49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
Another solid nuvi GPS but in many ways nothing new
I got my 1260T from an authorized dealer on June 19 and used it along side of my 255 with MSN traffic. Because my MSN subscription would have to be renewed and maps upgraded soon, I thought buying a new GPS wouldn't cost much more and would give me a chance to get the latest bells and whistles. However, there aren't that many new bells and whistles to be had. I...
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
An Upgrade From Nuvi 350
My wife is the world's biggest Garmin fan. Her Nuvi 350 was stolen recently and we replaced it with the 1260T. This looked like it was the top of the line for the smaller 3.5 inch units, which is the same size as the stolen unit.
As noted by another reviewer, the keyboard is not QWERTY. We purchased an iPod Touch recently and using that keyboard is easy...
I got my 1260T from an authorized dealer on June 19 and used it along side of my 255 with MSN traffic. Because my MSN subscription would have to be renewed and maps upgraded soon, I thought buying a new GPS wouldn't cost much more and would give me a chance to get the latest bells and whistles. However, there aren't that many new bells and whistles to be had. I recommend reading the product description carefully. Unless the 1260T has what you consider a "can't-do-without"
feature not available on the 265T, I'd recommend taking advantage of the low prices for the 265T that can now had with the arrival the 1260T. In fact, that's what I did. I returned the 1260T and purchased the 265T saving more than 1/3 of the cost of the 1260T.
** On trips of 30 minutes or more, the 1260T initially reported arrival times that were 4 to 5 minutes earlier than the 255 over the same route. The 255's estimates were more appropriate. Someone on another forum told me that this would change as the 1260T learned my driving habits. It didn't happen in the 10 days I used the unit continuously.
** The 1260T's voices sound very thin compared to 2xx units, but it makes them easier to hear over road noise.
** Even though the GPS is now a mature product, the 1260T continues Garmin's practice of not having a QWERTY keyboard in 3.5" units.
** Even though the GPS is now a mature product, the 1260T does not allow for zip code entry.
** The speed indicator turns to magenta in the afternoon and red at night when speed exceeds the posted limit. Magenta is a terrible color for text.
** To erase favorites, one now goes to Settings / My Data
** The unit IS thinner than the 2xx series, but not "Oh, wow!" thin.
** The instructions from the 1260T and 255 are nearly identical. The estimates of distances to next turn are the same. The 1260T sometimes gives voice alerts 0.1 mile before the 255, say at 0.3 mile rather than 0.2 mile, but for the most part using both units is like listening in stereo.
** Emily now refers to "slip roads" rather than "ramps".
I did not experiment with the new pedestrian features. In terms of how it works in auto mode, I find nothing compelling over the 265T.
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My wife is the world's biggest Garmin fan. Her Nuvi 350 was stolen recently and we replaced it with the 1260T. This looked like it was the top of the line for the smaller 3.5 inch units, which is the same size as the stolen unit.
As noted by another reviewer, the keyboard is not QWERTY. We purchased an iPod Touch recently and using that keyboard is easy and familiar. The Garmin though, with a straight across A, B, C, D, E, etc. layout takes more time and makes us look like it is our first day of typing class. There must be a reason Garmin did this but we're not happy about it.
Our Nuvi 350 came with a nice case. The 1260T does not. We are in the market for a case and plan to spend $10 to $20 for one, which then increases the price of this replacement purchase.
Overall the unit is the same as the Nuvi 350 but after three years we expected more of a "WOW" factor from the upgrade.
PUBLIC SERVICE NOTICE: We don't use the suction cup windshield mount and the old Nuvi 350 was hidden in the glovebox so the thieves got randomly lucky. We'll be taking it out of the car more often now (the 1260T is a little thinner so this is easier to do). A police friend told us thieves check the windshield for the "suction cup circle" and that's an indication the car uses a GPS. Just a word to the wise.
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This is a very nice basic all around PND, however I think the current price is a little too high if you consider you can get a nuvi 205 or 250 for more than half this price. If you compare the 1260T to the 1250 though, it' the better deal out of the two. For the small price difference (about $40 at time of review) you get a traffic receiver (which costs more than $50) and Bluetooth.
Here are some observations:
Pros:
- Very fast map update speed, as fast as my nuvi 755.
- Bluetooth worked very well paring and copying contacts. The speaker could use some improvement but callers said they could hear me just fine.
- Nice smaller size. The thickness is 0.2 in thinner than normal nuvis and a bit more than my nuvi 350. The bezel also appears to be a bit smaller, adding to the perception of small size. If you've owned an older 3.5 in nuvi, you can definitely see and feel a size difference.
- User interface has been updated and sped up. A new, smoother and cleaner font is used throughout and contributes to a more "refined" feel for the interface. Menus are fast and you never feel like the unit is sluggish or lagging (like in my trusty nuvi 350).
- The included traffic receiver worked well and picked up traffic info very fast. I have never found these traffic data services to be very reliable but included here because that's not Garmin's fault. Note, the "free" traffic shows pop-up advertisements balloons on your map display during idle times (supposedly).
Cons:
- The mounting cradle is a two-step/two-handed affair, unplug the mini-USB then unmount from the two point cradle. The older, better quality cradle is literally one click grab and go from a nice powered cradle. Don't know why they removed that (cost savings?).
- A common complaint: less detail shown on maps. The newer nuvi's show fewer street names at the same zoom level as the older units. The argument being this reduces clutter. I'm not happy with it, but it's not a deal breaker. Garmin has added alot of other information to the map display and I can understand they don't want to overwhelm the user with text.
-Some features that are missing from the newer widescreen versions: Lane Assist, Lane Guidance, customizable vertical data fields (all removed due to smaller screen).
- When comparing the map display to a nuvi 755, I noticed the 1260 rendered the streets with less smoothing, showing more "jaggies" on curved roads. This could be how they sped up the map display.
- Mine came with 2010.10 maps, the new 2010.20 maps are out. You only get one free update after purchase, so I think it should come preloaded with 2010.20 maps so you have the opportunity to get the next update free. Newer units in the next few weeks should ship with .20 maps.
- I wish they would bring back the compass N arrow on the map display.
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I found my Garmin very easy to use. I had an awful time downloading the update until someone from Garmin told me to try using a different downloader (Mozilla Foxfire). With that change it went swiftly but I had tried for days and asked for help a few times before someone suggested making that change. I wish that information had been provided right in the beginning.
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While the Nuvi 1260T has some cool features, it still has some glitches to work out. The voice command features works well. Most of the time it recognizes my commands and it seems quicker than actually using the touch screen. The speed limit display is neat too, although I have noticed it isn't always accurate so I wouldn't recommend relying on it. The lane display is an improvement over previous garmins. I used to own a street pilot and when it was stolen, I upgraded to the 1260T. Unlike my previous garmin, when first starting out, the nuvi 1260T is not quick to recalculate. It has a starting point and if you don't get to that starting point, it just expects you to go back to where it thinks you should start instead of recalculating which can be frustrating. My other complaint is that it has locked up several times. My husband and I took a road trip last weekend and in one morning it locked up twice, all of the sudden the screen is frozen and it isn't progressing nor can you return to the main menu. Luckily we were in the middle of nowhere and not in the middle of a big city trying to navigate the freeways, which would be problematic when one is trying to drive and restart the nuvi at the same time. I called support and they just recommended I update the software, which I had already done when I first received the nuvi. I also had trouble updating the maps. It took 2 hours to download and then just froze my computer and would not update the nuvi. When I bought my street pilot, it included all the accessories, microphone, dashboard mount etc. Now you have to buy all accessories separately.
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No surprises with this unit. It is quality-built and includes the latest version of the Garmin software. I previously had a 350, so the software is an evolutionary improvement.
However, I am very surprised by the cheapness displayed by Garmin in that they do not include a carrying case or even an AC wall charger! The only charger included is a car charger. I had to buy my own carrying case and charger, so the real cost of this unit was +$30.
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Garmin is known for it's versatile GPSs. However, their incessant referral to it's Bluetooth technology needs a little explanation. It is only viable to a limited number of cellphones with Bluetooth. If this option is important, I highly advise that you first check that your phone is compatible with this device.
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I've owned a Nuvi 200 and a Nuvi 205. The 205 was working great but I got this one because I needed the bluetooth feature. I can tell you that both units, especially the 200, were built with significantly better materials. Garmin is getting cheap. The 200 had a loud, non-distorted speaker that announced the next turn without crackling or missing words. There were no mistakes that I ever encountered with the 200 in 2 years.
The Nuvi 1260t is made with a much cheaper, tinny speaker. Garmin says they have to make it that way due to how small the 1260 is. Nonsense- the 200 is only slightly bigger and is 3 year old technology. The case on the 1260 is cheap plastic and the screen does not pick up your touch until you touch it a few times. Also, the 1260 freezes occasionally. The bluetooth feature is borderline useless unless maybe you drive in a super quiet S-class. I drive a Toyota and most people can't hear me, and all I hear is distortion. It works in a pinch, but much better if you pull over. Unfortunately, Garmin is cheaping out and it shows.
The good side: small, lightweight, if you don't use the traffic receiver you don't get advertisements on the screen, all new roads are there, and it gets a good signal in any weather.
The solution: consider an older Garmin with bluetooth, and update the maps. Maybe a 765t would be better. I would have paid a little more for a better speaker.
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Pros: Good product. Works as advertsed. Simple. Functional. Gets you where you need to go. Small size is very convenient for people like me who travel and take our garmin with them. Cons: crashed once. routes aren't always the most direct especially in urban areas. Sometimes doesn't give enough warning before turns for being in the correct lane. HATE the hover ads.
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Overall it is very nice device. I like the small size, and traffic status features.
I would like to point out couple of things any buyer should be aware of before purchasing this device:
* Bluetooth handsfree feature is of limited use. It not problem of this particular device, just having such small speaker and microphone so far from your face makes it difficult to use due to car noise.
* On small screen devices they only offer ABCDEF keyboard not QWERTY. If you used to QWERTY it is major pain to type on it.
Besides that it is nice little device, very useful I recommend it as inexpensive GPS solution.
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