Enter the Garmin 50LM. After reading all the reviews for the third time

here is a known issue regarding the usb synchronization with this device. You MUST turn the unit on BEFORE you connect it to your computer in order for it to be recognized. Otherwise, the device will think you are simply charging it.

I started off my navigation career with a mid grade Garmin. It was truly awful. It would continuously navigate me in circles, take me down extended routes and power off for no reason. I then bought a near top of the line Magellan. It got me to my destination, but would also take me on a path clearly further than what mapquest suggested. It would also take me off the highway and then back on for no reason.

Enter the Garmin 50LM. After reading all the reviews for the third time on nav brands, I decided to try this brand again. The major selling point was the free map updates. This model does not have traffic updates, but my Magellan did, and all it really amounted to was the ability to let me know I would be late. If you are on a major highway, it may just be easier and safer to just wait than take some out-of-the-way back roads. I have used it multiple times and it takes me to my normal destinations the fastest way possible. Something else worth mentioning is the terrific split screen when you near your exit. The right side gives you an almost photo-quality view of your exit. It is the same feature that the top of the line model brags about, but available on this low end unit. The screen is bright and crystal clear. I found the recalculating component to be very fast with new directions coming within three seconds or so. Another great feature is the speed limit indicator. The bottom right indicates the speed limit for the current road you are traveling. Right next to that is your speed. It glows red when you exceed the limit. This is great for unfamiliar roads and to avoid speed traps.

The bad...My first gripe is the long time it takes when you search for an address by name. It can easily be 5-10 minutes. However, both my older navs took this long as well, so I guess it is typical. The second is the battery life. Like my others, this one only gives me an hour and some minutes of power. I ALWAYS bring the power cord along regardless of my trip length. The third is the excruciatingly long time it takes to download and install maps. Set aside a good hour (high speed) to accomplish this.

Between the lifetime map updates and the squaretrade extended warranty, I hope this is my last navigation unit for many years. I had one issue on start up where it locked into demo mode. One call to Garmin support and I was helped by an English speaking support person who resolved the issue immediately. More : Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals Black Friday 2012 Best Deals