Eclipse (Fujitsu Ten) 9902 GPS Unit

Price Paid:  $399.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
 96 4-runner

Strengths:
It's Cool! The read out on the head unit is very informative, giving you miles to go and ETA in minutes. Once the GPS dials in I found it to be accurate within 50 feet. Not bad.

Weaknesses:
I would like to set to voice to respond at a fixed volume level. If I'm listening to my radio at a low volume and request a route, the voice will come on to low. Also the microphone is not very effective when background noise is present.

Summary:
Not a bad unit. It's definetely a great concept and tool. For an inexpensive Nav who could complain.

Similar Products Used:
The ECOM cannot be compared to other navs. For the price it's a great little unit. But you still cannot be a full blown nav such as the Alpine 851 DVD ROM.

Year / Model Reviewed:
 9002/9902 2000

Strengths:
The voice activation isn't perfect, but it's definately good. I have the GPS antenna mounted inside on the dash. It seems to work OK. I might move it outside. IT _OCASIONALLY_ loses GPS signal. This is ok, but it never tells me when the hell it gets it back, so I'm left hanging. They should fix this with a "beep" or something, because it's annoying. The GPS _ACCURACY_ notably is alot better than they let on with the outdated obsolete software that Pronounced Tech. refuses to update until their Audionav 2000 comes out. The software ASSUMES 100m (in)accuracy, when we really have about 10m. This should be fixed by this December. The screen on the deck doesn't help for accuracy either, because it's got a granularity of .1 miles, which is 500feet for all you math majors :P They need to give us an extra decimal point.

Overall, though, it DEFINATELY works. The voice activation stuff is really nice because in all honesty, you can't watch a 5" screen when you drive .... or you SHOULDN'T anyways.

It found my house on a private road, with the correct name, and so far it also finds every other road I've been on.

Weaknesses:
It doesn't work amazingly well with my windows down. But it does work, and that's all that matters.

There should be a "SHUT UP" command, because sometimes it babbles incessantly as you're trying to get the first direction prompt at the intersection you're at. This is in beginner mode. Perhaps I should put it into advanced mode.

When it loses GPS, it should beep to tell you it got it back. I'd like to know when it knows a location of me again. That would take them one line of code to compile in.

Summary:
Yes, I'd recommend it. IT's worth the price and it really impresses your girlfriend :) And it also helps for us men who get lost anywhere. Personally I like it. I'm sure the Alpine POWERNAV for $4000.00 is better, but it's not THAT much better. And notably it doesnt' have the voice activation that helps ALOT when you're programming an address in while driving.

Similar Products Used:
There is no fair comparison becuase it's about 1/5 the price of the Alpine unit. Yes, the alpine unit has a screen, and yes it has a sensor or 2 to make it work better in some cases, but for a LOW PRICE I have voice activation and something that INEVITABLY will bail me out of a OH-NO-IM-LOST situation. It would be awesome on hiways, too.

Plus the a2k is portable, and I'm buying one of those when it comes out for the girlfriend :)
Also, the voice activation is definately nicer than beeps and synthesized voices. I almost can say I DON'T WANT a screen. You certainly don't NEED one. And the deck gives you all the info you NEED.

Price Paid:  $1300.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
 E-Com 55430

Strengths:
-Ok, people are just focusing on just the (NAVIGATIONAL) part of it
You can control you cd player, radio stations and even volume control by voice. Also has the Speaker phone option which allows you to Dial, End, even add new users with only useing your voice.

-Also, you can control the electronic part of the vehical itself.
Role down your windows by voice. "Windows Down". Control your sunroof, your locks, even your enviroment settings. ALso compared to other Nav systems, this one doesnt use a computer synthized voice but a natural human voice.

-GPS nav really isnt that bad for the price. It has the ability to redirect you if needed.

Weaknesses:
-Unlike the Auto PC you cannot check your e-mail.
-The GPS could you a 5'8 screen.
-You sorta need to have the GPS pin point you when your not
in a crowded area.

Summary:
At Sound world I got everything for 1,400 (thats includeing installation)

Personally I recommend it. Why?
Would'nt be cool to pull up at an intersection
and say "Windows Down" "Volume Maxed" ???

Now that your windows are rolled down and your music is blareing
you start to feel hungry "Mute Volume" "Find Mc'Donalds"

You want to meet your girlfriend at Walmart "Dial Michell"

Now you head over to a Walmart, get out of your vehical
pull out your portable mic and say "Lock" "Alarm On"

TRUST ME!!! BUY it as a toy, dont buy it just for buisness.
To really impress someone, dont tell them about it, let them be baffled.
My parents still dont understand how I roll down the windows by voice. Hehehe

Similar Products Used:
none

Strengths:
THE INTERACTIVE VOICE PART OF IT IS REALLY COOL. DON'T HAVE TO PRESS ANY BUTTONS. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SPELL THE WORDS. PLUS YOU GOT VOICE CONTROL OVER PHONE OPTIONS AND RADIO/CD.

Weaknesses:
WHEN DRIVING IT IS HARD PIN POINTING WHERE YOU ARE. USUALLY IF YOU ARE IN A CITY WHERE THERE ARE STREETS IN NEXT TO EACH OTHER THE GSP WILL ONLY GIVE YOU A CLOSE LOCATION SOMETIMES. ITS OFF ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME.

Summary:
IN ALL THE ECLIPSE PRODUCT IS GREAT. ITS MISSINGA A LOT OF FEATURES THAT OTHERS HAVE BUT I THINK ITS WORTH IT IF YOU TRAVEL ALOT AND YOU HATE CARRYING MAPS. I TRAVEL ALOT AND I USE IT ABOUT 80% OF THE TIME.

Similar Products Used:
NONE

Year / Model Reviewed:
 9902 GPS Software V2.9

Strengths:
Having the ability to get audible responses and locations is really great

Weaknesses:
The antenae receiver is very weak.Except for some rare conditions, the antenae MUST be placed on the roof. For people who want a hidden antenae this unit does not perform well.Voice recognition is only fair at this point in time

Summary:
After placing the antenae in several areas, the roof was the only place where I got a GPS lock. Overall having the accompanying voice commander unit from eclipse the technology sounds cool and voice commands are a good start but I would say the engineers from Eclipse have a little while until the voice recognition and control part of their system is really practicle from a consumer point of view. Like anything else this new technology will take some time, and consumers should be very aware of that. If you are looking for an almost completely hands free voice control this unit comes close but with a lot of caveots such as ambient noise,volume of radio, voice cadence and good micrphone placement.

Similar Products Used:
None