I received my iGolf today. I placed the order Jan. 2 in the morning, and got it on the 4th via USPS. I did not have the option to choose the shipping method, but I am very pleased with the quick delivery.
I decided on the Neo for several reasons:
1. Price. This unit wins the price wars by at least $50, and that includes the membership.
2. I think golf GPS units will continue to advance over the next few years, and get much better. I don't mind passing on a $150 GPS like I would a $400 SkyCaddie when it's time to upgrade.
3. Accuracy. The 20-channel receiver should provide a high level of accuracy
4. Function. All I really want to know is "How far is it to the green?" and "How far did I hit that drive?" That's it. I don't need stat tracking, score tracking, or anything else.
Out of the box
The Neo comes with the unit itself (very small!), a mini-USB cable, a power adapter for the USB cable, a belt-clip, a manual, a quick start, and a CD-ROM. The packaging is sparse, but I guess there's not much else needed.
Software
The CD includes USB drivers and a Sync program which you use to load, download, and backup your courses. With the exception of loading courses, the software is a front-end to their website. Installing the drivers and software was painless, and my Neo was recognized in no time. Once in the Sync software you can choose from Sync Courses, Download Courses, Save Courses, Create/Edit, & Settings. These options are fairly self-explanatory. One odd thing is that you have to power on the GPS and put it into "sync" mode in order to transfer courses to or from it. I thought this was strange, but it's not hard to do.
Hardware
The Neo unit itself is made of a hard, molded plastic, with a small LCD screen. There is a small rubber cover over the USB port, which I figure will last about a week. There are six small rubber buttons on the bottom front of the unit that you use to control all the features. The buttons have a nice 'click' to them, so there is tactile feedback, which I like better than the 'soft' rubber buttons on many other devices. After turning the unit on, it goes from no satellite signal, to 'strong' signal in about
10 seconds 5 minutes. It's super-fast compared to the SureShot GPS I had been using. There are the usual menu options, play golf, edit course, delete course, settings, etc... Nothing really exiting here. The ShureShot will show you your coordinates and even calculate the speed you are moving, which was neat. No such tricks on the Neo. Even the satellite signal page is underwhelming, but as long as it picks them up, I'm OK with that. Clicking the power button turns on a nice green backlight. Very nice. This is something I'll need for those late-evening rounds.
The instruction manual leaves a lot to be desired, specifically in the "how to map your own course" arena. Luckily, the unit is intuitive enough to figure out on your own, and I was able to walk through it without needing instruction. Still, others might not be so apt to get it, and would need some help. My father-in-law comes to mind.
After loading in a few courses, you can then choose to play golf. The unit tracks F/B/C green, and 4 additional points, such as bunkers, hazzards, layups, etc.. The courses I downloaded have some of these points already mapped, and you can edit the downloaded courses to add/change your own points.
Downloaded courses come as files that you store on your computer, so they are yours forever. That's good, because you only get 100 downloads with the $34.99 yearly membership! I thought this was a bit ridiculous myself, and don't plan on renewing my membership next year. 100 courses should suite me just fine. And you can, of course, map your own courses to use for free.
I noticed that it tops out at 9999 yards, and does not go any higher. The SureShot GPS kicked into miles at that point, and would actually give me a reading to the green, even if it was several miles away.
The Good:
Smallest, lightest, & cheapest GPS available ($149?!?!?!)
20-channel GPS chipset (vs. 12 or 16)
Courses are stored on your hard drive
Backlit LCD
Syncs and charges with standard mini-USB cables (charges from your computer too!)
Shot measurement function
Large course library to download from
Downloaded courses are user-editable
The Bad:
Only holds 10 courses, I regularly play about 20
Smaller screen can be harder to read (compared with the color screen on the $400 SureShot)
Only goes up to 9999 yards--what about those really LONG par 5's?
Rechargeable internal battery, I'd prefer AAA's
Only 4 custom points per hole, probably enough but I'd like to have a few more
Only 100 downloads per year with membership, additional DL are currently 25 for $10
The Ugly:
$35/year for a membership? Really? I will not be renewing this one.
I plan on using it tomorrow on the course, and I'll update with more details on using the GPS on the course.
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