Garmin 550 GPS and Garmin nuvi 500 ratings and reviews
Garmin 550 GPS and Garmin nuvi 500 can both be used as a GPS for motorcycle or as an ATV GPS. In addition to a car GPS these Garmin motorcycle GPS units are truly multi-mode. The Garmin nuvi 550 GPS and Garmin nuvi 500 are the first multi-mode GPS units offered by Garmin that can be used for a variety of activities. By simply switching from one mode to another, you can use the Garmin 550 GPS or the Nuvi 500 portable navigation GPS in your car, on your bike, hiking and even on your boat. They are waterproof so you don't have to worry about the weather conditions. They both have a bright, anti-glare, 3.5" screen and come with a replaceable, rechargeable, lithium-ion battery that will last about 8 hours between charges. Both the Garmin nuvi 500 and Garmin 550 GPS have a micro SD card slot. This is cleverly located in the waterproof battery compartment so you don't have to worry about adverse exposure to the elements. It should be noted that the card is not included in the purchase price. Having a micro SD card allows you to download BlueChart® g2 Vision and Inland Lakes Vision marine maps when you want to use your Nuvi on the water. Other travel and navigation aids included with the Garmin nuvi 500 and Garmin 550 GPS are the world clock with time zones, unit converter (currency, weight, etc.), a calculator.Both units both compatible with FM TMC traffic and MSN Direct. A separate receiver is necessary to receive these two services and a subscription fee may be charged. Before you purchase the receiver, check the following links to see if your area is included in their coverage.Total Traffic Network coverage and MSN Direct coverage map. Also included is "Where am I" which could prove to be invaluable when hiking. It gives your latitude and longitude, closest address and intersection, and the nearest police station and fuel location. The only difference between the Garmin nuvi 500 and the Garmin 550 GPS is the preloaded maps. The Garmin nuvi 500 comes with GPS maps for the lower 48 states plus Puerto Rico and Hawaii or one European region and Topographic maps that may be viewed at higher zoom levels. The Garmin 550 GPS comes with maps of North America. In addition to being able to show off photos of your latest excursions with the Nuvi picture viewer, you can even download geocaches and instructions from Geocaching.com. For you bikers, the Garmin nuvi 500 and Garmin 550 GPS come with a preloaded MAD Maps scenic trip on historic Route 66, giving motorcycle friendly roads and scenic locations along the way. The Garmin nuvi 500 and Garmin 550 GPS high sensitivity receiver along with "HotFix™" satellite prediction system, allows your GPS to perform even in areas of heavy cover, tall buildings, trees and canyons. User reviews Garmin nuvi 500: Amazon: By Timothy B. Riley "Traveling Fool" An Excellent Multi-Functional GPS So, why did I buy yet another Garmin, the Nuvi 500? It is a part of my eternal search for one GPS receiver that is appropriate for all of these endeavors. It is important to understand that no GPS is perfect, nor is any one model ideal for everything. However, some accomplish some tasks well but are useless for others. The Nuvi 500 (and it's brother the 550) are useful for all of my needs. By Steven H. Hulme "Idaho Spud" Great choice in an all-around GPS receiver, January 7, 2009 I bought the Nuvi 500 to replace my tried-and-true Garmin StreetPilot i3. One of my primary considerations is WATERPROOFness... my i3 has worked great on my MOTORCYCLE touring adventures, but when the rains came, it was either in the tank bag, or in a clear sandwich bag, held in place with a rubber band - not ideal. There are motorcycle-specific GPS receivers, but they are all significantly more expensive. Frankly, I was attracted to the multi-purpose nature of this model. I've used it for motorcycle rides (just trial runs so far), bicycling, hiking/walking, and driving. I'm confident there are better solutions for each individual use - if you can afford a CAR GPS, and a HIKING GPS, and a MOTORCYCLING GPS, and a BOATING GPS, knock yourself out. The Nuvi 500 seems to do a very adequate job at all of that stuff. Cnet: "Good ifor on road performance. Bad hiking performance." by Paddler 1 on February 3, 2009 Pros: The touch screen is easy and generally intuitive. Using it in the driving mode is quite good, if not perfect. Cons: It is very poor for walking. User reviews Garmin 550 GPS: Amazon: By N. Joyce Exactly what I was looking for, January 19, 2009 I live in Manhattan and don't own a car, but I rent cars often and use Zip Car. I wanted a GPS for those trips, but I also wanted one that I could mount on my road bike for our weekend excursions. After some research, I figured this was the best for combined purposes. There are better purely-driving GPS and purely-cycling ones, but if you want one device for both, this seems to be the best it gets. By Michael A. Aron Nuvi 550 better than Zumo for this Motorcyclist, November 18, 2008 For my motorcycles, I've had a Garmin Quest and later Quest 2 for years. I loved their small size, long-range battery and that they were water proof. But the time it took to recalculate and ability to lose satellite signal even in light tree cover became unbearable. So I began to seek an upgraded unit. If you don't want to hard wire, this is a great GPS unit. Oh, and I bought a spare battery and keep it charged - now I have 16 hours - more than I'll ever need for one day. buyzillion: Easy to operate GPS
Owner ratings Amazon: 12 reviews GPS Magazine: 257 reviews: 2.8 out of possible 5 Test Freaks: 2 reviews: 7 out of possible 10 Specifications Garmin nuvi 500 Introduced: July 2008 Garmin 550 GPS Introduced: July 2008 What's in the Box: * nüvi 500 What's in the Box: * nüvi 550 Note: The state of Minnesota prohibits the installation of portable gps units on the windshield of your car. Return from Garmin 550 GPS to Home |
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