new garmins (2017)

I have noticed that Amazon is usually a few days behind other online retailers in showing Garmin products in stock. I bet you will see it show up as shipping in the next couple of days.

It's going to ship next week and arrive on March 24th (prime member)

Last week, Amazon indicated the Garmin would be shipped today (March 22nd) and delivered this Friday. Then, just yesterday, Amazon said the product was no longer being released this week. Since I have now been without a Garmin for two months, I got fed up, canceled my order, and found that a Fry's electronic store here in Houston that displayed a small amount of the DriveSmart 61 LMT-S units were in stock at the store. I drove there and was able to obtain the very last unit they had. The sales rep at Fry's said this was literally one of only two units they had just received that day (the unit he sold me was supposed to go on display the next day). Not sure why Garmin is slowly shipping the product out when it's not even available on their website.

So if you're like me and you have been waiting for this unit to release , try to check Fry's or Best Buy. First impressions of the unit are great. The screen is by far the highest resolution screen I've ever seen manufactured by Garmin.

Glad you were able to get your Garmin Drivesmart 61 rame1012 and I look forward to your impressions after you have used it a few days.

There must be a limited supply of these devices, although theGPSstore and GPSCity still show them in stock. The RV 770 is still shown as preorder only on the sites I have checked, and it seems they keep pushing the predicted availability back. From what I can tell, the DriveSmart 61 and the RV 770 seem to be the same hardware platform.

A few days indeed!!!

How about before it ever gets on the road... Maybe receiving a report on how well it does navigating from say the living room to the Kew or kitchen:razz:

So where's the report already??

We're waiting with baited breath.. er.. make that bad breath!

Just received mine today from Bestbuy.com. Updated the unit software and maps through wifi and load up some custom POI. I also paired it with Garmin Link and Garmin Connect for my Fenix 3 watch. So far so good, I will have a road trip coming up this weekend to test it out.

Best buy also post it onsale on ebay so you folks could earn some ebay bucks (up to 10% back).

It's reassuring to know that Garmin's new update method works well.

When you have a chance could you please let us know how large the internal memory is on the device & member bear007 will be able to add it into his FAQ.

I've had the chance over the past few days to get some decent use out of the new Garmin Drivesmart 61 lmt-s. Here's what I think:

The Good:
-Screen and resolution are top notch. Very easy to see every detail on the screen, even in direct sunlight.
-LiveTraffic connection with this unit is more reliable than it was with the Nuvi 2597. LiveTraffic is working as soon as I power on the unit and updates traffic incidents quickly and consistently. There are still a few instances where there will be a traffic incident listed in the Smartphone Link app that won't appear on the Garmin. But overall, a nice improvement.
-Trip Advisor POIs are helpful
-Driver warnings (railroad crossings, curves, etc) are a great addition and are very accurate

The Average:
-Although the on unit Wi-Fi updating is a nice option, it didn't execute very well for me. The first time I tried to update, the unit crashed. When I tried again , it worked, but it took 3 hours (and I fast internet package). Hopefully this experience will improve in the future.

The Bad:
-Like every other Garmin PND I've owned, the unit will still calculate odd routes at times that do not make sense. Google Maps still sometimes calculates a better route. Also, I observed the other day that the unit was instructing me to exit the interstate, just go merge right back on (when there was no traffic). You would think after all of these years, Garmin would have fixed this annoying quirk. Apparently not.

Overall, I am glad I bought the unit. Look forward to using it even more.

It's a safety function to break up the monotony one experiences from exit to exit making sure you're not falling asleep!

Now a real question... did the wirelles want to connect to 2.4 or 5 ?

16GB internal memory. 7GB available.

FYI: 2.4Ghz Only

When I first connect to wifi mobile hotspot on my cellphone the update estimate time 1h30" then I choose to cancel the update. Second time connect to home wifi and estimate time 30 minutes. The whole update things went for less than 30 minutes without a hitch. I have Comcast 150mbps download cable internet. The wifi on the unit support only 2.4GHz which is not the latest.

Useful info!

How will this WiFi update feature work for folk that do not have access to an always on hot spot. In my case it will only see a WiFi hot spot while parked in my garage. My current Garmin shuts off ~15 seconds after I shut off my vehicle.

To use the update feature will I need to keep the unit turned on (on its internal battery) or keep the ignition on.. for ~ 3 hours..

Very nice - need an excuse to get a new model now... too bad thay are not available in different colors --- link pink!

Anyone knows what happens when map update over wi-fi will not finish? For example connection will be lost? Will old map still will be available or it's being deleted during update and you are forced to finish update to get new map?

Excellent point Ralph6410. I could sure see some serious issues arising if the battery goes dead in the middle of a long running wifi update. I assume Garmin has included some method for wifi updates to occur while you are connected to a USB power source. Maybe rame1012 can clarify for us how this works. Is the wifi update initiated while in navigation mode (through the menu) or does it only happen when in MTP or mass storage mode while connected to a USB power source? If it is initiated through the menu while in navigation mode has Garmin included a configuration option to keep the Garmin in navigation mode while connected to USB (like they have in the handheld devices)?

You'll need to manually cancel the auto shut off or connect it to any usb power supply using the included mini usb cable to power the unit for update. If your internet is fast enough then the whole update could take 30 minutes or less and the internal battery could be sufficient enough for the whole process. To be honest, most folks will bring the unit inside and do the update while connect to usb power. The wifi update is just the convenience so you could do the update without using a computer or garmin connect.

According to Garmin for any reason the unit crash and won't restart the update during wifi update you'll need to connect it to Garmin connect and restart the update so don't worry if your Garmin crash or power off during wifi update. Technically you can't brick it! Wifi update will pause itself when wifi drop/disconnect or low battery so no worry there.

I personally turn off my wifi hotspot during the wifi update and the process just pause, when I turn on mobile hotspot again it continue. Then I cancelled the wifi update the unit still fully function with old map intact.

The unit also can stored multiple wifi network and you can set your favorite network.

In the setting menu there will Updates feature, click on that and it will connect to your selected wifi network to check for update of Map and Software. Then you can select either one for update or select All for update. During the update the screen will show the progress bar and estimate time remaining, there will be a Cancel button if you want to stop it or if it taking too long due to slow internet. All other GPS features won't work. (Can't navigate while updates)

From my experience with fast internet it will take less than 30 minutes for your Map update.

No worries.. There are few things that are so idiot proof someone can't become idiotic enough to muck it up to the point it no longer finctions!

I agree with the comments above regarding the smartphone requirement.

One of the reasons (if not the most important one) we use dedicated GPS is because we don't want to rely on cell signal.

To be fair, Google Maps and Waze provided more updated and more accurate live traffic conditions and more intelligent routing algorithm. If I can get cell signal, why do I want to use Garmin?

Thanks for that info !

PROS:
• Very visible, sharp, bright and large (almost 7 inch) screen, in a compact size with very small bezel.
• Touch screen function works well.
• Fast command processing most of the time.
• Fast start-up due to when turning off the device, is actually a sleep mode. Complete shutdown results in a little longer start up time.

CONS:
• A thick, bright orange alert banner opens across the top of the screen every time there is a railroad crossing, speed limit change, school in the area, or a curve in the road, etc. And it stays on between 5-10 seconds. It is annoying and unnecessary if you are responsible and drive watching the road and traffic signs at all, and it also covers up the name of the next approaching cross street. And worst of all- you CAN NOT disable or turn it off. I have read that Garmin has no plans to change this feature.
• Mount is more difficult to place and release the device than older style mounts, and does not connect power to the device - requires plugging in-out the power plug every time.
• Map detail is very sharp but small and fine and sometimes requires a good look while driving.
• “Map Theme” (Map colors menu) could use some updating with more usable contrasting roadway color schemes, and backgrounds, etc.
• The on-screen touch zoom buttons (+Plus, -Minus) change location on the screen depending on function mode. So, you tend to need to look to see where they are on the screen.
• “Map Detail” menu offers More, Normal, Less. In some zoom ranges, the Normal shows more map detail than the More setting. The Less setting shows NO traffic at all. But overall, I prefer the More setting since it actually shows less confusing detail when zoomed out, but more street detail zoomed in. You have to try them and find the one with the overall detail combination you like best (not necessarily a Con).
• Sparse freeway number labeling. If you don’t already know the freeways by sight in an area, the map without freeway numbers is confusing to figure out. Many cities are labeled though, but with oversized font that covers to much of the roadways, etc.
• “Live Traffic” sometimes comes up within seconds, yet other times takes 5 minutes or more. “Live Traffic” is free through a free app (using blue tooth) on your smart cell phone. No phone or blue tooth running, means no “Live Traffic”.
• If you don’t like “Live Traffic” and want to use “HD Digital Traffic” you MUST purchase the GTM-60 Traffic Receiver/Power Cord ($60). The older GTM-36 Traffic Receiver/Power Cord will power the device, but will NOT show any traffic. Garmin includes only the cheap ($16) power-only cable with this device.

TRAFFIC MAP DISPLAY (the real deal breaker)
The colored (Red, Yellow) traffic pattern display on the map is almost useless. The very thin-fine red or yellow lines are placed directly ON TOP of the freeway, and there is no way to tell which direction (or if it is in both directions) that the heavy traffic is travelling in. The ONLY way to tell the direction, is to take the time to zoom way-way in, enlarging a specific small section of a freeway so that you can see both sides, and then pan around the map with your fingers to see which direction the various heavy (red, yellow) traffic is travelling. Doing this is very cumbersome, time consuming, requires a lot of your attention, and even then, does not give you a clear overall visual picture of the different traffic patterns along possible alternate routes you may want to consider. Also, if you are following the purple line on a route you selected, any traffic colors (red, yellow) on that route will only be visible as a sliver of a line along with the purple, and ONLY AFTER you zoom way in. I contacted Garmin several times and there is no work-around for any of this or any apparent upgrade pending to fix the traffic mapping issues.

My older Garmin Nuvi 2460 displays the red or yellow traffic indicator lines along the SIDE of the freeway which makes it easy to see (at a glance) which direction the slow/heavy traffic is traveling in. If you zoom the Nuvi 2460 map out, it is STILL easy to see the heavy traffic AND which direction it is travelling, AND on many different freeways in an entire region (zoomed out), thus allowing you to make a quick visual decision which route you want to plan or take. Granted, the newer “Live Traffic” available on the DriveSmart 61 updates faster and is more accurate than the very old basic FM “Garmin Traffic” I get over the Nuvi 2460 with a GTM-35 receiver cable, but that Nuvi traffic info is still pretty much correct and MUCH MORE usable the way the older Nuvi displays it. And, I augment the Nuvi traffic by comparing it to the free traffic map on my cell phone which, even though a small 5-inch screen, pretty clearly displays the red-yellow traffic along the SIDE of the freeways allowing me to see the direction the heavy traffic is traveling.

All of this mostly applies if you are using the standard straight down birds-eye view of the map. If you are using the low angle, short distance 3D view of the map, then what I have described will not apply to you as much. If you only use the short distance 3D view, OR simply like to set a navigation destination and follow whatever Purple Line Garmin selects regardless of anything else, then you will probably be fine with the DriveSmart 61. BUT, if you like to be able to look ahead and determine what the traffic flow and direction looks like in a larger region, you are pretty much out of luck.

CONCLUSION
I really looked forward to getting the DriveSmart 61 and wanted to like it because of the larger, sharp screen in a relatively compact overall size, and I even purchased this when there was a short price dip from the $270 down to $200. But the lack of a usable traffic display makes the value of the DriveSmart 61 nowhere near a $200 price tag (let alone the standard $270) and it kills me, but I will be returning it. I was hoping to get a better upgraded traffic monitoring GPS device and not have to double check on my cell phone so much- but not so with the DriveSmart 61. The DriveSmart 61 looks very pretty and I love it (SEE PHOTOS), but my old Nuvi 2460 provides me with more actual usable navigation information (SEE PHOTOS). Hopefully in another year or two Garmin will do a better job of making a GPS mapping device for real traffic navigation. It does not seem that Garmin seriously field tested the DriveSmart 61, which could have been a very nice unit with real-life navigation usability. Very disappointing. One step forward, two steps back.

Add your Comments and change my mind… Please!!

I took two back to BestBuy. I couldn't get traffic on the first one and couldn't believe Garmin would make something that you couldn't get traffic off the supplied cable. Tried another it was the same, gave up. I bought a Drivesmart 60 LMT.

On the Drive Smart 60 LMT, are the traffic colors also on top of the freeways, as opposed to being along the side of the freeways?

would like try it, hope it improve lots on traffic.

It appears in the route line. Not hard to see. This may depend on the theme. I run a custom theme.

That wound fit/mount in old Nuvi 750 Tray for my Nissan Frontier

Joe57 did point out that he doesn't use the 3D view but rather the "straight down" map which would be either the Track Up that I'll guess he uses or the North Up view. He did say that if using the 3D view, seeing the route lines and dotted line traffic alerts would not be a problem.

I have a feeling with no data to support it that most folks use the 3D view. I do.

I just returned from a 180-mile round trip for groceries. I hate that the nearest Trader Joe's is that far away and before it opened, it was a good 125 miles one way to a TJs. Thanks to the POI Factory for the custom TJ's POI file. On my drive today, the Smartphone Link app correctly pointed out weather issues and several slight to major traffic backups. Without the app and just relying on the old Garmin FM or HD traffic, I would have received nothing of these issues.

I never use 3D, only track up.

Apple and Google are not an option for me.

As far as I have been able to find, there is NO way to see (regardless of custom map theme) which direction heavy traffic is travelling on a freeway unless you zoom the map IN quite a bit. So, there is NO way to zoom out the map and expand your view to see a larger region of freeways, AND be able to visually tell which DIRECTION the colored heavy traffic is travelling. You can clearly see that there IS heavy color indicated traffic, but NO way (without zooming in to a small portion of freeway) to tell if the heavy traffic is going in YOUR direction of travel or going the OPPOSITE direction.

This may be more important for people travelling through a more metropolitan area with a lot of possible freeway routes, as opposed to rural areas where there is really no other choice than one main route.

Too bad I can't attach a photo here.
On my older Nuvi 2460, the colored traffic line is placed along the SIDE of the freeway, making it very easy to tell the heavy traffic DIRECTION. I have seen that it is also done this way on several other traffic monitoring systems.

The Drivesmart 60LMT is the same as my 2597. However, the resolution is better and the lines are thinner. The popup on the right lets you know if the traffic is in your lane.

Yes, that is nice, but on the DriveSmart 61, if I want to see traffic in an area farther ahead, I'm out of luck.

I had 2 2460's... love this unit much more..the 61lmt-s that is. No issue with traffic etc. I understand were the jam's etc are. Powered mount? etc? be nice but not enough to trade this baby in. The only issue I have is the favorite's I load from my saved lists on BC show along the road's etc. No way to shut them off. I'm not talking about POI's loaded by Garmin. Still they've come a long long way and would never go back to previous models.
They don't use any data to speak of anyway as far as traffic.. less then .01 mb per day all day use. I checked on a recent road trip up the New England coast.

I'm about to be a proud owner of a DriveSmart 61 NA LMT-S and have read about the small amount of data used for traffic, this is good.

My concern is the battery drain on the Galaxy S6 since I run my GPS like a rolling road map (most of the time no route just on) for 8 to 10 hours a day.

Also I have a Nuvi 2460 that is used as a backup, using it currently as I am in the process of exchanging a Nuvi 2689 for the 61, but the 2460 tends to reboot itself at the most inconvenient times during a route. However, bringing it of mothballs i noticed it has a traffic receiver built into the power cord.

A question I have would the traffic receiver on the 2460 provide traffic info for the 61 without using a smartphone app?

This is useful information.

According to Garmin, your 2689 can use the GTM 36 and the GTM 60 HD traffic cables to provide FM or HD traffic. I think the nuvi 2460 came with a GTM 36 cable and if true, you can get free traffic in major areas without needing the Smartphone app.

My smartphone can handle a good 12-hours of functioning with the Garmin app supplying data to the GPS device with a residual 1/3 or so power level so it should cover you for a day's driving so long as you don't make many cell phone calls, etc. and remember to recharge the phone every night.

Craig my 2698 is making it's way back to Garmin to be exchanged with as 61 LMT S, so the question would be would that traffic cable from the 2460 work with the 61?

As for the phone, yea, it gets used for a lot more than just the GPS app, calls, photo's email checks & texts from time to time. A couple times a day I have to hook the charger cable up and always on the overnight. So I guess it'll be three times a day now.

I see two good solutions for you:

1) Garmin states that the Drivesmart 61 is compatible with the GTM 36 and 60 HD traffic receivers, so if your nuvi 2460's cord is a GTM 36 as mine is, you have access to FM traffic at no cost to you assuming you're in an area with FM traffic coverage by using your GTM 36 with the new DriveSmart.

2) Here's another thought (and this would be my only solution since I live and travel mostly in areas with zero FM or HD traffic providers). Given that the Garmin Smartphone Link app uses so little cellular data, consider buying a smartphone through FreedomPop for use only as a linked device for your DriveSmart plus a backup for cell phone calling, etc. A FreedomPop smartphone can be purchased quite inexpensively. FreedomPop phones use Sprint cellular so you will need to be in an area with Sprint coverage. FreedomPop smartphones can be set up to be absolutely free to use as long as you don't exceed 500MB of data/month (and 200 minutes and 500 texts per month). So with a one-time purchase of a FreedomPop smartphone, you could have a dedicated smartphone linked to your Drivesmart GPS with $0 in monthly fees. It's worth looking into, especially for folks like me that have no FM or HD traffic coverage meaning that the Garmin Smartphone Link app is my only way to access traffic.

One word of caution with FreedomPop smartphones. When you buy and activate the phone, you're activated by default with several premium fee-based options that start with a short-term free trial. You will, within the first week or month of FreedomPop usage, need to go into the FreedomPop phone's account and cancel all the optional fee-based features and confirm that you only have the basic 500MB/month free data coverage (plus some 200 minutes of phone and 500 texts per month) if you want free usage of the phone. This will give you Garmin Smartphone Link app coverage every month while keeping your primary smartphone free for phone calls, email checks, photos, etc.

Here are my thoughts ...
If you typically use your phone with location services and bluetooth turned on, I don't think Smartphone Link will add significantly to the battery drain. However, if you normally have these services turned off, then you will see a difference.

I am sure this varies a lot by phone model, so you will need to do some comparison testing to know for sure what the impact is when using Smartphone Link.

It seems that the manufacturers favor iPhones over Androids. My car (an Acura) has direct iPhone capabilities but you have to plug in an Android and it is not as good.

Thanks for the info. I live and work in the Phila., PA area, plenty of traffic to be had, both on the road and the airwaves.

I do leave Bluetooth on so I can talk hands free in my Jeep through the UConnect system, but I don't like talking through a GPS so I turn it off on the GPS. I'll have to pair the two but turn the phone portion off when I get the 61.

Thanks.

One of my concerns is I use a shared plan with my wifey who is addicted to facebook and burns through the data.

If I start running into date usage problems I may revisit this idea but just trying to take a look at the service and if they have it in my area they wanted too much personal info, I didn't finish my look around.

I suspect your Smartphone Link data usage will be trivial compared to your wife's Facebook data usage

OF the LUX 51-LMT-S and The Drive assist 51 LMT-S ?

They look similar to me..they both have lane assistance.

And for what I read here some people are ready to jump and get

one

with little or NO knowledge of those 2, same thing it go for

the 51 and 61

The DriveLuxe has a powered magnetic mount, DriveAssist doesn't.
The DriveAssist has built-in dash cam, DriveLuxe doesn't.

There may be a few other differences, but I think the above two are the most obvious ones.

One interesting observation ... many online stores like Amazon, GPS City, Crutchfield, B&H Photo, no longer have the DriveLuxe 51 in stock, but they do have the DriveAssist 51. I am not sure what that says about the two products.

Garmin has so many model that come and go, it's hard to keep up with what is new.