34. GPS Performance: The Mighty SiRF

Like the nuvi 660, the Garmin Nuvi 680 uses SiRF's high performance SiRF StarIII GPS receiver. This chipset is extremely sensitive and able to maintain solid signal reception even when driving in challenging situations, such as dense urban environments (behind tall buildings), bridges, and canyons. In fact, in my testing, I was able to get a strong signal even indoors. The integration of SiRF's chipset into the latest generation of in-car navigation systems has been a watershed event for GPS manufacturers.

Prior to this, line-of-sight to the sky was required to receive GPS signals, resulting in less than reliable GPS performance in many situations. SiRF's chipset has ushered in a new era of GPS performance, allowing signals to be acquired quickly and maintained while driving. GPS devices are more reliable than ever today, but be sure to buy a device that has SiRF's chipset. I'm always amazed that people continue to buy GPS devices that are old and outdated and cost even more than some of the newer devices with SiRF chipsets -- even from the same manufacturer.

35. Useful nuvi Tips & Shortcuts

• Touch & hold Back to return to the Menu page at any time
• To adjust the audio or brightness, quickly press and release the power button
• To switch audio output between the built-in speaker and the FM transmitter, quickly press the power button twice

36. Updating the nuvi Software (WebUpdater)

Figure 119: Garmin's WebUpdater Software

Garmin provides an easy utility for updating the firmware/software on all their GPS units. Garmin's WebUpdater software can be downloaded from Garmin's Website. The utility automatically checks the model number connected to the computer (via USB), the version of software currently installed, and the version available for download. If a newer version is available on Garmin's website, the WebUpdater will ask if you want to install the new version. Of course, if you prefer, you can still download the individual updates for the nuvi manually.

There's no official rule on how frequently Garmin makes mapping updates available for their products. Their map supplier, NAVTEQ, generally releases map updates 6 times per year. However, you can expect to wait around 1-2 years for updated map data to make its way into your device.