Zaku_4
01-21-2007, 11:48 PM
Product Name: Mio C310s
Place of Purchase: staples canada, online
Price: 270 - 20 (coupon from rfd) + tax = 285
Rating out of 5: 5/5
Pros:
- very fast route recalculation if u miss turns
- lots of POI's preloaded
- american AND canadian maps included
- SD expanadable memory format (built in 512mb for 310s)
- runs on windows CE = hackable for video, contacts, CE stuff lol
- built in mp3 player
- sirFstarIII antenna *
- VERY LOUD onboard speaker
- 3.5mm jack to plug into cars aux
- auto switch between daymode and nightmode
Cons:
- takes like 10+ seconds to lock onto signal *
- gets kinda lost once in a parking lot/mall area (like with most gps devices)
- thinks 5am is daytime, thus auto turns on daymode
- no BT
- no fm transmitter
SUMMARY:
this is like the MAZDA3 of gps systems. its the best bang for the buck. show me another 3.5inch touch screen gps system that has this much potential and is this easy to use. not to mention uses the sirfstarIII antenna (which apparently is a really good reciever/antenna from what im reading). best 285 bucks ive ever spent.
hello,
so after a long time, i finally decided to get myself a gps device for ym mx5. lol well, the first thing that MOST PEOPLE commented on was the fact that it looks like a toy. its white with orange lights and yeah... looks more like a off-brand ipod video/organizer/video player than a gps device. not to mention the fact that my cars interior is already 2 toned (flat black with piano black divider to saddle brown/orange leather and plastics). needless to say, it might look strange to others, i think it looks nicely.
now one of my biggest problems with buy any electronic thing, is the fact that i migiht have to read the manual to get going. i love things that work out of the box wihtout any need to read the manual, and surprisingly, my first GPS device has this characteristics. i poped it out, installed the mount, and off i was. no need to read the manual, it was very straight forward.
in terms of accuracy this thing is pretty spot on, give or take 10-30 meters. mainly cause the maps prebuilt on this system (for north america) are 2 years old (2002). and because the maping software/solution/plotters they use are mainly american, meaning its an american based company which just happens to give a shit, a very small shit, about canadian roads lol.
now being my first gps device, i really have nothing to compare this too, but i like it. being that its run off windows CE and is bascially a PPC, u can delete its preloaded miomap/igo software and run tomtom or whatever turns ur crank.
the daymode/nightmode thing is pretty cool. it basically changes screen brightness and the look of the map and interface to represent daytime or nighttime. the reason is kinda obvious, so its not so crazily distracting to you or other drivers during diferent times. the nightmode looks really cool, its like black and dark blue... very stealth-like
being canadian, we did kinda get the short end of the stick. out S version doesnt have BT or more memory built in, but thats ok. though i really would like a FM transmitter (cause my car doesnt have a pre-existing aux jack). bt would have been nice too, but i guess we cant have it all!
there are sevearl versions of this system, if i remmeber correctly:
c310*
s = 512 internal
x = 1gb + BT
sx = 1gb + BT
the last 2 (x+sx) dont have canadian maps, but can be easily downloaded off many gps forums and even RFD. if u CAN get the america version, then u got a really good system!
EDIT: im not sure what the BT does for this system. im going along the assumption its for voice calls when paired with compatable device and for file transfer. on a side note, u can use BT to install many things.
Place of Purchase: staples canada, online
Price: 270 - 20 (coupon from rfd) + tax = 285
Rating out of 5: 5/5
Pros:
- very fast route recalculation if u miss turns
- lots of POI's preloaded
- american AND canadian maps included
- SD expanadable memory format (built in 512mb for 310s)
- runs on windows CE = hackable for video, contacts, CE stuff lol
- built in mp3 player
- sirFstarIII antenna *
- VERY LOUD onboard speaker
- 3.5mm jack to plug into cars aux
- auto switch between daymode and nightmode
Cons:
- takes like 10+ seconds to lock onto signal *
- gets kinda lost once in a parking lot/mall area (like with most gps devices)
- thinks 5am is daytime, thus auto turns on daymode
- no BT
- no fm transmitter
SUMMARY:
this is like the MAZDA3 of gps systems. its the best bang for the buck. show me another 3.5inch touch screen gps system that has this much potential and is this easy to use. not to mention uses the sirfstarIII antenna (which apparently is a really good reciever/antenna from what im reading). best 285 bucks ive ever spent.
hello,
so after a long time, i finally decided to get myself a gps device for ym mx5. lol well, the first thing that MOST PEOPLE commented on was the fact that it looks like a toy. its white with orange lights and yeah... looks more like a off-brand ipod video/organizer/video player than a gps device. not to mention the fact that my cars interior is already 2 toned (flat black with piano black divider to saddle brown/orange leather and plastics). needless to say, it might look strange to others, i think it looks nicely.
now one of my biggest problems with buy any electronic thing, is the fact that i migiht have to read the manual to get going. i love things that work out of the box wihtout any need to read the manual, and surprisingly, my first GPS device has this characteristics. i poped it out, installed the mount, and off i was. no need to read the manual, it was very straight forward.
in terms of accuracy this thing is pretty spot on, give or take 10-30 meters. mainly cause the maps prebuilt on this system (for north america) are 2 years old (2002). and because the maping software/solution/plotters they use are mainly american, meaning its an american based company which just happens to give a shit, a very small shit, about canadian roads lol.
now being my first gps device, i really have nothing to compare this too, but i like it. being that its run off windows CE and is bascially a PPC, u can delete its preloaded miomap/igo software and run tomtom or whatever turns ur crank.
the daymode/nightmode thing is pretty cool. it basically changes screen brightness and the look of the map and interface to represent daytime or nighttime. the reason is kinda obvious, so its not so crazily distracting to you or other drivers during diferent times. the nightmode looks really cool, its like black and dark blue... very stealth-like
being canadian, we did kinda get the short end of the stick. out S version doesnt have BT or more memory built in, but thats ok. though i really would like a FM transmitter (cause my car doesnt have a pre-existing aux jack). bt would have been nice too, but i guess we cant have it all!
there are sevearl versions of this system, if i remmeber correctly:
c310*
s = 512 internal
x = 1gb + BT
sx = 1gb + BT
the last 2 (x+sx) dont have canadian maps, but can be easily downloaded off many gps forums and even RFD. if u CAN get the america version, then u got a really good system!
EDIT: im not sure what the BT does for this system. im going along the assumption its for voice calls when paired with compatable device and for file transfer. on a side note, u can use BT to install many things.