Garmin eMap Deluxe Mapping GPS with Memory
By: Garmin Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 26
More Information
 On: 2005-03-09
THE BEST GPS HANDHELD DEVICE BAR NONE!
Ive used Garmins eMAP since 1998 for roadtrips and as a supplemental checkpoint aid during VFR cross country flights in my airplane. I have hook and loop fastener patches neatly mounted in my car and airplane to "slap on" the eMAP (it has the furry loop patch on its back) and Im ready for a 300 mile flight or a drive across the great USA.
The SCREEN is better than any of the newer GPS color screens, because its bigger and the greyscale is crisper and cleaner even in bright daylight. I keep the device plugged into the "cigarette lighter" in my car and plane, so the backlight can be keep on indefinitely if needed. The AA batteries are for backup and can last a minimum of 8 hours to 12 hours. Plently of time for a flight out, overnight and a flight back on an easy 400 mile round trip.
Satellite reception is very good even in the big cities (and I live right in the middle of one) and better out on the highways and (especially) skyways. Refresh rates are instant.
Every feature you see on the newer GPS models of 2005 were already thought of and comes with the eMap! This includes timers for estimated arrivals, enroute; compass directions; speed; distance; tons of your own waypoints; a complete world basemap (and Ive literally traveled the world with the eMAP) and a very detailed US basemap built-in; altimeter; the works!
The CONTROLS are easy to learn and navigate through on your first road trip out. PLUS the controls are PLACED AT THE BOTTOM WHERE THEY BELONG. I cant believe other GPSes want you to block the screen and the GPS antenna! With eMAP this is never the case.
I figure Garmin discontinued this model, because this was too successful of a product. They needed to differentiate their product line and realized that the eMap had everything they could possibly put into a GPS handheld. Dont fall for the color screen hype. Ive found that the screen is less confusing when its less cluttered. Besides, just like the higher end GPS handhelds of 2005, you determine and customize the level of detail you want to see.
CONCLUSION: For the bargain price of a good eMAP, you cannot go wrong. The eMAP is way better designed and alot of thought was put into this by Garmin as their first GPS flagship handheld. Its the first and best thin, lightweight, ergonomically correct, and full featured handheld GPS youll ever find. If you find one (and the supplies are scarce), get it!
by: Anonymous On: 2003-04-18
I have owned this unit for about 18 months and have absolutely no regrets. Yes, it did take a few weeks to learn how to use the unit, but it was well worth the time.I found the easiest way to learn was to use it while navigating on long trips. By the time we got to our destination, I was an eMap expert. Want to find a decent restaurant along the way? Use the find/exits feature. Better yet, position the cursor on a major city and use find/points of interest/food. When traveling to Springfield, Illinois last weekend this is how we found a really cool coffee shop along the way in Crawfordsville, Indiana. After lunch I pressed find/points of interest/historical. We toured an old "rotating jail" museum from the 1800s located just a few blocks away. Sure, the information might have been in AAA books, but we spent zero minutes lost using the Garmin, and the Garmin has far more restaurants than AAA (and the phone numbers and addresses to boot!) ... I bought the 128 MB card, the USB programmer and the leather case. Using the USB programmer it takes about 14 minutes to flash the 128 MB card. A serial connection requires about 8 hours to flash a 32 MB card. If you download maps frequently like I do, the USB is worth it. A final note: the eMap is one of the few GPS units with the buttons under the screen rather than above the screen. Big deal? Well ergonomically this makes sense since you will not be covering the screen with your hands when using the GPS. I never understood why this layout is not more popular. Just buy it.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-06-13
If you want to know exactly where you are, this is a great toy. If you want to figure out where you are going, this is useless.I expected the GPS to be able to offer advanced features similar to what we have come to expect with GPSs built in to cars, or map websites on the internet (turn by turn directions). Or at least directions. Or at least finding addresses. This was a disappointment, even with Garmins map cds. The fun part? I purchased some topographical map software from a different vendor. Uploaded the waypoints from my garmin...and I could follow my mountain expeditions all over the topo maps. That was kinda fun. Also, then the other way, in the mountains the GPS kept me pointed in the right directions. Also, carrying it running keeps track of how far you run much more accurately then those pedometers, and keeps track of speed. Ever wonder what you are flying over on those long flights over middle America? Turning this on in an airplane is kinda fun.
On: 2001-02-12
This is a nice unit, and it is interesting to read the glowing reviews of customers who have owned the Garmin eMap for two or three weeks. I have owned the unit for over a year. It works well in the US. It will not guide you street by street to a location, but it will guide you "as the crow flys." You get a straight line between you and the destination. It works.It does not work well in Europe. I purchased the UK and French CDs. I installed them on the memory card and used them in England, Wales, and all over France. The first problem is that the Garmin eMap just doesnt pick up or hold on to the GPS satellites in Europe very well. It may be that they are too far south or that the antenna is designed for use in US latitudes. I have no explanation but if you intend to use this in Europe, look for another unit. The second problem is that even after loading the UK and French MetroGuides, when you press the Find button you get a list of US cities. I disabled the US city maps and I still got the list of US cities. You cannot "Find" and navigate to a foreign city. The only way to navigate is to know where the city is, then scroll to it on the tiny eMap screen and click on it. If you dont know where the city or tiny Welsh village is, then you are completely out of luck. Very frustrating either way. Again, if you are travelling out of the US you should steer clear of the eMap. My other problem is with Garmins service. I could not get my eMap to communicate with my laptop. It communicated with three different workstations, but not my Dell laptop. Garmin tech support insisted that there was obviously something wrong with my laptop. I even read them the error messages from the MapSource program, which cited program line numbers with errors in them. They insisted that the problem was my laptop, not their software. I own my own software company, so I know a software problem from a hardward problem. My modem and PalmPilot work on the laptop but the Garmin does not. Garmins support staff refused to help or even acknowledge that there was a problem. They refused to bring the problem up with a senior support person or a programmer. I got the same answer no matter how many times I called and no matter who I spoke with. A year went by and I got along by using a workstation. Recently Garmin made an update available for their MapSource program that fixed a communications bug with some laptops. I downloaded it and magically my laptop started communicating with the eMap. If you never need customer support, and you wont travel out of the US, then the eMap is a product you should seriously consider.
On: 2001-02-11
This is a nice unit, and it is interesting to read the glowing reviews of customers who have owned the Garmin eMap for two or three weeks. I have owned the unit for over a year. It works well in the US. It will not guide you street by street to a location, but it will guide you "as the crow flys." You get a straight line between you and the destination. It works.It does not work well in Europe. I purchased the UK and French CDs. I installed them on the memory card and used them in England, Wales, and all over France. The first problem is that the Garmin eMap just doesnt pick up or hold on to the GPS satellites in Europe very well. It may be that they are too far south or that the antenna is designed for use in US latitudes. I have no explanation but if you intend to use this in Europe, look for another unit. The second problem is that even after loading the UK and French MetroGuides, when you press the Find button you get a list of US cities. I disabled the US city maps and I still got the list of US cities. You cannot "Find" and navigate to a foreign city. The only way to navigate is to know where the city is, then scroll to it on the tiny eMap screen and click on it. If you dont know where the city or tiny Welsh village is, then you are completely out of luck. Very frustrating either way. Again, if you are travelling out of the US you should steer clear of the eMap. My other problem is with Garmins service. I could not get my eMap to communicate with my laptop. It communicated with three different workstations, but not my Dell laptop. Garmin tech support insisted that there was obviously something wrong with my laptop. I even read them the error messages from the MapSource program, which cited program line numbers with errors in them. They insisted that the problem was my laptop, not their software. I own my own software company, so I know a software problem from a hardward problem. My modem and PalmPilot work on the laptop but the Garmin does not. Garmins support staff refused to help or even acknowledge that there was a problem. They refused to bring the problem up with a senior support person or a programmer. I got the same answer no matter how many times I called and no matter who I spoke with. A year went by and I got along by using a workstation. Recently Garmin made an update available for their MapSource program that fixed a communications bug with some laptops. I downloaded it and magically my laptop started communicating with the eMap. If you never need customer support, and you wont travel out of the US, then the eMap is a product you should seriously consider.
 On: 2001-01-09
Although Ive been very happy for my eMap that I got for Christmas, Ive been frustrated with the lack of documentation. The documentation for the unit (there is also a guide to the PC software) is limited to a quick start sheet and a slim printed "manual" - which contains little more information than the quick start sheet, really. Between the documentation and experimenting, Ive managed to figure out most of the basic features of the unit. The less obvious features and indicators, however, remain a some what of a mystery. These include, but are not limited to, the meanings of the bar graphs on the GPS Info screen, how to use the Routes format, and the meaning/use of different location formats. I have made guesses on all these things, but Im not sure exactly whats up. If Garmin had provided a real instruction manual, even on CD-ROM,Id be much happier. Ive sent e-mail to Garmin, well see how well they do on customer support...
On: 2000-12-21
I wanted a GPS primarily for driving and finding addresses. The Garmin EMAP deluxe does exactly for that purpose, and does it extremely well!First of all, if you want to find specific addresses, you need to get the metroguide CD and download detail map info into your GPS. Otherwise, all you get is major roadways and highways. You wont get lost, but if the house youre looking for is located on some local road, you wont find it. You need a data cartridge to hold the detail maps. The emap deluxe comes with an 8 mb cartridge. 8 MB is sufficient, although I think it shouldve come with 16 MB.... You also need a PC interface cable, which also comes with emap deluxe. 8 MB will hold detail maps for approximately a radius of 25-30 miles. If youre driving across states, bring a laptop and the cd. The screen is sufficiently large so that you wont have to scroll painfully. The display is clear, and the backlighting is very nice in that you dont lose any contrast. You can look at the thing in pitch blackness and youll see the map extremely well. This gadget is extremely fun to watch, and very satisfying-- i.e. you wont be disappointed in terms of what it can do-- whether those functionalities are worth (the price), thats a different question. If you drive a lot and get lost a lot, or if you wish you can find shortcuts if youre stuck in traffic, its definitely worth it. Also keep in mind that the metroguide CDs cost (extra).
On: 2000-11-13
The primary use for my GPS is city driving, and in LA it is a huge help. To use this unit for city driving you must also purchase the MetroGuide USA CDs. These CDs can upload data to the eMap. This data includes addresses, businesses, and surface streets. I also have the external antenna for my car, and I find this helps a lot when the unit is in the car. It should be noted that it can not actually plan a route for you, but you can use the map to determine your route. Also, it tells you how far away from your destination you are, and aproximately how long it will take you to get there. I have set waypoints all over the city so that I can always find my way. I can also punch an address in and it will show me right where that point is. I never get lost anymore. Many people also use this unit for hiking, or camping, and I have used it for this a couple times as well, and have found it very useful. I have also taked it in the airplane and it is a kick to see where you are, and how fast you are going. I have used a number of other units and find this one to be the most versatile, and great all around.
On: 2000-10-23
had my e-Map for over a month now and really love it. good acuracy, fast positioning, and easy to use software. make sure to download the latest sw from the garmin web site. its free and has useful new features not in the software shipped with the unit. one downside is the short battery life - only ~8 hours when in he normal mode but power saving mode extends battery life considerably. comes with a power cord that you can plug into a cigarett lighter socket so the short battery life is no problem when using it in the car or boat.bought the u.s. roads and recreation software and am extremely pleased with it. incredible detail and falling-off-a-log easy to upload maps from the cd into the e-map. dont waste your money on the worldmap cd, which has no where hear enough detail to be useful for anything.
On: 2000-10-14
I use this product every time I travel. Its great for looking up restaurant information, gas station information, and planning trips. Its only downfall is short battery life.
 On: 2000-09-08
I have been following the development of GPS systems over the last ten years and this is a powerful compact GPS that you can get accurate street level maps that are downloadable from your computer. You can plan routes look up addresses, and have difficulty getting lost with the right downloaded data. The display is hard to read while driving, and it many deseigned for a compact travel map. The larger version of this model has a readable screen, but not compact for carrying. When driving, the gps is sometimes off by 50 to a 100 feet, but that is common with most GPS. I would prefer a little more contrast in the screen for reading or a color screen that might be easier to read. Scrolling to the differenct screens is very easy and you can figure out the program in 5 minutes.
On: 2000-09-05
I wrote a review on the emap a while back in April and am now reviewing from a long-term perspective.The emap is still SO much fun to use. I use it every time I go off-roading, cruising, bikeing, or hiking. I have not yet had one glitch in the unit and it still runs as good as day one! It hasnt gone through much toruture because it has been mounted in my SUV, but it has held up very nicely! Since my last review, Garmin has updated the software on the emap which adds a sunrise/sunset/moonrise/moonset feature which is VERY NICE! It gives you an attractive little diagram of the earth and where the sun and moon are along with written info. I have used the emap to its capability and would still HIGHLY recommend this GPS to anyone because it is very adaptable to any lifestyle. Garmin even makes a handle bar mount for you to take it on your bike or atv. There are just endless possibilities with this little contraption. Overall Grade: VERY recommendable! If you want the technical info, look at my APRIL review.
by: Anonymous On: 2000-08-21
I get Emap Deluxe for my road trip USA.Good Points: Emap is the most useful electronic I ever own! It tells you sunrise and sunset time at a location. It tell you how far you travel and how far are you from your destination or waypoints. Bad Points: -I upgrade the system software to ver2.51. Some time the GPS simply lock up just like Windows 3.1. I have to press the on/off to turn off and turn on the GPS. -The battery last only for 6 hours in a cool day or 3 hours if you travel to warm/hot area. Other: THe Metroguide is nice to have. I dont use it much. I rather prefer the ROad to recreation CD becase an 8meg memory hold much larger in R2R then Metroguide. Overall: You have to have a GPS if you spend lot of time on road or plan for your next family valaction!
On: 2000-08-15
I use my eMap for topographical maps. With the 8 Meg of RAM, I am able to download the areas covering the Appalachian Trail from West Virginia to the Southern end in Virgnia. That takes about 4 Meg--plenty of room for other regions as well. Because GPS signals are so weak, the antenna needs to be exposed to the sky to keep a good signal. The flat back of the eMap makes a strip of velcro easy to apply to allow mounting of the unit on the shoulder strap of a backpack. The features arent as numerous as the Garmin III+, but it covers all the basics and provides a large, crisp screen. I havent tried the dash mount for my truck, but it looks like it would do well in that environment as well.
On: 2000-07-20
As someone without a built-in sense of direction - well, ok, Ive got one, but its only right about 50% of the time - I can honestly say that the E-Map is a really useful tool. There are things that could be better, but what you get in small device is pretty amazing. Ive been using the E-Map on my motorcycle during the commute to and from work and its given me a lot more confidence to go explore alternate routes (like when traffic is heavy). Ive always been one to cruise around neighborhoods and side streets anyway, and theres something reassuring about having that big arrow on the E-Map pointing in the direction you should be heading.Here are some things Ive learned that might be helpful: - The E-Map is smaller than I thought it would be. Its closer to the size of a TV remote control than a palm pilot. More elongated, and not very thick. Its very comfortable in the hand, and easily fits in a normal jacket pocket. - Its more solid than I was led to believe in reviews that Ive read. When you pick it up, its got a nice "heft" to it. Definitely no loose electronics rattling around inside it or anything like that. Solid, professional feel. - The built-in road data, while pretty cool in principal, didnt have the resolution that Id hoped. While the larger streets are shown, most of the neighborhood streets I use were not. - Garmins handlebar mount does work, but its not the most solid thing in the world. For a bicycle, its fine. For a motorcycle, be sure to mount it out of the wind and put the lanyard around something just in case. (that being said, I havent had any problems with it yet). - As another poster mentioned, battery life isnt so great. I get 4-6 hours of use out of it with a pair of new duracells. - I had no problems using it at night. The backlight is more than sufficient. - If you load the Metro Guide data (which I highly recommend) for a region, the main navigation screen will not only display the map of where you are (scrolling as you drive), but will also display the name of the cross streets before you come to them (usually, anyway). This is a really handy feature if youre looking for a particular turn. - The user interface for examining one of the "points of interest" on the screen is a little tedious (because of the way you have to move the pointer), but using the "find" feature to look up a point of interest works pretty well. In general, the controls are pretty easy to master and you get to where you can handle most functions with one thumb. Overall, Ive got no regrets about purchasing it. For someone like me who needs help navigating now and then, its perfect.
On: 2000-06-28
This is james Bond technology that is way cool. The accuracy and details are exceptional. I bought this for my wife who is new to this area but I am so amazed by the technology that I am the one always playing with it. Going to buy more for gifts.
On: 2000-06-27
This is james Bond technology that is way cool. The accuracy and details are exceptional. I bought this for my wife who is new to this area but I am so amazed by the technology that I am the one always playing with it. Going to buy more for gifts.
On: 2000-06-27
Purchased about 3 weeks ago and have used it alot. I liked the keys on the bottom of the unit, you can use them and see the screen at the same time. The detail is nice but it requires you to purchase an 8mg card and download an areas detail and then it will give a fairly detailed street level info for a given city or region. Forget trying to load more than one city or region at a time with the 8 mg card. City like Houston takes up the entire cards memory. Really like the automatic tracking feature, and its "track back" feature. The instruction book is not all that good, I have found some features are not very clearly explained in the material. But in all, for the price, and for my frequent road trips (200 -400 miles) is a nice tool. One other thing, the GPS comes really with nothing. Recommend the buyer also by the carring case, at least the 8mg card, PC cable (if you buy the softeare for detail downloads), and car battery charger.
On: 2000-06-26
Purchased about 3 weeks ago and have used it alot. I liked the keys on the bottom of the unit, you can use them and see the screen at the same time. The detail is nice but it requires you to purchase an 8mg card and download an areas detail and then it will give a fairly detailed street level info for a given city or region. Forget trying to load more than one city or region at a time with the 8 mg card. City like Houston takes up the entire cards memory. Really like the automatic tracking feature, and its "track back" feature. The instruction book is not all that good, I have found some features are not very clearly explained in the material. But in all, for the price, and for my frequent road trips (200 -400 miles) is a nice tool. One other thing, the GPS comes really with nothing. Recommend the buyer also by the carring case, at least the 8mg card, PC cable (if you buy the softeare for detail downloads), and car battery charger.
On: 2000-06-20
The Emap is simply the best personal mapping GPS available.The screen is very legible and the base map is fairly complete withmost Federal and State highways. It also shows services available at interstate exits such as gas, food, and lodging.Emap supports downloadable maps, but you must get the propriatary Garmin software which is pretty expensive. To get the most out of the Emap, you really need to get either the Roads and Recreation or the MetroGuide software. Both provide street level detail for the entire U.S. including all city streets and local roads. The Roads and Recreation maps are downloaded on a county by county basis. You can select up to 99 counties to load, although the 8MB cartridge can only hold about 40-45 counties. The MetroGuide software downloads entire 8MB sections, so you can only use one section at a time. If you do much traveling outside your area, you will need extra cartridges for additional MetroGuide areas. MetroGuide does offer address finding and area points of interest that Roads & Recreation doesnt, but for most people, R&R will be enough. You owe it to yourself to check out the map viewer to see which software package you need. The map viewer shows exactly the information that will be downloaded to the Emap. Keep in mind that only one section at a time can be downloaded from the MetroGuide unless you have the 16MB cartridge. Overall, this is an excellent map unit for travel use. It doesnt offer route planning, but you can manually set up waypoints along your route and it will tell you which direction they are and when you are getting close. I just wish that other mapping companies maps could be downloaded rather than depending on the pricy Garmin software.
On: 2000-06-19
The Emap is simply the best personal mapping GPS available.The screen is very legible and the base map is fairly complete withmost Federal and State highways. It also shows services available at interstate exits such as gas, food, and lodging.Emap supports downloadable maps, but you must get the propriatary Garmin software which is pretty expensive. To get the most out of the Emap, you really need to get either the Roads and Recreation or the MetroGuide software. Both provide street level detail for the entire U.S. including all city streets and local roads. The Roads and Recreation maps are downloaded on a county by county basis. You can select up to 99 counties to load, although the 8MB cartridge can only hold about 40-45 counties. The MetroGuide software downloads entire 8MB sections, so you can only use one section at a time. If you do much traveling outside your area, you will need extra cartridges for additional MetroGuide areas. MetroGuide does offer address finding and area points of interest that Roads & Recreation doesnt, but for most people, R&R will be enough. You owe it to yourself to check out the map viewer to see which software package you need. The map viewer shows exactly the information that will be downloaded to the Emap. Keep in mind that only one section at a time can be downloaded from the MetroGuide unless you have the 16MB cartridge. Overall, this is an excellent map unit for travel use. It doesnt offer route planning, but you can manually set up waypoints along your route and it will tell you which direction they are and when you are getting close. I just wish that other mapping companies maps could be downloaded rather than depending on the pricy Garmin software.
On: 2000-06-19
I recently took my E-Map on a 3400 mile motorcyle trip. The GPS worked well with some notable exceptions. First, the battery capacity of the dry cells are greatly over estimated. The first day out, which was cool, I coaxed 6 hours out of new batteries. The second day, which was in the high 90s, I could only get 2 hours use out of new batteries! Once it cooled in the evening, the batteries did come back on line. I quit using it after I ran out of batteries. If using the light system you get even fewer hours of use. Clearly the only solution is to use the power capable, available at an extra charge.The road network available on the system is generally adequate, but when you get onto rural State roads, they are often not covered. Then the GPS just shows you in some gray wasteland. The good news is, it is very accurate! At times I could tell what side of the road I was on! The ability to use lat/longs has also made a good backup for my boat and a primary GPS on some small boats. Very limited for hiking because of the battery problems. I have not purchased any downloadable programs yet. I would purchase this GPS again but only with the power cord.
On: 2000-06-18
I have been using GPS units for about 4 years. I bought an early Garmin model I used in Africa with great success. Then I had the GPS Nav option added in my Mercedes; it is made by Garmin and features a large color screen and onboard CD player with highly detailed street level Maps. It is indispensible. Now I wanted a GPS I could use on my Mountain Bike and in my second car, a Honda Civic; I wanted to be able to remove the unit to prevent theft. Now the Garmin Street Pilot for 700.00 retail was attractive but a bit pricey and with only 2 hours of batt life and a much heavoer profile, did not make much sense for my bike. The eMap is a great compromise. It has decent downloadable maps, excellent display and controls, all the quality I have come to expect in a Garmin unit. It is lightweight, snaps in and out of mounting cradles etc. I recommend it highly; now if Garmin will only get the price down on the color screens! I find the color screens a huge jump for easy recognition of differing roads and landmarks.
On: 2000-06-02
This is one GREAT little mapping tool! I bought about 3 weeks ago and am loving it. It is very east to operate and has many features. It is a GPS that you can slip into your shirt pocket, and the controls are simple to use. Although there are most features necessary for navigation, there are a few shortcomings. For one, it is not rated water submersible. In fact, it is not sealed and is just rated "rain resistant." This could cause problems when using this unit anywhere around water or if hiking during a bad thunderstorm. It does not do an automatic address to address routing. Although, with a MetroGuide map loaded with the information you need, you can "Find" a specific address and the eMap will point it out to you. It records the altitude but that page is embedded several layers deep. In the map display, you cannot see the map section boundaries at zoom levels less than 30 miles. Several maps (on CD) are available from Garmin for downloading. I bought the MetroGuide USA, World Map, US (including Alaska & Hawaii) Topo Map, MetroGuide Italy and Roads & Rec. Italy. I will take this to Italy with me in Sept. and to China in Nov. I love it. It has a lot of neat features. Also bought the cigarette lighter adapter, dash mounting bracket and external antenna. I have not hooked up the external antenna yet but have not had any problems getting reception in the pickup with the built-in antenna. Cannot get reception indoors. The MapSource maps are pricey but are complete. Would probably not need two maps for Italy.I think this is a great GPS and would recommend it to anyone who wants an easy-to-use "Shirt-pocket" size GPS map.
On: 2000-05-20
Garmin has a winner here - good screen, easy to use, and the maps are first rate. Battery life is pretty amazing, the lock-on time is less than a minute, and it tracks well even in cars and aircraft.
On: 2000-05-19
Garmin has a winner here - good screen, easy to use, and the maps are first rate. Battery life is pretty amazing, the lock-on time is less than a minute, and it tracks well even in cars and aircraft.
On: 2000-05-11
Well what a nice surprise! This GPS is a great all-around tool. Hikers and drivers will absolutely love it.I would recommend to upgrade your software version to 2.5, which is free and easily done through the garmin.com site. Earlier versions do have some glitches (remember to purchase that cable, huh ?). Other than battery life, I think this is one of the best GPS models available. If you go hiking, remember to get a sealed plastic cover. Some fully waterproof covers are available for two-way radios (i.e. Motorola) to use your device and not worry about droping in in the water or using it while raining.
On: 2000-04-21
About 3 months ago I bought myself a Garmin eMAP gps and I amstill amused by it. It really amazes me how I can be holding a toolabout the size of my hand that could take me around the world with close to pinpoint accuracy. To think, only 5 years ago, this would be impossible without severe chart plotting and hours of time (GPS time: about 15 seconds).The eMap in my opinion is better than the GPS III+ in a couple of ways. The eMap is cheaper, has more memory, and is more useful for the average person. Features include: 2AA battery compartment(up to 14 hours operation), high-resolution display, illuminated light background, 500 personal waypoint storage, 12-parallel satellite capability, powerful antenna, splash resistant, highly detailed basemap, and a satellite status page. This GPS comes with other nice features, but ill let you play with those. If you do end up purchasing this item, I would highly recommend getting the leather carrying case for it. It is not too expensive and will prevent the GPS from getting scratched or damaged. The eMAP is ideal for driving. Its basemap includes highways, freeways, off/on ramps, buildings, *residential streets, beaches, coast lines, and much more. If you plan to use this gps primarily for driving, I would also recommend getting the "MapSource Roads and Recreation CD" to add even more detailed info on the GPS (however, it is quite expensive at about $100). Overall Evaluation: A Great well-rounded capability, durable, fun to use! *= only with the MapSource CD END
On: 2000-04-20
About 3 months ago I bought myself a Garmin eMAP gps and I amstill amused by it. It really amazes me how I can be holding a toolabout the size of my hand that could take me around the world with close to pinpoint accuracy. To think, only 5 years ago, this would be impossible without severe chart plotting and hours of time (GPS time: about 15 seconds).The eMap in my opinion is better than the GPS III+ in a couple of ways. The eMap is cheaper, has more memory, and is more useful for the average person. Features include: 2AA battery compartment(up to 14 hours operation), high-resolution display, illuminated light background, 500 personal waypoint storage, 12-parallel satellite capability, powerful antenna, splash resistant, highly detailed basemap, and a satellite status page. This GPS comes with other nice features, but ill let you play with those. If you do end up purchasing this item, I would highly recommend getting the leather carrying case for it. It is not too expensive and will prevent the GPS from getting scratched or damaged. The eMAP is ideal for driving. Its basemap includes highways, freeways, off/on ramps, buildings, *residential streets, beaches, coast lines, and much more. If you plan to use this gps primarily for driving, I would also recommend getting the "MapSource Roads and Recreation CD" to add even more detailed info on the GPS (however, it is quite expensive at about $100). Overall Evaluation: A Great well-rounded capability, durable, fun to use! *= only with the MapSource CD END
On: 2000-01-08
I have used the eMap on several driving trips along the east coast and found it easy to use and the base map fairly accurate. BUT, I purchased the Roads & Recreation CD-ROM and found that maps in the North Carolina region are over 5 years old. I contacted Garmin and they confirmed that no updates have been published and they have no policy regarding providing updates to the maps! While I like the functionality of downloading more detailed maps into the GPS, investing $100 in obsolete maps and a company who doesnt seem to view this as a problem bothers me.
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