Garmin nuvi 680 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The latest Garmin is very impressive. However, I don't like the fact that finding some of the accessories is so challenging.For example, I purchased this GPS because I was taking a trip to California.Unfortunately, the laws in California prevent you from attaching the Nuvi directly to the windshild, so you've got to purchase a separate accessory, which I did, the Garmin Portable Friction Mount.It works great in terms of not sliding around the dash.I was on San Francisco streets and if it was going to fly off - it would have, but it was rock steady.The problem is that I didn't know that you need more than just the friction mount. There is another accessory that goes between the Nuvi and the friction mount.Because I found out about the California law just before I left, I had no time to figure out what that extra part is - so I just used a series of rubber bands to affix it to the Friction Mount base.
It would have been easy for Garmin to spell this out, but I could find no information to let me know which part to purchase to go with the "Universal" Friction Mount or even that you needed an extra part.I still don't know what that part is.The rubber bands worked OK, but it's lame.

As far as the MSN Direct, it works pretty well for the Weather & Traffic, and it does let you know about some movie theaters - not even close to a complete list - at least not in the NYC area, and then the gas prices....At one point, when my rental car gas indicator was on E, I thought No problem - I've got the Nuvi.Well, it took me to a non-existant gas station, which was harrowing considering I was about to run out of gas and didn't know the area.It gave me a ghost gas station two different times and locations.So I'm on the fence about renewing.Also, I know of some local stations that have better gas prices that don't even show up on MSN, so it hasn't got a complete list of stations/prices.

Even though, I purchased this right after it came out - it has come down in price over $160 since I purchased it less than a month ago - I am happy that I bought it.It was invaluable in getting me around S.F. and the Wine country.But, I could have been just as happy with the 660 had I known about the hiccups with MSN Direct.So, I learned that I can't totally trust the MSN, but it does still give some information.It also would have been better if you could download the MSN info without having to plug it into the car cigarette lighter.

A big plus is the Bluetooth. It's invaluable - the only way to make phone calls in the car - it couldn't be easier, and a great connection. Of course, you get that with some of the previous versions of the Nuvi.

All told, the 660 would have been the better purchase for me. You could take a chance that the MSN will get better in accuracy on the 680, now that the price has come down so much from when I purchased it - it might be worth the extra $.

UPDATE:
Since I first posted this review in May, Garmin wised up.The only Garmin Portable Friction Mount I could find when I purchased mine, does not go with the 680.At least not without 2 parts.From what I can glean from other reviewers, I could purchase another item to go with what I already have, but my total cost for both would be over $50.

Garmin now has the correct Friction Mount in the accessories section for the 680 on their website.List price: $40.00 (#010-10908)- Amazon price: $28 (at this point).
Don't be fooled by the CUSTOMERS WHO BOUGHT THIS ITEM ALSO BOUGHT section on Amazon.
Check the Garmin website to be sure.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nuvi 680 4.3 Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
Travel throughout North America without loading any more maps with the Garmin nuvi 680 Personal Travel Assistant with MSN Direct. Plus, you can receive door-to-door directions while staying on top of local weather, traffic, and more with nuvi 680. The device features a colorful widescreen, hands-free calling, and an FM transmitter, then takes it up a notch by adding dynamic content from MSN Direct, as well as a convenient digital travel kit that includes an MP3 player with sample MP3s, audio books, a picture viewer, a world clock, currency and measurement converters, a calculator, and more.


This pocket sized personal travel assistant has a super bright, sunlight-readable color screen. See side view.

Easy control via the simple touch screen.

Weather reporting available with bright, colorful graphics. Despite being loaded with features, the nuvi 680 still allows you to navigate with ease. This unit comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded NavTeq City Navigator NT street maps for North America, and includes a hefty points of interest (POIs) database with hotels, restaurants, fuel stops, ATMs and more. Simply touch the super-bright, sunlight-readable color screen to enter a destination, and the 680 takes you there with either 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. This navigator voice even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road, and can concentrate on your driving to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. In addition, the 680 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 that require your special consideration such as speed zones and safety cameras.


Speaking of keeping you safe, the nuvi 680 lets you make hands-free calls so you can talk freely during your worry-free driving. By integrating Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker, you can pair your nuvi with any compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free while staying focused on the road. You no longer have to fumble with your phone's handset to answer a call or dial a number, just tap the 680's screen and you're instantly connected. And with 1-touch dialing for your POIs, you can quickly and conveniently call ahead to make reservations or get needed information.




Simply insert a memory card to enjoy pictures, songs, and audiobooks.

You can also use the mini-USB port for tranferring files directly to the memory card. The new nuvi 680 lets you get localized information with dynamic content from MSN Direct, making it one of the most resourceful navigators available. Using the included receiver and free trial service to MSN Direct, you can check your local weather, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, and even check movie times and locations, all while you travel. Easy and virtually fool-proof to use, the MSN Direct receiver is plug-and-play portable so you can quickly connect to your navigator unit when you are out and about. All of which can be customized with configurable vehicle icons that let you choose individual car-shaped icons in a variety of colors that show your position on the map.


In additional to all this functionality, the nuvi 680 includes many must-have entertainment and travel tools such as an MP3 player, an audio book player (subscription to Audible.com required), and a JPEG picture viewer so you can take your favorite music and pictures with you wherever you go. This unit also features a world travel clock with time zones, a currency converter, a measurement converter, and a calculator so that wherever you travel it will be easy to know what you are getting and keep track of your costs. The MP3 player lets you browse music by artist, album, and/or song, while the optional audio books may be purchased from Audible.com which features over 70,000 hours of audio programs. What's more, the nuvi 680 allows further customization via optional software such as a travel guide, savings programs and language translation on plug-and-play SD cards for all your travel needs.


The Garmin nuvi 680 comes with a built-in, high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, and lets you view and operate it via its bright, LCD TFT touch-screen, wide-screen display that measures 4.3 inches (diagonal) and has a resolution of 480 x 272 pixels with 64,000 colors and a white backlight. As a whole, the nuvi 680 measures 4.9 x 2.9 x 0.9 inches (W x H x D), and weighs only 6.2 ounces for easy portability. This unit provides you with from three to seven hours of battery life (depending on use) via its rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and comes with Garmin Lock, which is an anti-theft feature to protect your investment. While you can add software via the SD card slot, the Garmin nuvi 680 also lets you interface via high-speed USB for loading data, though users should note that, like most USB mass storage devices, this unit is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me.




The nuvi 680 comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps, including a hefty points of interest (POIs) database with hotels, restaurants, fuel stops, ATMs, and more.
What's in the Box
Garmin nuvi 680 with MSN Direct, City Navigator NT maps for North America (preloaded, full coverage), MSN Direct receiver with integrated vehicle power cable, vehicle suction cup mount, an AC charger, vehicle power cable, dashboard disk, a USB cable, leather carrying case, quick reference guide, and owner's manual.


Notice: MSN Direct service will be available only until January 1, 2012.

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.
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Garmin nuvi 885/885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Excellent features and very good GPS.It gets a satellite lock inside my house!!!The voice recognition is the gem in this thing.It really works and once you start using it, it is very useful and functional.You don't have to push buttons.

Positives:Voice recognitions, lots of POIs, on-line sites like POI-Factory to add custom POIs (easy to do), and a very good set of features.I have tried (it works) but not extensively used the bluetooth hands free and mp3 player yet (8GB microSD card ordered) but I think it will be useful.MSN Direct is the way to go and works very well.I am getting helpful traffic updates in Louisville.

Negatives:I have to say the volume on the unit should be higher.I realize the FM radio option is there, but sometimes you are listening to the radio or a CD and it is hard to hear the Garmin.On a trip do they expect you to only listen to the Garmin?I figure if I use the mp3 option on an FM channel that maybe that is a way around the CD because I assume it will give voice prompts through the music audio (have not tried).Also the few hands-free calls I have taken have given very poor sound on the Garmin speakers making it not useful (maybe a software update?Not sure they are using the A2DP or a good profile.).They must fixe these two issues.They should already have this perfected. One other small potential issue.The band for the voice recognition button barely fits my steering wheel (last notch), on some others that are larger it could be an issue (but I think this may be minor)?

I will post more as I use it.I should give it 4 starts because of the sound issues.I will come back and re-review as I use it.It is worth buying.My brother and siter have Tom-Tom and another Garmin (780) and this is definitely better.The voice command and satellite lockreallydistinguishes it.When you are driving you don't want to have to reach and push buttons on it.Garmin, please improve the audio ASAP.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nuvi 885/885T 4.3 Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition

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Garmin nuvi 285W/285WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic Review

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)

Notice: MSN Direct service will be available only until January 1, 2012.

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.
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Garmin StreetPilot c580 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The StreetPilot c580 is for the GPS navigation fan who wants it all.You get easy to use navigation, built-in Bluetooth, traffic alerts and MSN Direct displayed on your screen.

I previously owned a c530 with just the basic GPS features so I was really impressed that I could add all those features for about the same price I paid for the c530 just 9 months ago!The StreetPilot 500 series have a brighter screen and faster satellite connectivity than previous models.

The Bluetooth is a safety feature if you own a Bluetooth cell phone.This enables you to talk hands-free while you're driving.

The MSN Direct is cool but limited to only 4 functions: weather, gas prices, movie times and traffic alerts. A minor complaint is that the gas prices usually have a one or 2-day delay and are not necessarily current.This is OK if you are driving through an unfamiliar area and want to know approximate gas prices.

The StreetPilot c580 is a feature-laden GPS that not everyone would need.With current prices, the basic StreetPilot is $200 less than the c580.Whether you need all the bells and whistles for $200 is a decision only you can make!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin StreetPilot c580 3.5 Inch Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct

Product Description:
Now you can easily receive door-to-door directions while staying on top of the weather, traffic and other localized information with the new Garmin StreetPilot c580 Auto Navigator with MSN Direct. The StreetPilot c580 comes loaded with convenient features such as hands-free calling, preloaded maps and an MP3 player, and then on top of all that provides you with dynamic content from MSN Direct.
The new StreetPilot c580 lets you get localized information with dynamic content from MSN Direct, making it one of the most resourceful navigators available. Using the included receiver and free trial service to MSN Direct, you can check your local weather, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, and even check movie times and locations, all while you travel. Easy and virtually fool-proof to use, the MSN Direct receiver is plug-and-play portable so you can quickly connect to your navigator unit when you are out and about.


Despite being loaded with features, the StreetPilot c580 still allows you to navigate with ease. This unit comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded NavTeq City Navigator NT street maps, including a hefty points of interest (POIs) database with hotels, restaurants, fuel stops, ATMs and more. Simply touch the super-bright, sunlight-readable color screen to enter a destination, and the c580 takes you there with either 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. This navigator voice even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road, and can concentrate on your driving to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. In addition, the c580 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 that require your special consideration such as speed zones and safety cameras.


Speaking of keeping you safe, the StreetPilot c580 lets you make hands-free calls so you can talk freely during your worry-free driving. By integrating Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker, you can pair your c580 with any compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free while staying focused on the road. You no longer have to fumble with your phone's handset to answer a call or dial a number, just tap the c580's screen and you're instantly connected. And with 1-touch dialing for your POIs, you can quickly and conveniently call ahead to make reservations or get needed information.


Completely portable, the StreetPilot c580 conveniently moves from vehicle to vehicle with an easy, adjustable mount. This navigator has a compact size that makes it convenient to take along on business trips or use in rental cars, and also comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery for out-of-car route planning.


In addition to all of this functionality, the StreetPilot c580 is packed full of other features that make it the perfect navigator. Its high sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver acquires satellites quickly and maintains signals even under heavy foliage or near skyscrapers. This unit also comes with an MP3 player so you can take your favorite music with you, Garmin Lock as an anti-theft feature to keep you investment safe, and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map. What's more the StreetPilot c580 allows you customization via optional software such as Travel and Savers guides on plug-and-play SD cards.


The c580 lets you view, navigate and operate it via its anti-glare, bright color display through its fingertip touch-screen interface, which measures 2.8 x 2.1 inches (W x H), and has a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. As a whole, the c580 measures 4.4 x 3.2 x 2.2 inches (W x H x D), and weighs only 9.0 ounces. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery that comes with this unit provides you with an on-the-go battery life of eight hours.


What's in the Box
Garmin StreetPilot c580, City Navigator NT maps for North America (preloaded, full coverage), MSN Direct receiver with integrated vehicle power cable, 1 year of free MSN Direct service, vehicle suction cup mount, dashboard disk, USB cable, carrying case, and quick reference guide, and owner's manual.


Notice: MSN Direct service will be available only until January 1, 2012.

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