niceguymike's Full Review: Garmin nüvi 350 Car GPS Receiver
I bought my Garmin Nuvi 350 in February 2007. I'm the kind of guy who can get lost crossing the street, and a GPS seemed like a great way to find my way around without having to constantly stop and ask directions I was going to forget as soon as I heard them.
The 350 is a step in the right direction for me, but isn't quite there.
Things I like:
* I can change the voice for spoken directions. I currently use the Australian woman voice (I think "Karen") because I like the accent.
* I love being able to see how far away an expected turn is. It's also helped me to better estimate distance because you get used to how far away 200 feet is, etc.
* I like being able to zoom in and out of a map.
* I like being able to search for particular stores or attractions. For example, in a town I've never been in, where is the closest branch of my bank?
* I like being able to download points of interest from the internet. You can buy them from Garmin, but there are enthusiasts who create downloadable files of almost anything you can imagine; for example, curiosities on road trips in Wyoming.
* I could use it for things like playing MP3s and such.
Things I'm not too keen on:
* Sometimes the directions just aren't right. I've been led around in circles. I've been given completely wrong directions. I've been unable to find locations that I know have been there for a long, long time. And, yes, I update my software regularly and have just upgraded my map set.
* It's kind of a hassle to keep everything together. I don't want to leave it all in the car, but keeping track of cables, GPS, mount attachments, etc. is a little much. I've just ordered a case to keep everything together, but be warned: not all cases will accomodate the full kit!
* Sometimes the spoken directions are a little strange. For example, if "Drive" is abbreviated "Dr.", the voice will say "doctor" instead of "drive". Honestly, wouldn't "drive" be a lot more common in directions?
* The maps take a loooooooong time to load. And I live in a pretty clear area, too: no tall buildings and not that many trees.
* Sometimes the response is a little slow or the accuracy isn't that great. Nothing worse than hearing: "Turn right onto Blah-blah Street" as you're passing Blah-blah Street. This is more common in densely-populated areas, of course, because things are just closer together. If the GPS says the turn is 50 feet away, but it's really only 30 feet away, that can make a huge difference in a city.
* Sometimes the route is far different than I would have chosen, and may not be particularly short or convenient. For example, when I first moved to Indianapolis and didn't know my way around, the GPS would give me different directions to some locations every time, and I often found myself taking odd side streets to get to major thoroughfares that were right outside my door.
In spite of any faults, though, I feel much more confident about having a GPS with me. As I've learned more about places I usually drive, I mostly just need to know the general area, and I can take it from there. That, along with the points-of-interest programming and a good road atlas, are all I need to get where I'm supposed to go with a minimum of fuss.
A portable GPS navigator, traveler’s reference and digital entertainment system, all in one. It is your pocket-sized personal travel assistant re...More at eCOST.com
Garmin nüvi 350 New in the Box Package Includes: nüvi 350 Vehicle suction cup mount Carrying case 12-24 volt adapter cable AC charger (nüvi 350 onl...More at eBay
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.