garmin

My Best Tech Gift Ever: Garmin's Edge 500 bike computer

Every day this week, a different CNET writer or editor will recall a tech or geek-centric present that left a mark. Read past stories by Eric Mack and Jeff Sparkman, and look for another installment tomorrow at midnight PT.

It's easy to set personal goals and then let them slide into the abyss of good intentions. The tech gift that really stands out for me is the one that's helped me prevent that from happening.

It's Garmin's Edge 500 bicycle computer, which my wife gave me for my birthday in 2010 (though honestly, I asked her for it). This summer, near the end of a soul-sucking, endurance-testing ride, the Edge 500 came through for me once again.

I had set a goal to finish a ride called Ramrod (Ride Around Mt. Rainier in One Day) in less than 10 hours. But 7 hours into the ride, it was looking bleak. I'd covered 104 miles and done most of the 9,000 feet of climbing. To attain my goal, I needed to cover the final 45 miles in three hours. Certainly doable, but I was pretty cooked. … Read more

Garmin adds Street View, public transit to its other iOS apps

Navigation company Garmin is continuing to capitalize on users who are in search of an alternative to Apple's new maps platform.

As part of an update to four of its iPhone apps today, the company added support for the iPhone 5 and iOS 6, as well as public transit features and Google's Street View -- two things that were removed in the big overhaul of Apple's own maps application.

Users can also add on a 3D panorama view that adds three-dimensional elevation views that Garmin says are sourced from data from NASA.

Not all of the features … Read more

5 GPS devices that do more than just navigate

Space is a premium in your car's cabin, even more so when we're discussing your windshield. You don't want to go cluttering up your view of the road with too many devices. It's easy to get out of hand with a navigator, a Bluetooth speakerphone, an audio source, and a fuel economy meter.

That's why we've rounded up five portable GPS devices that do more than just navigate.… Read more

After 23 years, Garmin reaches 100 million devices sold

Garmin's GPS devices have reached a significant milestone.

The company announced today that it has now sold 100 million Garmin devices worldwide since its founding in 1989. The first Garmin device was sold in 1991, the company said, and took six years to reach its one-millionth sale. By 2007, it had sold 25 million devices. Now, just five years later, it has tripled that figure.

Based on the data provided by Garmin, sales are accelerating. In fact, Garmin acknowledged that much in a separate earnings release today, saying that it sold 2.7 million GPS units during the first … Read more

Garmin becomes Suzuki's one-stop shop for cabin tech

A few years ago, we tested a Suzuki SX4 that was equipped with a Garmin navigation system. Of course, that system consisted of a Garmin Nuvi portable navigation device that integrated with the Suzuki's stereo via a specialized cradle. That hacked-together solution was one of our first overt experiences with Garmin as an OEM automotive navigation supplier, so it's fitting that Garmin's next step is taken again with Suzuki with the announcement that the navigation provider will be supplying its first fully integrated, factory-installed infotainment system for the automaker's 2013 model year vehicles.

This is no … Read more

CNET readers' favorite GPS devices (roundup)

Let's get one thing straight: this is not a dictatorship. You may have noticed that just below every bright red CNET editors' rating is a cool blue user rating. And just below every review is a place where you, dear user, can make yourself heard by writing a short, sweet user review! Sometimes the editors and the users agree, sometimes we butt heads, but both views are important to the big picture.

Nowhere are user reviews more important than in the GPS category. The core function of the device and the accuracy of its map data relies heavily on the geography and topography of the area where it's operated. A GPS navigator that performs perfectly near the CNET offices in San Francisco may not be as accurate in another city with more tall buildings blocking the sky. On the other hand, maps that aren't 100 percent accurate for our testing area may be perfect near you. That's why it's so important that we hear from our readers.

With that in mind, I've rounded up a selection of the portable navigation devices with the highest average user ratings. If you've got a favorite GPS navigator, pop over to our GPS reviews list and leave a rating! … Read more

Beat the traffic with these GPS devices (roundup)

Getting from points alpha to bravo is cool. Getting there without going through a mind-numbing traffic jam is just the cat's pajamas!

These days, any old portable navigation device can accomplish the former, but the best differentiate themselves with their almost omniscient awareness of the roads between where you are and where you're going. A good traffic monitoring system can not only save you time, but can also help save you money at the pump and reduce your environmental impact by reducing the amount of fuel wasted idling.

With that in mind, I've rounded up a selection of the portable navigation devices with the best implementation of traffic data and avoidance technology, and even a few quirkier implementations of the tech below for your perusal. … Read more

Garmin's Nuvi 3590LMT cozies up to Android phones for data

LAS VEGAS--Garmin's no stranger to connected portable navigation devices (PNDs), but its newest top-of-the-line model connects to the Internet using the connection that you've already got in your pocket.

Previous generations of Garmin's connected PNDs utilized an internal GSM antenna to connect to the NuLink service. The new Nuvi 3590LMT is able to connect via Bluetooth to an Android phone running its Garmin Smartphone Link app, gaining access to Garmin's live services such as traffic information, traffic camera images, weather, and fuel prices to its navigation device, utilizing the smartphone's mobile data plan. The free … Read more

Garmin Nuvi Essentials series: Simple, yet effective

Sometimes, you don't want a ton of bells and whistles on your GPS device. Sometimes, you just want to reliably and cheaply get from point Alpha to Bravo.

Enter Garmin's Essentials series of Nuvi GPS navigators. Specifically, we're taking a look at the largest model in the entry-level Essentials series: the 5-inch Garmin Nuvi 50.

There aren't many surprises here where design is concerned. If you've handled a Garmin Nuvi in the last half decade, you'll know exactly what to expect from the 50. The icons are all where you'd expect them to … Read more