Garmin StreetPilot c330 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished) Reviews

• Undoubtedly the best Car GPS in today's market !

  
  By A3I9VSSDDPG477 on 2005-05-05
  UPDATE:
  Below is my review which a lot of people found useful. So, i want to write this udpate. Now, get the C340 & not the C330. the biggest difference is C340 spells street name out like turn left on main st, take 95S etc. It MAKES A BIG DIFF FOR ANOTHER $50 !!!
  
  AND GET THIS MOUNT, IT IS FANTASTIC:
  Garmin Dashboard Mount for StreetPilot c320, c330 and c340
  ===============================================================
  
  I have used Navman ICN 630, Megallen RM 700 & finally this one.
  
  I can tell you this is the best & most of all easiest. This is why this unit is the best:
  
  1. No downloading of Maps
  2. Has most udpated Maps compared to other brands
  3. Has 5 million points of interest compared to others
  4. Touchscreen
  5. Easiest of all to use. Easier than the Acura GPS i have used.
  6. Very small but with most usable screen view. It doesn't take a lot of winshield space, doesn;t block visibility. Though screen is small, letters are SO BIG & EASY TO READ.
  7. Very fast software
  8. Very easy to carry while traveling.
  9. Excellent windshield mount. Very stable
  10. It comes on when Car is turned on.
  11. It has rechargeable battery which lasts for about 3 hrs i think.
  12. Loud/clear voice.
  13. Very intuitive operating system.
  14. Fixes the GPS signal instantly. Navman used to take longer.
  15. This is interesting. You can remove the unti without unplugging the car DC cord. DC cord is connected to mount always.
  
  
  

• Nicely Done, Garmin!

  
  By A3UUAMMH39FQXM on 2005-05-07
  The Garmin C330 is a well designed, easy to use GPS. It does not offer all the bells and whistles of the Garmin 2620 or Magellan RM700, for example - but the C330 offers simplicity and quality in a nice neat package. The advantages of the C330:
  - The display is awesome - high resolution with good contrast.
  - No buttons! Everything, except volume and power, is controlled by the touch screen.
  - The software is fast; route calculations take just a few seconds.
  - After the initial lock, this little unit locks on very quickly after powering up.
  - The internal battery is terrific; you can do your route planning indoors without looking for an AC receptacle, and you can leave the unit on during a rest stop on your trip to preserve trip data. Battery life is 3 to 4 hours.
  - The OS is super intuitive.
  - The 3D view is simple to follow, but the map view is excellent, also.
  - Navigation performance is excellent.
  - Speakers are built in, with excellent sound quality.
  - Windshield mount is small, sturdy and simple.
  - The unit is small enough that it won't obstruct your view.
  - The power cord is hardwired to the windshield mount - no plug to contend with.
  
  A few disadvantages I've noticed:
  - The battery is not user replaceable
  - The C330 cannot save a route. But this is not a big deal. When you start up after a stop, you just have it calculate the route to your destination, which takes just seconds - or just leave it on if your stop doesn't exceed 3 to 4 hours.
  - The display can get washed out in direct light on a bright day - but I expect that is common to all GPS units.
  - As I mentioned, it doesn't have the bells and whitles of the 2630 or RM 700. For example, you can't monitor satellite signal strength from indiviual satellites. you can't determinen your lat/long position, and as I mentioned, you can't save routes in the C330. And you can't program it for several different users like you can with the RM700.
  
  But all in all, the C330 is a winner. It's simple to operate, well designed, very effective, and reasonably priced. It's a strong buy!
  
  

• Hats offf to Garmin's C330

  
  By A170GY15JIVYNL on 2005-06-17
  This is my first Navi ever, but I'm no stranger to it, I just never owned one till now. For the features I was looking for, I narrowed my options to The Garmin 2620, Garmin C330, and Megellan 700. Needless to say the C330 was my pick.
  
  I painstakingly reviewed these (3) GPS items and read every review and feedback I could find, then I comb the manufacturers websites for all specs and features,updates yaddy yadda, then I made a few trips to the store to get some hands on experience and feel of the products.
  
  The C330 has a refreshing out of box experience. It can be fired up right away to begin use. I did not need to read the manual to start using it, the idiot proof interface makes it very easy to learn, which is a plus because my wife can use it when I'm doing the driving. The models that I also considered provided a little more features than the C330, But they did not have an internal power source. Memory-wise, the C330 has a 2 GIG micro drive, which is quite adequate for all the US maps and any updates etc.
  Personally, my heart was set on the Magellan 700, but the cost and the fact that it only had 2 million POI (Points of Interest) compared to Garmin 5 million POI, turned me away from it. Of the (3) items I considered, the C330 is the only one that has a 100% touch screen interface and the smallest size so that it can be mounted/stored anywhere. GPSs' are not getting any bigger, with today's designers using micro/flash memory technology, our units will become more inconspicuous.The C330 can be a little difficult to see in the Sunlight, but not too bad. The Megellan 700 and the Garmin 2620 does have a port for an external antenna as well as the C330, which can be had for about $20 from a third party source.
  The manual is very easy to read and colorful, but I found that it was not in-depth, some things I had to call Garmin to clarify. I was curious about the internal battery, that only they can change. It would cost $125 just to send the unit in if it needed work outside of the warranty period.....hopefully the battery will last about five years when I'm ready to upgrade.
  
  Garmin updated maps usually comes out every 10-14 months so one is due out any time now. and it would cost me $75 to update the maps if I so desire. If you plan to get one and you get it on or after the new maps release date, the upgrade would be free.
  I'm very please with the touch screen response and the layout out the maps, the list of Hotels, restaurants etc. all w/ phone numbers too. the volume is great, as long as you're not do 80MPH w/ your windows down. It recognizes dirt roads also - provided that the roads all existed before 2004 (the last map release date).
  I will not be redundant and mention all the other points that the previous reviews mention, but for the most part the (3-4) reviews before mine were accurate and very helpful.
  The C330 does not display your elevation, which is a minus, it's nice to know when driving in the mountains.
  This unit has its share of nuggets to find that will just leave you in amazement. If I had to choose all over again I'll still get the C330.
  
  Buyers beware, If you purchase the more expensive model (c330) it comes preloaded with all the maps so there is no need to be transferring data back and forth, but you DO NOT get the software on City Select CD ROM. If you opt for the cheaper version (C320) you will get the City Select CD, because the entire map can't fit on that unit..you'll have to transfer data via memory card.
  I've also noticed that unless you are looking directly perpendicular to the screen, the colors don't show correctly, in other words if you are the driver or passenger and you look at the screen at an angle, it will be still visible but the colors tend to wash out, sort of like with a laptop if the screen is not tilted right.
  My experience with Tech support is fair. The wait time is a little lengthy, but once one the phone, they don't try to rush you through your questions to get you off the phone. I was helped adequately with all my questions.
  A great advantage is the mounting flexibility, any area of the windshield, the dashboard or console (comes w/base mount) or as a handheld providing the internal battery doesn't quit. Icons, splash screens and markers can by customerized via the Garmin software on their website. the images can be transported back and forth from the unit as BMP files and edited.
  
  There are three ways to view the map
  1) Bird's eye view with the map always facing north and the arrow/cursor moves as you drive.
  2) Bird's eye view with the arrow remains still and the map moves around as you drive
  3) "3D" mode. Where the view is the same as you would see out of your windshield except it's slightly elevated so you can see a wider angle and detect streets about a block away an all three sides of you.
  The unit automatically detects your speed and zooms out when you're driving fast and zooms in when you're moving slow, so you're never over/under driving the map. The receiver is very good in my opinion, sometimes (depend on what part of the house I am) I get a good signal indoors. I have my C330 mounted above my rearview mirror in my vehicle (barely got it to fit) so it does NOT have a clear view of the sky and if it did, the factory tint in the windshield would also block it...yet I get a good signal. Mounting it on the middle of my windshield yield the best results and start up time, but I chose to mount it above my rearview mirror to eliminate any sunlight glare from hitting the screen and it's working great.
  
  To respond to previous reviewers comments.... It was pointed out that Garmin should've added a feature where you can see an Icon or marker that indicated the locations of all the POI nearby as you drive by them. Well I've found a way to do it, although it's not noted in Garmin's sub-par manual. All you have to do is go to [Menu - Where To - Show Map] and you'll see all the attractions, lodging, eating, gas etc. locations on the road/area that you're currently on.
  Another thing that's not mentioned on the manual. Lets say you're somewhere and you don't know the address, but you want to save and revisit that location. Go to [Menu - Where TO - Show Map - Info - Save]
  
  

• Not all the bells and whistles, but still great...and who needs bells and whistles anyway???

  
  By AXNSG4A5QNZID on 2006-12-07
  Ok, I'm not going to give a super technical breakdown of the pro's and con's. You can read the 2xx other reviews for that. I will tell this much: c330 is a great unit for one heck of a price (299 shipped!!!). You really just take it out of the box and it's ready to go. First off, I've never owned any GPS equipment. So even though higher models like the c340 speaks the street names, or the nuvi 350 is no bigger than a deck of cards, the c330 has everthing a gps newb needs to get around town, or across the country. US and Canda are already loaded. I really wanted the Nuvi 350 but it was out of my price range. I was considering the c320 to save more money, but with the $20 price difference (on Amazon) it was only logical to get the c330. It's got most major restaurants, gas stations, attractions and a bunch of other categorized POI's that I'll probably never need, but just nice to know they exist if I need them...or if I'm bored and just want to see what other POI this thing has. As far as the voice nav goes she usually tells me to turn when it's at .1 mile. I think the "turn" prompts can be a bit sooner, but as long as you're aware you will be fine. Now it would be nice if it said the actual street name, but all it takes is a quick glance to see which street she's talking about and you're on track.
  
  The text on the screen is clear and readable. I have mine mounted near the bottom of my windshield. Btw, that mount has very good suction. I don't know what people are talking about when they say the mount doesn't hold. Here's what some people might overlook on the mount: It's got a lever that is in the "locked" position when you get it. So what you've got to do is flip up the lever to "unlocked". Stick it to the windshield and flip the lever down to "locked" and that thing will be on there nice and tight! To take it off, just work it in reverse and off it will come.
  
  There are a few things I noticed. Almost all routes chosen where the ones my fiance would choose (she's the Baltimore local not me). I have mine set to Fastest Route , but some destinations have me take a turn too early or go around. Case in point, I went to Costco today and was told it was right if off the highway, but the c330 told me to go right basically making one big circle. It was just a couple minutes extra so no big deal. Now if I was by myself I wouldn't have even noticed b/c I was not at all familiar with the area. So yes, there is the chance that it won't pick the most ideal route, but then again that Garmin route won't have you too far off from the route that a person familiar with the area would chose.
  
  I haven't tested the SD slot, but I've read that it's pretty useless for loading custom POIs until you step up to the c530 models and higher. The SD slot does read maps for other countries so all hope is not lost if and when you plan to travel to areas outside the U.S. In order to load custom POIs you'd need to take the c330 in with you and use the USB to plug it directly to your computer. You'd basically load it directly onto the c330's internal memory. Garmin says its got 2mb of internal memory, though they didnt specify how much of that is actually used by the unit. So up to this point I don't know how much usuable internal memory there is. I don't plan to load tons and tons of POI so its doesn't seem to be an issue with me. What I've done in the few days I've used it is to look up where I want to go (on the internet) and get the address or just look it up on the c330. I've saved locations that I frequent in the Favorites section so they'll be there when I need them.
  
  Another thing I want to mention is the size. Don't expect to fit this in your jeans pocket and not have people notice ;). Yes, it is small, but not Nuvi 350 small. But to get Nuvi 350 small you need to cough up about $150 more. May not seem like much more, but for those on a budget I think you can overcome the size issue. I usually keep mine in my jacket pocket where there's more space. I don't even notice it's there. I also carry a side bag, but I won't be putting it there until I get a case for it.
  
  I haven't had the chance to use it in direct sunlight. People say the glare is killer, but I'm sure it's not anything that an antiglare screen can't fix. Amazon sells those too. They're from Boxwave if you're curious.
  
  So there it is. Just a few minor setbacks that can easily be overlooked or overcome with a few adjustments. It doesn't have all the fancy features like an mp3 player or bluetooth, but if you just want to know how to get somewhere with confidence and at the same time have some really useful functions with a well known brand you cant go wrong with the c330...btw, did I mention it's only $299 :)
  
  
  

• disappointed

  
  By AOA7ZG90IT8BT on 2005-07-19
  Most of what these reviews say about the unit is mostly true. But I was still disappointed with the unit's overall performance. To be fair, I think the biggest problem I had was how outdated the maps were.
  
  My first trip was from my home to my office (to try it out). My office building was constructed about 3 years ago. The road and the building are not on the unit's map. So the directions were not optimal.
  
  Later, I took a trip to the NC mountains. During one segment of the trip, the unit routed me way off course (about 1 extra hour). I know this because after I returned I typed the same route into Mapquest and Mapblast. Both routed me the better way. What was more annoying was that all of the roads were included in the maps in the unit. So not sure what the problem here was.
  
  During multiple segments of the return trip, the unit showed my location way off the highway (i.e., running parallel to the highway, but about 1 mile north). I reset the unit and it corrected the display. This problem happened frequently, but was intermittent.
  
  Summary:
  
  The unit worked well about 75% of the time, but when I needed it most (i.e., driving in areas I'm unfamiliar with) I was constantly checking the unit against a map to see if it was working well.
  
  Weighing all of the evidence I concluded that the unit was more distracting than navigating using a good map and a semi-functional brain. So I decided to return the unit and wait for better technology and/or a better solution to the map-lag problem (see below).
  
  Note: I think the biggest problem with this whole approach may be the task of getting the updated maps to the units. Garmin told me the same thing that others here say: maps are updated about every 12 to 18 months. Assuming this is true, my experience indicates that that's too long. In other words, there were so many new roads added since the last map update, that the unit didn't perform well enough to meet what I consider pretty realistic expectations during the trip described above.
  
  
  
• Solid GPS for the price. But you'll still need your street atlas.
  By A33NJ3IZ8S422T on 2006-08-27
  (I've made a few corrections and an update at the bottom)
  
  I've had the C330 for about 4 months.
  The good:
  
  You've read it in most of these reviews: the C330 gets you from here to there effortlessly. The unit intelligently zooms into streets as you approach turns, the voice comes in a reasonable distance from a turn, and the route recommendations are well thought out (no, they won't beat your own prized routes if you know the area well enough, but then again, why use a gps under that circumstance?). If I had to summarize the unit in one word, I'd say "trustworthy".
  
  Garmin keeps upgrading the unit's software -- just plug the unit into your computer using the usb connector, and you can get the latest software patches for free. And yes, you can also get map updates ( first update is free if you do it shortly after buying the unit, subsequent updates cost about $75. That's on par for other units).
  
  The battery in the system serves a few good purposes. You won't lose your route if you have to turn off the vehicle (for gas or food), you can take your gps on foot, and you can setup waypoints from the comfort of your living room instead of the car.
  
  And finally, C330 supports industry standard waypoint files. Which means you can download files from the web containing all the speedtraps in your area, or all the Dennys, or anything else you can find out there.
  
  The bad:
  
  Keep in mind that I recommend the C330 to all friends, because it excels at plotting routes. But I find reviews more helpful when they nitpick rather than gush. As such, here is a list of grievances...
  
  First off, there's no way to alter how the unit sets up a trip. Let's say I want to get into New Jersey but avoid the George Washington bridge. There's no way to set such a parameter in the C330. The work around is to:
  1. store a destination point that you`d ideally want to unit to take on the route. In this example, I want the unit to use the Tapanzee bridge, so I created a nav point to the bridge.
  2. Then have the unit plot a trip to New Jersey.
  3. Once the trip has started, I can set a detour to the Tapanzee bridge. Once the unit gets to the Tapanzee, it will route to the destination in New Jersey from that point.
  
  The unit is at its worst when you don't know the exact address of your destination. A dated and sometimes idiosyncratic POI system can be quite frustrating. For example, I was looking for a beach in a town called Ipswitch. I wasn't exactly sure what the beach was called, but there's only one beach in Ipswitch. The C330 couldn't find it. I later realized that the beach was listed under "Ipswitch Town" rather than "Ipswitch". Ipswitch Town? Does that mean I have to search for things in Boston under "Boston City"??? That's just plain wrong. Another time I was trying to find a tavern in a golf course, but I didn't know the exact name of either the bar or the golf course -- since it was the only golf course in the area, I didn't think it was asking much of the POI system -- but no matter what I tried I could find neither. Dissapointing to say the least.
  
  The screen size might seem smallish, but it is almost perfect for following the unit's route instructions. Where the size disappoints is trying to use the online maps as a replacement for paper maps. Driving through the Boston area, you can't tell that Mass Ave is 4 blocks away from Davis square and a good route to get right into Boston. Sure if you have an exact address, the unit will get you into Boston no problem, but my point is that you can't use the unit to get an idea of how things are laid out in a town . So believe it or not, I still have a road atlas in the car with me.
  
  I've also noticed that a few times the unit gets the left confused with right when announcing what side of the street a destination is. For that matter, on one road trip I notice that the display had mislabeled the highway I was on -- it was putting the highway number on the road running parallel to the highway.
  
  In bright sunlight, the screen can be difficult to see. And the volume control is extra sensitive. It would be great if the volume auto adjusted based on your speed, but that's probably asking a little much of a sub $400 gps.
  
  Finally, there are a wealth of hidden functions that you'll have to search the web for to find -- functions you should know about: like the screen calibration feature and the reset function. I know they want to keep the doc light to emphasize the user friendly interface, but really!
  
  Update:
  I upgraded to the C340 thanks to a nice car thief who helped him/herself to my C330. The C340 adds the pronounciation of street names and realtime traffic alerts. So far I like the C330 better! The C340 has a well known problem with verbal directions coming too late (google "c340 late turn notification") -- and yes, I've experienced it myself. Also the C340 is buggier with maps not drawing correctly even with the latest firmware update. I want my C330 back...
  
  
• Good for what it is
  By A1WNNG5UV4PR39 on 2006-04-07
  I've been a happy user of Garmin products for years. I often take long drives through the USA and Canada, and my old Streetpilot III has been a faithful helper through it all. The SPIII had one serious disadvantage, however: its flash card can hold only the detailed map data for one or two big cities. Even with the crude basemap information, the SPIII was useful, but detailed maps made it twice as good. So when I saw that Garmin was offering units with detailed map data for the whole of North America preloaded, I was psyched.
  
  If you're going to get a unit with preloaded maps, you have two main options: a c3xx such as the c330 (this item), or a 27xx such as the 2720. What's the difference?
  
  If you're the kind of person who hates complex controls, who feels a sickening sense of malaise at the thought of navigating through a menu system, who wants to just turn it on and have it work (whatever "it" is), the c330 is for you. It's simple and requires virtually no set-up. Its purpose is to show you how to get from here to there. It does that, and it does it well.
  
  If on the other hand you're like me: someone who finds that the default settings are never quite right, who goes through all the menus first thing to find out what the machine is capable of, and ends up after a while using almost every feature, you should get a 2720. I was disapponted with the c330. It doesn't display points of interest on the map (so, for instance, you can't see at a glance how close you are to the next rest stop), doesn't allow you to save routes, doesn't keep track of where you've been (a useful feature when you're trying to find your way back out of some mess you've driven into).
  
  In summary, if you want a simple (and less expensive) unit to give you directions, this unit, the c330, is for you. If you want a full-featured versatile GPS receiver, something like the 2720 would be better.
  
  
• Garmin is the best for GPS
  By A1CPRP3VFJRS1R on 2006-09-29
  I spent a lot of time trying out GPS units, and have compared Garmin, Tom Tom, Magellan, and several factory GPS units. All of these GPS units tell you how to get somewhere and will re-route if you make a wrong turn. However, Garmin is my absolute favorite, and here's why:
  
  1. The most important thing about Garmin units is the user interface. It is simple to understand and easy to use.
  
  2. The Garmin unit uses a built in database of sunrise and sunset times (based upon your location) to automatically change from daylight mode to night-time mode. This is important because the daylight screen is much too bright for use at night. With the Tom Tom, you must make this change manually.
  
  3. If you have the Garmin unit plugged into your car power, when you turn off the car (and the cigarette lighter power goes off), the Garmin unit will detect that and automatically turn itself off (it gives you 30 seconds to override and keep the unit on).
  
  4. When you start your car again, the Garmin unit will detect that too and automatically power up. If you were in the middle of a trip, the Garmin unit will pick up where you left off, and you won't have to tell it where you were going again.
  
  5. Unlike most factory GPS units, Garmin will allow you to select your route and make changes while you are moving.
  
  6. The Garmin units have an extensive database of locations and the excellent interface makes it easy to search the database to find what you want. Do you want food or gas? Just click three buttons and a list of locations (sorted by distance) will appear. If you know the name of the place you want, you can type it in on the on-screen keypad and Garmin will find it for you. You can even add your own locations using the favorites feature. I first started using this when I was out of town, but its amazing what you'll find near you when you look.
  
  7. While you are driving, the Garmin unit will both prompt you to turn and give you a written explanation of the turn (including the street or highway name and direction) at the top of the screen. The Garmin unit also shows an estimated arrival time (usually a few minutes earlier than you'll actually arrive) and the distance to your next turn. A separate screen gives you detailed trip information, including how far and how long you've been driving and your maximum speed. I used mine on an airplane once (yes, it is allowed - read the back of the airplane magazine), and it now says that by maximum speed was 590 miles per hour.
  
  8. I often use the Garmin even when driving locally, becase it often finds better, faster ways to get there then the way that I usually use.
  
  9. Garmin offers a variety of installation options and accessories. My favorite is the friction based dashboard mount (three weights connected to a center stand) which is much more convenient than the supplied mounting system.
  
  10. If you turn off the GPS receiver (see settings) and then look up another location, you will get the option to set this new location as your present location. This will allow you to use search Garmin's points of interest for the new location. This is a great feature when planning trips, because Garmin's points of interest database is quite extensive and includes all of the typical tourist attractions, plus food, shopping, gas, banking, etc.
  
  11. Be sure to check for the latest map and firmware updates at Garmin's web-site.
  
  
• Awesome GPS unit!!!
  By A2D3L1CASEZFSB on 2006-11-29
  I replaced a TomTom One with this device. It is so much better IMO. Bigger / nicer touchscreen and its maps are much more accurate. The menu system s very intuitive and really does work right out of the box. Within 15 minutes I was up and running. Setup my home location right away and added all of the places I will visit when I travel out of town this weekend to my favorites list (BTW the TomTom One couldn't find half of them.) It is great to have all the maps loaded for you already and not have to worry about it. It is larger than the TomTom One but it doesn't matter. Using the windshield mount I placed it right next to the rear-view mirror out of my direct line of sight. It works very well in this position for me. The accessible volume button is very useful as well. You can remove the power cord if you don't want wires hanging in the car all the time if the unit has been charged.
  
  
• Great GPS, Easy to use
  By A2AF1FX7SMS6K2 on 2007-11-10
  I bought this C330 for my retired parents. I chose this one because it is the same unit my wife has, and it works great. She is horrible with directions, but now is confident to venture to far away suburbs. After using it for a few months, she said, "I love that GPS". It works great when you're on the phone and someone is trying to give you directions to their house. Just say, "give me your address" and you're ready to go.
  
  My parents are not gadget freaks; they don't even use a cell phone. They needed a GPS that was easy to use. The C330 menus are simple to follow and intuitive. Adding locations to the Favorites makes it even faster to use.
  
  I like the long battery life. When I'm headed out of the area, I borrow the Garmin from my wife's car and don't even bring the windshield mount (charger). I've driven for more than four hours without so much as a low battery warning.
  
  Some of the nice features include:
  - Below the displayed map is the Estimated Time of Arrival and how long before you are going to need to make a turn.
  
  - The touch screen removes confusing buttons, and only offers you options that apply to the function you're working on.
  
  - Automatically recalculating directions if you miss a turn. In some cases I don't want to take the proposed route, so the C330 will reroute based on where I'm headed.
  
  - The external volume control allows you to adjust the audible directions without navigating through menus.
  
  - When approaching interchanges, the C330 gets you in the proper lane so you don't accidentally take the wrong ramp. The voice says things like "in .2 miles, keep left" or "stay right".
  
  - The C330 looks at your speed to decide how far in advance it will give you audible directions about the next turn. The faster you're driving, the greater the distance. At residential speeds it might give you a few hundred feet. At highway speeds it gives you several tenths of a mile.
  
  - The display automatically adjusts from day to night mode at dusk.
  
  - You can program the unit to avoid toll roads, unpaved roads, and U turns.
  
  - The entire US is preloaded in the C330. No need to anticipate where you're traveling and load additional maps ahead of time.
  
  - The ability to use the C330 indoors to program your trip. I opened the one for my parents and pre-programmed their home as well as all of their relatives ahead of time. When they headed south for the winter, everything was ready to go.
  - You can charge the unit from a USB cable.
  
  
  My wife's C330 locked up once - completely frozen. We could not do anything in the menu or even turn it off. I searched the Internet and found instructions on how to reset the unit. After that, the unit worked just fine. It didn't even lose any of the data we had programmed in it. I suspect "locked-up" units are why so many are returned and then offered as refurbished units. I had no hesitation on buying a refurb after knowing how to reset it.
  
  Here are the instructions to reset a frozen C330. Remove the silver trim faceplate. In the 12 o'clock position is a groove for your fingernail. Otherwise there are two hidden tabs on the right and left sides. Use a tiny screwdriver blade to gently pop out the tabs by lifting the sides. (Be careful so you don't slip and scratch the screen). After you remove the trim, there is a reset button in the 3 o'clock position. Push the button to reboot the C330 and you're as good as new. Even few months our C330 seems to begin taking a long time to acquire satellites. I'll reset the unit and things improve. I liken this condition to a Windows PC that starts acting quirky if it has not been re-booted in a long time.
  
  
  Here are a few of the things I don't like, or wish the C330 would do:
  
  - The C330 doesn't allow you to get to locations that are "off-road". This device is intended for drivings, not for hiking, geo-caching or other activities not along the road.
  
  - Provide Latitude and Longitude coordinates for a location or allow you to enter destinations using Lat/Long.
  
  - Sometimes the Garmin maps think locations are on the opposite side of the road. I chalk this up to it being a municipality where the odd/even addresses are on the opposite sides of the street from what Garmin is expecting. Hopefully this will be fixed in future Garmin maps.
  
  - Speaking of maps, I don't like the fact that I have to pay big bucks for updated Garmin maps. In my opinion updates should be free for at least some period of time. Fortunately the maps are pretty good as long as you're not in an area with lots of new construction.
  
  - The C340 is exactly the same unit, however it pronounces the street names using text to speech technology.
  
  - The unit should have an accessible reset button. Either drill a hole in the trim plate, or relocate the button to the back of the unit.
  
  
  All in all we're very pleased with the Garmin C330. In the future I'm sure I'll be looking for more Garmin products when others in the household start driving.
  
  
  
• CANT download NEW MAPS dont buy
  By A1GEKNKGKWD0FN on 2007-11-24
  I purchased this product yesterday only to find out that it is discontinued by Garmin and it has old maps from 2005.I am going to carry it back. The new 2008 maps cannot download onto this unit(c330) because it dose not have enough memory. Garmin has stop making this product don't even waste you money...even tho walmart has it for $128.00. Get the c340 for $200 at a popular electronics retailer today only 11/24/07 and it comes with the 2008 maps which is great. Another plus is the c340 will say "turn right onto John Doe St" but the c330 will just say "turn right". Hurry up and get the c340 on special.
  
  
• NEVER get lost again!!!!!!!!!!
  By A2DWPG5HZ3TVXD on 2006-11-28
  As a Private Investigator and Process Server this GPS paid for itself the first month. I have since bought 4 more for employees. Being able to locate an address is great but the feature of finding a restaurant or hotel WITH a phone number is awesome. I need to buy at least one more so my wife and daughter will stop borrowing mine when I'm not looking. My daughter has been driving less than a year and it is great when she is driving to stop her from getting lost. It is small enough to take on a plane for use in rental cars when you arrive in a strange city. All the wineries were listed in NAPA this past March, it saved so much time. This is a must have. I will never go without one again.
  
  UPDATE: I now have five of these units, have had trouble with one and Garmin replaced it FREE in about 10 days. Very Good customer service!
  
  
• Does the job well!
  By A2UZ2Q2ID3ZQ8E on 2005-10-29
  I have prior experience of using other GPS Navigation systems both built-in into the cars as well as external ones and hence have a good idea of Navigation systems out there in the market.
  
  Firstly, I'd like to compare built-in vs. external GPS navigation systems.
  
  Built-in:
  - Have usually more features such as voice commands (The newer ones have this features)
  - Integration with speakers. If you are listening to music, the music is momentarily paused while the navigation system is prompting instructions. Cars speakers are also much nicer compared to the little speakers that external navs come with.
  - Faster access time, faster response time
  - Secure. You don't have to worry about stowing the navigation system away every time you park.
  - Easier data entry. The street/city names dynamically grey-out the alphabets that are not in any remaining possible names. This speeds up address entry substantially. Some newer/more expensive external ones have this feature.
  
  External:
  - Price. External navigation systems are usually much cheaper than the built-in. This is a major factor why people buy external Navigation systems
  - Are not limited to one car. If you happen to rent a car or drive a friends car or want to lend a friend the Navigation system you could!
  - Easier to hook up to a PC/internet and upgrade maps/software.
  - If your car already doesn't have a built-in navigation, you don't have to go an buy a new car with one :-)
  
  
  Garmin c330:
  Pros:
  - Priced reasonable (About $560)
  - Easy operation
  - Clean interface with nice icons
  - Right size. The screen is not too small
  - 3D maps
  - Comprehensive list of nearby establishments gas stations, restaurants etc.
  - Full touch screen operations
  
  Cons
  - Missing some features such as text to voice, Bluetooth phone integration, annocement of street name etc.
  - Response time is not the fastest.
  - Doesn't not announce "next". Such as "Next Right". But the last instruction you hear is usually something like "right turn after 300 ft". Many other navigation systems do provide more precise info.
  
  I weighed various options and bought a Garmin c330. The closest other option was the $100 more expensive c340, but I didn't find the upgrades worth that much. Garmin c330 has definitely been doing the job fine navigating me around without getting me lost or having me look at printed maps or restaurant guides :-).
  
  
  
• Much better than my TomTom Go...
  By A11T807LX2EF00 on 2005-06-15
  I bought a TomTom Go last October. It replaced a Garmin StreetPilot III. While the TomTom was a lot easier to use and great, it was limited by out-of-date maps (roads, bridges and exits 5 years old were not in the database). When it worked it worked great.
  
  When Garmin introduced the c330, it was stikingly familiar to the TomTom product. In using it extensively in the last few weeks, I have concluded that it is superior. It is just as easy to use. And I love the trip information screen that is lacking in the TomTom. The maps are great.
  
  The TomTom does have a number of features that are missing in the c330. You can set your present location with one touch as a favorite. You get your next turn displayed on the screen at all times (which is lacking on the c330, though you can touch the screen and see and hear it). You can do a detour with various options and then if not acceptable return to your original route.
  
  The c330 is smaller than the TomTom. It is also easier to attach to the windshield mount than the TomTom. The windshild mount itself is easy to attach and remove from the windshield, unlike the TomTom. The display was not overly affected by direct sunlight, and can be set automatically to adjust to night time driving mode. Though I like the dc cable being part of the mount, I would have preferred one that was not permanenty attached to the mount so I could use it without the windshield mount. Though for short trips the battery life is more than adequate.
  
  Though I have not used Garmin's customer service to compare, I found TomTom support slow and not responsive in answering what I had asked.
  
  I also recommend buying the Covertec screen protector that they make for the TomTom Go. With a few minor cuts at two corners with a scissors it will fit very nicely on the c330. It feels smooth to the touch and protects the screen well. I bought mine from MobilePlanet.com.
  
  All in all, I highly recommend the c330.
  
  
• Garmin C330
  By A3B2ASDSPRNSD4 on 2006-12-18
  My only other exposure to GPS is the Pioneer Avic-N1, with that said:
  
  The Garmin C330 is exactly what I researched. I wanted a unit that would tell me where I was and a unit that I could put in an address and and it will get me there. This unit does what I wanted and I got it for around $300.
  
  Now, I will say that I looked at the C340 and although it has some additional options, for my purposes, the C330 is what I needed. The main difference in the C330 and the C340 is the "real time traffic". It sounds great, but internet reviews weren't all that favorable and after a free trial, you have to pay for the real time traffic updates. I read, it's an addtional $5 a month. I decided I didn't need another bill so I opted for the C330.
  
  My experience was this. I pulled my unit out of the box, mounted it to the windshield and plugged it in. After a short first time set up, it quickly located exactly where it was. I called a friend that lives a few miles away and asked what her address was. She gave me her address and it the Garmin C330 gave me directions straight to her door. What more do you want in a GPS? It gives voice directions and tells me where to turn including giving me "estimated time of arrival" based on how fast I'm driving.
  
  The Garmin C330 is a great GPS unit. If you're looking for a GPS unit that tells you were you're at or tells you how to get where you want to go... this is the unit for you. If you want all the bells and whistles that some GPS units have and the big price tag that comes with those units then this isn't the unit for you.
  
  
• garmin c330 vs magellan rm760
  By A13PJOSPMW65CW on 2005-07-17
  i tested this out after using the rm700 about 9 months ago on a road trip from nj to california.
  
  what i liked about about the rm700 was that it chimed right when you were at your turn. this proved useful when we were caught in a whiteout snow storm in wyoming and had to exit. our only cue to turn was the chime and it pretty much saved us. otherwise, we would've been running into curbs trying to feel our way out of the freeway.
  
  i was pretty set with the rm700 but wanted to try out garmin just for fun.
  
  pros for the garmin: (besides the ones already mentioned)
  1. i placed mine on the top of the windshield next to the rearview mirror. it's that small. very convenient access and i didn't have to turn the volume all the way up.
  2. detour, trip data, next trun, and all of the pertinent data all within 1 or two touches.
  3. only has two options: shortest and quickest. but really maps out the quickest and shortest route (unlike the rm760).
  4. lightning quick re-routing
  5. has an option to turn off u-turn re routing (very important).
  
  i thought the rm760 would be a better unit since it was more expensive but i thought wrong. the poi is pretty good since it did have a higher price tag but i have a feeling half of them are going to be outdated in the next year. that's pretty much everything i like about the rm, except the chime thing.
  
  what i hated about the rm760
  
  1. u-turn re-routing. if you miss a free way exit for example and you have the 'shortest time' routing method, it would tell you to exit at the next one, make a u turn, go back the other way, exit again, then try it again. what the...
  
  also, if you miss a street, it'll tell you to make a u-turn or keep telling you 'make the next authorized and legal u-turn. with the garmin (same destination and same detours), it just routes you the other way.
  
  i was driving about 3 miles before the gps was convinced i wasn't going to make a u turn. that's just unacceptable
  
  2. poor satellite reception. i was losing signal at places where i wasn't with the garmin. and this thing would hang ( i acutally missed a turn) while it does that. i lost signal on the freeway ( no tall buildings or mountains).
  
  3. turtle slow re-routing. compared with the garmin, the rm 760 took an average of 10 secs longer to figure out that i was off route. this is annoying when you're moving at 55mph and need to know which street you can turn off to right away.
  
  4. big and bulky. the bigger screen is nice, but i barely noticed that it was.
  
  5. shortest route, least freeway route = longer trip time. i think this is true for both units, though.
  
  and now that the c330 is three hundred dollars cheaper, i think this thing towers over the rm760 hands down.
  
  the rm760 is one case where u don't get what u pay for.
  
  
• Overall, the best GPS to fit my needs
  By ANA1HE0KXKIXE on 2005-10-29
  I initially tried the Tomtom GO 700, here in Northeast USA, Boston area. In the first day, using it on routes I knew already, it did fairly well, but sent me astray occasionally, and once on a very strange route. (Instead of taking the proper left at an intersection, it had me take a right, drive 1/2 mile to a rotary (a.k.a. traffic circle) and loop around the rotary to make a U-turn to come back to the same intersection.) I felt that if I had to second guess its route, it was not doing what I bought it for.
  
  I then tried the c330, since it uses a different company for its maps. After two days with it, it has not yet led me astray. I also tried that same intersection above, and it properly told me to take the left.
  
  I considered the c340, but there are many reports of it locking up... not good.
  
  So, I'm settled on the c330. Comparing this to the Tomtom 700, here are the pros and cons I found:
  
  Pros of the c330 over the Tomtom 700:
  - Routing and maps superior on the c330 in my limited time with each
  - Points of interest (POIs) are much better on the c330. A more extensive database, phone numbers of POIs in the database, and a better user interface. Tomtom's POIs are fairly useless.
  - Ability to zoom out and in on route and have the view stay that way (the Tomtom insists on resetting back to its preferred zoom level after a short time)
  - Audible tone setting preceding voice guidance; it's good to have a consistent tone to get your attention so you know what to listen for, especially when cranking tunes.
  - $200 cheaper!
  - Service seems to be better from Garmin than from Tomtom, from what I've read (no first-hand experience)
  
  
  Things I liked on the Tomtom that the c330 doesn't have:
  - While the ability to add new voices sounded appealing, GPS forums indicate that the "funny" and celebrity voices get annoying after a few minutes and most have reverted back to the stock voice. Still, a cool feature nonetheless.
  - Brightness setting. The c330 has only two brightness settings, and I find the dimmest is still quite bright and annoying at night.
  - Route demo. Very cool features of the Tomtom that allows you to preview the route at 5x speed or slower. C330 can step through route, I believe, but not as slick as Tomtom.
  - Bluetooth phone compatibility, of course.
  - Traffic compatibility, although I don't think I'd really use this (a pay service and hardly worth it in my area).
  - In general, the Tomtom is more user configurable
  
  Some annoyances of the c330:
  - Silly startup screen which warns you about not typing on it while driving or something like that. Requires user to hit OK each time starting up. Dumb.
  - Mount is a bit short, which doesn't enable me to mount it low on my windshield, where I would have preferred. Tomtom wasn't much longer.
  
  So, overall, the c330 will be my GPS.
  
  
  
  
• Garmin maps have some major problems
  By A54W9ICK85OUD on 2005-12-29
  My Dad picked this out as a gift for Christmas. We live in a medium-sized town in Indiana, and he was assured by the people at Best Buy that these units were good about having local addresses at a place that might be considered "rural" buy some corporations. However, when we opened up on Christmas day and tried it out we quickly found that neither his address nor my address were on the maps included (which were the latest, v7) and we tried some of Garmin's other maps. It did have all the internal drives in our local Cemetary (which was impressive) but it had almost no addresses outside of the common commercial establishments that probably give Garmin money to be put on the map. Eventually we called Garmin support and confirmed that none of our addresses were on any of their maps, and the Garmin company seems to be so proprietary that maps from other sources won't work on their units.
  
  My Dad lives in a Farmhouse that is over 100 years old and I live in a neighborhood that has houses that are probably over 80 years old, so the addresses are far from new. As a matter of fact, my street probably easily has 60+ houses throughout our town and only three show up on the map. And, no, the unit can't caluculate addresses that it doesn't already know. I am forced to conclude that their "full coverage" maps are far from it if you aren't in one of the popular big cities.
  
  This is too bad because otherwise it looks like it's a good unit. We will be returning it shortly.
  
  
• Near Perfect & Easy to use
  By A21OBYW0N5ENS7 on 2006-11-27
  I had never used a gps before trying this product. I borrowed one of these recently for a trip to "the OC." The Garmin saved me a lot of time, pointing out routes that I was unaware of, and helping me avoid getting lost (which I usually do!). It's very easy to use--you will get the hang of it very quickly.
  
  A nice feature was the list of attractions, such as airports or parking facilities or restaurants. All well done and easy to follow.
  
  It's hard to think of any real flaws; I suppose a slight improvement would be to have the street names announced, rather than "Turn right in 500 feet," etc.
  
  To my surprise, I was able to pack this in my carry-on luggage. There was no problem at the airport security point.
  
  Great product, esp for the reasonable price.
  
  
• No Workie
  By A1AIHM9BCE6JF5 on 2005-11-26
  Well, apparently I was one of the unlucky ones. Turned it on only to get the "Can't unlock maps." Sounds like they need to recall this thing and get it working properly.
  
  
• Great Value for the Price
  By A321BMQFL3MVAB on 2006-11-16
  This is the second time that I purchased this item. Not because of problems, but because it makes a great gift. The first time I gave it, there was such a high level of excitement that I knew I nailed what would be a GREAT GIFT. So much for the reaction, what about the functioning of the device. Oh yeah - that.
  
  Well first of all it is a compact and easy to use device. It is so small that it easily fits into the glove compartment when not in use. That is a great feature.
  
  Out of the box, it is a simple matter of plug and play. There is such a short learning curve that it's not even funny. You need only follow the menu instructions on screen and program your locations. It's a breeze.
  
  This product is full of location search categories that are current and convenient. This is especially helpful when travelling to unknown locations and areas.
  
  I recommend it highly for the ease of use, wide range of data/information and the price value that it represents.
  
  
• Good luck
  By A34SR8IDCNZDDX on 2005-11-28
  The GPS is great if it works. The first one I bought said "Cant' Unlock Maps" I went to the Garin website and this problem is listed as one of three FAQ's on their C330 web page. Obviously, this is a big problem and not an isolated incident. Their solution, once emailed back by their tech support after five days? 'Return it for a different unit.' Amazon gave me a full refund and I bought one from a local store so I could test it before I paid for it.
  
  
  
• Never expected Garmin C330 will surpass my expectations
  By A1Y3TTXPVE9RR on 2005-06-23
  This thing works.
  
  Received it yesterday and I just had about 3 hours toying and trying my Garmin C330 and man, I'm happy and very proud with this unit.
  
  The display is superb and didn't expect it to be better than TomTom Go 300 & Magellan 700 which I was able to use as well. The color auto mode is perfect in my taste. Never had problems with sun glare although not fully tested with a scorching California sun.
  
  I love the huge amount of POIs. I could easily find nearest establishments like McDonalds, Costco, Circuit City. You may also find POIs along your routes and in cities you specify. POIs categories are well-thought. Night spots, amusement parks, city centers and more. Noticeably, no bank nor atm categories. But you can easily find the banks with spell name. No Quick Spell though like Magellan. But the search is smart. Just search for WELLS and it will find you places with WELLS anywhere in the name.
  
  The navigation, another big surprise for me, is the best among the units I've tested. We all know our best routes and in a junction that both TomTom and Magellan kept telling me to turn left, this Garmin told me to turn right which imo is the best route. Bravo to Garmin!
  
  The signal reception is very much acceptable. Never lost a signal especially when WAAS is enabled. I could get a 4-bar signal inside the house.
  
  The guiding voice is so good. I could still hear it so well even when my windows are open. This unit has good speakers and well placed.
  
  Snapping it in and out of the mount is really a snap. And the mount is sturdy and firm. Although the make looks cheap which in this area, I preferred the TomTom suction mount. But this is much better than the Magellan mount for windshield where it made my MRM700 dangling like a bobble head.
  
  More good news. I don't know if this will work in Europe but man, the time was automatically set for me. I love it.
  
  Ok. I've said a lot of good points. Now, here are the bad points. Not much but best to tell everyone so you can decide for yourselves.
  
  POIs are not shown while on the driving map. The favorites are shown though. You may see the POIs only in the browser map.
  
  Routes cannot be saved. Ugh! I knew that before I made up my mind for this unit. But still, I love to save my routes (using my natural intelligence with the local roads) so I will not be annoyed to be asked to use roads and/or highways that I knew I have a better alternative.
  
  I also read from current users of Garmin that map updates are not free. Very bad customer support imho. Garmin should not charge updates and if they give it freely, they'll certainly win more business.
  
  Alright. The bottom line is Garmin C330 is a very good unit. I have not tried the TomTom Go 700 nor the new Magellan Roadmate 760. But GC330 is far superior in comparison with TTG300 and MRM700.
  
  
• doesn't work
  By A2G4SIEK5LJBZH on 2005-11-19
  supposed to work right out of the box??????????
  
  Can't Unlock maps.
  
  after waiting a week for this thing, now its of no use.
  Garmins tech support open only 9-5 M-F. so i'll have to wait till monday to find out. If you get a good working unit, your lucky.!!!
  
  
• Garmin versus Tom Tom
  By A3S01E8YQARYG1 on 2006-06-28
  My wife and I couldn't decide which GPS to buy. My wife comes from a family of loyal Garmin customers, and I thought the Tom Tom looked like it was a little more intuitive, and I liked the screen readout.
  
  Here's how the Garmin and the Tom Tom stack up:
  The Tom Tom allows you to save a GPS position in a couple of quick steps: about the time it takes for a stop light to change. The Garmin requires you to stop your car at the side of the road, bounce around a half dozen screens, then when you save your location, it defaults to "001" not "53 Lincoln St." Now you have to change the name - Oh, wait, someone is trying to tow my car!
  
  Taking an alternate route with the Tom Tom - much easier. Taking an alternate route with the Garmin. You probably ought to park your car somewhere.
  
  You want to enter an address - they're about the same, but who came up with the idea that the street number should come before the street? With the Tom Tom, you go: state, city, street, then number - sounds logical right? The Garmin, you go, state, city, street number, then street. Something about that is just whacky. Or if I was speaking in Garminese, "Something about that is whacky just."
  
  Alright, still can't decide? I haven't done any exhaustive analysis why this happens or if it's just with streets in my town, but if a street goes between two towns, say for instance, one end of the street is in Greenwich and the other end is in Warick. The street won't show up in Warick (even though my mail goes to Warick), but it does show up in Greenwich. To optimize my Garmin, I carry a handy road map to determine which town I might have to look for.
  
  The Tom Tom has a great little screen readout: it has the street you're on (very handy in New England where only half the streets have signs) and how far from your destination. The Garmin has a funny little readout that gives me my estimated arrival time. Somebody who lives in Nebraska came up with this idea. This doesn't work for anyone living in Boston. I'd like to buy the Garmin accessory that gets my car to the destination at the arrival time; otherwise, I'll think about moving to Nebraska.
  
  In fairness, the thing that the Garmin has over the Tom Tom is that the Tom Tom is not easy to pop into it's carrier, and the Garmin, pops in and out quite smoothly. I also like that the Garmin's volume control is on the side, and I don't have to poke around the screen.
  
  You'll also be glad to know that every day you plug in your Garmin, you'll get an onscreen agreement that you have to tap before you can start. I think this is what it says:
  
  "The user of this device agrees not to
  operate it while the vehicle is in motion."
  
  They mean it - you'll have to park your car. Don't try to drive and change things on the Garmin. That's an accident waiting to happen. Garmin has the best lawyers in town.
  
  Price-wise, Tom Tom and Garmin are about the same.
  
  Problem is, my wife won't let me use the Tom Tom - she was the one that wanted the Garmin and now I'm stuck with it, and she's loving her Tom Tom. I don't blame her.
  
  
• Great value. Highly recommended
  By A2P6ZGG9D4DMYD on 2005-06-25
  I've been on the fence for a while regarding GPS, but 3 weeks ago I got "Lost in Yonkers" on the way to a client meeting to make the close on a nice sized sale (really I was in Yonkers). I ended up being 1/2 hour late and was totally embarrassed. I bought the C330 that night. Based on what I read here and elsewhere on the net, this seemed like the best bang for the buck. I'd get a usable outboard GPS without investing heavily in technology that will undoubtedly change soon. Also I didn't want to invest too much as I expect to get a new car in the next 12-18 months which will no doubt will have an onboard unit.
  
  Aside from a bit of sluggishness on satellite acquistion, this device works as advertised. It's easy to set up and use, and can easily removed and locked in the glove compartment when not in use.
  
  I'm pretty technical and was a bit confused on how to download updates from Garmin's website. To find the updates, don't go to the support area, just go to the main C330 product page and use the link from there.
  
  
• Catagory Killer Product
  By AI64A73L6EHP3 on 2005-07-13
  Hands down the best value for the money. Easy to use, very small, internal battery, and preloaded maps. A monkey can use this out of the box. Be very wary of some of the reviews on Amazon regarding GPS. Many may be by people who have a vested interest either because they work for a competitor or because they invested in or shorted the stock of the companies making these units. GPS navigation is really starting to catch on in this country and the economic stakes for the companies involved are large. These are multibillion dollar companies trying to compete in a market that is just starting, the market for portable navigation devices.
  
  Garmin makes the very best consumer GPS units in the world. They are the only GPS company that makes FAA certified integrated instrument pannels for airplanes. Do you really think they are putting out products that don't work? Garmin also has the best support I've ever experienced from any tech firm. I also own a Garmin PDA which broke and they replaced it for free outside of warrenty.
  
  This is the GPS unit that will bring GPS to the masses. This is the first product that is easy enough for everyone to learn to use within 5 minutes. The C series does not have all of the functions and features of the 26xx series, it doesn't show individual sat. data or lat or long, route sorting, but most of these features add little value and make the OS interface more complicated. This is a pure GPS auto navigation unit. For more tech savy buyers the 2600 series or iQue is a better choice.
  
  Compared to the Magellan Roadmate series, there is no comparision. The Garmin unit is less expensive and better on every dimension. Much smaller and lighter but with the same size screen as the 700. Touch screen and internal battery. Much better mounting system. It really works well. And a much larger POI database 5 million versus 2 million I think. Most importantly, the Garmin is MUCH easier to use. No one who tested both would buy the Magellan, unless they were French.
  
  The unit is so small and light it really is a marvel of engineering. For the average Joe or Jane, this is the perfect GPS.
  
  Garmin is a great company and supports its products very well. They provide free updates of the firmware for all their products and their customer service is first rate. You won't be sorry if you buy this one.
  
  People who complain about the outdated maps should realize that there is a 1 or 2 year lag in adding new streets and POIs and no GPS has fully updated maps. If you live in an area with a lot of new construction, this can be very frustrating. Garmin provides map updates every two years or so (they are on version 6 now) for $75. It is a lot easier and less expensive to update a Garmin handheld than a built in car nav system. Some of Garmin competitors use maps by a different company that are very poor in comparision. Garmin uses the best mapping data available from navteq and develops its almost 6 million POI database themselves.
  
  If you have any question about the C330, check one out in person at your local electronics shop. You won't believe the size and ease of use. Compare it to anything else out there and you will be buying the C330.
  
  
• I'm Liking It
  By AFDPGG7QUONIZ on 2006-11-25
  I just bought c330 from Amazon recently. It came with V8 mapping software. This is a bonus as I was expecting V7. It took me an hour or two trying to figure out how things work, but it appears to be relatively simple to use.
  
  Here are some good features that I found with it.
  
  1. V8 mapping software.
  2. Very light.
  3. Gives decent directions that come on time (I didn't miss any turns using it).
  4. Street names appear above the roads (except not so much after dark). This is useful if you are trying to figure out where you are compared to the map.
  5. Seems to find satelites very well. It can even locate them from inside my house.
  6. It recalculates the path in case you make a mistake.
  7. You can locate various parks and recreation areas by typing in their names.
  8. You can move the map around and point your finger on green areas. The GPS will tell you whether it is a park or a cemetery or whatever. You can use that information to get the GPS to help you go there.
  9. Has a setting to avoid paid roads, highways, dirt roads.
  
  Here are some of the things that can be improved on.
  
  1. The lever on the window mount must be tilted back or the mounting will fall off. It did for me. Thankfully the GPS wasn't attached at the time. I think that the manual didn't emphisize this strongly enough. - Upon using it for a while, I found that the mounting fell off even when the lever was tilted back. This problem went away for me when I learned how to take the c330 out of the mounting without struggling.
  2. I haven't yet been able to find how to set waypoints so that you could determine a part of the way.
  3. The GPS has the category for public parking, but doesn't seem to know anything about a really large municipal parking garage in my town.
  
  
  Overall, I like the unit for the price I paid for it.
  
  
  
• Great for travellers or salesman,
  By A24L6MWK0YP8NV on 2005-06-06
  Very nice setup, comes with AC adapter, car charger and window suction mount. If you don't follow it's directions it recaluclates almost immediately with new ones.
  Huge pre-built data base of gas stations, restaurants, hotels etc. Type in any address and it finds it.
  Comes with entire US built in, so you don't need to upload maps to it as you travel to new areas.
  Only negatives are that it is a little hard to read in direct sunlight and like all similar products it sometimes misses a more direct route.
  I am very impressed with it.
  
  
  
• Quirky but still awesome
  By A2WOBZWBVKLOTT on 2006-11-27
  Finally, a solution to my directional dyslexia! I get lost all the time!
  
  Out of box, unit satellite indicates you are in Olath, Kansas. I live in Long Island, NY!, after several minutes, it located my location. Test drove it around the block and while sitting in my driveway, I indicated I wanted to go home, it made me drive around the block! But it is still awesome and helped navigate some dark streets in New Jersey. One drawback is that you cannot indicate preferences on routes, like we wanted to take the Verrazano bridge back home, but it stubbornly refused and kept routing us back the way it wanted us to drive home.... otherwise, it is an awesome unit, bought with rubber dashboard mount - a must have. Mount is study and portable and easily dismounted.
  
  

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