0ur opinion:

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The Garmin nüvi 360 GPS Navigator and Personal Travel Assistant is a GPS navigator, personal translator, multi-media entertainer and tour guide all wrapped into one. ln addition to all the advanced features of the Garmin nüvi 350 -- including automatic routing, turn-by-turn voice directions, an MP3 player and audio book player, JPEG picture viewer, and much more -- this pocket-sized personal travel assistant comes with hands-free Bluetooth wireless technology, making it the hands-down go-anywhere travel companion.

Which nüvi is Best for You?: Click here to see a quick, simple comparison of features for all Garmin nuvi GPS navigators

The nüvi 360 comes with hands-free bluetooth wireles technology. See side view.

Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer.

The device sports a handy MP3 player, letting you play songs stored on SD memory cards.

Make Hands-Free Calls
The nüvi 360 integrates wireless technology with a microphone and speaker that lets you make hands-free mobile phone calls using your compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone. Simply dial numbers with the nüvi's touch screen keypad to place a call, and to answer calls, just tap the screen and speak directly into its built-in microphone.



ln addition, you can easily look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or from your phone's call history log. Don't know the phone number for your destination? Simply find and dial it from nüvi's database of more than six million points of interest -- including hotels, restaurants, stores, and attractions.



Navigation and Entertainment with Ease
For starters, the nüvi 360 includes a high-sensitivity integrated GPS receiver that offers exceptional performance and reception. The unit's flip-up antenna includes an MCX-type connector for optional external GPS antenna connection. Preloaded software features maps of Europe or North America, and it includes automatic routing, 2D or 3D map perspective, turn-by-turn voice directions that speak street names, and a fingertip touch screen interface -- making navigation as easy as it gets.



But navigation is just the beginning. Like the nüvi 350, the nüvi 360 also includes many entertainment and travel tools including an MP3 player, audio book player, JPEG picture viewer, travel alarm, and currency converters.



The nüvi 360 features a bright, 2.8 x 2.1-inch TFT display with white backlight for easy readability. At 3.87 x 2.91 x 0.87-inches (WxHxD) and just 5.1 ounces, the unit is small enough to be placed on the dashboard with the included suction mount, or into your pocket for easy transportability. The unit also features Garmin Lock -- an advanced anti-theft feature that disables the unit from performing any functions until you type in a specific four-digit PlN or take the unit to a predetermined location. A built-in lithium ion battery will give you up to eight hours of power, and an included 12/24 volt adapter cable will let you run the navigator off your vehicle's power. An AC battery charger is also included.



A built-in Travel Kit that includes sample MP3s and audio books will get you started with entertainment, and with the unit's SD memory card expansion slot you can add optional software, such as language and travel guides. A USB port is also included for loading and updating data.



What's in the Box
Gamin nüvi 360, Preloaded City Navigator NT North America or Europe (full coverage), vehicle suction cup mount, AC charger, 12/24 volt adapter cable, dashboard disk, USB interface cable, carrying case, owner's manual, and quick reference guide.

Which nüvi is Best for You?

Screen Size inches (w x h)

lncluded Maps

P0ls

Directions in Real Street Names

Traffic

Bluetooth

Media

FM Transmitter (audio through car stereo system)

Multi- Point Routing

Cont. U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico

AK and Canada

Europe

capable

included

nüvi 200

2.8 x 2.1

6 million +

Photos

nüvi 200w

3.81 x 2.25

6 million +

Photos

nüvi 250

2.8 x 2.1

6 million +

Photos

nüvi 250w

3.81 x 2.25

6 million +

Photos

nüvi 260

2.8 x 2.1

6 million +

Photos

nüvi 270

2.8 x 2.1

6 million +

Photos

nüvi 350

2.8 x 2.1

6 million +

Photos, MP3s

nüvi 360

2.8 x 2.1

6 million +

Photos, MP3s

nüvi 370

2.8 x 2.1

6 million +

Photos, MP3s

nüvi 650

3.81 x 2.25

6 million +

Photos, MP3s

nüvi 660

3.81 x 2.25

6 million +

Photos, MP3s

nüvi 670

3.81 x 2.25

6 million +

Photos, MP3s

nüvi 680

3.81 x 2.25

6 million +

Photos, MP3s

nüvi 750

3.81 x 2.25

6 million +

Photos, MP3s

nüvi 760

3.81 x 2.25

6 million +

Photos, MP3s

nüvi 770

3.81 x 2.25

6 million +

Photos, MP3s

Piece Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

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Testimonials

Average Buyer Rating:

Buyer's feedback: - * Great GPS unit; clever mount has poor quality ...
I got the 360 based on experience with my wife's 660. I was going away on a stateside assignment in the military and quickly got tired of not knowing where I was going in the new state.

The 360 is basically the 660 but without widescreen or the traffic receiver, the latter of which you have to pay a subscription for and is only useful if you commute on major roadways. The 360 screen is the same height as the 660 screen, just narrower. I really don't find there to be any big advantage with the extra width and I kind of like that the unit is smaller when carrying it or shoving it in the glovebox. For the record my wife prefers the widescreen, but that's all she's ever used.

Enough glowing words have been written about both units that I won't heap on more, but I have to say that the Nuvi mounting system leaves a lot to be desired.

On my wife's 660 the mount broke at the cup part of the cup/ball attachment point within a few short weeks. In its defense, my wife is not terribly mechanically inclined and for a while thought that you had to detach the unit at this mechanism. (Actually there is a quite ingenious little tab you can see in the picture of the unit where your thumb pushes in the tab on the bottom while your other four fingers sit on the top and the unit slides right out of the mount, easy as pie.) Still, I don't think the ball joint should have broken so easily.

We chalked it up to her misunderstanding, but now I've had the 360 for barely a month and the mount (pretty much identical to the 660 mount as far as I can tell) broke in a spot where it definitely should not have. You can see in the picture that the suction cup and mounting arm articulate around a silver metal tab on either side of the suction cup. The part of the suction cup that the metal tab rides in cracked on both sides simultaneously from no more than average swiveling of the unit up and down to achieve the proper viewing angle as I installed it each time getting into the car.

Now I am researching buying a new mount. Disturbingly, I am finding numerous postings saying that the suction cup (of the replacement mounts, at least) has a bad tendency to weld to the glass in hot sun, never to come off without destroying the suction cup beyond any future use and leaving a good amount of rubber stuck to the window that requires extensive razor scraping to remove.

Not sure what I am going to do; go with a Garmin replacement suction mount, a Garmin beanbag mount, or an aftermarket version.

To recap, I am very happy with the 360 (and my wife's 660 for that matter) but I am very UNhappy with the mounts on either one.

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Buyer's feedback: - Garmin GPS 360 - Perfect GPS For Anyone!
I received my Garmin 360 GPS today. I had ordered it on Thursday so it turns out a four day wait on shipping, including the weekend. I am always amazed by Amazon's speeding shipping logistics.

On to the GPS unit....

This product is perfect for my price range (at the time, it was $214, initially selling for $1000 MSRP in 2006). The GPS has everything I am looking for as far as an addition to my vehicle.

Pros:
1) Blue tooth support with my Blackberry 8330
2) Ability to connect the GPS with one single auxiliary cord to my auxiliary input in my car
3) Lots of customizable settings so that it works for me
4) Upgradeable maps
5) Point of interest additions (Garmin, along with a nice google search can produce several sites and uploads for free)
6) Aesthetically pleasing
7) Text to speech (states the street name, not just the distance)


Cons:
1) I had to buy the auxiliary cable separately, but I had no problem doing so

I was deciding back and forth between the 3.5" or the 4.3". Let me tell you that this unit is so perfect with 3.5" that it is not worth the extra $100 or so. It really incorporates a good viewing and I can zoom in or out to my liking. I was able to tweak the settings without the use of the manual, as it is extremely user friendly. The manual that comes with the unit is very summarized, however it comes with a CD that has the full manual with every option for your reading enjoyment.

I recommend this GPS to anyone that is looking for a cost effective, yet top of the line GPS. Honestly, I don't have any reason to buy a GPS for more than this price.

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Buyer's feedback: - * Great gadget...would like written manual ...
My Garmin Nuvi works very well -- when I don't make stupid mistakes. I feel I would KNOW what to do if I had a well-written manual in the glove compartment (as a writer, I would be happy to take this assignment on!). The small "cheat sheet" is not detailed enough and the online information is not useful when you're speeding down a highway with a massive construction project under way.

My only objection to the unit is that in a metropolitan area, you have to be VERY careful to input the correct subub. A generic "Atlanta, Chicago or NY" will not work. However, I understand the same is true for all GPS devices.

I like the size and weight and convenience of my Garmin. It is large enough to easily view and small enough for my purse. The precise voice gives me instructions when I am approaching an upcoming turn.

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Buyer's feedback: - pretty much as expected
I got this after selling my couple year old PDA gpa that I never used. That thing had the annoying feature of every time the battery died, it unloaded ALL The maps you had loaded in thru the computer. completely beyond aggravation and didn't want to deal with it.

I had tried other garmin nuvis and found them easy to use and what I had expected from a GPS.I had the option to get it built in to my newer car, but with the rate of people breaking in and ripping them out of the dash, I felt more comfortable with a removeable one that I can also bring on journeys in other peoples cars.(or lend it to a person who has no idea where they're going).

I absolutely love that while you're out you can find the nearest target, sephora, grocery store. You can just look up a store by alphabetical order and most likely it'll have one in the system that will work for you. The text-to-speech was as expected and something specific I was looking for was that it said the actual street, not just "turn left if 50 feet". Now it says "turn left in 50 feet on Main Street". The only things I would change is certain things in needs to be more specific about. I sometimes find myself responding to it being like "well, it would have been nice if you had mentioned..." and right now I cant think of a specific incident, only that sometimes I could have used more of a "coming up, look, it's coming up!!" warning or detailed instruction. But heck, it's a machine that gives you directions, so it's pretty great. I also chose this model for the bluetooth feature. I'd never used it before on anything else, but I find it super that when my cell rings, the GPS rings. I don't have to fumble for my phone, I just hit "answer" or "ignore" on the GPS. People say it sounds like I'm in a tunnel when talking to them and that theres a bit of an echo, but for just quick hi, bye kinda things and no long conversations, its perfect. You shouldnt be talking while driving whether it's hands free or not.

I will also note that if you have an AUX jack on your radio(which I use for my IPOD) if you're really nervous about not knowing where you're going,you can plug it into the GPS and the sound comes thru your speakers, so you can control the loudness if you're really just like "I have no clue where I'm going, I want to concentrate on where I'm going and nothing else. GPS, speak to me". You obviously cant listen to the radio when it's like this, so it doesnt interject thru the radio or anything, its just silence when the gps is not speaking.(if you want it to interject, I think thats a feature on the more expensive models that it goes thru your speakers all the time).

I think it has anything you could really need for mild-to-moderate use, not exactly sure what the more expensive models hold, but this one seems to cover a bit of everything without paying an extremely expensive price.
Great little GPS, I'd definitely buy it again.

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Buyer's feedback: - * Does everything it's supposed to do. ...
It is very intuitive to use. I love the text to speech function. It reads out the name of the street instead of just giving the distance before a turn. A very useful feature! My samsung A507 cell phone has no trouble syncing with this bluetooth device. It has a more than adequate volume level. The language translator is basic but good. I have not used the mp3 player function. Displaying jpegs via sd card slot was good as well if a touch slow (just nitpicking). I highly recommend this product!