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tching to try out a new restaurant, or setting off on a road trip to locate the best toffee apples on the east coast? Now, it's easy to search for locations on Google Maps or Mapquest, then transfer the addresses directly to your Garmin GPS navigator.
The process does require a small plugin, which you can get at Garmin's website at http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3739. You can send business addresses to your Garmin device from these countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. | ||
Search for the location you want. | Pick "Send to GPS". | Go! |
Traffic-Capable for Either FM Traffic or Enhanced MSN Direct Content
FM Traffic
 | With an optional receiver, you can get alerts from TMC Clear Channel 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. In most areas, TMC Clear Channel traffic broadcasts are continuous â there's no waiting for scheduled traffic news updates or random alerts. Because traffic broadcasts are received via a "silent" FM data channel, you can still listen to music or news programming on your car radio without interference from incoming FM traffic data transmissions. |
Widescreen -- See More of What's Around
| 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. | |
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 |
Where Am I?
On any nüvi (including this one), you can just tap "Where Am I?" to find the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, nearest address and intersection. Also see your exact latitude and longitude coordinates.First-Rate Map Data
 nüvi accepts custom points of interest (POIs). View larger. | The nüvi comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps for all of North America, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, including a hefty POI database with hotels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. Garmin gets its map data from NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping. In addition, nüvi accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs |
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
Beyond Navigation
Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer. | Navigation is just the beginning. The nüvi 2x5 models features travel tools including a JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. This device is compatible with optional content plug-ins available via microSD 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. For Accessory Map Cards and Travel Guides the Units Feature: a MicroSD Card Slot on the 3.5 inch Units, and an SD Card Slot on the 4.3 inch Units. 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 | All Garmin nüvis support 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. |
Notes
- Optional software for language translation, detailed travel guides, and savings programs allow you to customize your nüvi to fit your travel needs
- 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
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; 9 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 | ||
Showing reviews 1-5 of 1439
Not all Garmins are Good July 31, 2010R. Trent (Vancouver, BC)
I've learned that, just because it is a Garmin, it does not necessarily mean that it is a good GPS unit.
My very first Garmin was a handheld Garmin Vista bought way back in 2002. It was HORRIBLE with bad reception, slow processing, a difficult to read screen, etc. I used it for many years for mountain biking but was anxious to replace it with something better.
My next GPS unit was an X-Road (Japanese brand) GPS for my car. This GPS was excellent, with good routing and many useful features. Unfortunately, X-Road is no longer sold or supported in North America.
After some research in 2009, I bought a Garmin 60CSx handheld for mountain biking. This is a wonderful unit and it restored my faith in Garmin. It is everything that the Garmin Vista wasn't; It has excellent reception, fast processing, an easy to read screen, reliable operation, etc.
So when it was time to buy another GPS for my SUV, I did my research and decided on the Garmin Nuvi 255W. You already know all the good features from other reviews but I HATED this unit and eventually returned it to the store because its routing and directions were TERRIBLE. Here are some examples:
1. First day of use. In Portland, Oregon, I listened carefully to the voice directions as I approached a major freeway exchange. I couldn't understand what it wanted me to do. Go right or left? I went right and went on a 10 mile wild goose chase to get back on track.
2. The next day, my wife was in the car as I approached the same exchange and asked her, "Listen carefully to the directions. Which way do you think it is telling us to go?" My wife said, "To the right." I said, "Wrong. We need to go to the left. The directions are totally ambiguous."
3. On the Oregon coast pulling a trailer on the way to Fort Stevens State Park, the unit took us through a residential area with narrow lanes instead of keeping us on the main road which ran parallel. Eventually, it reconnected us to the main road. What was it doing?? My wife and I were laughing at its terrible routing.
4. Later that week in Oregon, the unit wanted us to climb up a narrow, single lane mountain trail instead of taking us on the main road just a mile down the highway. Another crazy suggestion. There were two more similar incidents in Oregon. We tried to play with the routing settings and preferences, but we could not prevent the bad routing and bad directions.
5. In Washington State, three examples of terrible directions that got us totally off track. Then it took us to a restaurant that didn't exist. My wife and I bought a paper map because we no longer trusted the thing.
6. In Vancouver, BC last week, yet another major freeway intersection with ambiguous direction. I had seconds to decide which way the unit wanted me to go. Right, center, or left? It was clearly saying and indicating center, but it didn't feel correct to me. I decided to trust the Garmin. It took me onto the wrong highway and I went on another 10 mile round trip detour to get back on track. I was so mad I was ready to throw the Garmin out the window.
7. One hour later, I was late for an appointment and wanted to quickly stop at a Subway deli before continuing on. It had me turn right, then right again, then right again, then right again. I was going in circles. What was it doing?? It turns out the Subway was on the left side of the main road. The Garmin messed up again. I missed my lunch and just kept going.
That's when I pulled it off the dash and threw it in the glove box. I took it back to the store for a refund the next day after one month of use. I bought the Nuvi 255W to help find my way and to keep me from getting lost. Instead, it got me lost practically every time I used it. I HATE this product.
In its place I bought a Tom Tom XL335SE, which I've now been using for only a week. I bought it because some reviewers claim that it has superior routing relative to the Garmin units. So far I've found no problems with the Tomtom directions and routing. It's everything the Garmin was PLUS it actually seems to come up with sensible routing and easy to understand directions. I'm much happier with the Tomtom.
Great unit for the price July 31, 2010Bob Barker (New Hope, PA United States)
This Nuvi 255w is a great unit at the refurbished price of $89.99, but the first one I received kept freezing up so I returned it for a new one. This 2nd one works good with no problems after 2 weeks. Amazon made it very easy to return the defective one.
The free 2011 map update that it came with took a few hours to download, but wasn't difficult to do. This was a much better alternative to purchasing a $60 map update for my old nuvi 200 that I've had for 5 years. For just $30 more I got the new maps plus a new unit with the better designed display and I will keep the old Nuvi 200 as an extra unit for emergencies.
I definitely recommend this model at such a great price.
Great product July 30, 2010jish
I have never owned a GPS and bought it based on the reviews on Amazon. And I am thrilled that most everyone was right on. It's so easy to use and it made my trip much more relaxing, because I never got lost! This is a great product at a great price.
GPS review July 30, 2010MHLandey
great device I use it every day , although I would have loved to have real time traffic included
Idiot Proof GPS July 30, 2010Joe (Florida)
I give this product 5 stars. This Garmin GPS is just great. Unbelievably easy to use and an incredible bargain around $100. I`ve never used GPS before and had no problem getting this unit up and running in a couple of minutes. Mine is refurbished and no problems. I highly recommend this unit.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 1439
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