Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
by Garmin
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List Price: Our Price: $595.00 You Save: $304.99 (34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: GPS or Navigation System See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
Customer Review: Great Bike GPS
Summary: 5 Stars
I stewed over this for about a year. Researched TomTom Rider and Zumo from their release forward. Read reviews, found a place to see one in person. Set web price watch flags. Then had a price flag for the Zumo on Amazon and a gift refund from Amazon and couldn't hold off any longer. I hope you don't have to put yourself through this anticipation and am writing to re-assure you that this is a cool device.
Works well on my motorcyle integrating in with the dash as I mounted it on the left handle bar of my Yamaha FJR-1300 sport touring bike. At that level the screen is a perfect size, bright enough to be seen in daylight with shades on, and doesn't block any of my instruments. The bracket is very secure and the added screw security pin is reassuring. The controls are easy enough to use through gloves. The movement is clear and smooth and all of the funtionality as described by others is perfect for a motorcycle. The Blue-tooth worked great with my Scala Rider TeamSet pair of headsets, allowing both the rider and passenger to converse and hear the Zumo (directions, MP3, phone, etc.)
Took it on my next business trip and forgot to cancel the Hertz Neverlost that I always order. Put it on the windshield clip and watched them work at the same time... Zumo is a better car GPS too. I have a GPS in my two cars built in (Jaguar & Toyota). Really other than screen size there is no real difference in response. And the Zumo has the flexibility of downloading your track (like breadcrumbs) to your PC, or letting you create a route on the PC (even see it on Google Earth) and upload it to the Zumo. I can see people posting the data files for their favorite twisty trails online soon!
Haven't found anything that isn't great. Absolutely no buyer's remorse. And as always the interaction with Amazon and the Premium shipping subcription gets things to my door before I expect them. If you have the $$ this is a great toy to add to your toy!
Customer Review: Why did I wait so long
Summary: 5 Stars
to get a GPS?
When my unit arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see all that was included - two mounts, cables, software, etc.
I immediately installed the suction cup windshield mount in the car and played with it for several weeks. (Mount fell of the windshield once, but no further problems.)
My first experience was with a familiar route from which I deviated. The voice prompt kept trying to turn me around to continue on the route that it had calculated instead of recalculating the shorter/faster route that I drove.
I next used it for a 1400 mile trip. The constant directions to "keep right on I-95" were intrusive and unnecessary as I knew I had to stay on that route for hundreds of miles.
I discovered that a few street names were wrong and the text-to-voice mispronounced some names (Airport road was spoken as "Ayreporch."
I could have left it in the case for most of the trip, but it was INVALUABLE for negotiating local streets and finding my hotel, etc.
Just the lists of lodging and food would make this a useful asset for anyone traveling.
It would not prove useful for anyone depending on an accurate source for elevation. While on a fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico, it indicated my elevation was anywhere from +43 ft to 26 feet below sea level.
The estimated 4 hours on battery seems accurate as I got over 3 hours with it set to maximum brightness and with WAAS turned on, both of which reduces battery life.
This is my first GPS, so I have nothing to compare it to.
I also have not yet installed it on the bike, but will be doing that for a trip next week. Perhaps I'll add my experiences then.
In spite of the minor annoyances, I like it but would not have paid the manufacturer's list price for it. Amazon's price was still expensive, but more reasonable. The dual mounts almost make it like having two units!
Customer Review: Zumo 550 on a Harley FLSTSC
Summary: 5 Stars
The 550 works very well. Specs say it works between 32 & 140 degrees. I ride all winter - so far it works at 15 degrees F. Surprisingly easy to use with heavy winter riding gloves. The motorcycle mount is much cleaner than I expected. Very flexible, allowing the unit to tuck in close and not look dorky. The car mount is clean with an acceptable albeit not great speaker. It's VERY easy to move between vehicles. I was somewhat disappointed at first about the lack of a built in speaker, but if I need to walk around with it, it's no big deal to use your cell phone Bluetooth with it. Maybe that's the price you pay for a truely waterproof unit. While riding, you can hear the alert tone using a cell phone Bluetooth, but cannot understand the audio. I plugged in iPod ear buds into the bike mount and it sounds great without being obvious about being "plugged in" (I ride a half helmet). If you use a full face with built in speakers you will be very happy with the audio.
Others complained about the lack of things like a real compass and satellite acquisition display and built in speaker. I have addressed the speaker issue. The compass displays eight points (like the one in the rear view mirror of your GM car). That's all I really need. Showing the satellites it has acquired is neat - but what do I really care - the thing is very sensitive. I get 5 of 5 bars IN my house. The MP3 player does work well although it does not have play lists. You can at least sort by album, artist and genre. To listen to decent quality audio, you will need ear buds. Displaying pictures looks good but the response is a little sluggish.
Storing up to 50 routes is great - and being able to download them to Google Earth and visualize them is very slick (it does take Google Earth Plus - a $20 annual fee to support this feature).
Overall I am VERY pleased with this unit - it does exactly what I need (and then some) - looks great - very sturdy.
Customer Review: Zumo 550 with updated software (04/2007)
Summary: 5 Stars
I just wanted to comment on the Zumo 550 with current software. I purchased this unit about 3 weeks ago and before I got it I was a little disheartened by some people's reviews on some lacking features. However when i got the unit and upgraded to the latest software (that was available as of 4/15/2007) many negative comments seem to have been addressed (if I'm understanding the commented issues correctly). First the views of the unit seem very flexable and I don't see the limitations. You can select between 2-D top down views for the people who are used to that view or 3-D. The unit has multiple levels of zoom/un-zoom from the big buttons on the outside as well as on the touch screen... I'm just not seeing any limitations. You can also taylor how much detail you want to see on the screen ( more or less). The only thing I do agree with is the Icon's used to show your position (you can choose between about 6 or so) are kind of large. Would have been nice to have the choice to alter that but I chose the 'wedge' and it works nicely with the screen size. Second, definitely a software upgrade was the addition of two different compus views.. .one small indication on the main map screen and a full 360 degree compus graphic with ELEVATION on a separate screen (selectable from the big rubber buttons or through the menu). The unit is unbelievable compared to earlier units I've had .. I can litterally stand in my family room under cover and turnaround and move 1 step (sometimes 2 is needed) and the unit will reflect the change in direction! I use this with a common motorola razr phone and a Scala Rider helmet bluetooth unit (on a shoei rf-1000 helmet) and everything works perfectly. Also, as far as weatherproofing the manual indicates it can be kept under 1 meter of water for 30 minutes! Great mounting hardware and super easy to use.. definitely a fantastic unit with the latest software upgrades. Thanks.Customer Review: Zumo 550 is a Great GPS
Summary: 5 Stars
Listening to all of the complaints about the Zumo can, at times, be quite comical. "It doesn't have bluetooth stereo at 500 watts of power over my cell phone," etc, etc. I bought the unit six months ago and mounted it on a Harley Ultra Classic and then promptly left on a 4,500 mile trip. I found the thing to be highly reliable and remarkable in the amount of data available for recall or review. Once you get used to using the search features, it's like having an electronic Yellow Pages at your disposal. The only thing it couldn't find was my wife when she got loose in Macy's. Only occasionally did the thing route me along a path that I wouldn't have chosen otherwise. But, I simply ignored it on those occasions and struck out on my own. There is a tendency to forget that I chose how the thing calculates a route; shortest travel distance or faster travel time. In that regard, the unit is rarely off track--it does what you ask it to do. Only once have I encountered a situation where it asked me to turn on a road that did not exist. I just ignored the direction and it recalculated, sending me on the correct path. It will not, however, play 45 RPM or LP records. Who cares if the speaker isn't loud enough, it can't be heard on a motorcycle anyway. Remember that this is a GPS unit designed to guide you from point A to point B, with a minimum of fuss and confusion. In that regard, the unit performs remarkably well and should provide years of dependable service. I've used the Zumo in the Middle East and in Eastern Europe with equal success and have experienced no difficulties at all. If your goal is to purchase a mapping system that will take you from point A to point B, you will be well pleased. If you want an entertainment center, then avoid the Zumo and go visit a Panasonic electronics dealer.