Ok ok -- so this is about a week old, but I've been busy dammit! Anyway, Garmin's worst kept secret is now official: the Nuvi 660 is available for a pre-ordering for about $1075 (yikes!). The deets are pretty much everything we already knew:
- Receiver: high-sensitivity WAAS-capable GPS receiver by SiRF
- Display: 4.3 diagonal, 480 x 272 pixels; WQVGA TFT landscape display, with white
back-light and touch screen - Unit dimensions: 4.9”W x 2.9”H x 0.9” D (12.4 x 7.4 x 2.3 cm)
- Weight: 6.2 oz. (190 g)
- Battery life: 3 to 7 hours
- Bluetooth wireless technology for hands-free calling
- FM transmitter (U.S., Australia and New Zealand only)
- Alerts for traffic, road construction and weather-related tie-ups. nüvi 660 uses data to suggest alternate routes before problems are encountered
- Includes Garmin Lock™, an anti-theft feature
- Voice announces streets by name
- Preloaded maps for all of North America or Europe
- Fingertip touch-screen interface
- Look up addresses and points of interest
- Choose 2D or 3D map perspective
- Upload custom POIs, including alerts for speed zones and safety cams
- Built in Travel Kit includes MP3 player with sample MPs, audio books, picture viewer, world clock, currency and measurement converters, calculator and more
- Add optional software such as Travel and Language Guides to personalize nüvi
- SD memory card expansion slot
- USB interface for loading data
OK - I want one. Should have my grubby hands on one soon, so look for the review within the next few weeks.
Hi Fletch, First off I would like to say this is an awesome site. You have a great job getting to try all these out, need any help? Second This looks like the GPS to own, I've been waiting to decide what to buy and I was leaning toward the Zumo, until now. Please post the review as soon as you can. I recently got to use a Garmin c340. I really liked it but hope they add some things to their newer models. My first beef was it would be nice to have it alert you for turns sooner than it does. Seems kind of last minute when you don't know where you are and are in a busy area. Next POIs on the map would be cool. Also, There were a couple of times I wished I could easily know where it was taking me, just in case I pressed a wrong button. it would be nice if they would add an itinerary mode or something so you can add more than one stop at a time. Also a speed up for the simulation. We'll see. If I'm going to shell out 1,000 bucks it would be nice if they fix all the short comings that you have mentioned on the c550 as well as all the other features that seem to work. I hope they finally come out with a gps that addresses it all..It certainly looks awesome. Oh, also, I found that the size is definately something to consider, I never wanted to leave my gps in the car, so found myself trying to fit that bulky 340 in my pocket. Large one of course. That alone definately sold me on the Nuvi series. thanks alot...Great site! Cap
Okay, so from ONE online source, I read that the Garmin Nuvi 660 would NOT have the sattalite tracking screen feature like the Nuvi 350 & Nuvi 360 have (and the European ones too). You can view this screen by tapping the very upmost top left part of the screen. Now, I e-mailed Garmin myself asking if this feature was taken out of the Nuvi 660 like I read from the one source. The Garmin Customer Service Representative said that the Nuvi 660 DOES indeed have this feature like previous Nuvi's. So that was great to know.
One feature that comes to mind I wish GPS Manufacturers would implement into their product(s) is the traffic receiver. If Garmin can make a power adpater for the car that is also a traffic receiver, why not integrate the traffic receiver in the product? It would be more conveinent. That way, if you WANT the traffic feature enabled, just do the regular Garmin procedure, except plug the Garmin unit into the computer to give it more months. If you don't want the feature, don't buy the service. Just turn it on or off like the Bluetooth feature, except this is a paid service and it will tell you how much more time you have left for it. I know Garmin and others can do it, components are always getting smaller.
So many inovations/features for GPS companies swirling in my head, no direct person to talk to about them, *ley sigh*.
Hi Fletch - my Magellan 700 isn't working too well now, and I am thinking of getting the new Nuvi 660. PLEASE review, so that I can make up my mind. Does it have a 'map' option, where you can just watch where you are going without a specific destination? Please let all of us who are eagerly awaiting your review know what you think..... Thanks. HDW
Horst,
I am currently reviewing the 660 and will be posting it within the week - stay tuned!
--Fletch
Hey all,
I just picked up the Nuvi 660, and wow, what a hot looking unit (pricey though, but it seemed a justified value compared to the alternatives with a similar feature set, $999 at Circuit City). Just so you know, this is my first GPS and I just found this terrific site 24 hours before what I thought I was going to buy, a Garmin c550 thanks to the great reviews here. But when I was at the Circuit City, they had this hot baby sitting there and there was no looking back to the c550 (especially after hearing about the extra cost for traffic antena) But I am pretty tech savy so I will give you my first few hours worth impression.
From my reading, I thought it would take a while after my first power up to get it working, but before I knew it, it was on and had a great signal.
What a sweet large screen, very responsive and accurate touch interface. Looked great even in the bright afternoon Chicago sun.
I didn't even know there was an FM transmitter in the thing, so as soon as I found that out from looking through the sparse instructions, I had the voice coming over my stereo, and then I paired it with my Samsung i730 Pocket PC phone and was holding a conversation thru the 660 via bluetooth on my car stereo speakers (and it sounded awesome). Plus, while I was looking through some of the POI, I was able to just tap on the telephone number and wha-la, the phone was dialing and I was checking to see if the Sushi place closed already. This blew my mind because I thought I was going to have to get some hardwired installation kit, so that saved me a bit of cash. The sound quality was great over my stereo, and the person I was talking with said they could hear me loud and clear.
I was able to easily enter some friends addresses and it found them quickly. The route calculations were only 3-10 seconds, which I thought was pretty fast. The traffic receiver started working next, but I didn't have a chance to play with that much, I just know I was able to see a listing of several accidents that were in the area.
I was a little confused as to weather or not I need to load the included SD card with POI's, since it seems like there are already some in the 660.
I already loaded some MP3's on there and tried out the audiobooks, and they all sound fantastic coming over the car stereo speakers. I did try the built in speakers and they sounded very good, but of course, no comparison to built in stereo.
But it feels very solid and the mount is firm. I will update more after a few days of use.
Oh, since it sounds like these things breakdown pretty frequently, I did go with Circuit City's protection plan (4 years for $280... kinda pricey, but I think if the unit is some how still working in 4 years, it will accidently stop and I will get a new one just before my protection plan runs out... ;) ssshhhh please don't tell...
Cheers!
autoglass