May 15, 2006

GPS Review: Garmin StreetPilot C550

The Garmin StreetPilot line is a popular line in the mid-tier for automotive GPS devices. I had a chance to review the StreetPilot c340 last year, and I thought it was a great GPS. Garmin has announced the StreetPilot C550 model and the first reviews are showing up on the web; verdict is that the new unit is good. Overall, the big news on the new StreetPilot C550 is that it has Bluetooth connectivity, which is something that TomTom has had for a while in their GO line. But that’s not all the new StreetPilot C550 has going for it.

Update: See what we had to say about the Garmin StreetPilot C550 in our Review after using it for a month at the GPS Lodge - ReadMore

Bluetooth Capability
First let’s explore the Bluetooth features more. The StreetPilot C550 has that ability to work with over 200 models of mobile phones. There is a list at Garmin’s website, if you want to check out if your phone is supported. The StreetPilot C550 allows you to call out, and when you receive a call, it can also display caller ID information. Much like Garmin’s great “Go Home” button that allows you to navigate to your most popular destination, they have a “Call Home” button, which will most likely be a pretty popular place to call too. On top of this, the Point of Interest Database has phone numbers in it, so when you pull up that place you are going for dinner, you can call ahead and make reservations with the tap of a button.

Traffic Enabled
The StreetPilot C550 is also Traffic enabled, with the receiver built into the power plug. This is a big plus over models that have the antenna as a separate part floating around your dashboard. The traffic features allow you to see what traffic messes are ahead for you in your travels and then offers you the ability to navigate around them.

Improved Anti-Glare Screen
On top of this, the screen is much improved, as it uses the anti-glare technology found in the higher end 2700 series models. It is a significant improvement over the current C300 series line.

So, the StreetPilot C550 model has several other nice additions - including MP3 playing capability. If you want to read more about them, see the link below to the PCMag article. Overall, they said, “The c550 is a solid upgrade to the c330 and C340 GPSs. While the c550 does carry a $100-to-$200 list price premium over the older models, the new Hi Bright screen, Bluetooth phone, and live traffic capabilities make this a significant improvement over its predecessors.” ReadMore

So, Garmin is definitely following TomTom into this space, as the US is just starting to get off the ground with Bluetooth availability. As garmin levels the playingfield here, it will be interesting to see how TomTom responds and if they can up the ante with their new widescreen TomTom GO products coming this summer.

Read More in: Automotive GPS | Bluetooth | GPS Reviews | Garmin GPS Reviews

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