Lowrance iWay 600c
Lowrance has released the new iWay 600c. The new iWay 600c features a 5″ touch screen display, 30 GB hard drive (5 GB remaining), MP3 player, and an FM transmitter to deliver sound to a stereo. What is new about the device is that it offers both street maps and marine charts in one device, and it will allow you to view high resolution satellite imagery while navigating.
The iWay 600c comes with a 12 channel (parallel) receiver which is WAAS enabled. There are preloaded street maps from NAVTEQ as well as 5.5 million POIs. On the marine side the 600c comes with MapCreate shoreline detail as well as over 3,000 US lake maps. The lake maps come with depth contours tidal data and marine navaids.
One really interesting note is that the specifications claim compatibility with not just Windows, but also Mac OS X. The Lowrance iWay 600c is also watertight to prevent corrosion during marine use.
What is also interesting to note is that Lowrance has partnered with DigitalGlobe to provide satellite imagery on the 600c. For those of you who might be wondering where you have seen the name DigitalGlobe before, you can often find their name in the copyright information at the bottom of Google Earth and Google Maps satellite views.
Lowrance reports that they are the first auto GPS to provide these high resolution images on a GPS device. They also indicate that they have an exclusive deal for the imagery on a PND.
Just purchased it - will let you know how it goes - I hope the DigitalGlobe data can be added and updated over time.
Almost the perfect PND for my needs. However,the lack of Text-To-Speech is a deal breaker. Attention Lowrance: I will wait to see if this feature is added to future models. Only then will I buy this unit.
Update from Jeff: Versatile for truck, RV, and boat usage. Good built in lake maps. Nice bright screen. Easy to use buttons. Sat data is useful, but locations are not user defined. The unit is heavy, tough and stout. The holder is strong. The suction cup is very tight. This unit is built for tough and rough conditions – hot, dry, or wet. I have used the product for a couple months now in and out of the boat. I’m very happy with the unit. Has proven itself already as used on nighttime trip on a lake. As soon as the map update is available, I will buy it.
I just bought this unit for my house boat on the Delta. I move it from Stockton to bethel Island without a hitch. I was able to take it out of the box and use it the same day
A caution for Canadian marine users: this unit has no canadian marine cartography, and it is not possible to load maps onto the unit. Works great for cars though.
we purchased a lowrance 600c last december for our boat/car.we are begining to think that the unit does not have canadian great lakes loaded on gps. also we purchased a uniden dsc marine radio which is supposed to be able to hook a gps to it. nither the gps or marine radio have anyinstuctions on how to do this.my question to you is the 600c gps able to be hooked to the marine radio? if so please send information on how to do. if not we have not used the gps yet and may want to return to you for the right gps!
Apparently this item has been discontinued by Lowrance, even tho they deny it. One person claims they can only find 17 in whole country and next one claims their wharehouse is stuffed full of em. None of the retail stores has gotten a shipment since february 2008. They all say the item is discontinued. I really wish Lowrance would not lie like they are doing. If they are going to introduce a new unit, then do it. I am just about ready to look at the TOMTOM or Garmin units, even tho I dont want to. Maybe this is the sign that Lowrance is about to go bankrupt?? Time will only tell, but this certainly is no way to try to win a customer over.
Tom - we haven’t heard much out of Lowrance recently in the automotive department. They’ve fallen further behind the competition. I wouldn’t be surprised if they continued to focus on their more successful marine and baja market, and not continuing on the automotive side. In which case they might not officially “discontinue” a device– just not produce any more or supersede it with anything else.
I PURCHASED A 600.GOOD SELLING POINT{LOTS OF LAKES}NONE IN LEXINGTON,NC.
REALLY DISAPOINTED IN INLAND LAKES MAPPING.
IT SAYS IT HAS SO {MANY LAKES}, BUT IT SHOWS THE LAKES BUT {NO DEPTHS OR CONTOUR}HIGH ROCK LAKE-BADIN LAKE-NC.{SALT WATER IS OK,IT HAS CONTOUR AND DEPTHS.
HIGHWAY IS REALLY ACCURATE, LIKE I SAID LAKES ARE A LITTLE SHY OF MARKINGS.