does it seem like the price is actually going up?

Same thing happening with televisions. The prices are increasing, or at least staying level for a variety of reasons which I have long since forgotten.

When GPS receivers first came out, some models were $1000+. Prices started to fall dramatically as the technology became more mainstream, but now that the technology seems to have matured, prices are leveling off.

I guess it would be fair to compare it to tube TV's. As the technology matured, the prices stayed kinda level from year to year.

As far as the cellphone upgrade fees, I think it may be the result of the near monopoly held by the larger providers. I'm thinking of giving one of the smaller providers a shot when my contract expires, but that means I'd have to get a new phone as my old one is incompatible, and the smaller provider has less coverage area (Although I seldom leave my city, it's nice to have the option! Especially now that pay phones are pretty much nonexistent.)

That's my two cents, anyway. I'd love to find out that I'm incorrect as I'm a big fan of new and shiny things at lower prices.

Since it's almost August, I suggest that patient folks wait and look for big sales on these from late November through early 2013.

One thing we can be sure of is that when found, someone will post a link to the sale price here at The Factory's forums.

If I was Garmin summertime is when I would keep prices higher. Lower closer to Christmas as people buy them as gifts for themselves or others.

Are you implying that people will pay a higher rate if they are buying it for themselves (and need the unit), but are looking for a cheaper price when buying it for someone else

The price of contemporary discretionary products is often both economically cyclical and shorter term seasonal. Over time Moore's law still seems to prevail. Better as time goes by? That is rarely a smooth trajectory. (One can get into quite an OT debate whether today's digital cameras a actually better than 35mm equipment of old). Chip based equipment? This computer is Core i7, but intentionally running XP Pro. Office software was "improved" to the point where many of us find it unusable...regardless of cost. Cell phone? A flip model, voice only, in my pocket. Nuvi 1450 first GPS (intentional delay). Consider the eTrex 30, superior in most regular uses to an Oregon 450.

Family rule of thumb? When it come to tech, later is most always more desirable, buy it "off season,' and only when you can't delay any longer. Other consumer products (say like clothing)? Now that would be quite an OT discussion.

I think you are right. However I don't do that.

I tend to value a gift more than if I was buying one for myself.

Prices always fluctuate around, it's not linear.

For example, check out the prices of something at camelcamelcamel.

I usually buy a new GPS on Black Friday ... no, not stupid enough to stand in line at 5 a.m. ... but "online" Black Friday sites.

The last 2-3 Black Fridays I have been unable to get to these sites. Too much traffic.

Paid $700 for it. So in that sense, the price has definitely decreased over time.

First Nuvi cost about the same as the model number, $ 350.00.

According to that my next Nuvi 855 would have been too expensive to buy.

Now looking at my 3790LMT, I could or would not buy it by that reckoning. I actually got the 3790 for less than $ 300.00, cheaper than my 350!!!

The price of GPS units has definitely gone down over time. I believe this is due to three reasons: (1) Units are cheaper when they are manufactured in other countries [the reason that jobs have gone overseas] and (2) Units are also cheaper as the cost of R&D is paid off, and (3) Smartphone units now include navigation capabilities. This, in my mind, is offset by the fact that we are becoming accustomed to cell phone providers charging for products and services that they don’t provide. This, in times past, used to be illegal. Two examples of this: (1) Minutes. You pay for so many talk minutes per month, and if you don’t use them, the minutes are taken back, but they don’t credit you for those unused minutes, and (2) Data. If you have a smartphone, you are required to pay for a minimum amount of data whether you use it or not, and you are charged extravagant amounts for data used over that minimum, but again, never credited for unused data you have previously been charged for. I don’t mind paying for what I use, but I detest the idea of paying for something I don’t use. Nevertheless, we have chosen to accept this concept, and now it seems “normal”. Sorry, I just had to vent a little.

I think this is the wrong way to look at cellular data / voice costs.

There are huge costs associated with putting up wireless networks, as well as the maintenance and upkeep associated with them. You try to buy the amount of minutes and data you think you need, and live with it, as the bill goes to support the ever changing wireless technology.

There are huge costs associated with GPS technology as well, but instead of paying for it personally, we all pay for it through our taxes and you have no idea how much you're paying for this technology.

Moore's law about technology prices dropping to 1/2 every two years does apply to the GPS technology, but not to the limited data capacity on wireless networks. That cost is driven up by limited supply and snowballing demand.

Ultimately, part of the cost of things has to include the cost of the option to have access to the network.

In the case of minutes or data on cell phones, for example, much of the cost is an access fee of sorts. When you buy a ticket for an airline (Southwest or most international flights at least), you pay for the option to check a bag regardless of whether you use it. Likewise, you pay a connection fee for electricity or natural gas regardless of metered usage. A more analogous example could be the cost of traditional landlines where local calls have no usage limits regardless of how many calls were placed.

That said, I prefer to use prepaid phones to pay for my exact usage (or as close to it with an appropriate monthly plan) whenever possible.

I guess that I must have a non-traditional phone company. I have a cap on number of calls and number of minutes. Then I pay extra.

I got my 3790LMT from Walmart 3 months ago for $160 and that was about 1/2 of what my 760 cost me when I bought it on sale at Best Buy in 2008. The 3790 is so much better than the 760 and lifetime maps and traffic included to boot.

Moore's law is the observation that over the history of computing hardware, the number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles approximately every two years.

I guess that I must have a non-traditional phone company. I have a cap on number of calls and number of minutes. Then I pay extra.

I didn't know plans like that existed anymore.

Moore's law does not cover the higher and higher energy cost which directly affect the distribution/transportation of goods. Also, it does not cover higher and higher labor cost; yes, even in China, labor cost is going upward.

Just two examples why the cost of goods is going up.

Yup we're getting jacked

I bought a Google Nexus 7 and use it as a GPS, surf the web, e-reader, mp3 player, photo viewer, weather.... for the same price of a decent Nuvi unit.

I'm done buying a standalone GPS unit.

My first GPS was an antenna and the Garmin software on my laptop. If I remember correctly, it was either $170, or $270 for the set.

My first stand-alone unit was, and still is the StreetPilot 7200. I paid $1350. I am very aware of the current prices for GPS, and if there would've been a replacement with the features of the 7200, I'd pay $600 to $800 in a heartbeat!

Shlomie