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Real-World Tests Show Devices Good At Task But Far From Perfect

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By RICHARD MULLINS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 21, 2008

Where oh where has that cheap gas gone?

How much would you pay to find out?

All three major cell phone companies are launching features that find local gas prices and give you turn-by-turn directions there: Verizon Wireless, Sprint and AT&T. Two GPS device companies are doing the same: Garmin and TomTom.

I tested two new devices to see how well they work: The Garmin nuvi 780 GPS and the Verizon Venus cell phone. Both found good deals on gas, although they pointed in opposite directions to find it.

Test No. 1

The Garmin system worked well, but showed some drawbacks right away. First, while the GPS features started up, the gas prices didn't. Garmin gets its gas prices through a MSN Direct service, and the nuvi flashed a warning that it would take "several hours" to receive. Several hours? And it only receives prices if plugged in to your car's power outlet, so you can't sit at work and surf prices for the drive home.

I decided to wait a day to start testing.

The next morning, I drove to the intersection of Armenia Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Tampa, close to downtown.

Some gas prices started to appear on the Garmin, but without the station names. It listed a dozen "Unknown" sites with prices next to each. The first was an unnamed site at Nebraska Avenue and Busch Boulevard, about 7 miles away, selling for $3.98 a gallon.

Along the way, I passed a Circle K station selling gas for less, $3.95, and a few others near that price, but not listed on the Garmin. When I got to the "unknown" site, it was a Chevron selling for $3.95. Pretty close.

The Verizon phone, meanwhile, suggested a station miles away, at Hillsborough Avenue and Central Avenue for $3.85, which sounded too good to be true. It was.

Like most BP stations here, the advertised price is only for customers with cash or a BP credit card - which I think should be a felony. The Verizon phone quoted BP's bait-and-switch price, not the $4 at the pump for non-BP credit cards.

Test No. 2

I started a second test right downtown on Ashley Drive.

The Garmin said to drive 2 miles to another "Unknown" station selling gas priced at $3.91. Along the way, I passed a Sonoco station selling for $3.89, then found the unknown station was a Coastal station selling for $3.91.

Meanwhile, the Verizon phone said to go in the opposite direction from downtown. It suggested a Citgo station on Kennedy Boulevard at Bungalow Park, selling for $3.89. Bingo. It was $3.89, and I passed stations selling gas at $3.93 and $3.95. So I could have saved a few pennies right there.

Oddly enough, both devices then suggested stations at the corner of Howard Avenue and Kennedy - a major spot for people zipping between South Tampa and I-275. That corner has always been expensive, but some stations have changed owners this year, and it's now closer to reality with pricing. Both devices noticed the prices at about $3.93.

Perks And Drawbacks

Both devices had some good things and bad.

The Verizon phone is, well, a phone. Which means you always have it with you and don't have to lug around another gadget. It seems to work much faster than the GPS Garmin at finding prices. It can give turn-by-turn directions, but it has a much smaller screen.

Verizon sells a text list of gas prices through its GetItNow service for just $1.99 a month, but to get turn-by-turn directions, it costs $9.99 a month or $2.99 a day for the VZ Navigator service.

The Garmin GPS has a large, gorgeous touch screen, and it has the smooth operation of a device really meant for driving around. Our test model was the top-of-the-line nuvi 780, which costs a whopping $750 retail. (Amazon.com has prices more like $520.) The cheapest Garmin unit you can get that's MSN-compatible is the nuvi 205, which runs about $200, and the MSN receiver costs an additional $125.

Garmin officials say the "several" hour delay getting gas prices is a one-time thing to charge an internal battery in the cord, or when you travel out of town. If you keep the device plugged into your car, don't let the battery go dead, and stay close to home, you're OK.

Unlike GPS directions, which remain free once you buy the device, the gas prices are part of Garmin's deal with MSN Direct, and costs you $49.95 a year (about $4.16 monthly) or a one-time $129.95 charge.

Is It Worth It?

The best feature of both gadgets is a comforting sense of well-being, knowing you're not getting totally ripped off. If the gadget says the best price is $3.95 and 5 miles away, you feel OK pulling in a station next to you that's $3.95 too.

In Tampa, the gap between the cheapest and most expensive gas station is about 40 cents a gallon, according to Tampagasprices.com. That adds up to about $6 a fill-up for a 15-gallon tank, or $8 for a 20-gallon tank. Buying at the wrong place can add up to an extra $32 a month in a worst-case scenario.

If you already want real-time weather, movie times and other data stuff, the gas prices often come with it, so you're not paying more.

Reporter Richard Mullins can be reached at (813) 259-7919 or

rmullins@tampatrib.com.

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