The nüvi 885T succeeds where many others have failed, delivering speech recognition that actually works, and ease of use that other devices can only dream of. Virtually every GPS function can be performed using your voice, including entering a complete street address, searching for points of interest, and navigating menus.

The included remote is nicely designed and fits snugly to almost any steering wheel. Pressing the button on the remote activates the nüvi 885T's voice recognition, and lets the unit know you're about to issue a command.

The 885T benefits from an updated map screen. A much needed upcoming turn arrow has been added, making it easy to see the direction of the next turn. Also added is lane assist with junction view. When approaching highway intersections, the 885T displays lane guidance information, letting you know which lane you need to be driving in. When available, highway intersections are rendered in almost photograph-like 3D detail. 3D junction view isn't yet available for most areas, but Garmin will continue to expand coverage with each subsequent map update.

MSN Direct content has been enhanced with flight status information, improved traffic coverage, expanded weather reporting, and improved movie listings.

I also appreciated nüvi 885T's multi-destination routing support as well as the ability to optimize (sort) the stops by distance, tracklog support, and a "Where Am I?" and "Where did I park the car?" feature.

The nüvi 885T is Garmin's flagship automotive GPS, and also the most expensive as of this writing. Yet the 885T lacks some important features found on the considerably less expensive nüvi 7x5 models. Compared to the nüvi 785T, for example, the nüvi 885T lacks 3D building view, 3D landmarks, and the ability to customize the data field to show remaining time, distance, elevation, or direction of travel. Also missing is the faster screen refresh rate found on the nüvi 7x5 models. Compared to the nüvi 7x5's ultra-smooth map scrolling capability, the 885T feels choppy, and more like the nüvi 2x5 series in terms of screen refresh rate.

Like all Garmin nüvis, the 885T's internal FM transmitter is woefully underpowered, handicapping an otherwise wonderful feature, and the inability to exclude specific roads from the planned route can be frustrating at times.

Priced at around $800 (estimated street price as of this writing), the nüvi 885T is the best voice activated GPS available today. Garmin's nüvi 885T delivers voice recognition that allows almost complete control of the GPS without taking your eyes of the road, and still gives up none of the nüvi's legendary ease of use that loyal customers have come to expect.

If voice recognition is worth the fairly hefty $300 price premium to you, Garmin's nüvi 885T doesn't disappoint. However, the nüvi 785T is a slightly better all-around navigator, and a much better bargain.