Canon PowerShot SD850 IS 8.0 MP Digital Elph Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Discover a new inspiration.

The PowerShot SD850 IS Digital Elph is a digital camera that will really get your creative juices flowing. It starts with a high-resolution 8-megapixel CCD, a 4x optical zoom with Canon’s exclusive UA Lens and an Optical Image Stabilizer for steady zooming. There’s also a DIGIC III Image Processor with Face Detection and red-eye correction, an ISO 1600 setting for sharper images in low light, 5 Movie Modes and a 2.5-inch PureColor LCD with scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating for easy viewing.

PowerShot SD850 Highlights

Advanced 8.0-megapixel Digital Elph with 4x optical zoom and exclusive UA lens Count on the PowerShot SD850 IS Digital Elph for images that will make you say "wow" every time you shoot! Equipped with a high resolution 8-megapixel CCD, this Digital Elph is just what you need to capture life’s greatest inspirations as you’ve always wanted them. You’ll get every exquisite detail in dazzling, eye-popping color. And you can print big. Plus, the SD850 IS Digital Elph is equipped with a 4x optical zoom that features Canon’s exclusive UA lens with ultra-high refractive index glass to enhance your pictures while significantly reducing total lens size. Just imagine the possibilities!

Optical Image Stabilizer technology for steady, long zoom shooting Life doesn’t give you second chances to capture special times. That’s why the elegant PowerShot SD850 IS Digital Elph is equipped with Canon’s acclaimed Optical Image Stabilizer Technology that automatically detects and corrects camera shake -- one of the leading causes of fuzzy or blurred shots. So now even when you’re zooming in tight you can get the steady, crisp, brilliant images you’ll be proud to shoot and share. And Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer Technology is so convenient to use. Just turn it on, it functions perfectly with or without a flash.

DIGIC III Image Processor with improved Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction With DIGIC III, you get images of superior quality, the camera functions at top efficiency and battery life is significantly enhanced. What’s more, DIGIC III enables Canon’s newly improved Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction to give you better, more true-to-life people shots. Simply press the Shutter Button halfway down, and the PowerShot SD850 IS Digital Elph automatically pinpoints the faces in the scene and chooses the ideal focus point. To keep every face looking bright and natural -- without scary red eyes -- the camera controls exposure settings and flash, so every shot is just what you were shooting for.

DIGIC III features Face Detection AF/AE, which finds multiple faces in the frame and sets the most suitable focus point, when the shutter button is pressed halfway. And an additional new feature, Face Detection FE adjusts the flash, based on a person’s face on the screen. Exposure and flash are controlled to ensure proper illumination of both the faces and the overall scene, eliminating the common problem of darkened or overexposed faces.

Red-eye Correction detects and automatically corrects red-eye during playback for both regular and flash photography. In unusual cases where red-eye is not automatically detected, it can easily be corrected manually during playback mode.

iSAPS technology is an entirely original scene-recognition technology developed for digital cameras by Canon. Using an internal database of thousands of different photos, iSAPS works with the fast DIGIC III Image Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.

Vivid, high-resolution 2.5-inch PureColor LCD The camera’s 2.5-inch LCD screen gives you the big picture, whether you’re shooting, reviewing or showing off your images. This extra-durable, high-resolution screen with tough scratch-resistant coating on the anti-reflective, PureColor LCD screen offers a crisp, clear picture to make shooting, playback and using the camera’s menu functions especially convenient. Clear and bright, it also features Night Display for easy viewing in low light.

Sensitivity range expanded to ISO 1600 The PowerShot SD850 IS Digital Elph features new ISO 1600 and High ISO Auto settings that reduce the effects of camera shake and sharpen subjects in low-light situations, giving you greater flexibility for shooting.

Creative Light effects, and five movies modes A new Special Scene Mode "Creative Light Effects" brings you a new pleasure of capturing night scenes! You can select ant effect before shooting, then it transforms background bright spots to stars, hearts, music notes and more.

Shooting movies have also five options. With a highly flexible movie mode, you can create the movie that’s perfect for any application. Select from VGA (640 x 480 pixels) and QVGA (320 x 240 pixels), with frame rates of 30 fps and 15 fps for recording up to 1 hour or 4GB. Also choose from Fast Frame Rate (QVGA; 320 x 240 pixels) recording at 60 fps for up to 1 minute, Compact Movie Mode (QQVGA; 160 x 120 pixels) recording at 15 fps for up to 3 minutes, and Time Lapse (640 x 480) recording at 1 or 2 sec. intervals. The PowerShot SD850 IS Digital Elph supports the USB 2.0 Hi-Speed standard, so you’ll enjoy the fastest possible data transfer speeds when using a USB 2.0 Hi-Speed compatible computer.

18 Shooting Modes including 11 Special Scene Modes

• Auto The camera chooses all the settings so you can concentrate on your subject.
• Manual The ultimate in creative control, you set ISO speed, exposure compensation and white balance.
• Color Accent Choose to retain a single color in your image while other colors turn monochrome.
• Color Swap Select a color and replace it with a color you specify for special effects.
• Digital Macro Shoot larger-than-life close-ups with one-button simplicity.
• Stitch Assist Build awe-inspiring panoramas by neatly aligning sequential images.
• Movie Shoot in VGA and QVGA (30 fps/15 fps for up to 1 hour or 4GB), Fast Frame Rate (60 fps for up to 1 minute), QQVGA (15 fps for up to 3 minutes) or Time Lapse (640 x 480 for 1 sec./2 sec. intervals).
• Portrait The camera sets a large aperture, focusing the subject and artistically blurring the background to make your subject "pop."
• Foliage Capture brilliant shots of autumn foliage, greenery and blossoms.
• Snow Shoot clear snow scenes without darkened subjects or an unnatural bluish tint.
• Beach Get clear shots of people at a sunny beach without darkened faces.
• Fireworks Grab brilliant images of skyrocketing fireworks.
• Aquarium Achieve proper flash-free exposure and natural hues at indoor aquariums.
• Underwater Capture underwater images with reduced backscatter effect (Note: Optional Waterproof Case WP-DC15 required for shooting any underwater images).
• Indoor Reduce blur and improve color accuracy when shooting handheld indoors.
• Kids & Pets Reduced focusing time freezes fast-moving subjects, so you won’t miss those special shots.
• Night Snapshot Get natural-looking pictures with brighter backgrounds and subjects lit by flash.
• Creative Light Effects Transform background bright spots to stars, hearts, music notes and more.

The Complete Print Solution

Print/Share Button for easy direct printing and downloading The PowerShot SD850 IS Digital Elph's Print/Share button makes direct printing easier than ever. Simply connect the SD850 IS Digital Elph to a Canon CP, SElphY or PIXMA Photo Printer or any PictBridge compatible photo printer, press the lighted Print/Share button and print! Also use the Print/Share button to transfer images to a computer (Windows and Macintosh).

Print your own ID photos in 28 different sizes or use the Movie Print function to output multiple stills from a recorded movie on a single sheet with a Canon SElphY Compact Photo Printer.

Direct Photo Printers For desktop large-format printing, try one of the Direct Photo Printers that allow you to print without a computer in one of two ways: plug your compatible PowerShot camera into the Direct Photo Printer using the supplied USB interface cable, or simply insert a memory card into the supplied adapter. You can also connect the printer to your computer for more options. Print high-resolution, borderless images as postcards or 8.5 x 11-inch sheets within minutes.

Compact Photo Printers Compact Photo Printers let you produce versatile, fun 4 x 6-inch postcards, 4 x 8-inch wide greeting cards or credit card size prints in just two easy steps: connect and press/print. Control the printer right from your camera's LCD screen. You get durable, dye-sublimated prints quickly with or without borders. Assorted paper types let you create mini or credit card size labels. You can even take select Compact Photo Printers to a party or an outdoor picnic using an optional rechargeable battery.

PictBridge The PictBridge standard enables any digital camera that supports PictBridge to connect and print to any PictBridge compatible printer.

Product Description

Canon PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH camera has an impressive array of top-tier photo features including an advanced ultra-compact zoom lens and optical viewfinder to easily capture, record and share brilliant images under a full range of shooting conditions, all within a curvaceous, eye-catching compact design. It is a digital camera that will really get your creative juices flowing. It starts with a high resolution 8.0 Megapixel CCD, a 4x Optical Zoom with Canon's exclusive UA Lens and an Optical Image Stabilizer for steady zooming. There's also a DIGIC III Image Processor with Face Detection and Red-eye correction, an ISO 1600 setting for sharper images in low light, 5 Movie Modes and a 2.5-inch PureColor LCD with scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating for easy viewing. Still Resolution - Up to 3,264 x 2,448 (Large), 3,264 x 1,832 (Widescreen) - 16 - 9 Movie modes - 640 x 480 / 320 x 240 (30 fps/15 fps) available up to 4GB or 60 minutes, 640 x 480 (2 hours at 0.5 fps/1 fps), 320 x 240 (1 min. at 60 fps), 160 x 120 (3 min. at 15 fps) On camera editing Windows and Macintosh capable Computer Interface - USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mini-B jack); Video Out - NTSC/PAL (connect cables included); Audio Out - Monaural Power Source - 1. Battery Pack NB-5L; 2. AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC30 (both included) Unit Dimensions (W x H x D) - 3.56 x 2.22 x 1.04 in./90.4 x 56.5 x 26.4mm; Weight - Approx. 5.82

		This product is Certified for Windows Vista: Only Certified for Windows Vista software and devices have undergone compatibility tests for ease of use, better performance, and enhanced security on PCs running the Windows Vista operating system. Find out more.

Sony Cybershot DSCW55 7.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Black)

In silver, black, pink, or light blue, the DSC-W55 is a stand-out choice for style-conscious start-out or step-up camera customers who appreciate real value and advanced technology. 7.2 MP imaging, Carl Zeiss 3x optical zoom lens and high sensitivity combine to capture clear, high-detail images even in low light--and with up to 380-shot2 Stamina battery power, 56 MB internal memory capacity and large 2.5-inch LCD screen, the DSC-W55 is ideal for family memories at home or on the road.

7.2-Megapixel Super HAD CCD
More megapixels give you more detail and definition when you make big prints or crop in tight on your subject. The advanced Sony Super HAD (Hole Accumulated Diode) CCD design allows more light to pass to each pixel, increasing sensitivity and reducing noise.

Carl Zeiss 3x Optical Zoom Lens Design
A top-quality Carl Zeiss 3x optical zoom lens design helps the DSC-W55 bring distant subjects closer and lets you frame shots quickly for better composition--a real advantage for family sports, outdoor fun and travel photos.

Large 2.5-Inch LCD Screen
The DSC-W55 provides a large, bright LCD screen for composing shots, checking results, sharing your photos on location and reading camera setup menus even in full sunlight.

High Sensitivity Mode
With high sensitivity of ISO 1000, the DSC-W55 gives you better shots in low light so you can shoot without flash to preserve the mood--great for birthday parties, indoor gatherings and candid portraits.

Clear RAW Noise Reduction
The original Sony Clear RAW NR (Noise Reduction) image processing technology helps suppress color noise that can accompany high-sensitivity shooting.

56MB Internal Memory
The DSC-W55 allows you to capture a large number of images without a flash memory card, so it's great for traveling or for quick candid snapshots.

Memory Stick Duo Media Convenience
The DSC-W55 also has a built-in slot for optional Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO Duo media--the compact, high-capacity storage media that make it easily to upload photos to your computer or make lab-quality prints at home on your SonyPicture Station digital printer (sold separately).

Function Guide Text/Icon Display
An on-screen Function Guide text/icon display makes it easy to learn the camera functions that give you greater creative freedom to adjust photo settings.

Versatile Color Modes
The DSC-W55 gives you greater creative freedom to adjust color mode for the creative results you want--with Natural setting for subtle colors, Rich setting for more intense colors, in addition to Monochrome and Sepia color settings.

Convenient Photo Modes
To adjust quickly for specific shooting situations, the DSC-W55 lets you choose from several convenient photo modes: Auto, P-Auto, and Scene Selections for Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, High Sensitivity, Soft Snap, Snow, and Beach environments.

14x Smart Zoom Feature
The Sony Smart Zoom feature intelligently "crops into" the central portion of interest in your photo, avoiding the image degradation of other digital zooms.

MPEG Movie VX Fine Mode
The DSC-W55 can capture VGA (640 x 480) audio/video clips at high frame rate (up to 30 frames per second4), with length limited only by the capacity of your media.

Stamina Battery Power
Sony lets you capture up to 380 shots2 with a fully charged NP-BG1 Lithium Ion battery--enough shooting capacity to cover a long weekend or a whole vacation.

Burst Mode
You can fire off four shots automatically at 7.2 MP mode or up to 64 shots at VGA standard mode--a great way to capture a child's first steps or a pet's best tricks.

Picture Motion Browser Software
Supplied software makes it easier to upload, organize and search photos on your PC--and provides a convenient map view function to sort photos by location and display their origin on a world map by using an optional GPS unit.

What's in the box
Sony Cybershot DSCW55 digital camera, NP-BG1 rechargeable battery, BC-CSG battery charger, AV and USB multi-connector cables, wrist strap, software CD-ROM (Note: No Memory Stick DUO media or adaptors are included.)

Product Description
7.2 Megapixel of detail and definition gives you the option of large prints or crop in tight on your subject. The Super HAD(TM) CCD design allows more light to pass to each pixel increasing sensitivity and reducing noise. Top-quality Carl Zeiss lens helps you bring you subject closer and frame shots quickly for better compositions, ideal for family sporting events, outdoor fun and travel photos. Check your composition shots on the large, bright 2.5-inch LCD Screen, share your photos on location or video the setup menu even in full sunlight. Even shoot in low light with the high sensitivity ISO 1000. Original Clear RAW Noise Reduction helps suppress color noise. 56MB of Internal Memory let's you start shooting right away. Then, when you're ready, upload you pictures onto a Memory Stick(R) Duo media or PC for printing. Capture VGA 640x480 video clips with audio at high frame rates up to 30 frames per second with length limited only by the capacity of my media. Get up to 380 shots with a fully charged NP-BG1 Lithium Ion battery. Enough for a long weekend or a whole vacation. Burst Mode let's you shoot up to 64 shots at VGA Standard Mode. High Sensitivity ISO 1000 Clear RAW Noise Reduction Burst and MPEG Movie VX Fine Mode White Balance - Automatic, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent, Incandescent and Flash Self Timer - 10 Seconds, 2 Seconds and Off Red-Eye Reduction Up to 64 Shot VGA at 1.3 fps Burst Mode Scene Modes - Beach, High Sensitivity, Landscape, Snow, Soft Snap, Twilight and Twilight Portrait Movie Mode - MPEG VX Fine with Audio at 30 fps 640x480 Optical Viewfinder 6 Elements in 5 Groups, 3 Aspheric Elements Lens Construction 35mm Equivalent - 38-114mm Shutter Speed - 1/8-1/2000 seconds 1/3 EV Step Increments Exposure Compensation Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1000 ISO Battery Capacity - 3.6V, 960 mAh Dimensions - 3.5 x 2.25 x 0.875 inch, 89mm x57mm x 23mm Weight - 4.2 ou

Magellan Maestro 3100 Portable Auto GPS System for Continental U.S.

The Magellan Maestro 3100 Portable Auto GPS System delivers the best navigation experience at an entry-level price point. Pocket-sized, powerful, and re-engineered for easy use, its fresh graphics, intuitive interface, and friendly voice will guide you turn-by-turn as you enjoy the drive. If you don't like reading directions, you'll love the Magellan Maestro 3100. It's simple to use and ready to guide you to virtually any destination in the 48 continental United States. Just turn it on and go. Its thin, sophisticated design and attractive, intuitive touch-screen graphics make driving a pleasure. Enter an address or select from 750,000 preprogrammed points of interest (POIs) with just a few screen touches. SiRFstarIII™ gives you the fastest GPS position accuracy in the industry.

Additional Product Features

• Turn-by-turn voice and visual guidance: Enter an address or POI and get there quickly and safely
• Graphical interactive maps: Built-in maps and destinations for the continental U.S. mean you'll always know where you are and where you're going
• Rechargeable battery: Navigate when you don't have access to power
• SmartDetour™: Automatically prompts you to route around suddenly slow freeway traffic
• Auto night view: Adjusts color and contrast for easy night viewing
• 750,000 points of interest (POIs): Optimized database to easily find gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, and more, with smart location search by name, category, and region
• TrueView®: Pop-up visual of upcoming turn
• Map View: 3D bird's-eye and standard map views
• Reception: Integrated antenna for clear GPS signal

What's in the Box
Magellan Maestro 3100 Portable Auto GPS System, flexible windshield mount, dash mounting adhesive disk, cigarette lighter power adapter (12-24 watts), quick reference guide, reference manual CD, and USB cable.

Product Description
Magellan Maestro 3100 delivers the best navigation experience at the most affordable price

Product Description

Sophisticated, simple navigation at a remarkable price! The most intuitive graphical touch-screen interface, thin stylish industrial design and hundreds of thousands of preprogrammed points of interest add pleasure to worry-free driving and navigation. Rechargeable battery - Navigate while driving without plugging the cigarette lighter adapter in SmartDetour - Customize the settings to automatically route you around sudden slow freeway traffic Auto Re-route - Never miss a turn and quickly get back on track whenever you take a detour Auto night view - Adjusts color and contrast for easy night viewing QuickSpell - Easily enter addresses with unique auto-complete feature that even corrects spelling Complete mobility - Transfer to any vehicle with no installation 750 thousand points of interest (POI) - Easily find gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, airports, parks and more with smart location search by name, category and region Interactive POI icons - Touch an onscreen icon for a nearby destination; see phone number and get an instant route Customizable route method - Shortest time, shortest distance, least use or most use of freeways, avoid toll roads Route exclusion - Select streets and freeways to avoid so you can get there on the streets, roads and highways that you prefer 4 helpful views - Map View, 3D map, TrueView 3D split screen and Maneuver List Address Book - Create and store personal points of interest for easy reoccurring trips Instant locate - One touch shows your location; quickly advise roadside assistance or emergency services Optional AC adaptor Unit Size 4.29 (l) x 1.14 (w) x 3.48 (h); Weight 6.5 oz

Garmin Nuvi 350 Pocket Vehicle GPS Navigator with Maps for North America

Garmin Nuvi 350 Pocket Vehicle GPS Navigator

What if one device could help you navigate anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, while offering travel tips, storing your favorite tunes and photos, providing translation assistance, and more? That device is here, and it's not much bigger than a deck of cards. The Garmin nüvi 350 is set to revolutionize what we expect from a GPS navigation device, or from any device for that matter.

The nüvi 350 is a portable GPS navigator, traveler's reference, and digital entertainment system, all in one. View product demo (requires Flash).

A simple touchscreen interface and voice guidance allow you to keep your eyes on the road. View larger.

Listen to an audio book or an MP3 while you're on the road. View larger.

Design
With a total weight of 5.1 ounces and slim measurements of 3.87 x 2.91 x 0.87 inches (WxHxD), the nüvi 350 is just right for the pocket or purse. A bright, 64,000-color display dominates the front of the device and a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels means that there's plenty of room for displaying map data and other elements of the device's interface. An SD memory card slot is provided for expansion software, such as a points of interest database, media files and electronic guides (see below). The flip-up antenna includes an MCX-type connector for connecting the unit to an external GPS antenna. Meanwhile, a powerful built-in speaker resides on the back of device. A built-in lithium ion battery will give you for to eight hours of battery life, depending on use. In addition to an AC charger, the unit also ships with a 12-volt power adapter for vehicle charging, as well as a windshield suction cup mount.

Fortunately, Garmin has made it easy to interface with the nüvi 350's 700 megabytes of onboard memory, thanks to "plug-and-play" USB mass storage support. Just plug the device into your computer's USB port and you've got instantaneous access to all the audio books, music, photos, supplemental maps and other data on the nüvi 350's internal and SD card memory.

Navigation
The nüvi 350 is first and foremost a personal GPS device. Wherever you go -- in your car or on foot-- the device offers extremely accurate position data, thanks to a high-sensitivity integrated GPS receiver by SiRF and WAAS-enabled, 12-satellite reception. Combined with detailed maps of the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico the nüvi 350 provides automatic routing, turn-by-turn voice directions, and touchscreen control-- making it easy to find your way anywhere. Plus, the unique "text-to-speech" feature calls out turns by street name, and you can choose from either 2D or 3D mapping perspectives when you're viewing your route on the display. Additionally, the nüvi 350 is compatible with Garmin's GTM 10 FM TMC traffic receiver*, which allows users to avoid traffic tie-ups by simply pushing a button that will calculate a new route.

As mentioned, the nüvi 350 comes packed with mapping data for North America, but you can can also load up your custom points of interest. Set up proximity alerts for school zones, safety cameras, and more using Garmin's free POI (points of interest) loader program (available from garmin.com).

The device automatically calculates the fastest route and provides voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions along the way.

Tools for the Journey
Navigation is just part of the journey, and the nüvi 350 is one of the first devices to recognize that. The built-in "Travel Kit" offers an MP3 player, an audio book player from Audible.com, a jpeg-format picture viewer, a world travel clock with time zones, a currency converter, a measurement converter, and a calculator.

In addition to the included travel tools, additional software add-ons are available, such as the Garmin Language Guide, with data provided by Oxford University Press. This software suite contains a multilingual word bank, phrase bank, and five bilingual dictionaries. The multilingual word bank and phrase bank supports nine languages and dialects, including American English, British English, French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, European Spanish, and Latin American Spanish. Now you can look up and translate more than 17,000 words or 20,000 phrases per language -- right in the palm of your hand. Through the unit's text-to-speech interface, users can get a spoken pronunciation of each entry in the word bank, along with gender and part of speech information.

Another useful add-on software package, the Garmin Travel Guide, is loaded with information provided by Marco Polo. These guides put in-depth travel information such as reviews and recommendations for restaurants, tourist attractions, and more at your fingertips. The software allows you to navigate to an address or search points of interest-- places like hotels, restaurants, shopping, and tourist attractions. The nüvi 350 automatically calculates the fastest route and provides voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions along the way. The unit also audibly announces the name of upcoming streets-- letting you keep your eyes on the road while navigating through busy traffic and tricky roadways. And if you stray off course, the nüvi 350 automatically calculates the quickest way to get back on track.

*Traffic services available only in select cities where RDS-TMC coverage exists. Requires the GTM 10 FM TMC traffic receiver and subscription fee to enable traffic capability.

What's in the Box
nüvi 350, travel kit, vehicle suction cup mount, carrying case, 12-24 volt adapter cable, dashboard disk, USB interface cable, sample language guide content, sample MP3s, and quick reference guide.

Harman Kardon GPS-500 Widescreen Pocket GPS Navigator, MP3 Player, and Video Player with Maps for North America

This personal travel assistant has a super bright, sunlight-readable, 4-inch widescreen with highly accurate 2D and 3D navigation capabilities. See more pictures: back - right side - left side

Creating a device that does more than one or two things well has proved elusive for device manufacturers. So-called "convergence" devices--devices that provide multimedia, communication, and navigation functions, for instance--are just beginning to mature into products worth buying. One such product is the Harman Kardon GPS-500, which pulls an admirable hat trick by combining above average music and video playback with a top notch GPS navigation experience.

Granted, you don't get some top shelf features like Bluetooth integration, text-to-speech address announcements, or wireless traffic reports, but Harman Kardon has wisely stuck with basics and polished them into an experience that, apart from a few software problems we encountered on our pre-production model, doesn't fail to disappoint.

Turn-by-turn directions and navigation prompts appear as needed, even during music playback.

Enjoy your favorite music in your car--or on the couch. The unit supports MP3, AAC, and WMA audio formats.

The SD card slot supports up to 4GB, enough room for hours of video.

Design
The GPS-500 is solidly built--something we expect from Harman Kardon--and it instills a sense of confidence that it can survive the bumps of bruises that come with the mobile lifestyle. Measuring approximately 4.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches high, and a little over half an inch thick, the device is only a little chunkier than your average PDA or Smartphone. The clean lines of the GPS-500 are enhanced by a complete lack of buttons; all interaction with the device happens between the touchscreen and your finger. In the interest of simplicity, there is not even a stylus that can fall to the floor and roll under the seat of your car.

The only button you'll find on the device is the recessed power button on the top, right next to the SD card slot. The slot accepts cards with up to 4 GB of capacity. There's also a small jog wheel on the right side for volume and display brightness control. Below this dial you'll also find a mini-USB port that serves double duty for both charging and PC-to-device data transfers, as well as a standard 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Meanwhile, you'll find a pinhole reset button on the bottom, as well as a hold switch on the left side for deactivating the touchscreen. Lastly, the back of the unit sports a small audio speaker and a port for an optional GPS signal booster antenna.

Setup and Interface
Setup is as easy as turning the device on, since it comes loaded with maps of the U.S. and Canada. On first bootup, choose from English, Spanish, or French language options for the spoken directions and interface menus.

Interacting with the GPS-500's touchscreen is delightfully intuitive and reliable; there's really no need for a stylus or navigation buttons, which simplifies things on the road. The division of the main interface into four main quadrants is a helpful touch, and it's refreshing to see manufacturers moving away from awkward icon-based menus. Instead of drilling down through lists of icons, all of the GPS-500's options are presented on simple, color-coded shapes. That said, we were a little puzzled by the use of the "Source" menu key, which takes the user back to the main menu from any point in the interface. It's a useful feature, but why not call this the "Home" button instead?

The screen itself is sharp and clear, offering great resolution and clarity in all driving conditions. The map screen is a sight to behold, offering delightfully crisp 3D images, as well as excellent responsiveness when zoomed and panned. Likewise, the interfaces for music and video playback are pleasantly uncluttered, responsive, and well thought-out. One problem in our unit, though, was the lack of a sleep mode. The device's screen will stay on at full illumination when it's left idle--even when running on battery power. There's also no sleep button on the device.

The GPS-500 provides audible commands for turns, which is very useful for anticipating upcoming maneuvers. As mentioned, though, the device does not provide text-to-speech capabilities for reading the names of locations or upcoming addresses.

Navigation
The main purpose of any car GPS device is to take you reliably from point A to B. Here the GPS-500 performs nicely indeed, providing several options for finding your destination. To get going you can select either a street address, a specific point of interest such as a gas station or restaurant, a recent or saved destination, a postal code, or an intersection (if you're not sure of the exact address). To speed up text entry, the unit employs an intelligent auto-completion feature that displays only the letters that spell an item in its database. This greatly reduces the letters from which you have to choose to tell it where you want to go.

Accurate, detailed 3D navigation, and turn-by-turn directions. View larger.

Use the unit's touch screen to enter address locations. View larger.

An intuitive menu lets you switch quickly between music, video, and navigation options. View larger.

Once it knows where you are headed, the device offers you the choice of shortest distance or most use of freeways or other high-speed arterials. You'll also find a trip planner that lets you lay out and save multiple destinations, as well as avoidance choices for routing your trip away from borders, toll roads, unpaved roads, ferries, and more. If you take a wrong turn or need to use a detour, the GPS-500 will automatically re-route you and get you back on your way.

Preloaded maps of the U.S. and Canada help you quickly plan your trip. All you have to do is drive. See route planning details.

And how did the GPS-500 perform out on the road? In a word, admirably. Apart from a few lags and interface hiccups that (we hope) can be attributed to our pre-production software, the responsiveness of the device, combined with the excellent user interface, are what make it a joy to use. Add that to extremely fast and accurate GPS signal processing, and you've got a recipe for navigation nirvana. In most cases, the device decided on logical and efficient routes, too--something that can't be said of all GPS devices out there. This is likely the result of using accurate and up-to-date mapping data.

Multimedia
The GPS-500 strives to be much more than just another GPS device in a crowded market, and that's likely why Harman Kardon has polished the multimedia features of the device so well. With support for MP3 and WMA music files, the music player has a refreshingly intuitive user interface and good sound quality. It's a cinch to browse music on your SD card by artist, album, genre, playlist, and song. Another nice touch is that you can keep the music playing while the unit is in navigation mode.

Video playback is equally straightforward. The device recognizes WMV9 or MPEG-4 AVI video files and presents them in a scrolling list. Press a title and you're off in movie land, complete with smooth framerates and minimal jitters during high-action sequences. We did encounter a format incompatibility with an AVI file encoded in the DIVX format. Attempting to play the file freaked the GPS-500 out, and a hard reset was required. Harman Kardon is very clear about which file formats are supported, but many folks might inadvertantly attempt to play a DIVX-encoded AVI instead of an MPEG-4 AVI. Broader format support would be a welcome addition.

To ease some of the pain of getting your movies and TV shows into the right format for the GPS-500, Harman Kardon provides a brief guide for Windows Media Player users. Mac users will have to use third-party media encoders to prepare their videos for the GPS-500. Lastly, battery life when playing back videos was surprisingly good. After a two-hour movie the GPS-500 was only down to a 40 percent charge.

Pros

• Excellent user interface
• Fast, accurate GPS performance; good mapping capabilities
• Polished, user-friendly music and video playback

Cons

• Minor lag during some operations
• Limited video format compatibility
• No sleep or low power standby function

What's in the Box
GPS-500, car charger, wall charger, USB cable, fold-flat mounting bracket, plastic disc for dash mount, adhesive pad for plastic disc, alcohol cleaning pad for dash surface, quick-start guide, and carrying case.

Product Description

portable GPS satellite navigation unit with built-in antenna * includes car and home power adapters, USB cable, carrying case, and rechargeable battery with up to 4 hours of life * 4" color (480 x 272 pixels) touchscreen control * 3 million points of interest * SD card slot (supports up to 4GB) *