Cobra NavOne GPSM 4500 Automobile Navigator

Just needs more software development

Strengths: Great screen that works with polarized sunglasses.

Weakness: No recent UPDATES (within 1.5 years) to fix a major problem

I bought my 4500 from Costco in March 2007. This unit has such great potential. The screen is great even with polarized sunglasses, QWERTY keyboard, pleasant voice, relatively fast, and traffic info. I could really be satisfied with my purchase, except for one thing. It will often loose programmed waypoints and there is no way to back them up. Cobra acknowledges the problem, but hasn't released...
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I bought my 4500 from Costco in March 2007. This unit has such great potential. The screen is great even with polarized sunglasses, QWERTY keyboard, pleasant voice, relatively fast, and traffic info. I could really be satisfied with my purchase, except for one thing.

It will often loose programmed waypoints and there is no way to back them up. Cobra acknowledges the problem, but hasn't released at software update on this model since August 23, 2006.

What a waist of money.

By eq2675; - Jan 28, 2008

NAVONE 4500 PORTABLE NAVIGATION WITH LIVE RE-ROUTE

Strengths: EASY TO USE, LOTS OF MEMORY TO STORE ADDRESS, EASY TO READ, DIRECTIONS VOICE PROMPTED-EASY TO FOLLOW.

Weakness: DOES NOT HAVE SOME ADDRESSES, BUT ONCE YOU ARRIVE AT THAT ADDRESS IT WILL SHOW UP ON MONITOR.SHORTEST DISTANCE WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH NEIGHBORHHODS, SO IT CAN TAKE YOU TWICE AS LONG AS SHORTEST TIME.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS DEVICE FOR ANY BODY WHO IS TRAVELING ALOT. IT IS EASY TO USE. THE MONITOR IS EASY TO SEE AND IS LARGE ENOUGH TO JUST GLANCE AT. VOICE OPERATED DIRECTIONS MAKE IT NICE AND IS CLEAR AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND. HAS ENOUGH MEMORY TO STORE LOTS OF FREQUENTLY VISITED PLACES, AND THEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SELECT IT.

By coreynks - Jul 19, 2006

Cobra GPSM 4500 (a/k/a NavOne 4500)

Strengths: Great 5" Screen; clear display; 7 million+ points of interest...finds everything. Traffic receiver is top-notch. Quick connection.

Weakness: Some routes are backwards. Heavy. Sometimes does not maintain attachment to windshield. Somewhat confusing menus. Does not have internal battery. No SD slot.

I have tried several different GPS units. This one is great with regards to cosmetics...has a great screen, it is attractive and solidly constructed. Directions are clear, however not always accurate. I would imagine that you will eventually get there...however, when I got off to fill up at a gas station, it tried to send me in the opposite direction on the highway, despite there being an...
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I have tried several different GPS units. This one is great with regards to cosmetics...has a great screen, it is attractive and solidly constructed. Directions are clear, however not always accurate. I would imagine that you will eventually get there...however, when I got off to fill up at a gas station, it tried to send me in the opposite direction on the highway, despite there being an entrance ramp in the direction I needed to go.

Overall, it is a good unit, but for hte price, I would look elsewhere. If the unit found the satellites faster, I would recommend the Dual NAV3500.

By hollywoodlaw - Jun 9, 2006

Nice but....

Strengths: Attractive vehicle GPS with a big screen, crisp resolution and looks/feels sturdy. Traffic receiver comes with the unit and requires no vehicle installation.

Weakness: Some routing errors, 3-D graphics very poor (you can always select 2-D), and some traffic related problems.

My wife bought me a Cobra 4500 for Christmas. It's a very attractive vehicle GPS with a big screen, crisp resolution and looks/feels sturdy. However, I have some complaints about the software design that I'd like to share. First, the routing software makes some directional mistakes when on freeways. For instance at freeway interchanges, sometimes it will tell me to get onto the upcoming freeway...
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My wife bought me a Cobra 4500 for Christmas. It's a very attractive vehicle GPS with a big screen, crisp resolution and looks/feels sturdy. However, I have some complaints about the software design that I'd like to share. First, the routing software makes some directional mistakes when on freeways. For instance at freeway interchanges, sometimes it will tell me to get onto the upcoming freeway in the wrong direction (i.e. "keep to the left onto I-10 West" when it should say "keep to the left onto I-10 East"). It will always correct itself at the last second, but the correction usually ends up being just before the ramp. In an unfamiliar city, that would not give me time to make a safe lane change. Also, the 3-D graphics are so poor that I've had to select the traditional map view to navigate. As for traffic, it's hit and miss. Sometimes I get the traffic icon on the map as soon as the radio announces the accident, but sometimes I get it 20 or more minutes later, or not at all! Also, for some unknown reason the software developers decided to program the unit so that the user is unable to get a traffic warning notification pop-up unless a speed reduction was posted with the accident. I've encountered several major accidents where traffic has been at a near standstill, yet the pop-up that allows you to select auto re-route did not come up on the screen (probably because speed reductions are not being posted by the traffic provider, Clear Channel Radio). If the pop-up doesn't activate (which it has yet to do for me), you're forced to use the normal detour function to get around the accident. This process is very cumbersome because you have to zoom in on the icon, look at where the accident is located, and then get to the detour screen so you can select your detour -- not something you want to do in heavy traffic! Hey Cobra, why not let the user decide if he/she wants to be notified of all accidents instead of the unit deciding for us??? I've notified Cobra of all of this and I'm hoping they will come out with a software update to correct these problems. Until then, I'm only lukewarm about the unit.

By ncc_13424 - Jan 12, 2006

Cobra GPSM 4500 review

Strengths: bright, easy to see display, even on the sun shine, fast calculations of re-routing, works just with internal GPS antena, so there is no need to connect external one.

Weakness: Some what specific in finding addresses. (SEE REVIEW DETAILS)

Great unit. It will gets you anywhere you want from anywhere you are at. Easy to use, reliable, fast.

Weaknesses: (CONTINUE) For example, if you want to go to 111 Avenue "W", it would not recognize neither of "Ave W", "AVENUE W" OR "W"; YOU NEED TO INPUT "AVENUE" AND IT WILL GIVE YOU

By Samuray - Dec 3, 2005