I got the Harmon/Kardon GPS-500


I enjoy it, it does me very well......charges via mini USB.....I likes!

 

I'm suprised I didn't see anyone talking about navigon or maybe I missed it?

Anyways I have the 2100:



And it works great haven't had any problems with it at all since I got it in the fall (sat in front of staples for it on black friday had nothing else to do) have been pretty impressed with it so far. Should be able to click the picture to see a bigger picture of it. By the way, it has traffic updates and alternate routes for those issues that spring up and it hasn't cost me a dime.

 

I just looked at that Navigon website and it seems like they want to charge you $79 for "up to 12 quality updates over three years" to your maps.

I don't know about any other brands but I've never been prompted to buy an update for my HP nor have I been able to find anything on their website that looks like they want more money in exchange for maps. I've already updated a couple times now since I bought it in February.

From a quick look at other brands, Garmin asks for a serial number before saying anything about what updates are available for a particular model and if they charge to update. The site does mention unlock codes for updates, which sounds like it could mean they want money for an unlock code. TomTom, Mio and Magellan come right out with it and want another $79 for map updates like Navigon.

Maybe I lucked out in buying one that gives free map updates? I don't know. But hell, if some companies charge for updates while others freely distribute them, I'd definitely add the cost of map updates in to the cost of the GPS itself.

 

I used Mio and have 2 other people who I recommend it for. Cheap and good overall.

 

I could see charging for maps of other countries. All come with maps of the US, some come with Canada and Puerto Rico.
If you really don't want to pay, torrent?

 

They all seem to be charging for map updates. As in, if you want that new road that got built after whatever map you have was made to show up on your GPS, you need to update the map.

 

I remember someone telling me there was a way to update the maps for free I'll get back to ya when I remember how.