Garmin Nuvi 650

[fourtrack78]

for 289, is this a good unit? I'm looking for something for the wife. She doesn't know her easts to wests

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3084615&sku=G145-0138&srkey=G1450138&CMP=EMC-EMAIL2006&SRCCODE=CANEM1121

[supa_slick]

Looks good. I have a Garmin Nuvi 360 and I love it.

[Skarbro]

I don't like the wide screen, but it's an awesome deal!

[Chuckie]

amazing price..
get it..

[boogie]

good price. I do find that the widescreen unit is actually a little too big. I was going to buy one for my GF, but realized it would be a little big for her to carry around in her purse/bag. I ended up getting her the 360 instead.

[little_wheelz]

It is a great unit. I like the WS and it has everything you need IMO. My dad paid ~ $350 at Costco which was a good price, so $289 is a great price.

[mit-gee-mui]

Back in 2005, I got a Garmin iQue 3600. After 3 years of use, yesterday, the device decided that it no longer wanted to turn on or charge, so I was forced to turn it in for an early (or not so early) retirement. :loco I was very happy with the product, but then again, it was the first gps I ever used. I would have continued using it if the battery did not decide that it would no longer work anymore.:complain I only used it for the gps feature. I didn't really try out the other functions on it.

Today, my mom got me the Garmin Nuvi 650. I just tested it out, and I am very impressed. But then again, I am very easily amused. It is a pretty nifty thing. Here are a few things I have noticed so far: (Take note: I am a TOTAL ditz when it comes to technology of any sort!)
I am not sure if my mom set it up for me and did this so that I didn't have to, but on my old device, I had to install a cd and load the maps on the device myself. This one, I just had to turn on and everything was already there.
I like the feature where you can pick whether you want to be a car or truck.:chuckle And I like how the vehicle is blue. On the old device, I think I was just an arrow.
I think the two sizes are roughly the same, except the screen for the old Garmin was oriented in a portrait style, but this new one is oriented in a landscape style as already stated.
The woman's voice was rather amusing. (We set the language to British English.:whoa)
My old device used a stylus for the menu, while this one is a touchscreen. I am not sure how I feel about that just yet. It's different though.
Those of you who know me well have learned VERY quickly that I am absolutely HORRIBLE with directions. On the iQue, for example, when going south, the cursor to indicate my position on the map would move downwards. Because of this, I would have to rotate the device so that the cursor would be moving forwards/upwards to avoid a mass of confusion. :loco (I held the machine and placed it in my cupholder instead of mounting it anywhere.) With the 650, the cursor is always oriented forward. I really like this feature. No more turning the device around and around.
We tried to get the device confused, but it kept correcting the route as we took "wrong turns". We even learned a new way home that we never knew about before.
I also like how I can program my house address into the device and tell it to lead the way home. I don't think I could do this on the old machine. (I always went into Recent Finds and clicked on the address for my house to get home.)
This new one has a lot more features that the old one didn't have. For example, apparently I can download music and photos into the Nuvi 650.
Both units came with a car charger.
Sometimes, depending on the layout and my position on the map, part of the route would be covered by the menu bar or something else on/near the bottom of the screen. Now, once I move away from that area, the route will be fully visible again, but it can get rather startling when I look at a screen and don't see the pink line I should be following.:whoa
Maybe it is just me, but it seems that every time I turn on the Nuvi, I have to select my country, language and all that stuff. The old iQue, I just turned on and it was ready to go.
I can't wait to use it again.:)

[Xerox]

I am not sure if my mom set it up for me and did this so that I didn't have to, but on my old device, I had to install a cd and load the maps on the device myself. This one, I just had to turn on and everything was already there.

I would say most GPS' come preloaded with North American maps.


I like the feature where you can pick whether you want to be a car or truck.:chuckle And I like how the vehicle is blue. On the old device, I think I was just an arrow.

Not sure how many vehicles the 650 comes with but the Garmin website has vehicles you can download.


On the iQue, for example, when going south, the cursor to indicate my position on the map would move downwards. Because of this, I would have to rotate the device so that the cursor would be moving forwards/upwards to avoid a mass of confusion. :loco (I held the machine and placed it in my cupholder instead of mounting it anywhere.) With the 650, the cursor is always oriented forward. I really like this feature. No more turning the device around and around.

Sounds like your iQue was set to North Up (North is always up on the map no matter the direction you are travelling). The 650 should have Track Up (your direction is always up), North Up, 3D view (which is track up in 3-D)

[mit-gee-mui]

:chuckle

I told you I was a complete ditz!


:chuckle:chuckle:chuckle


:)

Edit: I did end up going onto the Garmin website to check out all the other vehicles. I seem to like the one I currently have the best. Too bad there isn't a mazda3.:chuckle