
|
 |
|
Garmin nüvi 750 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS NavigatorxToo low to display
    (200 reviews)
Best Price: Too low to display
Garmin's nüvi 700 series brings two exciting new features -- multi-destination routing and, "Where am I?/Where's my car?" -- to its popular pocket-sized GPS navigator lineup. As with all nüvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of an integrated high-sensitivity receiver, a slim, pocket-sized design with a gorgeous display, an easy, intuitive interface, and detailed NAVTEQ maps for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico with more than 6 million name-searchable points of interest. All of the 700-series navigators also feature a rich array of features including spoken directions in real street names, MP3 player and photo viewer, and an FM transmitter that will play voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle's stereo system. The nüvi 760 and 770 add integrated traffic receivers and Bluetooth capability for hands-free calling. The nüvi 770 adds maps for Europe. The nüvi 780 adds enhanced MSN direct content capability. Which nüvi is Best for You?: Click here to see a quick, simple comparison of features for all Garmin nuvi GPS navigators  Garmin's nüvis pack top of the line features into a slim form factor. | Wider screen lets you see more of what's around. Compare these actual size views of a 3-inch (diagonal) screen  and a 4.3-inch diagonal widescreen  | New Features -- Where Am I? Where's My Car? The nüvi 700 series is the first to answer two common questions: "Where am I?" and "Where’s my car?" At any time, with a single tap of the screen, drivers can display their exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and gas stations. And to help drivers find their car in an unfamiliar spot or vast parking lot, all nüvi 700s automatically mark the position in which they were last removed from the mount. New Features -- Multi-Destination Routing This lets you enter several spots into the device (day care - supermarket-cleaners - office - day care, for example) and it will plot the fastest route. And once you've found the best router, the "Route Planning" feature lets you save up to 10 different routes, Garmin touts the feature for providing, "the most efficient route for errands, deliveries and sales calls." The feature also makes this an instant essential accessory for anyone who shops garage sales (you know what we're talking about). A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you've been on the map. See Better, See More The super-bright, 4.3-inch (diagonal) touchscreen display gives is anti-glare for ease of viewing during the day and automatically changes its color profile for easy viewing at night or in dim light. It offers 2d or 3D perspective views. The widescreen format gives you 70% more actual screen area than a 3.5-inch screen. Primarily this translates into a better view of the area through which you are driving. This is especially useful in showing you what parks, restaurants, ATM, gas stations, etc. are nearby, or in letting you know whether a detour is a good idea. Also, the device itself is larger, meaning controls on the screen are more widely spaced and somewhat easier to push. First Rate Map Data All nüvi 700s come preloaded with highly detailed City Navigator NT road maps for the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. This map database features nearly six million points of interest (POIs), including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions. Garmin gets its map data from NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping. Important note about map updates: Due to our high volume of sales, almost every Garmin portable GPS navigator sold by Amazon.com will come with the most recent map version. If you ever do need a map update, you can purchase one from Amazon.com at our Garmin Store. Garmin Lock Garmin's patent pending theft prevention system that disables the unit from performing any functions until the user types in a specific 4-digit PIN or takes the unit to a predetermined secure location Easy To Use Interface Garmin's interface is a key to their success and one of the things that makes their devices such a pleasure to use. Simple controls and sub-screens make it easy to enter or search for destinations and get data about your trip. Beyond Navigation  Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer. | A handy MP3 player lets you play songs stored on SD memory cards. | nüvi 250W accepts custom points of interest (POIs). View larger. | Navigation is just the beginning. All nüvi 700s feature travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, MP3 player, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. They are also compatible with optional content plug-ins available via SD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide provide detailed data for attractions and information on nearby merchants offering discounts, so you can customize your nüvi for all your travel needs. Garmin has also added the ability for customers to add custom points of interest (POI’s) from third parties such as school zones and safety cameras. Trick Your GPS Ride Custom vehicle icons let you ride in style, at least inside your GPS. See more icon option | All nüvis support configurable vehicle icons. These fun, customized car-shaped icons come in a variety of colors to add a personal touch to your vehicle's position on the map. | What's in the Box nüvi 750, Preloaded City Navigator NT for North America or Europe (full coverage), Vehicle suction cup mount, Vehicle power cable, USB cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual Notes - Optional software for language translation, detailed travel guides, and savings programs allow you to customize your nüvi to fit your travel needs
- The FM transmitter feature is only available in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
- This nüvi comes with a free, three-month trial for MSN Direct services.
- Like most USB Mass Storage Devices, the nüvi is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me.
Which nüvi is Best for You? Note: All nüvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations. | Screen Size inches (w x h) | Included Maps | Text-to-Speech (Directions in Real Street Names) | Traffic | Bluetooth | Media | FM Transmitter (audio through car stereo system) | Multi- Point Routing | Battery life (hours) | Cont. U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico | AK and Canada | Europe | | nüvi 200 | 2.8 x 2.1 |  | | | | | | Photos | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 200w | 3.81 x 2.25 |  | | | | | | Photos | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 250 | 2.8 x 2.1 |  |  | | | | | Photos | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 250w | 3.81 x 2.25 |  |  | | | | | Photos | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 260 | 2.8 x 2.1 |  |  | |  | | | Photos | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 260w | 3.81 x 2.25 |  |  | |  | | | Photos | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 270 | 2.8 x 2.1 |  |  |  | | | | Photos | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 350 | 2.8 x 2.1 |  | | |  | FM (with opt. receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 8 | | nüvi 360 | 2.8 x 2.1 |  |  | |  | FM (with opt. receiver) |  | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 8 | | nüvi 370 | 2.8 x 2.1 |  |  |  |  | FM (receiver included) |  | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 8 | | nüvi 650 | 3.81 x 2.25 |  | | |  | FM (with opt. receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 7 | nüvi 660 | 3.81 x 2.25 |  |  | |  | FM (receiver included) |  | Photos, MP3s |  | | up to 7 | nüvi 670 | 3.81 x 2.25 |  |  |  |  | FM (receiver included) |  | Photos, MP3s |  | | up to 7 | | nüvi 680 | 3.81 x 2.25 |  |  | |  | MSN (receiver included; 1-year free); FM (with opt. receiver) |  | Photos, MP3s |  | | up to 7 | nüvi 750 | 3.81 x 2.25 |  |  | |  | FM (with opt. receiver); MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver) | | Photos, MP3s |  |  | up to 5 | | nüvi 760 | 3.81 x 2.25 |  |  | |  | FM (receiver included); MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver) |  | Photos, MP3s |  |  | up to 5 | | nüvi 770 | 3.81 x 2.25 |  |  |  |  | FM (receiver included); MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver) |  | Photos, MP3s |  |  | up to 5 | | nüvi 780 | 3.81 x 2.25 |  |  | | | MSN-enhanced (receiver inc.; 3 months free) receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) |  | Photos, MP3s |  |  | up to 5 | | nüvi 850 | 3.81 x 2.25 |  |  | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) | | Photos, MP3s |  |  | up to 4 | nüvi 880 | 3.81 x 2.25 |  |  |  | | MSN-enhanced (receiver inc.; 3 months free); FM (with opt. receiver) |  | Photos, MP3s |  |  | up to 4 | nüvi 5000 | 4.5 x 2.7 |  |  | |  | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) | | |  |  | external battery only | END
MPN: 010-00657-20 - UPC: 753759072445
|
Customer Reviews
|
Awesome Device      By A1G00Q9FIW21PT on 2007-11-02
People here are obviously confusing the different unit model #'s. The Garmin 700 series covers the 750, 760, and 770. Obviously some of these folks got the 760 and think it's a 750. The 750, which this review space is for, is all silver, there are NOT different color choices. The 760 and 770 have a black finish around the screen. The 750 doesn't come with bluetooth and an included traffic reciever, which doesn't work that good at all and coverage is "spotty" at best. But for the additional $200 they're asking for these insignificant features, I'd recommend the 750 for 200 less. The 770 is the same as the 760 but comes with both N. American AND European maps installed.
These are Garmins top of the line Nuvi's and imo... the best portable gps's on the market. The big difference in the 700 series over last years 600 series is the inclusion of multi-destination routing. So if you're a delivery driver or someone that drives a different route with multiple stops each day, then the 700 series is for you. It can even optimize the stops to take the least amount of time. But if you only need to input 1 or 2 stops, then I'd go with the Nuvi 660. It has all the same features of the 760 (the one that's $200 more than the unit covered here) minus the multi-destination routing. Meaning it has both the bluetooth and traffic reciever included for less of a price than the unit on this page. I own both units and highly recommend either one based on your needs. If you've never owned a gps before, let me say that it doesn't get any more user friendly than Garmins' Nuvi series.
On a side note... stay away from the Garmin "C" series. Yes, they may be SLIGHTLY cheaper than the Nuvi 350 or 360, but what's inside cannot compare. The "C" series uses an outdated chip that requires direct line of site with the sky for satellite reception, meaning that tall buildings and trees WILL affect reception, and it's calculations are nowhere near as timely as what newer units offer. Not to mention, the "C" series has much older maps and is just plain old antiquated. If you're getting a new gps and spending hard-earned money on it, don't get something that's already out-dated. Whichever gps you decide on, make sure it has the SiRF chip in it. The SiRF chip is the defacto standard in the gps market by leaps and bounds. Hope I shed some light for those of you researching a new gps for the first time.
Not sure if this is better than my Streetpilot 2610      By A16A6632DBEIK2 on 2007-11-03
Been playing with this unit a bit and here are some first impressions.
I do not have enough experience with routing performance yet but I hope these impressions are useful nonetheless.
The good:
- aesthetically pleasing unit, it has a large screen and is thin and easy to put in a pocket and take with you.
- the screen is plenty bright and has a reasonable viewing angle
- the mounting system is sturdy
- unit is intuitive to use, this is good because the manual that comes with the unit is pretty pathetic
- SD card slot for MP3's, images or additional maps
- Contains maps of the entire US by default
- POI icons are 'customizable'
- spoken street names
- headphones jack, although driving and using headphones is not a safe thing to do, not sure how useful this feature is. Sound quality this way is good
- good runtime on batteries
- multiple destination routing
The bad:
- When using the FM transmitter your 'mileage' may vary, there is a lot of static on every channel I tried, this does not make for a pleasant listening experience. iPod transmitters definitely work better
- The sound quality of internal speaker is just plain bad
- Menus are intuitive for the most part but lack the simple feature of being able to get back to the map with ONE push of a button, be prepared to push 'back' an annoying number of times
- USB interface is slow
- overal the unit feels slow when drawing the maps
- unit converter? why? I use this device to navigate, not solve math problems
- screen real estate wasted by information I am not interested in, with no option to turn it off. The always present green bar and speed limits come to mind
However, what I subtracted 2 stars for is satellite reception, or lack thereof. This is supposed to be a high sensitivity receiver yet it acquires satellites no faster than my 2610. Satellite acquisition takes a ridiculous amount of time. My $200 Etrex Vista handheld acquires a lock in less than a minute, this $500 device needs 5-10 min to get a lock, assuming it acquires any sats in the first place. The best GPS unit is useless unless it acquires satellites fast and keeps a lock. The 750 does not do that. Even with an external antenna reception is not stellar.
Overal I do not know if I, at this point, would recommend this unit.
UPDATE:
- After going through Garmin techsupport and doing a master reset, satellite reception has improved a bit but is still nothing to be impressed with
- routing seems to be pretty good, not always the 'best' route but the unit will get you where you are going
- the GPS simulator is unable to complete a route that includes a ferry ride
UPDATE2
- The address database on the nuvi 750 appears to be less complete than the older City navigator v7 software.
I am sticking with 3 stars because I think the satellite acquisition issue is such an important thing for a GPS device.
Worth the wait      By A3SDFOLX725EAW on 2007-11-08
I previously had a nuvi 660 and left the unit in a rental car in Iowa. I waited to replace it until the 750 shipped at the end of last month. While I was waiting, I tried a Tom Tom and Magellon. The 750 far exceeds all of the other units. The earlier reviews give a pretty good run down on what is good about it. There are a couple of things that were not mentioned that I really like over the 660.
1. I like the feel of it better than the 660. It doesn't have the flip up antenna and seems more streamline and fits into my shirt pocket better. 2. The mounting unit is FAR superior than the one on the 660. I have rented cars 140 times so far this year, and the different windshield slants caused problems at times with the 660. The 750 mount allows greater rotation of the GPS for better viewing.
I didn't use the bluetooth on the 660, so I opted to not get it and purchased the 750 instead of the 760. I do disagree with an earlier review in that I greatly appreciate the traffic antenna and traffic routing. I travel mostly in major metro areas and it has helped me considerably. Fortunately when I lost my 660 I did not loose the traffic antenna or the electrical charger, both of which work on the 750. Is it worth $200? Probably not. But it has steered me around traffic jams and bridges that are out.
Also, one other neat feature that I haven't figured any usefull purpose for yet but that I like is that it lays down a pink line showing where you have been. Kind of like laying down bread crumbs.
There is NOTHING out there that is as good as the nuvi 700 series!
Good unit, but a little quirky      By A2R2UG46H3J3RY on 2007-11-01
I have owned a Garmin Nuvi 750 for two days now. I have been using it side by side with my Lexus built in navigation system to see how well it performs. In general, I have been impressed with this unit. The routes are generally accurate and the system is very easy to use. Typing in addresses is quick and simple. I did not need to read the manual before using the system for the first time. This is a good thing, since the "manual" is merely a quick start guide. The real manual is available on line, and even it is relatively skimpy.
The built in speaker sounds a bit tinny. The FM Transmitter is a nice idea, but I a finding that I hear a lot of static when I tune it to an FM station. In addition, I have to give up listening to the radio or a CD if I want to use this feature, so it does not seem like a terribly useful feature to me.
It took a long time to locate satellites the first time I turned the unit on. After the first use, it seems to average about 90 seconds to find enough satellites to begin giving routes. My Lexus navigation system always beats the Nuvi as far as how long it takes before it locks onto a satellite and begins giving me directions.
The screen is very bright and clear with the cigarette adapter plugged in. On battery mode the screen dims to an almost unreadable level to conserve battery power. I could not find a way to brighten it on battery power, but I may have missed something. Also, the power button is not really a power button. It is a "hold" button that doubles as a power button in certain circumstances, but it is not completely intuitive how to power on or off the unit.
I do not particularly care for the data displayed on the primary screen. It does not disclose the distance to destination or the actual speed being driven. It only indicates distance to the next turn or waypoint, which is a bit confusing in itself. You can get the remaining data on various other screens but you have to tap around a few times to get it all. It also displays the speed limit on the road you are driving - I can not figure out why this would be useful. It seems like they could have chosen some more useful choices for the primary screen.
These issues aside, it seems like a very nicely designed unit. My unit is glossy black. The 760 and 770 are silver, to clarify the question asked by another writer earlier.
Great GPS with two flaws      By A2DDQ258GYB25A on 2007-12-07
I agree with all of the prior reviews that are specifically for the 750. This unit has great build quality, and the window mount is typical Garmin Perfect! It is a small and compact unit with a great big, bright screen that fits nicely in a computer bag while flying, and pops out for the window when you hop in the rental car. Great directions and it contains a ginormous list of points of interest in your location. The ability to program in multiple stops is also a great addition.
The two flaws include the time that it takes to acquire satellites and reception in downtown city environments. It can take more than 5 minutes on a clear day to acquire the satellites. When I am rushing off to the airport, I am forced to drive a few miles before it grabs onto the satellites and tells me what to do next. And in many cases, it will not have the right locations, tells you that it is re-calculating, and then gets it right. This is annoying. The other issue is that it has a hard time in a city with tall buildings. It does a lot of re-calculation.
Overall though, it is a fantastic unit that I very highly recommend. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because of the satellite acquisition latency. I actually would rate it 4.5 stars if I had that option.
- Horrible Signal if you live in Capital City with big building, trees, and big houses!
     By ABRQS924T52M8 on 2008-01-27
I love Garmin, I have used 300 and 400 series before I decided to go and buy Nuvi 750. I thought it was pretty cool to get rid of those flip up antenna. I was also interested with the better software features such as "multiple routing(Plan Ahead) and Where am I?" I used this GPS in few countries and few cities by now.
I would say Nuvi 750 HAS GOT THE WORST SIGNAL RECEIVER out of all other Garmin models I have tried. Don't get me wrong. When I was in California and Nevada for a few weeks, I thought the signal Nuvi 750 was marvelous. I was able to lock into the satellite fairly quickly within minutes. But the minute I drove to downtown LA, I started to experience signal problem.
I also felt the problem was growing when I was driving in Montreal Canada. It took almost 15minutes to lock into the satellite in the car. But The worst was when I took this Nuvi 750 to Jakarta, Indonesia which considered to be a very crowded, polluted, and heavy traffic with high building city. I WAS IN MADNESS. In LA, it took me only a few minutes to lock into the satellite, but in Jakarta especially when I was inside a moving car, I couldn't lock in at all, even after ½ hour of placing Nuvi 750 on the dashboard. Once, I got the signal locked in, I still experienced a lot of "loss satellite reception" problem.
I didn't experience this problem with previous Nuvi models with flipped up antenna.
The Good News is: The problem could be rectified COMPLETELY by buying GA25 MCX Garmin external antenna. It's such an exceptional antenna for the price. Now, I could even get signal with Nuvi 750 in the building, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Honestly, if you live in the city, it's very hard for me to recommend Nuvi 750. Better get 600 series. I'm not sure if 800 series inherits the same problem. Signal is a very IMPORTANT part of GPS. Without signal, no matter how good the features your GPS have, you won't be able to use it at all.
UPDATE: I would like to say that Firmware 2.6 really solved the problem with Garmin 750 TTFF in most cases. I would change the rating to at least 3 stars if possible.
- I Love This Device
     By A8Z2R67UQAY0I on 2007-12-23
I have owned this unit for about 3 weeks now and thought it was time I shared my two cents worth.
After reading the reviews before purchasing my 750 I was greatly concerned with some of the comments I had read regarding long satellite acquisition times, tinny sound from the speakers and poor navigation at times. Over the years I have bought several other Garmin devices (60C and Forerunner 305) and absolutely love their products. In 3 1/2 years of using their products I have never been disappointed so thought I would take a chance based on past experience and give it a try.
WOW, what a device! Once again Garmin has come through big time. With my biggest concern being long satellite acquisition times I was very please when I first powered the unit on and walked outside that it acquired my position in less than 60 seconds. Thinking maybe I had gotten lucky I decided to put it to the test. By traveling to other areas with the unit turned off I would then turn it on to see if I could duplicate the problems others are claiming but have had no success in doing so. It has never taken more than a minute to acquire a position and show me my exact location, in fact most times I would say it is closer to 40 - 45 seconds.
Speaker quality I find is excellent. This is my first GPS navigator of any kind that speaks turn by turn directions so maybe I'm speaking from ignorance because I have nothing to compare against. That being said, text to speech on this device is very clear, understandable and volume is good. Volume level is currently set at 80%.
Navigation is bang on. There have been times when I have thought that it was going to miss the mark but it has always performed as expected and location has always been accurate.
The one thing negative that I do have to say has to do with the POI's. Although current with relatively new restaurants in our area, it also list several that have been out of business for more than a year. One has been gone for almost 5 years. I would think they could do a better job of keeping things current and I assume this would be typical for other places as well.
Screen is bright and clear and easy to read in almost any lighting condition. At sunset the screen automatically back lites to make it easy to see. The 750 of course only comes in silver but looks great. Additional vehical icons can be downloaded from Garmin's website.
I give this baby a two tumbs up!!!
Jan 03/08 Update
We have been traveling for the past two weeks using our Nuvi quite extensively and continue to be impressed with the operation of this unit. I finally experienced the long satellite acquisition but it only happened on one occasion and has not occurred a second time. This is something I assume all devices experience at one point or another. As I mentioned above, I have three devices all made by Garmin and every now and again for some reason satellite acquisition takes a long time.
I Geo Cache with friends using my 60C hand held unit while my friends use devices other than Garmin and theirs GPS periodically have long satellite acquisition as well. I don't know of any device that is perfect all the time however 99% is pretty close.
- Nuvi 750
     By ABMHZFXCISLFJ on 2007-12-17
I purchased this unit about two months ago. This is my first GPS system. Initially, I noticed the long satellite acquisition time. This was usually confined to the first boot-up of the day or after a long lay off. I continued to use the unit hoping it would improve. During that time, I really enjoyed the ease of use and accuracy. The POI database is great.
I contacted Garmin regarding the slow acquisition time at which point they directed me to perform a master reset. That did not help. After another week or two I obtained an RMA from Garmin and returned the unit. After a week, I received the fixed/replaced unit and now it acquires satellites in less than a minute and typically before it is finished booting up. The reception is better as well. Before, it would pick up 4 or 5 satellites. Now it typically recognizes 10-12 satellites.
As far as the SiRF chip...the 750 does not come universally equipped with the SiRF chip. It does have SiRF technology which means it uses the same software and same type of chip, just not the name brand SiRF. That is as explained from Garmin tech support.
Overall, I have been very pleased with the unit. Now that the satellite issue is behind me, I could not ask for more.
This is in response to some posts I've seen. To get back to main menu from several menus deep, hold the back button down for 1 or 2 seconds and it will return you to the main menu.
- I returned my Nuvi 750
     By A6Q9X6C7TM0KG on 2007-11-30
I purchased the Nuvi 750 because it had excellent reviews. However, I was very disappointed with it because it often took 10 to 20 minutes to find any satellites. Also, it chose the longest route possible to get to my destination and wouldn't offer an alternate route. I now have a Tom Tom and am very happy with it.
- The Nuvi 750 doesn't disappoint
     By A1G3KBKVAGX1U4 on 2007-11-03
This is my first GPS, and so far I couldn't be happier. This device is easy to use. gives good accurate directions, and even tells you what side of the street your destination is on. I have been able to use the multiple destination function only once so far, but it worked well and optimized the route for the shortest time. This device includes Garmin's most up to date map software (North America NT 2008) and includes even some newer subdivisions in my area.
I decided I didn't require the features of the more expensive models (these include an antenna built into an alternative cigarette power cord for traffic alerts, bluetooth for cellphone handsfree conversations, an FM transmitter to hear cellphone and directions through the car radio, and euro maps) and I don't miss any of them.
This is a top of the line GPS unit and so far has met all my expectations.
- Satellite acquisition is a joke!
     By A3DG6QF9K4NOXM on 2007-12-04
This is my first real GPS coz my first one was just a piece of software that ran on my Pocket PC some 7 years ago!
If you have no problem waiting over 5 minutes to have the nuvi 750 lock on to Satellites, despite having clear skies above your head, then go ahead, buy it if you don't mind the cost of course.
Mind you, you can drive a good number of miles towards, or away from your destination before this 'thing' can start working! Very frustrating which is why I knocked off two stars!
Also, it does lose its sense of direction at times so, you might need to stop/restart your trip on it to make come back to its senses.
I liked the auto-switch to/from day/night display.
I disliked the screen locking and power-up mechanism where I had to agree with the legal policy every time I turned it ON!
The points of interests are not very accurate and its map is not quite up to date. It doesn't have the Monroe, Louisiana new streets details but then, Google too, doesn't have them!
Too expensive for what I was expecting from Garmin at $500 USD!
- garmin nuvi 750 is an awesome unit
     By A2MPTRL2QRJN5H on 2007-10-29
Garmin nüvi 750 Auto Navigation System
we just picked up one of these yesterday. this is our first gps unit. as with all purchases i researched this to death.
this is one sharp unit. it's not silver as shown on garmin's website or here, rather it's a jet black (like a psp).
pros
1) the screen. it's readable in sunlight or at night and it's wide. that was the major factor in tipping this purchase over the nuvi 260.
2) performs well and simple to use.
3) you can select a qwerty data entry setup.
4) it looks great. very stylish.
cons
1) didn't come with a carrying case. i bought the garmin case that fits the nuvi 600 series. it works just fine.
2) not a lot documentation in the package and most of it isn't in english. the unit is simple to use and quite intuitive.
3) doesn't come with with an ac adapter however, it charged up on usb just fine.
4) price. these don't come cheap.
i rated this puppy a 5. the pros far outweigh the cons. would definitely reccomend this unit.
- Lots of features, lots for problems
     By A3LG56ZZXVCVB1 on 2007-12-12
I was very excited about this series(700s) for getting rid of the flip up antenna. I had very high hopes but was very disappointed.
Pros:
- small
- turn off and on with ignition
- mp3 player
- jpeg view
- SD card slot
Cons:
- poor satellite reception, had to reset almost everytime it is turn off, sometimes had to reset several times
- touch screen map scrolling not very sensitive, have to press and drag really hard
- no prompt keep straight, i took a wrong split several times
- no prompt to indicate if i have to make a turn, magellan has this feature and it was very helpful
- no prompt to indicate if i made the correct turn, mapopolis had this and it was very helpful
- poor orientation, it does not know which direction i am facing most of the time
- POI no label until pressed
- expensive
I am cannot recommend the nuvi for it's problem with navigation and routing.
- Very Very Good.... Almost Great
     By AFSDFS3HYJKZJ on 2007-12-13
This is my first portable GPS in 10 years. They've come a long way baby. It sure beats the 7 or 8 cd set I got (paid upgrade) with my Expedition.
The screen is great, easy to see and read. User Interface is intuitive - though I agree with another reviewer it would be nice to have a button to go back to map view, instead of having to hit back multiple times.
I'd have given it 5 stars if the mapping didn't have errors. First I came across was the wrong name and directions of an off ramp. Second is my community has been around for more than 80 years, there has been a stop light at my intersection for the 17 years I've lived here, yet it tells me to go 1/2 mile beyond and do a U - turn. That's not helpful to anyone using garmin and coming to my home.
The only other complaint - if I start moving this unit can't seem to grab the satelite signal. If I stay still for 2-3 minutes it works just fine.
Overall I think it's a pretty nice unit. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Keep you eye on the price.... It went down 15 dollars after I bought it, now 10 days later it's $20 higher than what I paid, making the price shift about 50 - down then up in less than 2 weeks.
- Impressive!
     By A3SI9Z6G0NYNTO on 2008-01-20
I bought the Nuvi 750 (piano black version from a leading electronics retailer) for my wife for Christmas and she absolutely loves it. It has given her the freedom to drive places she never would have ventured alone before, for fear of getting hopelessly lost.
The Nuvi has performed very well so far, we have not had any problems at all with satellite acquisition as reported by some reviewers, it is worth noting that mine appears to have SiRF technology - not sure whether this is the differentiator, but with the unit in the car, we have never had to wait more than 15 seconds, from a cold start, to get the "Ready to Navigate" indication. The directions are usually spot on, when it needs to recalculate a route it does so quickly. I have found in one or two instances that the Nuvi lost its way temporarily for no apparent reason, but every time it got back on track within a matter of seconds.
The MP3 player is no iPod but it is usable - while it only recognizes MP3 files, it is easy to make playlists on the computer and transfer it to the Nuvi. A feature that I like is that the Nuvi will actually pause the music while announcing, not merely mute it. I have not tried the FM transmitter yet and probably won't, I suspect it will work as poorly as the rest where we live. I use the audio out connector on the Nuvi to connect directly to the stereo system in the car.
For us the most useful feature is the excellent way Garmin has implemented the points of interest database - it beats the 3-year old integrated GPS in my car hands down. The ability to type the name of a store and quickly get a list of all the locations close to where you are has been very helpful to us. We love our Nuvi!
- IMO, best value for the money!
     By A3IPSECQAUAT8V on 2008-04-09
An outstanding bright screen, intuitive simple menu navigation and the addition of waypoints are the hallmarks of this wonderful device. With the new firmware (2.6 I believe) all satellite acquisition issues have been laid to rest with cold acquisition taking about 10 to 15 seconds and hot acquisition nearly instantaneous.
I've owned the IPAQ and this device blows the IPAQ out of the water in terms of ease of use, form factor and overall elegance. I've also owned the Nuvi 360 and this screen is brighter and the signal acquisition is just as quick if not faster. The display is wider than the 360 and of course there is no antenna to deploy. The biggest advantage over the 360 is the ability to plan routs with the use of multiple waypoints. The IPAQ has 9 million points of interest (gas stations, hospitals etc.) compared to the Nuvi's 6 million, but getting to them is a difficult task on the IPAQ and VERY easy on the Nuvi - advantage Nuvi.
Route selection is fantastic and the unit's accuracy is equal to any GPS device I've used. The big advantage over most other units is the ease of use, but that does not come at the expense of capability.
All in all, this GPS is an excellent buy. You will not be disappointed.
- No Satellite Problems
     By ATKOG04G0GC57 on 2007-12-21
After reading the reviews here, I was very concerned about buying this product as a gift because of the negative reviews related to satellite problems, but it was on sale locally at a price that was hard to turn down. I decided I'd try it out before giving it as a gift, and if I had problems I'd take it back.
So far the nuvi 750 has been performing very well. It took about 45 seconds to get enough satellites the first time I used it, and every time since then I've never had to wait on it. It makes a big difference if I have it mounted on the windshield (and the windshield mount supplied with it works great). If I'm holding in my hand between the front seats, it's not so great, so I don't know how well it would work if you plan to mount it low on the dash or on a center console.
It has performed almost perfectly so far on picking out routes and tracking my progress on them. The only problem was a very minor one where I'd pulled into a mall parking lot to get to my destination that it directed me to, but once I was in the parking lot it was telling me to pull back out on the road. On the other hand it seems to know that my house is at the end of a long winding driveway about 300 ft from the road because just as I approach the house itself it says "Arriving at...". Here in Texas we have service roads parallel to the highways, and I'm impressed with how it knows where the ramps are how it times its notice to me to pull onto the ramp.
The graphics are pretty good, and the brightness of the screen is always good, day or night. I've used the POIs only a couple of times, but it looks like they'll be really useful as kind of a yellow pages. I was also able to choose a destination by browsing the map by dragging it and then tapping on the map to select my destination. I agree with the other reviewer that the sound quality of the speaker is not impressive. But I've got it on max volume now to hear it over my radio. It did sound better at lower volume.
I can't explain why I've had such good satellite performance when so many others have had trouble. Before buying it, I googled "nuvi 750 sirf" and read a handful of discussions about whether or not the 750 has the sirf chip for satellite reception. There are stories that Garmin tried a proprietary chip for the 7xx series and quit using the sirf chip (which is in the 6xx series). Sirf has an outstanding reputation. Some people said that some 7xx units have sirf and some do not. I saw tips on how to find out what my unit has, but I couldn't get the instructions to work for me. I have no idea whether I have sirf or not, but it's working great so far (depending on where it's mounted).
- Nuvi 750 first impression
     By AO0Q73P8AUAIU on 2008-01-02
Got my nuvi 750 for Christmas and here are my first impressions:
General impression is that I like the unit and plan to keep it, but it is not without problems.
Good:
1. Easy to use and accurate
2. Multi-destination routing
3. Nice design and it is a garmin
4. USB charging is great - compatible with my cell phone chargers.
5. Wide screen is nice and bright.
6. Text to speech is great and clear.
7. Lots of POIs
Bad:
1. No carrying case included.
2. FM transmitter is useless - don't waste your time unless you want static and to readjust every 5 minutes.
3. Internal speaker is tinny sounding and even with volume at 100% I had trouble hearing the directions at highway speed. Since FM transmitter also sucks, I have to use a male 3.5mm to male 3.5mm cable to connect to the AUX input on my stereo if I want to use the car speakers or listen to MP3s.
4. Only windshield mount is included. This does not work well for me because my windshield is very far away. So I will have to spring $30 for the friction mount.
5. Sometimes slow to give turn information. In a quick turn situation this is not good. Also at highway speed, when you have to switch lanes this is a problem.
6. Sometimes the unit would recalculate even though I was on the correct route. This was a problem, because I did not know where to turn and just had to keep driving until the unit recalculated again. This happened twice the first day using it. Example scenario, I missed my exit so the unit recalculated to get off the next exit which I did. The unit got confused and thought I missed the second exit so it recalculated again to get off the next exit. Well I already got off and was on the service road, so what do I do now??
7. Included user manual sucks. The more complete manual is available as a pdf on the website but this manual is lacking also. It was frustrating because I wanted detailed specs. Example what is the headphone jack? is it 2.5mm or 3.5mm. They don't tell you. The manual also has the statement as follows: "Don't store your nuvi at extreme temperature for an extended period of time." Uhh OK, but what is extreme temperature and what is an extended period of time?? This is subjective and not useful. I would prefer to be given a storage temp range of say 0 degrees C to +55 degrees C.
Other comments:
I upgraded to version 2.30 FW and I noticed that if I go into the diagnostic screen by pushing the battery icon for about 6 seconds and I run the self test the Nuvi-Wide splash screen test is failing. I don't see any problem with the splash screen during normal use, but I wonder why the self test is failing.
There has been talk about whether the nuvi 700 series uses the SIRF chipset. I can only say that the unit I have shows a SIRF copyright on the startup screen, on the about screen, and in the diagnostic SW inventory screen there is a Sirf SW module. Seems like it is a SIRF chipset.
It would really be nice if I could listen to the radio or CD player and have the unit mute that when giving directions over the car speakers, but since the only choices are AUX input or FM transmitter. You don't have that option. Garmin should make a car stereo interface unit with this capability like they did for some of the older units.
- Well Worth The Money
     By A75QWT7ATDWW6 on 2008-04-10
First I have to say there was a problem registering the Nuvi 750 I bought from Amazon. Garmin's website said the serial number was already registered. Unable to contact Garmin (Holiday), I called Amazon. The representative I spoke to immediately, continually apologized and offered to either refund my money or send me another unit. Since I wanted the 750, I opted for a new unit which he overnighted to me. I don't see how anyone can ask for better customer service...these folks are the best.
I'm quite happy with the Nuvi 750 as it performs like I expected a Garmin should. Given the sheer magnitude of the United States and complexity of its many roads, I don't expect it to be perfect, which it isn't, but it comes close.
After updating the firmware, I hooked it in the car and it acquired satellites in less than twenty seconds first time turning on. After that, I only took few seconds to get a fix on sufficient satellites to navigate. Usually by time I enter my security code, press "Agree" and "Map", the unit is ready to navigate.
The speaker isn't the greatest. It's easily head in my family car but in my Mustang with its modified exhaust, it's hard to hear even with the windows rolled up and stereo off. Fortunately, for me, that's not a problem on the highway and when I get into city traffic, I just use the FM transmitter and allow directions to come through my stereo speakers.
Now that Google Maps has teamed up with Garmin to allow users to update locations to their GPS units, it's only made a good product better. Very soon Mapquest will also have this feature too include routs.
Garmin's POI loader is great. Uploading POI's is a breeze and you can set proximity alerts to as much as 37 miles away, as the crow flies...a fantastic feature for interstate travel.
I like the Automatic Map Scaling which will zoom you in closer when approaching an upcoming turn or maneuver. This is especially useful for off ramps, especially when traveling in congested areas.
This is an excellent unit well worth the money.
- More problems appear after you work with it a while....
     By A3JZ94K6IUBXA3 on 2008-08-14
I have had the unit for 6 months and bought it for a move to a new place where I would have to be driving to many unfamiliar locations. For the most part, the multipoint routing and such works OK, although the steps to program all the points seems more tedious than it needs to be. And then I started finding strange things, like a major Southern California post office that had been built seven years ago in a large town is not in the database (the post office on Hovely in Palm Desert). A 5-year-old home address I tried to find was not to be found -- not even the street it was built on, and that was in central Tucson.
To make matters worse, after owning it for only 6 months, I get an email that to get the updated 2009 database, presumably containing all the points that should have been there all along, I am supposed to pay another $70 on top of the $430 I paid when it came out? C'mon! At least give free updates for a year!! At least it costs less to buy the upgrade from Amazon than from Garmin.
Satellite reception definitely improved with the software updates, but is still sluggish sometimes even with sunny, unrestricted skies - or can't locate satellites at all. And strangely it often asks me to do unnecessary things like drive past my destination, sometimes half a mile farther, do a U-turn and return a half a mile back again to turn right into a parking lot -- when a simple left turn would have done just fine.
Now that the first excitement of the device has worn off and I have had enough time to see all these quirks, overall I am underwhelmed. The device itself (hardware, aesthetics, durability, etc.) is good but the software is not up to par, and a GPS is only as good as its software. A price of $250 with at least a year of free upgrades would seem a better value.
- Not sure this unit is worth the price
     By A36O7CKHZTDI7M on 2007-11-06
I have been using a StreetPilot 330 for several years but looked forward to the new Nuvi 750 because of its small size and ability to navigate multiple routes. After using this unit for about a month, I have not been disappointed with the size or navigation.
I have, however, like others been most disappointed with how painfully long it takes this unit to find and lock on to satellites. This is even true on a blue sky day in the middle of an open parking lot! Some times it takes so long to find satellites that the unit ask if you would like for it to continue looking. At this point, you wonder if it will ever lock on as it should. My StreetPilot usually locked on in less than a minute but not so with the Nuvi 750.
I am also disappointed with the MP3 player broadcast to my FM radio. The quality is not very good and there is a lot of static even on the open road with no station interference.
If you are looking for a basic navigation tool, I would suggest one of the other Garmin units like the StreetPilot 330. You can save yourself about $300 and get a device that will navigate just about as well as the 750. In addition, $300 is a lot to pay for the additional features the Nuvi 750 offers over the more basic units.
All-in-all, I believe the Nuvi 750 is not worth the price.
- Very nice GPS
     By A1T0DYZCDK9UQV on 2008-01-20
I purchased this for my wife. She is always concerned about not finding new places when she is driving. She tried this out and her reaction was "I'm going to like this."
This widescreen gps has a very clear and sharp view. This was important to her so she could clearly see what she needed without having to squint or search for the info while driving.
It is quite intuitive to use. Once you have set up your preferences (easy to do), you can merely find a location in the Points Of Interest (POI) or type in an address. The unit then draws a line from where you are to that location. It also provides a turn-by-turn list so you can preview if you wish.
Once you start moving, the icon moves with you showing the location you are on the map. The voice (multiple choices available) gives verbal direction as you get close to any turns. It also periodically confirms you are on the right track. I give turns by street name not merely saying "turn right next corner" (that was very important to my wife). It's basically that simple. Unless you want to change a destination, you do not have to touch the unit during the trip. You can even just listen and never look at the screen. It'll get you there.
As with any technology, it's not perfect. You can read a lot of Pro's and Con's on some of the other reviews. If you use this with a little common sense, you'll be very pleased. It seems to be quite accurate, flexible to use, and does not require a lot of "techno" sense.
Garmen is a top name in this field. You can buy a cheaper unit by Garmen or another maker, but if you get the Nuvi 750, you will be pleased.
Overall, I rate this a BUY.
- Nuvi 750 Great performer, No AC Adapter (Boo)!
     By A1L0SU54S535EX on 2008-04-25
When I read the nuvi 750 review on Cnet, I almost passed up a great piece of electronics and a very nice price (thank you Amazon)! Cnet is usually spot on with their reviews, but not this time. I suspect they didn't follow a few simple directions (like updating your equipment before using it).
People, When you open up your Nuvi 750 box, go to your PC, register your product, and update to the most current software! It takes less than 15 minutes. I updated my firmware, MSN Direct software, etc... and I have not had ANY of the problems reported in some of the reviews I read. Thank god the folks at Garmin listed to their customers and fix issues and improve their equipment after you buy it. In the good old days, you were stuck with what was in the box.
For additional performance gains, defrag your Nuvi after you load software updates, pictures, and MP3 files. My Nuvi 750 is smoking fast, when compared to my friends Nuvi 360.
The Nuvi 750 screen is an upgrade over the 6 series, and the built in antenna is a very nice feature too. I purchased a bean-bag type dash mount and it works fantastic. I didn't even try the windshield mount because they are a hassle compared to the dash mount.
Con: The folks at Garmin should include an AC charger and case with the purchase (I'd even go as far as saying they should include the MSD adapter in the box too).
The 6 series comes with an AC charger, but the upgraded premium 7 series does not. Come on Garmin. If you continue to take away little things like this, it makes other brands look more attractive. I don't want to buy a product for several hundred dollars, and then have to invest another 30-50% of the cost into getting things like an AC charger, dash mount, and case. It's a nifty marketing scheme for profit, but it isn't going to help brand loyalty. This kept me from giving this product a 5 star rating (I should actually bump it down to 3 because it's very annoying).
- My First GPS
     By AGU442BTH3O88 on 2008-07-07
I researched hard & long before purchasing my very first GPS, the Garmin Nuvi 750 last week. I read a lot of reviews and debated between this, the 760 and the 660. I wanted the 750 over the 660 for the "Where Am I?" feature (which I love) and the fact the 750 was $299 at Sam's Club, the only one of these three models under $300.
At first, it took a very long time to acquire signal, but then I read online that you had to turn on a new GPS, let it find the signal and then leave it on and still for at least 30 minutes. So I did that a few times and then these past few times I have turned it on, the signal was there as soon as the unit powered on. So we will see if that continues.
I have a convertible and even with the top down, I can see my screen clearly. It calculates and recalculates quickly and I am contacting Garmin this week to try to get a free 2009 map update.
I love everything about it, but haven't used the FM signal. I have an input jack in my car stereo, so I am anxious to get a cable and give that a try. The suction mount I put on my dash and it looks very natural and fits my New Beetle perfectly!
So far - so good!
- Good product, but could be better
     By AD986XU06PX96 on 2008-05-04
This is the first GPS I've owned. The only experience I have to compare to is using the Hertz Neverlost GPS. I purchased the Garmin Nuvi based on user comments and reviews online. Overall I'm happy with the purchase but it seems the product could be better.
The number of POI's and userinterface are so much better than the Hertz GPS. The touchscreen menus and keyboard are fast and easy to use. The color scheme turns dark during evening hours so that viewing the GPS doesn't blind your night vision. Clicking the icon of your vehicle brings up a menu allowing you to select nearby hospitals, police, etc.
Here are things that could be improved:
Battery life is short so make sure you carry the charging cable.
There is no easy way to use you computer to plan a trip and transfer the information to the GPS.
This is one of the few GPS units that allows you to select multiple destinations and then optimize the travel time. This works quite well. My only complaint is that you can't select multiple destinations at the same time. Each time you choose a destination you get kicked back to the map view, and have to go through the entire menu again to pull up the next waypoint.
One of the main reasons I purchased this unit was the online reviews suggested that this unit had the best routing engine. In my mind the routing engine tends to suggest local roads far too often when nearby freeways would be much easier and often faster. The Hertz GPS are better in this respect. It seems that the Garmin ignores time spent at redlights in the calculation of the fastest route. You can choose to avoid freeways in the preferences, unfortunately you can't choose to avoid local streets.
- not good for those looking for more control
     By ALCUFI66I6Z60 on 2008-07-03
I had the Nuvi 750 for a week before I exchanged it for a TomTom Go720. I'll try to list my thoughts on the Nuvi750 and how it compares with the other GPS units I have (Mio C220 and TomTom GO720)
My first unit was a Mio C220 and the best thing about it was how easy it was to select custom routes on the fly. add multiple via points and just liked the overall menu structure.
The Nuvi's are primarily for those who do not want to exercise control over the routes recommended by the GPS. Just set the destination and follow it. If you are like me who likes to see what route has been recommended and make my own adjustments then the Nuvi's are not too great. The TomTom's are the best for this.
e.g. you set a destination in a Nuvi750 and it takes you directly to the navigating 3D view. Whereas on the TomTom it will take you first to a whole route overview. IF you dont like the route then you can easily calculate an alternative route through multiple options. SOme might say that the routes suggested by Nuvi are always better but I do not agree.
Ok what I liked about the Nuvi750?
- Great bright screen.
- Like the smooth anti-aliased graphics
- Navigation view is good and gives you a good angle to see upcoming turns
- FM transmitter was good and did not have to change the frequency too often
- Mp3 player is good and it lets you see the next tracks etc.
- Big and intuitive buttons on the screen
What I did not like?
- Feels very slow overall - finding POIs, map redraws etc.
- Horrible map scroll redraw delays
- very slow in finding POIs. TOmTom and Mio are very quick
- no customization of any sort except for changing the car icons
- TOuchscreen quality and response not as good as TomTom
I chose the TomTom Go720 over the Nuvi750 because:
- Fast map scroll/browse mode
- Excellent routing features
- Superior touchscreen quality
- OVerall feels like a well built and sturdy unit. (Go to circuit city and see for yourself. Nuvi looks like made of very cheap plastic)
- far better customization options (map colors, car icons, sound output etc.)
- Better voice guidance as compared to the Garmins. VOice sounds more human than robotic
- Much faster satellite lock than Nuvi750
Bottomline: if you are a person who just likes to set a destination and follow it no questions asked then Garmins are the best.
If you like to micromanage and like to select your own route then this is not for you. You will definitely feel the lack of control.
- Impressive unit (4.5 stars)
     By A3AVJCB1ZD6ZY5 on 2008-09-22
My husband did a lot of research before we purchased this unit. We're planning a couple of extended road trips and really needed a good navi system.
One thing we wanted was a system that wasn't intrusive. The Garmin 750 fits nicely on the dash of our car. It doesn't take up a lot of space like maps and with the optional accessory cradle below, which I highly recommend you can position the system in a variety of ways on the dash without having the tell-tale suction cup, which we've been told is one way criminals know you have a navigation system and will break in to steal it.
Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for Nüvi Series and StreetPilot C5XX Series GPS Navigators (C530, C550 and C580)
The "Where am I?" feature is great. If you ever call in to 911, this is the first information they want. If you're out on the road, sometimes you can't give them the best information. This feature tells you where you are exactly so help can come quickly.
"Where's my car?" insures you will never have to ask yourself where have I parked. Just take your navigation system with you when you go walking and it will tell you where you left your car.
You also have quick links via the menu to hospitals, police stations and fuel. The fuel was particularly critical this past weekend since our town had some gas shortages. We were able to find a gas station nearby that had fuel.
One feature we thought we'd miss was lane assist. Actually, the voice directions are so good as well as the diagrams, it's hard to miss where you are supposed to be.
We test drove the system through the Smoky Mountains National Park in various light conditions. A great feature of this system is that you can see what's happening with the road ahead and the display will prepare you for s-curves that may not be clearly marked (or even visible depending on conditions).
The system accommodates nicely to nighttime vision. The background goes to black and the route is very clear.
Recalculation of your route happens pretty quickly. Only once did we totally befuddle the unit when we took a turn early (on purpose).
Points of interest are listed on the unit database. They are not always accurate, but most of the time they will get you close. We had to shop this week at a local chain store for some fabric for a friend. It was a LOT easier to use the navigation system for this purpose over the phone book or the store's website.
Garmin has the ability to also use Google maps (maps.google.com) to allow users to find businesses and send a selected business to the GPS unit as a favorite. In most cases phone numbers are included. To navigate one only has to go to the Favorites folder of the GPS unit, select the entry, and then touch "Go". We made great use of this on our trip this last weekend.
The voice on the system is clear and understandable. For the most part, it gets street names right. Note: we were in American Indian Country on this trip, so "Sequoyah" came out very interesting. Still, if you are hooked on phonics you can figure out what the system is saying and it's clearly readable on the display as well.
MSNDirect is pretty useful. We like the movie feature since we're usually in the car away from the listings when we decide to catch a flick.
Garmin GDB 50 MSN Direct Replacement Receiver for Nuvi 680 and StreetPilot c580
A couple of downsides. The POI (point of interest) database needs updating. Some of the locations were out of date by several years. Some roads in our area also are not represented even with the most current maps. The voice directions are correct its just the screen representation is off. It will have you driving through a field and not on a road. :)
Rebecca Kyle, September 2008
- Great GPS but lousy maps
     By A1DWTA3ISWHXQ on 2008-10-31
Before buying the 750, I used to have a Garmin nuvi 260 and it was my very 1st GPS. I was very happy with the 260 because it did well everything it was supposed to do, except that at some times it would give me wrong directions, mention street names that didn't exist, recalculated routes that forced me to do multiple u-turns like an idiot, the USB slot is useless (no MP3 playback), keyboard was only available as alphabetical (unusable!), and used to get locked up if destination addresses were entered inside a parking lot with no satellite signal. In this last case I was forced to reset the unit or it would never come out of simulating routes.
When I saw the 750 reviews I noticed some of those things had been fixed, like the keyboard now can be switched to QWERTY (finally!), the USB slot can be used to load MP3 music and audio books, the media player can be linked to the car's FM radio with or without cables, the road speed limits are now shown on screen (I like that!), and the power cable now connects to the mounting bracket instead of the unit itself, which makes for less fiddling with the cable. You can also set multiple stops in a trip, which was not possible with the 260.
On the other hand, the maps are still ridiculously inaccurate. For my 1st use of the 750, I traveled from Prescott to Phoenix (Arizona) with my wife. We wanted to try new and different Asian restaurants and the Gamin Nuvi 750 had plenty to choose from. Here are some real world results from this GPS:
1. We chose one at random based on the shortest distance, and let the 750 take us there trusting entirely on the GPS map. We ended up on a parking lot of a private house in a residential area.
2. We tried another Asian restaurant in the vicinity, choosing randomly again from the GPS list by proximity, and this time it took us to the parking lot of a Mormon church in the outskirts of the city.
3. We tried a 3rd Asian restaurant from the list, again by proximity, and it took us to a place that was indeed a restaurant, but that people told us it had been closed for at least 2 years.
After 40 minutes of total failure, driving around trying to find a place to eat, we GAVE UP on the 750 and went looking around ourselves, and found a place nearby in just a couple of minutes.
4. After this we wanted to find a Wal-mart because my wife wanted to buy a hard case for this GPS. The Garmin nuvi 750 is quite expensive but comes with no case whatsoever. Already laughing, we used the GPS to find the nearest Wal-mart and this time it took us to a Sam's Club instead, which we cannot enter because we are not members (ugh!!).
5. We used the 750 to trace a route to the the nearest mall, and it drove us into a desert wasteland (I am not kidding you!!).
6. We tried to get to the closest BestBuy and later (to make this short) to a CompUSA store and both had been closed for at least a year now.
7. We asked around to avoid following the GPS blindly, and found out a place that actually existed, the Metro Center Mall in Phoenix, and used the GPS to take us there. The problem was that the highway 51 was under construction and the nuvi 750 GPS insisted on re-routing back to the same ramp we already knew was closed. We had to drive quite FAR AWAY from that ramp for the 750 to finally choose another route, but by then we were already far away from the intended route and had to take the longest way.
8. I have to admit that what Garmin thinks it's the "fastest" route sometimes involve going through absurd routes, and this has been confirmed by reviews from other people. In the most typical case, the "fastest" route almost always involve being the longest, like I could had turn right and got the destination immediately, but Garmin preferred to go around the block in the opposite direction instead, which takes 4X more time and it's obviously not the "fastest".
Conclusion:
The Garmin nuvi 750 is definitely an improvement over the 260 in what comes to features and ease of use, but the maps are still terribly inaccurate and some of the glitches still persist from the 260. I checked on the maps info using the 750 and it claims to be using the 2009 maps, which only confirm my suspicions that even the latest Garmin maps still prove quite inaccurate after all these years.
The MP3/audio book players, FM transmitter, QWERTY keyboard, wide screen LCD, and display of local speed limits are all very welcome additions that make using the 750 a much more pleasing experience comparing to the older 260 model. Re-routing is VERY fast, almost instantaneous in my driving experience with it, which in some cases can be life-saving. Satellite signal reception is also much stronger than with my older 260, where in some cases I get signal locks even from inside houses and parking lots - really awesome.
So there you have it: the pros and cons. I have never used GPS from other makers, so this experience is solely based on what Garmin has to offer and my need to get directions while driving on a city I am not familiar with. I am giving the 750 3 stars because of all the improvements and ease of use it has over the older 260 model, but taking 2 stars off because of the unacceptable map inaccuracies and the ridiculous routes Garmin put us through to get the "fastest" route.
- Excellent product
     By A1RLVNYQH0SK29 on 2008-11-02
I've only had the nuvi 750 a little over a month and I haven't had the opportunity to use it on a long trip yet but I am very happy with it...for the most part. I have had three other GPS navigators, two Magellan and one Garmin C330 bought as an emergency back-up for a malfunctioning Magellan Roadmate. It was the cheapest thing I could find on short notice (old maps, slow response time) but it got me home flawlessly. So, when the Roadmate finally died after just two years and no help from Magellan, I did some homework and bought the Garmin nuvi 750 for its features.
My experience so far has been that it boots up quickly, locks on satellites quickly, and calculates routes as quickly as the fastest of my other navigators. It has by far the clearest, brightest, most readable screen (under all conditions) of any I've owned or used. One of the features I like is the speed limit display, on a long drive I'm focused on the driving and will suddenly realize I haven't seen a speed limit sign in a while,... question answered.
Touch "Menu" then "Tools" and among the menu options is "Where am I", it displays your current latitude and longitude, the name and location of the nearest cross street, and lists available emergency services. To me, that's worth the price all by itself.
The routes are accurate and, as far as I can tell, efficient. Unlike some comments, I don't worry about whether the route is the shortest, fastest, most efficient possible. It will never be as good as a knowledgeable human being. The point is, it gets me there and I'm not exhausted as I would be if I had to navigate from maps. The nuvi 750 is a major step up from all of the other GPS' I've owned.
On the down side, to make it so slim and sexy required compromises. The built in amplifier is feeble and the speaker is tinny and buzzy! Inexcusably poor. Fortunately, it has an earphone jack and a built-in fm transmitter which works very well if you tune to the lower end of the fequency range. Since that means you can't listen to anything else on the radio, I use a small sports radio clipped to my belt to monitor directions instead.
Another thing that seems to be characteristic of Garmen is a tendency to lag just a bit. I have to give Magellan credit, the display showed where I was in real time. Although the Garmin gives me turn directions in plenty of time, With both the visual display and voice instruction I'm often actually in the turn before it gives me the last "Turn right on", etc. A minor irritation.
Where it counts though it works beautifully, I have no complaints. In fact UPS just delivered the four more I ordered as Christmas presents.
- Confusing Directions - Mysterious Turns
     By ADIAZU48GHZX5 on 2007-11-26
I have just purchased the new nuvi 750 and have observed. On a recent trip the unit instructed at two different times to turn left then right. All this did was force around the block movement to get back to where the unit had me turn only to wind back where I was heading before it instructed me to turn. In a new area this was a little dangerous. I would be concerned for how often this will happen.
|
|
Garmin nüvi 750 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator Accessories
|
|
|
|
You may also be interested in...
|
|
|
|
|
| Product Features |
- Dimensions WxDxH - 4.8" x .8" x 3.0"
- Weight - 6.2 oz
- Display - 4.3" WQVGA
- Display type -- WQVGA color TFT with white backlight
|
|
|
|