Great nav system for a great price
Pros:
Great iGuidance software, excellent GPS lock-on, pre-loaded US maps w/option to include Canada.
Cons:
very minor-must exit nav software before powering unit off.
The Bottom Line:
highly functional navigation unit with mature software, great GPS receiver and very aggressive price.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I was able to pick up a WGPX-550 at Compusa for $249 after $100 rebate. I choose the unit mainly based on low price, but was extremely happy to discover that its navigation software is iGuidance.
My main navigation system for the past 3 years has been an older version of iGuidance (branded as Deluo Routis)running on a PDA bluetooth GPS setup. It's worked very well but I was tired of fiddling with all the individual pieces, chargers & cables. Since the cost of dedicated units has come down so drastically, this was an easy decision.
The unit comes ready to go out of the box with US maps loaded on the 1GB SD card.
[Oct 2006 update] Ignore this if you don't plan to use the Canadian maps: a firmware bug breaks the ability to run US & Canadian maps on a 2GB SD card. There's a fix already but the update requires a return to the factory. Otherwise the Canadian maps will fit onto a 512MB SD card and can be swapped easily. Note that Whistler has tech support in the US and they actually knew what they were doing (!!).
A high-quality windshield suction cup with a 9" (or so) long flex arm is included. A quick-release dock attaches to the end of the arm and the unit slips into the dock securely. It can be easily removed so you can take it inside.
A car charger is included and plugs into the back of the dock. The unit has an internal battery which keeps it powered on while you run into the gas station on a trip, but I haven't tested the battery life.
In addition, a USB power/synch cable is included for connecting the unit to a PC (uses ActiveSynch like any windows CE device) and charging. They also threw in an AC adapter with a USB port for charging. Personally, I love the USB-type charge cables since it is so easy to find USB ports for charging.
The screen is above average, has a landscape orientation and is a touchscreen. A stylus stores on the back, but you can use your fingernail to enter destinations, etc.
The speaker has good sound quality for navigation--could be a bit louder but it's perfectly OK for normal use. For playing music through the built-in mp3 player, you'll want to use the headphone jack to drive an FM transmitter, cassette adapter or direct input into your car stereo.
The GPS locks on extremely well - even sitting in my office 10 feet away from the window, I get ~6 satellites! For driving in big city downtowns with tall buildings, I'd recommend buying up an external antenna.
The only real gripe I have with this unit is that you're supposed to exit the navigation software each time you turn the unit off -- it would be much better if they made this automatic.
For more details on the iGuidance software, see http://www.inavcorp.com (maker of the software) and http://www.gpspassion.com for reviews and discussion. The software a mature and really works well.
Navigation units above $1000 are starting to have cool features like real-time traffic data integration, but for functional navigation at a great price, I would highly recommend this system.
