Garmin Garmin StreetPilot i3 GPS Portable Car Navigation Y

• Reviewed by: JBParadiso

  Strengths: Very intuitive to use. Great value. Easy to read day or night.

  Weaknesses: Pretty short battery life. Suction cup mounting is problematic.

  Overall: Even though the StreetPilot i3 does not come with preloaded maps as do many of the more expensive GPS's, I don't expect that this will be a problem for the greatest majority of users. I downloaded maps of California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington in about 15 minutes, and that should take care of all of my driving needs for a very long time. The system DOES come with maps of the other 43 contiguous states, so if I have the urge to drive to Texas, I can still download the information to the GPS. Programming the unit is easy, albeit a little cumbersome. The touch screen units would probably be easier, but also more expensive. I have found this unit to be very accurate thus far, even when trying to locate some fairly obscure businesses in Portland. It has a real hard time with tall buildings in the city, but I would imagine that to be true for most units without external antennas. It's a little slow locating the satellites when first turned on, but the delay is bearable. Battery life (requires 2 AA batteries) is pretty short (about 2 hours) so I would recommend using the included DC adapter whenever possible. Garmin realy needs to do something with the suction cup mounting. This has been a consistent complaint in all of the reviews I read before purchase, and they weren't exagerations. You can get it to stick, but you have to "baby" it. In spite of some shortcomings, I have found this to be a great unit and a great bargain, and I would purchase it again. Highly recommended for first time users.

• Reviewed by: rzlh50

  Strengths: low price, ease of use, light weight

  Weaknesses: took a while to capture satellite signal (longer than other GPS product?)

  Overall: I have had my i3 for 2 weeks now. Overall I am satisfied with the product. My only reservation is that it takes a while (a few minutes or a few miles of driving) to receive satellite signals and start navigation almost every time I power it up. Since this is my 1st GPS, I don't know how quickly other product can receive signal.

• Reviewed by: jfbiscardi

  Strengths: Small, Nice Screen, Clear Voice, this unit does everything I was looking for in a GPS.

  Weaknesses: None found yet...

  Overall: I picked up the Streetpilot i3 from Buydig.com. When it arrived, I plugged it in to my computer, loaded the software, and was on my way following the maps within minutes. The negative reviews I read were all about the screen size. Well, size doesn't matter. The screen is in perfect view and large enough to see when attached to my vehicle windshield. I can't wait to go to Lake George and test it on the open road.

• Reviewed by: dclbac

  Strengths: Great Value, Bright Display, Easy User Interface, Voice Prompts, Intuitive Setup

  Weaknesses: Limited Memory Size with Included 128MB Card. Average GPS Signal Acquisition Time

  Overall: I purchased this GPS unit for the car (I have the handheld Garmin 76CS) and have been very pleased with its performance. I must say that this unit is much more easier to use and intuitive compared with the feature packed 76CS. In fact, my wife (who is not very technical) can operate this unit and commented that it is easier to use. We both like the voice prompted directions and size of this unit which makes it perfect for packing in the suitcase and for use while I'm on business travel . The display is adequate in size and is un-obstructive while suction cup mounted on the windshield. If you're looking for an inexpensive GPS unit with color display, voice commands, and backed by a company with a great GPS reputation then this product is for you?

• Reviewed by: eightyhertz

  Strengths: Good value for money, intuitive user interface, compact and offers basic GPS functionality

  Weaknesses: takes a while to acquire satellites, routes cannot be uploaded, takes one stopover/waypoint at a time (very minor gripes)

  Overall: This is a good value for money GPS, and offers all the basic features for a good price. Despite the small display, the maps shown are clear and the buttons are intuitive enough to enter information. It works well under bright sunlight and it also has a different display mode at night. The voice navigation is female, clear and natural sounding. However, it doesn't read you the street name like one of the more expensive GPS models (in 0.2 miles, turn right). It isn't a big deal to me though, the street name is displayed on the screen. Satellite acquisition takes a while and is lost easily especially if you are under covered areas and pass by tall and dense buildings, but this appears to be expected. When mounted on the bottom left corner of the windshield on the driver's side, it works fine for me. The i3 needs to have maps loaded into the microSD card, and thus cannot be used standalone. (The i5 model has the entire United States maps loaded in there, and no memory card comes in the box.) The i3 needs to be hooked up to the computer via USB to change the maps. The provided 128MB card is sufficient to store around 3-4 states, and other reviews have mentioned that buying a 1 GB card will allow you to store the entire United States. The installation DVD is straightforward, however not all the other software utilities are found on the DVD. MapSource, POI Loader, Software Updater needs to be downloaded from the Garmin website. As mentioned in another review, the documentation on website is not straightforward, and it is difficult to find the extra utilities and understand the difference between the different MapSource City Navigator/Select etc. software. Otherwise, all software installs easily and works well. I have been pretty satisfied using this GPS unit, my only minor gripes are not being able to upload specific routes and stopover points. Only one via point can be entered, and you need to pass it before you enter the next one. These functions are only available on the more expensive GPS units. I still think that it is good value for money and serves the needs well. Buy this, and get a larger microSD card and you're set!