August 26, 2007

By Jim Beyer (Ohio)

This product is good for anyone who does not want to take days to read the manual. It works right out of the box. My favorite feature so far is that it’s Bluetooth compatible. Just sync it up with your phone, (I have a Motorola Razor V3) and your phonebook transfers to your GPS. Just select the number you ant to call & press dial. The sound quality is good enough. Also, the point of interest (POI) feature is really neat. Just chose a restaurant, store, or anyplace you want to go, and then select dial and you will be connected to the place you want to go. Good for making reservations, finding store hours, or movie times. Trust me, I’m not a computer wiz, and I had no problem getting this to work right away. I paid $403 from Abe’s of Maine (free shipping, no tax). It got here (Ohio) in two days. My wife, who is less tech savvy than me, likes mine so much, she wants one for her birthday.

August 1, 2007

By V. Coffman (Washington D.C.)
 

This thing is a lifesaver for me. I moved to the DC area a few months ago, and every outing to a new locale was a huge ordeal. Anyone who knows DC knows how confusing it can be! This little device has solved that problem for me in one fell swoop. I've had it for one day and I don't know how I ever lived without it.

It's true that it doesn't work all that great as a music player. There's not a ton of space, no playlist feature, not even a shuffle feature. What it does do cleverly is pause the music to announce turns and exits, then play the music again after the announcement. I have an aux line in to my car speakers, and it sounds decent. It's so easy to add and remove music since it mounts as a regular hard drive, so the lack of space and or playlist isn't a big deal if you just change up a bunch of songs. I just think of the music as a bonus.

I had a little trouble with the hands free phone feature in the car. It was great when I tested it at home, but it couldn't understand me in the car. It might be because the unit is too far away from me to hear very well, and because there was a lot of background noise. I'm going to keep trying it and see what happens. I'm curious about what happens when you are on the phone, listening to music, and using it to dictate directions all at once...

July 27, 2007

By J. Connor (Austin, TX)

I work in sales, and my car is my office. I was in the market for a Navigation system that needed to have a friendly interface, along with Bluetooth and MP3 Functionality. After spending months of research both on and off line, it was easy to conclude the NUVI 360 was the best of breed.

It essentially came down between the NUVI 360 and the Tom Tom GO 910. I had the opportunity to experiment in person with both units, and the 360's interface was simply tighter, the calculations seemed faster, and touch screen was more responsive.

I've only had the NUVI for a little over two weeks, and I could not be more satisfied. I should note that I had the unit professional hard-wired into my car's CD Changer input using the NUVI's 3.5 mm headphone jack. This allows the sound to come through my speakers, and all I can say is AWESOME!

I also have the flexibility to connect my 30GB MP3 player, but with the NUVI 360's MP3 capabilities there's really no need. The interface is just so damn friendly while driving (much easier to read and select through the tracks).

The Bluetooth functionality is hands-down my favorite feature. Ordering take-out on the way home from work has never been easier (or more fun). Simply tap "food" to locate restaurants within your area, then tap the phone number displayed with your desired listing and the call is made. No longer any need for 411.

My Motorola Q had no problems connecting to the 360, and all my contacts (hundreds) were easily downloaded into the Nüvi’s phone book making dialing calls a breeze (also makes for a great caller ID). People are amazed when I tell them I'm calling from the NUVI because of the call's clarity (it may help that the unit is mounted to the side of the center consul).

Most importantly is the navigation itself. Great graphics, very responsive touch screen, quick calculations, and excellent info/stats (including estimated arrival time, speedometer, compass, total drive time, ability to add stops to final destination, etc).

Overall, I am very much MORE than satisfied with the NUVI 360. I wouldn't recommend anything else for the money (now around $400 on most online retailers). I can say without any hesitation that you will NOT be disappointed!