Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The Garmin nuvi 285WT is a winner.
The case for the Garmin 285WT is sleek shiny black plastic.The case seems very sturdy - in fact all the pieces appear to be made of quality plastic.It comes with the power adapter for the car, and a USB cable to hook up to your computer. (Some of the less expensive Garmins do not come with the USB cable, which is a problem because you need a USB cable to register the unit.)
Pros:
The unit was extremely easy to set up.Upon first use, it guides you through set-up, which is simple.The icons on the screen are simple and intuitive. I started using it without even reading the directions.
After the initial settings are entered, it sets about finding the local satellites.I told it to skip that step, since I was just hooking it up to a wall charger (sold separately) to charge the batteries. Not only did it go ahead and find the satellites, it found them while sitting on my kitchen table.I don't know how it did that, but it did. There are green bars in the corner of the display showing you how many satellites have been acquired.There it was, displaying all four green bars after just a few minutes. That was impressive.
In the car, it locks onto the satellites extremely fast.It is much faster to find the signals than my friend's TomTom 910.To be fair, the TomTom is an older unit, but it was a much more expensive unit than the Garmin 285WT to begin with.
I am using the default voice.It is extremely clear and easy to understand.It has only messed up on one street name, as it assumed that N Street was the same as North Street.I am not in an area where there are street names in Spanish or other languages, so I have not had the chance to find out how well it deals with those.The voice is much more understandable than the voice in the TomTom 910 (I hope my friend doesn't read this...).(The TomTom also consistently mangled Spanish street names when we took a road trip to San Jose.)
If one drives past a turn that it has selected, the device instantly says "Recalculating," and immediately updates the directions.I missed a turn at night in a very dark area, (I would have had a hard time finding the alternative route) and it didn't miss a beat.
The display is extremely legible both in bright sunlight and at night.I had to turn the brightness down to the minimum because it was a bit too bright at night for my taste.
The plastic suction cup holds extremely well.Be sure to take the transparent protective film off of it before using.I have it mounted on a Gilsson UBM Portable Car Non-Skid Friction Beanbag Dashboard Mount for Garmin, TomTom, Magellan and more that has worked out quite well.
The 285WT comes with a feature that I really like called "Where Am I?"It's an emergency location feature - you can tap the screen to get your latitude and longitude.So if you get a flat tire out in the middle of the Mohave Desert, the tow truck from Trona will be able to find you.Assuming, of course, that tow trucks from Trona also have GPS devices.Cons:
It gave me bad directions one time.It was a good thing I knew the area.Since I just got this unit, I don't know how often this sort of thing will happen.I am willing to forgive in this instance, because it seems to perform so well overall.(I don't know how forgiving I'd be if I had driven miles out of my way...)
Neutral:
This model is Bluetooth.I don't have a Bluetooth phone (I know, I know, I am using archaic technology...) so I couldn't test that feature.
The device also comes the MSN Direct (9 months free) which I found to be of very limited usefulness because I live in a rural area.I mean, c'mon, around here the 4H Club pancake breakfast at the volunteer fire department is a Big Deal, and MSN Direct is hardly going to tell me about things like that.I also don't have traffic concerns of the type that one would have in Los Angeles or San Francisco, for example.I also don't know why one needs a Doppler weather display on one's GPS, unless one is driving through Oklahoma in a thunderstorm during tornado season.It might be great for that, who knows?
If you live in an urban area, don't get too excited about MSN Direct, because Microsoft has already announced that they are killing it in 2012.It was originally developed for a device called a Smart Watch, which obviously hit the market with a big belly flop, or we'd all have one.More information can be found on MSN Direct and the planned demise thereof in an October 28, 2009 article at the PC World website.
All in all, I am extremely happy with this device, and recommend it without reservation.In fact, I am buying one for my son for Christmas.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nuvi 285W/285WT 4.3 Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic
Product Description:
This sleek widescreen navigator takes you there with preloaded maps and turn-by-turn directions that call out streets by name. It delivers real-time local weather, traffic, movie times, stock information, gas prices, news and local events as you navigate. The 285WT provides complete maps for North America and the handy Text-to-Speech feature, so you get turn-by-turn spoken directions with the real names of streets (e.g. "turn left in 50 feet at Nebraska Way", rather than merely "turn left in 50 feet"). Like the rest of the nuvi 205-series, this portable navigator is priced right and ultra-easy to use.
Stay Connected
The nuvi 285WT offers MSN Direct Service and is compatible with Garmin's lifetime traffic update receiver. Enjoy 3 months of free MSN Direct Service (included) or purchase the GTM 25 and get real-time traffic updates for the life of your nuvi. Choose what's best for you.
Intuitive touchscreen interface. Click to enlarge.
With photo navigation, you can download pictures from Garmin Connect Photos and navigate to them. Click to enlarge.
Pair with your compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free. Click to enlarge.
MSN Direct
With next-generation dynamic content from MSN Direct, nuvi 285WT is one resourceful personal travel assistant. Using the included receiver and free trial service to MSN Direct, you can check your flight status, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, get advanced weather information, 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 locations to nuvi 285WT.
Free 3 month trial subscription to MSN Direct services, activation instructions provided*
MSN Direct Traffic Receiver (GDB 55) included in the box
Extended MSN Direct service subscriptions available for purchase: 12 months for $49.95 + tax (visit MSN for further details)
Integrated Traffic Receiver Capability
Power your nuvi and get lifetime traffic updates all with one cable, the GTM 25 with Lifetime Traffic (purchase required). This optional device provides you with updates from NAVTEQ Traffic, a real-time traffic services provider with no monthly fees or maintenance costs. NAVTEQ Traffic delivers accurate, reliable, lifetime traffic data directly to your compatible navigator. NAVTEQ Traffic provides real-time traffic conditions for more than 90 metropolitan markets in North America, including Toronto, Canada. Find out more on the product detail page.
See More
With nuvi 285WT's widescreen display, you'll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3-inch display is easy to read--from any direction.
Get Turn-by-Turn Directions
nuvi 285WT's intuitive interface greets you with two simple questions: "Where to?" and "View Map." Touch the color screen to easily look up addresses and services and get voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination. It comes preloaded with detailed City Navigator NT street maps, over 6 million points of interest (POIs), 2-D or 3-D maps and smooth map redraw rates as you navigate. Its digital elevation maps show you shaded contours at higher zoom levels, giving you a big picture of the surrounding terrain. In addition, nuvi 285WT 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. With HotFix satellite prediction, nuvi calculates your position faster to get you there quicker.
Make Hands-free Calls with Bluetooth
For hands-free calling, nuvi 285WT integrates Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker. Just pair it with your compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free through the 285WT while staying focused on the road. Simply dial numbers with nuvi's touchscreen keypad to make a call. To answer calls, just tap the screen and speak into its built-in microphone. Enjoy convenient one-touch dialing for contacts and points of interest.
Take It With You
Like the rest of the nuvi 205-series, nuvi 285WT sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot. With its "Where Am I?" emergency locator, you always know your location. Simply tap the screen to get your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations.
Go Beyond Navigation
Navigation is just the beginning. nuvi 285WT includes many travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock, automatic time zone transition, currency converter, unit converter, calculator and more. With photo navigation, you can download pictures from Garmin Connect Photos and navigate to them. The 285WT is compatible with our free Garmin Garage where you can download animated vehicles that show your location on the map. It also comes with Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature. Enhance your travel experience with optional plug-in SD cards such as Garmin Travel Guides for detailed data on attractions.
What's in the Box
nuvi 285WT, Preloaded City Navigator NT for North America (full coverage), MSN Direct receiver (GDB 55) with integrated vehicle power cable, Vehicle suction cup mount, USB cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual
Visit Garmin.com to get the latest firmware updates for your nuvi to keep it current and performing at its best.
Which nuvi is Best for You?
Note: All nuvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.Device
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