What model GPS has the most usable features?

 

What model GPS has the most usable features?
Just for fun, let’s assume that you won first prize in some mythical contest and it turned out to be any automotive GPS under $1,000. Which would you choose?
I checked Garmin’s site and found the new nüvi® 1370T has a slew of features, but the Garmin Locate feature that the 765t and 775t have has been eliminated. I have no idea if that item would be of much use.
Would you choose something other than Garmin?
If you were limited to 6 or 7 hundred dollars, what would be your choice?
Would you wait to see what new models are in the works?

--
nuvi 785 nuvi 350, nuvi 270, GTM 20, jag in dash, mercedes in dash.

love my 765t

it has (no particular order):
- routing
- Lane Assist (awesome feature!)
- Traffic (free no less!)
- bluetooth
- fm transmitter (which does work okay in my car)
- garmin locate (though I've never used it)
- TTS (the most important of all, but pretty standard now)
- 3D building views (not real useful, but really cool!)
- photo nav
- mp3 (don't use this myself ... but it's there)
- Garmin "Where Am I" (haven't used, but useful in emergencies)
- displays posted Speed Limits (very nice to have)
- Pedestrian mode

what more could I ask for?

What model GPS has the most usable features?

I would probably select the Garmin Nüvi® 775T because it has an MSRP of $ 699.99 USD it must be the most feature rich of the current automobile navigators.

Dr. Garmin

Jim1348 wrote:

I would probably select the Garmin Nüvi® 775T because it has an MSRP of $ 699.99 USD it must be the most feature rich of the current automobile navigators.

$700.00 bucks for a GPSr today, thats funny!

--
Using Android Based GPS.The above post and my sig reflects my own opinions, expressed for the purpose of informing or inspiring, not commanding. Naturally, you are free to reject or embrace whatever you read.

Garmin 755

Amazon has it for $336.00, and probably all you need
My buddy has one and love it.
http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-755T-4-3-Inch-Widescreen-Naviga...

--
Nuvi-3760 *** Magellan-5045

Garmin

Still will pick a latest model Garmin ...

Why? Because I have many passengers that have told me none of other GPS brands had been able to locate their address.

IMHO a GPS is useless if it cannot even do this function.

.

jimmy.chen wrote:

Still will pick a latest model Garmin ...

Why? Because I have many passengers that have told me none of other GPS brands had been able to locate their address.

IMHO a GPS is useless if it cannot even do this function.

If you want to waste your money that's your right.

But an older model Garmin will locate addresses just as well as the latest model Garmin. The only difference between the latest models and the older models are the bells & whistles. Oh yeah, and the price!!

Re: jimmy.chen

I respectfully disagree with needing the "latest model".

The ability to reliably find an address is not function or feature of any Garmin model. It is a funtion of the Map/Poi versions you are running. Any Garmin model can find the address if it's in the database.

As far as a "Gramin" vs other vendor model for finding addrsses.... well, that's a different issue. I only own Garmins so I can't compare.

--
Frank, MA.

but which?

Latest model doesn't really mean much when Garmin just announced 9 new ones. It seems that the nuvi 675T is in the lead right now with most wanted features. Do you suppose the new designs will make battery changing easier, or will the fm transmitter will work any better in the newer 1300 models? Is there anything missing from the 1370 in addition to the Garmin Locate?

--
nuvi 785 nuvi 350, nuvi 270, GTM 20, jag in dash, mercedes in dash.

Lots Missing

alexanderrg wrote:

Latest model doesn't really mean much when Garmin just announced 9 new ones. It seems that the nuvi 675T is in the lead right now with most wanted features. Do you suppose the new designs will make battery changing easier, or will the fm transmitter will work any better in the newer 1300 models? Is there anything missing from the 1370 in addition to the Garmin Locate?

FM transmitters are governed by the FCC for power output, so NO, nothing changes. Question is what you really want the device to do. Do you want TTS? Would you like to have "routing"? Do you have to have traffic? Do you want to talk to the device? Personally, I'd opt for a discontinued device, which will provide you with all the above at a reduced price. But - hey - that just me.........

--
"Sometimes, when I look at my children, I wish I had remained a virgin". Lillian Carter (Mother of Jimmy Carter)

what I really want

What I really want is to eliminate the "lane assist" that comes from the right front passenger seat. I know it probably seems like a joke to you, but it drives me completely nuts when I get directions not only when and where to turn, but what lane to be in blocks before the approaching turn. This is usually followed by "Do you want to drive?" and then some nasty exchanges that are not pleasant. I really don't expect another GPS to solve anything since the lane assist feature is useless in local driving, but I can dream that maybe that feature can prevent some unpleasantness on some Interstate, some time in the future. This would be priceless.

--
nuvi 785 nuvi 350, nuvi 270, GTM 20, jag in dash, mercedes in dash.

I have to 775T also, great

I have to 775T also, great features. As a bonus, I can travel in Europe with the included maps.

New Units

I agree with those that say the latest models aren't necessarily any better. If you don't use all the new features all you have is the bragging rights for your money. For example I don't see why anyone would want to listen to music or look at pictures on a GPS when there are so many better alternatives I have a nuvi 350 and haven't seen anything new I just have to have.

The lowest priced

alexanderrg wrote:

What model GPS has the most usable features?
Just for fun, let’s assume that you won first prize in some mythical contest and it turned out to be any automotive GPS under $1,000. Which would you choose?
I checked Garmin’s site and found the new nüvi® 1370T has a slew of features, but the Garmin Locate feature that the 765t and 775t have has been eliminated. I have no idea if that item would be of much use.
Would you choose something other than Garmin?
If you were limited to 6 or 7 hundred dollars, what would be your choice?
Would you wait to see what new models are in the works?

The lowest priced

--
"Ceterum autem censeo, Carthaginem esse delendam" “When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.”

MP3 player

Mike107 wrote:

... I don't see why anyone would want to listen to music or look at pictures on a GPS when there are so many better alternatives ...

I thought the same thing until a recent long trip. I bought my 755 to get lane assist, but thought the MP3 player was extra baggage. Then I discovered MP3 audio books with m3u playlists. Listening to audio books made the 3 day trip fly by. The advantage of playing on the Garmin instead of the Ipod is that it interupts the play when navigation insructions are given, then resumes the play where it left off. Also, when you shut it down, it remembers your place in the playlist when your restart.

--
Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon

Funny!

Mike107 wrote:

I agree with those that say the latest models aren't necessarily any better. If you don't use all the new features all you have is the bragging rights for your money. For example I don't see why anyone would want to listen to music or look at pictures on a GPS when there are so many better alternatives I have a nuvi 350 and haven't seen anything new I just have to have.

That's really funny Mike, because I had a Nuvi 350, which I sold. Bought a Nuvi 750 - thinking I "wanted" the routing. Gave it to my son, and bought a Nuvi 350. Best little device from Garmin, IMHO........

Joel

--
"Sometimes, when I look at my children, I wish I had remained a virgin". Lillian Carter (Mother of Jimmy Carter)

alexanderrg wrote: What

alexanderrg wrote:

What model GPS has the most usable features?

The i3001xleqt, obviously.

i tried

mike_s wrote:
alexanderrg wrote:

What model GPS has the most usable features?

The i3001xleqt, obviously.

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Your search - i3001xleqt - did not match any documents.

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--
nuvi 785 nuvi 350, nuvi 270, GTM 20, jag in dash, mercedes in dash.

i tried

mike_s wrote:
alexanderrg wrote:

What model GPS has the most usable features?

The i3001xleqt, obviously.

Google

Advanced Search
Preferences
Web

Your search - i3001xleqt - did not match any documents.

Suggestions:

Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
Try different keywords.
Try more general keywords.

--
nuvi 785 nuvi 350, nuvi 270, GTM 20, jag in dash, mercedes in dash.

I like my Zumo 550. It works

I like my Zumo 550. It works on the Harley and works in the truck.

We have several Streetpilots and they are fine too, but I'm getting use to the extra buttons on the Zumo.

i3001xleqt

"Your search - i3001xleqt - did not match any documents."

It hasn't been released yet, but since it uses every current marketing gimmick in the model name to indicate cool features, you can just tell it's gonna be great! smile

But seriously, there is no one answer to such a subjective question, and what one person considers a "usable feature" may be cruft to the next.

close

mike_s wrote:

"Your search - i3001xleqt - did not match any documents."

It hasn't been released yet, but since it uses every current marketing gimmick in the model name to indicate cool features, you can just tell it's gonna be great! smile

But seriously, there is no one answer to such a subjective question, and what one person considers a "usable feature" may be cruft to the next.

I came close to solving most of the issues. Amazon has a sale of the nuvi 785T. It isn't perfect, but it seems the have a lot of junk on it that I probably will never use.
Perhaps I will grow into it

Thanks to all for all the ideas and input

--
nuvi 785 nuvi 350, nuvi 270, GTM 20, jag in dash, mercedes in dash.

close

mike_s wrote:

"Your search - i3001xleqt - did not match any documents."

It hasn't been released yet, but since it uses every current marketing gimmick in the model name to indicate cool features, you can just tell it's gonna be great! smile

But seriously, there is no one answer to such a subjective question, and what one person considers a "usable feature" may be cruft to the next.

I came close to solving most of the issues. Amazon has a sale of the nuvi 785T. It isn't perfect, but it seems the have a lot of junk on it that I probably will never use.
Perhaps I will grow into it

Thanks to all for all the ideas and input

--
nuvi 785 nuvi 350, nuvi 270, GTM 20, jag in dash, mercedes in dash.

MP3

alandb wrote:
Mike107 wrote:

... I don't see why anyone would want to listen to music or look at pictures on a GPS when there are so many better alternatives ...

I thought the same thing until a recent long trip. I bought my 755 to get lane assist, but thought the MP3 player was extra baggage. Then I discovered MP3 audio books with m3u playlists. Listening to audio books made the 3 day trip fly by. The advantage of playing on the Garmin instead of the Ipod is that it interupts the play when navigation insructions are given, then resumes the play where it left off. Also, when you shut it down, it remembers your place in the playlist when your restart.

Your comment interested me. Have you been able to copy audio books to the device. I made a brief try with copying book CD's to a computer with the thought of further copying to an MP3 player but the number of tracks was a problem (those with three minute tracks have about 20 tracks on each CD).

MP3 audio books

You probably can't transfer commercial audiobooks from CD because of the copy protection. I downloaded free audiobooks in MP3 format from http://librivox.org (books in the public domain). Each chapter is a separate MP3 file. I used Windows Media Player to create a M3U playlist so the chapters would play in the right sequence. I then listened to them on my Garmin with the MP3 player. It works great.

--
Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon

Playlists

jwboyes wrote:

Your comment interested me. Have you been able to copy audio books to the device. I made a brief try with copying book CD's to a computer with the thought of further copying to an MP3 player but the number of tracks was a problem (those with three minute tracks have about 20 tracks on each CD).

Rip the CD's to .mp3 and then create an .m3u playlist of the chapters. Garmin recognizes .m3u and will play them one after the other in order. A good, free app for tagging/renaming .mp3 files and creating playlists is MP3Tag

http://www.mp3tag.de/en/

Not always ...

GadgetGuy2008 wrote:

But an older model Garmin will locate addresses just as well as the latest model Garmin. The only difference between the latest models and the older models are the bells & whistles. Oh yeah, and the price!!

In most cases, you are right, provided you also perform the map updates.

In some cases, such as better/faster satellite accusation and route recalculation is only available with the later models. But if you do not drive much in the cities, these items may not be important.

bells & whistles

jimmy.chen wrote:
GadgetGuy2008 wrote:

But an older model Garmin will locate addresses just as well as the latest model Garmin. The only difference between the latest models and the older models are the bells & whistles. Oh yeah, and the price!!

If it wasn't for the bells & whistles we would all be using the same model unit that gets you from place to place at the lowest cost.

--
nuvi 785 nuvi 350, nuvi 270, GTM 20, jag in dash, mercedes in dash.

Depends on what you consider usable features.

jimmy.chen wrote:

Still will pick a latest model Garmin ...

Why? Because I have many passengers that have told me none of other GPS brands had been able to locate their address.

IMHO a GPS is useless if it cannot even do this function.

You don't need a latest model Garmin, just the latest map update and a Garmin within your budget to do that. No need to spend $700+ dollars if all you really want is the latest map.

Audio Books

I've used books from librivox.org but sometimes the folks reading them are absolutely HORRIBLE. I have gotten some good ones though. Be aware that many of the books there are read by more than one person so you'll end up with various different folks reading during the course of a single book.

I get my audio books from audible.com these days. I always listen to the sample clip first because, even with these books that you have to pay for, sometimes the reader is just plain awful. I drive 50 miles each way to and from work every day and being able to listen to audio books during the drive has really made life much better.

My 760 does pretty much everything I need in a GPS although lane assist does sound pretty cool for some situations.

--
GPSMAP 76CSx - nüvi 760 - nüvi 200 - GPSMAP 78S

Lots of opinions

Seems like everyone has a opinion, so I'll throw mine in.

Look at your budget of what you want to spend, then look at the features that are most important to you.

Do you want Bluetooth, Traffic updates, FM transmiter, etc.

Myself, I went with a recent model that I could find at a fair price. i chose the 750 because it was $200 and was not missing anything I couldn't live without. If I were to buy one now, probably the 755 because it's a little newew model and not much more.