CNET'S TOP 5 GPS UNITS:

#1 TomTom Go 740 Live

TomTom GO 740 LIVE real-time information saves you time, money, and stress. GO LIVE automatically accesses traffic feeds, updated ful prices, Local Search powered by Google and more via a built-in wireless data connection. Real-time services work right out of the box. Three months of service included.

Product Features

• Preloaded TeleAtlas maps
  Cover locations across the United States and Canada. Millions of points of interest help you find what you're looking for. TomTom Live via Google delivers unlimited points of interest (additional fees may apply).
• 4.3" color touch screen
  Easily navigate settings and functions on the bright display. Light Sensor allows you to easily view the screen even in dim light.
• 2GB internal flash memory with built-in microSD card slot
  Lets you connect a microSD media card for up-to-date map information (media not included).
• High-sensitivity GPS technology
  For precise global positioning and fast route locating.
• Automatic rerouting
  Provides alternate travel directions in the event of a deviation from the directions given.
• Internet-connected with live real-time services
  Including traffic updates, ful prices and local shop and business searches powered by Google, Weather & Buddies (3-month subscription included).
• Real-time traffic and weather updates
  Avoid possible traffic jams and weather delays with optional traffic and weather receivers (both not included).
• Text-to-speech technology
  Clear, accurate voice prompts give you turn-by-turn directions, including street and place names, so you can stay focused on the road.
• Voice recognition
  With more than 130 commands allows you to speak instructions on the go.
• IQ Routes technology
  Calculates the fastest route possible using speeds of travel on a given route.
• Advanced Lane Guidance
  Clearly shows which lane you need to be in at multilane exits.
• Help Me! Emergency Menu
  Allows you to easily access local emergency providers such as police, fire stations and hospitals.
• TomTom Map Share
  Allows you to instantly update and personalize your map. Share and benefit from other users' changes. TomTom HOME software for accessing additional features.
• 3D map views
  Clearly see routes, directions and driving instructions.
• Blutooth technology
  Make convenient hands-free calls (Blutooth-enabled cell phone required, not included).
• Up to 3 hours of battery life
  With the built-in rechargeable battery.

#2 Garmin Nuvi 1690

The Garmin 1690 GPS navigator--with Blutooth and included Traffic Receiver--features an enhanced user interface, ecoRoute, public transit mode, and text-to-speech. Plus, pedestrian navigation capability is enabled through optional CityXplorer maps, which are available for select tourist destinations in North America and Europe and can be downloaded easily directly to the nuvi. The device's enhanced user interface features improved graphics and a slide control for menu operation, while ecoRoute suggests ful-efficient routes to save drivers money and ful. Also, Garmin's public transit mode allows you to navigate using buses, tramway, metro, and suburban rail systems. Pre-loaded with City Navigator North America NT.

The 1690 enables calling with a compatible phone, giving you a completely hands-free mobile phone experience by broadcasting navigation and phone calls through your car stereo.

See More
With nuvi 1690's widescreen display, you'll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3-inch display is easy to read--from any direction.

Easy-to-Use Touchscreen Interface
One of Garmin's core beliefs is to continually enhance the simplicity of the user experience. The nuvi on-screen menus are logically arranged, with clearly labeled, colorful icons, making it easy to enter data and get to the information you need quickly.

Navigate with Ease
nuvi 1690 comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator North America NT street maps and millions of points of interest (POIs) such as hotels, restaurants, ful stations, ATMs and more, with map data provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping. Enter a destination on the touch screen, and nuvi takes you there with 2-D or 3-D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. Text to speech enhances standard sat-nav voice guidance by speaking the names of places and roads. It even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. In addition, nuvi 1690 accepts custom points of interest, such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs.

Travel North America
With nearly 6 million points of interest and detailed road coverage for the United States, Canada, and Purto Rico, City Navigator North America NT delivers all the data you need to navigate North America.

• Displays nearly 6 million points of interest--hotels, restaurants, parking, entertainment, ful, shopping and more.
• Includes highways, interstates, business and residential roads in metropolitan and rural areas.
• Includes detailed information such as turn restrictions, roundabout guidance, speed categories and other navigation features.
• Gives turn-by-turn directions on your compatible Garmin device.
• Includes postal code support for Canada.
• Enhances pronunciation data for compatible Garmin devices that speak street names (example: "Turn right on Main Street").

Know the Lane Before It's Too Late
No more gussing which lane you need to be in to make an upcoming turn. Lane assist guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. It realistically displays road signs and junctions on your route along with arrows that indicate the proper lane for navigation.

Junction View takes it a step further, giving you a photo-realistic screen that shows you both the road detail as well as the signs as you will see them on the road.

Multi-Point Routing
The 1690 automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands or deliveries.

Pedestrian Navigation
New to the nuvi series is Public Transit--navigate using buses, tramway, metro and suburban rail systems with optional CityXplorer content. Downloadable CityXplorer data and city guides are available for purchase and download from garmin.com for many cities.

Where Am I?
Keep track of yourself and your car with nuvi 1690. Just tap "Where Am I?" to find the closest hospitals, police stations, ful stations, nearest address and intersection. Also see your exact latitude and longitude coordinates. nuvi 1690 even remembers where you parked. It automatically marks your position when you remove it from the windshield mount, so you can navigate with nuvi on foot and find your way back to your vehicle. Perfect for unfamiliar spots and crowded lots such as amusement parks, stadiums and malls.

HotFix Satellite Prediciton
Garmin's HotFix capability automatically calculates and stores satellite locations, greatly reducing satellite acquisition time so that you can turn the unit on and get going. With HotFix, your nuvi remembers the position of all satellites it is tracking when you turn it off, and calculates their movements in order to predict where they should be the next time you turn it on. HotFix can predict satellite positions for up to 3 days after the device was last turned off.

Garmin nuLink!

With Garmin nuLink! Services you know the local area, even if you’re from out of town. Accurate real-time information about the area you’re traveling in is delivered directly to nuvi 1690 via a built-in wireless module. The 1690 currently comes with a free 2-year Garmin nuLink! Subscription, which include services that can make every day more enjoyable.

ecoRoute
With this feature, drivers can view suggestions for ful-efficient navigation, conserving both money and ful:

• Save Gas and Money
  Now more than ever, we're all looking for ways to conserve both money and ful. Whether we're taking fewer trips or carpooling with family and friends, saving resources is a top priority. It was that thinking that led to the creation of ecoRoute--our free software update for compatible nuvi products that allows users to find more ful efficient routes when navigating and even track their ful usage. With ecoRoute, you may be able to save gas and money by adopting smarter driving habits and finding more ful-efficient routes.
  
  
• Select Ful-efficient Routes
  With ecoRoute, users will have a "less ful" option as a routing preference. When selected, nuvi will determine if more ful efficient routes exist based upon road speed data and vehicle acceleration data for a given route.
  
  
• Get Ful and Mileage Reports
  Through ecoRoute's Ful Report and Mileage Report, drivers can focus on their habits even when they're not behind the wheel. Ful Report tracks ful usage over time, and Mileage Report monitors mileage and ful usage on a per-trip basis. In addition, Mileage Report makes it easy for business travelers to keep track of distance traveled for company reimbursements. You'll have a detailed report for each trip and the miles driven. You can also customize your nuvi by entering your car's ful economy and the current price of gas.

Navigate by Photo with Garmin Connect Photos
Using Garmin's Connect Photos Web site, you can choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google's Panoramio photo sharing community and download them to the nuvi for a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide.

• Choose from Panoramio's collection of photos from around the world.
• Easy to use interface displays photos on Google Maps.
• Search for photos by location name or map area boundary.
• Transfer photos directly from Garmin Connect to device with the Garmin Communicator.
• View photos in Google Earth.
• Supports Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 2+, Safari 3+ on Windows and Mac.

Take It With You
The nuvi 1690 sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot.

Additional Features

• Speed limit indicator--unit displays speed limits for most major roads
• DEM maps show you shaded terrain contours at zoom levels of five miles and above
• Auto time zone--nuvi will automatically adjust your time zone while navigating
• Trip computer records mileage, max speed, total time and more
• Built-in travel kit includes features such as picture viewer, world clock, currency and measurement converters and calculator
• microSD memory card expansion slot for optional mapping and data storage
• Includes Garmin Lock anti-theft feature
• Configurable vehicle icons--allows users to select fun, customized car-shaped icons; download additional choices from www.garmingarage.com
• Offers a 3-D mapping perspective, or 2-D overhead view
• Built-in lithium-ion battery--lasts up to four hours depending on usage
• Includes sturdy suction cup mount that allows for easy adjustment and quick release
• Simplified PC connectivity, using USB mass storage, access either the microSD card slot or the unit's internal memory directly from your PC desktop
• POI loader program--set up proximity alerts for school zones, create custom POIs and more

What's in the Box
nuvi 1690 preloaded with City Navigator North America NT, Vehicle suction cup mount, FM traffic receiver/vehicle power cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual

#3 TomTom XL 340S

IQ Routes Technology* gives you the fastest route every time by using actual average speeds of travel on your route to calculate your trip rather than only posted speed limits, so you'll always travel the smartest route. Advanced Lane Guidance* uses photorealistic images to bring even more clarity to complex multi-lane exits so you can be more confident on the road.

TomTom has the most accurate maps, and with TomTom Map Share technology, you instantly can modify street names, street direction, POIs, road speeds, and turn restrictions on your own device. With the "Help Me!" menu, added safety features enable you to easily access local emergency providers.

The Fold & Go EasyPort mount folds flat against the device, making it easy to take it with you from car to car.

The XL 340-S is complete, widescreen navigation.

*Features only available in the United States and Canada.

XL 340-S Features

• Maps of United States, Canada, and Mexico with TomTom Map Share
• Spoken Street Names
• 7 million POIs
• IQ Routes Technology
• Advanced Lane Guidance
• Fold & Go EasyPort Mount
• 4.3-inch Touchscreen

All TomToms Feature

Plug & Go--Works right out of the box.

Preloaded Points of Interest--Easily find millions of gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and more on your route.

30-Day Latest Map Guarantee--Up to date, off the shelf.

TomTom Map Share--Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share.

Help Me! Emergency Menu--Easily access local emergency providers, such as police, fire stations, and hospitals.

TomTom HOME--Always up to date.

Traffic Ready--Optional RDS-TMC traffic receiver accessory keeps you up-to-date on traffic events to minimize potential delays.

Ful Price Service (optional)--Know more, pay less.

Why TomTom?

Easy to Use

• Award-winning navigation software
• Plug & go

Best Maps

• 30-Day Latest Map Guarantee
• Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share

Best Routing

• QuickGPSfix
• Traffic ready

Leader in Safety

• Help Me! emergency resources menu
• Safety preferences menu

#4 Magellan Roadmate 1470

The Magellan RoadMate 1470 includes many premier features, starting with Magellan's exclusive
OneTouch™ favorites menu, QuickSpell® with SmartCity search, and highway exit point of interest (POI) search, to name a few. Magellan's attention to detail delivers a superior user experience.

Intuitive and robust navigation
The RoadMate 1470 lets you bookmark your favorite destinations and searches with the OneTouch favorites menu so you can access them anywhere you travel. With a single touch, find your favorite café or restaurant when you're traveling within any city.

QuickSpell and Smart City search help you quickly enter addresses and narrow your address and city searches, making destination entry easy. Multi-destination routing with route optimization lets you plan your trip with multiple stops in the order you want or optimize a trip for the most efficient route, helping you save time and money.

Safety first on the road
You can keep your eyes on the road as you drive because spoken street name guidance announces the street name along with audible turning cus. Highway lane assist offers visual aids to point you in the right direction and ensure that you'll choose the correct lane well before your next turn.

Should your vehicle unfortunately break down as you travel, the AAA locate screen provides your location so help will know where to find you. Get support fast with the AAA Member Roadside Assistance 1 phone number and your location displayed on the RoadMate 1470 screen.

Ready to roll
You're ready to travel with preloaded maps and points of interest for the United States, Canada, and Purto Rico that make the Magellan RoadMate 1470 ideal for both business trips and vacations. (Mexico map activation available for purchase on www.magellangps.com).

With millions of points of interest at your command you can easily locate gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, coffee shops, and much more. If you need more information or you want to save money, select the AAA search menu after your search entry. AAA TourBook® provides ratings and descriptions on AAA approved places to stay, play, dine, and save.

When you're traveling down the Interstate and need to find gas, food, or lodging in a hurry, touch the highway exit POI icon to see which upcoming highway exits have the services you need.

Do you often find yourself tied up in traffic? The RoadMate 1470 is Traffic Link compatible, offering live onscreen traffic-incident reports. (The Traffic Link accessory is sold separately).

Turn it on and go!™
The Magellan RoadMate 1470 is loaded with premier features you'll need to get you where you want to go. (To view a complete list of helpful RoadMate 1470 features, click on the features tab).

#5 Garmin Nuvi 205W

Portable, affordable and wide, nuvi 205W is your personal travel assistant for life on the go. This navigator leads the way with turn-by-turn directions and optional MSN® Direct services to get you there on time and keep you informed. It's packed with millions of destinations and maps for the contiguous U.S., Canada or regional sections of Europe. Like the rest of the sleek nuvi 2x5-series, the 205W is priced right and ultra-easy to use.

See More

With nuvi 205W's widescreen display, you'll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3-inch display is easy to read — from any direction.

Navigate With Ease

nuvi 205W comes preloaded with City Navigator® NT map data for the contiguous U.S., Canada or one European region or country (click versions tab to view all). Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nuvi takes you there with turn-by-turn voice directions, 2-D or 3-D maps and smooth map redraw rates as you navigate. Its digital elevation maps show you shaded contours at higher zoom levels, giving you a big picture of the surrounding terrain. In addition, nuvi 205W accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs. With HotFix™ satellite prediction, nuvi calculates your position faster to get you there quicker.

Take It With You

Like the rest of the nuvi 2x5-series, nuvi 205W sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot. With its "Where Am I?" emergency locator, you always know your location. Simply tap the screen to get your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and ful stations.

Go Beyond Navigation

Navigation is just the beginning. nuvi 205W includes many travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. With photo navigation, you can download Google™ Panoramio™ pictures via our Garmin Connect™ Photos website and navigate to them. The 205W is compatible with optional enhanced MSN® Direct content (subscription and receiver required) and our free Garmin Garage where you can download animated vehicles that show your location on the map. It also comes with Garmin Lock™, an anti-theft feature. Enhance your travel experience with optional plug-in microSD cards such as Garmin Travel Guides for detailed data on attractions.