Top Portable GPS Systems
Top Portable GPS Systems
PortableGPSRatings.com
We have found some of the highest rated portable GPS systems for you. Take a look!
Garmin nüvi 780 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Service
The nuvi 780 4.3″ GPS Personal Travel Assistant has advanced navigation features, a widescreen display, preloaded maps, an FM transmitter and hands-free calling, plus real-time local weather, traffic, movie times, stock information, gas prices, news and local events. Its premium navigation capabilities, like route planning and a handy locator, give you peace of mind on the go. With next-generation dynamic content from MSN Direct, nuvi 780 is one resourceful personal travel assistant. You’ll always get the big picture with nuvi 780’s widescreen display. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3″ display is easy to read from any direction. In addition, nuvi 780 accepts custom points of interest, such as school zones and safety cameras, and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs. nuvi 780 includes advanced navigational features to take the worry out of traveling. It also comes with Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map. High-sensitivity receiver Built-in memory - Internal solid state with optional SD Card Slot Voice prompts Speaks street names Auto sort multiple destinations (provides most direct route) Auto re-route (fast off-route and detour recalculation) Choice of route setup (faster time, shorter distance, off road) Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest) MSN Direct for U.S. compatible MP3 player Audio book player Configurable vehicle icons (select car-shaped icons for map navigation) World travel clock, currency & measurement converter, and calculator Headphone jack/audio lineout Unit Dimensions - Width 4.8 x Height 3.0 x Depth 0.8 (12.2×7.6×2.0cm) Weight - 6.2 ounces (176 grams)The nüvi 780 adds enhanced MSN direct content to themulti-destination routing and “Where Am I?” features and gorgeous widescreen display of other nüvi 700s to create a superior navigation device for business as well as casual drivers. As with all nüvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of an integrated high-sensitivity receiver, a slim, pocket-sized design with a gorgeous display, an easy, intuitive interface, and detailed NAVTEQ maps for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico with more than 6 million name-searchable points of interest. All of the 700-series navigators also feature a rich array of features including spoken directions in real street names, integrated traffic receivers, MP3 player and photo viewer, and an FM transmitter that will play voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle’s stereo system.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Great GPS - Very nice features
This is a very good GPS with very nice features. Like said on other reviews the only thing missing is better traffic alert which hopefully will come with time.
I was one of those that didn’t saw the use for a GPS, until my wife wanted one and my opinion has changed. Not only for the basic map functions, but for the point of interest, MP3 player, the MSN service with weather info etc, plus it is a portable unit, which makes it handy to move between cars.
5 Stars Excellent Product
My husband used his garmin on a cross country trip. He loved it. The msn direct connection kept him in the loop about everything including hotels and gas prices along the way. It was very user friendly. I would recommend to anyone.
5 Stars Robert Ferris_ Garmin 780 GPS
I never ceased to be amazed with Hi-tech gadgets. I am a little surprised because living in Eastern North Carolina leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to consistent signal coverage for anything that communicates. As for MSN Direct’s traffic update, it is not available in Wilmington and Jacksonville, I am curious to see what the traffic services are in and around Chapel Hill next week.
So far my Garmin 780 has been, without exception, dead on accurate. MSN Direct services aside I am tickled pink with my Garmin 780. Now I can go where I want to go comfortably and confidently.
5 Stars EXCELLENT!
Excellent! Is all I can say! Easy to use & very accurate. I have lost my way several times, and the Garmin has taken me right to my destination with no problem. I am so glad I bought it!
Garmin nüvi 260 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
Bring the ultra-cool nüvi 260 along for the ride, and arrive on time and in style. Similar to nüvi 250, nüvi 260 is attractively priced and simple to use. Plus, this sleek, slim navigator comes with turn-by-turn voice directions that announce the name of streets as you navigate, so you can keep your eyes on the road. With nüvi 260 you’re just a few screen taps away from anywhere. nüvi 260 comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator® NT street maps, including a hefty points of interest (POIs) database with hotels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. It even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. In addition, nüvi 260 accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs. Nuvi 260 sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot. Choice of route setup (faster time, shorter distance, off road) Route avoidance (avoid highways, tolls etc.) Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest) Picture viewer Configurable vehicle icons (select car-shaped icons for map navigation) World travel clock, currency & measurement converter, and calculator Accepts data cards - SD card (not included) Up to 500 Waypoints Unit dimensions, WxHxD - 3.8W x 2.8H x. 8D (9.7 x 7.1 x 2 cm) Display size, WxH - 2.8W x 2.1H (7.2 x 5.4 cm); 3.5 diag (8.9 cm); Display resolution, WxH - 320 x 240 pixels QVGA color antiglare TFT with white backlight Unit Weight - 5.2 ounces (147.42 g) Battery - rechargeable lithium-ion; Battery life (per full charge) up to 5 hours Preloaded mapsGarmin’s nüvi 260 combines the thinprofile and attractive price point of other nüvi 200-series GPS with directions in real street names. As with all nüvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of a high-sensitivity integrated receiver, a slim, pocket-sized navigator with a gorgeous display, detailed NAVTEQ maps that lets you search by name for more than 6 million points of interest like stores, restaurants or hospitals, and an easy, intuitive interface.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars great value
So far so go. worked right out of the box. a few outdated ‘points of interest’ and a few that are missing. speaker could be a bit higher in quality. all in all great value for the money. can’t imagine paying more for a GPS. makes me wonder what a 500.00 GPS can do….sit on my lap?
5 Stars Great unit
I already had an older StreetPilot unit which still works perfectly. Bought the Nuvi 260 for our 2nd car and to take along on a recent trip. Decided against the widescreen version because this is easier to carry. We flew to Albany, then rented a car to drive to Vermont. On one occasion, Nuvi wanted me to take the long way when I already knew a shorter route. Other than that, perfect. Discovered that the unit will operate fine in a commercial airliner if one holds it near a window. Learned to set the map scale to minimum, then could watch our progress across the land. The “where am I” function includes altitude (we got to 33,500 feet) and the trip log shows our maximum speed as 549 mph. This is really a fine unit and I recommend it highly. Just got a free download of the latest map data. 2.9 GB, so it takes a while to load. I guess it takes that much memory to know the location of every hospital, Burger King, etc in the country.
4 Stars got me there!
Bought this Garmin mainly to avoid paying for GPS in rental cars and because I have no sense of direction. Directions and voice are very clear. Would have given it five stars, had it not made a couple of mistakes — “go straight” at a dead end; “turn left” at a no-left-turn intersection. Just don’t make the mistake of not changing the default from shortest route to fastest route; my drive through the streets took twice as long as the return drive on the highway.
5 Stars Good product
I am pleased with my Garmin Nuvi. Since I had previously owned an older Garmin, I was familiar with the quality of the Garmin. I particularly like the fact that the street names are called out. The price was right and I look forward to using this Garmin.
Magellan Maestro 4200 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
Magellan’s Maestro 4200 portable navigator offers an easy-to-use guided driving experience with its bright 4.3″ widescreen display. Just enter your destination through the convenient Touchscreen using an address or local search and the Maestro 4200 contains preloaded maps of the entire U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Choose from 1.3 million points of interest (POI) including many hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and phone number info so you can call ahead for reservations or help. You’ll get on your way more quickly, since Magellan’s unique interface needs fewer keystrokes to find your destination. Follow along on the large display in 2-D or 3-D map mode and listen to the voice prompts for accurate turn-by-turn directions. This GPS satellite navigation unit has a built-in antenna, suction-cup windshield mount, dashboard disk headphone jack, car/home power adapters, USB cable, carrying case and built-in rechargeable battery with up to 4 hours of life.We’ve been big fans of Magellan’s Maestro line since it came out in early 2006. The Maestro interface is incredibly easy to use, even for those who are not completely comfortable with electronics. At the same time, Magellan was ahead of the industry with useful innovations like multi-destination routing and pre-loaded reviews for points of interest like hotels and restaurants (from AAA). With it’s 3200 and 4200 series, Magellan has improved the Maestro line giving them a SirfStar III chipset that provides super-fast. satellite lock and making them thinner. In fact, at .7 inches, these are — at the time of this writing (November 2007), the thinnest portable GPS navigators available.
Distingushing between models is also fairly easy. The 3200-series navigators feature a 3.5-inch screen, while the 4200s have a 4.3-inch widescreen display. The 3200 and 4200 offer great, basic navigation with turn-by-turn spoken directions, pre-loade maps of the 48 contiguous United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, and 1.3 million POIs. The 3210 and 4210, add maps for Canada and Alaska, AAA travel information (see details below) and bump you up to 6 million POIs. The 3220 and 4220 add maps of Mexico. The top-of-the-line 3250 and 4250 add a host of other features, including text-to-speech directions that give real street names, bluetooth for hands-free phone calls, integrated traffic (with a free 3-month subscription), and voice command.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars I like it!
I received my Magellan GPS promptly and I like it. It is easy to program and to operate. The driving directions are clear and so far they have been accurate. I am glad that I made the purchase!
4 Stars Good Travel Companion.
The picture quality is great. The options for traveling are superb. Works great in the city as well as the open road.
5 Stars slim line
very good product. super slim. i will not travel without it. it simplifies the driving for you and lets you enjoy a new city or tourist spot.
5 Stars Magellan Maestro 4200
This is a great product I just turned it on and it did it’s thing. I went from St. Louis to my sisters exact address in Chicago, even missed an exit and it recalculated the route. I never leave the house without it I was so tired of getting lost and that is a thing of the past now.
5 Stars Never lost again!!!
My job is in the field as a technician in residential homes and some commercial business, I was going to have to use a map book, instead I purchased a Magellan 4200, because a friend of mine left his gps at my house and I used it at work. I got to the homes quicker and finished my job faster. I was instantly hook and needed my own gps unit so I purchased two units (Magellan 4200) one for work & one for my wife’s car. I recommend this gps, happy in Sac town, never lost again.
Garmin nüvi 255 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
Garmin’s nüvi 255 improves upon its 200-series predecessors by adding top-of-the-line features such as FM traffic updates or MSN Direct content to an entry-level line. But Garmin is also introducing some significant improvements with this new series, like a predictive technology that provides faster satellite lock, a redesigned screen with more information, terrain maps, and an exciting new photo navigation feature. The 255 adds complete maps for North America and Text-to-Speech, so you get turn by turn spoken directions with the real names of streets (e.g. “turn left in 50 feet at Nebraska Way”, rather than merely “turn left in 50 feet”).
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars very happy
I am very happy with this product. This is our third navigator and by far the best.
Easy to use and understand. This one does not freeze and have to be rebooted, and keeps it’s charge much longer.
I did a lot of research and it has paid off
5 Stars Excellent Unit - Here are Answers for “Problems”
This GPS works exactly as expected. The remote button attaches easily to the steering wheel. Wait until the green indicator shows up on the screen. It has an excellent voice recognition interface, and the advanced GPS features that I want. This is really helpful when you are traveling alone and can’t stop. You don’t need to use the touch screen
It reads street, and highway lane names.. The where am I ?, Point of interest (POI) features are very useful. It stores location when you remove it from the vehicle mount. It takes you back to your car in a mall parking lot. It re-routes fast without complaining & asking you to turn around. Easy to add and change order of “via” points. You can pre-program easily at home.
I suggest that potential buyers & users go to the GPS Magazine site and read the Garmin 885T review with step-by-step photos & examples of its functions. The 855 is the same unit without Blue Tooth & the Microsoft network. Here’s the link:
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Here’s a link to a PDF of the full owner manual
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1. The serial number is printed on the outside of the unit box, and in the battery compartment.
2. Connect on line with USB cable. Register your unit, and then follow instructions to download “plug-in” which identifies your unit, and then updates your software & most recent maps. This took me 20 minutes with a cable modem.
3. You can charge the battery with the USB cable plugged into your computer. No need for AC charger.
4. On off switch: . Slide left to turn on, it springs back to center. Slide left again to turn off. Slide right to lock ( prevents accidental activation.)
5. Volume control. There are 2 separate controls. After you press VOLUME, press MIXER. There are 3 separate volume controls there, VOICE, MEDIA,( PHONE which doesn’t function on this unit). My factory setting for voice was 70%. Others might be lower. This should be increased to 100%.
6. The MEDIA setting is for the micro SD card . You can buy 2 2GB cards & SD card adapter for $19 or less.
7. The FM link to YOUR CAR RADIO is restricted in power by US law, so that other cars won’t get your signal. It varies in effectiveness depending upon where your FM antenna is in your car!
8. If you want to play recordings on the Micro SD, try using an adapter from Garmin headphone output into your radio. On older radios, a cassette player adapter will work.
This unit is a great deal, and works well if you read the instructions.
Try it at home, you can walk outside if you don’t get satellite signals. Try all the functions & use the voice commands. Then practice on a familiar route until you get used to the functions.
4 Stars Nice unit, a little too quiet.
This GPS unit works great. It always gets you where your going. The one issue we have with it is it’s a little too quiet. The main function of this unit is to give verbal directions, they need to be louder and clearer.
5 Stars Love it!
My Garmin Nuvi 255 is the best thing ever! It is taking me places I’ve never been to before, just because I didn’t know how to get there! Now I’ll go anywhere, hasn’t failed me yet!
Garmin nuvi 265WT 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Integrated Traffic Receiver
Garmin nüvi 265WT 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-to-Speech, Bluetooth, and Free Traffic
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Smarter than expected
I rarely get lost, have no trouble reading maps, but using the Garmin nuvi 265WT is sure a lot easier, especially when traveling alone. I can’t compare it with other navigators, but I found it generally easy to use, and though the first look at it seemed rather complicated, I found I needed to check the manual (online, not with the product) only once or twice to pretty much figure out everything.
The maps are key features in a navigator, of course, but I found the decisions the nuvi made were often better than my own decisions would have been. Tested it in my own “backyard” and it took me on some routes I wouldn’t have, but which I should have, chosen. In other cases, it picked some of my favorite tricky shortcut routes that I thought it would never find. Most interesting was the time I asked it to return home by the most economical way, and it twisted and turned until we were on rarely used dirt roads throug the woods. Exciting in its way, but a bit scary if it had been at night or in unknown territory.
On another trip from a hotel to the Mt. Vernon Inn in Virginia, it took busy streets and highways to the Inn, but the return route was a beautiful route along the Potomac River. Perhaps it was because I asked it to stop at a Dunkin Donuts on the way back, though.
There were two problems I noted with it. I was taking a trip from Massachusetts to Maryland one sunny day, and the nuvi was on the dash, in the sun all day. It apparently was overheating, even though the AC was on and the outdoor temperatures weren’t too high. While it continued to navigate with no problem, it responded very slowly to any menu selections, taking minutes in some cases before the screen changed. The manual warns against leaving it on the dash of a parked car, which makes sense, but it shouldn’t exhibit a problem when you’re using it in a moving car.
The second problem occurred when traveling back from the Mt. Vernon Inn that I mentioned above. I asked it to find and go by a Dunkin Donuts on the route back, but we would have gone by the DD if the passengers didn’t happen to spot it. When we left the DD, the nuvi had us go around the block and come back to it, this time letting us know that we had arrived–and it would have had us do it again, apparently, as it seemed to get into a loop. I had to stop the trip and re-set the destination.
Generally, though, it was great to have, giving me a wonderful degree of freedom to “take the road less traveled” when I was in somewhat unfamiliar territory, confident that any side-trips would end without being lost.
5 Stars Love it!
Love, Love, Love it! I had an old Magellan and I thought I loved that one, but I took a chance a tried something new and I haven’t regreted it. The Garmin 265 has intuative buttons, is thoughtfully designed and even has a traffic sensor. Every thing that a non-built in should be.
4 Stars Better than I expected!
Im not gonna repeat all the PROS for this device because this is simply the BEST device out there for its price!!![...]
Although Im in Brazil, the only CON is that it does take a few minutes to get satelite positioning. The “cold start” could take a while if you dont have a clear path between your device and the sky. There was one time where it took almost 9 minutes to get a satelite connection. But after that, it worked without a hitch!
4 Stars Great GPS unit.
I highly recommend this unit to anyone. It does exactly what it promises to, no stupid bells and whistles that you will never use and its not overly expensive. A few reasons I gave it 4 stars and not 5 are - the included mount I did not use as it seems kinda weird to attach anything to the windshield and I heard it leaves a circle print on the glass after a while and the optional bean-bag kinda heavy mount for your dashboard by GARMIN is great; the overall responsiveness of the touch screen is a bit slow when entering numbers or letters; the build-in speaker is not very loud so no music while using it for sure. Other then that - it is great. Would I buy it again knowing all of the above - yep!
Sony NVU73T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
Traveling to your favorite destinations has never been this easy. The Nav-u portable satellite navigation system has a sleek, 4.3″ touch-panel widescreen display and can be easily mounted in any vehicle. The brilliant, high-contrast full-color graphical interface is also intuitive and fun to use. Whether it’s a trip across town or cross-country road trip, the Nav-u satellite navigation system makes the perfect travel companion. The NV-U73T comes pre-loaded with Map Content covering the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Dual View capability displays dynamic route information to provide an even clearer view of what’s around the bend or in a highway merge scenario, which Junction to take. Commonly used commands such as Take Me Home may be accessed by gesturing an inverted V(R) on the screen versus paging through numerous menu screens. Step away from standard GPS mapping and towards a more complete navigation solution. Real Time Traffic Information radio reception allows the NV-U73T to constantly monitor relevant traffic conditions and automatically re-route you around trouble spots. TTS (Text to Speech) also eliminates second-guessing when making a turn; the device utilizes spoken commands ensuring you are able to follow the directions by street names. Using the Sony-unique Super Suction Cup, mounting a Nav-U portable satellite navigation system to either the dashboard, console, or windshield in virtually any vehicle is quick and easy. Stable and secure while driving, the Nav-U portable satellite navigation system can be easily removed whenever you want to take it with you. Interfaces - DC Input 5-5.2V Jack, USB Jack, External GPS Aerial Jack, and TMC Aerial Jack 87.5 - 108.0 Mhz Reception Frequency RDS-TMC Traffic Messaging Channel Dimensions - 3.7 x 2.1 x 4.3 (95×54x109mm) Weight - 7.4 Ounces (210 Grams)
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars June 2009
Sony NVU73T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
Am enjoying this wide screen version and recommend that purchasers take advantage of the free software upgrade available through Sony, taking this from Version 1 straight to V 3+.
4 Stars articat8
awesome gps we bought 2 nvu73t, and nvu83t 1st fr [amazon new recommended] 2nd fr other source said new was not but good cond cannot keep locked n cradle this might be a sony issue,sony has great product,split screen is neat feature make sure u do 3.02 upgradeSony NVU73T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
4 Stars Baaannng for buck!!!
I want to provide useful feedback to others shopping for a GPS unit. That being said, here’s what I like and dislike about the unit. I like the size, very easy to see from the steering wheel. I am well ssatisified with the selectable audio levels; no problem hearing with heat, ac, and/or stereo running. I like the mount, my caddy has a flat dash with a smooth leather-like finish and the mount is 100% effective, giving countless angle options. My minivan has a rounded pebbled finish and the mount is 100% effective there also. The battery life is about 3 hours, but the only way to charge the battery is to have the unit plugged into a cigarette lighter–I assume that most units in the $99 range do not come with wall socket chargers either. The only negative thing that I would point out about the software is that when inputting an address to find, the software app continually tries to complete the typed string, many times incorrectly; so getting in the street number, city, and state can be challenging. I give it 4 of 5 stars when making a judgement of how the unit met my expectations. I would need experience with other units before comparing the Sony unit to others.
5 Stars Sony NVU73T Navigatir
Was very impressed with the navigator and with the reviews which were written by satisfied users, to the extent that I ordered one for my daughter who travels extensively in her job in MN. I haven’t had an opportunity to use mine, but she reports she is very pleased with hers. I was given an inexpensive navigator for Christmas this past year and it NEVER gave me correct directions - telling me to turn left when I should have turned right, ordering me to take a county road when I needed to be on the expressway. Very frustrating - have now discarded it!
4 Stars Grt price - maps not UTD
Great price and a lil leary buying a refurb, works ok but thought it would of come with at least updated maps.Keeps wanting to take me onto back raods not hi-ways
Garmin nüvi 760 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Automobile Navigator
Loaded and wide, nüvi 760 has it all ? advanced navigation features, a widescreen display, preloaded maps, an FM transmitter, hands-free calling, traffic alerts and more. Like the rest of the wide nüvi 700-series, its premium navigation capabilities, like route planning and a handy locator, give you peace of mind on the go. Save up to 10 routes, and specify via points and preview simulated turns on the 4.3 widescreen, or enter your via points and let the nuvi 750 automatically sort multiple destinations for an efficient route Hands free calling with Bluetooth phones A trip log of up to 10,000 points keeps a record of where you’ve been on the map for easy reference Speed limits for all major highways and interstates A high-sensitivity internal (non flip-up) antenna keeps the unit sleek and compact while the rechargeable lithium-ion battery allows you to use the unit in and out of the car for up to 5 hours MP3 playback with Audiobook player, picture viewer, and currency converters Built-in FM transmitter allows you to listen to your music, audio books, and gps voice prompts through your car’s stereo Route avoidance (avoid highways, tolls, etc.), Route setup (choice of faster time, shorter distance, off-road), Auto re-route (fast auto-recalculation when you take a wrong turn or want to avoid traffic), and Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest) FM traffic alerts (3 months of service included) Optional MSN Direct, and Garmin Lock (an anti-theft feature) Interfaces - USB, Audio line-out (headphone) Unit Dimensions - 4.8w x 3h x. 8d Weight - 6.2 ozGarmin’s nüvi 700 series brings two exciting new features — multi-destination routing and, “Where am I?/Where’s my car?” — to its popular pocket-sized GPS navigator lineup. As with all nüvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of an integrated high-sensitivity receiver, a slim, pocket-sized design with a gorgeous display, an easy, intuitive interface, and detailed NAVTEQ maps for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico with more than 6 million name-searchable points of interest. All of the 700-series navigators also feature a rich array of features including spoken directions in real street names, MP3 player and photo viewer, and an FM transmitter that will play voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle’s stereo system.The nüvi 760 and 770 add integrated traffic receivers and Bluetooth capability for hands-free calling. The nüvi 770 adds maps for Europe. The nüvi 780 adds enhanced MSN direct content capability..
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars It worked beautifullly!
For most cases, the Garmin nuvi works really well. I’m amazed it made my life so easy. I’m a real estate agent, and this is one tool that I thing I can’t live without.
However, some maps are not up-to-date. I went to Merced, CA looking for a property and the GPS guided me to another street but can’t find the address. Later on, I found the property using maps.yahoo.com. I don’t know what have happened, but the voice is gone, then I have to go back to tool to reset the language.
5 Stars Flawless
This product looks great and works great. Connects to my bluetooth phone automatically and easily. I can hear clearly at 100% volume when talking over speakerphone. The piano black is a cut above the regular gray version (I have both).
Garmin is the best and the only one I would recommend buying to anyone!
4 Stars never lost
Garmin nüvi 760 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Automobile Navigator I have had this Garmin for a month now and love it. As most of the reviews have pointed out, it has a very weak FM system, therefore it is very hard to find an FM station to play the Garmin through. However, I have found a rechargeable, very small speaker (purchased at Best Buy)that I plug into the Garmin’s audio output which enables me to hear it better and I no longer need to rely on the car speakers. (I am hard of hearing and the unit by itself is not loud enough for me to hear it if I am driving on the highway. This is why I need the speaker.) The Garmin comes with a 60 day free trial of the traffic report and I have not found this to be useful as of yet. We have another big trip coming up so I will give it another try. I have a Palm Treo 800W and the bluetooth works just fine with it.
5 Stars garmin gps
Works great and fast shipping. It got here just in time for our trip and it made all the difference in the world!
5 Stars Garmin GPS
For the first time, I drove with confidence in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex this past weekend. While others leaving a wedding were routed onto a freeway, our GPS took us by a neighborhood route. We were the second car at the reception. We made other “shopping” stops and loved the visible and verbal directions. Highly recommend!
Garmin nüvi 255W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
For peace of mind on the go, n?vi 255 leads the way with voice-prompted turn-by-turn and optional MSN Direct to get you there on time and keep you informed. It’s packed with millions of destinations and maps for North America or Europe. Like the rest of the compact n?vi 2×5-series, this portable navigator is priced right and ultra-easy to use.n?vi 255 comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps, including a hefty points of interest (POIs) database with hotels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. It even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and n?vi takes you there with turn-by-turn voice directions, 2-D or 3-D maps and and smooth map updates as you navigate. Its digital elevation maps show you shaded contours at higher zoom levels, giving you a big picture of the surrounding terrain. In addition, n?vi 255 accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs. With HotFix satellite prediction, n?vi calculates your position faster to get you there quicker.Like the rest of the n?vi 2×5-series, n?vi 255 sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot. With its “Where Am I? ” emergency locator, you always know your location. Simply tap the screen to get your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations.eft feature. Enhance your travel experience with optional plug-in microSD cards such as Garmin Travel Guides for detailed data on attractions.Garmin’s nüvi 255W improvesupon its 200-series predecessors by adding top-of-the-line features such as FM traffic updates or MSN Direct content to an entry-level line. But Garmin is also introducing some significant improvements with this new series, like a predictive technology that provides faster satellite lock, a redesigned screen with more information, terrain maps, and an exciting new photo navigation feature. The 255W adds complete maps for North America and Text-to-Speech, so you get turn by turn spoken directions with the real names of streets (e.g. “turn left in 50 feet at Nebraska Way”, rather than merely “turn left in 50 feet”). The 255W also offers a wide 4.3-inch (diagonal) screen that displays 70% more of the road around you.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Smooth driving
Garmin nüvi 255W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator - The navigation works really well. I only wish it could go beyond the 10 miles from my starting point and also, not having to clear all of my routes at once. Otherwise, it’s great. Even the detours worked really well.
5 Stars Well worth the money…just 1 glitch found so far.
Easy to use straight from the box. Love that it has a security code option…I worry too much, especially about the possibility of somebody finding my GPS and being able to find my home address, so this makes me feel secure. The “where am I” feature is great, and locating hospitals, restaurants, shopping, etc. is very helpful. The only glitch I have found so far is that the speed limits are not 100% accurate, although the GPS, amazingly, is able to very accurately tell you how fast your vehicle is moving. I was a little disappointed in the inaccuracy of the posted speed limit, as I’m guilty of not paying close enough attention to those signs, especially w/ interstate speed traps that are constantly changing up and down. That said, this device is wonderful, and I highly recommend it! I’m planning on getting another one for my dad for Father’s Day….already got my hubby one! Go get yours!
Magellan Maestro 4350 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth & Integrated Traffic
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Great and a good price.
I purchased this as a Goldbox special and I could not be happier. MAKE sure to apply all the updates. It had a couple of problems, then I updated the firmware and I love it. It is better than other GPS I paid more money for. Don’t let this one slip you by. There are reviews that say that the blutooth and microphone did not work well for them, but I use it daily and it works just fine for me.
4 Stars Good GPS unit
My first unit would not work with Magellan’s Content Manager and Magellan’s support is terrible. Fortunately I got my unit from Amazon and they replaced in next day and it worked fine with Content Manager; which is need for all updates - software, maps, POIs, etc
It works great as a GPS and has enhances lane assistances.
Adding POIs is not easy and you only get a name and location - no phone number or anything else. Also they do not seem to appear when you do a search of the magellan or AAA POIs. Also you can add the Speed and Red light cameras for showing on the screen but I have not found a way to have it alert when getting close as some other brands are written up to do.
The speed alarm only seems to work for freeway speeds, I have never gotten an alarm on any other road and you only get an alarm once on the freeway even if you get below then go above again - seems like you have to exit the freeway and get back on to get another warning, maybe pulling over and stopping might work. Music and Bluetooth phone sound tinny no audio output port on unit and you have to be very close or scream at the unit for Bluetooth phone to be heard on the other end of connection. However, music and audiobooks play very good using FM output and the car radio.
As a GPS it seems to do a great job - but the extras are marginal.
5 Stars Now I Can’t Live Without It!
The last GPS I owned was a small, handheld Sport model. I couldn’t see its screen in the sunlight so it was of little use in a car. But, we were driving from Florida to New York, then to California and I thought a new GPS would be just the thing. We took it on our trip, and it was wonderful. We couldn’t get lost no matter how hard we tried. The screen was easily visible, the audio was clear, and finding hotels, restaurants, and shopping was a breeze. I’m not technically oriented, but I had no problem using the features of the 4350 - it was very user friendly. I would buy this product again.
Expand your horizons with the new TomTom ONE XL. The distinctive design combines an extra-wide 4.3 touchscreen and the power of GPS in a slim, lightweight device. Easily taken from car to car. Switch it on and go right out of the box. Just a few taps on the screen and the ONE XL does the rest. The crystal-clear display, 3D view and spoken turn-by-turn instructions help you find your way, worry free. Preloaded maps of the US and Canada and millions of points of interest enhance your traveling experience. With the ONE XL you can access smart extras like real-time traffic, 5-day weather forecasts and celebrity voice downloads. No activation, no monthly fees, its that easy. Easy to use: Switch on and go right out of the box Sleek all-in-one compact design Extra-wide 4.3 touch-screen Easily taken from car to car Turn-by-turn voice instructions Crystal-clear 3D view No activation. No monthly fees Smart navigation Preloaded maps of US and Canada Millions of points of interest Access to real-time traffic, weather, voice downloads, and more TomTom HOME software
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Value for Money - GPS
The GPS is excellent, came in good packaging and the shipment was arrived in time. The voice clarity is good and the features are easy to understand. Though it is a Factory Refurbished, but works like NEW.
I expected to be more slim as it appeared online.
4 Stars Good product, Map updates enraging
This is my first GPS, so I have little point of reference, but…
Seems like solid build. Screen is appropriately sensitive and not overly.
It does what it’s supposed to do. Only one voice choice for text to speech, but her voice is good enough. Pronunciation is sometimes laughable even on the simplest of words. She calls a “bridge” a “bradge” for some reason.
Recalculation seems a tad slow… if you’re driving in a place where streets are a quarter mile or less apart (i.e. a city or highly-populated area) and you miss your turn, you MIGHT not get the recalculation in time to make the next street. Also, I find that I have to really look at the map a lot to get the directions correct. It’s seems to lag a bit or gets confused easily when it comes to the text to speech. Granted, there are a lot of crazy road configurations in older towns around Philadelphia and New Jersey and there are probably few good ways to describe how to make some of these crazy intersections navigable, so no matter what the voice says, glancing over at the map in the 3D view is really the best way to understand. Sometimes, the “turn left here” is spoken when you are in the middle of the intersection, and if you are going over 5 MPH, you’re not going to be able to make that turn.
My spouse had some difficulty with it’s narration of what to do. It frustrated her and wasn’t very useful for her. And it took me a while to get the hang of using it, too. Like I mentioned earlier, I glance at the screen often to make sure I understand what it’s trying to tell me. Maybe this is true of all GPS units, but this is the only one I’ve ever used.
All in all, I really like it and it has already saved the day a few times for me. I was picking someone up at a train station but the train ended up being an express and didn’t stop at the station I was at. Luckily, the railway stations were already programmed in as POIs and I was able to get to the station it did stop at in under ten minutes. Without the GPS, I would have had NO idea how to find that station.
One thing I learned about Tomtom, though. They try very hard to not give you a free map update. I didn’t get mine. The card that explained how to get it was written in spanish and had a code, but I saw the spanish and didn’t think much of the card. 6 weeks later I realize my maps are “five quarters of a year old” according to the PC GUI. I try to update and it tells me there are no updates. I call and they say I missed my 30-day window for the free update but they would be happy to charge me $80 for the latest (don’t be fooled by the $40 a year quarterly updates… that’s only if you already have the latest map installed. It’s $40 a year, plus another $40 to get you up-to-date). And they would not budge no matter how much I complained and plead my case. So, now my map is 5/4 a year old and is going to stay that way at least for a while. I won’t give them [...] bucks to update the map on a $100 gadget I bought 6 weeks ago. Lesson? Do everything you can do to get your free update within the first week of turning on your GPS because if you miss the 30-day window, you are… as the french say (and you may get a french operator when you call, BTW), up le creek sans paddle.
Physical notes:
1. The ONE XL in the only Tomtom that does not accept SD-HC cards. It will only read a 2GB or less SD card. Lesson learned the hard way there.
2. The power/USB port is in a somewhat inconvenient place. I also ordered a friction dash pad (which is really nice - Navigation-Mat GPS Friction Dash Pad but I had to do some bending and flattening to make room for the combination of a very short windshield mount and poorly placed USB jack. The jack, which is underneath, ends up being in exactly the wrong spot and is blocked by the pad’s base. A slightly longer windshield mount or a relocation of the port would have remedied the problem, but alas, those are things I cannot do.
Map does not seem to contain information for bodies of water such as lakes, streams or rivers. As a person who occasionally likes to fish, I’d like to have that info. But the combination of google maps and the Tomtom, I get what I need.
So, it does what it is supposed to do, it gets you were you need to go. So as far as navigation goes, I have to give it 4 stars.
4 Stars Great when it works
This product works well when it works.The maps are good and easy to follow.I like the speed you are traveling and the speed limit feature.For some reason,it doesn’t always turn on,unless you push the reset button.This seems to be a quirk fairly common to Tom-Tom products.I have had three different Tom-Tom units and they have all displayed this flaw.A straightened paper clip would be a good accessory for Tom-Tom to include with thier units.
5 Stars ilove it
love this tom tom….it got me all over houston, seeing everything houston had to offer..lol….love this device
5 Stars very happy with the product
i am very happy with this gps. i did not download the maps in time and they expired, also i had trouble with my battery dying. All my ignorance and not very tecnichal savvy. ordered a home charger and i think this proble will be settled. i am very happly with this gps. i let my grandson set it up for me and then when i had a problem and he was not around i was stuck. read manuel and downloaded tomtom home and i very much more confident. it really is easy just don’t be afraid of it.
Garmin nüvi 760 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Automobile Navigator (Piano Black)
Loaded and wide, nüvi 760 has it all advanced navigation features, a widescreen display, preloaded maps, an FM transmitter, hands-free calling, traffic alerts and more. Like the rest of the wide nüvi 700-series, its premium navigation capabilities, like route planning and an emergency locator, give you peace of mind on the go.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars garmin gps
Works great and fast shipping. It got here just in time for our trip and it made all the difference in the world!
5 Stars Garmin GPS
For the first time, I drove with confidence in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex this past weekend. While others leaving a wedding were routed onto a freeway, our GPS took us by a neighborhood route. We were the second car at the reception. We made other “shopping” stops and loved the visible and verbal directions. Highly recommend!
4 Stars never lost
Garmin nüvi 760 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Automobile Navigator I have had this Garmin for a month now and love it. As most of the reviews have pointed out, it has a very weak FM system, therefore it is very hard to find an FM station to play the Garmin through. However, I have found a rechargeable, very small speaker (purchased at Best Buy)that I plug into the Garmin’s audio output which enables me to hear it better and I no longer need to rely on the car speakers. (I am hard of hearing and the unit by itself is not loud enough for me to hear it if I am driving on the highway. This is why I need the speaker.) The Garmin comes with a 60 day free trial of the traffic report and I have not found this to be useful as of yet. We have another big trip coming up so I will give it another try. I have a Palm Treo 800W and the bluetooth works just fine with it.
5 Stars Flawless
This product looks great and works great. Connects to my bluetooth phone automatically and easily. I can hear clearly at 100% volume when talking over speakerphone. The piano black is a cut above the regular gray version (I have both).
Garmin is the best and the only one I would recommend buying to anyone!
4 Stars It worked beautifullly!
For most cases, the Garmin nuvi works really well. I’m amazed it made my life so easy. I’m a real estate agent, and this is one tool that I thing I can’t live without.
However, some maps are not up-to-date. I went to Merced, CA looking for a property and the GPS guided me to another street but can’t find the address. Later on, I found the property using maps.yahoo.com. I don’t know what have happened, but the voice is gone, then I have to go back to tool to reset the language.
Garmin nüvi 750 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
Garmin’s nüvi 700 series brings two exciting new features — multi-destination routing and, “Where am I?/Where’s my car?” — to its popular pocket-sized GPS navigator lineup. As with all nüvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of an integrated high-sensitivity receiver, a slim, pocket-sized design with a gorgeous display, an easy, intuitive interface, and detailed NAVTEQ maps for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico with more than 6 million name-searchable points of interest. All of the 700-series navigators also feature a rich array of features including spoken directions in real street names, MP3 player and photo viewer, and an FM transmitter that will play voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle’s stereo system. The nüvi 760 and 770 add integrated traffic receivers and Bluetooth capability for hands-free calling. The nüvi 770 adds maps for Europe. The nüvi 780 adds enhanced MSN direct content capability.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars oldmom
We have only used it once so far but it was great. It tells you every turn ahead of time and the street name.
5 Stars Outstanding Item!
A great product with a quick delivery time (4 days). No complaints and many thanks!
5 Stars Garmin Nuvi 750
I bought the Nuvi 750 after using a Nuvi 660 on a trip to California. The 4.3 inch screen is easy to see and read while driving. It is great for planning trips. I like the voice reminders of turns coming up with the street names and the distance before the turns. It especally handy to have when looking for a place to eat or looking for lodging. It takes the guesswork out of what is available near your location.
As with all GPS units, they are not flawless, we had a few directions that were confusing around Chicago that we ignored (we had a road atlas to help), it recalulated the route with no problems. I did detect an attitude in the voice after so many “recaluating” episodes though :). I would still recommend this product and a road atlas when taking long trip just to make sure you are headed in the direction you want to go.
5 Stars GO! With your Garmin!!!!!
Garmin nüvi 750 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
Know the Garmin line and wanted to get the Best for the buck. Really glad when I found the Garim 750. Know the 255 and 265 as the company I work for offers them as an automotive accessory. Our parts division researches the products extensively before offering it to our customers.
Received it, loaded it up with maps and goodies and hit the road. Love it and use it daily. Accurate within a few hundred feet. Looking forward to taking it on vacation so I don’t have to stop at gas stations for direction (ha, ha). Even though it is a discontinued model, Garmin has the gear on-line to support the product.
Thanks for a great deal on a great product. And, thanks once again for the great service, delivered as promised!
Blazing a Trail in Florida and MORE!
Garmin nüvi 265T 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
The Garmin nuvi 265t GPS has integrated Bluetooth for hands-free calling and lifetime traffic alerts for avoiding traffic delays and road construction. Bluetooth wireless technology enables users to make hands-free calling with nuvi’s built-in microphone and speaker. Just pair it with your compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free through nuvi while staying focused on the road. Simply dial numbers with nuvi’s touchscreen keypad to make a call. To answer calls, just tap the screen and speak into its built-in microphone. Take advantage of Garmin’s first premium traffic service without subscription fees. Steer clear of traffic with nuvi’s integrated FM traffic receiver. Receive alerts about traffic delays and road construction that lie ahead on your route. Simply touch nuvi’s screen to view traffic details or detour around the problem area. Traffic service includes a lifetime premium subscription in North America for the life of the product or as long as Garmin receives traffic data from its traffic supplier. The Where Am I? feature finds the closest hospitals, police stations, gas stations, nearest address and intersection Auto time zone - nuvi will automatically adjust your time zone while navigating Turn-by-turn directions with voice guidance Configurable vehicle icons allows users to select a fun, customized car-shaped icon Offers a three-dimensional mapping perspective, or 2-D overhead view Built-in lithium-ion battery lasts up to four hours depending on usage Dimensions - Width 3.8 x Height 2.8 x Depth 0.8 Weight - 5.2 ounces
User Ratings and Reviews
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4 Stars Happy but not perfect
I recently purchased the Garmin 265T 3.5 and I researched alot of GPS’s, I did not want to spend a ton of money but wanted simplicity with specific features.
I really like the product although I find it is not 100% accurate. For instance, it may tell me I have arrived, and I have passed the destination, or the destination is still several hundered feet in front of me. It sometimes says the destination is on the left, when it actually is on the right as well.
So all in all, it is a great product with full of features that I need, but I have to be careful to not completly rely on it’s accuracy in locating the actual destination as far as the specific location.
The bluetooth works great when I have used it and seems to be better than my actual cell phone bluetooth.
5 Stars good product
The only con, I would say, the free real-time traffic loads very slowing. It usually takes 30-40 minutes. But the Garmin tech support is immediate and responsive.
4 Stars Garmin Nuvi 265T
I love this GPS! It is always accurate! The only trouble we are having is changing states. We travel out of state alot. This could be me - I haven’t spent much time reading the instructions, which is a plus, because we were able to use it straight out of the box without even reading the directions! I would recommend this to a friend!
Garmin nüvi 360 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Text-To-Speech
The Garmin nüvi 360 GPS Navigator and Personal Travel Assistant is a GPS navigator, personal translator, multi-media entertainer and tour guide all wrapped into one. In addition to all the advanced features of the Garmin nüvi 350 — including automatic routing, turn-by-turn voice directions, an MP3 player and audio book player, JPEG picture viewer, and much more — this pocket-sized personal travel assistant comes with hands-free Bluetooth wireless technology, making it the hands-down go-anywhere travel companion.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Gets lost in a couple of parts of the US, could use longer battery life, otherwise awesome
Overall I love my Nuvi 360. I just bought another one for Father’s Day. Even though there are fancier ones out there now, they list having an even shorter battery life, and since that’s one of my only complaints I decided to stick with the GPS that lists an 8 hour battery instead of a 5.
I live in a city where newcomers are guaranteed to get lost. Having a GPS changed all that. So it fulfills its primary function admirably. It also does a great job of telling me where the nearest gas stations and restaurants are, although I wish it would default to showing the nearest ones along the route in the direction I’m already headed. I’ve used it a little as a handsfree device, and it works ok, but it was a bit cranky finding my phone the first few times.
As of summer 2008 it could not find its way around the Lake of the Ozarks area AT ALL. It kept on directing me to roads that do not exist- not even wheel ruts in a field! Later I noticed Google Maps had the same problem. I don’t know whether that’s been corrected by now.
Most of the time, though, it gets me exactly where I need to go. Now that it’s been around for a couple of years, it’s a great buy as well.
5 Stars Loved It!!!
This is our first GPS system. We bought it for our Mother for Mother’s Day. She loved it when she used it. We recently took a trip first weekend of June and borrowed it and LOVED IT. It was awesome. We did not get lost, didn’t have to worry about being lost! If you took an exit to go to a gas station and didn’t put it in it recalculates and puts you back on track without any problems. For the price it was well worth it!
5 Stars Great GPS
It is everything I expected, and more. I have not, nor do I intend to, use the music part, therefore I cannot comment on that.
It is awesome. I would recommend this to a friend.
5 Stars Garmin Nuvi 360 - Great!
I love this Garmin 360. It has more verasatility than the 350. It has the Blue tooth capability and text to speech. It’s size is perfect to store in a briefcase, purse or glove box.
I also purchased the dashtop mount. That thing won’t move off the dash when you’re cornering. it’s perfect.
Great job Garmin!!!
Sue-Jacksonville, FL
4 Stars Garmin nuvi
The Garmin nuvi GPS has come in very handy with the work I am doing. I have to go to many places out of town and to many homes, with the GPS I feel comfortable to be on time and without making any wrong turns. It has some other great features, such as the detour button to get around traffic or construction. I am also amazed at the accuracy of the ETA clock. Overall a great product that will get a lot of use from me.
Garmin nüvi 885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Service
Find your way. Stay connected and ahead of the curve with Garmin n vi 885T. This premium navigator features voice-activated navigation, lane assist with junction view, MSN Direct and hands-free calling capability. Now you can keep both hands on the wheel, tell n vi where to go and maneuver complicated interchanges with ease. The n vi 885T not only tells you where to turn but listens to your spoken commands. No more guessing which lane you need to be in to make an upcoming turn. Lane assist with junction view guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. Using the included receiver and free trial service to MSN Direct, you can check your flight status, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, get advanced weather information, enhanced movie listings, stock information, news and local events. Keep track of yourself and your car with n vi 885T. Just speak or tap “Where Am I?” to find the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, and nearest address. High-sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix - nuvi will decrease satellite acquisition times by recording ephemeris data, then predicting satellite location for the areas & times recorded for up to 3 days High-resolution, 4.3; 480 x 272 pixels; WQVGA TFT Displays speed limits Alarm clock DEM maps Replaceable lithium-ion battery - up to 4hrs depending on usage Trip computer records mileage, max speed, & total time Built-in travel kit includes features such as picture viewer, world clock, currency & measurement converters & calculator Garmin Lock anti-theft PC connectivity using available USB 2.0 port Standard headphone & microphone jacks microSD card slot / MP3 play Unit Dimensions - 4.9 W x 3.1 H x 0.7 D; Weight - 6.2 oz In the box - nuvi 885T MSN Direct receiver/vehicle power cable, Preloaded City Navigator North America NT Remote for vo
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars More Than Pleased
This is the first nav system that I’ve owned. I had previously just printed color maps from Google Maps and kept them in a loose leaf binder when I went on a trip to places that I hadn’t been before. After riding with someone that had a GPS nav system, I decided to give it a try.
Since I was new to these systems, I had a bit of trouble figuring out how to set the system up for my trip (and I did read the included manual as well as on-line instructions). Once I figured out that the best way to navigate to each location was to put the destination into my favorites, then either nav directly to the destination, or, if I needed to specify an alternate to the default recommended route, to set up my own route, with the appropriate way points.
A couple of weeks ago, I took a photography safari to Florida, to several shooting sites and motels that I had not been to previously. I set up each destination in the Nuvi, and then selected the target destination from the Where To? menu. I couldn’t believe how much easier the trip was with this system.
Instead of worrying about which lane to get in as I drove down the interstate, I just followed the directions from the nav system. What an improvement. With regard to the specific features of the 885T, I found it to be easy to use, though not as quick responding to my inputs as I’m used to with a PC. Still, it wasn’t bad. Once I figured out how to set up routes with way points, It was fairly easy to do. I did use Google Maps to help with this process. To me, this is one of the advantages of a portable unit like the Nuvi as opposed to a built-in nav system - you can carry it into the house and sit in front of the computer to plan your trips.
I hooked up the Nuvi to my Bluetooth-enabled cell phone, and that worked as advertised. I was pleasantly surprised the first evening that I was driving, when the unit switched from daylight to night mode. It made the display easier on the eyes. I only had a couple of occasions where the lane view feature activated, but it did work as advertised, and was very helpful. The estimated arrival time feature was neat, and it became a sort of game to see if I could bring this time down - usually though, it went up as I got stuck at stop lights and in traffic. Still a very useful feature.
Another feature that was extremely useful was the display of the speed limit. This was incredibly accurate, usually changing in less than a second as I passed the signs on the highway.
The only thing that I really didn’t like about the Nuvi was the included MSN service, which was basically useless to me, since I don’t live in a covered area. I would still have used it for travel, except that when I started the registration process, I was asked detailed personal questions which are frankly, none of Microsoft’s business. I decided that the limited functionality that I would get was not worth the price. In any case, that didn’t detract from the usefulness of the Nuvi for the primary purpose that I purchased it. Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase.
4 Stars Very happy but not perfect
I have had my 885t for about a month now. I looked at many reviews before buying it. My concern was cost, comparing TomTom and other garmins to the 885t. Garmin has so many types and trying to decide what was best for me was challenging. I get lost a lot, so finding one with voice commands was very important to me. So far, it wasnt all that I expected. Here are my positives and negatives:
For the positives I like everything regarding the mapping and directions. When coming to a major interstate with many different signs, the garmin in very good a telling you the correct lane and list where to go at the top. Now sometimes it doesnt give it to me quick enough or the distance may be a little off, however, its not to bad. I also like the voice command if there is no noise or I am driving very slowly. When it recognizes your voice it works perfectly. The menu is very good and does everything I would need.
The negatives to me are the following: I have a Jeep Wrangler and the voice recognition does not work very well with me driving or my window down. I will be yelling at the garmin and with any other noise the 885t will not seem to hear my voice. It can be very, very frustrating yelling as loud as I can. While reading other reviews I did see and have experienced that the volume could be a little higher. I even downloaded this software onto my garmin to make it louder, garmin could have made some changes here. It does not have very many English speaking voices too. I also dont like the fee for MSN or traffic.
Overall, I am happy with my purchase. But mostly I am glad that I waited for the cost to come down. It isnt worth $900 however, for $400, it was a great buy.
PortableGPSRatings.com
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