Navman ICN 550

Advantages Full european street mapping
Disadvantages A little pricey

...With my job, I have to do quite a lot of driving on a regular basis. I know the route like the back of my hand, but every now and then, when there is an accident on the way, I need to turn off and find a new way. It isn't always easy to look at the map, and keep my eyes on the road at the same time. I had heard about satellite navigation systems (sat-nav) and decided to take a look at them. I had no idea what I was looking for, so asked around. Having looked at all the options, and the budget I had available, I decided to choose the Navman iCN 550, including the optional traffic module. It is a choice I have never regretted. **IN THE BOX** When you open the box, you will find the following:- Navman iCN 550 Car charger Mains charger Windscreen mount Instructions Guarantee Advertising for other Navman products CD... Read review

Advantages Easy to set up and has a backup battery that lasts 2 to 3 hours.
Disadvantages In bright light, reflective screen glare is a problem.

...I have now acquired a NAVMAN 550 (£399 from Comet) which comes with street lavel maps of all Western Europe on a hard disk. Build quality not quite as good as the 635 (made in china whereas 635 made in NZ), rattles slightly - probably the hard disk housing but has an internal rechargeable battery which lasts about 2.5 to 3 hours. One minor problem (on both models) - although it is possible to import up to 25 POI files (speed cams etc,) only 16 can be made 'active', this restriction is not documented as far as I can find. The 550 has a touch screen and it is easier to set up a destination than the 635 but the screen is smaller and seems to suffer more from reflective glare than the 635. The 550 came with a Traffic module but to use it, you have to drape a wire aerial across your windscreen. The quality of the traffic reports... Read review