There are a number of online suppliers of aftermarket tomtom voices who can provide you with all the voices and installation instructions that you could ever want. The voices range from children’s’ cartoon characters to movie stars and celebrity characters. Be aware that there are quite a few ‘explicit’ characters that will shout and swear at you whilst you drive. Great for a laugh with other adults but not necessarily good for young children to be listening to.

The characters from the hit TV show family guy are proving to be extremely popular at the moment. Peter and Stewie Griffin are selling like hotcakes. But is you want Ozzy Osborne, Sean Connery and Home Simpson, they are freely available too. There are many freebies on offer, but the premium paid voices do tend to offer better quality than the free counterparts.

If you own one of the popular brands such as Gamin, Tomtom or Magellan, you’ll find that installation of your new gps voices a really simple task. The less well known units can be a little more difficult, but installation instructions come with most of the voice packages that you purchase online.

The add-on Tomtom and Gamin voices that are available really do add a fun element to your gps and are thoroughly recommended. $10 or so will buy you a voice and there are packages available. You can be up and running in just a few minutes. They improved the quality of our journeys no end, the kids loved them, and I enjoyed the peace.

If you are looking for a new GPS unit for your car, visit this site to check the best products and reviews to help you to source the best gps for the money.

I’ve recently been reviewing a number of the latest voice replacements for the Tomtom and Garmin GPS systems. There are now quite a few companies getting in on the act and addding hilarious voice files, and simple upload systems to their products.

One of the leading voice producers, PigTones, offer a wide range of politically incorrect voices for download. Some of them can be pretty explicit, so I don’t advise them for your car journey’s if you have kids. There are some pretty good ones like Gollum from Lord of the Rings, as well as the Family Guy voices like Stewie and Peter Griffin. They also do the old favourites like Clint Eastwood and Ozzy Osbourne, although they are pretty dated now.

Take a look on our main web site at TomTom Voices and read about installation and other factors to consider when looking for replacement celebrity GPS voices.

TomTom Maps

It’s now possible, and extremely easy, to be on one side of a country, plug a postcode or street address into your GPS, and to drive straight to that location with ease. No, they’re not perfect, few things are, but the time and concentration you will save is enormous, and it makes that long drive far more pleasurable.

It is however important to keep your TomTom Maps, or maps for the GPS system you use, up to date. Once you’ve bought one, you can get live map updates from tomtom, and it will check for new information via the ‘tomtom home’ console when you connect your tomtom gps to your computer.

If you are travelling abroad, getting a map for the countries you will be visiting is a very useful plan. Many car hire companies will hire you a gps system, but the cost per day is silly, and if you are travelling for a week or two, the hire charges will be enough to buy your own unit. If you already have one, just take it with you.

Maps, including some free tomtom maps, are available for many countries in the world such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, Canada and Australia. There are in fact new maps for over 50 countries and they retail for different prices depending on what you buy. One important point to consider, and one that I personally experienced when sourcing TomTom Maps for my trip to the UK recently, was that it was extremely cost effective to buy the complete Northern Europe map set than just buying the one for the United Kingdom and Eire. The additional cost was around $30 USD for a map system tht will allow me to drive all across Europe if Iwant to in the future. So when you do purchase a tomtom map, check to see if there is a version available for a larger geographical area at little extra cost. it could save you money in the long run. Also keep your eyes open for map updates as they become avaialble via tomtom map share functionality.

I hope this has given you some ideas to consider and will help you make a great and cost effective purchase when buying your TomTom Maps.

Garmin Voices

If you have just bought a Garmin GPS device or have owned one for a while, you may be keen to spice the unit up a little with some add-on functionality. Because you are reading this article, you have obviously considered adding replacement Garmin Voices to your system.

The great news is that there are many sites online offering celebrity GarminVoices, created at a professional garmin voice studio, which are avaialble for direct download and retail for around $10 USD each. There are also some deals where you can get 3 garmin voices for the price of 2. The addition of a couple of replacement voices to your unit will give it a new lease of life, make that journey more entertaining, and keep the kids happy, if you travel with some. It is also possible to get a free garmin voice online, but the quality is sometime dubious.

One thing to consider when purchasing replacement Garmin or TomTom Voices is that there are quite a few with explicit language in them. You may enjoy being told you’re a ******* idiot for not turning right, but your partner might not appreciate it, and it’s not ideal having your children listening to that. So if you are desperate to be verbally abused (and some of us seem to enjoy it), get a couple of celebrity voices, one for you, and one for when you have guests in the car.

So what is available? Wel there is a wide choice of garmin voices you can purchase, including old favourites like Elvis, Robert De Niro, Sean Connery and Al Pacino. Or some of the newer kids on the block like Peter Griffin and his son Stewie from the hit TV show A Family Guy. The Peter Griffin GPS voice is stunningly realistic and absolutely hilarious, well worth giving a try. If you like the dulcid narration of Morgan Freeman, he’s available too, as is Ozzy Osbourne, Boycie from Only Fools and Horses and Doc Brown. The Lord of the Rings character Gollum is always a winner in a sinister but slightly sad sort of a way.

There are plenty of others available and online is the place to buy. Listen to a demo, make a secure online payment, and download your celebrity garmin voice in seconds. Software installation instructions are generally included for each brand and model, so you’ll be up and running in no time. They are produced to fit the vast majority of models such as the Nuvi and all the popular types.

I’ve found it  great way to add some additional entertainment to that long journey. The kids love it, so I’m extremly happy I made the decision to buy some replacement Garmin Voices. You should consider it too.

Welcome to the Best GPS for the Money page. We have an amazing review for you on the top GPS Units, and you really should be able to find the best gps for the money out of this lot.

Below is a great article on GPS systems, it’ll give you all the information you need to purchase a great GPS system.

Here are Our Reviews and Links for all the GPS Systems discussed here

Garmin Nuvi 765T-Best Overall GPS

Garmin Nuvi 265T

Garmin Nuvi 285WT

TomTom XL 340 S

Magellan Maestro 4700

Garmin Nuvi 855

Garmin Nuvi 1350T

Garmin Nuvi 255 WT

TomTom One 140S

Garmin Nuvi 205W

Best GPS for the Money ?

Top Ten GPS Systems

By Robert Freer

There are so many variables in GPS Systems, it is a little overwhelming to sort out the best. Below you will find our choices for the top 10 GPS systems. Our selection was by no means scientific, but it is based on reviews from Amazon customers, best sellers listed by Amazon and Pricegrabber, and editors’ picks from GPSMagazine.com.

In this group, only vehicle GPS receivers are listed, since, as a group, they are by far the largest segment of GPS systems sold. But don’t worry, if you are an outdoors enthusiast, we do have listings for cycling, motorcyles, marine and wilderness units as well. You will find these listed in another article.

The manufacturer with the greatest number of models listed in the top ten is Garmin. Their volume of sales in the U.S. outranks all other manufacturers, therefore it is no surprise to see them listed so often. Keep in mind that models differ in both price and features, so do your homework and research a little further rather than just

pick form the top ten list when making your choice.

Let’s get right into it. Here are our Top Ten GPS Picks for 2009:

1. Garmin Nuvi 765T-Best Overall GPS

With the ease typical of Garmin Nuvis’ touchscreen, this product also includes Bluetooth, traffic alerts, text-to-speech, route planning, lane assist and ultra-quick map refresh rate. With all these features, there is good reason to rate this GPS receiver number one.

2. Garmin Nuvi 265T

The 265T, along with other “five” series Garmin Nuvis, comes with free real-time traffic updates. It also features “predictive” technology that allows for faster satellite lock. Included are maps for North America, and text-to-speech capability, announcing the required directions with street names. As with other Nuvi models that have the “T” designation, this unit comes with an integrated traffic receiver featuring traffic updates.

3. Garmin Nuvi 285WT

This GPS receiver comes with real time traffic updates through MSN Direct, has all the features of the Nuvi 265T, and also allows you to use hands-free telephone calls with Bluetooth technology.

4. Tom Tom XL 340-S

A budget GPS with some upscale features, this unit has “advanced lane guidance” which users say works well. Text-to-speech, 3-D junction view and IQ Routes make this system a winner at a budget price.

5. Magellan Maestro 4700

One of Magellans most recently developed GPS units, this receiver has some great features. You can manually exclude any roads you want to avoid, a rather unique feature,in addition to which you can customize the menu to display only the things you want to see. As with most upper end units, it has Bluetooth and traffic alerts and you get a list of upcoming turns well in advance.

6. Garmin Nuvi 855-Best Voice Command GPS Unit

In addition to having complete contol over this GPS system with voice commands, it is the only Garmin Nuvi that allows you to exclude specific routes. The 855T gives you traffic updates through MSN Direct. The preloaded map feature has over 6 million points of interest, with City Navigator NT street maps for U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

7. Garmin Nuvi 1350T

A recent release from Garmin, the Nuvi 1350T has all the navigation features of lower-priced models, plus Advanced Lane function and Text to Speech functions. Additionally, it has the option to load City Explorer maps for pedestrian and transit features in some cities.

8. Garmin 255W/255WT

The slim design on this inexpensive unit makes it easy to carry if you choose to. It features predictive technology, for faster satellite acquisition as well as complete maps for North America and spoken directions of the street names.

9. Tom Tom One 140-S-Best Pick under $100 (tied with Garmin Nuvi 205W)

Advanced Lane Guidance and IQ Routes technology which shows you the fastest route to your destination make this budget-priced unit a great choice for a GPS.

10. Garmin Nuvi 205W (tied with Tom Tom 140-S)

With an average consumer rating over 4 stars, and priced under $100, this Garmin GPS is popular and easy to use. It has preloaded maps for North America, along with millions of points of interests, and “HotFix” technology to quickly lock on to satellites.

A note about Garmin Nuvi 260, 360, 760 and other units. Although still available for sale, and reaping high marks previously, these units are being replaced by new series (ending in 5). The Nuvi Models 260, 360, 760 and others are listed on Garmin’s website as “discontinued”. As with any electronic gadget, the technology is ever-evolving. Our suggestion is to buy the latest models that are available, particularly when the manufacturer lists previous models as being discontinued.

Robert Freer writes about technology and marketing as a service to help readers find the right product for their needs. You can read more about choosing a GPS satellite navigation system at http://www.squidoo.com/Best_GPS_Systems.

For further information and longer reviews about GPS Sytems, how they can be used, and how to select the right system, go to http://www.top10gps.info.

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We hope this article has been of use to you. And thanks for reading our review on the ‘best GPS for the money‘.

TomTom Voices

Well, you’ve had your TomTom GPS system for a while; it’s a great tool for getting from A to B. Doesn’t always account for those new one-way streets or road closures, but it sure makes traveling a lot less hassle. But, it’s nice to spice up the unit and bring a little more fun and interest into the journey. What can you do. Well, to start with, think of adding some replacement TomTom voices to the unit. This is one of the tomtom accessories that you can download and have installed in no time.

The market for replacement TomTom voices files is growing by the month, with US and UK companies providing both paid and free tomtom voice files. A quick look online will provide you with access to some great sounds that will keep you entertained for ages.

The companies now providing quality, downloadable free TomTom voices and Garmin voices provide all the instructions for the installation to be trouble free. There are a  great range of voices,  some old favorites like Clint Eastwood, Sean Connery, Elvis etc, and some new kids on the block – Stewie and Peter Griffin from ‘A Family Guy’, Cartman from ‘ South Park’ and a host of other amusing (and sometimes vulgar) characters. I love the Ozzy Osbourne tomtom voice and the TomTom Homer Simpson voice.

A tomtom GPS voice is generally downloaded after you have received your email links after payment. Full installation instructions are included; it’s a breeze to get your new voices up and running. There is a always a support email if you have any difficulties, and the voices are available for most TomTom GPS.

I personally found the a 4 voice ‘Value Pack’, which was a great purchase. Instead of the usual single voice cost of around $9.95, I managed to get 4 great GPS celebrity tomtom voices for only 24.95, a whopping saving of $14.85. Great value I thought.

If you fancy a trip to National Parks, or you visit sports stadiums, the POIs (Places of Interest) will help your navigation to find your way. Also available for historic buildings, golf courses and many more, POIs are a great way of finding your way to interesting places.

Now that you have a few new options for your GPS, your motoring days will be enriched. Having used the replacement voices I have really enjoyed the journeys. The kids love it too. The TomTom GPS voices for kids are great. There’s Darth Vader and C3PO from Star Wars, Sponge Bob Squarepants, as well as some Disney favourites like Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny as well as everyone’s favourite Mickey Mouse.

I also managed to get some TomTom POI files. These Points of interest are fantastic, saving you having to look stuff up. If, for example you are into golf, you can get tomtom or Garmin POI file downloads with maps of all the golf courses in the USA. Same for stadiums, historical POI and the like.

So there you have it, some food for thought on how to add a new  TomTom Voices to your GPS to make those boring journeys a lot more fun.

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