Ok, after wading through these negative Navigon reviews, I bought the 2100 to see for myself and put it side-by-side on the dashboard with the TomTom 130-S and the Garmin Nuvi 200. Each was in the $150 range, so price is not a factor here. Each has a 3.5" screen.

1. The voiced street names in the TomTom and Navigon beats the Garmin 200 which lacks text-to-speech in this price class.

2. Each of the three gives you one free software/map update right out of the box.

3. The Navigon fee-based updated POI's is not as user-friendly as the TomTom, which has a web site with many free databases. Garmin has the capability to add databases too, but most of them are also fee-based.

4. The complaint of a "gray land" basemap on the Navigon is only a personal opinion of reviewers here. The gray basemap, in my opinion, is far less distracting than the multicolor eye candy of the TomTom and Garmin. It's a map people, not a Disney cartoon.

5. Battery life is comparable in all three.

6. Only TomTom gives you the USB cable in the box, though it's necessary for all three to interface with your computer and the companies' Web sites. How cheap of Navigon and Garmin!

7. It would have been nice to have the sexy, modernistic car mount of the Navigon 5100 and 7100 packed with the 2100 instead of the clunky Erector set version. But the new TomTom fold-flat, low-profile mount beats all GPS mounts on the market today.

8. Only the Garmin handles "pedestrian mode" well. TomTom doesn't have that option, and Navigon gets totally confused traveling at a slow walk. But really, use breadcrumbs if you can't find your way back home jogging.

None of these three GPS units guide me with the best possible route. NONE! But, until you can program your own desired route and save it for future use, we'll have to settle for each of their quirky route calculations.

Conclusion: Of the three, Navigon's "traffic report" capability puts it ahead of TomTom and Garmin in terms of features. But that costs an additional $99 list. Using all three, I rank the TomTom #1, the Navigon #2, and the over-rated Garmin #3.

Obviously, Garmin has a good reputation, but it's also obvious that Navigon and TomTom are working harder to bring the GPS buyer more features at better price points.

As far as the Navigon being difficult to operate: figuring out how to program -each- of these GPS units takes a little time, but folks, it's not rocket surgery.

I had to write this review to alert other Navigon 2100 (5100) users in case they are not aware of this. If you have purchased 2100 or 5100 recently, it has perhaps v1.1 installed. Please register with Navigon and download the latest software which is v1.2. I Purchased the 2100 a few months back and loved the maps and the reality views but was disappointed with the interface and software had some bugs. I was recently alerted by Navigon that a newer version of the software which also included map updates was available (which is awsome as compare to other GPS makers which normally don't offer free map updates). After I upgraded the device with v1.2, I am very pleased with this GPS. The device locks on the GPS signal even when i am sitting inside my house. It also acquires the signal fairly quickly under normal conditions and is great in the city driving with tall building (as in NYC) and will not lose the signal (this was even before the upgrade). I have to say that after upgrading to v1.2, all my complaints are gone. I haven't noticed any issues thus far yet. One caveat is that downloading the 1.5 GB file will take a very long time and will remind you of the days when dial-up was the king. This is perhaps due to limited bandwidth issues with Navigon servers. Use Windows XP to download this large file as IE in Vista kept on crashing in my experience. Those who are looking to buy Garmin and other top brand names GPS, should seriously consider Navigon.

I was very excited about getting this GPS unit, the graphic displays and the realistic view at junctions would really be a great help driving on jersey roads, however the unit turned out to be flat out junk. When i first opened the box, it was missing the window mount, i immediately contacted amazon and they said there was nothing they could do about it. Then i contacted the company and they said i had to send the serial # and it would take 14 days to process the order. From there i turned the GPS on, only to find that it had me located on the wrong street while i was sitting in my house. Needless to say i wasnt please but i thought i would give it a chance, so i took it out for a spin, i plotted a destination in the next town only to find that the location was not on the map, so i continued to plot a course that was on the map, and started to drive, only to find that when i was about to make the turn onto the entrance, the unit could not pronounce the words properly, it precisely said "turn left on to rt42 north bradge (which is supposed to be bridge), i laughed, and continued on, when i got near the town i was headed to, i went right past it, why? Because the map stored in the GPS didnt have the exit that was constructed on the highway 8 years ago, it tried to turn me onto the original exit which had existed back in the 90's (which was all grass now btw). I turned the car around, went back home, and put in an RMA request and sent the unit back. Navigon still has a long way to go.

I already owned a Garmin Nuvi and then saw and fell in love with the look of the NAVIGON 2100. But when I got it I was very dissapointed. For a few reasons. The power connection is on the bottom so you cant rest it low on your dash, The NUVI has the power cord conected to the mount so it it always pluged in no matter if you remove the sysytem from the mount, the fonts on the NAVIGON were so small I couldnt see them (I wear glasses).There are many features the Navigon has that the Nuvi dosent. Like the fwy feature and how it shows all up coming fwys on the screen that the NUVI dosent. The Navigon is a very nice looking machine, I think I was just use to the NUVI and prefered it over the NAVIGON. Bottom line is, if youve never owned a GPS system, NAVIGON is a HOT item.

I read a ton of reviews of both the Navigon 2100 and several other comparable models. I also went to a B&M store so that I could play with many different offerings before making my decision. The fact that this item has a Lifetime Traffic Update capability (usually $99 but I got it for free with the purchase of the GPS) and Text To Speech tipped the scale towards the Navigon. What cinched the deal was the price. I purchased mine on-line for $149 including the Lifetime Traffic. When you consider that the Lifetime Traffic is usually $99 alone this was a very good deal.

Navigon is a European company that only recently made forays into the US market. Many of the complaints that I read on-line related to their lack of support in the US. This is changing rapidly. They will roll out "Navigon Fresh" on-line in the US in March 2008 which will enable you to update your firm ware, purchase maps, and meet other updating needs. I have had no issue at all with the unit but many people on-line have noted of late that when you dial the 800 number you are connected to a real live English speaking person fairly quickly. I am convinced that in the coming months their customer service will continue to expand and improve.

One of the other complaints of the unit involved the lag from the time you type a character to the time that it appears on screen. This is due to the prediction software that the unit uses. To me it is no big deal as you can go ahead and type in the first few letters, wait a couple of seconds for it to catch up and in most cases it shows the complete street or city name on the left to choose from the list. This is probably faster than typing the complete street or city name anyway so this is really no big deal.

Others complained that the icons or letters are too small to accurately type without a stylus. This is the case with almost all GPS units, especially if you have large fingers. Many GPS units include a stylus; this one does not. To me, this is not a deal breaker as you can buy a stylus almost anywhere for just a couple of bucks. I got one a Wal-Mart that doubles as a pen and paid less than $5 for it. While you are there pick up a screen protector as the unit uses its touch screen for all input.

The map and directions are fine and accurate. When I ignore their directions because I know a short cut, it quickly recalculates the route and doesn't annoy you with repeated requests to make a u-turn. While the unit may not give you the route a native of the city would choose, it will get you there fairly efficiently and with confidence that you will not end up lost (this is after all the whole point!).

The spoken voice is clear and loud enough to be heard easily. As with any Text to Speech GPS they often mispronounce a street name but it is usually still clear what they meant. The screen is plenty bright enough, even in bright sunlight, and easy to read. One thing that I like is that as this a European device, they don't bombard the screen with colors. Except for the street that you are on or will navigate to, the rest is various shades of gray. This makes it very easy to anticipate turns at a glance. Overall the unit seems sleek and well designed.

The unit does not come with a detailed user manual but you can download the 140 page PDF from their web-site. Hey, printing is expensive and I applaud their effort to save money and trees, especially since they pass that savings on to us. Besides, it gave me a chance to read the manual cover to cover while waiting for the GPS to be shipped which is something I wouldn't have done if it arrived at the same time as the unit (I'm a man after all!).

If you are comfortable with computers and electronics you will find the menu navigation a snap. I think that even older people or those who may not be as tech savvy would still be able to use the unit after a little practice. The menus are fairly intuitive and the use of animation makes them seem Flashed based and attractive.

Please note that the Traffic Updates only works in certain cities, make sure to check their web-site to see if your area is included. If it isn't, and you are offered the package deal you could always sell the traffic upgrade on e-bay as it comes in a blister sealed pack.

When you compare the features of this unit to others you quickly realize that you would have to pay much, much more to get its equal. Great unit, Great price!

First of all this is my first GPS, so I'm not comparing it to any other. I'm just rating it based on it fulfilling my needs and the reasons I bought a GPS. I am one of those people that lack a natural sense of direction. For instance even if I have traveled to a place before I may not be able to find it again on my own...especially if time has passed since I have been there( example a resturant, night club, mall or your house).

Some people speak of their GPS unit as if they are kids with toys..."it has a MP3 player, plays pac man games, and plays MP4's"....does it come with a finger nail clipper too!?! All that is great but I have already invested in portable equipment that does all of those...so I'm in no rush to make my other investments obsolete. This GPS does none of the things mentioned. It simply navigates. Very effectively i might add.

Most people who gave this GPS a 1 rating recieved a deffective unit. That is a hazard of buying any electronics. So I would take them with a grain of salt. And if you chose to buy this unit cross your finger and just hope you aren't another statistic of mass production.

As far as navigation I can't imagine right now how you can get much better. This speaks street names as it tells you to turn. The turn now notications are damn accurate; you can almost be a blind person and get in a car with this. The reality view is a picture of the highway/freeway signs with "Large Orange" arrows in the lanes you should be traveling. It comes in handy and helps you from jumping on the incorrect highway/freeway when they intersect.

Points of interest show most of the majors...I even seen some hole in the wall Chinese resturants listed. The unit also allows you to add up to 300 customer points of interest. So if you are like me and often take the incorrect exits or turn down incorrect streets to places you have even been before; You could just program your unit to take you there smoothly with a press of a button. Or even type in a place you want to go but haven't been and reference it later no matter where you are.

If there is something blocking the street or the freeway(mainly freeway because even I know how to drive around an accident or road block in the street) You can tap route blocked from 5 to 25 miles and it will take you an alternate route for the 5 to 25 miles and then put you back on track. You also can set it to alert you if you are traveling 5 to 25 miles over the speed limit. Which then it will shout warning! with the speed limit of the road you are traveling displayed.

The unit looks like a little big screen TV. The things light night view aren't automatic, but just tap the screen(even in the middle of it navigating) and the menu pop ups then tap night view... it take 2.2 seconds to do, really. It does not replace common sense....that's what everyone seems to be looking for when they become obsessed with which GPS is better then that GPS...but if you have used other units you may be trained to type in an address or look up a POI a certain way...but if this is your first or you learn fast regardless of how it operates differently..you will not be disappointed; unless you get a lemon of course.. I didn't get a lemon myself.

Overall this is a good product...it might not have some of the bells and whistles like the MP3, video games, MP4 and bluetooth... but if you have a bluetooth headset, a car stereo that plays data CD's with mp3, and IPOD jack, a playstation and a big screen tv at home for games and movies....not to mention a Palm Treo phone that plays MP3's, MP4 and games....get my point? If I think about it I have about 17 MP3 players already!!! enough!!! There is a lot of redundancy going on here... until there is a product that does it all well... i just want it to do what it supposed to do... well! Anything else is just a toy.

I got into this game saying that I didn't want to spend more then 200 bucks. That what a GPS is worth to me... so you can't put a mp3 player and a video player on it and tell me it's 650..ok but i'm not buying it... if I could've got all of that for 200 bucks then I would have had 18 MP3 players...lol

If find the price a deal....trust me this one is good!

A great product for the two weeks it worked, then a nightmare!!

Read the reviews about the great features the item has then consider this.

Mine worked for two weeks, then the scren shot off after about half a second on. The warranty for Americans is pathetic. I was told within a week someone would come up with a resolution. No one called, so I called I was told they have not set up anyythin to deal with american warranties but maybe in a month or two. Being that they told me their engineers are working on it and they don't even want to look at my product I imagine this must happen A LOT. BUYER BEWARE!!!! I will update if they ever fix my product.

Navigon 2100

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Navigon 2100

User opinions

for Navigon 2100

User Rating 9/10

Spectacular

User Summary

"Better than NUVI 350"

by JaimeCayo (see profile) - January 11, 2008

Pros: 3D reality View, Lifetime Traffic, Speed Warning

Cons: Brand, new in the market, POI (fire departments, Post Offices)

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I took me 3 months to buy this, I first started looking at it on September, when it was advertised on Time Magazine, was going to buy on Black Friday, but wife did not want one. I bought mine on X'ams.

I read all reviews, I like doing research before buying something, and my feeling after reading them all (I went through 4 web sites) was that this had a lot of potential and that a lot of users did not really use it before jotting down their thoughts.

I have used NUVI 350, and 670 before and I thought they were the best, I was wrong.

NUVI takes to long to link onto satellites,over 2:10 (twice it took over 20 minutes, I am not kidding) with NAVIGON it has not taken me more than 2:10 (the shortest 1:50) even on a rainy day.

Comparing the 350 against the 2100 (had them both in the car) the 350 showed the same route, same distance. The NUVI showed a shorter ETA than the NAVIGON, but while driviing the NUVI will go up.

As far as being user friendly goes, I preffer the NAVIGON, its more like windows, and although the NAVIGON is pretty much standard like the other manufacturers, the NAVIGON is really easy to get used to and faster.

I also use a stylus.

The reviews that I read daid that the NAVIGOn took sometime to show the addresses while typing, that is because it shows the options, narrowing them. Something that can be construed as a nuisance, but its not.

The 3D really view is awesome, my wife likes it, now she can drive herself on the instersate without having to call me, and ask me what exit to take. I wish I had the 7100, for bigger view, but its too pricy. The speed warning feature is good, I like it.

The cons: POIs, no Post offices and no fire departments.

Car mount is good but does not have the "ball" behind the mount, therefore you can only move side wise and not tilt it.

I have had my product since black Friday and my realtime traffic still does not work. I have called Customer support 4 times each time a talked to a nice person who said a supervisor would call me back with in 48 business hours. It's 1 month later and I have had no calls back. I live in Los Angeles where the traffic signal should be strong but my unit is yet to pick up a signal. I do not recommend this unit to anyone and I highly do not recommend purchaseing the real time traffic unless you want to deal with lousy customer support.

If you are looking for a product that is backed by (at least sort of) customer support, the Navigon is not for you.

The navigator that I own is not functional due to software related fatal errors. Neither reboot nor device reset helps. So does their customer support. I did not get any reply on my on-line request. When I called to customer rep over the phone, I was promised to be called back by engineers. Guess what?... I did not get any call from them.

So if you are experiencing any problem with the product and still can return it to the vendor, please do so. Dealing with the "customer support" may drag you past the merchandise return deadline, as happened in my case.

Also, if you are looking for a GPS navigator with up-to-date maps, the Navigon 2100 is not for you either. It shows businesses that were closed couple years ago and does not see some legitimate left turn point in my neigborhood promting driver to make U-turns a mile or so ahead.

********

(January 11th update)

Now it's almost a month since I reported a problem. The customer support representative told me that the engineering department is still working on the troubleshooting. That means that they either have not support engineers or they overwhelmed with the defective product service requests.

When I was asking about service time estimation, product exchange or money return options, I got nothing in reply but insults.