I'm going on a vacation to Wisconsin. Lakes, back roads, driving. Your post couple days ago on Garmin got me to consider maybe buying one the things to take with me and use to get around. (I don't know the area or the cities I'll be visiting.) So I've started reading about portable GPS units.
Jeez, the internet comments on Garmin products are amazing. Specifically, I'm reading comments where SEVERAL people say their Nuvi 350 is the best electronic device they have come across in years. An awful lot of reviews with "highly recommended". And I see that another Garmin product has been called the iPod of GPS.
This Nuvi thing has been out for at least a year. I'm sorry I'm so far behind the times, because had I known how great so many people believe the product to be, I might have - I hope- bought a few GRMN shares.
I notice that this Nuvi 350 isn't that expensive a consumer item now. Under $400. Price has come down. Also the battery in it is not replaceable, but instead, designed to last "only" five years. Which means GRMN believes these units will be outdated by its newer models (better technology and/or features), or else the company is trying for planned obsolescence.
So here's a product that people are finding they really like a lot - maybe it's something they sort-of can't do without (like a garage-door opener once you have one, or electric windows in cars), that's now almost cheap enough -- or is cheap enough now -- to really capture a huge market, and a product that will need to be replaced in a few years. And as I read the reviews on the internet, it seems there are three top providers (market share leaders) of GPS systems, but Garmin seems to be for now, the clear leader in offering features vs. ease of use.
So... Reasonable price, desirable features, you don't need to be a techie, you don't (apparently) need to read through a complicated instruction manual to get the thing to work-- that all sounds pretty good to me.
Gee, maybe it isn't too late to by GRMN stock.
What'dya say? |
