Garmin 010-00657-00 Black Friday Sales!
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Garmin 010-00657-00 Black Friday Sales!.
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I bought the Nuvi 770 for my wife for Christmas. I had been watching the GPS price/features evolution for some time, and almost went with the 660. Ultimately, the novel, more polished interface of the 770 and a few of the more new features won out. As a Mac user, one of the most valuable aspects of any electronics intention is the willingness of the manufacturer to encourage the Mac platform. Garmin does a very nice job of this. I downloaded the Web Updater and updated the 770 software in less than 5 minutes. I also installed the POI uploader and tested it out; worked colossal.
While the 770 is no iPhone, it does what it does very well. The number of steps required to regain to desired information is not valuable, and the hide interface is quite nice. Very polished, less "cartoonish" than some interfaces I have seen. The 3-D understanding is very effective. Directions were flawless. No chance yet to test the Traffic.com functionality.
My wife loved how well the 770 pairs with her iPhone. Dialing POI phone numbers was simplicity itself, and the ability to employ the 770 as a handsfree speakerphone, even when dialing with the iPhone is very nice. Sound quality is dazzling honorable, too, for such a shrimp speaker. Persons on the other kill of the line picture that sound quality is respectable and fully understandable.
The FM transmitter feature--for which I did not have high expectations--is at best so-so. The 770 seems to net begin FM spots on the dial fairly well [here in the Bay Station of Northern California, that is not trivial], but the downside of leaving the radio turned on to an occasionally hissing, static-y dwelling did not seem worthwhile. I want to be able to listen to the radio, and be interrupted as need be. That's how the built-in GPS works on our Subaru Tribeca, interrupting as essential. I have not yet tried to hardwire the 770. BTW, its GPS functions are vastly capable to the built-in navigation.
One reason we chose the 770 is because we are visiting Europe this spring, and renting a car. So, we are looking forward to using it there. My test of the POI capabilities in Europe was fair impressive. So we are looking forward to taking it on our trot.
We bought the dashboard frictional evil, and it is incredible. Through twisting curves, speedily starts, and surprise stops, it never moved. I will never exhaust a windshield or lumber sticky mount again.
The GPS note is intellectual and obvious and maps are well detailed for both the US and Europe. The unit even warns of the status of known "Safety" rush cameras and their corresponding trigger speeds. To minimize the need for fiddling with expose scales while driving, the diagram demonstrate "Auto scales" to demonstrate you increased detail when you stupid and turn for an exit leaving the highway and then scales abet out again when you net succor up to accelerate. Of course, you can override this if you want to.
The GPS performance of this product is exceptional. I have never had a GPS that has a receiver so sensitive that it can regularly lock onto satellites even when it's inside a house or in a restaurant. This one does it, and expeditiously too. When I first got it, I turned it on and prepared to slump out onto into my yard to let it "acquire itself", but before I even got out the door, it had found the satellites and was "ready to navigate".
I agree with one of the other reviewers, and rather than 5 stars, I would have liked to give this unit only 4.5 stars. My reasons are: The lack of a case, the lack of an included AC charger (though one is available at a very reasonable cost), and the lack of an onscreen intention scale indication while driving. Other than that, I adore it.
Operational hint: I have seen that some of the reviewers mention having no "return to main menu" button so they have had to sustain hitting the "Help" button multiple times benefit, abet, aid, etc. There is a single instruction in the Preface of the Owner's manual under "nuvi Tips and Shortcuts" that is easy to miss. It says, "To hastily return to the Menu page, touch and possess Encourage". It works blooming.
I have traditional Garmin GPS units for many years now, and have had no problems until the last month. My proper iQue M4 did not like getting wet in the California rain (my fault I must admit) and promptly died in the middle of a mosey.
As soon as I got home I looked at the Nuvis and decided that the 770 was the best fit for my needs. I had it overnighted from Amazon as I was leaving on another plod in 3 days. Everything worked well for the first couple of days, and then I switched it on one evening and it could not authorize the maps. A call to Garmin Tech Serve (and a 40 min wait on the phone) got the dilemma solved by downloading the unlock code file to the unit... this was VERY slick with Garmin Tech using a remote desktop type application (though this only works for Windows OS) . 2 days later the maps would not unlock again, Luckily I had copied the file and reinstalled it. This time added write protection to the file, it worked for at least 5 days like that.
Then the next dilemma. I tried to employ the Bluetooth connection to my phone. I had switched it off when traveling to conserve battery life. It would not approach serve on. The veil would say it was initializing bluetooth, and hang. Only switching the unit off would unlock it (bluetooth was serene disabled) . I tried everything I could believe of, and then everything Garmin could deem of, with several changes of firmware(2.4, 2.8 3.0...), nothing would persuade the bluetooth to reach help.
So, after honest over a week the unit has gone aid to Amazon (who very promptly refunded me) . I have become so dependent on my GPS that it HAS to be superior, and for me the 770 is not there yet. I am clear that once the bugs are sorted out this will be an helpful unit, but for now I have ponder what to collect next.
