Averatec Voya 320 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Having never used a GPS before, and being on a limited budget, I was pleased to see the Averatec Voya 320 come up on a "Black Friday" sale. A quick check of my favorite computer magazine sites revealed favorable reviews. After 12 months of constant use, I can report that this unit is well worth having, especially for the price.

For the most part, I found the device routed me correctly in both busy urban and remote rural areas. There have only been a few missteps. On one occasion it sent me the wrong way up a one-way street. Another time it took me successfully across country to a brand new motel in a small town but then, after taking a day trip, couldn't get me back. A few times, the unit insisted on routing me on major roads, even though I kept telling it to bypass the nearby but parallel highway.

Speaking of following instructions, I found the unit's female voice to be pleasant and clear, with a slight Irish accent (interesting on the pronunciation of "third," for instance). There is no text-to-voice recognition of minor street names as you would find in more expensive products. Still, the Voya 320 gives a clear and reliable warning of an approaching intersection. If it says "Turn right in 500 feet," I know I should be slowing down and looking for a street entrance on my right.

Despite constant and relatively reliable use, I can't help but list several shortcomings:

- The unit can take a long time to acquire a signal, especially during heavy cloud cover.

- Sometimes it seems to get stuck entirely, and I have to press the reset button.

- The screen suffers from glare during the day, but is almost too bright at night, even when I turn the backlight way down.

- The only way to get map updates is to purchase a replacement SD card. Currently, this is around half the price of the original system.

Despite all that, the Voya 320 is still a good buy. If you are in the market for a more up-to-date, more full-featured product, then be prepared to spend more than twice the price of this budget GPS.

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Product Description:
For users requiring affordable in-car navigation for all 50 states, the Averatec Voya 320 is the perfect solution. The Voya 320 is a powerful portable handheld navigation system with all the features you need, and more, to get you where you are going safely, and in style.
The Voya 320 comes pre-loaded with complete street-level Navteq maps of all 50 United States for out-of-the-box convenience that doesn't require you to download additional data. This unit makes sure you get where you are going with both visual, and voice turn-by-turn guidance to your destination. Navigation is quick and simple with the bright and extra-wide, 3.5-inch touch-screen TFT LCD display with 320 x 240 pixels of resolution and 65,000 colors. Not only is the screen easy to see day or night, but easy to operate with its extremely intuitive and user-friendly interface. And with automatic and immediate route recalculation, if you take a wrong turn or miss an exit the 320 will reset your path so you get right back on it again. And with over a million of points of interest at the tips of your fingers, you will have no problem finding what you are looking for wherever you happen to be, whether it is a restaurant, hotel, tourist attraction, gas station or even the nearest ATM machine. You can even use the trip planner to optimize routes with multiple stops along the way.
More than just a navigator, the Voya 320 has music, video and picture player functionality so you can have fun watching the latest videos, or listening to your favorite music when you're not navigating the road. This unit even helps you avoid speeding tickets with a speed alert capability that alerts you even when you're not navigating. The 320 utilizes an embedded 20-channel SiRF III, high-performance GPS receiver that captures your signal faster, and gives you a more accurate position reading. The long-lasting rechargeable, 1,100 mAh Lithium-ion battery provides up to four hours of power under normal operating conditions, so you have the staying power to get where you need to. The Voya 320 features a built-in speaker and 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, a mini-USB port for data transfers, and an SD/MMC card expansion slot for additional map data. Lightweight and easily portable, the Averatec Voya 320 GPS navigator weighs 5.93 ounces, measures 4.33 x 3.07 x 0.83 inches (W x H x D), and is backed by a manufacturer's one-year warranty.
What's in the Box
Voya 320 GPS navigator and digital media player, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, DC vehicle power adapter, user's guide and warranty information.