bit-tech Shopping: Garmin Nuvi 660 GPS

• Audio - Line Out (1/8" Mini)
• Bluetooth
• USB

• Carrying Case
• Charger
• Software
• USB Cable

• 3D Map View
• Audible Alarms
• Avoid Area Routing
• backlit display
• Built-In MP3 Player
• Cellular Hands-Free Speakerphone
• compass
• Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)
• FM Transmitter
• Odometer
• Picture Viewer
• Real-Time Traffic Information (TMC)
• Route Planning with Re-Routing
• speakers
• speedometer
• Touchscreen
• turn by turn navigation
• voice guidance
• WAAS Enabled

• Internal
• Secure Digital

Rating: 10

Time with product:

Strengths: Text-to-speach, bluetooth integration, FM transmitter and quick start-up.

Weaknesses: Traffic Monitor is free for the first 3 months.

Summary: This is the best navigation GPS out there. Quick start start-up time, good receiption even from my home. I can connect my Nokia 8801 using the bluetooth. The option to transmit music to your FM radio is great! SD slot comes in handy if you need some extra space.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 1 Months

Strengths: Very accurate, seems solidly built

Weaknesses: FM transmission can be problematic especially in larger cities where in one part the FM band may not be used and few miles down the road it is. Downloading doesn't seem clear from their website.

Summary: FM transmission could be better or a cable into the radio would solve that problem.Wish it would take the fastest route not the one that is always North, South, etc from where you are.Accessories seem pricey.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: good maps, fm tranmitter to radio, stand alone audio, veryaccurate

Weaknesses: stand alone audio quality, mp3 files awkward to play, screen brightness in high light environment

Summary: Used this unit extensively on a trip to Colorado from So. Ca.and back. Generally, it performed excellently. The car wasan '07 Magnum and the suction cup mount was a bit of a problem since it was hard to reach the unit due to the extreme slope of the windshield. The fm transmitter was useful but we had to keep changing the receiving station as we traveled due to interference.The unit is pretty pricey, especially for vacation only use, but I beleive it is one of the best units available.We had no problem locking on to the sats so the unit appears to be plenty sensitive.If you sign up for the recommended audio books program probably you won't have the problems we had. We used onlyfree mp3 books available on the web and since we haven't figured out how to make playlists yet we had to manually select the chapters which was pretty painful.All in all, I highly recommend this unit.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: Big screen, voice navigation, automatically recalculates route, and most times it is quick to lock to satellites.

Weaknesses: Sometimes it gives strange routings. Sometimes, it doesn't lock to satellites and I will need to power cycle unit. Traffic info is not very accurate.

Summary: This is quite an upgrade to my old B&W magellan gps unit. It is a compact unit, but has a decent size screen. The volume level is good, but it had a hard time finding a clear FM signal in the Seattle area. Some of the streets and retail info is out of date. The bluetooth phone feature is average, although I do have an older Nokia phone. Traffic alerts is not very useful. Most of the time is just says slow traffic, and usually underestimates the time delay. My favorite feature is to locate nearby POIs. I just wish the database was more updated and accurate.This is an expensive unit, but it has lots of features. And I probably won't get lost anymore.

Rating: 4

Time with product: 3 Days

Strengths:

Weaknesses: Most streets unlabeled. Goofy colors on screen. Kept giving me late instructions.

Summary: I have been using Nav for 2 1/2 years now in my Acura. I expected to be helped by having the Nuvi 660 in my Thrifty rental car over the weekend in Monterey, CA. It constantly sent me the long way around and waited until too late to tell me to go left or right. Very interesting on 5 lane freeway! It took me to closed restaurants and asked me to drive on a bike path. I finally stopped at AAA and got a map. I wasn't lost again.