Garmin Nuvi 750 Review (nüvi)

Garmin released the Nuvi 750 recently and unfortunately, it's not much different than their previous 4.3" GPS navigation unit. However there are still key features that makes the Nuvi 750 one of the best, if not the best on the market.

Let's get a few things straight with this particular unit. Forget about any Bluetooth feature on any portable GPS navigation devices. The current technology and quality of Bluetooth connectivity with GPS units is still very early and very poor. Wait a few more years until wireless communication, especially through Bluetooth comes through.Fortunately, you won't have to spend extra money on this unit since it doesn't feature a Bluetooth interface, saving you frustrations with the technology and almost 200 dollars from a similar, Bluetooth-equipped unit. As always with Nuvi units, the screen is quite clear and crisp, easily visible in any light condition on its 4.3" LCD touchscreen.

It does have text-to-speech technology, allowing it to actually announce every street name instead of just "Turn left in 50 yards". Though this is great technology, keep in mind that most text-to-speech technology is featured in virtually every GPS navigation unit being released the second half of 2008.
Some of the key feature of this unit is the FM transmitter and an audio line output, allowing the unit to put out audio such as directions and alerts through your car's audio system. Another key feature of the unit is its built in MP3 player, audio book, as well as an image viewer. This will allow you to turn your Garmin Nuvi 750 itno a versatile media unit, capable of playing your favorite songs. There is even an MSN Direct expandability option, which will allow you to receive information regarding movie times, weather, and more about your nearest major US city. In addition there is also an option for users to expand the unit to be able to receive traffic.

The Garmin Nuvi 750 does not have XM NavTraffic, but who needs that anyway when you have FM-based traffic receiver. However, let's not forget Garmin's signature "Where Am I?" feature which allows a driver to find the nearest hospitals and other emergency facilities.According to a plethora of user reviews, this unit stands as one of the best in reliability, performance, and ease-of-use. And we would agree with all of them. Test it out for yourself!

Garmin Nuvi 270 Review (nüvi)

As always, Garmin produced another simple and cheap GPS navigation unit that will certainly be one of many backbone products of the late 2008 year. The Nuvi 270 is for the world traveler and intercontinental businessmen (or businesswomen) always on the go from nation to nation.The unit is much like the previous Garmin 3.5" navigation devices such as the Nuvi 250. However, there are still some important new features that we will cover here.

What's New
Most late-2008 release GPS devices will include the high sensitivity WAAS system built in. The feature is not evident anywhere on the device (no status bar, no display, etc.) but with the Nuvi 270, you will experience a much more accurate and smooth GPS service. WAAS was used by the aviation industry prior to being globalized in navigation electronics. Yes, you will use a similar system to that of a Boeing 747 flying over your house. You will also receive signal much faster and you will also be more unlikely to lose the signal (unless in covered areas of course), thanks to the WAAS receiver.

The Garmin Nuvi 270 also has built in maps for the United States, Canada, and surprisingly, the complete European map database. As we said before, this could be such a useful device for the international traveler, easily mountable on any rental car.

What's the same
The Garmin Nuvi 270 has an identical design as their previous Nuvi release. The unit features a 3.5" LCD touchscreen with easy to read text and bright contrasting colors, buttons, and icons. In addition, it's just over 3/4" thick, allowing it to be compact yet versatile. Because of the small screen, the Nuvi 270 has a great battery life with up to 5 hours on its own lithium-ion power source. Just like its previous counterparts, it has an SD card reader with a USB connection both for map and firmware updates.

There wasn't a whole of change in this release. But Garmin has made it right around the same affordable price for essentially 2 upgrades to their previous Nuvi 250. All around, it's compact, versatile, and offers a simple navigation companion for your intercontinental travels.

Garmin Nuvi 205 / 205W Review (nüvi 205 W)

A new release by Garmin coming soon is the Nuvi 205 / 205W, compact and affordable GPS navigation systems. Due to be released in the late second quarter of 2008, these portable navigation devices feature new navigation technology such as a built-in MSN Direct receiver.

Common Features
This new product is quite compact, housing its crisp and clear LCD touchscreen display in a chassis that is under an inch thick. What's nice about any Garmin units, such as this Garmin Nuvi 205 / 205W is the speedy access and GPS satellite lock, providing fast and true real-time navigation without sluggish performance. This is primarily due to its built-in flash memory and the speed of the built-in processor. Most users have never complained about Garmin's inability to respond quickly to navigation and commands, and we don't expect anyone to do so with the Nuvi 205.

The Garmin Nuvi 205 / 205W features Garmin's City Navigator map database which is specialized map database for regions in which you live in. The same Garmin Nuvi 205 will be available in most parts of major European countries such as France, UK, Ireland more. The navigation function of the unit allow users to do 2D or 3D perspective navigation with complete turn-by-turn voice guidance. However, the Nuvi 205 does not feature text-to-speech technology, limiting vocal directions to distance and directional turns without any street or highway names mentioned.

The Nuvi 205 / 205W does, however, feature an MSN Direct receiver that will give users the ability to check on weather, movie times, and even gas prices-- and it's all completely free service. It also features an emergency feature that displays not only your current location but also of nearby emergency facilities such as police stations and hospitals. Of course, with all new Garmin navigation products, users are free to download their own customized icons for their avatar displayed on the screen while navigating. This isn't a make-or-break feature, but it's definitely a fun addition to have.

The Nuvi 205 / 205W do not feature any audio or video media playback other than its built-in picture viewer (JPEG). It is indeed a basic compact navigation device. It weighs around 5 ounces and has a lithium-ion battery capable of lasting a maximum of 4 hours. They both have USB ports for firmware/software updates, possible future map updates, and SD card access from a PC. They both also feature some unique tools such as currency conversion calculator, mathematical calculator, and even clocks that could be adjusted to various world time zones. Last but not least, each of the new Nuvi 205 / 205W GPS navigation units could receive FM-based traffic information.

Differing Features
The Garmin Nuvi 205 features a 3.5" LCD touchscreen display while the Garmin Nuvi 205W features a wider 4.3" LCD screen. The screens are both equally high-resolution and crisp, with great visibility even in bright settings. Though the two screens differ in size, both GPS units are equal in thickness (measuring under 1"). Another difference is the Nuvi 205W SD Card reader where as the smaller, more compact Nuvi 205 features a Micro SD Card reader.

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The Nuvi 205 / 205W is Garmin's attempt to reach out to the average driver in need of an average navigation unit. The interface is easy to use and the device features key driver-friendly functions. The ability for the units to stay under $200 is already incredible, especially with its traffic and MSN Direct receiver, and a nice anti-theft feature that is common on Garmin products.

Garmin Nuvi 660 Review (nüvi 660)

The Garmin Nuvi 660 could be considered as one of the most popular portable GPS navigation available on the market.
Display
The Nuvi 660 features a now-becoming-standard 4.3" LCD touchscreen display. It's quite bright and easy to see in broad daylight, giving drivers highly visible on screen navigation in any lighting condition. It is also in widescreen resolution, capable of displaying 480 x 272 total pixel resolution. The unit is still considerably thin at just under an inch (0.9"). In addition, the unit weighs only 6.2 ounces so you can stick it in your pocket or take it with you wherever you go.

Navigation Features
Although Garmin claims to feature a large amount of POIs (Points-of-Interests), they never specified the exact amount of POIs it actually features. The problem here is then the difficulty you may have trying to compare and contrast between different units. Some customers have reported that to get an additional 6 million POI, users would need to purchase an additional add-on from Garmin in order to have the POI database. In addition, many have also reported that current gas stations and other points of interests have not been added to the Nuvi 660. Unfortunately, this presents a large problem for those who travel often to unfamiliar areas. But if you're just a common traveler, POIs may not even be significant for you. In addition, the Nuvi 660 could receive local traffic information and capable of displaying traffic hotspots nearby to your location. This is a great feature to have if you live in densely populated metropolitan areas, where traffic could always be a problem.

Media Compatibility
The Nuvi 660 does have a built-in MP3 player, audiobook playback, as well as a built-in picture viewer. Garmin designed the unit with purely navigation in mind, not media playback. However, the unit does feature an integrated FM transmitter that allows you to playback audio files into your existing FM radio in your vehicle. This means no messy wires connecting your GPS unit to your in dash receiver.

Built-in Bluetooth
If you live in California, this coming summer you may be in trouble. The law requires that drivers DO NOT speak on a cellular phone while operating a motor vehicle. For each offense, a driver could receive a $50 ticket, plus $100 additional fine for any repeated offense. The solution is Bluetooth interface, which is featured in the Garmin Nuvi 660. The unit is capable of displaying received call information, which may include phone numbers and phonebook names (if your phone is capable). You could speak hands-free with its integrated microphone and you could even make phone calls by using its touchscreen numbers. This is an excellent feature to have in order to maintain concentration and safety on the road. The Garmin Nuvi 660 is an excellent GPS Navigation, but some may say it's a bit overpriced at more than $320 for features that is increasingly becoming standard. But it does boast a 5-hour battery life, which is considerably longer than most GPS units out there. It does have Bluetooth and some media playback, but if you're a media junkie, you may want to pass since it only plays MP3s and audiobooks.