The hardware has been compared to the Medion done little. The resolution has not improved, details and small print slightly blurred. However, the display has remained dull. An active holder is absent and the mounting fiddly. For this you can use a standard USB cable. In cable, unfortunately is still the thick TMC antenna integrated. The GPS tracking is lightning fast and meter accuracy. Even without capacitive display the touch operation is possible well and without delays, the Route calculation will be very fast. The processor is so will function perfectly.
The brightness can turn up well. Setting Even the display presentation on Vertical. Because of the viewing-angle dependence of the passenger looks but poor. The voice of Steffi "is from 80 percent shaky. At high speeds it also has hearing problems. That's why even speakerphone and voice command function are only limited use. Sometimes the Bluetooth connection breaks off. After turning off the Garmin has partially forgotten preferences. Four screws on the back can, however, hope for a simple battery replacement.
Purchase decisive was the Lifetime Warranty. Up to thirty years willingly? Package it is, if there is no map data or traffic for this device more, the update has finished. In vain you a minimum date. There are guaranteed three years new maps as TomTom better?
The cards have the usual mistakes. In a motorway exit directions and entry and exit (A73; Hirschaid) were reversed. Once was an unknown number (not for TomTom). The POI are chaotic. The device prompts for "Address Search" necessarily have a house number, just the city center can not. Choose POI "+ city, nonsensically the rod into the first memory road (alphabetically, for example Maple Street").
Manual ??? Just a quick start guide is included, which means the device is poor. But the instructions from the Internet is just a short and leaves many questions unanswered.
The software is far from optimal. Toll is the live junction view, much too small. In split screen mode, only a couple of pixels for the display of signs remain. Far too little is individually adjustable. On the other hand diverse set is unimportant. So the representation of the current position as an arrow, car, truck .... Garmin advertises proud that now POI appear on the display (was my Medion already!). Below are arbitrarily but only POI more or less close to the route. Massively preferred the Volksbanken, during McDonalds is embezzled right off the highway. I did not know how many people there are banks! Set which want to see POI you, you can not, unfortunately. So you can well as earlier show the parking near the finish just above the list reasonable.
While there are many different "cockpit representations" but only one in which one beside km / h nor arrival, route and time can be set simultaneously visible. Of the 6.5 cm height then remain only 4 cm for the card (with my much smaller Medion there were at least 5 cm full!). Wherever you go you then can only imagine, because in the direction of travel only 3 cm card appear, in contrast to the width 11 cm. What a waste of space on the big screen. The values on the right or left side view is obviously such a great feature that should remain the 3xxx series reserved. Actually, the device must only be used in portrait orientation make sense!
TMC - Pro works, probably is not much more information such as traffic information. When and where traffic jams are to be expected does not open up without pressing a button. Good solution is the route diversion.
What I would like to see: useful manual, active holder, a less viewing angle dependent higher-resolution display, display the POI I need a map display that provides plenty of visibility in the travel direction and clearer menus. Why can not adapt as volume and brightness of itself to the environment a device?
As an aside: There is a current ADAC test, but which is not understandable for me. For the navigation I think is well done. Hence the good score of Garmin in eventing results I can not understand. Probably not because it can play Audible overpriced "audiobooks on a scratchy speaker or offer a limited 30-day language Fürer? Why should the same be better at TMC Navigon than Garmin?
Conclusion: Overall, a good device, which can be overlooked the shortcomings of the hardware. Annoyingly, the loveless, minimally developed continuously and unmatched for the unit standard Garmin software. Without much effort, a good device could have been it. How can ausschauen menus you see the TomTom 1015 (only works well not be reliable). In addition, the Garmin is naturally much cheaper, because come in four years of use in addition to the higher purchase price at least another 100 for the Live services to which are indispensable for the traffic. Against good home cooking I would not ...
Update (12.06.2012): In Germany the unit functioned so far down to 2-3 dropouts with no problems. For a vacation in June 2012 to Sweden it worked only the first few days without any problems, then began but to, to hang on a regular basis after 5-10 minutes (screen frozen, pull even plug remained without reaction, only seconds long press the start button cold start possible; error also occurred without active navigation and was associated partly with massive image errors). On the way home in Germany there was again no problems. Garmin does not recommend the current software (installed!) And recommends to factory settings reset. I can report next year if it does what! Especially abroad reliable navigation is important, but with this device you drive as long as wrong until you "crash" noticed. Whether software or hardware failure, a so unreliable device does not deserve a single star.
