Archive for January, 2009
An Introduction to the Garmin Nuvi 1300
The Garmin Nuvi 1300 series was released May 20, 2009, and it could be exactly what you've been waiting for. GPS technology has been sweeping the nation, and Garmin is well-known as an innovative leader. The company has already wowed the driving public with numerous previous models, and now they have introduced the 1300s which have all the features of the popular 760 and more but at a much more affordable price. You'd probably expect to pay a whole lot more than $250 for a widescreen GPS with all of the features this line has, but now you won't have to.
When you buy a Garmin Nuvi 1300, you get a lot of powerful information contained in a small, ultra-slim case. Not only will this little device help you when you drive, but it can also make walking and riding public transit more hassle free. It features a 4.3-inch wide touchscreen for ease of use, enhanced user interface, millions of pre-loaded points of interest, and bright, anti-glare maps of 49 states and Puerto Rico. And although it all sounds pretty great so far, this is only the beginning of what the Nuvi 1300 has to offer.
One of the major drawbacks of earlier GPS systems is that in order to use the information, you had to take your eyes off the road so that you could read what was on the screen. We can all be grateful that technology has come a long way since that time. Text-to-speech gives you directions orally so that your eyes never have to leave the road. The Garmin Nuvi 1300 will tell you the names of places and roads and announce exits and street names. You'll never find yourself missing an exit or having to backtrack again. You can also customize your unit by programming in special points of interest.
With the popularity of walking sky-rocketing, Garmin has also taken the lead in including features for pedestrians on their GPS systems. Downloadable CityXplorer and city guides are available for purchase on the garmin.com website. That way you only have to pay for the city information you actually need instead of paying up front for a bunch of data for cities you'll never visit. You may also enjoy having the Public Transit mode on your GPS which will enable to you find the best routes using the bus, metro, tramway, or suburban railway system.
Another great feature on the Garmin Nuvi 1300 is ecoRoute. EcoRoute will help you locate the most fuel-efficient ways to your destinations saving you both gas and money. In addition, this feature will generate reports that you can use in your fuel conservation efforts. Those of us who can remember when gas cost $.29.9 per gallon can fully appreciate how much the price of gas has risen, even when it appears to go down at the pump, and we know how important it is to use less fuel in order to save ourselves some money. The Nuvi 1300 and the reports telling you your fuel consumption and mpg will give you will extra assistance you in your efforts to save.
Paul Julian writes about the best portable GPS systems at http://www.hubpages.com/hub/Hiking-with-an-Etrex-Venture-HC-Portable-Handheld-GPS
by: Paul_Julian
