daleb's Full Review: Garmin nüvi 260 Car GPS Receiver
BUYING DECISIONS:
Price is always a good motivator and when I saw the 760 at Costco for almost half it's original MSRP I was hooked.
We have a StreetPilot 2650 and recently sold a 2610.
Both are older technology, bulky but still decent sized screens (3.8" wide) and do very creditable jobs locally as well as out of state or out of country. Short on map storage, but with the very inexpensive 1GB and 2GB CF data cards available today, that no longer is a sole reason to dump an otherwise well working Streetpilot.
I have had little to no experience with other brands of GPS.
Having been a Silicon Valley-ite for some 30 years I was well aware of the reputation of Garmin and always considered them a leader in the field.
But the technology is universal now, with different manufacturers sharing the same base maps. The differences are in the implementation, ergonomics, and factory support.
I still think Garmin is near the top in most areas, but does charge dearly for many services and accessories.
INSTALLATION
I live in California and mounting anything on the inside of the windshield is prohibited. Currently we have 2 cars with centrally located cubby holes in the dash where a navi unit can be located quite easily.
I have a Bluetooth unit on my visor which works fairly well, but when I saw the 760 has Bluetooth, I moved the other unit out of our road machine to our daily driver.
The mounting hardware along with the small profile of the device should be sufficient for mounting in most any vehicle.
FEATURES:
The two biggest draws to me, besides the excellent Bluetooth implementation, were the voiced street names and the versatility and looks of the display itself. The voice has to be synthesized of course, especially considering the millions of names that are possible. But the synthesizing could have been smoother.
I doubt I will find much use for the MP3 player. I already have a connection in my audio system, but perhaps if using the Nuvi as a 'portable' hand-held it will have more value.
This unit has a self-contained rechargeable battery. This has some advantages, for one, you can use the GPS without having the ignition turned on. Or you can use it on foot or on a bike. And I like the fact there are calibration options for those uses. (A carrying case for this purpose should also have been included.)
FUNCTION:
The StreetPilot took more time to learn, and there are numerous options for mapping as well as routing that seem to have been integrated in the Nuvi.
This adds a great deal of user friendliness to the Nuvi by removing layers of sub-menus. And Garmin is to be commended for leaving the things that are important and easily accessible.
But as is usually the case, some compromises are the result of 'clever' integration.
I, like a previous reviewer, would like a soft chime as you near each turn. I do think it should be a user selectable option though.
More detailed routing options, even if rarely used by the novice, should have also been included. This could have greater potential even over traffic monitoring.
SOME CONCERNS:
I don't have a big problem with the built-in speaker, it is adequate and superior to using the more distorted FM transmitter. But this is where Garmin could have reverted back to their previous power-cord speaker which I find superior, or refined RF coupling to XM or FM.
I would take either one in trade for the included Traffic Monitor for which I have little use (more later).
The absence of a more complete owner's manual was disappointing. I understand many companies put such info online now, giving you the option to look things up and/or download them.
But I feel at the price-point, Garmin owes it's customers more complete written instructions, especially for those new to automotive navigation.
And while the advantages may not be apparent initially to new GPS consumers, they could lead to frustration later on.
The battery is not user replaceable. It has to be sent to Garmin for replacement. I think this was a big mistake on Garmin's part. While we would expect a LI rechargeable battery to be fine for a few years, the user should certainly have the option to replace it and keep a spare for such an eventuality.
TRAFFIC MONITORING:
The GTM-20 Traffic Monitor is a nice feature if only because a standalone GTM is very expensive.
I would never have much use for such a unit. First of all, you have to live in an area that broadcasts traffic monitoring and you have to pay a subscription to use it after the 'trial period' expires. One must also consider that it adds another operation leading potentially to more distraction while driving.
I can see the value for city dwellers who need to navigate congested and frequently repaired roads on a regular basis.
And in particular, business people who need to visit multiple urban areas as part of their job. I think Garmin would have been further ahead leaving it as a more reasonably priced option instead of an included 'feature'.
It would seem some things Garmin made a little too simple, and others not simple enough.
It is still a great device, and the time put in to learning how it works best for you will only add to the convenience and ease of use you will receive from it.
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