Garmin 350 Nuvi

Garmin Nuvi 200 review

Garmin Nuvi 200 review

The Garmin Nuvi 200 series has started to hit store shelves, and we’ve finally put enough miles on our Nuvi 200 to produce a comprehensive review. As the name implies, the Nuvi 200 series is designed to set a new mark for the entry level Nuvi series. Many have speculated that this new series will be a replacement for the StreetPilot “c” series. Here is what we think of the Nuvi 200, and where it fits into the bigger picture of auto GPS devices. Physical

The Nuvi 200 is almost the exact same size as the Nuvi 300 series. It has virtually the same width and height, but is just a sliver thinner than the 300 models. It also comes in at virtually the same weight.

Like its siblings there is a power button across the top, but the operation of this power button has changed. Rather than a push style button it is a slider. You slide the button to the left and release to turn the power on or off. You can also move the slider to the right that locks input to the device, much like a hold button on an iPod. I’m not really sure why a hold button is necessary on this device unless they have it in mind for the pedestrian mode. Perhaps they will use this on future Nuvi models which include an MP3 player (The Nuvi 200 does not include an MP3 player).

The SD card slot has moved from the right side to the left side. If I had a choice I would prefer it on the right since sometimes I place the GPS up against the left side of the dash, but without an MP3 player it isn’t likely you would use the SD card slot all that much anyway, so no big deal. The right side and bottom have no buttons or connectors. The only other item is the USB/power connector that has been moved from the right side to the back of the Nuvi 200. Since there is no MP3 player there is no headphone jack.

The only other physical difference is that Garmin has finally gotten rid of the “flip up” GPS antenna. As much as I didn’t like the flip up design, being able to disable the GPS did have some advantages. The other Nuvi devices can only calculate routes starting at your current location unless you perform a weird workaround of disabling the GPS, setting a new location, and then calculating a route. Without a way to disable the GPS on the Nuvi 200 series, even that long workaround becomes impossible. I often fly for work and I like to calculate how long it will take to get from my destination airport to the hotel. This isn’t possible with the Nuvi 200 series.

Mount

Another interesting change in the 200 series is the suction cup mount. I’ve praised the mount on the 300 series as being the absolute best mount in the industry. Unfortunately Garmin changed the mount slightly in the new Nuvi series. The mount is still easy to assemble, easy to adjust thanks to the ball and socket joint, compact, and a nice simple design. What sets the other mount apart is that the power cord connects to the mount and then the mount feeds power to the Nuvi. That is gone in the 200 series and instead the power cord connects directly to the device. So now when you take the GPS off the mount you also need to disconnect the power cable and have a power cable dangling inside your car. It just isn’t as clean as the mount for the 300 series.

Screen

A 3.5? touch screen display powers the Nuvi 200. This screen is BRIGHT! It is brighter than the screen on the 300 series and is visible from a wider viewing angle. The whites are extremely white and bright sunlight never made the Nuvi screen difficult to read. The screen is one area where the Nuvi 200 performs better than the 300 series. This is one of the best 3.5? screens I’ve seen.

Under the hood the Nuvi has a very powerful chipset which had no trouble quickly acquiring a signal within my office, kept a strong signal, and never dropped out when near tall buildings.

A few of the menu items have been rearranged a little bit if you are used to other Nuvi designs, but not so much that they make an important difference in function. The “Where to?” menu has been changed to include a separate button for Points of Interest rather than cramming them all into the parent menu. This is a welcome change and makes it easier to access the buttons for intersections, cities, browsing the map, etc. And if you need to use the Nuvi 200 for emergency geocaching events it will navigate to a set of coordinates. Navigating to an Address

Setting up Navigation to an address has changed very little. The buttons have a little bit of a more modern looking design and are more rounded than the squarish buttons on other Nuvis. When it asks for a state the Nuvi still can’t figure out that when I type in “NY” I mean “New York”. Instead it insists on me typing in “N E W _ Y” before it figures out where I want to go. Likewise the rest of the process is the same as it asks you next for the city, then house number, and finally the street name. After finding the address you click the ‘Go’ button and you are on your way.

Navigation to a POI

As mentioned earlier, there is now a dedicated menu button for POIs. The POIs are still not arranged in alphabetical order, but thankfully there are only fourteen primary categories to choose from. Many of the categories like ‘Food’ do include sub menus. In the case of food you can select from about 20 different categories of food to suit your tastes.

The display of search results has also changed on the Nuvi 200 series. The 300 series shows you five results on one screen, lists the name, and straight line distance from your location. The Nuvi 200 series only displays four results per page, but includes the street address (but not town) in smaller print below the title. Personally the town name might be more helpful than the street here, but the important note is that more detail is shown at the sacrifice of one fewer result per page. Clicking on one of the results will display the phone number as well as town of that particular POI, along with a Go button to route to that location or a save button to save it to your Favorites.

Navigating

While navigating the next turn information is displayed in text across the top of the display. I’d still like a nice big graphical arrow showing the next turn somewhere, but I’ve learned to live without it on the Nuvi devices. At the bottom left is a field showing you your estimated arrival time. At the bottom right you are shown the distance to the next turn. Clicking on this button will show you a text display of your next instruction, a zoomed in view of the intersection, a voice prompt will read the distance to turn and the direction of the next turn and the estimated time to that intersection. People seem to be split in their preference of wanting to see “distance to turn” or “time to turn” on the primary display, but you only have the option of seeing distance. There is also no way to see the amount of time you have left to your destination!. Kinda sad that this GPS won’t tell you how long (in time) it will take to get there unless you do the math between the estimated arrival time and the current time.

Voice Quality

The speaker is plenty loud and I could clearly hear instructions at highway speeds with the radio on at normal levels and the windows cracked. It isn’t quite as loud as the speaker on the Nuvi 300 series, but it performed just fine. There is no text-to-speech option on the Nuvi 200 series, but the voice prompting was timely and of very good quality.

Advanced Features

Like the rest of the Nuvi series, the point of this device is simplicity. As a result there are routing features you might want that are not included in the Nuvi 200 series. As mentioned above you cannot set your starting location when calculating routes so you can’t plan ahead unless you are already at your starting location. There is a simple detour function but unlike the detour function on most other devices you cannot specify how far ahead you wan tot detour from the current route.

Likewise there is no ability to specify a group of destinations or multiple via points and build them into one route. You can specify one via point per route, but no more than one.

Purchasing Advice

The Nuvi 200 series is a great simple device. It has an absolutely amazing screen, the voice prompts are easy to interpret, and the map is very easy to follow. If your navigation needs are simple and you just want to get a device that will remind you of turns and take you to new destinations, the Nuvi 200 would be a great choice.

It does have some limitations though. There is no advanced planning function, no multiple destination routing, and a detour function that is too simple to be utilized. But hey, you do get a calculator, currency converter, picture viewer, unit converter, and a world clock. (Slight sarcasm.) It would be worth comparing the Nuvi 200 with the slightly older Nuvi 350.

They both have the same screen size, similar physical size, similar weight, nearly the same interface, similar battery life, and most of the same navigation functions. But the Nuvi 350 offers maps of all of North America (the 200 only has the US 48, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico), the ability to connect to a traffic receiver, an MP3 player, text-to-speech, and small case included. You get all of those extra features and based on current prices you will actually pay less for the Nuvi 350 than the Nuvi 200. I expect that within a few months the Nuvi 200 prices will drop below that of the 350, but for now why pay $40 more for a device that has less features?

If the ability to have more advanced routing features is important, compare the garmin nuvi 200 vs the TomTom ONE. The Garmin Nuvi 200 isn’t a bad GPS by any means, it is an extremely solid performer, but the pricing is what will make or break this GPS for many people.

Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS Review

Garmin has broken new ground when it released Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS. This is a very ultraportable device that is specifically aimed to be the tool that a travel needs in his excursions.

It serves as a GPS navigator, travelling assistant, and digital entertainment. Think of all the fun you would have with this gadget. It is clearly a need and a want.

But since it is a three-in-one tool, then you also pay more for the features. It costs about $900. This is more expensive than a pocket size GPS system. But if you want a gadget that comes with a language translator, then prepare to shell out more money.

Those who buy the Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS are those who are into the latest technology. The gadget has the wow factor and the performance of this tool has been reviewed positively countless times.

It is also interesting that it is just as small as a deck of cards. The user can easily carry the Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS in his pocket.

The unit comes with a 3.5 inch color touch screen and has a silver bezel frame. The resolution is 320×240 and can easily be read during the daytime.

It has five backlight-timer settings as well. The power switch is found on the upper bezel.

The commands of the Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS are punched into the responsive touch screen. It is very user-friendly but you need to press the power button in order to jump from screen to screen.

The lack of the buttons provides an uncluttered and sleek appearance of the unit. There is also a volume control option that allows you to switch it in order to modulate the volume.

The unit allows you to adjust the reception with the flip-up antenna that is located at the back of the case of the Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS. There is an SD card slot, as well as a USB port.

These are basics. Since the Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS is also an entertainment system, it has a headphone jack. The internal flash memory is 2 GB. With that much space, you can add more to what is already included in the unit.

This is the detailed map of North America. The user still has 1 GB worth of storage for music, digital photos, and Audible Book files.

The Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS is recognized as removal drive once connected to the PC’s USB port so that it is easy to drag and drop the files in the folder.

Imagine the convenience this gadget can do for you. You would have to pay more but it is worth it because it gives you more.

Garmin 350 GPS

The Garmin nuvi 350 gps(global positioning system) is essential to anyone traveling in their car or boating on a lake.  This unit provides routes and directions that you would never even think of.  This product is one of the best in navigation excellence.  The Garmin nuvi 350 gps will make your traveling experience so easy and stressless that you will never drive your car without it again.  

The Garmin nuvi 350 gps provides you with extremely accurate directions and maps that are invaluable.  The unit possesses a gps receiver and is WAAS enabled which allows it to obtain accurate information from satellites.  The Garmin nuvi 350 gps therefore can easily obtain up to the date maps on regions all over the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.  This product can easily locate quicker routes that involve less traffic which allows you to get to your destination much faster than if you were using a map.  The unit is able to locate traffic jams with a TMC traffic receiver and then direct you around them with ease.  The Garmin nuvi 350 gps also lets you load your own personal points of interest into its system.  The SD card slot will save any particular routes that you feel you will need to view for future reference.  

The Garmin nuvi 350 gps also includes a touchscreen which makes it simple for you to type in your desired location and to change to other routes.  The unit is also programmed with text to speech technology which includes a voice prompt.  This allows you to listen to your directions and also focus on the road at the same time.  It can be very difficult to drive and read a map at the same time.  The voice prompt that is programmed in this unit is very helpful because it makes the driving experience much safer by allowing you to keep your eyes on other cars rather than on your lap.  

The Garmin nuvi 350 gps is also a portable device so it can be moved from car to car with no trouble.  The screen is a bright 64,000 color display which makes it easy to view.  The screen also changes according to the time of day making it easy to view anytime during the day and even at night. The unit also has a built-in speaker in the back of it which is where the voice directions come out of.  

The product also comes with a flip-up antenna that includes an MCX-type connector which allows you to sync the Garmin nuvi 350 gps with an external antenna that is mounted outside of your car.  The unit also includes a lithium ion battery that has a battery life of eight hours.  You can also charge the unit in the car while you are using it.  This requires that you buy a 12-volt power adapter that is compatible with your car.  

The Garmin nuvi 350 gps is clearly an outstanding product and clearly possesses navigation excellence.  You can read reviews on this unit and purchase it on learning-about.com/garmin

Never Get Lost Again – With the Garmin GPS Nuvi 350!!!

Ever found yourself lost trying to maneuver your way through downtown Ontario without a clue where you were? Or maybe you have taken one too many road trips that has landed you in an unknown destination… sure it’s fun to not know your destination occasionally, but most of the time we are all in a hurry ‘ whether it is to be at a meeting, picking up the kids or trying to make a personal engagement with friends – maybe it’s time to check out a new navigation system available to make your life a little easier.

One new product on the market destined to save you a lot of time and money navigating the streets alone is the GARMIN GPS NUVI 350. The NUVI 350 is not only an extremely stylish and slim lined navigation system it also has the ability to be an MP3 player, audio book player, JPEG picture viewer, clock with world time zone capabilities, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and of course an anti theft device to deter anyone who might be interested in stealing this attractive addition to your car!

The NUVI 350 can be bought and used just about anywhere due to the preloaded City Navigator® NT street maps. Depending on your location for travel it is possible to insert a micro SD/SD data card with the designated country map to find your way happily out of any spot of bother you might find yourself in.

Some features of this hot little product include a 2.8″ wide x 2.1″ high screen with the total product size being 3.87″ wide x 2.91″ high. The screen features a nice QVGA color antiglare TFT with white backlight and also responds nicely to touch screen commands. The rechargeable lithium ion battery will run for 8 hours and can be easily charged while driving. Further features include voice prompts, spoken street names, the options of either 2D or 3D map views, auto re route (fast off route options and recalculations for ETA), route setup (allowing you to achieve faster times, shorter distances and off road options), and route avoidance (if you are wanting to avoid tolls or freeways). Custom points of interest (POIs) is another strong feature which will alert you to when important town information is approaching such as safety cameras or school zones, ATMs, restaurants, and hotels.

Like all good technology these days the NUVI 350 is not just a navigation system and comes with additional accessories to boost your already highly efficient system including data cards, traffic receivers, accessory kits, adapters, antennas, cases and covers, memory, cables and mounts. From the accessories available, my top choice would be the data cards which enable the user to access travel and language guides for various countries. It is getting easier and easier to travel the world these days and it is in part due to the amazing technology which is now available globally. The SD data cards, relevant for the country you are traveling, can provide you with current travel information ‘ sites to visit, shops to wander through, and restaurants to eat in. The data is provided by Fodors who are one of the leading trip planning and information companies available. The language guides are equally as important as you visit new countries. The information is provided by Oxford University Press and contains comprehensive word and phrase banks and bilingual dictionaries! Global Positioning Systems (GPS) rely on a variety of satellites to assist you in figuring out where you are at any given time.

The one major benefit of buying an in-car GPS is so that you don’t end up wasting time and money finding a location that should have ideally taken you perhaps only 20 minutes. The technology now available for these systems is getting better and better and the GARMIN GPS NUVI 350 is no exception, it is sitting comfortably in the market at the top of the range.

The average cost of the GARMIN GPS NUVI 350 is $348.00 in the Canadian market. The NUVI 350 is available at most Canadian electronic stores and to save you hours on your feet you can now search online for the best deal in Canada.

Garmin nüvi 350 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

• This is a refurbished GPS; refurbished generally means that the unit has been returned to the manufacturer, who brings the navigator back to like-new conditions; some refurbished GPS devices might contain cosmetic blemishes
• Compact 700 MB GPS navigator with bundled MP3/audiobook player, photo viewer, and world travel clock
• Small enough to fit in a pocket or purse; mounts on vehicle windshield with included suction cup
• Preloaded with City Navigator NT maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico; turn-by-turn directions, automatic routing, and 320 x 240 color touchscreen display
• Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot; measures 3.87 x 2.91 x 0.87 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty

Product DescriptionIncludes: preloaded City Navigator North America NT v7 data (full unlock), vehicle suction cup mount, AC charger, carrying case, 12-24 volt car adapter cable, dashboard disk, USB cable, & more. Garmin nuvi 350 Personal Travel Assistant – This portable GPS navigator is a great companion and guide for traveling to new places, as well as making it easier to get to places you normally travel to. The preloaded City Navigator NT v. 7 maps contain detailed road maps through. . . More >>

Garmin nüvi 350 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin Vehicle Power Cable for nüvi Portable GPS Navigators

• Product Type – GPS Accessories
• Brand – Garmin
• Product Number – 010-10723-06

Product DescriptionGarmin 12-Volt Adapter Cable for ReplacementAmazon. com Product DescriptionWith the Garmin 010-10723-06 Cigarette Lighter for the Nuvi 300/350/310/360 you can save your battery. Just plug it into any standard cigarette lighter receptacle to power or recharge the internal battery of your Garmin Nuvi 300, 350, 310 and 360. . . . More >>

Garmin Vehicle Power Cable for nüvi Portable GPS Navigators