The Garmin StreetPilot c550 adds traffic information and Bluetooth to the company's portable in-car GPS line.

GPS is hitting the road with great speed as more and more manufacturers churn out portable in-car navigation devices. One such company is Garmin, which has been on a tear, releasing one navigation product after another. Its latest model, the Garmin StreetPilot c550, builds upon the c300 series, adding Bluetooth integration while keeping the plug-and-play simplicity and portability of its older siblings. The StreetPilot c550 will cost $857.13 and should be available in Q2 2006.

Upside: Bluetooth integration is quickly becoming a popular feature on GPS devices, and the Garmin StreetPilot c550 is the latest system to include this functionality. With it, you can pair the device with your Bluetooth-enabled phone, view incoming calls on your c550, and answer them with a tap of the screen. The calls are broadcast by the unit's integrated microphone and dual speakers. In addition, you can make calls from the c550's points-of-interest database, which covers hotels, restaurants, and more. Two more additions include an integrated traffic receiver for updates on traffic, construction, and weather delays, as well as Garmin Lock, an antitheft feature that disables the c550 until you enter a four-digit PIN or take the unit to a predetermined location. Other goodies consist of preloaded maps of North America, an antiglare touch screen, text-to-speech functionality, and an MP3 player.

Downside: One of the issues we had with the StreetPilot c330 was its washed-out screen, which was very difficult to see in direct sunlight. Garmin says the c550 does not have this problem, and we hope that's the case, but we'll have to wait and see. Also, the c330 let us create only one route at a time, but on many occasions, our travels take us to more than one destination; maybe Garmin has changed its tune with the c550 and can now accommodate those needs.

Outlook: Garmin's primary competitor, TomTom, just released some new products of its own, so it won't be an easy road for the StreetPilot c550. Still, Garmin has a long track record of producing quality navigation systems, so we expect more of the same with the c550. Check back soon for a full review.