The TomTom XL is a sleek and sexy update to the popular One model.

It’s slimmer than the original One and boasts sleek minimalist styling, including a large silver speaker grille, which sits at the bottom of the unit.

Another key update is the size of the touchscreen - at 4.3-inches, you won’t be struggling to see the screen when you’re driving.

Just like the One, the TomTom XL includes text-to-speech functionality so you can have directions read to you. Thankfully, the XL is pretty good with most Australian accents and pronunciations - some GPS units manufactured overseas struggle with this.

Yet another outstanding feature is Map Share, which lets you make any corrections to your maps on the device. You can then share this information using the included software package on your Mac or PC.

Click here to find offers on TomTom GPS units from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

Although the Binatone Carrera brand isn’t well known in the Australian satellite navigation market, it is a fairly reputable name in the UK and Europe.

The Binatone Carrera X430 is really an entry level unit - it has no added features except for the GPS functionality. The trade off comes in the price - its recommended retail price is just under $300, and BIG W has it for just $198 until September 6 (view the offer here).

It comes with an exceptional 4.3-inch screen, which is quite large for a cheaper GPS unit. The X430 also comes with turn-by-turn voice navigation so you don’t have to visually scan for directions when you’re driving. The battery does tend to drain very quickly so this unit may not be suitable for heavy users, however if you’re only intending to use it moderately, you won’t exeperience many problems.

The Binatone Carrera X430 also comes with a built-in antenna and pre-installed 2008 Navteq maps as well as thousands of places of interest already loaded.

Click here to find offers on GPS devices from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

In the satellite navigation world, TomTom has been one of the more successful manufacturers to date.

This is especially true of its entry-level ONE models, which manage to combine excellent performance with competitive pricing.

The GO models sit further up the range, with the TomTom GO 720 having been released towards the end of 2007 carrying an RRP of $799. (Thankfully that price has now dropped significantly to $599 and can often be found for less in stores).

I say thankfully because in all honesty it would be difficult to justify paying $799 for the TomTom GO 720. While it’s a decent unit, with some nice features, the revised RRP is far more realistic.

While features such as text-to-speech, Bluetooth hands-free, an FM transmitter and MP3 support have been included, there are some glaring performance issues. Text-to-speech isn’t always intuitive for this unit, for example, and if you spend a lot of time driving in the CBD surrounded by tall buildings you may also encounter navigational problems.

The FM transmitter is a nice touch - it allows for MP3s and voice instructions from the unit to be played through your car stereo. You can also connect the device to your mobile phone via Bluetooth for hands-free phone calls when driving.

Another mark on the plus side for the GO 720 is its stylish build and appearance.

Click here to find offers on TomTom GPS units near you.

By Caroline Warnes

The S50 is the next step up from the Navman S30, offering some more features and a recommended retail price $100 more than the S30.

Navman devices as a whole are generally considered to be the leaders in the GPS/satellite navigation market, and while the S50 is a solid performer, it’s up to you to decide if the handful of extra features justify the recommended retail price of $499.

The two main features that the S50 has over the S30 include a wider screen and Bluetooth connectivity. Both these features are useful but not necessary - it you want just a basic unit that will get you from A to B, then the S30 will suit just fine.

Another inclusion is NavPix, which lets you navigate geotagged images that you’ve downloaded off a PC. This feature is quite cool but not really necessary.

In terms of GPS performace, the Navman S50 does well. However we’re not sure that it really has that much more to offer over the S30 - if you want a fully-featured GPS unit, you might be better off looking further up the Navman range.

Click here to find offers on Navman GPS units near you.

By Caroline Warnes

Navman has long been one of the leaders in the GPS/satellite navigation market, and its new S-Series continues to lead the pack.

The Navman S-Series was brought onto the market in Australia towards the end of last year, with the S30 being the entry-level model.

First and foremost the unit has undergone a massive design overhaul, sporting a far more high-end look and a 3.5-inch touchscreen. You use this touchscreen to operate the unit, rather than pressing any physical buttons.

Because this is the entry-level model, it is not as fully featured as its big brothers in the Navman S-Series. Basically, it will give you directions from A to B (and isn’t that the most important thing for a GPS unit?). It comes with the latest maps from Sensis, which will mark out things such as red light and speed cameras for you.

It also comes with a windscreen mount, which gives you easy access to the unit while you’re driving. It can be charged through you car’s cigarette lighter.

Click here to find offers on Navman GPS units near you.

By Caroline Warnes

The Mitac Mio A701 could be described as the “Swiss Army Knife” of handheld devices - it does just about everything.

At its heart, the A701 is a GPS/satellite navigation device. However, the A701 is also a phone and PDA - and more.

Because the Mitac Mio brand is best-known for its GPS devices, this feature is obviously the A701’s strong point. It works well even in the middle of a crowded city street and can be used either on foot or in the car. You can even use it to find specific things near you, say and Italian restaurant within 500 metres.

As a phone and an organiser, the functionality is solid but fairly standard. There’s also a 1.3-megapixel camera that takes good quality snaps - now are you beginning to see why the Mio A701 is something of a Swiss Army knife?

To top it all off, the A701 is a good looking phone. It’s not one of those small, sleek PDAs, instead opting to embrace its bulk. It’s finished in a combination of black and silver with rounded colours, making it elegant to look at as well.

Click here to find offers on GPS units near you.

By Caroline Warnes

The F10 was a recent introduction to Navman’s line-up of portable navigation (GPS) units, and is an update to the popular entry-level F20 model.

Navman is one of the most popular choices when it comes to satellite navigation, and that’s for a good reason. Generally, Navman’s units tend to be reliable, comprehensive, portable and easy-to-use.

The F10 is no different, and being the entry-level model in the range, it’s a good option for anyone who is looking to purchase their first GPS unit. If you do a lot of driving, GPS is almost a necessity these days, so you can get directions for wherever you’re going quickly and easily.

Sat nav devices make driving a lot safer, particularly when they have features such as voice guidance (the F10 has support for both male and female voices). That means you can simply type in your destination and the device will offer spoken instructions as you go - telling you when to turn and so on. Otherwise, you can get your directions visually on the 3.5-inch LCD screen.

The F10 features the latest 2007 mapping, so you won’t find yourself driving down a dead-end street or lost in one of your city’s newer suburbs. It can tell you where your landmarks such as petrol and parking stations are located as well, which is always handy.

Last but not least, the Navman F10 can be moved easily from car to car and is ready to use out-of-the-box in moments.

Click here to find offers on Navman GPS units near you.

By Caroline Warnes

TomTom manufacturers some of the best GPS (satellite navigation) units on the market, and the ONE is no exception. It’s been an impressive performer for several years now.

With the ONE, TomTom has stripped the features back to the bare minimum, which means the unit is smaller and sleeker than previous TomTom models - something that style-conscious drivers may be influenced by. In fact, it’s small enough to carry around with you as a pedestrian.

Another bonus is that the ONE is more affordable than the more comprehensively featured GPS devices.

Like other TomTom GPS devices, the ONE runs on the SiRFStar III chipset. It features 32MB of memory. Most GPS units from all manufacturers run off map data supplied by Sensis, and the ONE is no exception. This information is supplied on SD cards that you load into the slot on the unit.

The TomTom is definitely an entry-level unit. Unlike some higher-end GPS devices, the TomTom ONE does global positioning and nothing else - no music, no movies. It’s easy to operate thanks to the touchscreen and also proves to be very accurate, which is obviously a necessity with any GPS unit. The ONE definitely out-performs its very affordable price tag.

Click here to find offers on TomTom GPS units near you.

By Caroline Warnes