Lowrance Sierra
Jan 22, 2009 gps navigation, lowrance
Lowrance Sierra is the top of the line handheld GPS receiver from Lowrance. It has all the features of Lowrance Outback and Lowrance Safari but adds more internal memory, maps, and compass to the mix.
The device contains 4GB of internal memory and provides a micro SD expansion slot supporting up to an additional 32GB of storage for mapping, pictures and MP3 audio files. The pre-loaded content includes Intermap’s Accuterra topographic maps, outdoor trail networks and POI, as well as the NAVTEQ road network for the contiguous 48 states with an upgrade option for full-featured turn-by-turn navigation.
Lowrance Endura Sierra has an MSRP of $550 and will be available this May just like the other two new handhelds from Lowrance.
Lowrance Safari
Jan 22, 2009 gps navigation, lowrance
Also announced today from the new Endura series was Lowrance Safari, in addition to Lowrance Outback which we just mentioned. Lowrance Safari has all the features of Outback but adds features such as the trip computer, electronic compass and barometric altimeter.A touch-screen display and simple, intuitive keypad make it easy to enter data and access information. The Safari is preloaded with a sophisticated base map and supports both plug-and-play micro SD cards and downloadable maps offering complete versatility to aid any outdoor adventure. The Safari is one of three innovative products in Lowrance’s new Endura handheld GPS line*.
Here are some of the specs from Lowrance Safari:
- Display Size: 2.7 in 68 mm
- Display Type: Touchscreen
- GPS Antenna Type: Internal GPS+WAAS
- Background Map: Preloaded mapping content with detailed hill shading, topographic contours, primary and secondary roads and key POIs
- Custom Mapping: Optional full-featured turn-by-turn navigation
- Built-in Backup Memory
- Sealing: Waterproof to IPX7 standard
- Dimensions: 2.4×5.1×1.2 in
- Weight 0.36 lbs 0.165 kg
- Battery Type: 2 AA (not included)
- Memory Expansion: Micro SD card slot for up to 32 GB cards
- Trip computer records trails, altitudes, trip times, speed and distance travelled
- MP3/voice notes, picture, and video players
- Power standby mode
- Speaker, headphone jack and microphone
- Mini USB port for power and data cables
Lowrance Safari has an MSRP of $385 and will be available for purchase in May 2009.
Lowrance Outback
Jan 22, 2009 gps navigation, lowrance
Lowrance today announced the Outback, its new touch-screen handheld GPS receiver. Lowrance Outback is from the new line up “Endura” and provides extensive expansion capabilities for the outdoor people. It is preloaded with a base map and offers multiple mounting choices and downloadable maps, as well as the ability to support shared web community content and plug-and-play.
Lowrance Endura Outback has a 2.7″ color transflective touch-screen, includes a recording option of trails for quick recall or sharing, a geocaching application compatible with geocaching.com and power standby to conserve battery life as well as provide fast startup.
Lowrance Outback is the entry level device for the new Endura series and will cost $230 when it hits the retail stores in May of this year. It runs on two AA batteries, mico SD card slot that supports up to 32GB, and a mini USB port.
iWAY 600C RV – GPS navigation for RV’s
Nov 26, 2007 gps navigation, lowrance
If you are an RV owner you may be concerned about GPS signals not getting into your cabin depending on where you want to place the device. Well Lowrance has you covered with their iWAY 600C RV which boasts a 5″ display. iWAY 600C RV is pretty much the same as their successful 600C version – only with an external GPS antenna so you can place it on top of your RV for best signal reception.
- Satellite imagery for major metro areas in the USA and Canada
- 30GB hard drive preloaded with NAVTEQ maps of USA and Canada with over 5.5 million Points-Of-Interest
- MP3 music player and JPEG picture viewer
- Full-spectrum FM transmitter, with auto-muting during voice turn directions
- External remote antenna
- Quick-release suction cup mount
It is hard to find this RV version online – but the regular iWAY 600C is available on Amazon for $630.
new from Lowrance: XOG
Oct 8, 2007 gps navigation, lowrance
Lowrance just put up a new product on their website called XOG. Lowrance XOG is a crossover GPS navigation system that promises to be useful in your car, boat, or on the trail. In terms of hardware XOG is pretty standard but you’ll be happy to hear that this device is built tough and is also waterproof (IPX4). It has a 3.5″ 16-bit color touchscreen display with 320×240 resolution, 12-channel GPS antenna, SD memory card slot for expanding maps, and built-in speaker.
Let’s see what makes XOG a crossover device: First off it uses Navteq maps for street navigation and comes with over 3 million POIs. It also supports other plug-n-play maps from Lowrance such as FreedomMaps, Fishing Hot Spots PRO, LakeMaster ProMaps, etc, making it useful for fishing. Not to mention you can also download U.S. satellite and aerial imagery, enhanced USGS topographic data, and BLM mapping from online mapstore which can come in handy when you are hiking an unfamiliar area for the first time. When there are no roads XOG can be used a straight-line navigation device too.
No word on pricing just yet. It’ll be available ’soon’ the website says.
Lowrance iWay 250C review
Nov 8, 2006 gps navigation, lowrance, reviews
The Lowrance iWay 250C measures 3 x 4 x 1 inches and it costs only $350 while still managing to be loaded with features. The iWay 250C comes with a 2GB SD card for maps and you can expect to get turn-by-turn directions on its 3.5″ touchscreen from this highly portable device. The review at PC Mag gave the Lowrance 250C a 3.5 out of 5 which means “good” on their scale.
What we really think as a major dissappointment with the 250C is that it doesn’t use a GPS receiver that support WAAS which has the potential to provide down to 3 meters of accuracy.
The iWay 250C uses an older-generation 12-channel GPS receiver, which doesn’t support WAAS. Other products I’ve recently reviewed have included the latest-generation SiRF Star III GPS module, which boasts rapid satellite-acquisition time and a more sensitive receiver. I did notice that initial acquisition time was longer on the Lowrance from a cold start (out of the box), but once the GPS had an initial fix on my location, subsequent acquisition times were acceptable. Also, during navigation, I never lost the satellite track.
However this was not the main area that needed improvement for the reviewers. Here is what they had to say about route generation times…
My biggest disappointment with the iWay 250C, though, came from a totally unexpected quarter—lengthy route-generation times. I took the iWay 250C with me on two road trips. One trek was from New Jersey to Cincinnati, and the other from New Jersey to Bartlett, New Hampshire. The route to Cincinnati took nearly three minutes to generate, and the one to Bartlett took over 2 minutes. Other competitive units generated the same routes in under 30 seconds. That is a huge difference.
Now we’re not sure what kind of processor or algorithm they use for route generation but it sounds like they could do a lot better.
Lowrance iWAY 600C with satellite imagery
Nov 1, 2006 gps navigation, lowrance
Lowrance just announced iWAY 600C, a brand new automotive GPS navigation system that can actually overlay satellite imagery on top of regular roadmaps provided by Navteq as well as marine mapping and navigation. The satellite imagery is only available for select metropolitan cities though. The iWAY 600C has a big 5″ color touch-screen at 640 x 480 resolution. There’s a mini USB port so you can update maps with Windows XP/ME/2000, Macintosh OS X, or Linux. The huge 30GB HDD can store over 5.5 million POI as well as over 1000 addresses. (keep in mind 25GB is reserved for the satellite pics)
iWAY 600C gives you three map viewing modes, 2D track up, 2D north up, and elevated 3D. It is also capable of providing turn-by-turn voice guidance, auto-zooming, and automatic recalculation of directions after a missed turn.
Of course with all that hard disk you are also getting a full media player that can play MP3 files. There’s no integrated speaker on board, but no worries. iWAY 600C can transmit the audio signal to your car’s stereo thanks to the FM modulator on board. You can also view your image files that you can bring with you on a SD/MMC card.
iWAY 600C has an MSRP of $800. No word on when it will be available.
Lowrance iWAY 250C released
Sep 18, 2006 gps navigation, lowrance
Lowrance just updated their website with information on the brand new iWAY 250C, a pocket sized GPS navigation system with stereo MP3 player and a picture viewer. It comes with built-in battery so you are not limited to the charger in your car and with its Navteq maps of USA and Canada pre-loaded on its 2GB MMC/CD card you are guarenteed not to get lost.
Here are features and specs:
Display
- Sunlight-viewable, 16-bit color TFT touch-screen display
- 320 x 240 pixel resolution
- 3.5″ (8.9 cm) diagonal display size
- Super-bright, white LED backlit screen
Navigation/Mapping
- Built-in, precision 12-channel GPS+WAAS receiver with flip-up antenna
- Optional, compact RAA-5 remote GPS+WAAS antenna with built-in magnet
- Simplified touch-screen menus
- Three selectable mapping displays: 2-D Track Up, 2-D North Up, and Elevated 3-D
- Turn-by-turn audio and visual cues, including auto-zooming and automatic recalculation of directions after a missed turn
- Straight-line navigation feature for off-road and marine use
- 7 voice direction languages
- 12 display text languages
- Street address searching, plus auto-routing choices to choose or avoid Toll Roads and Interstates, and avoid Left-Hand Turns
- Mega-memory storage for up to 1,000 addresses
- Includes 2GB MMC/SD card preloaded with NAVTEQ mapping detail for the USA & Canada or Western Europe featuring millions of accessible Points-of-Interest (40MB of free space on the memory card for MP3 audio or JPEG picture files)
- Supports all current plug-&-play map/chart options from Lowrance
- Maps can be updated through the internal USB port with a PC
- Safety Passenger Mode allows a passenger to use the GPS features while the car is in motion
Media Players
- Full-featured stereo MP3 audio player with digital media card slot for loading audio files with an SD/MMC memory card
- Full-featured picture viewer displays JPEG photos stored on MMC/SD memory cards
Specs
- Operates on internal lithium ion rechargeable battery
- Integrated speaker plus connector support for stereo line out, DC power, USB and optional remote active antenna
- 4″W x 3″H x 1″D (10.61cm x 7.62 cm x 2.54 cm)
- Full one-year warranty
Accessories Included
- Stylus for touch-screen operations (with built-in holder)
- 12 vDC plug power adapter for power and recharging
- Suction-cup mounting bracket for windshield applications*
- Adhesive-backed, European-styled dash mounting plate
- USB to PC interface cable
UPDATE: iWAY 250C costs only $190 on Amazon now.
Lowrance iWay 350C review
Jun 5, 2006 gps navigation, lowrance, reviews
The market is moving more and more away from pocket pc-based units and towards the All in One navigation systems. Lowrance has had the iWay 500c out for a while now, and their newest offering is the lower-priced 350c, which lists for $499.
The Basics
The 350c has a 3.5 inch display, a 4GB hard drive and an SD slot. Aside from basic navigation it can also display pictures and act as an mp3 player. One very nice thing is that it has two internal batteries for a claimed 15 hour run time. I haven’t tested this, but I have run it for 5 hours and it indicated that it had plenty of juice left. According to their literature the 350 has 5 million points of interest. The map database of the entire US and Canada is by Navteq and it is 3Q 2005, so it is pretty current. The Nemerix chipset is WAAS enabled and I often locked onto WAAS when none of my SiRF III units could do so. It has a very loud internal speaker and can also interface with your FM radio with a built-in FM modulator – a very nice touch. The unit uses a specially made mounting bracket with a strong suction cup, which has withstood the Northeast winter and the heat of the current spring season. The display is bright and is visible with polarized sunglasses. The unit comes with a USB cable and a fabric cover.
Unlike some other units I’ve seen the 350 will play music while navigating. The player will play OGG files, as well as mp3, for those who are into open source!
Operation
The first thing one notices about the unit is that it comes with a 10 page Getting Started Guide and a 68 page manual. Thank you Lowrance! It is a real pleasure to see a manufacturer paying attention to documentation. Unlike some other manuals I’ve read the documentation is clear and easy to follow. Read the rest of this entry »
Lowrance reveals AirMap 600C
Apr 3, 2006 gps navigation, lowrance
The AirMap® 600C carries on the AirMap® tradition of reliability, versatility, and value, all in a sleek new package. Features Terrain Awareness, Jeppesen®, Obstructions and Safe Flight 21 databases loaded on an MMC/SD card, MapCreate™ software, an MMC/SD card reader-writer, a cigarette plug power adapter, an advanced active remote antenna, a yoke-mount bracket, and a suction-cup car mount bracket.
Here are some of the specs:
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