July 5, 2006
The Garmin’s nüvi™ 310 is one of th most versatile GPS around. This pocket-sized Personal Travel Assistant now comes with hands-free Bluetooth® wireless technology in addition to the popular features offered in the nüvi 300 — making it the go-anywhere travel companion.
Place hands-free calls with Bluetooth wireless technology
The nüvi 310 along with its counterpart the nüvi 360 integrate wireless technology with a microphone and speaker that lets you make hands-free mobile phone calls. Simply dial numbers with the nüvi’s touch screen keypad to make a call on a compatible Bluetooth phone. To answer calls, just tap nüvi’s screen and speak directly into its built in microphone.
In addition, easily look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or from your phone’s call history log. Don’t know the phone number for your destination? Simply find and dial it from nüvi’s extensive points of interest database — including hotels, restaurants, stores, and attractions.
Navigate with Ease
The nüvi 310 comes preprogrammed with regional European map data, and includes automatic routing, 2D or 3D map perspective, and a fingertip touch screen interface — making navigation easy. It also supports configurable vehicle icons — fun, customized car-shaped icons in a variety of colors that show your position on the map.
The nüvi accepts customized points of interest (POIs) such as school zones and safety cameras. It even provides traffic alerts (in select cities) when used with a compatible traffic receiver. By adding traffic services and a receiver to your nüvi 310, you can avoid traffic tie-ups by simply pushing a button to calculate a new route.
Enjoy Travel Kit full of entertainment and useful tools
Navigation is just the beginning. The nüvi includes many “must have” entertainment and travel tools including MP3 player, audio book player, JPEG picture viewer, travel alarm, currency converters, and more. In addition, optional software packages such as the Language Guide™ and Travel Guides™ can be added for language and content support.
Customize with Optional Software
Optional software available on plug-in SD cards, lets you instantly add new features to your nüvi — without connecting to your computer.
Full Specifications
Receiver: high-sensitivity WAAS-capable GPS receiver by SiRF
Display: 2.8” W x 2.1” H (3.5” diag.), 320 x 240 pixels; bright, TFT display, 64K colors, with white backlight and touch screen
Unit dimensions: 3.87″ W x 2.91″ H x 0.87″ D (98.3 mm x 73.9 mm x 22.1 mm)
Weight: 5.1 ounces (144.6 grams)
Battery: built-in lithium ion battery — between 4-8 hours of battery life depending on use
Bluetooth wireless technology for hands-free calling
Includes Garmin Lock™, an anti-theft feature
Supports FM TMC traffic alerting
Preloaded maps for one European region
Fingertip touch-screen interface
Look up addresses and points of interest
Choose 2D or 3D map perspective
Upload custom POIs, including alerts for speed zones and safety cams
Built in Travel Kit includes MP3 player with sample MPs, audio books, picture viewer, world clock, currency and measurement converters, calculator and more
SD memory card expansion slot
USB interface for loading data
June 28, 2006
The TomTom Rider is the first GPS that can be used for bikes as well as a car. The great thing about the TomTom Rider is it is rugged, water resistant, fits both motorbikes and scooters and provides you even with clear spoken instructions in your helmet using the wireless Bluetooth connection. It’s so easy to use that even with gloves on you can still use the touch screen. Just plug in, switch on & RIDE: no installation or activation necessary.
EASY
Just plug in, switch on & RIDE
Simple touch screen operation: Drive mode tailored for use with gloves on
Clear and accurate: turn-by-turn spoken instructions
Crystal-clear 3D and 2D graphics
Compact and portable design
Door-to-door planning in your region
View route: review and test the calculated route before you actually start driving
Dynamic status bar: improve readability by customizing status bar
Tip feature: discover everything RIDER has to offer through useful onscreen tips
Extensive guided tour: pick up the features even quicker and get the maximum out of your TomTom RIDER
SMART
Water resistant and rugged
Fits both bikes and scooters: with a mounting kit of four pieces to adapt to your 2wheels.
In helmet spoken instructions: Bluetooth TM headset included
Bike speed linked volume: volume of voice instructions will increase/decrease depending on speed of your bike
Anti-glare screen: always an optimal view, even in direct sunlight
A choice of routes: quickest, shortest or avoiding toll roads
Itinerary planning: plan your trip by defining multiple waypoints and destinations
Integrated GPS antenna
You can use RIDER also in a car: Just fit the optional car mounting kit on the windscreen of the car, switch on and you’re on your way.
RIDER recognizes if you are in a car or on a motorbike: There’s no need to adjust RIDER for use in the car – it automatically switches from glove-friendly to in-car mode for driving, and it allows you to make and take calls any time on the move too.
Multi lingual: speaks more than 30 languages in over 50 voices
User interface: now including 18 languages
Thousands of points of interest available
Call a POI: directly call a point of interest through the RIDER
Make it your own: save personal favorite addresses for quick route planning
Compass mode available: displays compass on screen to have even more orientation while driving
Get free scenic routes: offered by TomTom PLUS
CONNECTED
Ready for TomTom PLUS Services: get scenic routes for free and try out traffic service for free for a month
USB 2.0: for faster data transfers
Hands-Free Calling via Bluetooth™: connection with a compatible* mobile phone
(For safety reasons it blocks outgoing calls while the bike is moving, but if you choose to accept an incoming call it is automatically routed to your helmet. When the bike isn’t moving or you have stopped for a break you can make and receive calls normally.)
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Integrated GPS receiver based on SiRF Star III with 20 Channel All-in-view tracking
CPU: 380 MHz
32 MB RAM
3.5 inch, 320 x 240 TFT colour LCD touchscreen
115mm x 92mm x 58mm, 310 grams
Internal rechargeable Li-Ion giving approx. 5hours
Operating temperature: - 10 to + 55 °C
Water resistant and protected against any wet weather conditions
(test: TomTom RIDER was subjected to a sustained jet of water at high pressure from all directions and suffered no harmful effects)
Bluetooth headset battery Talktime: 10 Hours
Bluetooth headset battery Standby: 250 Hours
Memory card (SD card) with software and maps
USB port and cable for PC connection
Bluetooth headset included for clear wireless spoken instructions
Alternative power source: 12V motorbike battery
Mounting kit (4 pieces) to fit most bikes and scooters
Source
May 24, 2006
The Lowrance iFinder GPS is an affordable GPS navigator that includes all the features you need to get around. Due to its portability, it is a good choice for hikers, cyclists, and road trippers. It’s so simple, just plot a route via the easy-to-use keypad, and the iFinder Go follows the path precisely, with intuitive navigating that keeps you from veering off course.
The navigator is so reliable that its 16 parallel channel GPS and WAAS receiver is accurate to within several meters, making it a great fit for scavenger hunts as well as hikes. Each trip is completely customizable, with the ability to create new routes, waypoints, trails, and more. You can also easily recalculate your trip route should you get distracted and lose your way, and thanks to the 32 MB of built-in memory, you can save and retrace up to 100 of your favorite plot trails, with up to 10,000 points in each path.
The device holds more than just previous routes, however. It also comes preloaded with a background map of the continental U.S. and Hawaii, with such features as coastal nav aids, wrecks, and obstructions. In addition, the device supports up to 1,000 waypoints, 1,000 event markers, and 100 routes. Users with a zest for detail will appreciate the 40 map zoom ranges (from 0.02 to 4,000 miles) and the 42 graphic icons used to mark special spots.
To top it off, the iFinder Go’s bright yellow housing is waterproof, so you can use it in the rain or safely store it in your pack when rafting. Additional features include a 2-inch white LED backlit screen with 200 x 140 resolution, internal backup memory for storing your GPS data and settings, and a wrist-strap accessory. The pocket-sized unit measures 2.12 by 5.15 by 1.24 inches (W by H by D) and runs for up to 48 hours on two AA batteries (not included). It also includes a one-year warranty.
December 12, 2005
Christmas is a wonderful time, but it can be challenging. One of the major hurdles is buying gifts for people you care about on relatively short notice.
We’re just about to that point now.
With just two weeks between Christmas Day and us, it’s time to get in gear. People who are shopping for sailors are at an advantage, because there are so many wonderful gift choices.
It does ease the gift-selection process if the buyer is a sailor, too.
In any case, some research online, in boating publications and in advertising offers all kinds of ideas. Here are a few of them, in a wide range of prices.
My own personal wish lists starts with a Pacific Seacraft 34, a well-designed and constructed sailboat. It may be a little on the high end. While individual sailors’ preferences are reflected in the price, it’s safe to say that the giver will spend more than $200,000.
My wife raises various concerns with that suggestion. She notes that a Pacific Seacraft 34 won’t fit in my stocking, or even under the tree, nor could Santa bring the boat down the chimney. She went so far as to say that any more such ideas would likely result in one or more gift-wrapped lumps of coal.
If you think that might be a bit expensive for the sailor you’re buying for, there are some less-expensive alternatives. Here are a few, available at West Marine, BoatU.S. and other marine retailers:
A sailor’s knife is one of those gifts that brings the giver to mind every time it’s used. They range from around $10 to more than $50. One of the above-mentioned ads has the glow-in-the-dark model I’ve carried for years for $13, about half off.
Binoculars have a hard life afloat. New binoculars designed for marine use are advertised at prices ranging from $40 to $400. They’re another of those often-used gifts that are necessities for sailors and can be luxuries, too.
A well-designed inflatable life jacket could save your favorite sailor’s life. In my ad collection, they start at more than $135. An offshore version that can be inflated manually or automatically is offered at $160. The same vest with a built-in harness can be had for $184.
A new handheld GPS is a lot of gift in a small package. They start at under $100 at sporting goods stores. At marine retailers, they are offered at discounted prices ranging from about $150 to $500 or more. They have features unimagined a decade or two ago and technological advances continue.
Handheld VHF radios are in the almost-necessary class of marine electronics. They are important not only as a convenience, but as part of the boat’s safety equipment. They let the sailor talk from the cockpit with other traffic. They also work fine as the only radio on smaller boats. Advertised prices start at under $100 and go up to about $250. List prices range above $300. Accessories are available.
A brass stormglass from venerable and respected instrument-maker Weems & Plath is one of those gifts that are more ornamental than modern necessity, though it does show changes in barometric pressure through changes in crystals in solution. One is advertised at $100.
Holiday giving is fun. For me, it’s a lot more fun once shopping is done, and I can look forward to the recipient’s reaction. Browsing through marine retail shops and talking to people working in them can give you many more ideas than the few listed here.
John Ira Petty, a sailing instructor, licensed captain and charter sailboat owner, is the sailing columnist for the Daily News.
Source: By John Ira Petty - The Daily News
Menu
Pages
Categories
| 
