navigation

Get a 3.5-inch TomTom GPS for $29.99

Let's do some math, shall we? You could pay a couple thousand dollars for an in-dash navigation system in your next car--or you could buy a portable GPS for $30. Decisions, decisions.

Today only, and while supplies last (which may not be long), Woot has the refurbished TomTom Ease 3.5-inch GPS for $29.99, plus $5 for shipping. That's one of the lowest prices I've ever seen on a top-brand GPS.

Update: Aaaaaand...sold out. If you're still interested, Technomotive has the Ease for $44.09 shipped. That's only about nine bucks higher than … Read more

Navigon to separate app and maps, support WM7

If you own a full-feature turn-by-turn mobile navigation app, you must know by now what a pain it is each time there's an update. This is because the updates, made up of both maps and the app itself, tend to be in gigabytes and therefore take hours to download via a normal broadband connection.

That's now going to change with the major update Navigon is releasing for its navigation apps for iOS and Android this fall. In Navigon 2.0, the company is changing the way updating works by separating the app and the maps. This means you can update the app, which is just about a few megabytes, or the maps independently.

Furthermore, maps are divided into different portions and you can just download those of areas you travel in, via a feature called MyMaps.

For example, if you live in California, you'll just need to use MyMaps within the app to download and keep maps of this state on your mobile device, instead of having to download maps of all 50 states and Canada the way you currently would. This way, the download will be just a few hundred megabytes at most, instead of a few gigabytes.

In addition to this, Navigon is introducing FreshMaps, an in-app purchase feature that offers quarterly updated maps. Those who don't want to opt for this feature can still use the old maps that are included with the app indefinitely.… Read more

OnStar FMV makes any vehicle a GM vehicle (hands-on)

Let's start with a bit of a confession. Despite having reviewed quite a few OnStar-equipped vehicles from automakers under the General Motors flag, I rarely, if ever, reach up to press that little blue "On" button while driving. There's just something about asking for directions that just doesn't sit right with me. So, it's a bit ironic that my first major immersion into the OnStar ecosystem happened in a Ford vehicle equipped with the OnStar FMV.

The OnStar FMV ("For My Vehicle") is a universal, standalone OnStar receiver that replaces the rearview … Read more

Garmin debuts on-demand GPS iOS app

It's always a good idea to have a premium navigation app on your phone when traveling, one that you can use without a cellular connection.

The problem is most of these apps are rather expensive, with price tags around $30 or more. This makes the app not a very good investment if you just want to use it a few times. This is the problem Garmin is trying to solve with its new GPS app for the iPhone.

The company announced today the StreetPilot OnDemand app for iOS devices. This is a full navigation app with offline maps that … Read more

TomTom Go Live 1535M: Has apps, will travel

TomTom's Live connected navigation service gets more useful with the addition of travel-specific apps by Yelp, TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Twitter. The TomTom Go Live 1535M will be the first device to take advantage of the new functionality, with owners of the Go Live 2353M gaining parity through a software update this fall.

The new apps will live in the Services menu and, to be fair, "Services" is a more apt description of the new functions than "Applications," but we shan't split hairs. What most of the apps do is provide access to a wider selection of points of interest (POIs) than could be preinstalled on the unit, along with secondary information about those POIs.… Read more

Android and iPhone battle for car tech superiority

Ford Mustang versus Chevrolet Camaro, Subaru Impreza WRX STI versus Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, BMW M3 versus Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG; and now Android versus iPhone joins the ranks of the great automotive rivalries. If there's one thing that all car guys (and gals) share, it's a love of a good competition. We Car Tech editors put these phones on the road to see which platform is better for in-car use.

This is a conflict that's been raging for years on the mobile battlefield. Both phone platforms have their pros and cons, but only one can be the best. … Read more

CNET Roadside Assistance 026: Show and tell (podcast)

Welcome to Car Tech Live, the show where the car tech guys take a moment to answer your email and voicemail... only today, that's not what we're doing at all. We've got a few products to showcase today and a preview of a showdown between tech giants... and of course, LOL Cars.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 026 SHOW NOTES

• LOLcars (photos)

Enable Bubble Buttons in Google Maps for Android

Google Maps recently updated and brought with it a new Labs feature called Bubble Buttons. The above video walks you through how to enable the new feature, as well as what exactly Bubble Buttons means for you.

If you aren't the video-watching kind, follow the steps below to enable Bubble Buttons for yourself. Before you do, though, make sure to check the Market to make sure you are running the latest version Google Maps.

Launch Google MapsPress the Menu buttonSelect MoreSelect LabsScroll down to Bubble Buttons, tap to enable 

Now when you tap on a venue's pin … Read more

Get a 4.3-inch TomTom GPS for $49.99

Much as I like some of the nav apps available on smartphones, I'm not really a fan of using my phone as a GPS. You have to buy a special windshield or dashboard mount for it, and it's harder to use for things like phone calls and Pandora when it's pulling navigation duty. Not impossible, mind you, just less convenient.

That's why I remain a fan of the standalone GPS--especially one like this: TigerDirect has the TomTom XL 325S 4.3-inch GPS for $99.99. A $50 mail-in rebate (PDF) brings the price down to $49.… Read more