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Whether winding through mountain roads or racing to that downtown job interview, you can always have precise directions without wrestling with a map. Just stick one of these plug-and-play GPS navigators to your dash, connect it to your car’s cigarette-lighter socket, and start your journey. You’ll see and hear turn-by-turn instructions, with detailed maps pointing out filling stations, landmarks, and great restaurants along the way. Each shifts from one car to another on a whim - and a suction cup. - Kari Lynn Dean
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• 3-D maps: Three-dimensional views better relay a driver’s perspective than a traditional map.
• Touchscreen: Easy menus and data entry mean you can keep your eyes on the road.
• Out-of-range navigation: If you lose your GPS feed, tracking systems (like gyroscopes) pinpoint your location based on speed and direction.
• Wide Area Augmentation System: WAAS is a system of civil aviation GPS satellites that supplements standard GPS info.
• Routing options: Some units accept search parameters such as avoiding freeways en route.
WHERE TO FIND IT
3-D maps:
Go
RoadMate 700
Touchscreen:
Go
RoadMate 700
Street Pilot 2620
Out-of-range navigation:
Go
Street Pilot 2620
Nav One 3000
WAAS:
RoadMate 700
Street Pilot 2620
Routing options:
RoadMate 700
Street Pilot 2620
Nav One 3000
Points of interest:
Go: 4 million
RoadMate 700: 2 million
Street Pilot 2620: 5 million
Nav One 3000: 2 million
TomTom Go
A popular purveyor of GPS software for PDAs, TomTom offers a full-blown navigator that’s so simple to use, you don’t even need the instructions. The Go, which looks like a tiny Apple eMac, provides the most straight-forward and accessible 3-D maps of the models we tested. And unlike some boxes that blurt instructions too early or late, Go’s high-quality audio gives spot-on directions that always jibe with the landscape ahead. The touchscreen interface eliminates any fumbling with buttons and knobs (we are driving, after all). Multiple map views are easy to scroll through, and the unit will automatically zoom in or out as your location changes. An internal battery provides five hours of power for real portability. Asking for directions has never been so unnecessary.
Wired: Choose from 12 voices and 14 languages, including Brit Tim, American Lori, and Fraulein Lisa. Small and lightweight (4.5 x 3.6 x 2.3 inches and 11.2 ounces).
Tired: Slim on features like WAAS and routing options.
$1,000, www.tomtom.com
Magellan RoadMate 700
Wired: Bright touchscreen automatically adjusts to ambient light. 3-D maps. Lets you transfer addresses from your PDA.
__Tired:__Onscreen buttons and labels crowd out the actual maps. Navigating menus is often cumbersome.
$1,199, www.magellangps.com
Garmin Street Pilot 2620
Wired: Extensive point-of-interest database. Automatic brightness control for optimal viewing 24/7. Remote control eases menu navigation.
__Tired:__Pricey. Squat screen makes for cluttered display. Audio instructions frequently early or late. Manipulating maps and entering addresses awkward.
$1,283, www.garmin.com
Cobra Nav One 3000
Wired: Can set waypoints for retracing your routes to and from remote locales. Progress bar helps anticipate turns. PDA address beaming.
__Tired:__Huge screen wasted on icons and squeezed by menu bars. Using lame joystick-reminiscent of inputting a Galaga high score.
$999, www.cobra.com
Watches armed with Microsoft’s MSN Direct service ($40 per year) display headlines, sports scores, and movie times. And this new batch won’t scream "Nerd!" when you strap ’em on. - Cathy Lu
Tissot High T
Fashion and technology don’t always see eye to eye. The high-fashion (and high-price) High T is not one of those devices. Tissot’s refined, sturdy timepiece is the only watch here to feature touchscreen navigation, which minimizes buttons and maximizes geek cred. Another useful tool is the shortcuts screen, giving you lickety-split access to your top channels. It features two customizable alarms that can be set by day, week, or date, with a choice of sounds and even a vibrate mode. Smart.
Wired: Touchscreen navigation. Classiest selection of watch faces. Includes six months of service. Charges via USB.
Tired: Damn expensive. You have to hold down a button to activate the touchscreen.
$725, www.tissot.ch
Fossil Wrist Net FX3005
Wired: Sturdy housing and decently attractive design. Tons of digital watch faces. Clear screen.
__Tired:__Buttons difficult to press - frequent MSN usage can be painful. Giant charging stand is awkward; not ideal for travel.
$149, www.fossil.com
Swatch Paparazzi
Wired: Durable. Four color choices. Weekly or daily alarms. Buttons easy to press and integrate nicely with body.
__Tired:__Has only five digital face options. Watch band is a bit stiff, making a good fit hard to get.
$150, www.swatch.com
Suunto n6HR
Wired: Cool features for athletes, including heart-rate monitor and sophisticated chronograph. Easy-to-use interface for non-MSN functions.
__Tired:__Limited and lame watch-face selection. Simplistic alarms. Cheesy looking.
$400, www.suuntowatches.com
If you’re looking for a quick dinner fix, the Beyond oven is unsurpassed. Just scan your frozen entree’s barcode with the attached wand, and the microwave programs the appropriate cooking times and power levels. In our tests, the Beyond delivered perfect results for 9 out of the 11 dishes we culled from the frozen-food aisles. It’s a great implementation but a fairly limited idea. The problem? A scanner works only with pre-packaged foods, and Hot Pockets are a snap to program by hand, anyway. Show us the barcode on a leg of lamb. - Bob Parks
Wired: Onboard memory preloaded with 4,000 codes from national brands. New items easy to add by hand.
Tired: Mediocre power and capacity at 850 watts and 0.9 cubic feet. A Beyond Internet hub ($699 and up) required for automatic updates.
Scan: A wand with a 40-inch retractable cord scans a product’s barcode. If your selection is in the oven’s memory, the 1.5 x 2-inch LCD flashes press start.
Cook: When preparing complex fare, special instructions appear on the screen. A frozen lasagna required us to uncover and turn between cooking stages.
Sync: All Beyond devices work with the company’s proéprietary wireless network. If you have a Beyond hub, your microwave can update barcodes itself.
$150, www.beyondconnectedhome.com
These personal alcohol detectors let you blow and go - or hail a cab, if you exceed the legal driving limit (0.08 percent blood alcohol concentration in most states). Each measures the level of booze that passes from the bloodstream into the lungs. - Gordon Bass
CMI Intoxilyzer S-D5
Wired: Accurate to-0.005 percent. Detects lower levels of alcohol than any other unit we tried. Conforms to strict US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standards.
__Tired:__As pricey as a 2000 Chateau Margaux.
$425, www.intoxilyzer.com
Q3 Innovations AlcoHawk ABI
Wired:-0.01 percent accurate. Measures to a coma-inducing 0.4 blood alcohol level. Runs on a battery or a cigarette-lighter power adapter.
__Tired:__Disclaimer says AlcoHawk shouldn’t be used to determine driving ability. Flimsy case.
$120, www.q3i.com
PNI AlcAlert
Wired: Simple enough for the most sloshed: Push its one button and blow. The size of a pack of gum. Weighs just 1.6 ounces.
__Tired:__Accuracy of-0.016 percent at 0.08 blood alcohol. Sorry, lushes: Measurement stops at 0.12.
$50, www.pnicorp.com
These bargain in-ear buds plunge deep into your hearholes - and not your wallet - to block out background noise. - C.L.
Shure E2c
Wired: Rich, enveloping sound with plenty of bass. Six tip options ensure you’ll get the right fit. Awesome sound insulation.
__Tired:__Cords tangle prone. Can be uncomfortably deep.
$99, www.shure.com
Sony Fontopia MDR-EX71SL
Wired: Ultralight (0.1 oz., sans cord). Clean audio. Comes with three tips, two cases, and a cord extender.
__Tired:__Need lots of power to sound loud. Poor noise cancellation.
$50, www.sonystyle.com
Koss the Plug
Wired: Fairly crisp sound with decent bass and noise cancellation. Cheaper than a week of Frappuccinos.
__Tired:__Uncomfortable. Unless you have ears like Prince Charles, they feel like they’re going to pop out.
$15, www.koss.com
Apple In-Ear Headphones
Wired: Lightweight (0.4 oz. with cord) and comfy. Come with hard carrying case and three tips.
__Tired:__Weak bass. Didn’t block out the world as well as the Shures or even the Plug. Lots of cord noise.
$39, www.apple.com
TomTom Go
Magellan RoadMate 700
Garmin Street Pilot 2620
Cobra Nav One 3000
Tissot High T
Fossil Wrist Net FX3005
Swatch Paparazzi
Suunto n6HR
Beyond
CMI Intoxilyzer S-D5
Q3 Innovations AlcoHawk ABI
PNI AlcAlert
Shure E2c
Sony Fontopia MDR-EX71SL
Koss the Plug
Apple In-Ear Headphones
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