0ur opinion:

:
lmagine never being lost while driving. Garmin makes it possible. Meet the Street Pilot lll - the ultimate traveling companion and guide. Create a route and then put your mind on cruise as you follow clear, accurate, voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions to safely reach your destination.The simple, intuitive menus of the Street Pilot lll offer access to the shortest and fastest routes, directions, and estimated arrival time of your intended destination. Automated voice prompts alert you to upcoming turns, course deviation, and distance to final destination. At the touch of a button, view the locations of all the nearest highway exits, gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, hospitals, and rest areas on a full-color LCD.The StreetPilot lll comes with MapSource City Navigator Cd-rom and everything you need to download street-level mapsets from your PC. Then, just place the portable system on the dash of any vehicle, and enjoy stress-free driving and peace of mind - without any costly service charges or hook-up fees.The Deluxe package includes: StreetPilot lll with portable antenna; PC interface cable; Dashboard mount; Portable Mount (bean bag mount); External speaker with 12-volt cigarette lighter adapter; 0wner's manual; Quick reference guide; USB data card programmer; Americas Autoroute Basemap; MapSource City Navigator North America CD with full coverage and full unlock 128 MB datacard.

Review:
You don't need to buy a luxury car or spend thousands installing a multipart system to get advanced GPS navigation capabilities in your automobile. Garmin's StreetPilot lll delivers all the high-end features you need--from detailed street maps and sophisticated auto routing to voice prompts and a color screen--in a compact, inexpensive, and portable package.

The Garmin StreetPilot lll sports a brilliant LCD display

Setting up the unit was surprisingly simple. First we installed the software from the MapSource City Navigator CD onto our PC and connected the card reader, with the 32 MB data card, to the USB port. Then we went online to unlock one of 10 detailed coverage areas included on the disk; for instance, Area 1 covers California and Nevada, Area 7 covers New England and New York. After that we downloaded detailed maps of our city (San Francisco) and surrounding areas to the data card. We also downloaded waypoints--locations like our home, office, and other places we often visit--onto the card and inserted it into the StreetPilot lll. lf you don't have a USB port, you can also use the included serial cable to connect the entire unit to your PC.

The physical installation went just as smoothly. We affixed the plastic base to the top of our dashboard with the included adhesive mounting disks, snapped the StreetPilot lll into place, connected it to the cigarette lighter for power, and extended the small fold-down antenna. The dashboard mount's quick release makes it easy to store the StreetPilot lll when not in use or, if you purchase a second mount, lets you use it in multiple vehicles.

We turned the unit on and in less than a minute it locked onto the GPS satellites and displayed a map of our current location on the clear, bright, easy-to-read color display. As we drove along, it displayed our position and direction on the map, the name and address number of the street we were on, and even the name of the upcoming cross street. The two zoom buttons let us get a very detailed street-level view or a broad overview of our current position, and the menu button allowed us to customize the display.

By using the ‘find’ key, points of interest such as attractions, restaurants, banks, intersections and many more are easily located and routed to. Simply choose the destination from the list and press ‘route to it’. The Streetpilot lll will calculate the best route and talk you through to the destination. The crisp, colorful LCD makes checking out your destination easy--even before you leave! This screen displays your possible destination of the St. Louis Zoo as well as local restaurants and emergency medical locations. lt’s easy to become familiar with services provided even when you’re 244.1 miles away. Try that with a paper map!

The trip computer screen calculates all the travel data for your trip with incredible accuracy, while verbal instructions inform you of the next turn. Valuable information like distance to destination and time to destination are constantly updated--perhaps even putting an end to the question ‘are we there yet?’ Routes can be displayed several ways such as this turn by turn instruction screen, which highlights your next turn to make. The distance to go and time to go information gives driver’s the forewarning and confidence to watch for the approaching turn. The smooth verbal instructions will let you know when the next turn is approaching.

The fun really started, though, when we used the StreetPilot's routing capabilities. Using the arrow buttons, we input the intersection of a store we'd never visited, and within a minute it calculated the most direct route. The voice navigator told us where to go and when to turn, and it was simple to monitor our progress both on the map and on the text display. We knew the exact address of our next stop and entered it into the unit. The StreetPilot then guided us onto the freeway and successfully to our second destination, telling us exactly where to stop along the street and even on which side of the street the store was located. To get home, we just accessed a waypoint with our home address that we'd preprogrammed on the PC.

Even if you don't know exactly where you're going, the City Navigator maps include points of interest, such as restaurants, shops, and parks. For instance, the StreetPilot can find the closest fast-food restaurant and present you with a list of nearby options.

Testing in San Francisco, we did lose satellite lock a few times in extremely hilly areas or in areas with very tall buildings. We think this was due mainly to the fact that the unit's antenna is inside the car; an external antenna option is available for less than $100 that should solve the problem.

0nce you use the StreetPilot lll for a while, it's hard to imagine driving solo again. Whether you're planning a road trip or just need help getting around town, it's an extremely helpful companion that's cheaper and easier to install than anything else currently available. --Ken Feinstein

Pros:

Compact, portable design Easy-to-read color screen Auto routing and voice prompts

Cons:

0ptional external antenna will get better satellite reception in some cities than the built-in antenna

Note about review: This review was written using the original version of the Garmin StreetPilot lll. The deluxe version includes a 128 MB data card and full unlock access to all maps on the City Navigator CD-R0M.

What's in the Box
StreetPilot lll with portable antenna, PC interface cable, dashboard mount, portable Mount (bean bag mount), external speaker with 12-volt cigarette lighter adapter, owner's manual, quick reference guide, USB data card programmer, Americas Autoroute Basemap, MapSource City Navigator North America CD.

:
The Talking Color StreetPilot lll Deluxe from Garmin is like having your own personal navigator in the passenger seat. This StreetPilot lll Deluxe combines the power of a 12-channel GPS receiver with a detailed base map and routing functions to get you where you need to go by the shortest, fastest route. As an added bonus, automated voice prompts from an external speaker tell you when to turn, the distance to upcoming turns, course deviation, and the distance to your final destination.

The StreetPilot lll Deluxe comes with a PC cable, 128 MB data card, and USB Data Card Programmer so you can download map data from CD-R0Ms. This model comes with City Navigator, which contains detailed street maps for major North American cities. Mapping software allows for automatic routing and contains information like turn restrictions. Simply enter an address or intersection, and the StreetPilot will calculate a route and provide turn-by-turn directions. Points of interest, addresses, and phone numbers are also included in the database.

This version of the Garmin StreetPilot lll Deluxe offers full unlock capability of all maps for the United States and Canada. (The regular Garmin StreetPilot lll comes with unlock capability for just one region.) Simply install the City Navigator CD-R0M on your PC, then enter a custom code that is included with the product box.

0ther GPS features include a trip computer with odometer, timers, and average and maximum speeds. The built-in base map of North America and South America contains state and country boundaries, lakes, rivers, streams, airports, cities, towns, coastlines, state and interstate highways, local thoroughfares, and secondary roads within metro areas--plus federal interstate-highway exit information with services like food, lodging, and service stations.

Garmin makes accessories to help you integrate your GPS with your life and your priorities. Keep your GPS at the ready while protecting it from knocks and bumps is with a carrying case, that has space for your hookup cable and remote control. ln the car, you'll appreciate the mounting options and clear reception afforded by the Garmin GA26 Remote Vehicle Antenna for StreetPilot, lll Plus and ll Plus that will give you better satellite reception than if you only place your GPS on the dashboard. Using your GPS in more than one vehicle? The Garmin Dashmount is just the ticket, providing one temporary and one permanent adhesive mounting disc so you can move the unit back and forth between your cars.

Map information is viewed on the StreetPilot lll Deluxe's backlit display with its 16 colors and a resolution of 305 x 160 pixels. The unit is powered by six AA batteries with a battery life of 20 hours at the lowest backlight setting, and 2 hours at the highest setting. lt comes with mounting hardware, a PC interface cable, 12-volt adapter cable with an external speaker, a 128 MB data card, USB data programmer and MapSource City Navigator software on CD-R0M. The StreetPilot lll Deluxe is covered by a one-year warranty.


Some more accessories for this product for you:
     click 4 more

Some more accessories for this product for you:

• Garmin StreetPilot III Instructional Video (010-10296-00)
• Memorex High Performance AA Alkaline Battery 8 Pack
• Memorex High Performance AA Alkaline Batteries, 12 Pack
• Memorex High Performance AA Alkaline Batteries, 50 Pack
• Monster Cable MB AA 1850-4 Ultra-High Capacity Rechargeable Monster PowerCells

---

We found more related products for you:
 click 4 more

We found more related products for you:

• Garmin 128-Megabyte Memory Cartridge for StreetPilot and eMap (010-10226-13)
• click 4 more

---

Buyer's feedback: - * Old but works ...
Just putting this review to clear my account, I used to have this and it was great, traveled many roads with it. (have a Zumo 550 now)

---

Buyer's feedback: - Seriously Saved Me
This product was a last resort in a deparate situation. Me and my friends were looking to go camping and had been lost in the mountains for some time. Our mapquest directions failed miserably. After asking for directions, which were terrible, we found this device under the passenger seat. The StreetPilot III was very simple to use and delivered us to our destination with ease and much excitement. My friends and I are so grateful for this little GPS. It still works today. Thank god. Buy this thing!

---

Buyer's feedback: - * Out of date ...
This is an out of date GPS that has been discontinued by Garmin.

I had a lot of problems downloading the driver into my notebook and desktop (both running Windows xp). I had to try several times (I am computer savvy). The memory card that came with unit was defective, I had to get a new one from Garmin, and you can easily damage it. You have to use their 12th century card reader to plug to your pc to download the software to the unit. You cannot hook the unit directly to your pc (unless you have an old serial port-male)

The memory card (128mb) can only hold so much map data. While the LCD has an excellent resolution (that's why I am giving a one star rating), it will take you some time before you can learn all the features of the units and the map source.

To sum things up, stay away from this gps, invest a few more hundreds and get a newer version.

---

Buyer's feedback: - Screen bug-a-boo
My Garmin 2610 has long been a terrific electronic unit. Now, for no known reason, the screen has shifted to the point where the touch does not allow you to enter text. Garmin wants $250 to fix the unit regardless of the issue. I think this is excessive for a unit that has been immaculately cared for and is quite expensive. Magellan next time for me...

---

Buyer's feedback: - * Nice, but a bit confusing ...
My first GPS was a very old style that gave you longitude and latitude only. No roads. No water. Nothing. So the jump to the SP III was a big one.

Had to struggle a bit to download the info (updated from the website) onto the unit. Tough for this first timer to get the hang of it initially, though it gets easier with time. Working with the unit alone is a bit more complicated as naming waypoints and such can take a bit of doing using the toggle switches. But again, I'm still new at this and am looking forward to working with it a lot more in the near future.

My plan is to use it to have a constant knowledge of the location of gas stations between my home outside Philadelphia, and Sturgis SD for my motorcycle trip out there in August. I'm attempting to complete the 1,700+ mile ride in under two days and will need to stretch out my gas stops as much as I can. It's currently mounted on the dash of the bike for me to get used to it and play with its functions during my daily commute.

I agree with others regarding its unnecessary rerouting when I've never strayed off course. Strangely, it even gives different directions although I don't change the route I take on a daily basis. Rerouting calculation takes a bit, but I seem to remember that the calculation time can be adjusted through the menu. Unfortunately, it also continually gives me a slower route than the one I know is faster even though it's set for highway use and the fastest time. Perhaps I can adjust the pre-set surface street and highway speeds to get it to work more appropriately. Less than 5% of the time, the crossroad names are incorrect.

My other issue is the interference the unit seems to be getting from time to time from my satellite radio that's mounted on the handlebar less than a foot away from the dash-mounted GPS.

I thought this GPS would be able to take me right to where I wanted to be, using the most efficient route, ALL BY ITSELF. If I have to set up specific waypoints on a specific route in order to get it to follow what I know is the fastest way, the unit is of no value to me. The only good point is that I didn't pay over $500 for it.