Monday, February 25, 2008

Pricing Review for the Garmin Zumo 550

I was searching the web this past weekend getting ready to get my motor bike out. I begun looking at the Garmin Zumo 550 and the TomTom Rider2 comparing and pricing and features. I have decided to go with the Zumo 550 and found it at Mark's Outdoor Gear about $300.00 cheaper than my local BestBuy or Circuit City.

Info on the Garmin Zumo 550: from marksoutdoorgear.com.

Garmin ZUMO 550 Bluetooth Motorcycle/Scooter GPS

Customize your ride with the rugged Zumo 550. Designed by bikers, zumo’s motorcycle-friendly features make it easy to operate while in the saddle. From back roads to rallies, its preloaded maps and high-end navigation features give you the freedom to go where you want. Check out Garmin's zumo mini-site to see it action!

Enjoy Bike-Friendly Design

Durable and dependable, Zumo 550 is built for motorcycles:

  • Glove-friendly touchscreen with left-handed controls makes it easy to operate
  • High brightness, sunlight-readable, UV-resistant display makes it easy to view your screen
  • Motorcycle console for trip information, including fuel gauge to warn you when it's time to fill up
  • Motorcycle mount with universal mounting hardware so you can mount it anywhere
  • Included motorcycle and automotive mount (with integrated speaker) for riding or driving
  • Custom caps available in a variety of colors to reflect your style
  • Vibration-tested, waterproof and built with fuel-resistant plastics to withstand the element

Navigate the Open Road

Zumo 550 comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator® NT street maps and a hefty points of interest (POIs) database, including motels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. Simply enter a destination, and Zumo takes you there with turn-by-turn voice directions that speak street names. In addition, Zumo accepts custom points of interest such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs. The 550 also comes with a rechargeable, removable lithium-ion battery a for trip planning or use on foot, and even accepts additional maps.

Add Traffic, Weather and Radio

With optional XM subscriptions and an XM antenna, you can check the weather, move ahead of traffic and listen to the radio when you travel with Zumo in the U.S. As an alternative, z?mo can receive optional TMC traffic alerts (in select cities) when used with a compatible traffic receiver. Simply press a button on the screen, and z?mo recalculates your route to avoid traffic tie-ups.

Talk and Listen Wirelessly

With Zumo 550’s Bluetooth® wireless technology, you can talk on the phone safely without removing your gloves or helmet. Connect Zumo to your Bluetooth-enabled headset/helmet and cell phone to make and receive hands-free calls. You can even make phone calls to POIs through z?mo’s Bluetooth interface. In addition, Zumo transmits navigation voice prompts to your headset so you can listen wirelessly.

Plan Your Trips and Share Your Rides

Zumo 550 makes it easy to plan your next trip and share routes with your riding buddies. Plan trips on your computer before you start. Search for food and fuel stops and local attractions. Then, transfer your route to Zumo and go.

At the end of the day, share your favorite places and rides with other z?mo riders, and review your travels in Google™ Earth. SD card expansion makes it easy for storage and route sharing. Download routes to share with your riding buddies — even load mp3 files to your unit to enjoy tunes on the road. In addition, JPEG picture viewer lets you share photos of your adventures with friends and family.

What's in the Box:

  • Zumo 550
  • Preloaded City Navigator® NT for North America (full coverage)
  • MapSource® City Navigator North America NT DVD (full unlock)*
  • Motorcycle mount with mounting hardware
  • Vehicle suction cup mount with integrated speaker**
  • Dashboard disk
  • Carrying case
  • AC charger
  • Vehicle power cable
  • Motorcycle power cable
  • USB cable
  • Security screwdriver
  • Custom caps (silver and black)
  • Garmin stickers
  • Owner's manual on disk
  • Quick reference guide

*City Navigator North America NT DVD included in North American Version; City Navigator Europe NT DVD included in European version.

*Notice to Drivers in California and Minnesota

Package contents may vary per version. See your local dealer for more information.

Shop with us for the best deals anywhere, with our low prices!

Specifications:

Physical & Performance:

Unit dimensions, WxHxD:

4.8"W x 3.9"H x 1.6"D (12.2 x 9.9 x 4.1 cm)

Display size, WxH:

2.8"W x 2.1"H (7.2 x 5.4 cm); 3.5 diag (8.9 cm)

Display resolution, WxH:

320 x 240 pixels

Display type:

QVGA color TFT with white backlight

Weight:

10.6 ounces (300.5 g)

Battery:

removable, rechargeable lithium-ion

Battery life:

up to 4 hours

Waterproof:

yes (IPX7)

High-sensitivity receiver:

yes

RoHS version available:

yes

Maps & Memory:

Basemap:

yes

Preloaded maps:

yes

Ability to add maps:

yes

Built-in memory:

internal solid state

Accepts data cards:

SD card (not included)

Waypoints/favorites/locations:

500

Routes:

50

Features:

Voice prompts (e.g. "Turn right in 500 ft."):

yes (using included mount(s))

Speaks street names (e.g. "Turn right ON ELM STREET in 500 ft.") :

yes

Speech recognition (navigate with voice commands):

no

3D map view:

yes

Auto sort multiple destinations (provides most direct route):

yes

Auto re-route (fast off-route and detour recalculation):

yes

Choice of route setup (faster time, shorter distance, off road):

yes

Route avoidance (avoid highways, tolls etc.):

yes

Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest):

yes

Hands-free calling with Bluetooth® wireless technology:

yes

FM traffic compatible:

yes

XM® Navtraffic (includes basic weather) & Radio for U.S. compatible:

yes

MSN® Direct for U.S. compatible:

no

Where Am I? feature (find closest hospitals, police & gas stations, nearest address & intersection):

no

Car locator feature (marks position when removed from windshield mount):

no

MP3 player:

yes

Audio book player:

yes

Picture viewer:

yes

Configurable vehicle icons (select car-shaped icons for map navigation):

yes

World travel clock, currency & measurement converter, calculator:

no

Touchscreen:

yes

Qwerty or ABC keyboard (choose keyboard layout):

no

Remote control:

no

FM transmitter:

no

Headphone jack/audio line-out:

yes

Dead reckoning:

no

Garmin Lock™ (anti-theft feature):

yes

Motorcycle-friendly:

yes


Warranty:
MOG 30 Day, Manufacturer 1 Year

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