Garmin nüvi 260W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
by Garmin
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List Price: Our Price: $189.00 You Save: $40.99 (18%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $62.95 (click here) Category: GPS or Navigation System See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Garmin nüvi 260W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
Customer Review: I love my Nuvi
Summary: 5 Stars
I have a Nuvi 250W and purchased this 260W as a wedding gift. Where to begin? I carry mine with me every where I go. I have used it to find where I want to go, to find my way when I have been lost, as a business phone book, to find out if I am close to a particular store or restaurant and as a photo screener. It can also be used as a translator in its Trip Advisor. I have had mine for about 3 years now and can't imagine life without it. Really!! On a holiday weekend I had a big bolt in my tire. I looked up Tow Service and after 5 calls found one to help me. I was out of town and wanted KFC for dinner. Found the one closest to where I was. I wanted to know if a store I was on my way to, would be open long enough to make it worth my while to go there, so I looked them up and called them. Not only does it list the address and directions, but also the phone number. If you make a wrong turn while using the Nuvi, it, almost immediately, says "Re-Calculating" and then tells you how to get back on the right track. The tap screen is simple to use. Just watch as you type because if you make a mistake at the beginning of the word(s) and have completed the typing with an early error, you have to backspace to the error and retype the whole thing. Would like to see a way to just move the cursor to the error instead. The voice is clear and you have a limited choice of male and female voices. You can get an occassional chuckle from the pronounciation of some names. The volume is good but I would like to have the range go a little higher - but it really is ok. The screen is easy to read and instructions are easily accessed. I found the unit very intuitive - no real learning curve. And it is ready to use out of the box. Just turn it on and put it in the window or outside for about 5-10 minutes so it can sync to the satellite. Use after that takes a couple of minutes to give you driving directions. Turn it on. Type in what you want to do, and I put mine on the dash while it is "acquiring satellite" - when it is ready, it will talk to you. I love showing off my pictures on the wide screen. It seems to be durable, as I have dropped mine a couple of times without damage. The unit is not heavy, fits in your pocket or almost any purse. You can charge in it the car or at home. I put a cup in my cup holder in my car, and put the charging unit in the cup. I NEVER leave the unit in car - I would be sooooooooo upset if someone stole my Nuvi. And by having the charging unit in the console instead of on the dash, it is not as obvious that I even have a GPS. I love GPS and I love my Nuvi.Customer Review: nuvi Widescreen - the Patron Saint of Presbyotics and Myopics!
Summary: 4 Stars
I never dreamed I'd own a GPS device. I love maps and I know how to use them. For decades, my husband and I have traveled happily and easily. He's a great driver, although he's myopic and depends on me to read the street signs when we're on the road. We've never been a couple fumbling with a map while he's at the wheel. But now, I've reached middle age and I just can't see the print on maps without reading glasses. And I can't see the street signs with them. I wasn't fumbling with the map, I was fumbling with my glasses - on, off, on, off - D'OH! can't see that sign because I forgot to take them off. His driving skills haven't suffered, but he has no patience with this glasses on, glasses off thing.
So with a vacation to a new locale looming, I decided to buy a GPS and bought the widescreen model to ensure I'd be able to see it. I also wanted one that was easy to use, though I've been told they're all easy to use. I asked a few friends here on Amazon for their opinions, and they helped me decide on this model.
We're absolutely delighted with it. Of course, we took a map too, but I put it in the glovebox. With the unit placed on the dash with the Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for nüvi Series and StreetPilot C5XX Series GPS Navigators (C530, C550, and C580), off we went, guided by a female voice and my eagle (distance) vision. No problems at all, and guess what? I didn't even have to tell him when to turn because the Garmin told him! Wow, talk about a relaxing trip!
I did use the unit in my car before our trip to acquaint myself with it. I found the features very intuitive. My husband, well, he keeps saying he's going to take it with him so he can gain some expertise, but that darn middle age! He goes out the door without it, so he really hasn't learned to use it yet, but he's not afraid to use it. That's a giant leap for him.
One thing I really would love to see on this is a compass. Just an icon that says which way is north, because unlike with a map, I have no sense of where I am. Frankly, I don't really need it, I'm just used to having an arrow pointing to North on a map.
So I'm giving this 4 stars. I'd give it 5, but it should have come with a case. It does come with a car charger. Oh, and by the way, I use Wally World eyeglass cleaner to get the fingerprints off the screen. I am so glad I bought this, and so glad there are people who use Amazon who are willing to share their knowledge!
Customer Review: Big Screen-Nice Features-Nice Price
Summary: 5 Stars
Until recently, I owned a GARMIN 650 series GPS, which retailed for over $400.00 when new. It had lots of bells and whistles (like the Audible Book function, which I never used) and the charger from the cigarette lighter plugged into the base holder, and not the unit itself. After three years, the screen sensor stopped working, rendering it useless. So I bought this model as a cheaper replacement.
The 260W is the perfect blend of the important features with a nice price. First, the screen size. If you have never purchased or used a GPS before, you need to know that being able to see and understand the directions at glance is the most important thing. To me, the audio is secondary...but seeing the direction and the roads quickly and easiliy is VITAL. So, the 4.3 inch screen size is crucial.
Next important element is the audio--being warned in time that you need to turn left, for example, or knowing what street you are looking for. The Text To Speech functionality is also a must have. This feature works fine on this model, and it warns you within 2 tenths of a mile of any turn. Plus, the improved graphics over my older model gives you an arrow on the upper left of the screen, next to the next street name the miles to go before the turn. This arrow is a nice change for me...because you know what lane to get into prior to getting to close to the turn. Now, the voice selection is fairly limited on this machine...(I prefer the Britsh man voice, he sounds sexy) but paying an extra $100 or so is not worth the different voices. But that is just me.
And finally, the ability to find Points Of Interest (POI's) can be important if you like to shop or find places on the spur of the moment. This is the only feature that is not 100% as I would expect. My other GPS found many more retail outlets or community locations for me...this one is sometimes limiting. But I just pick up my cell and quickly look up the location using the web feature and enter the address. You might want to upgrade to another model if this feature is important to you.
There is not a flip up antenna on this model, and I worried that the reception or finding the satellites might be problematic, but I worried for nothing. It quickly finds and calculates the route every time. The snap in holder for the unit is nothing fancy, but it works. And the cigarette lighter charger plugs into the back of the unit.
For the cost, the quality and functionality of this unit is exactly as I expected and more.
I highly recommend this product.
Customer Review: Has what I need
Summary: 5 Stars
I followed this on several sites for about 6 months. I finally bought it on Amazon for about $266, the lowest it seemed to go even though it's been on the market for a while. I did get a credit during a price drop, and shipping was free, so I am satisfied as far as cost.
Amazon has a feature comparison grid for its Garmin nuviis which I found very helpful and referred to it often during my 6 month process. What I decided I needed after mentally toying with the numerous options was a 4.3 screen and text-to-speech. I am totally satisfied with both. I cannot imagine looking at a smaller screen, nor trying to find a place for a larger screen. Voice directions are excellent. However, there is a hint of disparagement in the voice when it says, "Recalculating, recalculating" if I choose a route I am familiar with.
I have the most current maps of the US. However, I could not receive understandable directions near Greensboro, NC airport (it kept trying to send me in circles) nor in my own long established residential neighborhood. (It sent me 12 miles out of my way to get home; trying it my way a second time it continued to shout "recalculating" until I was almost in my driveway.) Chicago airport and suburbs, and Charlotte, NC - great directions.
There were no directions for using this. Now that I have purchased an AC adaptor so I can recharge at home, I will play with the menu choices. Maybe the lousy directions were because of a choice I made.
My nuvi came only with a car charger. I had to buy an AC adaptor, usb connector and carrying case.
The screen is very bright and viewable. I do not use a holder because it takes up too much space and from what I've read could be a thief magnet. I keep the nuvi plugged into the car charger and sit it on the seat next to me. There is no need to look at the screen while driving because the voice directions are so good and give so much warning for turns, etc. Sometimes the voice says "turn left/right" etc without a street name. On a multi-lane highway or road that splits off what that means is "Stay in the left lanes" or "bear right", etc. Just pay attention for a little while for different types of roadways. It all makes sense and is a consistent usage of terms.
It can take several minutes to catch the satellites, no matter where I am. (It has never dropped the satellites once acquired.) Maybe that is because this is an older model? Other than that, I can see why this model has been around so long and the price is so darned stable.
Customer Review: It does the job, eventually....
Summary: 3 Stars
Having used this unit for 2 months, there are things I do and don't like about it:
Likes:
1. The screen is gorgeous! Especially when you turned it on for the first time.
2. All the POI are sorted into different categories (unlike the TomTom One my girl friend has), so searching is much easier.
3. Gets me from A to B. Afterall, that's what the GPS is for.
4. Good windscreen mount. Much better than the mount my girl friend's TomTom came with.
5. Very simple to use.
6. The speakers are loud enough to hear clearly.
7. Password protection just in case the unit is stolen.
Don't Likes:
1. Slow starting up. Is there really that much stuff to load?
2. Often find it difficult to get a satalite fix. I have found myself wondering around for 5 minutes before the unit picks up the signal and start guaidance. It could just be the area I'm living in (Pittsburgh).
3. Some of the POI are out of date. I was seaching for a gas station one day and found that 4 out of 5 nearest gas stations were either closed down (a long time ago) or non-existance
4. Some of the map is out of date or wrong (and yes I'm using the latest version of maps). The unit has told me, in several occassions, to drive into one way streets with oncoming traffic.
5. No MapShare like the TomTom, so road works and other road changes can't be shared with other people.
6. Low battery warnings and Poor signal reception warnings gets in the way. These warning messages blocks the entire screen so you wouldn't be able to see the map. Quite frankly, an icon blinking in the corner would do, quite why they had to cover the entire screen I really don't know.
7. The TomTom has your current speed, current time, ETA all in display. In the case for Garmin, it's "either-or", so you can have the ETA but not the current time etc (it could just be me not finding the correct settings, but still)
8. Not as many languages as the TomTom
So in summary, this unit does work. I personally prefer the TomTom, but it really is a personal preference. Like all GPS units, it's not perfect. You need to get used to it and set it up the way you want it. It can be a little slow at times, it might be lacking one or two features, but when you take the price and everything else it does well into account, this unit should at least be on your consider-n-compare list.