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...
ModelNuvi 780
ProducerGarmin
MediaElectronics
CatalogCE
Rank31
AvailabilityUsually ships in 24 hours
List PriceUS$699.99
Our Price*US$167.54
*Price subject to change
Goto Amazon.com

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.

Reviews:

Rating 4.0/5 from 417 reviews
Garmin let me down
Rating: 1/5 2010-03-11
This is the second Garmin I've purchased in the last few years. My first was stolen from my rig. Satisfied with the product, I ordered the nuvi 780. The GPS device works fine. The problem is with MSN Direct service. It is only good until January 2012. So garmin & Amazon is selling a product that is outdated at the time it is purchased without informing the buyer. I e-mailed Garmin about the problem. Their response was that it was Amazon's responsibility, not theirs to inform buyers of the condition of sale. They said that I should have went to Garmin web site before purchase.
Nice Features, Easy to use, Hard to update maps, No MSN coverage
Rating: 4/5 2010-03-08
I bought this for my wife, who is Russian. She was very impressed that there is a Russian voice and text built in (among dozens of other languages). The system is very easy to use and the graphics are great. It has just about any POI that you could possibly want. Routes and directions are very clear, but you have to make sure you set your route preferences (as with any GPS), or you'll be driving down winding farm roads in the name of "shortest route".
When you get the system, you can do a one time free map update download, which just wasn't working. By reading some blogs, I found out that it won't work with Internet Explorer (most of the time), so I downloaded Mozilla Firefox and was finally able to download the map update (took about 2 hours). I had to restart my laptop to get the update to run, but it seems to have installed correctly. I don't know if it made a difference, but I plugged in a 4GB SD card before installing the update; I read about people having problems with running out of memory in the middle of an update.
It took a couple of tries to get our cell phones to find the bluetooth, but after the initial setup, they find each other quite well.
I tried to activate the MSN Direct 3 month Free trial, but was told that there is no coverage in my area (Killeen, Texas). Fortunately, we are moving to San Antonio, which has coverage. Doesn't matter much; MSN Direct is going away in 2012, so I guess I'll get an FM traffic update reciever.
We're happy with it overall; no real problems so far.
roosternuvireview
Rating: 4/5 2010-03-08

I have used other GPS tracking systems, but this is the first one I have purchased. I chose the Garmin nuvi 780 purchased through Amazon because of the Bluetooth, MSN direct, and cost factor. With my current limited use I have found that this GPS meets my needs for ease of access, accurate description of street addresses, and wide viewing screen. It describes upcoming turns and exits well in advance of getting to them and repeats the information, should you become distracted. I would recommend this GPS for the novice to slightly advanced dirver.
It's good...but...
Rating: 3/5 2010-03-04
THE BAD: The FM transmitter is horrible. I don't care if it is FCC regulations or not, it simply does not work well. People also tell me I sound horrible via bluetooth when I connect it to my phone.

THE GOOD: Solid GPS will get you where you want to go.

THE OTHER: There is no reason to pass over a cheaper Garmin Nuvi for this. WOW could it be a great product if it were done right! Sadly, overall, it is just a good Garmin Nuvi GPS in essence.
Bluetooth Incompatibility
Rating: 3/5 2010-03-02
I like the features of this unit as far as the routing to multiple points. My biggest disappointment is with the bluetooth. Why not make it clear that only certain phones are compatible? I bought this unit for my wife and her phone would not link up to the unit. So, I look on the Garmin website and, sure enough, her phone is not supported ... why? I was able to get her a separate hands-free bluetooth kit for another $30 but I was under the impression that bluetooth devices would all be compatible with each other. Lesson learned, I guess, but it would be nice to have a link to supported devices right from the page concerning this unit.

Editorials:

Amazon.com Product Description -- January 8, 2008
The 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.

slim form factor
Garmin's nüvis pack top of the line features into a slim form factor.
Enhanced MSN Direct Content (9-month free subscription)
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 9 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
    3-inch screen

    and a 4.3-inch diagonal widescreen
    4.3-inch screen

    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.

    Garmin's own navigation is easy to use

    Beyond Navigation

    Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer.
    MP3 PlayerA 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
    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. Activate a subscription between November 19, 2009, and March 31, 2010, and receive 9 months of MSN Direct service for free.

    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 2052.8 x 2.1
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 205w3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 2552.8 x 2.1
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 255w3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 260w3.81 x 2.25
     
    Photos
    up to 5
    nüvi 265T2.8 x 2.1
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 265WT3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 275T2.8 x 2.1
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 285WT3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free);
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 465T3.81 x 2.25
    FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 755T3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos, MP3s
    up to 4
    nüvi 7603.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos, MP3s
    up to 5
    nüvi 765T3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos, MP3s
    up to 4
    nüvi 775T3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos, MP3s
    up to 4
    nüvi 7803.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos, MP3s
    up to 5
    nüvi 785T3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos, MP3s
    up to 4
    nüvi 8503.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos, MP3s
    up to 4
    nüvi 8553.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos, MP3s
    up to 4
    nüvi 885T3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos, MP3s
    up to 4
    nüvi 12002.8 x 2.1
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 12502.8 x 2.1
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 1260T2.8 x 2.1
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 13003.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 13503.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 1350T3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 1370T3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 1390T3.81 x 2.25
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 1490T4.4 x 2.5
    MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
    Photos
    up to 4
    nüvi 16903.81 x 2.25
    NAVTEQ Traffic, 2 years free (Garmin nüLink! service)
    Photos
    up to 4

    Features: