| Brand: | Garmin | ||
| Average Rating |
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Amazon.com Product Description — January 8, 2008 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.
Which nüvi is Best for You?: Click here to see a quick, simple comparison of features for all Garmin nuvi GPS navigators
 Garmin’s nüvis pack top of the line features into a slim form factor. |
New Features — Enhanced MSN Direct Content (3-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.
Check out a full description of MSN Direct content features, or a coverage map for MSN Direct services.
A 3-month subscription to MSN Direct is included with the device. After that, subscription fees are $49.95 per year, or $129.95 for a lifetime subscription.
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  |
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.
Important note about map updates: Due to our high volume of sales, almost every Garmin portable GPS navigator sold by Amazon.com will come with the most recent map version. If you ever do need a map update, you can purchase one from Amazon.com at our Garmin Store.
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.
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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, 3 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
- This nüvi comes with a free, three-month trial for MSN Direct services.
- Like most USB Mass Storage Devices, the nüvi is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me.
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Device
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Screen Size inches (W x H)
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Included Maps
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Text-to-Speech (Directions in Real Street Names)
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Traffic
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Bluetooth
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Media
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FM Transmitter (audio through car stereo system)
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Multi-Point Routing
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Battery life (hours)
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Cont. U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico
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AK and Canada
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Europe
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| nüvi 205 | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | Photos | up to 4 | ||||||
| nüvi 205w | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | Photos | up to 4 | ||||||
| nüvi 255 | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | Photos | up to 4 | ||||
| nüvi 255w | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | Photos | up to 4 | ||||
| nüvi 260w | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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Photos | up to 5 | |||||
| nüvi 265T | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) |
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Photos | up to 4 | |||
| nüvi 265WT | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) |
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Photos | up to 4 | |||
| nüvi 275T | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) |
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Photos | up to 4 | ||
| nüvi 285WT | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 3 months free); |
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Photos | up to 4 | |||
| nüvi 465T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) |
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Photos |
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up to 4 | ||
| nüvi 755T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | Photos, MP3s |
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up to 4 | ||
| nüvi 760 | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) |
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Photos, MP3s |
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up to 5 | |
| nüvi 765T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) |
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Photos, MP3s |
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up to 4 | |
| nüvi 775T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) |
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Photos, MP3s |
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up to 4 |
| nüvi 780 | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 3 months free); FM (with optional receiver) |
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Photos, MP3s |
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up to 5 | |
| nüvi 785T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 3 months free); FM (with optional receiver) |
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Photos, MP3s |
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up to 4 | |
| nüvi 850 | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | Photos, MP3s |
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up to 4 | ||
| nüvi 855 | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | Photos, MP3s |
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up to 4 | ||
| nüvi 885T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 3 months free); FM (with optional receiver) |
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Photos, MP3s |
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up to 4 | |
| nüvi 1200 | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | Photos | up to 4 | |||||
| nüvi 1250 | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | Photos | up to 4 | ||||
| nüvi 1260T | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) |
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Photos | up to 4 | |||
| nüvi 1300 | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | Photos | up to 4 | |||||
| nüvi 1350 | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver) | Photos | up to 4 | ||||
| nüvi 1350T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) | Photos | up to 4 | ||||
| nüvi 1370T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) |
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Photos | up to 4 | ||
| nüvi 1390T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) |
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Photos | up to 4 | |||
| nüvi 1490T | 4.4 x 2.5 |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic) |
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Photos |
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up to 4 | ||
| nüvi 1690 | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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NAVTEQ Traffic, 2 years free (Garmin nüLink! service) |
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Photos |
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up to 4 | ||
| Basic MSN Direct Content Features | |
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Traffic Reports
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Gas Prices
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Weather Reports
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Movie Times
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| Enhanced MSN Direct Content | |
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Web Favorites (Send custom destinations to your GPS with Live Search Maps)
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Local Events
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Stock Quotes
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News Headlines
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| MSN Direct Coverage Map — get detailed info for your Zip Code at the MSN Direct website | |
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Popularity: 1% [?]
Related Content
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Works Great!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This Product works as advertised and the GPS with Live Traffic updates from MSN is much more accurate than I anticipated. I would recommend this Item to a friend.
excellent
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We love it. Works great w/our phone, so hands free talking…We like how it adjusts if you don’t take the suggested route.
Garmin nuvi 780 – A great product and a real value
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We purchased the Garmen Nuvi 780 last month as a replacement for a much earlier model. We were flying from NY to California and would then be driving down the coast for a scenic road trip. After a six hour flight, it found the satellites in under a minute. All we needed to do was change the settings to indicate we had entered a new time zone and tell it we wanted to find a location within our current state and we were driving in less than 5 minutes. The directions were impeccable, the volume and brightness were very good, and the battery went for several hours without charging. Features such as an icon that tells you the current speed limit (which changes quite frequently in California) as well as your current speed, direction, and estimated time of arrival all make this an excellent GPS. I highly recommend it for the traveler who needs a full featured, simple to use GPS with lots of useful features.
Nuvi 780
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Be very prepared to shell out $$ for a map update within a year, but overall the unit works really well. I will say that my opinion of this product could change very quickly if it continues to take longer and longer to acquire satellites each month. Hopefully an update will correct this. The FM transmitter to hear the unit through your vehicle’s stereo is great, but if you’re in a larger city it can get hard to find lower dial FM stations without something broadcasting on it which makes for some staticky sounds from the unit. It’s saved my butt more than once, so it can’t be that bad, however.
This is obsolete and should be removed from Amazon
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Microsoft is discontinuing MSN Direct service in 2 years which means there will be no traffic or any other downloaded information available after 1/1/2012, although they will continue charging for the service until that time. Essentially it’s got a useful life of 2 years from now, so consider that when contemplating a purchase.
VERY GOOD GARMIN nuvi
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Nice GPS unit but the update for voice of device not good through garmin website , I tried to download of the update of (British voices many time) to improved the quality of the voice but the voice still not good , also the same for other voices….
In my opinion this GPS is good ,Except the Garmin software updating services……..still less than what we expected from one of famous Brand GARMIN >>>>>> thank you for GARMIN
Unit couldn;t find itself
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
The main problem with my Garmin Nuvi 780 is that it never knew where it was. It showed it’s location as about 200 yards from where it really was. As a result, it could not take me to a specific address. Rather it protested when I tried to turn into the driveway of the destination address I had entered. It showed that my car was across the highway 2 blocks from where I was parked & on a side street, so it gave me erroneous directions on which way to go from that spot. Once when I found my way to the correct Interstate in spite of the Nuvi’s directions, it repeatedly told me to turn off at the next exit. This continued for 10 miles until I turned it off. I eventually phoned Garmin & they were very nice. They had me update the software & do a “hard reset”, but neither of those helped. I finally returned the unit & am looking for a different model.
Works but I experienced a problem in Pittsburgh
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I had a trip to Pittsburgh. The GPS give the correct route but the road name and exit number are worng in the city of Pittsburgh.
Read before purchasing… Limited Support
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I was looking at this product and thought the price was too good. There may be a reason for that. I do not own the product, therefore can’t review the hardware. I do want to make sure everyone looking at it knows that MSN Direct intends to discontinue support of the many features that make this product special. Excerpt from MSN Direct Support.
“MSN Direct service will be available only until January 1, 2012.
Customers can continue to enjoy the full benefits of MSN Direct, along with service and support, up until that date. Pro-rated refunds for unused portions of existing One-Time Payment and other subscription plans will be automatically credited after January 1, 2012. Customers may cancel service at any point prior to that date and receive a pro-rated refund for any unused portion of their subscription. Microsoft customer support is available to answer any questions about existing subscriptions or refund eligibility at 1-866-658-7032.”
Copied on 11/5/2009
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GPS
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
advertised as blue tooth compatable with cell phones. Found out it is only with some cell phones, you don’t get the web site to check you phone until after you buy the product and get the web site address to check on your phone from the booklet that comes with the product.
Recommended GPS
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This device got all features that you need in cities, desert….etc.
also, the cost is v. low compared to other models with thw same features.
Overall, it’s the best in the market.
Recommended GPS.
Shipment: next day.
Garmin Portable Navigator
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this for my sister who is forever getting lost! She always seems to turn in the wrong direction and drives around for hours in tears! Well, ever since she got the Garmin, she can go anywhere and even find her way home without any trouble. She recently drove to Pennsylvania and didn’t have any trouble finding her way there and back! It’s a Godsend!
Used in remote areas and worked great
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We have an excellent navigation system in our car and purchased this Garmin strictly for traveling and use in rental vehicles. We recently used it for a trip to New Mexico and traveled from Albuquerque through Santa Fe and north to Durango, Colorado. We visited many remote areas and found that the maps were extremely reliable. The database seemed to be up-to-date and was useful for researching places to stop for gas or grab a bite to eat. It was VERY user friendly and it captures the satellites a little better than some of the other portables that we have used (but not nearly as good as the built-in navigation system in our Acura; however, we don’t expect that from any portable GPS device like Garmin). We had a bit of trouble activating the MSN service and were told by customer service that parts of Brooklyn, NY, have gaps in the broadcast service. It took a while but finally connected and activated and we haven’t had a problem since then. Overall, we give it 5 stars because it completely lives up to expectations and is very easy to use.
works okay
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
basically works okay, my only beef is sometimes it takes sooooo long for device to get in sync with satellites, by the time it’s ready to give me directions, i’m already at my destination.
still need help using it
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
A fairly steep learning curve. I need a navigator (husband) to help me as I drive. Don’t completely trust the Garmin…yet. A few days ago we were in a small town nearby, and could not find the street we were on in the Garmin. Kind of a twilight zone experience.
HOW TO BUY A GARMIN PRODUCT
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
My long time Street Pilot died recently, and like a lot of other people here that set me on the long search for a new and better product. Thanks to all who have posted here, and thanks to Amazon for giving real people the ability to write reviews.
What I’ve found is this: Garmin comes out with a product, apparently rushed to market, and it has bugs. Over the next months and years, Garmin struggles to fix the bugs. When they are finally fixed, Garmin rushes a new buggy product to the market, and the cycle repeats.
That means, don’t necessarily trust the Starred reviews. You have to look at the most recent reviews, not the older ones. The more recent reviews, of course, should be from the users who have the bug-free edition. So, when buying, look at the most recent reviews, the last 6 months to a year. Don’t buy anything absolutely new, because you will have to deal with Garmin service then, and we all know what happens when that happens. Ugh! Why don’t they fix that too?
Also, be careful not to think that the latest version is the higher number. Not so. I can see no rhyme or reason how Garmin numbers it’s systems. 1450 may be a much later edition of the 1490, and so on. And why so many versions anyway? We all know what we want. A great GPS system, good voice, bluetooth, traffic, etc. If someone ever comes up with it, they will sell billions.
Oh, one more thing. On my old Streetpilot there was a button for voice, where “Molly” would repeat what she just said. A great button if you are listening to the radio or otherwised missed the announcement. Not so, though on any Nuvi, as far as I can tell. Got to listen to her the first time, or miss it.
That said, my Nuvi 780 is not a good product. I can’t see the screen well on the dash, because it has terrible glare regardless of how I turn it. (My old Streetpilot could be seen from either seat.) The sound of the voice is so terribly tinny I can’t stand it. and can’t imagine listening to it for the next many years. Sort of like having my ex-mother-in-law drive everywhere with me. Also, the sound simply is not loud enough. One of my cars is a Jeep, and while I haven’t tested it in the Jeep yes, I already know I’ll never hear the system. I’ll have to keep picking it up and putting it next to my ear. Not the way I want to drive. Even in my Ford Escape I can’t here it well.
The Bloothtooth did link up with no problems, though, and that’s a plus.
So, I’m returning it, and I’ve already received my next trial, the 265WT. I like it so far. Great voice, very strong and loud if I want it to be, though she does speak faster than “Molly” did on my old Streetpilot, sort of like I have to turn NOW! Oh well, I’m married, so I’m used to it.
Bluetooth hooked right up. Good screen visibility. I’m still testing other features, and will let you know.
Thanks Amazon for your great and easy return policy.
Hope this has been of help to others.
Excellent and Reliable
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this portable navigator before a long trip into areas I had never visited before. I was somewhat concerned because at least one of my destinations was in a semi-remote rural area, but the navigator got me there with no difficulty. It was also wonderful to have the bluetooth recognize my cell phone and work flawlessly. I love it!!
Great for the price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I just got the nüvi 780 for my last trip to US, as you can imagine, it worked perfect. Now I’m gonna get the Garmin Maps for Mexico and try it out.
CAN FINALLY FIND MY WAY……No longer ALWAYS lost
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’m always lost ….especially in areas of town where streets suddenly end and don’t run completely perpendicular.
This has been a HUGE help…the little voice lady not only gives you plenty of notice about making a turn but she REPEATS it as you approach the corner…LOVE that!
The only reservation I have (and it may be that I haven’t figured out how to do it)…is that I HATE FREEWAYS and would like to have access to a little box that eliminates freeways prior to setting the route.
Also, love that the screen is large enough to read and the entire unit is compact and can be hidden in my glove compartment. One other plus is the Bright Rose/Purple colored indication of the route I’m driving…easy to see and follow.
Should have bought one of these ages ago!!!!….Read all the reviews …and some people said the updated version was NOT as good so I bought this one (Nuvi 780) and I’m delighted.
Travel in the West
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought the Garmin nuvi 780 in anticipation of a trip to Denver for a relocation that I was doing. I bought this model specifically because of its wide range of features. I really liked the ease of use. I didn’t really need to spend much time to figure out how to make it work. It’s very intuitive. I also really liked MSN Direct & especially its weather feature. My only disappointment with the unit was that its bluetooth function would not pair with my phone. I contacted Garmin & they said there wasn’t anything they could do. So, if I were to do it over, I would check to make sure you have a phone model that will pair with any Garmin unit that says it has bluetooth capability. Also think twice about buying the additional power cords that are available. The MSN Direct only works with the cord supplied with the Garmin unit. If you buy the additional cords the only advantage is you can charge the unit off of AC outlet. I would not waste the $$$ again. I also bought the Clearview screen protector which I think is a good purchase since everything you want to do is touch screen so this offers additional protection. All in all it does not only what I want it to do but also has several neat features that really expand its capabilities.