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Garmin nüvi 780 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
Price: $349.99
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days |
| GPS Navigator Preloaded w/City Navigator North America NT |
| 4.3 in Diagonal Touchscreen Display with 2D/3D Mapping Perspective |
| Turn by Turn Directions with Voice Guidance/ Text to Speech Feature |
| Includes MSN Direct Receiver with Version 2 |
| 1.8 Lbs (WxLxH) 0.8" x 4.8" x 2.8" |
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Accessories
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Customers Reviews
2009-01-02
Prompt to turn doesn't come until after you have turned
The prompts are too late. I got the voice activated unit so it would tell me what street to turn on without having to be staring at the map. After I make the turn, it says turn right on xxxx. Great, I already knew that. Imagine if I didn't know where I was going! I would always be missing the turns. I also found that it really doesn't notify you on the highway,verbally that is, with much time to change lanes. If you have to exit, it won't tell you until .5 miles away. Not enough time if there is traffic. I am disappointed. I paid a lot and hoped for a lot. I bought a Garmin because they are best in the industry. Not this time. At least my basic Magellan gets me there without me missing turns. It doesn't announce street names but will say the turn is coming in 2 miles and then again in 1.1 and .5 miles and will ding. If anyone knows of a unit that will verbally tell you when to turn timely, I would love to know. I didn't get to use the other features, but was really looking forward to them.
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2008-12-29
Very good product.
The screen size is excellent to see it at a distance that does not interfere with driving. I think a great buy and a good price. Hands-free communication to manage, I have been very useful. The voice is clear communication through the FM audio system in my car.
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2008-12-28
Great Features for a Price
I have been in the market for a portable GPS system for several months. After researching the various brands, I decided to go with garmin over tom-tom or magellan. Garmin was recommended by every single sales associate I spoke with, and by most online reviewers. The garmin nuvi 780 is simple to use, and has a ton of features.
CONS-
-Sometimes difficult to navigate. Most options are difficult to navigate. The lack of a "home" or "main menu" button means you'll be hitting "back" an awful lot.
-No protective case. I bought mine on clearance at Circuit City for $260. Even so, for that kind of money, I would expect a carry case of some sort.
-No instruction manual included. Garmin doesn't include manuals, and it was difficult to find one from their website. Nevertheless, I still don't know how much internal memory the 780 has, or how large of SD cards it accepts.
-MSN service does not include my area. I can load and update MSN information, but I am stuck with either Milwaukee, WI or Chicago, IL. I live between the two and rarely go to either. I just wish they had more zip code options for weather and traffic.
-PROS-
-Bluetooth ready, right out of the box. The 780 easily detects my LG Rumor phone, links my contacts, and tracks incoming/outgoing/missed calls.
-Large easy to read screen with extremely clear voice prompts.
-Very intuitive controls.
-the ability to go to MSN maps and send waypoints to your GPS device is going to revolutionize yard sale day! We are able to put dozens of addresses into the nuvi 780 (via MSN Direct), and the nuvi 780 will plot the most efficient route.
-Price. At $260 on clearance at Circuit City, the nuvi 780 was much cheaper than even the Garmin Nuvi 265WT (the other model I was considering).
-Bright screen is not distracting during night driving, but is also bright enough to see clearly during the day.
Honestly, there are so many pros, it would be difficult to list them all here. Botom line: the Garmin Nuvi 780 is a great portable GPS unit with oodles of features and will not break the bank. I would certainly buy this again if I had to start all over.
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2008-12-19
Very good but not perfect
I'm a long time user of GPS devices, both hand held and vehicular. I bought this device to replace a Garmin c550 which, alas, was stolen from my car.
The 780 is much thinner and lighter than the 550 and, presumably, therefore less inclined to fall from the windshield just when you need it most. Tip: If you have trouble with your suction cup falling off after a few days, pop a hard candy into your mouth, suck on it for a bit, then lick the cup and stick it on. This may sound a bit unhygienic but the sugar mixed with saliva makes a great bond with the glass.
The pressures of marketing have motivated manufacturers to load gps routefinders with all sorts of stuff that I suspect few use. For example, in a time when most all new cars come with relatively good sound systems, how many people will use their gps as an mp3 player or am image viewer? Or rely on it as a currency convertor or a calculator? I dunno, maybe people use those all the time. In any case, those and more are all available.
To my surprise, the routefinding engine in the 780 seems slower than the 550, as are the map redraws, even at modest complexity settings. Not slow enough to be bothersome but noticeable by comparison. Unlike another reviewer, I have not found it to recommend inappropriate routes although none of the systems is smart enough to accurately anticipate traffic conditions and thus may put you on an interstate as the "fastest" route and leave you stuck in slow-moving traffic for long periods.
Speaking of traffic, I'm underwhelmed by MSN Direct with regard to either the timeliness or accuracy of traffic condition reporting. Too often a snarl or an accident has just occurred and MSN hasn't reported it yet or a problem that MSN does report has already been cleared. The other MSN functions work reasonably well, so far as I can tell.
I don't fault Garmin for either the map or traffic issues which, I think, simply reflect the limited state of the art.
The 2009 NavTech map set is quite complete, even in a rapidly growing urban area like mine. I find, however, that it has a few errors. For example, it thinks my home is four houses down from its actual location, a problem I never noticed with earlier units.
As to physical features, the build quality is excellent and the mount represents a real improvement over the 6xx series. Some have commented about inadequate speaker volume but this hasn't been an issue for me, even though I have some hearing loss and drive a performance car with a fair bit of engine noise.
As always with Garmin, the GUI is clear, direct, obvious, and intuitive. I haven't had to glance at the user's manual a single time. Screen brightness is superior to the 2xx series.
The SiRF Star III chipset and antenna implementation is excellent. Acquisition times are much faster than in the 550 and I have never lost signal, even momentarily, in the canyons of Manhattan.
To summarize...
PROS:
Wider screen is definitely worth the money if situational awareness is important to you.
Maps are highly detailed and up to date.
Screen resolution, color, intensity, and readability are top notch.
Menus are simple and obvious.
Build quality for both the unit and the mount is excellent.
Routing is accurate and appropriate within the limits of the technology.
Satellite acquisition is fast and reception is first rate.
"Where am I" is convenient and could be life saving.
Bluetooth pairs effortlessly, works perfectly, and has excellent sound in both directions.
Device is loaded with extras (this may be a con, depending on your POV)
CONS:
Routefinding and screen redraws are slower than earlier models.
NavTec maps contain some location errors not found in earlier releases.
Device is junked up with extras (this may be a pro, depending on your POV)
MSN Direct is only marginally helpful with traffic but has other features that may be of interest to some.
FM transmitter is essentially useless in an urban setting.
Rarely, voice prompts are a little slow.
In short, an excellent product that, with just a few tweaks, would be superb. Well worth the cash if bought at a deep discount.
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2008-12-16
49ers
What's great about it: Easy to use and clear bluetooth reception
What's not so great: FM power on battery is dismal
"I have owned this unit (Garmin nüvi 780) for a couple of days and have managed to test just about every feature. For the price, it is an outstanding GPS unit though there are some annoyances. I have found that the FM transmitter does not supply enough power on the battery unless the unit is right on the radio. My solution was to keep it plugged into the vehicle power but it still needs to be within 18 inches or so of the radio. The Bluetooth is clear, from what I've been told on the other end, and easy to set up with my cell. MSN Direct is a nice feature though it's not available in all areas."
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Product Details
Batteries Included: 1
Binding: Electronics
Brand: Garmin
Color:
EAN: 0053759077076
Floppy Disk Drive Description:
Has Red Eye Reduction:
Is Autographed:
Is Memorabilia: 0
Label: Garmin
Legal Disclaimer:
Manufacturer: Garmin
Model: Nuvi 780
Publisher: Garmin
Release Date:
Special Features:
Studio: Garmin
System Memory Size: |
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