Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This unit does everything I expect it to do and does so effortlessly straight out of the box. You don't have to load maps or install software, it's all pre-loaded (If you have a pre-August '05 unit, you can update your v 1.3 to v 1.4 software from the web site [didn't work on my 3 yr. old dell] or request a CD [worked great]). As you read other reviews pay attention to the review date, this one has been updated on 5/10/08 and my unit has served me well for 3 years now. Many of the "issues" were corrected with v 1.4 (slow re-routing, slow initial position acquisition, lack of "qwerty" keyboard, out of date POI files, etc)the update was made late August '05.. The iWay is a high tech product your mom can learn to use in 10 minutes- well, from you, probably not the manual- even if her VCR is still flashing "12:00".
I like the fact that the iWay is waterproof (submersible 3 feet for 1/2 of an hour) because mine will spend some time on motorcycle handlebars in questionable fog city weather. The iWay seems extremely well made and rugged. It's kind of military specification in feel, if you know what I mean. It's surprisingly heavy for its size and definitely a "form-follows-function" product rather than a "stylized" one.
Beware of 2 things: 1)the unit is heavy enough to cause the suction cup mount to fail if you don't rest the weight of the unit on your dash board. The suction cup windshield mount should be used to hold it in position, NOT to support the full weight. 1) It draws a lot of current (the heat sink on the back runs quite hot) if your cigarette lighter/accessory outlet stays active when your engine is off (pay attention here BMW motorcycle riders) make sure that you shut your iWay off when you leave the vehicle or you'll risk having a dead battery.
The iWay has a default "safety mode" that prevents you from making entries while you're moving- I guess it figures that you've got your hands full driving whilst drinking a latte and talking on your cell phone - that's probably for the best. You can defeat that function and put it in "passenger mode" but it will still warn you not to make entries on the move each time you power up.
The "find address" function works very well once you realize that this is only an educated guess at where, within say 50 feet, the actual numerical address is located. You will be on the right street and it will tell you which side it's on.
I bought mine "1-click" through Amazon's partner "GPS for YOU". I ordered it mid-morning on a Wednesday and it was delivered by DHL the following morning! Over a week ahead of the estimated delivery date and I didn't request overnight delivery! After sale customer service has been very responsive.
Three first day disappointments-
1) My unit was missing the rubberized flexible RAM dashboard mount referenced in the Amazon description. I called Lowrance (pronounced "low-rantz", by the way) and was informed that it's no longer included with the unit but available as an accessory for $40. The handlebar mounts are $30 in black or $70 in chrome.
2) I thought that my unit was defective because it didn't register my touch-pad key entries made on the left or bottom edges of the screen. It turns out that there's a set-up procedure to teach it exactly where the keys are (it pays to read the manual). The set-up takes less than a minute.
3) iTunes files aren't mp3 so you can't just transfer your music library directly to the iWay without converting to mp3. I imagine that this can be done, but I bet it's not going to be pretty
Comments on a 1 star iWay review-
I read a recent review wishing it generated multiple alternative routes. My preference is for turn-by-turn directions to the shortest route available. I believe the route automatically selected is the fastest and, therefore probably, best available. If I'm familiar enough with the roads to know a better route, I won't be needing the iWay's directions; if I'm not familiar with the roads I won't know which alternative to choose. For me an alternative routes function would be more of a confusing rather than clarifying feature. You can override the automatic selection by choosing to maximize or minimize use of interstates and toll roads or avoid cross traffic turns. If you get "off route", the route recalculation is rapid (v 1.4 is extremely fast). If you get off route early in the trip you'll be instructed to execute a "u-turn", later, or on a highway, an entirely new route will be calculated. Each route I've seen has been totally acceptable.
The other reviewer prefers the built in unit in their Honda Accord. Well, it isn't portable and it costs $2,000 instead of $350. The same reviewer wished for flash memory rather than the 20 gig. hard drive for reliability's sake. The only product I've ever returned to Amazon was an SD memory card enabled GPS navigation device, because of reliability problems, so that coin has two sides. I and, I imagine, other iWay reviewers here have owned or used other GPS units, so I feel the comment that we would be think that any GPS device "is the best thing that's ever happened to mankind" is a bit condescending.
Another comment concerned Lowrance probably reselling the defective unit to somebody else. I understand giving a bad review to a defective product; however... it's unfair to comment on the ethics of the company just because you got a one-off lemon. My bet is a defective unit is tossed on the scrap heap rather than being resold to maintain a good reputation. Why would you, as a manufacturer, risk bad word-of-mouth for a few hundred bucks?
And, lastly, a brief comment on another GPS-
I recently rented a car from Hertz with "Never Lost" installed. It's a Magellan RoadMate. It worked OK I did get to and from my destination, but I much prefer the iWay because of; 1) the touch screen keyboard input, 2) much larger screen, 3) 3D view and 4) for me, more understandable audible directions (that last bit may be because I'm used to my iWay).
I remain well pleased with my iWay after many months of use. It has saved me time and reduced the stress in my life.
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Lowrance 112-362 iWay 500C Portable GPS Navigator and MP3 PlayerProduct Description: The fully loaded Lowrance iWay 500C Automotive GPS+WASS Receiver with MP3 Player not only gets you where you need to go, but it also lets you relax along the way with your favorite digital music files. Simply pick a destination via the easy-to-use touchscreen display, choose your favorite tune, and you're on you way. The iWay 500C will automatically display the best route and give you turn-by-turn directions with voice and visual guidance while you listen to your music. And being WAAS-enabled means that the iWay 500C is accurate within three meters, making it a great fit for scavenger hunts as well as road trips.
On-screen visual cues guide you through a route. View larger image. 3-D display mode. View larger image. Access 10 GB of MP3s through the music screens. View larger image. The Lowrance iWay 500C features a touchscreen, GPS navigation, MP3 music, and more in a single device. When it comes to navigation, the iWay 500C features both street address searching and best auto-routing choices that help you to choose the most efficient route. With these options, you can choose which toll road or interstates to choose or avoid, and you can find a route that avoids left-hand turns. The unit's mega-memory storage gives you access to up to 1,000 waypoints. The hard drive also holds a ton of other information as well, including a preloaded Navteq turn-by-turn database with maps of the entire continental U.S. and Canada. With the internal USB port, you can update the maps with your PC, ensuring that you have the most up-to-date information available.
With so many advanced GPS features and an easy-to-use interface, it's easy to see why the iWay 500C was the recipient of PC Magazine Editor's Choice Award and Laptop Editor's Award in 2005. But the iWay goes a step further by making sure that when you are relying on it to make your way, you'll never have to compromise on road safety. In addition to its voice guidance feature, the iWay 500C sports a Safety Passenger mode that allows a passenger to use the GPS features while the car is in motion. An easy-to-read five-inch diagonal display features a super-bright, backlit screen and sleek blue LED backlit keypad. These features combine to offer superb readability even under bright, sunlit conditions.
The iWay 500C is also designed to help you enjoy your time on the road. You can enjoy up to 10 GB of digital music files, or 5,000 compressed MP3s (depending on method of compression) on the device, which includes such music functions as browse files, play lists, repeat, shuffle, scan, and equalizer. Among the accessories that are included with the iWay 500C are a speaker/cigarette power adapter with volume control and 0.125-inch stereo jack, a hardwire adapter with 0.125-inch stereo jack for wiring into car's stereo system, and a suction-cup mounting bracket for windshield applications. The compact unit measures 6.1 by 4.5 by 2.15 inches (W x H x D) and carries a one-year warranty.
What's in the BoxiWay 500C GPS/MP3 player, cigarette lighter adapter with volume control and 0.125-inch stereo jack, hardwire adapter with 0.125-inch stereo jack, suction cup mounting bracket, USB cable, 110-volt AC to 12-volt DC power adapter, protective cover, touchscreen cleaning cloth, user's manual.
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