GPS Systems and Reviews

Lowrance iWay 500C GPS Steady Strong Performer

Lowrance electronics have been making electronic devices for a number of years mostly for the fishing and marine market so it was a natural progression when they decided to enter the GPS car market. The things that they have learned from the other markets can only help this company as they enter one of the hottest markets in the industry. The Lowrance iWay 500C looks to make its mark real quickly. Read further and you will learn what you can expect from the 500c and all it can do.

The 500C has a larger 5-inch screen that has a 320 by 320, 256-color display and it is very bright and readable even in direct sunlight. Sometimes the sun can be a problem, but this model seems to handle it very well which is something I really have to give this company credit for. The device measures 6.1 by 4.5 by 2.2 inches so it is small in size and very portable which another plus is for it. It weights slightly over 2 pounds, which really is not a lot, and it is sealed and watertight which can be expected since they have been in the marine and fishing arena for a very long time.

One of the things that I have to give Lowrance credit for is they seemed to have big hard drives on their products and this one is no different. You get a built-in 20GB hard drive in which 10GB is used to store your maps and points of interest and the other 10GB is for you the consumer to use. You may wonder what you will do with the other memory, but it comes in very handy. You can download more things to your unit or use it to download songs for the built in MP3 player. Yes, you heard me right it does have a built-in music player so you can take your favorite tunes with you when you travel. A nice added touch for those really long trips.

Five buttons are arranged vertically along the right edge of the unit which provide basic functions include power/backlighting, a map/music toggle, speak/volume, and the find and main menus. These are all easy to access and seem to work very well. The touch screen interface works very well and you should be up and running in no time, as Lowrance products are real user friendly, which is something I really like about them. You also can choose what data you would like to appear on the screen as you drive down the road. For many people this is a very important feature, as they always want to see what is going on.

The point of interest database that is included is very vast and you should not have any trouble at all finding what you need from it. The 500C has an audible prompt when it is time to turn and the screen will shift to turn preview mode. In this mode, many different things will appear to make your turns and keep you on route much easier. I like this feature and it seemed to work real well in all tests.

Overall, the Lowrance iWay 500C is a thing of beauty. You get a much larger screen than what most people is use to. The touch screen interface works extremely well and it is easy to operate. It should take you no time at all to get going with this model. A built-in MP3 player also is something I really like and it gives you a chance to listen to your favorite tunes as you travel down the highway. It seems more companies are now making this standard in their newer issues, which is something I’d like to see.

Performance wise the iWay 500C is a solid performer at a very good price. Out of the box this one is easy to operate and it will have you cruising down the road in no time at all. If you are looking for a bigger screen with some great added features than look no more the Lowrance iWay 500C has arrived. Grab yours and enjoy what this new model has to offer. With an MP3 player and a big memory there really is no limitations place on this unit. If you need a solid GPS unit than this is one that should be on your radar that is for sure. The company has been in business for years and has a solid reputation so you know they will stand behind their products. This model is one of the better ones.

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