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Garmin nüvi 885/885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition
 
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Garmin nüvi 885/885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition

Other products by Garmin
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (193 customer reviews) More about this product

In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Beach Camera.
10 new from $251.99 2 used from $310.99 6 refurbished from $220.00
Check out the great value on the nüvi 285WT at Amazon.com
Check Out the nüvi 285WT Garmin's nüvi 285WT offers a great feature set, including Bluetooth and text-to-speech, for just $119.99.
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Garmin nüvi 885/885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition + Garmin Portable Friction Mount + Garmin 4.3-Inch Carrying Case
Total List Price: $659.97
Price For All Three: $285.47

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Technical Details

  • Sleek, ultra-slim design fits in a pocket; High-sensitivity GPS receiver for fast satellite lock
  • Pre-loaded with City Navigator NT maps for North America, including more than 6 million points of interest
  • Speech recognition allow you to speak menu options and keep your eyes on the road; Bluetooth-ready for hands-free use of compatible phones
  • Features text to speech for spoken directions with real street names, MP3 player, photo viewer, multi-destination routing, "Where am I?" and "Where's my car?"
  • NOTE: Model number on the box is 885T because the traffic receiver is included; however, the model number on the device itself is 885 as the "T" in 885T refers to the additional component
  • Visit Garmin.com to get the latest firmware updates for your nüvi to keep it current and performing at its best.
  See more technical details

Product Details

User's Guide [1.79mb PDF]
  • Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 6.4 x 3.3 inches ; 1.3 pounds
  • Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
  • ASIN: B001N2MUD4
  • Item model number: 010-00577-30
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (193 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #294 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)

    Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

    #24 in  Electronics > Car Electronics > Vehicle GPS > Portable Vehicle GPS
    #47 in  Electronics > GPS & Navigation
  • Date first available at Amazon.com: January 8, 2009

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

rom the ManufacturerGarmin International's nüvi 885T is a GPS navigator and personal travel assistant featuring voice-activated navigation and lane assist with junction view. Navigate with confidence while nüvi directs you to the preferred lane while driving. Also, see realistic images of upcoming junctions where available.

This advanced model feature voice-activated navigation and lane assist with junction view. Click to enlarge.

nüvi 885T builds upon the features of the 855 by adding dynamic content from MSN Direct. You'll benefit from traffic updates, flight status, advanced weather (now includes Doppler radar), gas prices, enhanced movie listings, stock info, news, local events and send to GPS feature for trip planning (9-month trial subscription included). Also, take advantage of hands-free calling when paired with a compatible Bluetooth phone.

The nüvi 885T offers full coverage mapping for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The preloaded map data features nearly six million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs and attractions. The map data is provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping.

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

Lane assist guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. Click to enlarge.

Junction View gives you a photo-realistic screen that shows you both the road detail as well as the signs as you will see them on the road. Click to enlarge.

Speak commands and get on-demand travel info from MSN Direct with nüvi 885T. This widescreen navigator features voice-activated navigation, preloaded maps, hands-free calling and an FM transmitter--plus real-time local weather, traffic, movie times, gas prices, stock information, local news and events. Like the rest of the wide nüvi 800-series, you can navigate with your voice for on-the-go convenience.

Speak Commands
nüvi 885T not only tells you where to turn but listens to your spoken commands. With nüvi's innovative speech recognition, you safely control nüvi's interface with your voice--allowing you to keep both hands on the wheel. Simply press the button on the remote (which attaches to the steering wheel) to activate speech recognition and begin speaking menu options. nüvi even recognizes shortcut phrases for popular functions. Tell nüvi "Find Address" and speak an address to start navigating.

Get Enhanced MSN Direct
With next-generation dynamic content from MSN Direct, nüvi 885T is one resourceful personal travel assistant. Using the included receiver and free trial service to MSN Direct, you can check the weather, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, get enhanced movie listings, stock information, news and local events when you travel with your unit. Even plan trips from the convenience of your computer, via Windows Live Local, and wirelessly send locations to nüvi 885T.

  • Free 9 month trial subscription to MSN Direct services, activation instructions provided
  • MSN Direct Traffic Receiver included in the box
  • Extended MSN Direct service subscriptions available for purchase: 12 months for $49.95 + tax (visit MSN for further details)
Notice: MSN Direct service will be available only until January 1, 2012. Activate a subscription between November 19, 2009, and March 31, 2010, and receive 9 months of MSN Direct service for free.

See More
With nüvi 885T's widescreen display, you'll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3-inch display is easy to read--from any direction.

Navigate With Ease
nüvi 885T comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps and millions of points of interest (POIs) such as hotels, restaurants, fuel stations, ATMs and more. Speak a menu option or touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2-D or 3-D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. It even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. In addition, nüvi 885T accepts custom points of interest, such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs.

Where Am I?
Keep track of yourself and your car with nüvi 885T. Just speak or tap "Where Am I?" to find the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, nearest address and intersection. Also see your exact latitude and longitude coordinates. nüvi 885T even remembers where you parked. It automatically marks your position when you remove it from the windshield mount, so you can navigate with nüvi on foot and find your way back to your vehicle. Perfect for unfamiliar spots and crowded lots such as amusement parks, stadiums and malls.

With the POI loader program users can set up proximity alerts for school zones, safety cameras, create custom POIs and more. Click to enlarge.

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

Enjoy a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide with Garmin Connect Photos. Click to enlarge.

Plan Ahead
nüvi 885T includes advanced navigational features to take the worry out of traveling. With route planning you can save 10 routes, specify via points and preview simulated turns on its wide screen. In addition, nüvi 885T automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands, deliveries or sales calls. It also displays speed limits for highways and Interstates. 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.

Make Hands-free Calls
Talk about worry-free driving. For hands-free calling, nüvi 885T integrates Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker. Just pair it with your compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free through the 885T while staying focused on the road. Simply speak or dial numbers with nüvi's touchscreen keypad to make a call.

Take It With You
nüvi 885T's high-sensitivity internal (non flip-up) antenna gives it a sleeker, thinner design than other gps units, making it easy to slip in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or on foot.

Go Beyond Navigation
Navigation is just the beginning. nüvi 885T includes many "must have" entertainment and travel tools including MP3 player, audio book player (subscription to Audible.com required), JPEG picture viewer, currency converters, Garmin Games, alarm clock and more. With the included wireless FM transmitter, you can hear audio, including voice prompts, MP3s and audio books, through your vehicle's stereo. It's compatible with optional FM traffic alerts and comes with Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature. Download custom vehicles that show your location on the map from our free Garmin Garage. With photo navigation, you can download Google Panoramio pictures via our Garmin Connect Photos website and navigate to them. Enhance your travel experience with optional plug-in microSD cards such as Garmin Travel Guides for detailed data on attractions.

Search for locations on Google Maps or Mapquest, then transfer the addresses directly to your Garmin GPS navigator.

Navigate by Photo with Garmin Connect Photos
Using Garmin's Connect Photos Web site, you can choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google's Panoramio photo sharing community and download them to the nüvi for a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide.

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

Send Addresses Directly from Google Maps or Mapquest
Itching 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 its 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.

Other Features

  • Auto time zone--nüvi will automatically adjust your time zone while navigating
  • DEM maps--show you shaded terrain contours at various zoom levels
  • Trip computer records mileage, max speed, total time and more
  • Built-in travel kit includes features such as picture viewer, world clock, currency and measurement converters and calculator
  • High-speed PC connectivity using USB 2.0 mass storage
  • Configurable vehicle icons--select fun, customized icons from www.garmingarage.com
  • Standard headphone and microphone jacks
  • microSD card slot for optional mapping and data storage

What's in the Box
nüvi 885t, preloaded City Navigator North America NT, remote for voice activation with battery, vehicle suction cup mount, MSN Direct receiver/vehicle power cable, lithium-ion battery, USB cable, dashboard disc, quick start manual.

Visit Garmin.com to get the latest firmware updates for your nüvi to keep it current and performing at its best.

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.

Device
Screen Size inches (W x H)
Included 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 205 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 205w 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 255 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 255w 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 260w 3.81 x 2.25
 
Photos
up to 5
nüvi 265T 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 265WT 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 275T 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 285WT 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free);
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 465T 3.81 x 2.25
FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 755T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 760 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 5
nüvi 765T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 775T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 780 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 5
nüvi 785T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 850 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 855 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 885T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 1200 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1250 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1260T 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1300 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1350 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1350T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1370T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1390T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1490T 4.4 x 2.5
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1690 3.81 x 2.25
NAVTEQ Traffic, 2 years free (Garmin nüLink! service)
Photos
up to 4


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Garmin nüvi 885/885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition
252.47
$599.99 $252.47
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Customer Reviews

Average Customer Rating
3.6 out of 5 stars (193 customer reviews)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
178 of 180 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Out There Garmin 885T, March 2, 2009
By S. Kumar (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Excellent features and very good GPS. It gets a satellite lock inside my house!!! The voice recognition is the gem in this thing. It really works and once you start using it, it is very useful and functional. You don't have to push buttons.

Positives: Voice recognitions, lots of POIs, on-line sites like POI-Factory to add custom POIs (easy to do), and a very good set of features. I have tried (it works) but not extensively used the bluetooth hands free and mp3 player yet (8GB microSD card ordered) but I think it will be useful. MSN Direct is the way to go and works very well. I am getting helpful traffic updates in Louisville.

Negatives: I have to say the volume on the unit should be higher. I realize the FM radio option is there, but sometimes you are listening to the radio or a CD and it is hard to hear the Garmin. On a trip do they expect you to only listen to the Garmin? I figure if I use the mp3 option on an FM channel that maybe that is a way around the CD because I assume it will give voice prompts through the music audio (have not tried). Also the few hands-free calls I have taken have given very poor sound on the Garmin speakers making it not useful (maybe a software update? Not sure they are using the A2DP or a good profile.). They must fixe these two issues. They should already have this perfected. One other small potential issue. The band for the voice recognition button barely fits my steering wheel (last notch), on some others that are larger it could be an issue (but I think this may be minor)?

I will post more as I use it. I should give it 4 starts because of the sound issues. I will come back and re-review as I use it. It is worth buying. My brother and siter have Tom-Tom and another Garmin (780) and this is definitely better. The voice command and satellite lock really distinguishes it. When you are driving you don't want to have to reach and push buttons on it. Garmin, please improve the audio ASAP.
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82 of 83 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE IT!!, March 26, 2009
By J. Anthony (Buffalo, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
I recently purchased the Garmin 885t after having owned the Streetpilot C340. I felt that I wanted an upgrade for a couple of reasons. First, I liked the idea of being able to be more "hands-free" if I needed to make changes to my routes while driving and second I was hoping that the blueooth was good enough that I could also use my phone through the Garmin. The purpose would be to streamline what I need to hook up in my car.

I own an iPhone original and have tried a couple of FM transmitters for hands free calling in the car. Though they worked partially with my phone, none were completely compatible. I was so pleased to see how the Garmin immediately recognized my contacts and they are all up on the Garmin screen. Second, even though the iPhone does not support voice dial, I am able to verbally navigate through the Garmin to make calls. This for me is important so I don't have to fiddle with the phone in my car.

After having used the Garmin for a couple of weeks, I can say that I so far am very satisfied. The Garmin's navigation works as expected and as I was accustomed to with my older Garmin. There are many POIs and I am amazed at to what you can find just by saying the place by name (the more popular places). I do appreciate the lane assist feature, which works well in my area. It gives you arrows in the upper left corner telling you the direction of your next turn. Very handy. Be aware, however, that the Junction View does not work with Lane Assist in every area. This is not a problem for me as this is only an "extra whistle" from my perspective.

The voice commands work wonderfully. I am amazed at how well it understands me. This function makes entering information so much easier. I also love how you can use Google Maps to directly send favorite places to the Nuvi, as well.

In regards to the Bluetooth, I find that the Garmin's speakers are better than the nuvi 360 that I tried a year ago. I sent it back because the speaker and sound were awful on it. On the Nuvi 885t, I am able to hear the people speaking well but was told that there was an echo on their end when I spoke. I purchased Garmin's external microphone and people I talk to now say that it sounds much better. I've talked several times on it with no problems.

The FM transmitter works just fine for me, especially if I am just tooling around town. As a matter of fact, I found a station in my area where the music that I downloaded to my Garmin sounds just like I'm listening to the FM radio. No static at all. I like using the FM option because I like having the ability to listen to my callers and Garmin commands through my car stereo. I will admit that when I travel distances, I will probably opt to use my aux. cable with my iPod due to the fact that the FM stations would change frequently on longer trips (which would be a pain).

The suction cup has been great. It hasn't fallen once and I've taken it down a couple of times. If you do have problems, though, put a little moisture on the suction cup and it should stay put!

I haven't had the chance to experience the MSN direct or the picture viewer (doubt I will ever use that) so I can't comment on those features. I would like to add that customer support at Garmin is wonderful. I had to call a few times with questions and they were extremely helpful, kind, and supportive. (My Garmin was originally shipped in the Russian language).

I have been experimenting with this unit and learning how to use the Garmin in the house while I don't have to concentrate on the road. Though it is user friendly, there is still a lot to learn. I also took it with me even if I knew where I was going to "practice" the features. I'd rather get a handle on how to use it when I know my route. As silly as it sounds, it does help!

Kudos to this unit! NO regrets, even though I felt it was more than what I wanted to pay for a GPS.
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75 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars After hours of research and use - A summary, September 30, 2009
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
I would have given the 885t five stars, but, it is disappointing that the 885t (flagship) is not really the top of the line as its name may insinuate. I considered many reviews and reluctantly, for the voice-recognition feature, decided on the 885t. Looking back I am pleased with the decision, but still troubled about some of the futures of the 7X5t series not included with the 885t. Hence, it gets only four stars.

The voice-recognition feature works well and it is safer to use while driving as it allows one to operate the 885t while your eyes and concentration remain on the road. To tap around on a GPS screen is the same as texting while driving. However, to make voice-recognition work you need to say the words and phrases EXACTLY as they are in the manual. That takes practice and you have to get so familiar with the commands that you can speak them intuitively and precisely when you are in heavy traffic. If you have to think what to speak, or try to "figure it out" while under pressure, it is not helpful. But, if you know and practiced the commands well it works properly, is convenient and one of the main reasons why I will buy the 885t again.

I tested the 885t next to a Nuvi 360. The Bluetooth operation, navigation engines and sound (loudness and clarity) of the two are exactly the same (I used Jill on both). Both had their firmware updates and it seems that Garmin uses the exact same maps and navigation logic in both units. That is to Garmin's credit as the 360 has been discontinued. Consequently, I am confident that, when the 885t is discontinued, Garmin will keep on updating the firmware for the 885t to whatever the "best" navigation logic becomes in the future.

Therefore, it is considering the other features (not navigation logic) that will determine which model is most suitable for you. I struggled to choose between the 7X5t and 8X5t models. After hours of research I made the following list of features (in order of importance to me) that the 885t lacks and the 7X5t have:
* Unlike the 7X5t, one cannot customize the "Arrival" data field of the 885t. One can get the same information from the 885t, but has to hit the green bar at the top and then the "Show Map" at the bottom to read the travel time and distance at the bottom of the following screen. That is a pity as I am sure I would have found the 7X5t's customizable "Arrival" button useful.
* Although the 885t is a later design, it lacks the faster screen refresh rate of the 7X5t series. Consequently the "flagship's" screen jerks down as you progress along your way instead of the smooth glide the 7X5t has. Not too serious, just substandard.
* Unlike the 7X5t the 885t does not have icons on the screen to allow you to switch between 2D, 3D, rotate view and 3D buildings or landmarks view. One need to go through a long process to switch between 2D and 3D and the 885t totally lacks the rotate, 3D building or landmark capabilities.
* It is strange, but you cannot turn the 885t off. Apparently it is to assure that the 885t is almost immediately ready for use. No real "off switch" saves "wakeup" time. The 885t does not have to go through the boot up sequence. Sliding the power key to the left only puts it in suspend/sleep mode, to turn it "really" off one has to remove the battery. Hence, there could be a problem with battery drainage if one uses the 885t infrequently. Surely, even if this is sensible, it should have been an option for the user to decide on. I would have preferred turning it "off" and let it reboot when I need to use it. The wakeup/sleep switch on my 885t is hard to operate. You have to get your nail in on the side of the switch to slide it to the left.
* I don't understand exactly what the use or value is, but the 885t cannot connect to an A2DP Bluetooth headset. The 7X5t series can.
* The 7X5t series have a second microphone hole on the side of the screen to improve microphone reception quality. The 8X5t has the second hole at the bottom to the back of the unit. I don't know if that is equally efficient. If it is, this point is mute.
* For what it is worth, the 885t lacks the ecoRoute function of the 7X5t.

If any of the above is a deal breaker for you, don't consider the "flagship" and get a 7X5t. Else, wait until Garmin, with any luck, brings out a "9X5t" or something that hopefully will be a real flagship and include all the attributes of both 7 and 8 series. If these are not deal breakers you can read on and consider what the 8X5t have and the 7X5t lacks.

Keep in mind that the 865t is only available in Europe, there is no "free" lifetime TMC receiver option in the 8X5t series in the USA. (Apparently the FM transmitter off the 865t is too powerful to be legal in the USA.) Therefore, one needs to compare the 885t with the 785t and not the 765t.

Why then did I decide on the 885t? Here are the unique functions the 885t has in order of how useful they are to me:
* Voice-recognition. On almost every trip I find it necessary to make adjustments to my travel plan/route, or need additional information, i.e. traffic, gas stations, restaurants, etc. The voice-recognition works well and I use it all the time. In fact, after having hands-on experience with it I am hooked on the feature and will hate to be without it again.
* Avoidances - In addition to the normal "Avoidance Choices" all the Nuvis have, the 885t can (similar to the Nuvi 5000) define Custom Avoids. With that one can customize the 885t to avoid a specific road or area. I find it very practical and it allows me to define roads (that the Nuvi would normally choose) to avoid. You can likewise exclude bad areas of town, construction zones, correct map errors, etc. I love it and have it programmed all the time.
* The 885t has a better touch screen (more sensitive and precise) than the 7X5t. As it has voice-recognition, who cares about the screen? Well, most route planning is done on the screen before you get into the car. A sensitive and precise screen is desirable.
* Prompted Detour - To set a prompted detour for a specific distance or a particular road on the route gives one more control over the choice the 885t will make for a route. It is a practical feature I turned on permanently and use whenever I desire to manually divert from the 885t's suggested route. In short, it allows you to manually exclude specific roads from your route.
* Show or hide points of interest (POIs) on the map. I have "gas stations" turned on. That is very helpful as one can always see where gas stations in your vicinity are. You can do it for any or all points of interests you want to be able to see while driving.
* Removable battery - The reviews indicate that the 885t's removable battery is stronger and lasts longer. I am still to form an opinion. However, my consideration is that I only have to buy a $30 battery and not a whole unit should the battery fail.
* The 885t also has two other unique capabilities I don't consider important, yet, to be complete, they are:
o Alarm clock
o Backup camera capability so you can view what is behind you on the 885t's screen.
If any of these features are essential to you, you are committed to the 8X5t series.

That brings us to the "free" TMC traffic receiver on the 765t model versus the MSN Direct Receiver on the 785t and 885t models. Is the MSN services worth $50/12 = $4.17/moth? What I gathered from the reviews I researched, the MSN and TMC services are about equal (poor) as far as traffic is concerned and that the choice depends on where you are. My experience supports that conclusion. Therefore, the $4.17/month must be for the other services MSN provides that are not available on TMC. The once that I am using are:
* "Send to GPS" capability let you look up destinations from a computer and wirelessly send them to the GPS. That is not only convenient, but it allows one to call your office and ask them to research and send you locations you did not know you would need/want to visit. They can send it to you while you are on the road. I already used that a few times.
* I travel often and it is convenient to check flight status on your way to the airport.
* I got spoiled and find that I do regularly look at the weather forecast.
* Although a practical need is yet to come up, I find the Weather Doppler radar intriguing. Just the other day I was in Nashville and there was a tornado warning on the radio. Unfortunately, as I don't know the counties and suburbs, I had no idea where the area is the warning was for. I hope that the Weather Doppler radar view will in the future give me an indication from which direction a storm comes so I can divert into a directions where things are hopefully better. It is reassuring to have a picture of what the weather ahead could probably be. However, it seems that the image you receive is of the situation about 20 minutes earlier and not as is.
* I never thought I would use it, but find that the gas prices are helpful and discovered that there is usually at least 10 cents/gal difference in gas prices around us. You can therefore easily save a dollar or two per tank. Over a year that may pay for the MSN Direct service.

TAKE NOTE: MSN Direct is leveraging unused FM radio spectrum to broadcast data, however, many choices today including WiFi, Cellular, FM RDS and other digital networks are readily available and are continuing to grow in popularity. Microsoft has made the decision to focus future U.S. and Canada investments on these existing network connections and discontinue the MSN Direct services business 1/1/2012. The new Nuvi 1XXX is AT&T based and one wonders if TMC will soon make the same decision and abandon its FM based service... Read more ›
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