nuvi 6xx vs 7xx series (was Unhappy Campers...)

IMHO Garmin is doing exactly what you were screaming about ! They are improving the capabilities of their product line !

I have only owned my C330 for 17 months but Garmin has supplied me with 1 free Map update (to V8) and updated (free) operating system software and firmware I believe 4 or 5 times!
I gladly paid for the 2008NT.

GM hasn't given me one free upgrade on my Chevy custom van since I've owned it for 6 years! And I paid a bit more for it than I did the GPSr.
No complaints from me about Garmin !

That's my point exactly. You have gotten firmware updates for your C330, and probably more than just problem fixes. They did not do any enhancements for the 6xx, they saved them for the 7xx and if you want them you have to pony up another $600+.
I did get the 2008 map update for free since mine is so new and I do appreciate that. But to ask us to upgrade to 7xx to get a QWERTY keyboard and a track log, plus storing of 10 routes is ridiculous.

This is a growing consumer product line and we have all been throwing in "what features we'd like".

I think sometimes it's more logical and in the long run, more cost effective to incorporate the additional features, while hopefully contained on a more stable operating platform.

I think this is definitely a better move than throwing a bunch of firmware/software updates to incorporate our whims.

Sure, the timing could have been better, since the nuvi 6xx and 2xx series haven't been out that long.

I too, would probably be upset if I had recently purchased a 6xx series. I think my next will be a 7xx or will it be a 8xx??

Back to my first sentence, Garmin has to keep up with the competition. I think it was a good move for them.

I noticed that on the new Nuvi 760, listed under options, is the MSN traffic receiver. It is less than the clear channel model. (maybe no 12 month subscription)
If the 7XX series can use both receivers, maybe they can be updated later to the clear channel HD band stuff, or something else.
Maybe my 680 can be updated.
Maybe good news is coming, but nobody knows yet...

I also just recently purchased a 670 recently and that really turns me off that I would not be able to update the 670, with a nominal fee for updated software perhaps, to take advantage of what are no doubt excellent upgrades... Sounds like no word on availability of such just yet.

Garmin could make all of the upgrades that we asked for but then no one would buy their new line of GPS products!

I guess the 6XX line could be the top of the line for them, but the product price keeps dropping dramatically. My 660 was close to $900 when first introduced, yet I bought mine for $499 about 6 months later. Where is their return on investment? If they make the upgrades available to the 6XX users (assuming it is technically feasible) then most people with a half a brain would purchase a 6XX and upgrade to the new features instead of spend more money on the new units. The company needs revenue to keep producing new and better products.

That said, would I like to have a software upgrade that incorporates the new features? Of course I would, and I would probably be willing to pay for it. It would show a STRONG dedication to customer support/satisfaction that Garmin has shown in the past.

Just trying to look at it from both sides!

A new line should have distinctly new hardware features along with software enhancements. Then you've made a step change in the product, given existing customers a REAL reason to upgrade, and you can toss some of the software enhancements for free or cheap to the ones who don't want to upgrade to the new models. I'd pay $20 or so to upgrade the software in my 660 if it was worthwhile.
But what did the 7xx bring to the table in hardware? An integrated antenna? Wow. The 'wonderful' new sofware features mentioned the most are pretty gimmicky. Find my car? Where am I? Give me a break. If I needed to do it that bad, everything is there, albeit with a couple of extra keystrokes. A QWERTY keyboard and route storing I would think are fairly simple technically but were saved for the 7xx (so far).
I'm not talking about playing videos or incorporating PDA features. That kind of stuff should go to the new models (you could argue that is software but they would required more powerful HW and more memory also). I'm talking just the simple stuff I mentioned above.
Actually I don't even want that kind of stuff, I don't even use the MP3 player. I want my GPS to be a GPS.

IMHO, the Garmin Nuvi 7XX series are what the series should have been all along. I paid $657.00 when I bought my Nuvi 350 nearly 18 months ago. If I can off load the 350, I will jump on the Nuvi 750. The greatest source of irritation for Nuvi owners has been the lack of route (whether manual or via Mapsource) support, which is FINALLY available in the 7XX series. I must say, however, that I think Garmin will lose some of its loyal customer base because of what I would call corporate greed. If I had purchased a Nuvi 660 in the not too distant past, I would REALLY be irritated with the intro of the 7XX series. I'm sure that Garmin will catch a lot of flack over not allowing upgrade of the 660's to include the advances in the 7XX series. The 7XX series is currently listed on Garmin's web site, but I'll wait for them to post the operators manual so that I can digest it to see if route planning can be done via Mapsource and uploaded to the device. As I understand it, Garmin will not be shipping Mapsource with the device, which would lead me to believe that route planning may have to be done in manual mode. That (to me anyway) would be unacceptable, and a step backwards for what would otherwise be the "perfect" device.

Cheers....... Joel

15 years ago if you bought the latest and greatest personal computer, it was passed by in a few months by a newer, faster model. That seems to be the cycle that GPS units are in now.

The same seems to be happening in the GPS market. I bought my clucnky C530 only to see the slim Nuvi line introduced right after my purchase. Oh Well.

All of the major GPS manufacturers are fighting tooth and nail for market share. If they have something new, they will introduce it. I don't think they can afford to sit back and dribble new products to the market because their competitors won't. If Garmin had the GPS market all to themselves, they would not be coming out with so many new and improved units at this rapid pace. I think this competition makes us comsumers the winners in the long run. The units are getting better and the prices are falling.

That darn Apple Computer should have upgraded that Mac Plus I bought in 1985. I'm sure they couold have sent me a software update to increase the screen to 24 inches and make it color and reprogram the CPU to a newer model. Greedy corporate America always wanting to give us what we ask for and then have the nerve to charge us for it!

Sure I just bought my 650, and it appears the 7xx's have some features I wish I had now but at what price? Maybe 18 months from now they will be in my price range and I will get one (right before the 8xx's come out).

A GPS should last for years with proper care. A lot of us can't just dump what we have, and spend $xxx, just because a new model comes out with a couple of features that we would like. Everyone was telling Garmin what features they would like added so..... Garmin says to themselves, ummmmmmm, why not put all that into a new GPS and call it a 7xx? I think Garmin would help themselves even more which not only includes a new product line, but to offer software of the upgrades for a fee of $xx, so the 6xx buyers could download the software and upgrade what they have. That would be a win-win situation for everyone.
For example,
I have a movie editing program. A newer version comes out, you just pay $xx to download software to update your now old version to the newer one. You don't buy the new version, and throw the old one away. The same could apply to the GPS.

the hardware is compatible, sure. I'd be happy to part with a couple c-notes to add routes, route optimizing, multiple waypoints & tracklogs to my 660.

If I was a betting man, I would almost bet that it is compatible. They are going to go as far as possible on compatibility. That puts bucks in their pocket. What's not, a programmer worth his salt can work around it. Sure.....I'd go some bucks to update. Those would be nice options.

Unless some one can proof me wrong the difference between the 600 and 700 are the software and cosmetics. It's not like they added a faster processor or a new GPS chip that required a different OS. There is no reason why a 300, 500 or 600 series could not get the same OS upgrade. If I owned a 600 series I'll be ticked off too.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare.do?cID=134&compare=compa...

Garmin is not a company known for innovation. Can't wait for Google or Apple to get into the game.

As for the 2008 map it might not be 2008 after all.

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=93574

I wouldn't expect Garmin to include the 7xx upgrades into the 6xx; h__l, they won't even won't even fix a nuvi 350/360 problem they've known about for over 6 months. It would be nice if they would step up and fix the linebreak display problem with custom POIs. We told them about it back in Feb 2007, they acknowledge they had a problem, we even gave them a solution, and that's where it ended. Garmin has made updates since then, but didn't address this problem. Where are you, Garmin?

RT

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OK, I withdraw my earlier comments. I am now officially ticked off as well. I just noticed that the 7xx's are selling at the same price as the 6xx's. So either the 6xx's are going to be discontinued already or they about to drop in price. I understand that new models will probably have new features, heck I knew the '08 Accord was going to add some things that my new '07 Accord didn't have but I also knew I wasn't going to buy an '08 for the price of the '07. At least I knew the '08 was coming out long before I bought the '07. I had no idea the 7xx's were coming out.

There is no reason why the routing and keyboard couldn't be incorporated into the 2xx series also.

I did my homework on the specs table provided on Amazon for all the Garmin Nuvi models and found out that 670 is a good deal for me.
What SHOCKED me after I used the unit is that the below 2 features are not even mentioned on the specs columns:

1- import/export of gpx routes/tracks
2- saving track logs!!! a feature I had 5 years ago in my $150 Magellan unit.

I am extremely disappointed and I feel betrayed for paying around $400 and not getting these 2 basic features. only solution, pay another $550 for a 7xx.
thank you!

Nothing on Garmin's website would indicate that those features are supported on that model. The lack of stored routes is, in fact, mentioned on the Specs tab of the 670's webpage. Under Routes, it reads "0" indicating that the unit doesn't support them.

It's unfortunate that you mistakenly assumed that those feature would be included especially if they were important to you, however, adequate research prior to purchasing would have revealed that they weren't.