TeleNav Shotgun

The TeleNav Shotgun and the TomTom Go 740 Live (*Est. $375) are both Internet-connected GPS units, but testers much prefer the TomTom. Both units connect wirelessly to the Internet, giving you constant traffic information, gas prices, etc., as well as an unlimited well of addresses. The Shotgun offers a couple of very useful features -- experts particularly like the automatic mileage tracker (for expense reports) and the ability to send addresses to the unit wirelessly from a computer -- but the Shotgun doesn't navigate as well as Garmin, Magellan and TomTom units in tests. It doesn't choose the best routes, it has some annoying quirks (more than one reviewer complains that it tends to cover the whole screen with inane announcements just when you really need to see the map) and testers say it sometimes crashes or can't seem to get a satellite lock.

In its usual thorough fashion, GPSMagazine.com tests the TeleNav Shotgun from top to bottom. Reviews at GPSReview.net, GPSLodge.com, CNET and PC World aren't as lengthy, but they are detailed. Experts at ConsumerReports.org test the TeleNav Shotgun's navigation ability but not its Internet-connected features. Retail websites are usually the richest sources of owner-written reviews, but since TeleNav sells the Shotgun through its own website, we found no good source of user feedback.