All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
NAVIGATION SYSTEMS
| 
Garmin Street Pilot III
Never refold a map again. The latest car navigation devices bark turn-by-turn directions at you from the dashboard while you drive. The GPS-equipped units also provide bird's-eye views of your coordinates onscreen. If only they didn't sound so judgmental when you miss an exit.
SPLURGE Alpine PowerNav
The PowerNav can steer you to addresses punched in via wireless remote. It'll cost $300 when you need to update the software, but the trunk-mounted DVD drive stores a detailed nationwide database that helps you pinpoint businesses, airports, restaurants, and even ATMs. Luxury hounds will want to supplement the screen, remote, and base unit with other components from Alpine's Mobile Multimedia system.
$2,000, www.alpine-usa.com.
BEST BUY Garmin Street Pilot III
The portable Street Pilot approximates the abilities of its bigger, dash-bound competitors. Like the Alpine, this CD-based model has 12-satellite reception, so you'll stay on the radar even while you're sandwiched between skyscrapers. Power's a snap: Use a lighter plug or six AAs. The updatable NavTech map shows nearly every residential address in your region of the country. Yearly updates cost $99.
$1,167, www.garmin.com.
OVERRATED Magellan 750M
This was an excellent product – three years ago. Nowadays, even the portable version seems unwieldy, and its performance is inferior to the much cheaper and smaller Street Pilot. Worst of all, the database isn't upgradeable – it's just a factory-installed map last revised in December 2001. Magellan's upcoming 750M Plus should be welcomed by weary wanderers.
$2,399, www.magellangps.com.
| PLAY
| The Fantasy Life of Coder Boys
| If You Hear Me, Give Me a Sign
| Read Me
| reviews
| fetish
| Driver’s Little Helper
