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Guide to choose Garmin GPS
Submitted by zen on 23 February, 2008 - 23:22.
| Garmin nüvi 780 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Ser... |
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| Model | Nuvi 780 | | Producer | Garmin | | Media | Electronics | | Catalog | CE | | Rank | 2286 | | List Price | US$699.99 |
Goto Amazon.com
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Of all the GPS in the same price range, Garmin has the least feature to offer but also cause you the least headache. If all you want is a navigation system that gets you from point A to point B, Garmin is your best choice. It consistently choose the best route (save you a couple miles/minutes compare to other GPS), and usually has the best map coverage. Magellan sometimes has better POI coverage and more easily accessible. Magellan also has a more feature rich user interface (e.g. volume adjusted according to speed, an innovative way of selecting address by highlighting only the available keys, exit POI and the extremely helpful AAA tour book etc). Garmin has none of those but has the no nonsense, dirt easy GUI even your mom can use.
If you have made up your mind to choose a Garmin GPS, which one should you buy?
Nuvi 200? Nuvi 250w? Nuvi350? Nuvi660? Nuvi780?
Here is a list of all the available features:
Nuvi 200 - 3.5" screen, Cheapest, Map Cover USA or Canada, but not both.
Nuvi 200w - 4.3" screen, Cheap, Map Cover USA or Canada, but not both.
Nuvi 250 - 3.5" screen, Map Cover USA, Canada and Pureto Rico
Nuvi 250w - 4.3" screen, Map Cover USA, Canada and Pureto Rico
See the logic here?
So the model with "w" at the end all have 4.3" screen, except for 600, 700 series, even those with no "w", they still have 4.3" screen.
Screen is important. Even if you have good eyes, you still need the bigger screen to see more map, and the on screen keyboard will be less crowded on the bigger screens.
When you upgrade to 300 models or above (300,600,700), you also get Text to Speech on Street Name, So instead of "turn right in 2 miles" on the lower models, the higher models will say "Turn right on Main Street in 2 miles", it will cause less distraction (since you don't have to check the street names on the GPS screen).
Any model ends with 60 or above (e.g. 260, 360, 370, 660) will also have Blue Tooth hands free feature, so you can talk on the phone without picking it up, more driving safety.
Any model above 300 (e.g. 350, 660, 780) will also have MP3, you can listen to mp3 music and audio books, very handly. You may not need GPS guidance for diving to work everyday, but you way want to enrich yourself with MP3 books everyday you drive.
Any model ends wiht 70 (e.g. 270, 370, 670) has map coverage for North America and Western Europe, so you can take your gps with you next time you travel to Paris.
Nuvi 780 even has tracklogs, so you know where you have been. You can check below to see the full editorial review.
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Reviews:| Rating 4.0/5 from 480 reviews | | on the road | | Rating: 5/5 2010-08-25 | | Very nice when out of town. Kinda slow to load maps sometimes. But still a very nice device | | could be a lemon, but you might consider this review | | Rating: 1/5 2010-08-21 | | I've had the Nuvi 780 since Jan 2010. Three months ago, the first unit went dead and Garmin replaced it. As of today, August 21, 2010, the second unit is completely dead. I had just charged it earlier today, took it off the charger and it seemed okay. A few minutes later, I tried to turn it on, and absolutely no response. So I will have to go thru the hassal of getting the okay to return it again. Could be a fluke thing, but just wanted to advise all buyers. | | Good Navigation but MSN Direct is a pain to Set-up and Worse. | | Rating: 3/5 2010-08-11 | | Very good driving and navigating device. However, I found MSN Direct to be a real pain to set-up and activate. Worse, because I live in a rural area --- MSN direct stayed inactive because I could never get the signal to make it activate. I rate NUVI 780 5 Stars and MSN Direct 0 Stars. NUVI is great. MSN Direct is NOT. | | I thought I would love it. | | Rating: 3/5 2010-08-04 | This is the second Garmin I have owned. My previous one had a little dial to choose options, had a tiny black and white screen, and was about 5 years old when I purchased this one. I have taken two long trips in the past month since I have owned it, and have used it for about 5000 miles.
What I like: the color screen, the ability to change to top always being north, or oriented however you are driving. I like the arrow that says which way a particular store is(for example) when it brings them up.
Things I don't like: My new one says you are there when you are at least 50 yards from the destination. My old one was accurate to the foot. On one occasion, I could not even see my destination, and she said I was there. Because of this, we have made several wrong turns when exits were very close to each other. Unless you have the luxury of being able to read the narrative at the top while driving so you know which turn to take, it is easy to make the wrong turn. At intersections, when I am stopped, she says I still have typically 90 feet to my turn.
She is not as easy to navigate as my old one. If you know you want to go to city x (maybe passing thru), she demands an address in that city before she will tell you how to get there, so apparently it is necessary to make up an address to please her. It is very difficult to back off a closeup view to see how you are being routed, and after about 5 clicks, there is a huge jump to the next further view.
If you want to go to a particular store, it will not give you the closest one, just the closest one ahead of you. It doesn't list things like state parks, beaches, or scenic attractions that I have been able to find thus far. Just seems to be commercial addresses.
I liked my old one better. Only advantage I gained is updated maps, I think. | | Good navigation Under 250$$ | | Rating: 4/5 2010-07-25 | I have only used the GPS one time however I
did notice that the software update for the maps
and live traffic updates ( monthly fee) really
make a difference between this Garmin model
and the $80 model.. I would recommend this
GPS for the basic user who does the occasional
long trip and city driving to Work/ School.. |
Editorials:Amazon.com Product Description -- January 8, 2008The nüvi 780 adds enhanced MSN direct content to the multi-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.
Garmin's nüvis pack top of the line features into a slim form factor. |
Enhanced MSN Direct Content An integrated receiver allows you to access enhanced dynamic content from the MSN Direct service. Check the weather, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, get enhanced movie listings, stock information, news and local events when you travel with your unit. Even plan trips from the convenience of your computer, via Windows Live Local, and wirelessly send custom to your nüvi. - Free 3-month trial subscription to MSN Direct services, activation instructions provided
- MSN Direct Traffic Receiver included in the box
- Extended MSN Direct service subscriptions available for purchase: 12 months for $49.95 + tax (visit MSN for further details)
Multi-Destination Routing
Wider screen lets you see more of what's around. Compare these actual size views of a 3-inch (diagonal) screen
and a 4.3-inch diagonal widescreen
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This lets you enter several spots into the device (day care - supermarket-cleaners - office - day care, for example) and it will plot the fastest route. And once you've found the best router, the "Route Planning" feature lets you save up to 10 different routes, Garmin touts the feature for providing, "the most efficient route for errands, deliveries and sales calls." The feature also makes this an instant essential accessory for anyone who shops garage sales (you know what we're talking about).
A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you've been on the map.
Where Am I? Where's My Car?
The nüvi 700 series is the first to answer two common questions: "Where am I?" and "Where’s my car?"
At any time, with a single tap of the screen, drivers can display their exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and gas stations. And to help drivers find their car in an unfamiliar spot or vast parking lot, the nüvis in the 700 series automatically mark the position in which they were last removed from the mount. See Better, See More The super-bright, 4.3-inch (diagonal) touchscreen display gives is anti-glare for ease of viewing during the day and automatically changes its color profile for easy viewing at night or in dim light. It offers 2d or 3D perspective views. The widescreen format gives you 70% more actual screen area than a 3.5-inch screen. Primarily this translates into a better view of the area through which you are driving. This is especially useful in showing you what parks, restaurants, ATM, gas stations, etc. are nearby, or in letting you know whether a detour is a good idea. Also, the device itself is larger, meaning controls on the screen are more widely spaced and somewhat easier to push.
First Rate Map Data
The nüvi 780 is preloaded with highly detailed City Navigator NT road maps for the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. This map database features nearly six million points of interest (POIs), including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions. Garmin gets its map data from NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping. Hands-Free Calling
In more and more places, it is becoming illegal to use cell phones while driving without a hands-free kit. The nüvi 780's Bluetooth capability, microphone and speaker lets match it to any bluetooth-capable phone to make hands-free mobile phone calls. Simply dial the phone number with the nüvi's touch screen keypad to make a call on a compatible phone. To answer an incoming call, just tap the screen and speak into the built-in microphone. Making and taking calls on the road has never been easier, or safer. In addition, Garmin makes it a breeze to look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or even tap into your cell phone's call history log.
Garmin Lock
Garmin's patent pending theft prevention system that disables the unit from performing any functions until the user types in a specific 4-digit PIN or takes the unit to a predetermined secure location Easy To Use Interface
Garmin's interface is a key to their success and one of the things that makes their devices such a pleasure to use. Simple controls and sub-screens make it easy to enter or search for destinations and get data about your trip.
Beyond Navigation
Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer. |  A handy MP3 player lets you play songs stored on SD memory cards. |  nüvi accepts custom points of interest (POIs). View larger. |
Navigation is just the beginning. nüvi 780 features travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, MP3 player, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. 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.
This device is compatible with optional content plug-ins available via SD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide provide detailed data for attractions and information on nearby merchants offering discounts, so you can customize nüvi for your travel needs.
Garmin has also added the ability for customers to add custom points of interest (POI’s) from third parties such as school zones and safety cameras. Trick Your GPS Ride
Custom vehicle icons let you ride in style, at least inside your GPS.
See more icon option |
Like all nüvis, the 780 supports configurable vehicle icons. These fun, customized car-shaped icons come in a variety of colors to add a personal touch to your vehicle's position on the map. With this GPS system on board you'll be prepared to steer clear of traffic with the integrated FM TMC traffic receiver. The nüvi is designed to receive alerts about traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. All you have to do is simply touch the screen to view traffic details and you'll be ready to detour around any problem area. And if you end up missing a turn, or you're forced into a detour that is not relayed through the traffic receiver, the nüvi's sophisticated automatic routing will get you back on track in no time.
What's in the Box
nüvi 780, Preloaded City Navigator NT for North America*, MSN Direct receiver with integrated vehicle power cable, 9 months free MSN Direct service*, Vehicle suction cup mount*, USB cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual
Notes
- Optional software for language translation, detailed travel guides, and savings programs allow you to customize your nüvi to fit your travel needs
- The FM transmitter feature is only available in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
- Like most USB Mass Storage Devices, the nüvi is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me
- Visit Garmin.com to get the latest firmware updates for your nüvi to keep it current and performing at its best
Notice: MSN Direct service will be available only until January 1, 2012.
Which nüvi is Best for You? Note: All nüvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations. Device | Screen Size inches (W x H) | Included Maps | Text-to-Speech (Directions in Real Street Names) | Traffic | Bluetooth | Media | FM Transmitter (audio through car stereo system) | Multi-Point Routing | Battery life (hours) | Cont. U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico | AK and Canada | Europe | | nüvi 205 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 205w | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 255 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 255w | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 260w | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | | | Photos | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 265T | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 265WT | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 275T | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 285WT | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free); | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 465T | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 755T | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 760 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 765T | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 775T | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 780 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 3 months free); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 785T | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 850 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 855 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 885T | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 1200 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 1250 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 1260T | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 1300 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 1350 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 1350T | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 1370T | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 1390T | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 1490T | 4.4 x 2.5 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | | Photos | | | up to 4 | | nüvi 1690 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | NAVTEQ Traffic, 2 years free (Garmin nüLink! service) | | Photos | | | up to 4 |
Features:- GPS navigator preloaded with City Navigator North America NT
- 4.3-inch diagonal touchscreen display with 2D/3D mapping perspective
- Turn-by-turn directions with Voice Guidance/Text-to-Speech feature
- Includes MSN Direct receiver with Version 2
- Weighs just 1.8 pounds and measure 0.8 x 4.8 x 2.8 inches (W x L x H)
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