mySimon GPS Devices Shopping Picks

Panasonic has jumped into the already-crowded GPS market with its first portable navigation device, the Strada CN-GP50U. The Strada has a 5" touch-screen display set in a slim body (it's just over an inch thick) so it's compact and easy to carry. It's got a text-to-speech function that reads out road names, Bluetooth for hands-free calling, and an SD card slot. The Strada comes with an SD card preloaded with 1.8 million points of interest and maps of the US, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

Got GPS? The new Garmin Nuvi 760 is ready to go right out of the box, with 2D and 3D maps, turn-by-turn voice directions, and a 4.3" touchscreen display. The "Where Am I?" feature displays the nearest address and intersection, along with the closest hospitals, police stations, gas stations, and more. And - get this - it remembers where you parked (which, of course, is only helpful if you remember to take it with you when you leave the car). Finally, it has integrated Bluetooth with a built-in microphone and speaker for hands-free calling. More GPS devices.

First there was the entry-level TomTom One, a portable GPS device with a 3.5" screen. Then came the TomTom One XL, which upped the screen size to 4.3" and added Bluetooth. Now there's the TomTom One XL-S, which adds text-to-speech technology (we assume that "S" in its name stands for "speech"). If you want it to, the device will read aloud street names, road numbers, traffic warnings, weather information, and more. You get to choose from 55 different voices. And like its predecessors, the TomTom One XL-S is easy to use and ready to go right out of the box.

Want more than just directions from your GPS? The Mio DigiWalker C720t also has a media player (music, photos, videos) and a 2-megapixel digital camera. Yeah, we know, your camera is better, but the Mio's camera can "tag" photos with GPS coordinates, so you know exactly where you took a picture, and if you want to go back to that spot, the Mio can direct you. Sounds like something out of CSI, right? Other features of the Mio include Bluetooth, hands-free calling, SD/MMC memory card slot, and a 90-day free trial subscription to the Traffic Message Channel. More Mio GPS units.

Hit the road or the trail with Garmin's portable eTrex Legend HCx. It's lightweight (just 5.6 ounces), waterproof, and sensitive enough to hold a GPS signal almost anywhere, including canyons and areas with heavy tree coverage. The device comes with a basemap of North America, and if you insert a MapSource card with detailed street maps into the microSD card slot, it will provide turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Prices start around $250. More Garmin eTrex GPS units.

If you're planning any Extreme Outdoor Adventures this fall, you might want to take along a GPS device and a walkie-talkie for safety. Or the Garmin Rino 530HCx, which combines both into one device (plus a compass, altimeter, and weatherman). The waterproof Rino will locate your position (even in heavy cover and deep canyons) and send your exact location to other Rino users. And the walkie-talkie lets you communicate with any FRS/GMRS radio up to 14 miles away. Driving? The Rino will give you turn-by-turn directions. The Garmin Rino 520HCx is the same thing as the 530HCx, minus the weather receiver, altimeter, and compass.

You land in a new city. You pick up your rental car. You're hungry. You see a T.G.I. Friday's near your hotel but you just can't hack another night of "loaded potato skins." If you had the Navman 7100, you could browse Zagat restaurant ratings, find the nearest 25-point Italian restaurant, be navigated (with text or voice guidance) to said restaurant, and soon be relaxing over a glass of chianti. The Navman 7100 also gives you free traffic updates, pictures of actual road signs and interchanges, Bluetooth, and 4 million points of interest.

The latest addition to the entry-level Garmin Nuvi GPS series is the pocket-sized Garmin Nuvi 260. It's not much bigger than a deck of cards, but still has a 3.5" touchscreen display and room for SD cards to expand its memory. The Nuvi 260 is ready to go right out of the box, because it comes preloaded with street maps, points of interest, and more. You can choose 2D or 3D maps, and have it give you turn-by-turn voice instructions that use actual street names (instead of "turn right in 200 feet"). See all Garmin Nuvi GPS devices.

Dude, where's my dog?! Find out with the Garmin Astro. Designed for hunters, this canine GPS system should also appeal to dog owners who have large plots of land, or dogs who like to run away. Just put the wireless transmitter on your dog (either with the included harness or with an e-collar) and monitor your dog's position on the handheld device. The "Dog Tracker" function tells you exactly where he is, as well as what he's doing (running, sitting, on point, etc.), up to 5 miles away. The Astro also works like a regular handheld GPS device, with turn-by-turn directions and detailed street maps. Also useful: The Dog E-Tag.

Improving on last year's successful TomTom One GPS device, TomTom has come out with the TomTom One XL, which increases the screen size from 3.5" to 4.3". The plug-and-go portable device has all the basics: Voice prompts in 36 languages, turn-by-turn instructions, 2D and 3D graphics, and millions of points of interest. And it comes with built-in Bluetooth for accessing TomTom's PLUS service (real-time traffic information, weather conditions, city maps, celebrity voices, and instant messaging) on your cell phone.

With turn-by-turn voice instructions, street-specific guidance, and text-to-speech functionality, the Mio C520 will get you to your destination while letting you keep your eyes on the road. But the budget GPS device does have an attractive 4.3" widescreen display that offers a splitscreen interface and is easily viewed in direct sunlight. Other features include a built-in media player with an SD/MMC memory card slot, integrated Bluetooth support for hands-free calling, and real-time traffic updates with an optional cradle. More Mio GPS units.

Garmin just released 3 new portable GPS units. The Garmin Nuvi 200, shown here, is the most affordable, with an easy-to-use 3.5" touchscreen display, SD media card expansion slot, and built-in MP3 player, audible book player, and picture viewer. The Nuvi 200 comes with preloaded maps of the continental US, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The more expensive Nuvi 250 and Nuvi 270 have all the same features, but come with additional maps of North America and Europe.

If your laptop, PDA, or smartphone has Bluetooth, you can add GPS to it with the Garmin Mobile 10. It comes with maps and navigation software that you can put onto a data card for your mobile device, or you can just put the DVD into your laptop. The portable receiver is about the size of a deck of cards, provides voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions (for driving or walking), and has a battery that lasts up to 20 hours. More Garmin GPS units.

Magellan just announced 3 new Maestro GPS units. The entry-level Maestro 4000, the mid-level Maestro 4040, and the deluxe Maestro 4050. The devices all have 4.3" anti-glare color touchscreens, preloaded maps, voice guidance, and searchable databases of points of interest. Maestros 4040 and 4050 have more features, including Bluetooth, advanced voiced routing instructions, and real-time traffic data.

The Mio DigiWalker H610 will help you reach your destination by car, by bike, or by foot. It comes preloaded with maps and a multimedia player (Ahem: We are not suggesting you watch videos on it while you drive), as well as a world clock, weather forecaster, currency converter, and 4 games. Its only drawback is the small 2.7" touch screen, which might be hard to see while driving, but it does provide voice instructions.

Garmin's MAP60 CSx is an all-purpose upgradeable handheld GPS device that will work in the car, guiding you to your destination, and then help you out on long hikes and outdoor adventures - it's got an electronic compass, a barometric altimeter, and a battery that lasts up to 20 hours. The device comes with a base map for North and South America, but also has a MicroSD card slot so you can load your own maps for better reference. More outdoor GPS units.

Does your smartphone have Bluetooth? Then you can easily turn it into a GPS system, with Garmin's Mobile 20 package. The portable phone mount has a built-in GPS receiver, speaker, and microphone (so can talk on your phone hands-free), and it comes with a data card that has navigation software, street maps, and a points of interest database. Just insert the card into your phone, place your phone in the mount, and start navigating. Note: Smartphone not included. More GPS receivers.

With a large 4.3" touch screen, real-time traffic updates, voice-guided directions, and integrated Bluetooth, the Garmin Nüvi 660 is the perfect travel companion for families going "over the hills and through the woods" for Thanksgiving celebrations next week. The Nüvi 660 is pre-loaded with detailed maps of the U.S. and Canada, and comes with a built-in FM transmitter, MP3 player, and audio book player that will help change "are we there yet?" to "we're here already?" More GPS units.

The latest issue of PC Magazine includes a pretty positive first look at the TomTom Go 910. The new GPS receiver has a neat suction cup design, with a 4" wide touchscreen LCD and "outstanding text-to-speech capabilities." The TomTom Go 910 comes preloaded with maps of the US, Canada, and Europe, and can speak 36 languages in 50 different voices. Smart extras include Bluetooth, built-in MP3 player, and a 20GB hard drive. More TomTom GPS units.

Train smarter with the Garmin Forerunner 305 on your wrist. This heart rate monitor, GPS receiver, computer, and personal trainer records and stores everything about your run or ride: Heart rate, speed, distance, pace, calories burned, and route, so you can tailor workouts to meet specific goals and objectives. You can even get a detailed post-workout analysis on your PC, thanks to the included Training Center software. Already have a heart rate monitor? Get the Garmin Forerunner 205.