Shopping for a GPS

[Afton Grant]

I ended up getting a Garmin nuvi 350 and it's great. My only complaint is the suction mount keeps un-suctioning. I've had to tie fishing line to it so when it comes undone it doesn't go flying off the dashboard. Any ideas how to keep the mount secure?

 

Obviously the cleaner the two surfaces are, the better the seal will be. The other thing you can try is mounting the suction cup on the hottest day possible - get your car nice and hot, and your dash nice and hot. By doing this, when the temperature cools down to a more average temperature, the air underneath the cup will have contracted slightly, enhancing the suction action.

 

I've done this with success. Theoretically, the laws of chemistry support it. Whether they're actually supporting it, or it's just a coincidence, I couldn't tell you.

[Jon Beattie]

i've had a tomtom 700 for 2yrs. its great i've updated to software. the interface is great, works well a ton of features. never leave home without it. is great for finding wierd locations and i save locations in my favorites so i can always get back.

[Charles Papert]

As gnarly as it seems, I use a little spittle on the suction cup and it generally stays put on me.

 

So proud to be able to post this on the Steadicam forum for the world to see.

[Rob Vuona SOC]

Ya . . .ya . . . .ya. . . you guys have to remind me . . .Sat. Night someone broke my drivers side window and reached in and stole my Magelin GPS and the dumb asses didn't even take the charger that was plugged in . . . .I know I'm the dumb ass for leaving it suctioned to the F!@#%^ windshield.

 

I guess it's time to go get another one

 

Can't they just punch in the serial code and track where it is, I mean it's already being tracked right?

 

Rob "Just a little bitter" Vuona

[Erwin Landau]

Hey Rob,

 

I saw a report a couple of weeks ago about the increase of theft of portable devices like I-pods, Digital Cameras but especially GPS units out of parked cars in the LA area. In the last 2 months almost 300 incidents have been reported... the LAPD is guessing that the not reported cases are double. Two break ins in my "gated" building last month alone. Both portable GPS units left on the dash board.

 

Mainly cars with factory style alarms are targeted because they do not have glass activated alarm (microphones are sensitive to knocking on or breaking glass) test by using your car key and knock on the window. The thief can smash the window without the alarm ever being triggered (you can buy glass spikes at your local Pep Boys and it's almost silent). As long as the door, and the circuit stay closed... no horn or nothing.

 

The give away are usually cables, chargers that are still plugged in, GPS holders etc. because usually people just leave them in the glove box... again the thief just need to knock with a key on your window to figure out if the alarm will be triggered.

 

I opted for a dashboard build in Pioneer unit (Charles stop laughing... Yes I got one, after my endeavor in northern California, and direction like that: "Just take the second street from the freeway exit and keep driving until you see a flag and then look for the trucks". Honest, that was the directions on the "map") and my Alarm comes beside the immobilizer also with a microphone based glass alarm and no; the Trash-truck will not initiate the alarm only direct contact with glass will.

 

Anyhow, sorry to hear about your break in... I had three so far (into my old Rabbit). Two again in my gated apartment building over the period of 8 years.

 

Take care and good luck,

 

Erwin

[JimBartell]

Yep, they got my old Garmin Streetpilot out of my truck a few months ago. No break in, I guess they just slim-jimmed my door. It was in the cargo net behind the seat. I guess they saw the dashboard mount.

 

No big loss since I just use my wife's new Nuvi 350, but still...

 

Jim "no map needed to find my garage" Bartell

[Chip Monk]

Yes I got one, after my endeavor in northern California, and direction like that: "Just take the second street from the freeway exit and keep driving until you see a flag and then look for the trucks". Honest, that was the directions on the "map")

 

This one?

[Robert Starling SOC]

Here is a review on CNET for the new Tom Tom 720

 

http://news.com.com/1606-2-6207561.html?tag=nefd.also

 

I have the factory Hummer / GM GPS and will NEVER buy another car without a GPS. Love it! I'd say the only issue I have with the factory model is it took them a few years to issue an updated disk / maps and I can't play a CD and have the NAV disk in at the same time. On the other hand, I just had the wired in-dash adapter to hook up my iPhone into the car stereo so music disks in the car are history! FYI, Best Buy has the iPhone / iPod in-dash adapter for most cars for $99 which is not that much more than the transmitter versions. For most cars you control the iPhone/iPod through the radio or steering wheel controllers. It's made by Simple.