I got my n800 last week and learned how to download Google Street maps for locations I wanted. My I-Blue 737 arrived today. I had my doubts that the software could use coordinates to track my way across a map image. It blew me away when I synced the two and a blue dot appeared at exactly the right location on my street.

I own a Garmin Emap that I have taken all over the world. I had to preload Garmin maps from the World Map CD before going on trips and the Emap holds only 8MB of storage. That meant I had to be careful what I chose to load. Also, for the World Map collection, you only get down to major roads and no local streets. The problem with most GPS units is that you are dependent on proprietary and expensive maps. The n800/MMapper approach beats that approach hands down because it so easy to get Google maps for anywhere in the world. These maps are updated frequently by Google. My Garmin US Roads and Recreation maps froze the world at 1999. The street I live on is 5 years old and does not appear on my Garmin and never will because Garmin abandoned software for it. Google keeps on trucking.

I am extremely happy that I have taken the n800/MMapper approach. I get bright color screens that are more than twice the size of the Emap. The only downside is that the n800 feels fragile and I always worried that I will drop it or crush it. Not sure how I am going to hike with it.

Just get yourself a second hand 770 for mmapper :-)