This unit is every bit as good as a Garmin Nuvi that I also own, except that the text on the screen is too small unless you have perfect vision. The reality view is a huge plus over the Garmin. A few software problems out of the box such as rerouting always stated "make a u-turn" and didn't try to route you any other way; but after updating the software through their website it works pretty good. Also, the reality views were limited until I updated. Not dissapointed. Recommended to anyone.

I purchased a 7100 7 months ago. It has been plagued with software problems. Fortunately their tech support is readily available and helpful. I have over 50 hrs. into troubleshooting on my own and with their help. They replaced the unit twice and the SD card twice. The earlier problems have not resurfaced, but the third unit locks up during route calculation/recalculation. That really messes me up when in heavy Seattle or Portland traffic.

Even though they cannot fix it, they absolutely refuse to refund my money. Don't buy it.

If they had the bugs worked out it would be a great GPS. The features are fantastic. I have not experienced the functional problems that others have reported.

My experience with a GPS is the Garman Ique-M5, so that set my expectations. The Navigon has traffic info, 3d images, and street names but the benefits end there. The Navigon gave really stupid directions and I tried all of the different settings. Setting it for "fastest route", it would take me off of a main road to go through a sub-division just to come back to the main road later, and that is only 1 example. Also, if the address does not exist, you cannot save your position. There is also no option to find a restaurant or gas station on-route; you can only ask if something is nearby, therefore if you search for a place nearby it may take you backwards from your route. It will also not allow you to put in permanent detours - say if a bridge is out, you cannot put it in there to not ever route that way. I was very disappointed, so I sold mine, and I am saving up for a Garmin unit. It will be about $100 more, but at least I will not get lost using it, and I will cuss less.

I like the unit. The 3D display is great, it is easy to use, and so far it seems accurate. However, I only gave it 3 stars because the battery life is terrible. On a full charge, mine will only run for about 30 minutes...tops. The car charger takes forever to bring the battery back up to a full charge, and if I plug it into an "always-on" accessory port, it will drain my car battery overnight. Much more draw than leaving a light on in the car. And my car battery is new.

I will start off by saying that if I listened to the other reviews for this product I would have probably bought another type of GPS device. I am very happy that I did not pay any attention to the negative reviews for this product. This is a very good product. It gets me from point A to point B without any problems. It is very accurate a keeps up with the speed of the vehicle to ensure that I do not miss a turn. If by chance I do miss a turn, maybe due to not being able to get into the right lane in time, the Navigon will recalculate the route and it does it very fast. It has the U-Turn option that can be turned off if the user does not like to do U-Turns. I have this option set to off. The reality view is great for big cities. It shows what lanes to stay in to ensure that the user does not get into the wrong lane. The reality view does stay up for a little, but once that area of the directions is passed the map will go back to the original mode of tracking the vehicle on the map. This GPS does not have as many points of interest as with other GPS devices, but I did not buy a GPS to find POI's. If I want to find POI's I will do my research on the Internet prior to going on my trip. If I should get stranded on my trip, this GPS can show me restaurants, gas stations, and hotels (most have Wi-Fi for more POI research) in the area. These three things are probably all I need on a trip. Other than this, it shows traffic information for highways and interstates without the need for an Internet connection. There has not been any major traffic jams or accidents on the routes that I have been on, but this device is supposed to guide around these areas when possible. So far this device does everything quite well. So I will assume that it will also do a good job of rerouting around trouble areas on the roads.

Bottom line, this a good GPS product that will get the user from point A to point B and will not cost a whole lot to do it. Garmin and other GPS manufactures have options that enable the device to play MP3's, view pictures, and other options, but I did not buy a Global Positioning System for these things. I bought this device to guide me to a location. Garmin, TomTom, and those other companies can keep all those fancy options. I am very happy with my Navigon 7100.

This is a sexy unit...and many of its features are great. But it has a few deal breakers and it is going back.

The good news:

Beautiful maps make it a pleasure to use this. 3D view gives you a great look-ahead view and adds greatly to your overall orientation.

The voice directions are the best I've ever heard. (I'll miss her).

The traffic speed warning is a useful, if sometimes annoying feature. I think it should be disabled after 3 or 4 warnings on the same road -- after that it's just nagging.

The complex intersection view is fabulous. This was the biggest problem with my old Magellan -- by the time I figured out which lane to be in it was either too late or required a drastic maneuver. This unit automatically switches to a special view as you approach a complex, multi-lane intersection such as a highway cloverleaf and just makes it very intuitive. I just loved this feature.

The deal breakers:

It sent me to a few non-existent POI's -- the first one was when i was almost out of gas and it was none too funny.

The documentation is horrible -- doubly bad since the interface is far from intuitive. Of course, after using an iPod or an iPhone every interface feels clunky but this is terrible. There are so many features -- like switching between 2d and 3d views you just tap anywhere on the screen -- that are impossible to find. I think the above example is a fine shortcut IF THEY BOTHER TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT but there is no way to duplicate this command via all the menus. I stopped roadside and followed every single combination of branching menus but couldn't find it. I had to go home and print out the large manual THAT THEY DO NOT PROVIDE from their website to locate this "feature". There are other similar examples of poor interface design. I accept these things are written in the mannual so if you like to read large manuals before using a product -- and agree that they need not be obvious or simple -- then you'll feel at home here.

But the worse feature is their battery usage and shutdown. On the third day (after solving the above issues and feeling like I could get used to this temperamental but beautiful new cockpit compadre) I discovered a dead Navigon. The power was connected but all I got was a low battery icon. Customer service explained that I had failed to hold down the power key for fifteen seconds to properly shut the unit down and so the battery had discharged. Let me repeat that: they expect you to arrive at your destination, turn off the car, and sit there for 15 seconds with your finger pushing this tiny little button on the side. Actually, the unit "appears" to turn off immediately when you press the button -- but don't let that fool you! Just playin' possum. You have to sit there, counting slowly to 15, with no visual clues, to make sure it's off. To make matters worse, the unit needs to charge for a solid hour on your car battery when this happens before it will deign to navigate for you. That's right, its connected to power but will not tell you anything for an hour -- just to punish you for removing your finger too early. The customer service guys explained that it was just like your PC -- takes a while to shut down. But (1) you don't have to hold the key down on your PC, you're free to move about, (2) you get visual feedback from the PC so you KNOW when it's off, (3) you're not sitting foolishly in your car telling your wife, kids, or colleagues to just wait for 15 seconds, and (4) anybody who uses Windows performance as a benchmark is clearly picking the lowest possible standard. So annoying.

Frankly I would rather have NO BATTERY -- why do I need this? I will use it plugged into my car 99% of the time. When I take a trip I will take the cig charger, so what? I want the thing to work, immediately and always, is that so much to ask?

I have to admit the Bluetooth feature was pretty cool -- worked right away and sounded good. But I already have a wireless headset...and an MP3 player...and a photo displayer... I JUST WANT A FAST AND ACCURATE AND RELIABLE GPS!!

Some of the other reviewers have told you to wait for the next generation. Go ahead. As for me, the whole design team would have to be "under new management" before I would look at the beautiful, seductive, though maddening device again. <sigh> so pretty though...

Great design and great user interface, this GPS has a superb LCD screen in both day and night mode. The fine tuning of this unit is what makes it so powerful. Features like AVOID TOLLS and "Speed Check" which gives you a subtle warning that you are exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 mph for example make the unit extremely functional. The unit does occasionally get confused (Chicago - roads above roads confuse the GPS) and roads that dead end near your location (Cul-de-Sacs) seem to throw it for a loop, but other than that its gets YOU THERE or at least very close to your destination.

I have noticed the battery life is very short, so you need to keep it plugged into the AC/DC unit in your car. The GPS sticks to a plate that can be attached to your dash or the window, the dash plate is nice and works well. FYI. Comes with a sticker that tells potential thieves that the GPS in this car is PIN protected. Great idea in theory, but bad in reality, as many people won't deploy the PIN setup, the thieves will smash the window just to see if you have a GPS in the car. I didn't use the sticker.

The unit also has Traffic Warning/Avoidance which I am still playing with, in some cities it doesn't seem to find the traffic channel which it gets from a radio signal (e.g. FM 96.7). Very useful during rush hours. The GPS will route you around the slowdowns/backups.

The unit needs a POI (Point of Interest) update as some major POI's seem to be missing or are difficult to locate.

With all that said... Highly Recommended. Great unit and great tech support from Navigon.

I've been using the 7100 for 3 weeks and have been very pleased with the functionality to date. Mine is version 6.5, build 77.

My main complaint HAD been short battery life, similar to many comments I had seen here. Upon calling Tech Support , I found out that I'd been unknowingly putting the the unit in standby mode rather than shutting it off. Turns out that one must press the power button for 10-15 seconds to shut off. Anything short of that blacks the screen but you are only in standby. When powering back on, the power button must be held for six seconds. Quirky, but at least now I understand it. I was needlessly charging the unit every day or two because in the first 10 days I had never completely shut it off!

Now, with THAT out the way here are my pros & cons. I have been using this so far on routine driving on the Seattle Eastside, so performance may vary elsewhere.

PRO:

Elegant appearance, nicely designed case. Similar in size/style to Magellan 4250.

Beautiful screen, clear images, nice interface, intuitive to use. Option for day or night view, and 2D or 3D.

Clear, pleasant voice quality.

Charger indicator light changes from orange to green when fully charged.

Ability to key in zip code rather than city name. Possible matches appear as you type, so 5 digit often not required.

When searching for nearby POIs, starts inside one mile, and allows to you manually expand radius - great when searching for restaurants.

Free traffic reporting for life! (text; must hit icon to display). Extensive detail on nature of incident--accident vs. construction--along with length (miles) of slowdown. Thus far, I've not used the supplied antenna, but it does take several minutes for the icon to appear when starting up. Perhaps the antenna would speed it up, but want to avoid the clutter.

Extensive settings menu re: visual options, type of detail on screen, choice of route profile (I find "fast" works better than "optimal" or "short". There's even an option for "scenic".

Can choose to be warned when exceeding speed limits, 5, 10, or 15 mph over.

Very fast reaction/recalc time when choosing different route.

Seems to have some level of intuition based on travel signals: it selects a commute route for me that is 1 mile longer (on a 9-mile commute) than google maps, but due to fewer signals, this route is faster most of the time.

Ability to factor in current traffic when plotting route. (applies to major highways)

Good POI detail - includes many "mom & pop" restaurants & small retail that I hadn't expected.

Easy handling of interim stops or itinerary changes (**need to select this option in settings menu)

Three modes - car, bicycle, pedestrian.

Canada and Alaska included. Canada is part of US map, no need to switch when crossing border.

CON:

Comes with only a soft felt pouch as protection. I ordered the "hard case" for $20 which really isn't that "hard", but is adequate.

No printed user guide.

Lengthy shut down. Standby is nice option for brief stops, but a separate standby button would have made more sense.

When unit hits low battery warning, map freezes behind warning icon. Verbal routing continues. Only way to restore live map is to completely power down & reboot after connecting charger. Tech support says this is due to deliberate trickle charge requiring time to build power back.

I'd like to note that I was VERY impressed with Navigon's Tech support. Short prompt menu, no nagging troubleshooting suggestions, live person right away. Rep was very articulate, conversational, and professional; really interested in being helpful. Felt like I was talking to Management rather than some bored low-level "tech". Tech support located in Indiana.

This is my first GPS, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I'm very pleased thus far and cannot think of anything lacking in the 7100. The routing is occasionally a little off what I might choose, but not unreasonable. Did a wonderful job on a recent trip to Alaska, even in remote Kenai peninsula.

Update 3/29/08: Having used the 1.1 software update for about a month, it seems response times are a little faster.

This Navigon is great! Unlike other reviewers I found this GPS fast. It said it came with the version 6 windows os unlike most people's version 5 that could have made the difference. The reality view is great. Best price/performance out there. The vioce sounds a little robotic and its not customizable. It says turn right on Miami Bulevart. Other than that its great. Best mount! my friend has a Nuvi and it keeps falling off. Comes with a case. Free maps (garmin 70) free traffic. BEST GPS FOR THE $$$

I have been using GPS since 2002. They have all had their quirks, but one thing that was usually good, if not optimum, was the "routing"

Navigon 7100, is beautiful, the software and the GUI is very nice, but what really takes a beating is the routing engine.

On most of the routes, Navigon gives less than optimum routes - which are either much longer than the most optimum routes specially when compared to mapquest or yahoo maps - not only are they longer, but also, for no reason, Navigon insists on routing through by-lanes and single lane routes instead of faster options.

I am hoping that the software update, expected to be released by the manufacturers in Jan 2008, will make at par with the Garmin Nuvi. If that happens, this will be the best GPS in the market - without it, even with its great features like Reality View, Free Lifetime Traffic, Speed Limit postings, lane assist feature etc, it remains inferior- because it lacks in the single most important feature of a GPS - optimum routing.

The unit itself is absolutely amazing - i will hold on to mine for a while, hopefully the Jan 2008 update will take care of the routing. Until then, even though i am really "trying" to like this unit it doesnt win my trust.

UPDATE: After using this GPS unit for over a month and after a couple of long trips - including New Jersey to Ottawa, Canada, my admiration for this unit has grown. I think i would like to bump up my rating to 4.5 stars. What i have mentioned about quirky and less than optimum routing above still stands, but i have noticed that it does not happen in every town - perhaps its a result of faulty maps / map compression for certain high density towns and cities.

Nagivon is expected to release a software update soon - if that corrects the routing problem in the cities where it currently exists, this will perhaps be "the" best GPS Unit available in the market.

For all those who jump to give it low star rating right out of the box - pl use the unit for a while - most of the frustations you face are more due to the "user error" than the unit itself, and hey, there is always a learning curve to any new interface - why do you expect it to be as you want it to be, right out of the box - go give it a spin - it will grow on you.