Garmin nüvi 680 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator by Garmin
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin nüvi 680 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
Digital camera Review: A look at the Bluetooth on the Garmin Nuvi 680
Summary: 5 Stars
There have been lot's of reviews regarding the GPS side of the Garmin Nuvi 680. Here's my review of the Bluetooth features:
With California banning the holding of a cellphone to your ear while driving, you're stuck with either a headset, a hands free Bluetooth unit, or using your phone's built-in speaker. I don't want to try and put on a headset in time to catch a call or try to hear the speakerphone over all the road noise. Plus the Bluetooth hands free sets are currently overpriced in my opinion.
This is where the Nuvi 680 shines.
When a call comes in, the Nuvi 680 shows the number. And even better, it will show the name I've assigned it in my contacts. A simple press of the touch screen and you're talking hands free. I use the FM transmitter to beam the conversation over a radio station so I can hear over the outside noise. It also handles a second call coming in (like the flash option on your home phone) so you can switch between callers easily.
You can also use the on-screen dial pad to place calls. If you're on a call that requires the pressing of an extension number, the dial pad screen works for that too.
But Garmin didn't stop there.
When you use the points of interest (POI) to find a place (restaurants, hotels, stores, etc.) and there's a phone number for that place, you can call it just by hitting the phone icon on the screen. I've used this feature many times to get things like movie times, place food orders, and see when a store is closing. I found this feature very handy when I'm traveling.
Another feature I liked is how my contact list from my cell phone shows up on the screen. This is a nice feature as I don't have to re-type them into the unit. Simply press the 'Phone Book' icon on the screen to access the phone numbers on your cell phone.
The Nuvi 680 also supports voice dial tags. It will use the voice tags that you created on your cell phone. This could be a mixed bag depending your cell phone's voice tag quality. I use Microsoft's Voice Command 1.6 which has the ability to simply say the phone number I want to dial. This is handy when I can't press the individual numbers to dial out. My only complaint is the screen doesn't show what's happening until the call starts. This can be a problem if the cell phone misinterpreted the voice tag and starts dialing the wrong number.
There are other options on the Nuvi 680 like a quick call home button. I also like the Call History button as it shows calls I've missed, dialed, or received. Again this information is gathered from your cell phone so it's always available whether the Nuvi was being used or not.
The Nuvi 680 can also handle text messaging if you're phone supports Bluetooth 2.0 too. I could not test this feature as my phone doesn't support bluetooth 2. I currently have the Cingular 8125. It's a little old but you can't beat the battery life compared to other smart phones!
Overall I've been very pleased the phone options on the Garmin Nuvi 680. I don't have to use a headset! Plus having the phone conversation beamed to the radio for increased loudness is great. While Bluetooth Hands free systems are nice, the high price you pay for one can be applied to the Nuvi 680. You'll get far more features than a simple speaker attached to your sun visor.
Digital camera Review: Absolutely Satisfaction
Summary: 5 Stars
Just what I had expected. The bluetooth connection works nicely. I can talk back home while driving back from work. Directions are almost same as Google's Map directions. Although MSN direct is not of help as much. Subscribing to MSN direct is a waste of money.
Very Happy with the product.
Digital camera Review: Added features worthwhile
Summary: 5 Stars
I have several other Garmin Nuvi GPS devices that are smaller and do not have the MSN features. All are excellent GPS devices and have become essential in finding meeting locations and baseball fields where my son plays, especially when the directions provided by the other coach are flawed or sketchy. The 680 is larger and easier to see, but the best addition is the MSN traffic. We live around a large metropolitan area so it is helpful and has already allowed me to avoid certain roads because the Garmin indicates there is a high traffic volume. If you live in a remote area of the country it is not much value. All in all I would prefer this device over the smaller 350 and 360 because of the bigger screen. It is not heavy though so it can still be carried around for walking tours.Digital camera Review: Amazing GPS
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a truly amazing GPS system. It's accurate and fast with calculating and recalculating routes. With all it's ability to give points of interest and the MSN connection for gas prices and weather, it's a must have when traveling. Very easy to use, I highly recommend this unit.Digital camera Review: An excellent device!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought the Nuvi 680 after first trying the Nuvi 660 for about a week. While I loved the 660 as well, I decided I would actually really appreciate the MSN features that the 680 has to offer.
I was immediately impressed with the many features of the Nuvi 680. The speaker was loud and clear, and seemed louder than the Nuvi 660. Directions were easy to understand, and I love how the screen adjusts according to the time of day. The MSN features were as I had expected and hoped. It gave an excellent overview of movies in my area, starting times, etc. Gas prices were clearly marked if they were from that same day or one or 2 days old (though I would say about 95% of them were prices from that same day, some were indeed one or two days old and had not been updated). MSN traffic was also fairly accurate, and as accurate as the updates I received from the transmitter on the 660. It does an excellent job of re-routing you around problem areas and of recalculating if you choose not to take that option.
All in all I would highly recommend the Garmin Nuvi 680. In my opinion it has the best of 2 worlds. It includes MSN but you have the option of adding the FM TMC traffic receiver if for some reason your travels take you to an area that is not covered by MSN.