While you shop for GPS devices for your car, you will likely discover a couple of brands and find yourself conflicted concerning which device to purchase. This is particularly confusing when you are searching for something geared towards affordability and portability. The variety stocked in your local shopping center might not be extensive, which might cause you to look online and attempt to find a wider range of options. When you start investigating, you’ll be surprised at the amount of GPS manufacturers are actually in existence. Navman GPS products are among the brands that you won’t hear about normally as they have no shops in the United States and Canada, but are all over the place in the UK and Australia. Still, Navman’s current collection of GPS systems appears rather attractive. Another great model to consider is the Garmin Nuvi 1200 Portable GPS Navigator.

Navman F15

The Navman F15 appears to be the only Navman GPS unit currently being sold in the US and, naturally, US maps including Puerto Rico are included. Although the Navman F15 wouldn’t be considered a widescreen GPS unit, the 3.5” touch screen combined with its straightforward user interface combine to make it a very simple device overall. Setting  up the device will be simpler than most other GPS models, which usually require some amateur engineering just for the device to behave in the manner you’d prefer. Those two advantages clearly define the F15 as a great device for consumers to introduce themselves to GPS navigation while driving.

Unfortunately, the navigation abilities of the device may disappoint a few people since it usually won’t be as accurate as several other American made GPS devices available. There could be some situations in which you start to go around in circles, but there are also some stories of the Navman doing a great job, so it may depend on the area you’re traveling in. Your Navman’s points of interest may include different restaurants and motels, but the number of POI’s offered with this device are nowhere near the swarm of destinations that US-based GPS makers can give you. The abbreviated battery life coud be an annoyance also, but should be a reasonable trade-off since this particular GPS unit isn’t that expensive. Forgetting about the negatives, the Navman GPS is still a practical investment due to its easy user interface and applications and its efficiency in figuring the most direct route and finding addresses.

Navman S35

The S35 provides the same 3.5 inch screen as is found on the F15, and the housing looks quite good looking and it remains appropriately portable. Navman’s mid-range model is made in Australia for domestic use, having more than 500,000 points of interest within the country and is provided with the text-to-speech capability which correctly says street names using an Australian accent. It additionally offers a mileage expense reporter will likely prove excellent for people who prefer to manage gasoline expenditures more accurately. The most up to date maps of 2008 are also included.

Navman S45

The Navman S45 offers the same set of features and appearance as the S35, but the screen is bigger; measuring 4.3 inches. Even with the widescreen addition, the model still looks relatively portable. A comparable model is the Garmin Nuvi 1200 GPS Navigation System.

Navman GPS devices are limited in variety, yet they all strive to be both portable and reliable. They accomplished their objective in maintaining an appealing and portable shape, but they could make some advancements on the accuracy side.