receivers has helped make Geochaching so widely popular. Many models now include special added features designed expressly for Geocaching. The most often used are inexpensive 'handheld' units. And, name brand high quality handheld GPS are very accurate (with WAAS, within 2-3 meters).

There seems to be no end to the variety of fun you can have Geochaching.

Lowrance Launches GPS Endura Line for Outdoor Enthusiasts

GPS World
1-23-09

Outdoor recreation product provider Lowrance (Tulsa, Oklahoma) has released the Endura handheld GPS product line for the outdoor enthusiast. All of the Endura models have touchscreens: the flagship Sierra model serves the high-end market, Safari is designed to be versatile, and the Outback is the most affordable model. All three will be available for purchase in May.

Sierra: Considered by Lowrance to be its next-generation handheld GPS, the Sierra enables sensor-enhanced navigation and better situational awareness capabilities with a high-accuracy 3D digital compass and barometric altimeter. Preloaded with high-detail outdoor maps, expansion capabilities include 4 GB of internal memory and a micro SD expansion slot supporting up to 32 GB of storage for maps, pictures, and MP3 audio files. Pre-loaded content includes Intermap’s Accuterra high-resolution topographic maps, extensive outdoor trail networks, and points of interest, as well as the Navteq road network for the contiguous 48 states with an upgrade option for full-featured turn-by-turn navigation. Optional maps include Lowrance’s Fishing Hot Spots and others. Its suggested retail price is $549.

Safari: The Safari combines advanced mapping capabilities with a trip computer, electronic compass, and barometric altimeter. It has a touchscreen display and keypad, comes preloaded with a sophisticated base map, and supports both plug-and-play micro SD cards and downloadable maps. The suggested retail price is $384.99.

Outback: While the most affordable model, the Outback can be expanded. It comes preloaded with a sophisticated base map and offers multiple mounting choices and downloadable mapping options, as well as support for shared web community content and plug-and-play micro SD cards. The suggested retail price is $229.99.

Russia launches 3 new NAV satellites

Russia has launched three new GLONASS navigation satellites in the payload bay of it's Proton-M rocket on Christmas day 2008. This system is designed to compete with the U. S. Global Positioning System (GPS) and Europes Galileo system. The satellites are just under one and a half tons each and join 17 others already in service. The russian military began development the GLONASS system in 1980, originally for missle targeting, and is projected to finish deployment in the next year. This system will enhance the ability of GPS system users to get position fixes at any location on the planet.