Garmin GPS Receiver

This review is from: Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Electronics)

People complain about the Zumo not having a built in speaker. Well, you wouldn’t be able to hear it while riding your bike it if it had one, so it’s a bit of a moot point.

On a side note, I think there are some features the unit lacks that can be somewhat annoying. First, and definitely the most annoying for me, the elevation by which you view your position on a GPS determines the amount of detail you see, i.e. POI’s, street names, distance of road to travel, etc. The units I have used previously (factory nav in a Honda, other Garmins and the Mio 310 to name a few) had the ability to select zoom/elevation from the main nav screen allowing you to choose your “view” of the road so to speak, at anytime. With the Zumo, you cannot change elevation/zoom from the main nav screen, you can only adjust it while in map mode searching for a destination. The second you go back to the main navigation screen you loose the elevation you chose and go back to a default level of zoom, which for me is real irritating.

Another annoying feature is the keyboard for text input does not offer a QWERTY layout. I have not had to type on an ABCDEF style keyboard since the invention on the PC. In fact, I have a Garmin IQue 3600 that’s 4 years old and it has a QWERTY keyboard?

Also, the search function on the Zumo is relatively slow at times. I once waited 4+ minutes while searching for a popular restaurant. It found it eventually, but for a while I thought the unit just froze up. I happen to be sitting in my driveway so it was only a minor annoyance, but if you were parked on the roadside with cars buzzing by it would seem more like an eternity.

One other issue, the built in hard drive is pretty much full with maps right out of the box, which isn’t that big of a deal with the open SD slot. The SD slot lets you slip in a SD card for expanded memory capability (MP3 storage etc.), but when loading routes from your PC (which is a great feature I’ll touch on below) you must save the data directly to the units hard drive in order for the Zumo to be able to read it. Well, that’s going to be an issue when the hard drive fills up from firmware updates, etc.

While I’m at it, I think the icon that marks your position on the map is annoyingly large. It makes your car or bike look the size of a lake, or some other large map detail.

On the plus side, I believe that all of the issues I mentioned are correctable via a firmware update and a few bugs are to be expected to some extent given this is the 1st generation of a new model. Although, you can also argue that with the price this thing sells for combined with the experience Garmin has building GPS devices there is really no excuse for the Zumo lacking anything.

A nice feature, which is common on Garmins top units, is that you can map out routes on your PC, load it to the Zumo (again, on the built in hard drive though not the SD card) and away you go. This comes in handy if you’re in sales for example and need to hit a few clients on a particular day or if you’re going to be cruising on your bike and have a bunch of places you want to stop at during the trip. Rather than having to wait and program destinations one at a time as you make your stops, you can knock them all out the night before on your PC so you’re entire trip is planned before it’s even begun.

Also, the Bluetooth feature is sweet and works flawlessly. Pairing the Zumo with my Blackberry was a breeze. The Zumo was able to read my address book and displayed the contacts on the phone screen so there was never a need to touch the Blackberry once paired. When in the car, the speaker worked well and people on the other end seemed to have no trouble hearing me. I disagree with the one reviewer that said the mount looked weak. I think the mount would successfully support a cinderblock on rough road.

Installing the Zumo on my ZZR1200 took me about 30 min. It takes some time to run the wires and connect to the battery. You will need to crimp connectors (that are not supplied) on the end of the wires that go to the battery. The Ram mount is real solid. The Zumo does not move once you’re locked in and on the road.

Now for the justification of the 4 star rating given I beat the Zumo up quite a bit. The build quality of this thing it second to none. It is literally built like a tank. I’d bet it would outlast anyone who buys it. Again, firmware updates will likely take care of all its shortcomings over time. And last but not least, Garmin tech support is second to none. No matter who you speak to they are knowledgeable, professional and will provide answers to anything you can throw at them (and I come up with some good ones) all without making you feel like you’re annoying or a technological moron.

Therefore, I don’t think you can go wrong with any Garmin, if you can swallow the price of the unit.

This review is from: Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Electronics)

I just wanted to comment on the Zumo 550 with current software. I purchased this unit about 3 weeks ago and before I got it I was a little disheartened by some people’s reviews on some lacking features. However when i got the unit and upgraded to the latest software (that was available as of 4/15/2007) many negative comments seem to have been addressed (if I’m understanding the commented issues correctly). First the views of the unit seem very flexable and I don’t see the limitations. You can select between 2-D top down views for the people who are used to that view or 3-D. The unit has multiple levels of zoom/un-zoom from the big buttons on the outside as well as on the touch screen… I’m just not seeing any limitations. You can also taylor how much detail you want to see on the screen ( more or less). The only thing I do agree with is the Icon’s used to show your position (you can choose between about 6 or so) are kind of large. Would have been nice to have the choice to alter that but I chose the ‘wedge’ and it works nicely with the screen size. Second, definitely a software upgrade was the addition of two different compus views.. .one small indication on the main map screen and a full 360 degree compus graphic with ELEVATION on a separate screen (selectable from the big rubber buttons or through the menu). The unit is unbelievable compared to earlier units I’ve had .. I can litterally stand in my family room under cover and turnaround and move 1 step (sometimes 2 is needed) and the unit will reflect the change in direction! I use this with a common motorola razr phone and a Scala Rider helmet bluetooth unit (on a shoei rf-1000 helmet) and everything works perfectly. Also, as far as weatherproofing the manual indicates it can be kept under 1 meter of water for 30 minutes! Great mounting hardware and super easy to use.. definitely a fantastic unit with the latest software upgrades. Thanks.

This review is from: Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Electronics)

The 550 works very well. Specs say it works between 32 & 140 degrees. I ride all winter – so far it works at 15 degrees F. Surprisingly easy to use with heavy winter riding gloves. The motorcycle mount is much cleaner than I expected. Very flexible, allowing the unit to tuck in close and not look dorky. The car mount is clean with an acceptable albeit not great speaker. It’s VERY easy to move between vehicles. I was somewhat disappointed at first about the lack of a built in speaker, but if I need to walk around with it, it’s no big deal to use your cell phone Bluetooth with it. Maybe that’s the price you pay for a truely waterproof unit. While riding, you can hear the alert tone using a cell phone Bluetooth, but cannot understand the audio. I plugged in iPod ear buds into the bike mount and it sounds great without being obvious about being “plugged in” (I ride a half helmet). If you use a full face with built in speakers you will be very happy with the audio.
Others complained about the lack of things like a real compass and satellite acquisition display and built in speaker. I have addressed the speaker issue. The compass displays eight points (like the one in the rear view mirror of your GM car). That’s all I really need. Showing the satellites it has acquired is neat – but what do I really care – the thing is very sensitive. I get 5 of 5 bars IN my house. The MP3 player does work well although it does not have play lists. You can at least sort by album, artist and genre. To listen to decent quality audio, you will need ear buds. Displaying pictures looks good but the response is a little sluggish.
Storing up to 50 routes is great – and being able to download them to Google Earth and visualize them is very slick (it does take Google Earth Plus – a $20 annual fee to support this feature).
Overall I am VERY pleased with this unit – it does exactly what I need (and then some) – looks great – very sturdy.

This review is from: Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Electronics)

The new Zumo 550 is a big step forward in ease of use, but sacrifices some of the flexibility of previous units (Streepilot series, x76C series). The touch screen display and integrated buttons on the left side of the unit are easy to use even with riding gloves, and the new locking mount is a big improvement. GPS reception also seems to be GREATLY improved; not getting lost under dense tree coverage. The display is relatively big, bright and clear; but difficult to read in really bright sunlight. Also, much of the screen is used for large display items and touch “buttons”, so the actual map display is fairly small. The built in battery is an improvement over the StreetPilot, allowing the unit to be used when the motorcycle is off. The battery also allows the unit to be connected to a PC without an AC adapter.
The new operating system is easy to learn and use, but lacks some of the flexibility of other units. Long time GPS users may feel restricted by the fixed display formats, but new users probably won’t notice. The operating software still has a few bugs and route guidance prompts need some work, but Garmin does a good job of making updates available (with WebUpdater) and has already released v2.3.
The MP3 player is simple to use but does not support playlists and still seems to have software bugs.
I have linked the ZUMO to a bluetooth helmet (Dainese) and phone (LG-VX8500) and it seems to work very well. Although told that the MP3 would not work over bluetooth, it does in my set-up.
In summary: even with the display restrictions and software issues this is a great GPS for motorcycle use.

This review is from: Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Electronics)

All the write-ups suggested this Zumo 550 was going to be impressive. They weren’t wrong. The BIG positives, from my perspective:

1. Satellite acquisition must be seen to be believed. In my basement it took less than 15 seconds, out of the box, first power-up. That performance has been repeated every time since, with the exception of first-power-up after upgrading the firmware to 3.2. Thereafter it went back to sub-20 second acquisition.

2. Its built like it should be, like you wanted it to be. Solid. Its going to spend time on my Harley ElectraGlide and in my Corvette and I wanted someting that matched their image. I got it.

3. Firmware upgrade was a 5 minute affair, no hassles, no fuss, no tears. Several nice new features were added, for my 5-minute investment.

4. Interchangeable top and bottom plates, in contrasting black, are a nice little extra. They even included the Allen wrench for the 3-minute task.

5. There’s no need to buy extra (read, “expensive”) accessories. This was the biggie, for me. This unit ships with a bike mount, complete with hard-wire power connector, AND it ships with a car-mount, with its own power connector. The fact that Garmin includes BOTH mounts with this unit was the deciding factor for me. The fact that both docking cradles with each mount are thoughtfully designed to allow super-quick, super-solid on and off mounting of the GPS unit itself, is a nice added plus. Also, the voice quality and volume of the built-in speaker in the car mount is impressive.

6. Bluetooth pairing of both my Blackberry 8700 and my Jabra BT800 was simple and flawless. Thereafter, when the BB and the Jabra were on and the Zumo was insereted into either the bike mount or the car mount, the Zumo automatically paired back with each unit, within 30 seconds of being mounted. I love technology that works. The real zinger was that the Zumo synched the 400-odd contacts in my BB8700, inside of 45 seconds.

7. For me, simply put, Garmin hit a BIG homerun with the design, execution and packaging of their new Zumo 550. Is it expensive? Not really, considering I didn’t need to go out and scrounge up the expensive extras Garmin included for free. And the little things, like designing a magnetically-positioned weather cover for the bike’s connector pins, is just icing on a big, well-decorated cake.

Bravo, Garmin.

This review is from: Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Electronics)

The zumo is awesome. I knew I would like having gps with me while I ride, but I never knew how much it would change the way I ride. I use it to find small twisty back roads, make a route on the fly, and spend more time on my idea of nice roads than ever in the past.

The controls are easy to use and intuitive. I have only had to look a couple of processes up in the owner’s manual.

The mounting systems are spectacular. It is so nice to be able to swap the unit between my car and bike effortlessly.

I purchased a 1G card to put music on while I ride. It works very well when it pauses the music to give verbal directions.

Compared to the prices of other systems, if you ride a bike, this is the best.

This review is from: Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Electronics)

Hardware:

This one is quite good, and I give it a 5 Star rating.
Easy to use, fairly intuitive, and WebUpdater software for updating the firmware inside the unit. Good brightness for motorcycle riders that have no shielding from direct sunlight (as car drives do).
Glove friendly is not just a selling point – it works quite well.

Software:

Routing is mainly subject to the included Garmin Mapsource City Navigator NT 8.0 which is included and pre-installed on the unit.

Once routes are transferred to the unit, they seem to work well.

Software is dismal. One star rating is kind.

I use MS Streets & Trips and it routes well, and has more granularity over the options and preferences in the routing tools.

It would seem that Garmin is a hardware company, and software us just a liability and not an asset. I have two previous versions and find no substantial differences between them.

The average is therefore 3 stars.

This review is from: Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Electronics)

As you can see 4 stars. It is not perfect. I have been a Magellan user for 4 years and I first purchased a Magellan for my Motorcycle. It broke twice probably because it couldn`t take the vibration. Magellan doesn’t make a GPS for Motorcycles.

I then tried the Tom Tom and was totally disappointed. It couldn’t bee seen much better than My Magellan in sunlight and the map area on the screen was too small due to the on screen menu items. I packed it up and sent it back within two hours of looking at it.

The second time my Magellan broke, I ordered the Zumo. It doesn’t have many of the features I am used to with my Magellan, and I am somewhat prejudiced because I am not used to the Zumo. On my first major trip, I missed an exit on the NY Thruway and It took me almost 50 miles out of the way because I unknowingly had an option of no U turns checked off. On several other trips it wanted to take me out of the way.

It is however, made for motorcycles. It even has a motorcycle icon on it. If you use it in your car and with your motorcycle, it will also automatically change configurations when it is changed from the motorcycle mount to the automobile mount.

There are various screens that you can turn to which show other functions of your travel and your trip. The speed is shown when you are on the map and one other window. This is important as most motorcycle speedometers are not accurate. They usually read 10% slower than your actually speed. After you look at your speed you must multiply the reading by .9. Too much driver inattention.

The handlebar mount allows the unit to be right up in your face so that you don’t have to take your eyes off the road to see it. I do not use my speedometer any more. It is not very bright in direct sunlight and I intend to purchase or make a sun-shield for it.

On the trip window, it tells you your average speed for the trip, the average speed while moving and your highest speed. You can zero them individually. There is a gas gauge. It works by you in-putting the range of your full tank and it will notify you when you have thirty miles left. It then shows an Icon on the screen to locate gas stations in the area.

I could go on, but you can see I am pleased. I understand that this is a new unit and that the system will be upgrades as they get user comments.

Well I am off to learn about the traffic system as the satellite radio system that I think are internal and that you only have to purchase antennas for. It is probably easier for a user to learn it that has not used a different system. I still use my Magellans in my autos (cages)

This review is from: Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Electronics)

Just returned from a 2 week stint in NM with the Zumo 550 mounted on my GoldWing. This thing works great. Piped the audio thru the Aux input.
The system acquires satellite signals very quickly, the menu structure is intuitive, the touch screen works very easily and is easy to read even in bright sun and from behind a dark visor, the audio volume was excellent even at 80MPH on interstate and the turn by turn instructions are well timed to give riders plenty of time to adjust lane positions and riding speed. You can give it your estimated gas mileage and at end of a tank it will present you with a gas pump icon which, when touched, lists the nearest gas stations to your position. Touch the gas station you want and it will route you to it. The Zumo was great support and a joy to use during my ride. I found only two very minor “quirks”. If you add the optional SD card as I did, you will need to format it as a FAT32. I formatted as NTFS and the MP3 files were not recognized although my personal POI file was recognized. Also, when you load additional maps, I loaded some US TOPO maps, the Zumo defaults to its internal City Navigator and it “flashes the Topo to let you know that it’s there. To get the Topo map you have to deselect the City Navigator. Neither of these “quirks” was covered by reading the owner’s manual. All in all this is an awesome system that does not disappoint. Garmin got the Zumo design right!

This review is from: Garmin Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Electronics)

This unit was sent as a replacement for a stolen 2730 with GXM30 ant. At first I missed the 2730 but after using the Zumo for a month now, cant say I miss the 2730 at all. The ability to move the unit between car and bike is a huge plus, or the ability to use the unit with its internal battery is a huge plus. Jump into a friends car and just sit it in a console, it picks up the gps signal just fine. It even works in every room of my house unlike the older garmin units that required a clear view of the sky. The GXM30 ant is the only gripe, it plugs into the cradle and can be somewhat of a hassle to switch back and forth between vehicles.

While other GPS units might work better in different applications, the ZUMO hits the spot for dual use in a cage and on a bike. Plus the form factor allows one to put it in a jacket or back pack for use any and everywhere.