threevue

One of my first priorities after moving to the Baltimore/DC area was getting a couple GPS units for myself and the wife. My iPhone uses GPS tracking and Google Maps but it doesn’t provide navigation like a GPS unit, and reading the iPhone’s map application is a two-person affair (one to drive, one to read the map). When it came down to it, I had to lay down some moolah on a proper GPS or I’d be driving blind in the US’s biggest metropolitan-traffic nightmare.

I had used a Garmin during a cross-country road trip last year and I was very happy with it, so I honestly didn’t even consider the other GPS brands out there (TomTom, Magellan, etc). I settled on the Nuvi 255 mostly because it’s the cheapest model ($180) that calls out streets by name (as opposed to “turn left in 100 yards”). The 255W features a wider screen (4.3″ vs. 3.5″) but I don’t think that justifies its extra price ($225).

One of the nicest things about it is its 5-hour battery – I can charge the unit up overnight and grab it in the morning for my navigation needs. It also lets me save locations under “Favorites” for easy access later. And it shows you the current road’s speed limit and your speed, so you can easily see how close you are to getting a ticket.

The user interface isn’t the most intuitive, and it’s touch screen feels a little unresponsive compared to my iPhone or Nintendo DS, but it gets the job done. I bought one of those beanbag dashboard holders and it keeps it secured in place just fine.