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.

Tags: Added Touch, Car Market, Electronic Devices, Gps Car, Gps Lowrance, gps navigation, gps navigation systems, gps systems, Hard Drive, Hard Drives, Iway 500c, Long Time, Lowrance Electronics, lowrance gps, Lowrance Iway 500c, Main Menus, Maps, Music Player, Natural Progression, Points Of Interest, Sunlight, Time One, Tunes

3 Reasons that Car GPS Navigation Systems save Gas

There should be no doubt in anyone’s minds that fuel prices have become simply unbearable. And as a result of soaring oil prices, so much more has been affected, including the cost of food and other forms of energy. With this type of unplanned cost thrown into the financial equation, many consumers are trying to figure out ways to cut their costs everyway they can. And some have found their solution after realizing that car GPS navigation systems save gas. If you’re familiar with GPS systems, then it may be possible to comprehend how they can help you save on fuel costs, but if you’re not familiar then this topic may fly right over your head. So let’s take a brief look at these units to understand how they can benefit you on a daily basis.

Understanding Global Positioning Units

Global positioning units are well loved because they offer the opportunity to get directions to and from any location in the country by simply punching in the addresses that you’re leaving and heading for. Now you may be used to having this luxury with one of the many online mapping services available. But when was the last time that you could haul your computer with you to update those directions if you changed your mind on your destination? And when was the last time that this online service was able to guide you turn by turn to your location. That’s how these handy little units up the ante on their perks in relation to the online system.

Now you have an idea of what they can do for you, but have you learned yet how car GPS navigation systems save gas? If not then continue reading. There’s more for you to learn.

Find the Shortest Route Every Time

One of the benefits of one of these gadgets is that they are set up to find you the shortest route to any location you want to travel. Of course, if you’re familiar with your own city, then you know that there are dozens of different ways to get where you need to go. But how car GPS navigation systems save gas for you is by choosing the quickest, or most fuel efficient, route to your destination.

This is especially beneficial for those who are new to the city they’re in and have yet to find the quickest route. For example, imagine that you have just started a new job in your new city and have been offered by co-workers a great route to take that will give you a view of the lake on your way in. This is fine and dandy until you realize that you have been traveling 10 minutes out of your way every morning. If you owned a global positioning system, you could have communicated with it instead of your co-workers and saved a ton on gas.

Take Advantage of Detours

Accidents on the road are about as common as blinking your eyes – you can count on them to happen. The same holds true for bad weather. But while these things are bound to happen from time to time it doesn’t mean they have to hold you up on your way to the office, or back to your house. It is for this reason that many of GPS units offer some type of traffic and weather alerts system to warn you of impending traffic tie-ups, or bad weather on the way that could affect travel. But even companies creating this feature probably didn’t predict that their car GPS navigation systems save gas too.

Think about it, if you are traveling on a road that is known to flood when it rains, yet you had no idea that thunderstorms were moving into the area, you could be rapidly approaching a situation that will leave you having to find a quick detour, or worse, get caught in the water. The benefits of one of these devices is then two-fold because you not only can learn of the problem before you reach it, but also have the system create a new route for you that still is the shortest and fuel efficient possible, while keeping you out of harm’s way.

It is a definite that car GPS navigation systems save gas. But how can you take advantage of this great perk? By seeking out some great units on the market like Garmin, Magellan, TomTom and Navigon that are known for being very accurate and reliable. That way, when you take your next trip in town or out of the area, you can see for yourself how car GPS navigation systems save gas.

Tags: Car Gps Navigation, Car Gps Navigation Systems, Consumers, Cost Of Food, Daily Basis, Different Ways, Dozens, Forms Of Energy, Fuel Costs, Fuel Prices, Gadgets, Global Positioning Units, gps navigation systems, gps systems, Mapping Services, No Doubt, Oil Prices, Shortest Route, Time One, Unplanned Cost, When Was The Last Time