Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Wow!! Just unbelievable! Run, don't walk and get one NOW!: Garmin Nuvi 660 Review

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!! Just unbelievable! Run, don't walk and get one NOW!, Garmin Nuvi 660 Widescreen Bluetooth Review.


By JanSobieski (United States of America) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
With this unit, Garmin has blown TomTom out of the water. The 350/360 were slick units but arguably came up a bit short in the display department when compared to the TomTom - that's all a distant memory now.

This is the most elegant AIO (all in one) GPS navigation solution I've come across to date. IMO, it represents the best compromise between size and functionality on the market today. Beyond this point, increasing the screen size enters the diminishing return territory. The SiRFstarIII chipset, while no longer the absolute best on the market, remains a reliable workhorse with rapid satellite acquisition under even less than ideal conditions. The mapping details are excellent though, as with all mapping programs, is not beyond reproach. The 660 has the most recent highly detailed City Navigator NT maps.

The voice prompts are loud, clear and timely. The ease of use is just fantastic and the visibility and quality of the display are now the gold standard in the industry with a 4.3" WQVGA LCD screen and 480 x 272 pixels. It uses the same low reflection screen as the 360.

POI access is excellent and can be navigated to much more simply than the TomTom unit which requires additional cumbersome steps. The attachment system for the Nuvi is superb and very secure. You can access your POIs directly by name rather than having to go through a cumbersome category menu and then only getting the POIs by proximity as is the case with the TomTom 910. Garmin simply blows TomTom away in the POI functionality department.

This device is intended as an extremely simple point to point navigating AIO GPS navigation solution and is not intended to enable the use of way points or easily changing the course selected by the unit. You have essentially two options: the shortest route and the fastest route. Fortunately, the mapping program selects routs that are very acceptable. Personally, I like to look at the overall route and fiddle with it. This unit is not designed for such use. Microsoft Streets and Trips is ideal for this kind of tinkering, but terrible for point to point navigation while on the go at which the Nuvi has no peer.

Make sure and get the most recent firmware updates on the Garmin website which will fix the known bugs and further improve the functionality. Insofar as functionality goes this unit is as simple as the 350/360. Even my 85 year old father can use these things! He is, to put it kindly, technologically challenged but his 350 is so intuitive and easy to use that he's had no problems whatsoever. He doesn't like to be distracted while driving so he plans his trip before leaving and simply listens to the voice prompts.

The new bluetooth feature enables the use of your hands free bluetooth enabled phone. It's a nice feature, but as with all bluetooth devices that I've used it's still not as good as talking directly on the phone. I personally have not used the built in FM transmitter and so cannot comment on it.

I can heartily recommend this product. Garmin has knocked one out of the park.

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Garmin nuvi 660 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin nüvi 660 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin nüvi 200 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Amazon.com Product Description

With a gorgeous widescreen display, the Garmin nüvi 660 GPS Personal Travel Assistant is your answer to the call of adventure. A sleek navigator and a keen travel assistant, the nüvi 660 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, and the data is provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping.

*** Click here for Compare Prices about Garmin nuvi 350 from Amazon

Which nüvi is Best for You?

Product Features

  • Personal Travel assistant is loaded with highly detailed NAVTEQ City Navigator NT road mapsfor the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico
  • Super-bright, 4.3-inch widescreen display makes map viewing easy, day or night
  • Select destinations, look up POIs, and play your favorite MP3s and audio books with the touch screen interface
  • Integrated Bluetooth wireless technology with a mic and speaker lets you make hands-free mobile phone calls
  • Measures 4.9 x 2.9 x 0.9 inches (WxHxD) and weighs 6.2 ounces

Technical Details

  • Model Number: 010-00540-00
  • Storage: 2 GB internal memory, SD memory card expansion slot
  • Map data: City Navigator NT for street-level detail of U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico (preprogrammed)
  • Map scale: Screen-width scale 640 feet to 4,000 miles
  • Turn-by-turn directions: Yes
  • Automatic off-route recalculation: Yes
  • Detour function: Yes
  • FM TMC traffic alerting: Yes
  • Waypoints: 500 with name and graphic symbol
  • Trip computer: Resettable odometer, timers, average and maximum speeds
  • Wireless technology: Bluetooth
  • GPS receiver: SiRF Star III high-sensitivity GPS receiver, WAAS enabled
  • Interface: USB
  • Antenna: Flip up patch; MCX-type connector for optional external GPS antenna connection
  • Dimensions: 4.9 x 2.9 x 0.9 inches / 12.4 x 7.4 x 2.3 centimeters (WxHxD)
  • Weight: 6.2 ounces / 190 grams
  • Display: 4.3-inch WQVGA TFT touch screen, 480 x 272 pixels
  • Operating temperature: 32 to 140 degrees F / 0 to 60 degrees C
  • Headphone jack: 3.5-millimeter mini jack
  • Power input: 12/24 V DC
  • Power usage: 10 W
  • Battery type: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
  • Battery life: 3 to 7 hours
  • What’s in the Box: Nuvi 660 GPS navigation system, preloaded City Navigator North, America NT data, vehicle suction cup mount, A/C charger, carrying case, FM traffic receiver/12-volt adapter with 3-month free trial subscription, dashboard disk, USB interface cable, sample language guide content (preloaded), sample travel guide, sample MP3s (preloaded), sample audio books (preloaded), owner’s manual, quick reference guide
Widescreen — See Better, See More

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.FM Transmitter — Hear Better, Hear MoreInstead of straining your ears to hear turn-by-turn directions or your favorite MP3s, you can enjoy wireless FM audio transmission via the nüvi 660’s wireless FM transmitter. Tune your car’s radio to the appropriate station and you’ll hear all the nüvi’s audio, including voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle’s stereo system. The nüvi 660 includes many “must-have” entertainment and travel tools, including digital music and audio book playback, JPEG picture viewer, currency converters, and more. All these great features make the nüvi 660 a complete Personal Travel Assistant.

Wider screen lets you see more of what’s around. Compare these actual size views of a 3-inch (diagonal) screen

3-inch screen

and a 4.3-inch diagonal widescreen

4.3-inch screen

First Rate Map Data

The nüvi 660 comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps, 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, the nüvi 660 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

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 660’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.

Integrated FM Traffic Receiver

TMC traffic service coverage map


Steer clear of traffic with an integrated FM traffic receiver designed to receive 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 — 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.
A 3-month subscription to TMC Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network is included with purchase of this device. For more information on subscription fees, coverage in individual cities, and traffic data networks in the United Kingdom and Europe, check the Garmin website.

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.

Garmin's own navigation is easy to use

Beyond Navigation

Navigation is just the beginning. The nüvi 660 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.

Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer.

MP3 Player

A handy MP3 player lets you play songs stored on SD memory cards.

nüvi 250W accepts custom points of interest (POIs). View larger.


Trick Your GPS Ride

custom vehicle icons
Custom vehicle icons let you ride in style, at least inside your GPS.
See more icon options

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.

With this GPS system on board you’ll be prepared to steer clear of traffic with the integrated FM TMC traffic receiver. The nüvi 770 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 660 GPS navigation system, preloaded City Navigator North, America NT data, vehicle suction cup mount, A/C charger, carrying case, FM traffic receiver/12-volt adapter with 3-month free trial subscription, dashboard disk, USB interface cable, sample language guide content (preloaded), sample travel guide, sample MP3s (preloaded), sample audio books (preloaded), owner’s manual, and a quick reference guide.
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.

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.

Product Description

The Nüvi 660 Personal Travel Assistant features a new super-bright widescreen display for media player and picture viewer applications and an FM modulator so you can wirelessly transmit audio, including MP3s and audio books, through your vehicle stereo. The nüvi 660 is also compatible with Garmin’s new GTM 20 FM TMC traffic receiver, which allows users to avoid traffic tie-ups by simply pushing a button to calculate a new route. The Nüvi’s Bluetooth wireless technology capability with integrated microphone and speaker enables users to make hands-free mobile phone calls. Users simply tap nüvi’s screen to answer calls, then speak directly into the unit’s built in microphone. The easy-to-use calling feature allows users to dial phone numbers through nüvi’s touchscreen keypad. In addition, customers may also look up and dial numbers from their personalized phone book or from the phone’s call history log. If a user needs a phone number for their destination, they can easily find and dial it from nüvi’s points of interest database, which includes hotels, restaurants, stores, and much more. The nüvi 660 comes preloaded with highly detailed City Navigator NT maps containing detailed road maps throughout the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. This map database features nearly six million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions. The map data is provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping.

We’re Delivering the BEST Choise for you!

—> 1.Click here!! for see more detail about Garmin Nuvi 660 4.3-inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

or

—> 2. Click here!! for Compare Prices about Garmin Nuvi 660 4.3-inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator from more shops by Amazon.

or

—> 3. Click here!! for choose the best “Garmin Nuvi 660 4.3-inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator and more accessoried