44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
Nice GPS. Some Flaws. Recommended
**Update 8-13-09**Don't let the recent software glitch scare you off from this unit. By now many people have heard that a software problem caused all 885T units (and several others) to malfunction. Although it was a bit of a hassle, Garmin replaced my unit (and everyone's elses) promptly. New units purchased now will not have that problem.
174 of 177 people found the following review helpful:
Slow to operate
This is the third Garmin in our family. We have an 880 and an 250. This is the slowest to load maps at start-up, slowest to acquire a satellite at start-up and slowest to re-draw the map when the car makes a turn (I've already completed the turn before it begins re-drawing)...this is a very disappointing unit. To test a theory that it may not be the unit, I purchased...
This review is from: Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Maps of U.S, Canada & Puerto Rico (Electronics)
This is the third Garmin in our family. We have an 880 and an 250. This is the slowest to load maps at start-up, slowest to acquire a satellite at start-up and slowest to re-draw the map when the car makes a turn (I've already completed the turn before it begins re-drawing)...this is a very disappointing unit. To test a theory that it may not be the unit, I purchased an antenna extension from Garmin and temporarily installed it outside the car; this had no affect in speeding up the problems listed above, thus telling me it was clearly the unit and not a poor satellite connection.
I contacted Garmin who informed me that they are aware of the problems and should be sending a software update shortly. That was 3 weeks ago, perhaps indicating a declining focus on customer support.
It appears Garmin rolled this out before the problems they were conscious of were solved, just to get a new unit into the marketplace (similar strategy used by Microsoft). The price and problems associated are not worth the (slightly) enhanced graphics; given you only glance at the screen periodically, you really don't notice the difference in graphics between this and the 880/250. The much touted "lane indicator" graphics does not surface at every highway turnoff where multiple lanes are involved; perhaps that also might be included in the update we are still waiting for.
If I had it to do over again, I would purchase a Nuvi 760 and a MSN Direct receiver on line. By buying the two parts separate, it becomes the same thing as a Nuvi 780 at much less cost. The 760 is a much better unit at half the price of the 785t or 880.
Perhaps Garmin might spend less on marketing flawed products and reallocate those funds to contracting their immense line, better products at roll-out, and more responsive customer service.
I would stay with Garmin or Tom Tom products as they use established mapping companies; Garmin has the edge on the map system they use while Tom Tom recently purchased their own exclusive mapping company (GPS for Dummies).
Dec 11, 2008 update: I recently updated the available software and firmware from the Garmin site. Screen refresh is no faster and it seems that when you first turn on the unit and the satellites are acquired, the screen position has you facing in a different direction than I am in reality. Apparently the CSR with whom I spoke in November was given wrong information; no fix to the problems of which Garmin "was aware" has been provided to date. Judging from other "t line" reviews, the 785t might be the only "lemon". I guess you have to decide how important is MSN Direct in making your model selection.
Jan, 2009 update
A CSR at Garmin made arrangements the exchange my 785t for another one. No luck...still slow. ex: I completed a left turn yesterday before the unit told me to make a left turn and before the screen icon indicated I was making a turn. Hope they know enough to not save money by using a slower microprocessor, especially for what they charge for their units.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Maps of U.S, Canada & Puerto Rico (Electronics)
**Update 8-13-09**Don't let the recent software glitch scare you off from this unit. By now many people have heard that a software problem caused all 885T units (and several others) to malfunction. Although it was a bit of a hassle, Garmin replaced my unit (and everyone's elses) promptly. New units purchased now will not have that problem.
**Original review**I had a C550 and loved it but it got stolen so I had to buy a new GPS. I started with a Nuvi 885T because I was intrigued by the voice activation. The good news is that the voice activation works very, very well. The bad news is that I found the overall operating feel to be slow and choppy, a fact that is mentioned in several other reviews. Also, I had some issues with the unit locking up, so back it went.
I've had the 785T now for a couple of days.
Here is what I like:
* Quick to lock in satellites, even on cold start
* Accurate directions
* Smooth scrolling
* Customizable display
* Lane Assist works nicely and I like it. Useful feature.
* Junction View works nicely and I like it, but in my opinion it is not nearly as useful as Garmin would lead you to believe. A photo realistic image of upcoming street signs flashes across the screen for about 5-8 seconds, with an indication as to which lane you should be in.
* Bluetooth connected with my Blackberry no problem
* Ability to send addresses from my computer to the unit wirelessly. I've used it. It works.
* Small/lightweight (unlike my old C550)
* MSN Direct works well. MSN Traffic seems to work well, although some other reviewers prefer Lifetime Traffic. I think that is a matter of personal preference, and also depends on where you live. I live outside of Washington, DC, so MSN coverage is strong.
Here is what I do not like:
* Speakers barely loud enough. My C550 had rich, deep, loud sound. The Nuvi 785T, like all the Nuvi's, has shallow, slightly tinny, not quite loud enough, sound. I am really surprised that Garmin has not addressed this, as this is probably the number one complaint that I have, and that I have seen in other reviews. Unlike some other reviews, this wasn't a deal breaker for me, as I find the volume and clarity to be basically acceptable, but just marginally so.
* The underpowered speakers make the Bluetooth component less than perfect, but still useable
* The distance remaining and arrival time are slightly smaller than my C550, but it is noticeable and slightly irritating (only slightly). I wear reading glasses, so sometimes I have to squint at the screen a bit
* I am constantly taking the unit in and out of my car (don't want to have this unit stolen like my last one). Almost every time I have to fiddle with the mount so it clicks in. It has to line up perfectly, or it won't click in, which requires 2 hands and a bit of concentration. Should be easier and more intuitive than that.
* Updating the maps was an adventure. I don't believe this was the fault of the unit, but rather Garmin's website. The map updates are a HUGE file (192 mb), and twice it hung at about 180 mb requiring me to start all over. A little frustrating, but again, I don't fault the 785T for this, and eventually I got it all squared away.
Overall, I give it 4 stars. Not perfect, several flaws, but overall, I like it and recommend it.
By the way, here is a buying tip if you are interested in this unit....keep your eye on it and check the price daily. Amazon changes their prices dramatically from day to day. They do that on all of their products, but I seem to notice it more on GPS units. One day this might be $500, then the next day it might be $350, then the next day it might go back up to $500. My bottom line? Anything under $400 is a buy, and a good value for the Nuvi 785T.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Maps of U.S, Canada & Puerto Rico (Electronics)
I ordered this product from J&R Music through Amazon. The first unit powered off whenever a map attempted to load. I called Garmin and they had no answers as to why this happened, and advised me to exchange for a new unit, which I did. The second unit had THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. Again called Garmin and let them know the same problem occurred with a new unit. They were unaware of other users experiencing the same problem, but would look into it. When asked when I could expect a software update to fix this bug they said a couple of months. I can't wait that long so I will be going with the 765T (nearly identical in features minus MSN traffic, and cheaper).
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Maps of U.S, Canada & Puerto Rico (Electronics)
Sound quality is low...
Screen refreshes more frequently blacking out the display...
Lane assits stays only for few seconds...
Delay in voice prompts during turnings...
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Maps of U.S, Canada & Puerto Rico (Electronics)
**Update 12/18/09** I still like this gps. I was happy when I paid $349.00 for it. The price is now about $220.00 which makes this unit an incredible value. I just wish I could return mine and get the new lower price.**End of update**
**Update 11/27/09** I am very happy I bought this unit. It seems to do everything you would expect a nav system to do, and then some. This unit has one minor flaw. The touchscreen keyboard is not as accurate as it should be. When typing anything, like a street name, house number, etc, odd letters will sometimes pop up - letters that you did not push. It is a minor and only occassional annoyance, but one Garmin should address. In their defense, I have been able to install three software updates and two map updates in the last two +/- months that I have owned the 785T. The first update mentioned below in the original review was a bit tedious. The two more recent updates were much simpler. I have had no problems with the unit freezing or causing problems in any way. If you read any problem reviews, you should ask the reviewer if he/she installed the latest software updates from Garmin. I give this unit 4 stars because of the keyboard glitch, but would still buy it again. Recommended! **End of Update**
I own a 2005 Ford Expedition with the in dash factory nav system. The problem is that Ford stopped making updates for the maps in 2007. Well, I'm a REALTOR in the DC area where new neighborhoods pop up and roads change on a regular basis. Map updates that date back to 2007 (meaning the information on the update likely dates back to 2006 or earlier) just won't work for me. So after much research including reviews on Amazon, Consumer Reports and a few others, I decided on this model. What a pleasant surprise it turned out to be! This thing works far better than my $1,500 factory installed nav system ever did. I have to say that when I buy my next vehicle, I will think twice before buying another factory system. Now that my rant is done, I'll address some of the features, some of the many complaints I've read in other reviews and what it took to setup my 785T.
Amazon deserves a plug here. They had the best price I could find. I paid as much as $150 less than on other sites.
Garmin does seem to have a few quirks in the setup process. Here's what I did to set mine up with little or no problems. I bought the travel kit which comes with an a/c charger. So, I plugged it into the wall and my 785T to charge for a while. I later figured out that the included USB cable will charge the GPS when plugged into my computer. After turning on the unit, it prompted me to select the language and a few other basic settings. Then it displayed a message telling me to go to a My Garmin (Amazon won't let you type a web address in the review) site to register the unit and check for updates.
This web site seemed a little buggy at first. I had to hit the refresh button a few times throughout the process before everything seemed to work properly. (I'm doing this by memory and will try not to miss anything. If I do, please forgive me.) The My Garmin site wants you to setup an account and then register the unit. After setting up the account, I logged in. At this point, you should turn your Garmin on, plug the USB cable into it and then into the computer. The website will try to communicate with your Garmin. It won't work. You should expect a prompt to download and install software that will allow the web site to communicate with your unit. After installing it, close your internet window, open it again and login back into your new account at the My Garmin site. Now the site should be able to communicate with your Garmin. You may or may not have to type the serial number to register your unit.
Once registration is complete, search for updated software (not maps). There will likely be an update that, if you load this first, will prevent you from having the problems that other reviewers are reporting. (This one statement should address any complaints or concerns you have developed after reading about problems in other reviews.) Make sure you follow all directions on the site. Garmin did a really good job with them. You will need to disconnect your unit from the computer and turn it off and on again after the update has finished.
The next step is to search for map updates. You should plug the USB cable and unit back into the computer. In my case, it auto detected that a map update was available. To download the maps, you will need to install another Gamin program that manages the download for you. Map updates are quite large (2 gigs). The download program is pretty cool. In the event of problems or if the computer gets turned off, the program remembers where you were in the process and starts up again from that point. If you have a broadband connection, the download will likely take 20 minutes or so. A slower connection could take MUCH longer. Make sure you have time to complete the process. I can't remember all of this. I think there was an opportunity to close and reopen the internet window after installing the download manager. I just don't trust Windows. Doing this "should" allow the new software to start and function properly. If you restarted the internet window, you'll need to login to your Garmin account again. Download the update and let it install. The only glitch I ran into was a delay in the install process once the download had completed. I pushed the button to start the map update and nothing happened for what seemed like two minutes. Then, everything simply started and the map update completed with no problems. I recommend paitents here. You are dealing with a VERY large file. Delays in working with a file this size is not inappropriate. I have a pretty new and fast laptop. If yours is older or slow, your wait time could be longer.
The final step in the process was to activate my free MSN Direct subscription. Garmin provides easy instructions for this. I plugged my unit into my truck and turned it on. The software for the MSN Direct service auto installed. It took a few minutes, but there were no problems. I followed the included directions to activate the free 3 month trial online. This led me to yet another Garmin program to install and a final chance to check for software updates for my 785T. It's called the web updater. I had to install this program, and then reconnect my unit to the computer. I ran the web updater program and found still more software updates to install. Note: I was given a checklist of updates I could choose from. I found that by highlighting each update, very clear instructions were given that told me if I should install that particular update or if it had already been installed. I chose only the updates I needed and let the program run.
I strongly recommend you follow these instructions, take your time and READ THE DIRECTIONS on the web site/s. While it was a tedious process, I believe that these steps will prevent you from having the problems other people have had and allow your Garmin to work the way it was meant to. I know it seems like a lot. Computer equipment and maps all need to be updated from time to time. Technology and roads change too frequently. Without the updates, the shelf life of your equipment would be greatly reduced.
I love my 785T! It works flawlessly. It is not necessary for you to watch the on screen directions when navigating because this unit will quite clearly tell you where to go and when to make the turn including the street name. If you do watch the screen, it is easy to read with plenty of detail. I wear reading glasses. I was concerned that a 4.3 inch screen would be too small to read without my glasses. I was wrong. I have no problems and don't need my glasses. There is even a day view and a night view that changes the screen to make it easier to read as day turns into night. It starts and refreshes really quickly, much faster than my factory system. The sound is plenty loud. No, it's not a great speaker. If Garmin reads this - Yes, I would pay a few extra dollars for a better quality speaker. With that said, it is louder than the level where I usually listen to my stereo and quite easy to hear and understand. So at 100% volume, I have no problems. If I don't listen to the stereo, I think the 80% volume would be acceptable. This unit is supposed to have the ability to play sound over my stereo. I haven't figured out how to make that part work yet. While I'll be disappointed if I can't make that work, it won't be a deal killer. This little GPS has lots of features and works VERY well - like you would expect it to work. One last thing is the Garmin Garage. If you like to tinker, there are many, many neat add ons you can choose from to customize your device. I gave the customer service 3 stars because the stories about 30 minute wait times are real. I started to make a call, then decided against it. The My Garmin site answered all of my questions. If I have problems in the future, I will update my review. For now... Highly recommended, I would buy it again!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Maps of U.S, Canada & Puerto Rico (Electronics)
Garmin + MSN Direct = MAGNIFICENT!
This GPS is just INCREDIBLE! It is by far the best GPS I have EVER owned! Better than any portable unit currently on the market and far better than any (over-priced OEM) in-dash GPS unit.
I purchased this GPS because it was taking me between 8.5 and 14 hours to travel from Long Island, NY (where I live) to Lake Placid, NY area (where my wife lives) bi-weeekly. The total distance is between 381 and 465 miles depending on which GPS you use. As you can guess, most of my travel time was spent in heavy traffics between long Island and upstate NY. I just wanted to try it and return it if it didn't fit the bill.
I have now owned this GPS for more than 2 months now and it has yet to fail me. My travel time is now consistently below 6.5 hours and the distance travel is usually around 380 miles (sometimes a little longer when trying to avoid traffic) . Even during Memorial Day weekend, it took me barely 7 hours to get back home with one of the heaviest traffic I have ever seen. I am so sold that I have already purchased the lifetime subscription to MSN Direct. And I already got my money worth!
I have an in-dash GPS unit (slow and lousy at best and that I hate dearly) in my 2006 BMW X5. There is a mediocre and useless in-dash GPS unit in my wife 2005 Nissan Murano. These in-dash OEM GPS units have the strangest routes, they are slow, and just take you from point A to point point B. It doesn't matter how they get you there... I have also owned 2 Garmin Nuvi (350 and 370 - both pretty good) and 2 TomTom (One and 340S (just OK).
Back to the Nuvi 785T. Sorry for getting carried way...
First, lets get the bad/suggestions out of the way:
- Does not display the speed limit/actual speed next to each other (and turning to red when over the limit) like the TomTom beautifully does. It displays mainly the speed limit on major highway and is accurate in most cases.
- The sound is just adequate, but need some improvement. Make sure to adjust the sound to 100%. The default 80% is too low and you may not hear a thing.
- MSN Direct receiver should be integrated in the unit itself, not on the charger.
- Rebooted on me once during my trip. I was checking traffic on my route and VLAM!
- I had to spend another $100 for lifetime MSN Direct!
Second, the GOOD:
- Extraodinary accuracy. The estimated time of arrival is almost always dead on.
- AMAZING display. The best resolution when compared to any other GPS out there.
- Gas Prices on MSN direct - very accurate information, but used it only once.
- Weather on MSN Direct - I love this feature and use it often.
- Bluetooth calling is nice and clear, people could not tell I was calling handsfree. But, the sound wasn't loud enough on my end.
- Great overall feature set.
Third, the GREAT:
- Traffic on MSN Direct - Simply AMAZING! highly accurate and reliable feature. I am no longer thinking about beating NY traffic. I just jump in the car and drive. This GPS really showed me what it capable of during Memorial Day weekend.
- Best routing engine on the market! Always the shortest distance and fastest time when compared to any other GPS.
- Garmin GPS re-route better than ANY other GPS by far. You will never hear "make a U-turn when possible" crap. It just recalculates the best route from your current position.
- Send To GPS - This is maybe one of my favorite features that I use almost daily.
- SUPER fast satellite acquisition and very Strong GPS signal anytime and almost everywhere.
- It is a GRAMIN!!!
My Recommendations to potential buyers:
- update the software and firmware as soon as you receive your unit
- update the maps to the latest as soon as possible
- set the volume to 100% before first use
This is simply a MAGNIFICENT piece of electronic. If you really want the very BEST in GPS technology, this is IT!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Maps of U.S, Canada & Puerto Rico (Electronics)
Did an update when I got it and it works fine so far. Emailed Garmin for replacement battery information. Just send the unit in and Garmin will replace the batteries once it no longer holds a charge. I gave it 3 stars because I think it still can use some improvements in certain areas, especially, the navigational mapping part.
Update: After about a month of trouble free navigation, I started having issues with my Garmin today(2-10-2009). My unit started shutting down and rebooting about every 5 minutes for no apparent reason while I was roadway driving. I tried resetting the unit each time to no avail. I am disappointed with Garmin. I spent over $500 for this unit. Garmin should have never let this unit out of their warehouse if they knew the 785T still had major bug issues.
Update 2-12-2009: Amazon is the greatest. They replaced my unit without any problems. My first unit went completely dead since my previous post. Hopefully the replacement unit will do better.
4/10/2009...So far my replacement unit is still working fine. A point about the navigational mapping. I find the navigational mapping portion of this unit a little weak. In the "quickest time" mode, more often the unit would direct me off a "clear" highway to traffic light ridden backroads and streets to get me to my destination. I did a test driving the rout to my home from work once during highway heavy traffic and once during the lowest highway traffic hour, 3am. Both times I was redirected off the highway to traffic light ridden back roads and streets. During the 3am test, there were no traffic or traffic accidents. Staying on the highway at 3am would have gotten me home much quicker. This is probably the last Garmin I will ever buy.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Maps of U.S, Canada & Puerto Rico (Electronics)
I love the Garmin Nuvi 785t as this is a good unit. From what I am able to tell, it is about 99% accurate but those flaws will not let you miss your destination. Some of the directions around town do not make any sense but being that I know differently I did not take that advice. However, a stranger would not know the difference as gas will be wasted. For the most part, I am very satisfied with this unit.
For those of you that are new to the GPS these features are for you:
The first thing you want to do before routing an address is to connect the unit to a computer and UPDATE the Garmin software. It comes with a USB cable and it is easy to update.
It does speak the name of the street as well as the lane to get in after you make the turn.
U.S. interstates and roads speed is automatically displayed but not for local and state highways/roads.
Your personal speed is shown no matter what road or highway you are on.
The GPS has a mode for "automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian."
You are able to transmit the voiced directions through your radio to your automobile speakers without a cable by simply putting your radio on a FM station WITH static. The lower the channel the better but the lowest station that can be used is 88.1. The con to this is that you cannot listen to your CD's while you are using that feature and you will be able to hear some of the static.
Media card: the unit can take the regular SD card as well as SDHC card but not over 4GB. According to Garmin, anything over 4GB will make the unit slow and they do not advise using anything over 4GB.
It has a picture viewer so you can insert your media card to view your pictures as well as have a picture for the address listed in your favorites or address book.
When you input your address, let the unit find your location and save it as your home address because your location may not match your current address. It might find another address but your actual coordinates will match the location of your house.
The unit draws the map quickly as well as the re-calculation of the route. However, if you are on the interstate and you did not take the routed exit and if you have not passed the street that is attached to that exit, then the unit will not recalculate until you have passed that street especially when the exit is a long road. It will recalculate quickly if a street is not connected to an exit.
You can enter multiple destinations.
The "Where I am feature" is a good feature especially when you cannot find an address. You can pull in a driveway, press the icon and it will give you an address or what they believe to be address. I typed an address in the unit and the address could not be found. Therefore, after arriving at the address, I pressed the icon and it gave me an address which was different from the address that I had and I saved it for the future.
The current temperature is displayed on the GPS.
The "points of interest" is nice because it pretty much becomes a telephone directory.
I have not seen any 3-D buildings on the map.
MSN Direct: I love it BUT traffic reports are not in my area. All of the services of MSN Direct are not available in every area. All available features are available in the most major cities so if you live or travel to major cities, then just for the traffic reports is worth subscribing to this service. We traveled to a large city and were helped with the traffic information. It alerts of the traffic, the delay and how major the traffic has stalled as well as rerouting you passed the stalled traffic. The car icon automatically appears on the screen as you do not have to do anything which is great especially if you are driving alone. The information given gives traffic information for your direct route as well as traffic miles away from your location. You can push the car icon and it lists the location of the reports. Go to this link http://www.msndirect.com/coverage.aspx to find out if coverage is in your area and what features are available in your area.
The "Gas Prices" feature for ME is worth the [...] for the lifetime subscription. It is accurate and I got prices as far as an eleven mile radius of my location. I wish I had this feature earlier when the gas prices were much higher than they are now.
The "Stock Prices" is great if you do not have internet services on your cell phone. Enter the stock symbol and it automatically displays the information. The GPS does not have to be plugged into your car in order to get the update as the adapter has a battery so it continues to update the unit as long as the adapter is connected to the unit.
The "News Headlines" is just as it says. It shows the headlines and a brief summary.
The "Weather" gives you the current weather as well as weather in other cities in a certain radius of your location.
There are other features of MSN Direct but I highlighted some of the features.
Cons: There are two cons with this unit:
Lane Assist: It is not interactive and it looks like what you see when the lane assist is advertised. It flashes briefly across the screen so if you missed it then you missed it. However, you can touch the turn guidance icon and if the lane assist icon is highlighted then you can see the lane assist but if you are driving alone that is a bit much especially if you have to make a split decision. Lane assist is not every where all the time as that feature is very limited.
However, the plus is that the turns and the lanes are pretty much clear to understand without the lane assist.
Battery: The unit is too expensive for this to be a throw away unit. The battery is not replaceable and the guide gives you instructions on how to dispose of the unit but not return the unit to have the battery replaced. Therefore, it is imperative to protect the unit in making sure that the unit is not left in a hot automobile. Yes, the unit has a warranty but
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Maps of U.S, Canada & Puerto Rico (Electronics)
If this is your first Garmin, then you'll probably enjoy it. If you're thinking about upgrading from the previous generation, think again. I thought I would upgrade from my 760 because of the neat display features like lane assist and junction view. In 3 different cities, the features weren't available. There was one very tricky interstate interchange on my route (in a major city) and the lane guidance would have been an extremely useful and safety-oriented feature. Garmin's failure to mention the feature doesn't work at every interstate intersection is deceptive advertising in my opinion.
I've always operated in "Track UP" view. With the 785, if you are driving a route and you slide the map to get a better view of your destination, the map magically rotates to North Up view making reading the map and adjusting your brain very difficult. If you zoom out past a certain level, the map changes to a relief map making it more difficult to see the few major roads it displays near your route. The sharpness of text and other symbols is a step down from the 760's. The 785t has 3 selectable map detail levels vs. the 760's 5. The 760 can display minor streets at a much wider map scale (zoomed out) than the 785t, making it much more useful to locate your own detours or shortcuts when on a route. 2 days after I got the 785t, I made a 400 mile trip navigating to 6 customers' locations in rural areas. By the time I got home, I was thanking my lucky stars that I hadn't gotten rid of the 760 yet. Another feature that attracted me to the 785t was the MSN service, especially the weather radar. I don't have MSN service in my city but I routinely travel to cities that do. I had to be a lot closer to the metropolitan area than the coverage maps led me to believe. The signal coverage maps online are totally misleading in my region. On top of that, I could only see radar in the area I was traveling that had coverage. I couldn't zoom out and view what was happening in my city so I had no idea what awaited me when I left the signal coverage area. The traffic map was nice but I prefer the way the FM traffic info displays on the 760 because of the unit's sharper imaging. With the 785t, I think Garmin has traded solid, useful features for "gee whiz" map spins and twirls and the highly advertised lane guidance and building views that may or may not be available in your location.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
This review is from: Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Maps of U.S, Canada & Puerto Rico (Electronics)
I had an older Garmin C340 device and recently upgraded to the 785T for the wide screen and real-time traffic, weather, gas prices and other information from MSN. I was pleasantly surprised by how much better the 785T is compared to my old C340. I love how thin it is, and the wide screen is nice. I also liked the traffic information and found it to be fairly accurate. Even though the gas prices are going down, they will surely go back up and given how things are with the economy, saving a few bucks helps. I haven't had any problems, but just to be safe I upgraded the 785T's software using Garmin's Webupdater application. The upgrade is easy. After you get the device just install the WebUpdater application on your PC from Garmin's website, connect the device to your computer with a USB cable, and start the Webupdater application.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
(
Saving...
