By	F. Shirazee “DesiBurmeese” - See all my reviews

I have used TomTom and Navigon previouly, I think this nuvi is hands down the best GPS system out of these three. The routes, ease of navigation is the best. The traffic info is usually pritty acurate, more accurate than the Navigon system. Hands free device works adequatly, I have to bring it closer to me for people to hear me clearly, the speaker sound is great but the microphone due to car noise is less effective.

By	A. Seitelman - See all my reviews

I purchased this unit for my girlfriend for her birthday. Being the techy geek that I am, I soon got the 765t for myself. If you’re having trouble deciding between the two, get the 265wt. The lane assist and the blue tooth are not strong enough selling points for the 765t. Blue tooth is tinny and the lane assist isn’t as helpful as you would imagine.

As for the free traffic with advertisements, Garmin did a fantastic job with keeping them as minimally intrusive as possible. Truly a great GPS device.

By	T. Leong (Greater Baltimore-Washington Area) - See all my reviews

After using an older Nuvi 350 for a couple years, the faster response and shorter startup times for the 265WT are appreciated. Even though this is considered to be part of the lower-end line of the Nuvi’s, it comes with features that far surpass a basic model (traffic, picture viewing, bluetooth phone link). The traffic is a nice feature, especially with the linked re-routing capability from my daily commute between Baltimore, MD and Alexandria, VA (around the D.C. traffic!), but I’ve noticed that it isn’t updated quite as fast as I can get to a problem spot. Also, I’ll oftentimes take a detour to avoid one accident only to hit another jam which only updates on the GPS AS I hit the traffic (sigh). I can’t fault Garmin, as it’s a matter of news hitting the people who process the FM traffic report.

Another thing to point out is that the traffic rerouting seems automatic ONLY when you first turn on the GPS, or when your current path is just very very bad. Obviously the threshold for very bad can vary depending on the impatience of the driver, but I would like it for alternate routes to be calculated behind the scenes (for faster detour updates) or for it to recalculate paths dynamically as traffic jam information is updated to the unit.

As far as the rest of the unit is concerned, it has been working well. I believe I’ve had one crash in the couple months I’ve been using it, but it seemed to reboot itself automatically and continued right where it left off, without me having to retype in destination. The updated interface is overall nice, but I miss the integrated compass direction I recall the 350 having. The 3D terrain thing is more of a gimmick in my opinion, as it reduces contrast of the map and makes it harder for me to see the displayed information. One thing I found odd was that when the direction list mode is used by touching the top part of the standard screen, you have to use the back button rather than the big central “Show Map” button to go (back) to the standard map + next direction hybrid view. “Show map” pulls up a 3D terrain zoomed out large map of the overall route dialed in, subject to the same cluttered display with poor contrast mentioned earlier. It would also be nice for immediately-following directions to be listed right after the next direction under the standard map + direction hybrid view, eg. Take exit ramp on right, and immediately get over 3 lanes to the left once you merge onto the next highway (so that you can take a left turn at the stop light a 100 yds after the merge.!)

Since the traffic antenna is integrated with the car power unit, it must be plugged in to get the traffic capability. This means that I’ll rarely use the unit’s built-in battery, and also that the battery will most likely have a shorter lifespan since it’ll constantly be in charging mode (assuming it behaves like laptop batteries).

Disappointingly, the mounting system is very basic (you have to flex the plastic clips to pull it off) and not nearly as nice as the spring-loaded release mechanism featured in the higher end Nuvi’s (our older 350, and the very similar appearing 750). This, coupled with the fact that the power/FM transmitter is plugged directly into the backside and not centered (so it is somewhat unbalanced) makes one-handed detachment of the GPS almost impossible. I miss how the power plugged into the cradle of our older 350 which made it really simple to take the GPS with us when we left the car.

I have not used the bluetooth functionality and have read that the GPS is limited to acting only as a dial-pad and speaker/mic. Importantly, access to the phonebook doesn’t seem to be available through the unit according to others, but again I can’t fault Garmin, since I imagine it’d be a nightmare to support higher functionality with every bluetooth-enabled phone, as they all seem to have a different OS/interface.

Two of my friends bought the nuvi 750 for about what I paid for the 265WT, but I would not trade. If they had a 265WT’s features with the 750’s mounting cradle, it’d be perfect.

By	Larusco (St. Louis, Mo) - See all my reviews

I have had the 265wt for a couple of weeks now. I try not to buy gadgets or toys unless I can get a lot of use out of them, this one I use every day. I don’t have much experience with other GPS’s other than a friend’s TomTom but I can offer some insight from just a regular guy.

The TomTom was fun but when I did my research there were a few features that seemed better on this Garmin, most notably “free traffic” which I will discus in a minute.

Navigation
On the first day I took it out we went to my niece’s house. I had been there before but was not entirely familiar with the area. On the way there it took me exactly as I had gone before when I used MapQuest. On the way home it told me to drive northeast about 1.1 miles to catch a different highway when I was actually trying to go southeast. Needless to say I ignored the advice. After about five minutes it was clear that I should have listened and my wife and son made some unwarranted comments about how I always think I know better. Forty-five minutes later, rather than twenty-five, we pulled into the driveway and the abuse came to an end. If you get a GPS, keep an open mind about where it tells you to go.

It seems like the Tom-Tom was a little more intuitive about addresses when I was keying them in but the Garmin was easy enough. It helps to know the city you are going to.

The screen on the map has tons of information including speed limit signs and I love the speed limit signs.

Free Traffic
I had to go to my uncle’s funeral in some podunk Missouri town. The navigation on the way there was perfect and it took me right to the Funeral Home. On the way home there was one of those rainstorms where you know you should pull off but visibility was so low the next guy would probably just run into the back of you. So it is white knuckle time and about 20 minutes into it the traffic icon changes and shows a one minute delay. About a minute later a little blip shows up on the road ahead of me. As I got closer to the symbol the road went down to one lane and as I cleared the crest of the hill there was a Police car on the shoulder and a car that had slid off the road. It was nice to get the heads up given the road conditions and surprising because I was almost an hour and a half away from St. Louis.

In daily conditions I can’t say there is anything too surprising. So far it is just heavy traffic in all the usual places and the unit always shows a delay of some type when I go back and forth to work. I will say it is nice to get an ETA based on the traffic delays.

TTS/Sound
Text-to-Speech is good; the words can be a little strange when you use some of the different dialects. Sound for directions is plenty good. I only have it at sixty percent because after that it interferes with my music. If you need to hear the directions you are going to have to turn the music down a little anyway.

Bluetooth
I didn’t really have high expectations for Bluetooth. I already own a Jabra that sits on my visor. The Bluetooth on the Garmin is actually better than the Jabra but sound is still a little too weak for a phone. This feature was about a good as I would have expected.

Overall this was well worth the $250 I paid for it. The traffic was the dealmaker for me and the ads are not an issue at all. They only take up a incredibly small portion of the screen and just go away on their own.

Screen Size

Both nuvi 265WT and nuvi 760 has 4.3-inch wide screen of 3.81 X 2.25.

Included Maps

Both come with North America maps

Text-to-Speech

Both models are capable

Traffic Alert

nuvi 265WT: Integrated FM receiver with lifetime traffic - free; MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver) - paid subscription

nuvi 760: Integrated FM receiver - paid subscription; MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver) - paid subscription

Bluetooth

Both capable

Media

nuvi 265WT: photos

nuvi 760: photos, MP3

3D Terrain Maps & Photo Navigation

nuvi 265WT: Yes

nuvi 760: No

FM Transmitter (audio through car stereo system)

nuvi 265WT: No

nuvi 760: Yes

Multi-point Routing

nuvi 265WT: No

nuvi 760: Yes

Battery Life

nuvi 265WT: up to 4 hours

nuvi 760: up to 5 hours

GPS like Garmin’s nuvi 265 WT makes travel much easier and more enjoyable. Here are some tips on how to make the most out of the GPS device.

Tips On Traveling With A Gps

This entire high tech all around us are claiming easy learning curves. But there’s really no reason why the family needs to find itself stuck in a strange territory just because there was no one to ask which the correct way was. Neither is it sensible wasting precious family time stuck in slow traffic just because there was no way of knowing this freeway is clogged. Car GPS are a fascinating work of years of research for in-car use; naturally, it’s just as practical and valuable too when on used by travelers on foot. GPS devices are something to count on especially when laying out plans for a trip, and there is no difference whether what you have in mind is a cross-country trek or a hopscotch tour of your routine stops.

But car GPS is really capable of getting you from point A to point B with least possible hassle, it also spruces up your holiday, helping you to think of more important things and letting it find for you the best, say, restaurants, or how best to get to somebody’s place and still being able to gas up along the way.

Check out these car GPS travel tips to enable you to have the most out of the holiday season and skirt the travel blues.

1. If you think you will end up counting a lot on your car GPS unit, take time to tutor yourself how to use it before needing it. Take out the sedate technical booklets, and get comfy knowing what way points are (these are like the electronic ‘dots’ on the map that you have to ‘connect’ in order to get from your starting place to another). This measure of prudence will surely shave away tense moments on the road and prevent you from making horrible mistakes like loading incorrect information into an otherwise intelligent device.

2. Check that there are maps in your car GPS before stepping on the gas. Why not browse through them and test them just to double check? Are you also knowledgeable about the route calculation configuration of your gadget? You ought to be able to answer yes.

3. Power is an issue that cannot be underestimated. All GPS models require recharging from time to time. Ensure that you got extra batteries for the duration of the trip or have packed a universal adapter in your belongings. Battery life of GPS devices vary, and the best way to allow no loopholes is to get yourself a cigarette lighter charger.

4. Almost everybody knows the various dangers invited by a car GPS left hanging on the windshield in a hot car (or even if its just a mount, for states that allow people to do so) for long periods of time. If the heat doesn’t destroy it, thieves may still get to it. Avoid making this a habit as soon as possible.

5. Most car navigation systems have a massive POI database on restaurants along your major highway. Pick the cuisine you are after and your car GPS will show results by degree of proximity. Screen out those that are not part of your route and the next time, your forward seeking food radar will refresh faster.

6. Some car GPS devices also double as some sort of Lonely Planet travel guide, containing some helpful travel advice which may prove to be the crucial advice you need when dealing with the locals, or trying to find out the right way to drive in that place. Stay sharp with your car GPS!

By: Lei San

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

www.e-gpsdevices.com/

New – Improved Interface

The new user interface on the nuvi265wt is really a great example of how Garmin makes extremely complex technology easy to use for anyone right out of the box.

Enter or search for destinations and get data about your trip are easily done by simple controls and sub-screens. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nuvi takes you there with turn-by-turn voice directions, 2-D or 3-D maps and smooth map updates as you navigate.

With the nuvi 265WT, Garmin has redesigned its interface to include much more useful information.

Old Interface

New Interface

New – HotFix™ – aka: Satellite Ephemeris Data Prediction

In order to determine its position, the GPS device locks onto transmissions from a dedicated network of Satellites. Until the device gets a “lock” on three satellites, it can’t effectively navigate, so decreasing the time it takes for your device to get “satellite lock” is always a goal of GPS manufacturers.

With Garmin’s new HotFix technology, your Garmin GPS remembers the position of all satellites it is tracking when you turn it off, and calculates their movements in order to predict where they should be the next time you turn it on. This gives the device an idea of where it should look for satellites, and dramatically decreases the time it takes for your nuvi 265wt to get its position and start navigating. HotFix can predict satellite positions for up to 3 days after the device was last turned off.

New – Navigate by Photo

Using Garmin’s unique Web site — Garmin Connect Photos — users can choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google’s Panoramio photo sharing community and download them to the nuvi for a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide.

• Choose from Panoramio’s collection of photos from around the world.
• Transfer photos directly from Garmin Connect to device with the Garmin Communicator.
• Easy to use interface displays photos on Google Maps.
• Search for photos by location name or map area boundary.
• View photos in Google Earth.
• Supports Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 2+, Safari 3+ on Windows and Mac.

New – 3D Terrain Maps

With nuvi265WT 3D Terrain Maps feature, shaded relief terrain maps show you when to expect hills, mountains, forests and other natural features. Topographic terrain maps are viewable when using the 2D “birds-eye” view.

New – Send Addresses Directly from Google Maps or Mapquest

Wanting to try out a new restaurant, or setting off on a road trip to locate the best toffee apples on the east coast? Now, it’s easy to search for locations on Google Maps or Mapquest, then transfer the addresses directly to your Garmin GPS navigator.

1. Hook up your Garmin to the computer via it’s USB port
2. Search for the location you want
3. Click the Send link in the info window for the address. That will bring up a popup “Send to” form.
4. Pick GPS, then pick Garmin and hit the “Send” button.

The address will instantly transfer to your Garmin device, The point will be saved as one of your favorites, and you can navigate to it or view it on a map just like with any other favorite.

The process does require a small plugin, which you can get at Garmin’s website. You can send business addresses to your Garmin device from these countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.

Search for the location you want.

Pick “Send to GPS”.

Go!

At a glance, Garmin adds two sleek features to its nuvi 265WT from nuvi 200-series predecessors: 1. free real-time traffic updates from Navteq (for the life of the device) and 2. Bluetooth connectivity to your cell phone.

The 265WT provides complete maps for North America and the handy Text-to-Speech feature, so you get turn-by-turn spoken directions with the real names of streets (e.g. “turn left in 50 feet at Nebraska Way”, rather than merely “turn left in 50 feet”).

Like other nuvi 2×5 models, the nuvi265WT has the slim design that Garmin introduced with the nuvi 200-series last year, so they all fit comfortably in your pocket or purse. It also has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that makes them convenient for navigation by car or foot.

Other significant improvements in the 2×5 series include a predictive technology that provides faster satellite lock, a redesigned screen with more information, terrain maps, and an exciting new photo navigation feature.

All of the models include useful travel tools like a JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. The nuvi 265WT also offers a wide 4.3-inch (diagonal) screen that displays 70% more of the road around you.

The integrated FM receiver in nuvi265WT gives you free traffic update. This will alert you to take alternative route in case of traffic jams or road construction. You can also upgrade to paid subscription of Enhanced MSN Direct Traffic and Content. It does come with 3-month subscription. After that it’s $49.95/year or $129.95 for a lifetime subscription.

Click here to see all the new features of nuvi 265WT.

You can read the full specs here.

Don’t pay more than you have to. Use this site to research the new nuvi 265WT, read the reviews, and compare prices from over 60 retailers.