Garmin 760 Nuvi Portable GPS NavigationSystem: Product Review

For the past couple of years I have resisted the trend so many have followed to purchase and use GPS navigational systems. For some unexplainable reason the thought of having a small electronic map 3.5 to 4.3 inches high sitting on my automobile's dashboard just didn't appeal to me. After all, if I could never stop and ask directions, even when lost, how could a small, electronic map help?

Then I heard the testimony of others who had bought and used GPS systems and raved about them and albeit reluctantly, I began to research the capabilities and owner performance reviews on the NET. After reading several reviews, I was hooked! I had to have one of my very own.

My research led me to buy a Garmin 760. Owner evaluations had convinced me that Garmin made one the best, highly functional and innovative units. These ranged in price from $125 to $850, the range representing a wide variety of functionality. For a price of $248 I purchased the Garmin 760 that included pre-loaded 2009 maps of North America and over 6 million points of interest (explained later)

I purchased the Garmin 760 because it provided the range of functioning that appealed to me: Voice guided directions , including spoken street names, three dimensional maps, a variety of user selected routings including the most direct route, the fastest route, the shortest route, or routes to avoid like major highways, interstates or toll roads, MP-3 pl;ayer, Bluetooth hands free telephone compatibility, pre-loaded points of interest which help in finding locations in a strange city, emergency assistance, travel information to included construction and delay warnings and the ability to re-route around these if desired.

My purchase arrived this week just in time for an out of state trip I had been planning. I found the Garmin very easy to set up and understood how to use its' most common features quickly and without any problem.

Included in the Garmin Nuvi 760 box I found the Nuvi 760, a windshield suction mount, an alternate friction mount, a USB cable, and a quick start manual that explained how to set up and operate the Nuvi.

To my surprise there was no AC charger included.

On the morning I started on my trip I unpacked the Nuvi, quickly (and easily) installed the windshield mount, and had the Nuvi connected to its; satellite signal within minutes. Three minutes later I had entered the street address, city and state which was to be my destination (3 states away) and Nuvi announced it was calculating the route. The shortest route appeared in less than a minute and on the Nuvi screen I saw a three dimensional map with the chosen route outline in magenta. At the bottom of the screen Nuvi displayed the calculated arrival time at my destination.

I was ready to go.

As I began driving I noticed an icon of an automobile (mine) indicated my exact position on the map. Nuvi allows the user to zoom into or out of the map changing the relative scale at will, but when critical turns or major intersections involving Nuvi voice directions to the driver are involved Nuvi defaults to the close detail screen in order that turn lanes and directions are clearly shown.

A helpful driver aid was the display of the current highway speed limit which changed as limits changed from one location to another.

I found that a clear voice warned me three quarters of a mile before every turn and announced the turn itself as I approached the ramp or intersection.

I was impressed when on attempting to access the main menu while driving Nuvi informed me that this was not allowed while driving ( for safety).

While a continuous instructional voice could be both a distraction and irritation I found the Nuvi to be a quite silent guide as the map displayed my current position and the route ahead with the voice interceding only to announce critical turns or arrival locations.

Four hours into my trip I found myself in a city in which I was unfamiliar. I wanted to stop for lunch, but was unsure how Nuvi might respond to any change in route. I pulled to the side of the road and accessed Nuvi's "points of interest" menu. Nuvi offered me a wide choice of selections including hospitals, gas stations, emergency help (police) ATM locations, lodging and restaurants, among others. I pressed restaurants and Nuvi asked "what kind of food?", giving me a choice of American, Mexican, Italian, etc. I entered "American" and a list of dozens of restaurants appeared. This menu included the option of selecting "nearby" for the location of restaurants. I selected "ruby Tuesday" and by touching this restaurant on the screen I received a route modification that directed me to the restaurant parking lot aided by a friendly voice telling me when to turn and which lane to use.

Once I finished dining and returned to the road, Nuvi recalculated my route (to get me back on the original route) and recalculated my expected destination arrival time.

I was impressed!

The feature I used to locate a restaurant also can be used to locate refueling stops, hotels, ATMs, shopping malls, etc. It is a virtual "Yellow Pages" complete with driving directions. When one is in an unfamiliar city this is a real comfort and time saver.

A variation of the above feature is found in the "where am I?" function of the Nuvi. Should an emergency arise in the middle of a long distance trip and you need assistance, but perhaps are not certain how to describe your location you can easily activate the "where am I?" function which will immediately provide a detailed description of your location to include specific coordinates, addresses (if available), neared road and intersection. This function will also provide a pop up menu which will give you the ability to get directions to the nearest hospital, police station or gas station.

The Nuvi provides hands free telephone capability for those who have Bluetooth compatible telephones. This allows the driver to receive and answer incoming telephone calls or make outgoing calls hands-free simply by pushing a button on the Nuvi screen. There is also call waiting and call transfer capability.

The Nuvi has an included FM transmitter which allows the driver to access Nuvi audio through the car radio for better sound and sound control.

The FM transmitter also provides a capability to receive traffic updates warning the driver of construction, accidents, or other delays in route. Nuvi calculates an expected delay time and offers the driver an opportunity to calculate a new route around the problem. This is offered as three month free trial which can be purchased for $65 per year.

Other features that I have not used include the ability to play music through an MP-3 player, load digital pictures for viewing, foreign currency conversion, and a calculator.

A feature available which I have not used but plan to use is the "save location" feature. This allows the user to lock in a location and then find it later using the Nuvi. This can be an asset when parking a car in an unfamiliar city. You can by carrying the Nuvi with you get directions back to your car!

Finally, a small, but significant feature by Garmin is the Garmin Lock. This allows the user to set a pass code for entry into the Nuvi. This means no one can use the Nuvi without benefit of the code and as a result discourage theft.

I might add that at the completion of my trip the arrival time Nuvi had calculated was totally accurate.

In summary, as a first time user of a GPS navigational system I am very impressed with the Nuvi and its' broad range of capability..