0ur opinion:

:
More maps and wide ? there's simply more to see with nüvi 770. This personal travel assistant is packed with preloaded maps for North America and Europe, not to mention advanced navigation features, a widescreen display, an FM transmitter, hands-free calling, traffic alerts and more. Like the rest of the wide nüvi 700-series, its premium navigation capabilities, like route planning and a h Save up to 10 routes, and specify via points and preview simulated turns on the 4.3 widescreen, or enter your via points and let the nuvi 750 automatically sort multiple destinations for an efficient route Hands free calling with Bluetooth phones A trip log of up to 10,000 points keeps a record of where you've been on the map for easy reference Speed limits for all major highways and interstates A high-sensitivity internal (non flip-up) antenna keeps the unit sleek and compact while the rechargeable lithium-ion battery allows you to use the unit in and out of the car for up to 5 hours MP3 playback with Audiobook player (subscription to Audible.com required), JPEG picture viewer, and currency converters Built-in FM transmitter allows you to listen to your music, audio books, and gps voice prompts through your car's stereo] Route avoidance (avoid highways, tolls, etc.), Route setup (choice of faster time, shorter distance, off-road), Auto re-route (fast auto-recalculation when you take a wrong turn or want to avoid traffic), and Custom P0ls (ability to add additional points of interest) FM traffic alerts (3 months of service included) lnterfaces - USB, Audio line-out (headphone) Unit Dimensions - 4.8w x 3h x. 8d Weight - 6.2 oz

-- January 8, 2008:
The nüvi 770 adds European maps to the multi-destination routing and, 'Where am l?/Where's my car?' features the entire 700 series brings to Garmin's popular pocket-sized GPS navigator lineup. As with all nüvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of an integrated high-sensitivity receiver, a slim, pocket-sized design with a gorgeous display, an easy, intuitive interface, and detailed NAVTEQ maps for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico with more than 6 million name-searchable points of interest. All of the 700-series navigators also feature a rich array of features including spoken directions in real street names, MP3 player and photo viewer, and an FM transmitter that will play voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle's stereo system. The nüvi 760 and 770 add integrated traffic receivers and Bluetooth capability for hands-free calling. The nüvi 770 adds maps for Europe. The nüvi 780 adds enhanced MSN direct content capability.

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

Garmin's nüvis pack top of the line features into a slim form factor.

Wider screen lets you see more of what's around. Compare these actual size views of a 3-inch (diagonal) screen and a 4.3-inch diagonal widescreen

New Features -- Where Am l? Where's My Car?
The nüvi 700 series is the first to answer two common questions: 'Where am l?' and 'Where’s my car?'




At any time, with a single tap of the screen, drivers can display their exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and gas stations. And to help drivers find their car in an unfamiliar spot or vast parking lot, all nüvi 700s automatically mark the position in which they were last removed from the mount.

New Features -- Multi-Destination Routing
This lets you enter several spots into the device (day care - supermarket-cleaners - office - day care, for example) and it will plot the fastest route. And once you've found the best router, the 'Route Planning' feature lets you save up to 10 different routes, Garmin touts the feature for providing, 'the most efficient route for errands, deliveries and sales calls.' The feature also makes this an instant essential accessory for anyone who shops garage sales (you know what we're talking about).

A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you've been on the map.

See Better, See More
The super-bright, 4.3-inch (diagonal) touchscreen display gives is anti-glare for ease of viewing during the day and automatically changes its color profile for easy viewing at night or in dim light. lt offers 2d or 3D perspective views.

The widescreen format gives you 70% more actual screen area than a 3.5-inch screen. Primarily this translates into a better view of the area through which you are driving. This is especially useful in showing you what parks, restaurants, ATM, gas stations, etc. are nearby, or in letting you know whether a detour is a good idea. Also, the device itself is larger, meaning controls on the screen are more widely spaced and somewhat easier to push.


First Rate Map Data
All nüvi 700s come preloaded with highly detailed City Navigator NT road maps for the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. This map database features nearly six million points of interest (P0ls), including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions. Garmin gets its map data from NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping.


lmportant note about map updates: Due to our high volume of sales, almost every Garmin portable GPS navigator sold by will come with the most recent map version. lf you ever need a map update, you can get one from Garmin at http://www8.garmin.com/unlock/update.jsp. You will need to have your device's serial number ready.


Hands-Free Calling
ln more and more places, it is becoming illegal to use cell phones while driving without a hands-free kit. Wlth Bluetooth capability, microphone and speaker, you can match your nüvi to any bluetooth-capable phone to make hands-free mobile phone calls. Simply dial the phone number with the nüvi's touch screen keypad to make a call on a compatible phone. To answer an incoming call, just tap the screen and speak into the built-in microphone. Making and taking calls on the road has never been easier, or safer. ln addition, Garmin makes it a breeze to look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or even tap into your cell phone's call history log.

lntegrated FM Traffic Receiver

Steer clear of traffic with an integrated FM traffic receiver designed to receive alerts from TMC Clear Channel about traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. All you have to do is simply touch the screen to view traffic details and you'll be ready to detour around any problem area. And if you end up missing a turn, or you're forced into a detour that is not relayed through the traffic receiver, the nüvi's sophisticated automatic routing will get you back on track in no time. ln most areas, TMC Clear Channel traffic broadcasts are continuous — there's no waiting for scheduled traffic news updates or random alerts. Because traffic broadcasts are received via a 'silent' FM data channel, you can still listen to music or news programming on your car radio without interference from incoming FM traffic data transmissions. A 3-month subscription to TMC Clear Channel's Total Traffic Network is included with purchase of this device. For more information on subscription fees, coverage in individual cities, and traffic data networks in the United Kingdom and Europe, check the Garmin website.

Garmin Lock
Garmin's patent pending theft prevention system that disables the unit from performing any functions until the user types in a specific 4-digit PlN or takes the unit to a predetermined secure location


Easy To Use lnterface
Garmin's interface is a key to their success and one of the things that makes their devices such a pleasure to use. Simple controls and sub-screens make it easy to enter or search for destinations and get data about your trip.


Beyond Navigation

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

A handy MP3 player lets you play songs stored on SD memory cards.

nüvi 250W accepts custom points of interest (P0ls). View larger.

Navigation is just the beginning. All nüvi 700s feature travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, MP3 player, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more.




They are also compatible with optional content plug-ins available via SD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide provide detailed data for attractions and information on nearby merchants offering discounts, so you can customize your nüvi for all your travel needs.




Garmin has also added the ability for customers to add custom points of interest (P0l’s) from third parties such as school zones and safety cameras.

Trick Your GPS Ride

Custom vehicle icons let you ride in style, at least inside your GPS. See more icon options

All nüvis support configurable vehicle icons. These fun, customized car-shaped icons come in a variety of colors to add a personal touch to your vehicle's position on the map.

What's in the Box
nüvi 770, Preloaded City Navigator NT for North America and Europe, FM traffic receiver with vehicle power cable, 3-month subscription to TMC real-time traffic services, Vehicle suction cup mount, Dashboard disc, USB cable, Quick start manual


Notes

• The FM transmitter feature is only available in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
• Like most USB Mass Storage Devices, the nüvi is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me.

Which nüvi is Best for You?
Note: All nüvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.

	Screen Size inches (w x h)	lncluded Maps			Text-to-Speech (Directions in Real Street Names)	Traffic	Bluetooth	Media	FM Transmitter (audio through car stereo system)	Multi- Point Routing	Battery life (hours)
		Cont. U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico	AK and Canada	Europe
nüvi 200	2.8 x 2.1							Photos			up to 5
nüvi 200w	3.81 x 2.25							Photos			up to 5
nüvi 250	2.8 x 2.1							Photos			up to 5
nüvi 250w	3.81 x 2.25							Photos			up to 5
nüvi 260	2.8 x 2.1							Photos			up to 5
nüvi 260w	3.81 x 2.25							Photos			up to 5
nüvi 270	2.8 x 2.1							Photos			up to 5
nüvi 350	2.8 x 2.1					FM (with opt. receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 8
nüvi 360	2.8 x 2.1					FM (with opt. receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 8
nüvi 370	2.8 x 2.1					FM (receiver included)		Photos, MP3s			up to 8
nüvi 650	3.81 x 2.25					FM (with opt. receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 7
nüvi 660	3.81 x 2.25					FM (receiver included)		Photos, MP3s			up to 7
nüvi 670	3.81 x 2.25					FM (receiver included)		Photos, MP3s			up to 7
nüvi 680	3.81 x 2.25					MSN (receiver included; 1-year free); FM (with opt. receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 7
nüvi 750	3.81 x 2.25					FM (with opt. receiver); MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 5
nüvi 760	3.81 x 2.25					FM (receiver included); MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 5
nüvi 770	3.81 x 2.25					FM (receiver included); MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 5
nüvi 780	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (receiver inc.; 3 months free) receiver); FM (with opt. receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 5
nüvi 850	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with opt. receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 4
nüvi 880	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (receiver inc.; 3 months free); FM (with opt. receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 4
nüvi 5000	4.5 x 2.7					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with opt. receiver)					external battery only

Piece Availability: Usually ships in 2 to 3 days

---

---

Testimonials

Average Buyer Rating:

Buyer's feedback: - * Loaded with features and very easy to use ...
I am new to GPS world.

Wife needs it as a realtor and bought one for brother as a gift who is in Europe at the moment (Will get the scoop from him on how easy it is to use in Europe). I did an extensive research on the net before settling on GARMIN. Other review are right on! This unit is GREAT!

This unit is easy to use out of the box; all interface screens are Self explainatory. Do get a car charger and a wall charger, the unit does not come with any chargers. In GPS mode, it drains juice fast.

This a fantastic little tool that is packed with features; I am still finding new wonderful things about it as we type out this review.

If you don't need European maps, Nuvi 760 is a cheaper alternative with all of feature of Nuvi 770.

Strongly recommended.

---

Buyer's feedback: - God, but not great
I'll make this short and sweet:

Pros
*Big screen
*Good display
*Decent menus
*Packed with options (FM tansmitter, bluetooth, MP3 player)

Cons
*I'm not convinced it really knows the shortest route, it's taken me some longer routes (time-wise) than I would've expected
*Condenser mic for bluetooth usage is terrible
*Longer than expected start-up time
*Traffic service isn't all that accurate and does little other than tell you how much time to expect to waste in the traffic/construction zone
*Built in speaker not bad in quiet environment, but easily drowned out in even moderately noisy vehicle (I have a Wrangler, which can get loud at highway speed)
*Must use headphone jack in unit, there is none in the mounting base (this just makes hooking it up to your stereo in your car more of a pain every time you put it in/out of your car)

---

Buyer's feedback: - * Navigator ...
I wasn't a believer in products like this but now I am telling everyone to buy one. If anyone does any motor traveling at all this product is a must. It not only takes you in the most efficient and direct direction to your destination but it tell you so much more.

---

Buyer's feedback: - Great GPS Unit
I bought this GPS because I am moving to a new city and did not want to print maps during the first few months I am there. I was reluctant at first because of many negative reviews here that touch on most key features of the 770 as not working properly, or at all.

I am glad I gave nuvi 770 a try. I have been testing this unit for about a week now both in-town and on highways and everything is working better than expected.

I did upgrade the firmware to the version 4.20 using Garmin's WebUpdater software without problems. Although, I have not seen problems prior to the update, many nuvi user forums discuss issues that firmware 4.20 allegedly addressed.

My units starts up and is ready to go in about 20 seconds. Although, it takes another 10 seconds if one loads European maps also (I have this disabled). The satelite signal strength is displayed in upper left corner of the screen using familiar "cell phone" bar graph. More details on satelite signal (including current accuracy in feet) can be obtained by pressing and holding the signal bar graph for a few seconds. The accuracy of my unit with 4 out of 5 bars is typically around 20-30 feet.

Once the unit is up, the user is greeted with a "Where to" and "View Map" buttons. The "Where to" button will take you to another screen where you can select address, point of interest (shopping, etc), set of coordinates, intersections, recently found, favorites, etc. User can also browse the map (and pick destinations with an arrow pointer). The interface was very intuitive to me even though I have never used GPS before. The address is entered by specifying the city first, then house number (can be skipped), and street name. The unit automatically selects a state in which you are in, but that can also be changed by selecting "another location" instead of city first. After that a Go button appears and you are on your way.

Once in the navigation mode you can touch the car icon to bring up "where am i" feature which allows you to find a list of closest police stations, hospitals, or gas stations, or save your current location to favorites. Touch the speed indicator/ETA at the lower left corner to get compass, current speed, and other trip details like moving average, etc. To get an overview of the route touch the green bar across the top of the screen. To get turn by turn overview touch the lower right corner.

The additional nice feature of the 770 is the speed limit display which worked for me in most city streets and all highways. This appears as a speed limit sign on the left side of the display. In areas where the FM traffic signal is available and your route includes a delay, the 770 will display the yellow warning sign on the right of the screen with the time delay in the middle. Touching on this sign activates another screen with detour options. I was "lucky" to test the FM traffic during Sacramento rush hour and it worked well, the unit displayed the warning sign indicating estimated delay ahead.

Another nice feature is routes. One can select multiple way points on the way to the destination and order them however appropriate. Some people mention inconvenient automatic sorting, but on my unit I decide the order of way points by moving them up or down in a list. One can also create routes between points that do not include a current location. This is nice since it allows a user to preprogram and save routes in anticipation of traveling to some location.

The units speaks the street names and has a decent speaker. I have no problem hearing it in my fairly loud compact car. The audio out jack is available for use with headsets. The unit also has a FM transmitter for use with a car radio. This worked very well for me, ONLY when I was able to find an FM station in the low frequency range that was pure static. This is consistent with what the manual describes. The unit also has an mp3 and ogg vorbis player and a audio book player. The audio quality is significantly better when using a headset or the FM transmitter with car radio than with the built-in speaker.

Some of the fluff includes a jpeg viewer, calculator, currency converter, unit converter (e.g. mph to kph), dictionary (only a sample included), world clock.

I have not tested the bluethooth feature yet.

I have not had any trouble that others are talking about with respect to locking maps, etc. Everything just works and is very intuitive (to me).

---

Buyer's feedback: - * Garmin 770 ...
So far so good. Have not gone to Europe yet to check that out. Only problem on my Magellen you had a button to repeat the voice instruction. I don't see how you can do that with this unit.