| Rating |
Review |
Date Reviewed |
- Product Rating:
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- Pros: Easy to read screen, voice prompts are very clear, slim design
- Cons: I haven't found much use for the traffic alerts, sometimes routes you funny ways
- The Bottom Line: I have never had a GPS system before, but I was intrigued and did a lot of research. I kept coming back to the Garmin Nuvis, and so I asked for one for Christmas..Right out of the box, I was able to play with it. I set it to speak in the female Australian voice (which I had read from other reviews was the best, and after trying the others, I agree), set it to get me there fastest (not shortest, which I understand is a bit of confusion - fastest is time, shortest is distance), and entered an address I know well. It got me there in almost the exact route I take. I will admit that I knew certain shortcuts having traveled it for years, but I was impressed by the prompts and the accuracy of the device..Only a couple of days after getting it, I had the opportunity to use it in earnest. I had to get to my physician, but I only knew how to get there from my house, not from work - and going that way I knew would take me much longer than I suspected it had to be. I typed in the address and followed the directions through an area I was completely unfamiliar with. I arrived without a problem, and much faster than I thought it would take..I did notice some quirks in giving me directions to certain places. For instance, my mother's house requires a very hard right turn before her street. The Nuvi suggested I keep going, then make a turnaround. I'm still not sure why it thinks the hard right is too difficult, unless it is an attempt to avoid confusion on a driver in a completely unfamiliar area..I also found that the rare instances of traffic alerts I get are kind of unnecessary. I haven't been in a situation where I could have used it to full potential, and the couple of times it popped up I was already avoiding traffic-y areas..I am planning a read trip from New Jersey to Florida in about 2 months and will be using the Nuvi. After using it around here, I am more than confident that it will guide us where we want to go without trouble..I also like how the Nuvi easily detaches from the base and that the charger is in the base, not attached to the device itself. I can just grab it, slip it in the case, and stick it in my purse within seconds. .Basically, I am not someone who likes to travel, because I HATE getting lost. When I used to ask someone for directions, I would ask for tons of landmarks and constantly check to make sure I was on the right path - I was always nervous I would take the wrong way. Even with the Nuvi's quirks, I feel more confident going to a place I've never been, and I feel more at ease and relaxed knowing the approximate time I would arrive. I haven't tested other GPSs, but I am very VERY happy with my purchase and highly recommend it to anyone.
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by CWich,
04-Feb-07
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- Product Rating:
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- Pros: 4.3-inch screen. Sensitive GPS receiver. Integrated traffic receiver. Bluetooth speakerphone interface. POI database is great! Thousands of things to chose from, easy to use and FUN!
- Cons: Price - Though you get a lot of bang for your buck
- The Bottom Line: I know some have posted the volume is weak, but I can't verify this. I find the volume to be very good, although the MP3 sound is not as expected. This is my first GPS device and I bought mainly on the reviews above and I can't be any more happy with it than I am. One issue I haven't figured out is the original directions like to take you the longer of the routes than is required. I'm sure this is more of my being new to GPS and the settings, but it's still great! If you are new to GPS or old, you'll enjoy this device. It has found its way into my daily routine and I'm glad no more map quest!
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by n2nhl,
14-Dec-06
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- Product Rating:
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- Pros: Very easy to use. Many useful features. Lightweight/portable
- Cons: Internal speaker at all volume level somewhat scratchy.
- The Bottom Line: I love my Nuvi!! It's so easy to use even my eleven-year-old son had no problem finding his way around the various menus. It's the first "gadget" I've had so much interest in. Lots of very useful features to use. The handsfree telephone feature works very good. if an incoming call comes in while navigating, the voice prompt automatically mutes, enabling you to answer the call with the touch of a single button. The in-call menu works very nice too. If after placing a call you're prompted to dial an extension, a couple of key strokes take you to a numerical keypad to dial the extension etc. Not all compatible phones are listed on Garmin's web site. Try linking your bluetooth telephone first before going out to buy one that's on Garmin's list. I have a Motorola first generation Razar and it works just fine with the Nuvi. Another cool thing about the Nuvi, is the "Go Home" button. Sometimes I get turned around when backtracking from a location out of town etc, the Nuvi takes the guesswork out of that. You simply press the "Go Home" button and it plots a route back to your home. The Nuvi also comes with a security feature that allows you to enter a four digit password to lock/unlock the unit prior to using it. In the unlikely event your unit is stolen, not having the pin would render the unit useless. Furthermore, you can also set up a security location if you forget your pin. You can either use your home address or the parking lot of a nearby 7-11 etc. If you forget your pin, just drive to the 7-11, and the unit unlocks itself. Or, if you used your home as your security location, the unit automatically unlocks. I would NOT RECOMMEND using your home as a security location. If the Nuvi is stolen from your vehicle, the person could simply look inside your glove box and retrieve your home address, drive to your home and wait for the unit to unlock itself. I'd recommend using a nearby parking lot or somewhere other than your home. Setting up the security location is very easy. You simply drive to any location...anywhere, it could be an open field or a shopping mall, you tap on the car icon on the screen and the Nuvi takes you through a few EASY steps to save that very spot you're at in the "Favorites" place. You can now use that saved location as your security location. The Nuvi is very compact/mobile. You can easily slip it into your coat pocket or pocketbook and hardly notice it's there. Furthermore, you can take it from one vehicle to the next, as opposed to units that are hard wired in the dashboard of some vehicles. If you live in, say, San Francisco, and flying to New York, on business of pleasure, you can take the Nuvi with you. If you rent a car the Nuvi can be used for navigation. You can also use the Nuvi while walking, riding a bicycle or motorbike. The "Food/Lodging" is another excellent feature. Ever find yourself driving around looking for a parking garage? Press this button and the location of all available parking garage pops up. Press the "Go" button and the Nuvi takes you there, no more guesswork. The same for gas stations, ATMs, food etc. The "Travel Kit" is another useful feature. Fodors sells an SD card you insert into a slot on the side of the Nuvi. The card comes packed with places you can pull off to during a trip out of town. There's no more, "what's there to do in that city." question anymore. Fodors took care of that with all the information packed inside the SD card. The cards are available for around $46.00. The "Traffic Alert," feature which is a subscription service, ($60.00 per year) comes preloaded in the Vuvi 660 with a three month trial offer. It's a little gizmo you plug into the cigarette lighter, similar to a FM transmitter, and it picks up traffic/accident reports and displays it on the screen of the Nuvi. The cool thing about it is that the Nuvi has a " Detour" button you press and it reroutes you around the accident etc. Overall I love the Nuvi. The only negative comment I have is the internal speaker. At all volume levels the voice prompt is a bit scratchy. Mind you, you can still hear the voice prompts clearly. You can also wirelessly hook up the Nuvi to the vehicle's stereo system to listen to the voice prompts and speak on the telephone handsfree. The Nuvi has a built-in microphone you speak into. You don't need to shout in order for the person on the phone to hear you. The price of the Nuvi is pretty steep. To get over the sticker shock, find a very good reason to treat yourself to one, then the price won't seem so bad. Pricegrabber.com is an excellent place to shop around for the best prices.
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by patrickmmm,
05-Dec-06
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- Product Rating:
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- Pros: Pros: vivid large screen, starts up the system very fast (I would say around 20 to 30 sec. when cold), locking to satellites is super fast (when warm, it takes no time) AND I MEAN IT. It has the finest reception. The Bluetooth connection capability is ver
- Cons: Cons: the device does not play any audio files but the MP3 formatted ones. Also, the wireless FM transmitter is not as clean and clear as I would expect, but not too bad. Maybe if I could find a cleaner channel, I would be able to get a better voice quali
- The Bottom Line: I just got this new garmin nuvi 660 on October 4, 2006. My decision to select it was after a very long time of searching and comparing. Here is what I think about this product:Pros: vivid large screen, starts up the system very fast (I would say around 20 to 30 sec. when cold), locking to satellites is super fast (when warm, it takes no time) AND I MEAN IT. It has the finest reception. The Bluetooth connection capability is very good. People on the other end do not complain about the voice quality. In fact, it was assumed that I was speaking through the phone?s speaker. SO FAR, THE REAL TIME TRAFFIC FEATURE HAS BEEN GOOD SO FAR. Cons: the device does not play any audio files but the MP3 formatted ones. Also, the wireless FM transmitter is not as clean and clear as I would expect, but not too bad. Maybe if I could find a cleaner channel, I would be able to get a better voice quality from my car speakers. Using the 3D view is nice but not as precise as the 2D view.In short, I have had a chance to try to the garmin M5 before this one. The M5 was fairly ok. However, it never locks when I?m inside the apartment. On the other hand, nuvi 660 was waaaaay better in this area. I received a full reception while in the apartment. Moreover, the POI database is pretty covering everything I think I need. Lots of POIs.In general, I?m very very pleased with the nuvi 660. It is by far the best device I could possibly get. Screen size is big, and its performance is great. I would definitely suggest this product. I love it despite the fact it hurts me when thinking about its price.
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by almoayad,
08-Oct-06
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