Garmin StreetPilot 2720 - 3.7 in. Car GPS Receiver
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- Form Factor: Fixed
- Map capabilities: Internal
- Receiver Type: 12 Channels
- Enhanced accuracy: WAAS enabled
- Screen Size: 3.7 in.
- GPS Type: Automobile
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Garmin StreetPilot 2720 GPS Receiver
Pros
Portable, easy to use, complete, no service to subscribe to
Cons
This model is discontinued but you can buy factory refurbished ones guaranteed by Garmin
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
A top of the line GPS from only a short time back it is now available for a fraction of the cost they once were.
Garmin StreetPilot 2720 GPS Receiver
I either suffer from technophobia (fear of technology) or am a technological laggard as the marketeers call people who adopt "new" technology just before it is superseded by the next wave in the product life cycle.
Uncharacteristically for me, I had a chance to get a GPS receiver and took it after looking into it a little bit. I had heard of Garmin so I knew it was a respected name in the business and when I asked one of my techno buds he told me the StreetPilot 2720 was exactly what I needed. He gave me an ad for a factory refurbished 2720 for less than $150, delivered. He also said you can get a handlebar mount and put the GPS on a motorcycle. I thought the deal was a no brainer after comparing a few ads that noted prices in the $5 - 600 range and up to a grand for the little doodad.
The refurbished Garmin 2720 came with all the stuff you need including the power source for both DC, in car, and AC for charging the internal battery in the house. The software with all the maps for N America and a few adjacent areas is internal and you don't need to subscribe to any "service" thus no "service charges" which is a big plus in my book. There is a CD to set up your home PC to receive updates from Garmin's website and a cable to connect your PC to the 2720 and get the updates into the memory.
You just take the GPS out of the box and put the few pieces together and you're ready for bidness. There is a bean bag mount to set the thing on your dash and a dash mount that you can glue down to your dash with the supplied adhesive if you've a mind to. The car power cord goes into the cigarette lighter or auxiliary power outlet that newer cars have and has a speaker where the little feminine voice (KITT) a la Knight Rider (you have to be old to know that reference) can read you the script as it parades across the screen in text.
When you turn on the GPS with its on/off switch it boots up sort of like a PC but it only takes a few seconds (45 sec cold/15 sec warm per specs) to get through the program. It needs to acquire three satellites so you need the internal antenna pointed towards the sky. That's why you set the GPS on your dash under the windshield. Pretty soon it is giving you data. You can either have the KITT voice on or off as you prefer. It also comes with a remote control in case you have a back seat driver er - navigator, that's it. The remote needs two AAA batteries, which is the only thing that wasn't included in the box.
The display is widescreen, in color, and operates via touch screen or via included remote control. You type on the screen by touching the keyboard or number pad. Once you do it a few times it becomes easy. The menu driven system allows you to find a restaurant or hotel or find a street by accessing "Where To." The other option is "View Map." Depending on how much it is zoomed you get a 3D local view that follows the direction of travel or a vertical view that looks like a typical road map.
The map scrolls like you are driving in the direction of travel and you are alerted to street names and distance about 200 feet before you get to the intersection in a normal neighborhood. A cool feature is POI that is points of interest where you can bookmark the device for police speed traps, red light cameras, or other POI in your location. Incidentally, if you do use it outdoors, like on a boat or motorcycle, it is waterproof, submersible in up to 3 foot of water for 30 minutes. This is nice for a piece of electronic equipment exposed to the weather. The set also comes with a cover that snaps over the face of the GPS to protect it when not using.
The thing I really like about the unit is it is portable. You can pick it up and take it into any car you have or on a rental and also put it on a motorcycle if you buy the handlebar mount. There is really nothing extra to buy except of course the alternative mounting for motorcycles or other special application but as far as usability the Garmin 2720 StreetPilot sure seems to work and work well. The screen automatically brightens or dims according to conditions as well.
So after going through all this analysis I have to conclude I am a technological laggard because the StreetPilot 2720 has been outdated so now the price is as low as it can get. I guess that was one of my major criteria after all.
For those of you that don't have a GPS but would like to learn about them without paying the high price of a new one look below at the GPSonSale.com that's where I got mine and it took about 4 or 5 days to get it shipped UPS.
I either suffer from technophobia (fear of technology) or am a technological laggard as the marketeers call people who adopt "new" technology just before it is superseded by the next wave in the product life cycle.
Uncharacteristically for me, I had a chance to get a GPS receiver and took it after looking into it a little bit. I had heard of Garmin so I knew it was a respected name in the business and when I asked one of my techno buds he told me the StreetPilot 2720 was exactly what I needed. He gave me an ad for a factory refurbished 2720 for less than $150, delivered. He also said you can get a handlebar mount and put the GPS on a motorcycle. I thought the deal was a no brainer after comparing a few ads that noted prices in the $5 - 600 range and up to a grand for the little doodad.
The refurbished Garmin 2720 came with all the stuff you need including the power source for both DC, in car, and AC for charging the internal battery in the house. The software with all the maps for N America and a few adjacent areas is internal and you don't need to subscribe to any "service" thus no "service charges" which is a big plus in my book. There is a CD to set up your home PC to receive updates from Garmin's website and a cable to connect your PC to the 2720 and get the updates into the memory.
You just take the GPS out of the box and put the few pieces together and you're ready for bidness. There is a bean bag mount to set the thing on your dash and a dash mount that you can glue down to your dash with the supplied adhesive if you've a mind to. The car power cord goes into the cigarette lighter or auxiliary power outlet that newer cars have and has a speaker where the little feminine voice (KITT) a la Knight Rider (you have to be old to know that reference) can read you the script as it parades across the screen in text.
When you turn on the GPS with its on/off switch it boots up sort of like a PC but it only takes a few seconds (45 sec cold/15 sec warm per specs) to get through the program. It needs to acquire three satellites so you need the internal antenna pointed towards the sky. That's why you set the GPS on your dash under the windshield. Pretty soon it is giving you data. You can either have the KITT voice on or off as you prefer. It also comes with a remote control in case you have a back seat driver er - navigator, that's it. The remote needs two AAA batteries, which is the only thing that wasn't included in the box.
The display is widescreen, in color, and operates via touch screen or via included remote control. You type on the screen by touching the keyboard or number pad. Once you do it a few times it becomes easy. The menu driven system allows you to find a restaurant or hotel or find a street by accessing "Where To." The other option is "View Map." Depending on how much it is zoomed you get a 3D local view that follows the direction of travel or a vertical view that looks like a typical road map.
The map scrolls like you are driving in the direction of travel and you are alerted to street names and distance about 200 feet before you get to the intersection in a normal neighborhood. A cool feature is POI that is points of interest where you can bookmark the device for police speed traps, red light cameras, or other POI in your location. Incidentally, if you do use it outdoors, like on a boat or motorcycle, it is waterproof, submersible in up to 3 foot of water for 30 minutes. This is nice for a piece of electronic equipment exposed to the weather. The set also comes with a cover that snaps over the face of the GPS to protect it when not using.
The thing I really like about the unit is it is portable. You can pick it up and take it into any car you have or on a rental and also put it on a motorcycle if you buy the handlebar mount. There is really nothing extra to buy except of course the alternative mounting for motorcycles or other special application but as far as usability the Garmin 2720 StreetPilot sure seems to work and work well. The screen automatically brightens or dims according to conditions as well.
So after going through all this analysis I have to conclude I am a technological laggard because the StreetPilot 2720 has been outdated so now the price is as low as it can get. I guess that was one of my major criteria after all.
For those of you that don't have a GPS but would like to learn about them without paying the high price of a new one look below at the GPSonSale.com that's where I got mine and it took about 4 or 5 days to get it shipped UPS.
