I can't believe Beverly Hills Chiwawa as a 4 star rating on the MSN service....

By the way very nice review

I can't believe Beverly Hills Chiwawa as a 4 star rating on the MSN service....

By the way very nice review

Fletch,
good Review, but I am quite a bit dissapointed.

In the days leading up to this review, Myself and others specifically requested comments on the A2DP implementation.

Other than saying you can pair both a headset and phone, but not two phones, there was no other mention.

Why? Ddi you not have an opportunity to test Stereo A2DP with a proper Bluettoth Speaker or a Bluetooth Stereo Headset?

As you commented the FM Tranmiiter and Speaker are still the same crap as on existing 7X0 Series. My car does not have Cassette Deck so cassette adapter won't work as you suggest, nor would I care for another cable dangling off the right side of the unit getting in the way.

My intent was to use a Much More Powerful Bluettoth Speaker such as Blueant that way I could still play radio/CD/ or Aux input while using the NUVI.

Can you please supplement your review with more thorough discussion of A2DP.

Thanks

I am deeply disappointed in your biased review of this product. Although I am a Garmin owner, I look for an unbiased review in order to help me determine my purchases.

I will not go into the full list of discrepancies I found in this review. However, if anyone would like to see undeniable proof that this review is biased, they only need to look at the speaker volume section. According to the author, the speaker volume on the 785 was 82dB. However, the author's very own review of the Magellan RoadMate 1430 stated that the speaker volume on the 785 was 75.4dB. http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2008/10/magellan_roadmate_1430_review.php?page=9

Clearly, the author forget to fudge his facts about the 785 when he wrote his earlier Magellan review. (And in case the author is thinking about "editing" his prior Magellan review to match this review, please don't. I've saved a copy of the webpages so if you change something it will just prove your guilt.)

I am sad to announce that I can no longer trust any reviews performed on this site. Goodbye.

Nice review.

Interesting! I write a bad comment and it is blocked. I write "Nice Review" and it is posted. Glad to see my impressions about this site are correct.

I am deeply disappointed in your biased review of this product. Although I am a Garmin owner, I look for an unbiased review in order to help me determine my purchases.

I will not go into the full list of discrepancies I found in this review. However, if anyone would like to see undeniable proof that this review is biased, they only need to look at the speaker volume section. According to the author, the speaker volume on the 785 was 82dB. However, the author's very own review of the Magellan RoadMate 1430 stated that the speaker volume on the 785 was 75.4dB. www.gpsmagazine.com/2008/10/magellan_roadmate_1430_review.php?page=9

Clearly, the author forget to fudge his facts about the 785 when he wrote his earlier Magellan review. (And in case the author is thinking about "editing" his prior Magellan review to match this review, please don't. I've saved a copy of the webpages so if you change something it will just prove your guilt.)

I am sad to announce that I can no longer trust any reviews performed on this site. Good day.

So what good are test results if I cannot compare competing models? You have supposedly told us how the 785 compares to other Garmin models. What about how the 785 compares to a TomTom 930 or the Magellan Roadmate you just reviewed.

And even if you did change your test criteria, that doesn't change net results. According to your Magellan review the 785 screen was considerably dimmer than the Magellan. So why isn't the Magellan the benchmark for future test references?

And what about a thorough review of the bluetooth A2DP. You reiterate the fact that the Nuvi FM transmitter is worthless, and yet you did not discuss all of the bluetooth features. Or does the Garmin not have A2DP?

Thanks for the review, Fletch. I'll probably buy one to replace my Nuvi 350.

I was surprised and a bit disappointed that one has to touch the upcoming turn indicator to see lane guidance (page 5 of your review). All along I thought that just shows up automatically.

Did Garmin indicate whether they'll be updating their lane assist information via software updates?

Now that we've seen a review of the latest Garmin Nuvi devices... any news on what's in the pipeline?

Are there any owners of 765 or 785 that plan on using A2DP and have tested out this new feature and would care to comment.

Fletch did not have opportunity to test and I am curious to quality and functionality of its implmentation.

Also Fletch in your review you are stating that other than the lack of ring thru........you thought that the New TI Bluetooth Stack worked better than the older Parrot and that you are not ecperiening the problems that others have?

BTW have you ever thought about installing/testing the VIB11 Vehicle Integration Box?

Thanks

Fletch,

What about Hot Fix aka Quick Fix?
You failed to mention anything about the cold start with this new feature?

It is suppossed to assist in quick/hotfix when the unit has been off for days.

Can you please comment

Fletch, thanks for the thorough review. I apologize for the rudeness others have extended to you while I (and others) patiently waited for your review.

GadgetGuy is such an obviously massive douche bag. Fletch, please stop responding to him. I've never seen such a negative, hostile, a-hole. From the looks of things, he needs to print out this thread and bring it to his next psychiatrist appointment.

I'm guessing it's a pretty good bet GadgetGuy's life is a sad tale of people hating him, and then him coming home and using his (overweight?) fingers to get revenge on message boards like this.

Thanks for the thorough review.

I've read somewhere that the new 7x5s show less map detail at a given zoom level than previous models at that same zoom level (i.e.some lesser street names are now not shown unless additional zoom is applied). Did you experience this also?

Also, I forgot to ask: Your review mentioned there is no way to turn off 3D maps, but I thought I also read that they can in fact be turn off. Someone mentioned that because it's a separate map layer, so you just uncheck in the map selection. Is this correct?

Another Stellar Review Fletch!!

Thank you so much for the taking the time to be so thorough and informative. You've packaged so much good info; I'm going to have to read your review another time or two.

I was a little surprised that TMC outperformed MSN Direct. I will have to check what kind of coverage TMC has in the Phoenix AZ area.

Thanks agains for an awesome and informative review!

Stever
Mesa, AZ (it's a "dry" heat)

Excellent review. Can't wait for the Nuvi 8x5 series. I'd really like all the features of the 7x5 series and the voice recognition of the 8xx series.

Garmin also needs to add an audio output to their cradle. A user over at the GPSPassion forums has done this and posted a DIY in one of the threads. Don't understand why Garmin wouldn't add one.

A minor upgrade that I didn't notice mention of is that the new 7x5's are now offering automatic timezones. No need to set time, even when moving thru different timezones.

Fletch:

While I recognize that you may wish to avoid specific recommendations, I'm on the purchasing "fence" re the Garmin 785T vs. the 880. My main issue is the utility of voice commands (880) vs. the lane feature of the 785T.

I would be interested in your view, as well as that of others on the site.

Thanks to you and all who respond.

Richard

Fletch, surprised you mentioned that (8x5). I understood about the same. Perhaps some "live" services in the works as well.

I guess GatorDUDE/GatorGUY hasn't heard of IP Address indentification. LOL

Correcton I mean't GadgetDude/GadgetGuy in my last comment. My apologies Gatorguy.

Fletch,

Is it possible that you can add a Bluetooth Headset and/or BT A2DP stereo Speaker/Headphones to your test bench.

It may be a matter of time before other vendors and other Garmin units alo incorporate A2DP streaming.

I would have though thatyou already had, and to be honest A2DP is the biigest new feature I and others have been lookihng for to compensate for the lousy speaker and FM Transmitter.

I too am on the fence regarding 8xx vs 7x5 upgrade from 780.

I don't care about the Voice Command, but want the advanced detour and custom avoidance routing features of 880 but it lacks the new A2DP, lane assist, freeway junctions and 3D building maps and free lifetime Navteq traffic.

Until Garmin releases a Single New Product that has all these features I for one will most likely be sitting on the fence waiting.

I was really hoping that the new 7x5 had custom avoidances and detour prompt.

I guess I really don't understand Garmin's Engineering philosophy.

Why didn't they include custom avoidance & detour prompt on these new 7x5 Nuvi's? Customers have been asking for these two0 important features since the first 3xx Nuvis came out.

Why include them in the Street Pilots, Nuvi 880 and 5000 but not the 7X0 or 7X5 Line.

Stupid!!!!!!!! Stupid!!!!!!!!Stupid!!!!!!!!! Garmin!!!!!!!

Thanks

Fletch,
I had requested that it be tested prior to your posting as well as there were a few other postings.

If you could test it out and post a comment thst would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!

It's a shame that these teams can't get together and come up with a set of core basic features that should be in all models.

I know that many readers would agree that Custom Avoidance & detour is a CORE BASIC Feature that almost every other brand includes in their base models such as TOM TOM, Magellan, Navigon, to just round out the top 4.

How can the Non LINUX team over look these two basic features?

Thanks again

Fletch,

Great review, well done!

I have a few questions:

Your comment in the CON's....$50/year MSN Direct subscription cost plus additional cost of the receiver makes the value of MSN Direct questionable.

I understand your point regarding the $50/year MSN, but what are you referring to regarding...."plus additional cost of the receiver..."? As I understand it the receiver is built into the DC power adapter which comes with the 785T. Please clarify.

Next question:
Does not the 785T incorporate...Automatically storing the position where the nuvi was last undocked from the mount, creating a "where did I park the car?" waypoint you can use to walk back to your car...the same as the 880?

Nest Question:
On the screen for enabling BT…the 880 shows these additional icons….System, Navigation, and Display. Are those menu items not available on the 785T or are they located elsewhere on another screen or hidden under a differently named icon?

Last Question (for now)
In your opinion…if you forget about the VR in the 880, which device…the 785T or 880 is the better choice for complete navigation since that’s the reason one purchases a GPS unit. VR is secondary to the primary function of a GPS unit.

I apologize if I missed some of these points in your review.

Thanks!

Hey guys,
One question. I know that the 7x5's come with free lifetime traffic. Well...I updated my nuvi 760 to the latest firmware version and was wondering if my 760 will get free lifetime traffic? I plugged it into my car today and the screen read "Updating Traffic Firmware" or something like that. When I went to settings on my nuvi 760, it still said "Traffic subscription expires: 11/10/2008. How come I didn't get lifetime free traffic? When I did the WebUpdater, it said something about free traffic for nuvi 7 series. What's going on?

Once again the review fails to mention the significant MSN direct software bug. If you live close to a regional boundry, you must pick one or the other. This means no traffic information is available half the time. Also, as it switches back and forth, all the information keeps getting messed up.

Well,

I have to agree that this review is less biased than normal. Fairly well balanced, though I still contend that the routing tests are flawed.

The 3D building feature looks to be inferior to that on iGo8 machines. On the Garmin, it looks more like the TomTom building footprint on steroids. Igo rocks for this feature as well as the contour mapping.

Garmin has certainly stepped their offerings though...that cant be denied.

I still await the PROMISED iPaq 310 review though.

My Nuvi350 doesn't have QWERT virtual keyboard for entering address while 7x5 screenshot shows a proper keyboard. Is this news to merit a special mention in the review or it was already added to Nuvi models after 350?

Hi - Great review of the 7x5T series.

I have an old Garmin StreetPilot 2610 which is an excellent GPS, but it beginning to get a little dated. However, one feature it has which I, any many other owners of similar models, use is the ability to use Garmin's MapSource software which allows very detailed planning of a route to be constructed on an external computer and then uploaded to the GPS device when completed. Obviously the device can also plan routes internally, but having the ability to create a route to be exactly what you may want is a very nice feature. By any chance do you know if the 7x5T series allows this?

Thanks...

I am so confused. At first I was settled on the nuvi 850, because I think the voice recognition is really slick and probably useful on the road. A replaceable battery is also huge. But then the 755 rolls up on me, with faster refresh rates and free traffic. My real concern is the reports I hear about lag on the 850, problems with the switch and punishing wait times on re-routes. Plus I hear reports that the processing power of the 7x5 series units is superior. Ultimately, no matter how slick voice recognition is, if the unit lags and recalculates at a glacial pace, perhaps I would be better with a 755 over an 850. Note I have no interest in bluetooth whatsoever, so my needs would be met either with an 850 or 755. So from a pure performance perspective, any recommendations?

Have found the 785T has a software problem. When loading a Panoramio picture it does not go to favorites but only shows up in the picture viewer and can not be used for navigation. Also I loaded The Language Guide and it can not load the language to listen just shows the hour glass then states CAN NOT LOAD THE LANGUAGE then to top it off the in Dictionary when you press the Legend button the unit shuts off. Hope there will be a quick fix.

The review said that the 3D Lane Guidance is the best looking one Fletch has seen yet. Also "3-D Lane Assist not yet available for most highway intersections".

Does anybody know how Garmin's "lane assist" coverage compares to that of other manufacturers like Navigon, etc?

It would be great if one could preview where this lane information is available to make an informed decision before buying. This is much like the mobile phone signal coverage maps (T-Mobile, etc).

Thanks.

P.S. -- When will Amazon.com carry it? Before the website said 10/15 but still none.

Nice review. I'm satisfied with my Tom Tom One, but it's good to know what's out there, albeit at multiples of the money I'm willing to spend. (I've used mine for half a dozen trips over a couple years. To me, that's worth $200, but not a lot more.)

I'm getting an idea of what features to look for, and what features I wouldn't care about, when I buy my next one. Thank you.

Thanks for the reply, Fletch.

Regarding my question:

"On the screen for enabling BT…the 880 shows these additional icons….System, Navigation, and Display. Are those menu items not available on the 785T or are they located elsewhere on another screen or hidden under a differently named icon?"

The question was not regarding BT...I was inquiring about the following icons that appear on the SAME screen as the icon for enabling BT (on the 880), which are.....System, Navigation, and Display. Where do they appear on the 785T or are they omitted.

Thanks in advance for your answer.

Thanks for the great review Fletch!
I'm one of those guys who upgrades each time a newer Nuvi model comes out. I've had the Nuvi 785T for a few weeks now.
I still have the Nuvi 780 and have been able to compare them side by side.
One thing you didn't mention or maybe I missed it was that the 785T now has 1000 waypoints available for personal favorites instead of the 500 in previous models (A feature I love as I was maxed out!)
Another thing I noticed was that at the some zoom levels the 785T does not display as much mapping info as the 780 does, such as mile roads,and you have to be almost completly zoomed in to see unpaved roads.
The 3D building feature I was so excited about is useless in the Winnipeg area as no buildings show up even in the downtown. I wish one was able to add 3D buildings from google earth in the form of waypoints!
I use the FM transmitter all the time and find it works quite well for me. Maybe there is not as much interferance up north.
Anyways I will always be a garmin fan and am excited about future releases!

Hi Fletch,

Great article. I'm currently very interested in how routing works and routing engines etc. Anyway, For the last example route you gave, I noticed that the Garmin DOES allow the destination to be on the left.

I then decided to enter the start and destination into google maps and yahoo maps. Neither one of these map providers chose the route the Garmin has taken. In fact, when I drag the routes to match the one Garmin takes, both distance and time estimate from the two different mapping sites show that the Garmin has indeed chosen a fairly bad route, despite it's very nice time estimate.

I don't know the area very well myself, but I've found that Google Maps usually routes me the way "I" would go. In fact, the google maps usually routes me remarkably close to how the Nuvi does, despite being a different map provider.

Until about 30 days ago, Google used primarily Navteq. Now using mostly TeleAtlas. As far as the on-line mapping sites are concerned, neith takes into account your personal driving style. Your nuvi does. Tough to compare.

Sure the Nuvi takes your driving style into account when calculating ETAs, however unless you drive obscenely slow on 25mph roads and super fast on 35mph roads this should not have a major effect on the route chosen.

AFAIK the ETA estimate quoted by the GPS is irrelevant. The reason I used web-based tools to compare the routes is because then I could compare the routes.

I dragged both the Yahoo routes and the Google Routes to match what the Nuvi plotted in this instance. In both cases, the route Nuvi took was a longer distance and a longer estimated time.

This of course is based on posted road speed limits. Since Nuvi has no idea how fast traffic flows on those particular roads, I think this is a fair comparison.

I really don't feel that looking at the ETAs given here is an effective way to compare routes.

What I'd love to see is a more scientific comparison for a handful of routes. I'd like to see what routes the GPS recommends and how long the route took in reality. If the tests are all done at a low traffic time (2am?) then the results should be fairly interesting.

In my own experience, I've driven with Garmin & TomTom units on at the same time. Generally the Garmin units travel the way I would choose to. In my area my Garmin 760 does some very strange things (like randomly routing me through residential areas when the main road would be faster). Likewise TomTom sometimes does things that makes me scratch my head. However at no point have I felt there was a major difference between them in reality.

It would be interesting to see more feedback from users on some routes they know well so we can do some more testing.

LordHamster, the ETA quoted by your nuvi is very relevant in my experience. For instance a 300 mile trip I took to Savannah, Ga a couple of months ago was within 10 minutes of the originally calculated arrival time. . . both up and back. Pretty much the same with my 930. It should be noted that prior to IQRoutes, TomTom travel estimates were famously unreliable. I do agree with you that using the estimated times to compare different PND's doesn't reveal much. Even comparing routes on-line is not dependable. Something to think about: TomTom IQRoutes takes into account actual drive times on many roads. The Nuvi does not. Yet both are very accurate in their travel time estimates. Obviously Navteq is not relying on posted speed limits, which are not a reliable measure of determining the best route. On-line mapping services are a good tool, but if the estimate from Google disagrees with my 760 or 930, I have more confidence in the pnd.

As I was "intimately" involved in that test, I can state that route choice was never tested. You are probably right, and I generally agree, about the choosing of routes based on personal style, altho I never did finish out a proposed test for that and there is some anecdotal evidence that the nuvi does change it's routing over time in response to driving habits. But that has not yet been seriously tested. I'll see if I can go back and propose another test set for that. Probably a few days.

Concerning the directions from CT to NYC - living in the area I know the route and can say someone who did not could be confused or lost by the Maestro directions as it does not make clear you are leaving 684, getting on 287 (Cross Westchester) for a 100 yards or so and then onto the Hutchinson River Pkwy which turns into the Cross County Pkwy.
The TomTom sends you on the Saw Mill River Pkwy which is a viable alternative (and may at times flow better than parts of the Hutch), but the SMRP is not the safest route - many accidents.

Good job.

Good job. thank you!

If the 785T doesn't have custom avoidance features, can the multiple destinations feature be used as a work-around?
i.e.- Can you put in a destination that has to avoid what you want to avoid, and then set the next destination to the final goal?

Yes, the workaround I've used on my Nuvi 760 is after the unit choses a route, I zoom into the map of the route and I look at where Nuvi wants to take me. Then I'll zoom to a road on the map I want to take, click a point on that road and then the nuvi asks if you want to add it as a Via.

70% of the time that will work to make Nuvi do what you want, however sometimes the Nuvi will do some other strange route, including both points but not the logical route. You need to be very careful about where you place your via points, kindof a trial and error thing.

This works well in the trip planning phase, the big weakness comes when you are on the road and you see a sign that says "highway closed."

LordHamster,

So you plan your custom route on the Nuvi itself? Have you had success doing so on MapSource by creating Waypoints to guide the routing engine to follow the path you want? The interface does not seem to be as easy to use as Google Maps though.

I've not used mapsource to do a route. I use a mac and have been too lazy to download the mac version. Plus I prefer not to need a computer to do the planning.

Well let me tell you my experience. I was driving from Cleveland, OH to Decatur, IL. Nuvi (Like google maps) wanted me to cut south via columbus, then west to indianapolis. In theory that would be the best route, but I know that that route passes through big cities with lots of traffic, so I'd rather not take that one.

On Google maps, I was able to drag the route up north to take i90/80 west (tollway), I wish the GPS was that easy.

I decided to be clever and zoom into the map of Nuvi's route and then click on i80 west of cleveland and add a via. Well Nuvi took the via, but the new route cut down by toledo towards ft wane and through indianapolis. Also no good.

Next, I tried to click on i80 closer to chicago as a via, well that sent me on some strange loop after which I realized I had accidentally clicked i80 east.

After a few more tries, I figured the best thing to do is to click a point on i57S just south of i80. That way, Nuvi finally figured out that that was the way I wanted to take. With that via point selected there was just no other logical route Nuvi could take.

So as you see, its doable but very difficult. Not something you want to do on the fly. On the TomTom planning the route you want to take can be as easy as hitting "alternate route" or other times can be very similar to on the nuvi. The advantage being if you want to avoid a section of road, you can do so easily by simply selecting the road name.

Personaly, i really like Garmin devices, but it seems like TomTom offers it's customers much better service. At least here in Norway, where i live. I've recently bought a Nüvi 255WT (the european version with traffic), and now that Norway has finally got a FM TMC service (Destia TMC), i was looking forward to be able to take advantage of this feature. However, the TMC-signals turns out to be encrypted, and every GPS-manufacturer who want's to offer this feature to their customers, has to pay a fee to Destia. Both Garmin and TomTom have now paid this fee, but only TomTom offers their customers a completely free of cost firmware update that lets them use the Destia TMC service, also on older devices. Garmin on their side, refuses to release any firmware making this availiable on their devices. Instead, they are releasing a separate Destia-TMC antenna, which is in reality exactly the same antenna as the one i already have, only it's got a Destia subscription. There no way to update the old antenna, or subscribe to the new TMC-service (the same way on could subscribe to pay-TMC in for example France, UK,US). So in order to use TMC here in Norway, Garmin-users have to pay the full price of a new antenna, while TomTom-users gets this feature for free through a firmware update! I've been reading about this on some norwegian GPS-forums, and found out that a lot of norwegian Garmin users, now wants to switch to TomTom because of this.

Johhny,

Thats one major gripe I've had with Garmin. They almost NEVER pass new features along to older units. One example is the next turn arrow. About a week after I bought my 760 they announced the new 255w model, which is a much lower price, lower end model than my 760, yet it has a software feature (next turn arrow) that for some reason Garmin refuses to roll out to its other units via a firmware update. TomTom quite often releases functionality to older units. In fact, a Tomtom 920 can be updated to be essentially identical in function to a new 930.

As for the traffic antenna, I think Garmin's design has the traffic antenna's software controlled by a controller in the traffic antenna rather than by the GPS device itself. They often push new traffic receiver firmware for example. I suppose its possible the new decryption scheme may not be supported by the hardware/software load on the old antenna. TomTom may be able to offer the service free of charge simply due to a different design principal.

I wonder if I should update my Streetpilot C550 to this..

But if speaker and FM transmitter are bad..

There is some nice new features anyway.

Thanks for a great and detailed review.
Just one question. How fast (in seconds) does it take to recalculate a new route once you missed a turn?

I am starting to get very annoyed with Garmin and I think I will be looking for another comapny for my next Gps.

I have the Nuvi 255w and theres no reason why Garmin could not give some of the features of this *new* unit like the "Data Field - This customizable data field can be set to display Arrival Time, Distance to Destination, Remaining Drive Time, Direction of Travel, Elevation, or Time of Day" to the 255w just as an example.
It doesnt take away anything from the 785t features as a new unit and at the same time caters to existing Garmin customers by giving them some of these *new* features.
What better way to say thank you to a customer?

Garmin will be losing me as a customer because of this.
I am about to buy a handheld and it will not be a Garmin because well because no new features will be added to the unit and garmin expects me to go buy a newer more expensive unit everytime soemthing so trivial is offered with new units.

Thanks for nothing Garmin.

this is also my main problem with Garmin..

Way too many models
Never ONE unit with everything
Always have to sacrifice at least one feature no matter what model you choose

Yes Garmin does have too many models IMO. The older 200 series should be discontinued soon, making the 2x5's entry level. The 7x0's will be discontinued by late spring, leaving only the 2x5's, 7x5's, 8x0's and 8x5's. But Garmin isn't the only manufacturer with a lot of models. For instance, TomTom recently discontinued two models but still offers the GO 940, Go 930, GO 930T, GO 920, GO 920T, GO 730, GO 720, XL 330•S, TomTom XL 330, ONE XL•S, ONE XL, ONE 130, ONE 130•S, ONE 3rd Edition and TomTom 125. . . 15 different US models. Garmin will soon have only 16 road models. And before someone pipes up and says TomTom always makes the latest features available to the previous models, not true, at least anymore. It won't take much of a websearch to find complaints galore from TTx30 owners (such as myself) who just assumed they'd get the features of the new 940's. Even the 930 features were only made available to the x20 series, and that's because they are absolutely identical in every respect other than software version, nothing at all "new" about them other that that. Personally I felt stupid buying the 930 at $500, only to find it was really just a 920 with new software that could easily have been made available to the x20's rather than making believe it was a new model.
But with the financial difficulty TomTom is having, the days of the latest features being ported down to previous models is gone I'm afraid. They're financially unable to even match Garmin's latest offerings like free traffic, 60 day latest map guarantee or lifetime map subscription. Magellan is in dire straits as well. I wouldn't be surprised to see them under new ownership at the least, folding at the worst, within 18 months. Mio's market share has sunk to about 3% and Navigon is not much better off. Get new features for free? Who's going to do that anymore, or rather who can afford to?

TTT MIGHT eventually offer a one-year subscription like they do in Europe. Just seems it would be far easier for TT to offer a lifetime subscription since they own the company supplying the maps. For them to charge more for a single map($130) than Garmin will charge for a lifetime quarterly map subscription ($119) just hits me as greed.

strange, the 765T is actually cheaper than the 755T on Amazon

AHH. . . I understand.

I would be interested to learn more about options for improving the audio volume of the device.

Fletch (or anyone).

I'm interested in vehicle GPS systems that might be useful for Search and Rescue operations. I notice that the Nuvis — including this unit, which looks to be pretty good — include a capability to enter Degree/Minute/Second coordinates for a destination, and I wonder if they can be set to UTM rather than DMS.

Also — can the 785t (or any other) vehicular GPS show DMS and/or UTM coordinates dynamically on its roadway display?

I'd welcome anyone's thoughts.

We have trucks, a snow cat, ATVs and a couple of Argos's, and we operate in urban areas and in some pretty challenging backcountry, sometimes in horrible weather. (If anyone has a favorite "all weather" GPS system — one that could work while being exposed to severe weather — I'd sure like to hear from him.)

Thanks.

You probably should be looking at one of the Garmin Rino's which include 2-way radio communication, or maybe the Oregon, which allows routing via the basemap. Either is weather-resistant and include the features you mention. Someone else may offer a different suggestion as there are many users more versed in rescue operations than me.

GARMIN 765T Bluetooth Review.:

Bottom Line: It stinks!!!!!!!!!! and is vastly inferior to the Previous Parrot Bluetooth.

Fletch, your review completely missed the mark on this very important sub system to the Garmin Nuvi 7x5 Line and because of your lack of thorough testing it cost me a 15% restocking fee at Best Buy.

What the heck were you doing for 20 plus days to review this unit!!!!!!!!!!

Full Review:

Here is some background info

I have been long term Garmin customer going from 660 to 680 to Current 780. Prior to a Garmin PND I was a log term Pocket PC/Bluetooth user: Pharos, Navman, PocketMap, TomTOM and Intellinav.

Main reason I went to dedicated unit was the for the Display on the Garmin and for Traffic Service. I have a convertable and a Pocket PC Screen is impossible to see in Sunlight.

Becuase i have a Convertible, I have been trying to find a way to better hear the Nuvi 780's Tiny-Distorted Speaker in my Car.

1) The FM Transmitter Sucks

2)I have an 3.5 mm Aux in, but if i use it Ican't also hear my radio/cd/or use my MP3 player( Rhapsody Subscription DRM)

3)Also don't want an audio cable sticking out the left side while I also have the poer sticking out the right side(6x0 had the audio jack on the right side and power cable came strait down)

4)I looked into the Garnmin VIB 11 but not compatible with MSN only TMC and Garmin discontinued it, nor have I found an install shop that has done one nor wants to use my BMW Z4 as a Guinea Pig and splice up my speaker wiring.

5)So when I learned that the 7x5 had A2DP, I came up with the perfect solution: I would upgrade from the 780 and Use a Dedicated Powerful BT Stereo Speaker for the Garmin 7X5 so that I could replace/supplement the internal speaker without any wires and be able to hear Commands and Phone conversations in my car while still having the factory radio playing in the background.

So here is my 1 hour experience with a 765T unit that I purchased on Saturday at 3pm and return at 4pm with a 15% restocking fee.

1)Outgoing Calls: As others have reported the Nuvi does not allow your to hear the phone ringing.

2)Call Logs: Missed/Last Dialed/last Received are listed in no apparent order. 780 they are listed in Historical order.

3)Phone book Sync: only a single number shows for each person.
If Jack Oehff has Home/Office/Cell/Fax/ The 780 will show jack and then list each phone number with an icon depicting the type. The 765T only shows a single number. This is pure garbage!!!!!!!!!!

4)A2DP to BT Stereo Speaker: It took over 10 attempts to get it paired and then it would keep disconnected. I was able to stream the Audio player, but once a call was made- The Sound would mute for both the Audio Player and the call. And the Nuvi would Lock up. I would have to turn it off/ drop the device pair and try to re pair and then retest and get same experience.

5)The Quality of the Physical Unit also felt cheaper than my 780. The Screen refresh was noticeably faster and the new graphics are nice but the quality of the display also looked inferior to 780 and the Keyboard appear smaller.

6)With the Experience I ahd with Bluetooth, I determined that the Lane Guidance/3 D Buildings were not worth replacing my 780 when the Bluetooth is so poorly implemented and I returned the unit by 4PM that same day.

Fletch, I will be sending you a Bill for $75( 15% of $500). I can only hope that you will be more thorough next time, especially when you take so long to publish a review and your were requested ahead of time on numerous occasions to thoroughly test the Bluetooth.

How could Garmin destroy the Previous best Bluetooth Implementation on any PND and you to not catch it in your review?

Both You and Garmin should be ashamed of yourselves!!!!!!!!!

I forwarded my findings to Garmin Tech Support Regarding Bluetooth on the 765T and here is their copy of our email excahnge:

From Me to Garmin:

"It has been well discussed by users and reviewers on sites such as GPSMAGAZINE and GPS LODGE that the Internal Speaker on the 7XX and the FM Transmitter are of inferior quality. The Internal Speaker distorts above 70% and the FM transmitter is too weak in heavily crowded FM Markets like SoCal.

With the VIB 11 being discontinued and that Not a Single Auto Installer really wanted to Guinea Pig installing their First VIB with my Z4, I was thinking about replacing the 780 with either the 765T or 785T and using the new Bluetooth A2DP to stream to a Separate Bluetooth Speaker.

I had the opportunity to briefly test a 765T this weekend. Best Buy (like most retailers) charge a 15% restocking fee on GPS units, which I was charged when i return the unit do to its poor performing Bluetooth.

Below is my experience with the new Bluetooth: I understand that Garmin is no longer using Parrot Chipsets and has switched to TI?

1)I only tested Bluetooth Functionality but noted initial immpressions of the quality build and display graphics
(definitely faster, but image display quality seemed inferior to 780 in my short use.

2)The Same Phone (MOTO Razr 2 V9m on Sprint) was used for Testing on 765T that I use daily with my 780.

3)"Outgoing" calls can not be heared ringing through 765T as they are heard on 660/680/780's

4)Phone Physically Paired without Problem: It is the Phone Book and Call logs that did not Sync Correctly. Only a Single Phone Number per Contact came over and Call Logs showed Numbers in random order. The 780 shows every number per contact in a list with icons to identify type of number: home/Mobile/office/pager etc and the Call logs are in Historical Time order: Most recent to oldest from top to bottom.

5) The Pairing Problem was with a BlueAnt Bluettoth Stereo Speaker that is set up under the Settings>Bluetooth> Audio Tab. This is were it took 10 retries to get it to pair. I have ZERO problem pairing or streaming A2DP to this BlueAnt Speaker with my Moto V9m, Sprint Mogul, LG Muziq, or HTC Touch Pro.

6) I was only able to Play the Audio from the Music Player to the BlueANT, if I made an outgoing call or received on the Audio disappeared completely and then the Unit Locked Up where i had to Turn off the Unit and restart and reset Bluetooth settings to get Audio to pllay through internal speaker.
7)I thoroughly tested the 765T Bluetooth capabilities with the same equipment that I use on my 780 and Father's 680 which work with ZERO problems which can not be said for the 765T.

Can you Please comment if your tech support has documented similar issues.

Based upon my short use there are some definite issues with the new Bluetooth as compared to 6xx and 7X0 series.

Garmin's Response"

"Thank you for the comments. I have been testing the Bluetooth with the 7x5 as well.

I am aware of the contacts not coming over like they should. I have notified our software people and we are working on it.

This unit is the first unit that we have offered with out our own operating system. This unit is a Linux based device so we have had some adjustments to make.

Over all the speakers have been great! The head set is only for the transfer of music. We are working on all of the issues that have been reported but it may take a little bit of time.

I do not have a firm answer on the parrot/TI question but I do know that it has changed."

My 2nd response to Garmin:

"Thanks, So I can not use the A2DP to stream "all audio" including Phone Calls and Guidance?

I never use the audio Player( doesn't support WMA DRM).

I was hoping to use the A2DP ( for all Audio) as way to replace the internal speaker without using an audio cable coming out of the left side of the unit. If I were to use an audio cable , I would prefer the headphone jack to be on the right side as on the the 6xx and not the left on 7xx, it is an extra cable dangling in the way too close to the driver's side!

Also if this is a Linux Based OS as in the 5000 and 8XX, and not Garmin OS, why does it not have the Custom Route Avoidance and Detour prompt that those two Linux system have?

Can we expect an WebUpdate to add those two important features still missing on the core Nuvi line?

All your competitors Magellan,TomTom, Navigon have custom road avoidances and detour prompt on their basic units."

And Garmin's 2nd Reply:

" The web updater will not add these features. It will not be offered in any of the 7xx line.

The OS in this unit is different than that of the 5xxx and 8xx. I do not have the specifics but do know it is different.

In most states it is illegal to drive with headphones on so we did not make it compatible with Nav prompts through the headset."

My 3rd Response:

"Correct, the use of a Headphones on both ears is illegal while driving.

But your engineers Logic for including A2DP only for Music and Not "ALL Audio" is still faulty....there is nothing preventing one from using Stereo Headphones while driving while listening to music or using the 3.5mm jack for all audio.

Actually CA requires use of hands free device....such as a headset.

Many Bluetooth Headsets and Even Speakerphones from Jabra, MOTO and BlueAnt Stream A2DP to a mono speaker.

I hope that your engineers rethink this.

Until Garmin can produce a Unit with adequate speakers, the ability to stream "ALL Audio" to a better/larger/more powerful BT speaker or BT Headset would be a major selling point.

I know lots of people that own Garmin Nuvi's and no one uses the Audio Player( Doesn't Play DRM Tracks: itunes or WMA DRM).

Thanks

I hope that you please pass my coments up to the higher ups that make these "foolish" decisions."

And Garmin's Third Reply

"The speakers on the 7x5 units are amplified and they are the loudest that I have seen come out of a Garmin device. I will forward your opinions.

Thank you for contacting Garmin International:"

THE END:

So there are problems with 7x5's bluetooth and A2DP is only for Stream from Audio Palyer and not all System Sounds.

Fletch if you would have done your due diligence in your testing, I would have saved $75 dollars(ouch) in restocking fees.

Based on your feedback from Garmin support, it sounds like they are aware of the bugs you reported, and will be releasing a fix via firmware update.

Not sure why I didn't experience any of the issues you describe, but it must be due to different handsets. I'm curious, what will you be buying instead now that you've returned the 785T?

If anyone else is experiencing BT issues on the nuvi 7x5 series, please post them here.

Fletch,
I am in a quandary as to what unit I go from here:
I was thinking about going to the 880 because of dual front firing speakers and the custom avoidance and detour feature that I so sorely miss from my pocket pc days using Tom Tom 5 & 6, Navigon.

Then I heard about the the 7x5 release a few months back with the A2DP streaming and the New graphic enhancements(Lane Guidance/3d buildings/Faster Refresh)as well as the Free Lifetime Traffic.

In the area I live in the MSN traffic reporting is inferior to the TMC traffic of the 660 even though the MSN 2 traffic Graphics are superior and I live in a whole along the 210 Freeway where it take up to 15 Miles heading west to pick up MSN signal.

Until the The BT issues are addressed I will be sticking with the 780(using audio cable plugged into external BlueAnt Speaker) in the meantime I hope that Garmin will announce 8X5 series with the new Lifetime traffic/Lane Guidance/3D building/custom avoidance/detour prompt.

Or maybe i will look at the new Magellan's.

Tom Tom is not even being considered: I love the Graphics of my Tom Tom 5 &6 but the Tele Atlas maps nor TT algorithm can not compare to Navteq & Garmin's.

But then again, I just got a new HTC Touch Pro( All WinMo Devices work with WMA DRM) and Sprint includes Tele NAV as part of my Plan,so maybe I will dump the Garmin PND and go pack to using PPC as Nav unit.

Even though Garmin sccreewed up the Bluetooth and left out custom avoidances/detour prompt, They are still the best PND Company IMHO, especially with their Sun Light Visible Screen.

Fletch,
You are of the hook for the $75 restocking fee.
I went back to the store and spoke with a District Manager.

I showed her my receipt that it was returned within a hour and ripped into that the The Policy is ridiculous when they don't have the units available to fully demo in the store.

I understand that they don't want people buying GPS/Camcorders/Cameras etc and taking them on trips and then returning them by using them as a free rental, but there should be some allowance of 24 hours or even return it the same day for full refund.

It is not my Fault that Garmin released a non fully tested/working Nuvi Line nor that Best Buy has them available to fully test. So Why should I pay the price?

In the future if I decide to upgrade.......I will wait unit Costco has the model I am interested in.........no restocking fees.

Fletch:

For King Bluetooth to somehow believe or conclude that you were somehow "of" (sic) the hook for his restocking fee gives new meaning to the word "chutzpah," which, roughly translated, means "unmitigated gall."

It's ridiculous beyond words, if not belief. I am not aware that you hold a gun to our heads, and somehow force us to buy any product.

Who in his right mind would provide an advisory service such as yours if held responsible for the unhappiness or lack of satisfaction of its readers?

Richard

I was messing around with Fletch when "I put him on the hook for the restocking fees".

I don't think Fletch ever thought I was serious.

I am quite disatisfied with Fletch in that it took him over 20 days to review the 785T and that I and others had requested in advance of the publishing, a thorough review of the BT changes expecially the A2DP BT Streaming to either a BT Speaker or BT Headset.

If Fletch would have thoroughly tested and commented on the fact that the BT A2DP did not stream all system sounds, then I would have never bought the 765T.

I also find it interesting that Fletch did observe the same BT issues with the call logs and phone book sync that I experieiced as well as a Garmin senior technician.

My point is that if Garmin can release a working unit to the retail channel nor can the retail fully demo a working unit, then how can they charge a 15% restocking fee.

It is bad business all around: I won't shop at Best Buy and I won't upgade to a Garmin 765T- The Cycle is now created and the country falls into a further recession.

Economics 101!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The King is ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!

I received my 765t yesterday, I've had a chance to play around with it a bit. I'd say the biggest surprise for me was how amazing the FM transmitter is. Finding a clear channel here in San Diego was a challenge, but once I had one, there was no interference at all, crystal clear. I would say my experience is not typical in this matter.

One minor annoyance is it isn't really a touch-screen. It's more of a push-screen. It is not enormously sensitive to the touch. I easily paired my iPhone to it, and easily paired my Motorola headset to it. But I seem to be unable to use both at the same time; it's one or the other.

The screen is very bright, and it shows a 16ft accuracy inside my house, so satellite reception seems quite good. This is my first GPS device aside from my iPhone, which was totally inadequate for true GPS navigation, so I really have nothing to compare this device to. But I am quite pleased with it so far.

I like your reviews. I'd like your opinion of which GPS is right for me. Do any Garmin GPS have the capability of routing for high profile vehicles. I drive an RV and don't want to be sent under a low bridge. I'm also looking for portability between motorhome and car. Don't care about bluetooth or MP3 as we don't have them. The Garmin web site recommends the 5000, but that is to big to move between vehicles and it has no battery. I like the 750, but not sure about use with the RV.

Dave

Flethcy,

Can you set up your site to take polls?
I would be curious to see what devices the majority of your readers have and what they are planning to purchase next.

For Example:
Garmin: 3xx/6xx/7xx/8xx
Magellan:
Tom Tom: 5xx/7xx/9xx
Navigon:2100/5100/7100
Mio
PPC/BT Receiver Ensemble
Cell Carrier

Does anybody have feedback about the lane assist support in the Philadelphia area? New Jersey?

I expect the lane assist feature to be somewhat spotty in the beginning, improving significantly with map updates over the next year. I know I've only seen 3 instances of lane assist with the TomTom930 so far, tho it too is expected to improve. Note that Garmin should be offering quarterly map updates beginning in January, as well as a very reasonable map subscription program.

it seems most of the grief about the 765 is blue tooth related, aside from that, is it a good unit? is the 755 "perfect" since i dont use bluetooth? any ideas?

I put custom avoidances in the same category as multi-point routing. Most users will find they never use either one. I also use a TT930 alongside my nuvi 760. Not once since June have I used the TT avoidance feature, tho I will admit to frequently using Garmin's multi-point route optimization for business trips.
I think if you were to check with TT users, you'll find that few have ever used the custom detour/avoidance settings. If those features are truly needed, step up to the 8x0's, 5000 or the soon to appear 8x5's. Sure it might be nice to have, just in case. Then again, route optimization is much more important to me and none of the Magellan's, Navigon's or TomTo's can offer that. In addition, I use MSN2 on a daily basis. Who else can give me that? Pretty much fills any need I might think I have for anyone's "live" services. In fact MSN is much more useful and complete than either Telenav's new Shotgun or Best Buy/Mio's live services, cheaper as well. I think many of the Garmin owners here give little credit to Garmin for the clear advantages they offer over many other manufacturers. POI's on the TomTom? Lousy implementation with no directional arrows, subcategories or driving update, all available on Garmin. Free traffic? Only Garmin and Navigon. Cheap map updates? Again only Garmin and Navigon. Tracklogs and trip stats? Won't find it from TomTom. Their recent firmware update even removed the option of navigation instructions via FM.

Suggestions for improvement are great. Ideas for new/returned functions are welcome. A little ackowledgement of Garmin's clear advantages doesn't hurt once in awhile.

BTW, version 2.5 firmware update for the 7x5's posted today.

Changes from version 2.20 to version 2.50:

Enhanced map drawing performance and reliability
Enhanced BT audio, connectivity and phonebook support
Inhibit display of the proximity warning over the Lane Assist view
Added additional checks so that Yards is used only for the UK locale
Updated text for the display of street prefixes in Europe
Corrected roundabout angle display in the next turn indicator
Corrected incorrect country code dialing
Corrected some issues that could make the unit's touch screen non-responsive
Corrected issue with warnings about locked GPI files
Corrected issue with Hungarian QWERTY keyboard layout
Corrected several issues with third party map compatibility
Added Fleet Management Interface support

For our unhappy bluetooth users, pay special note and let us know if the bluetooth enhancements help your issues.

Which is why I posted the changes (verbatim) from the update page. Know also that it's common for Garmin to make other undocumented changes with firmware updates.

Some on Amazon.com's review pages for Nuvi 755T and 765T said that their unit goes black or reboots sometimes.

See the 755T page then sort the reviews by date, newest first. There's a review by Franklin:

"... The unit went black every time i tried to pull up The map. ... the unit says recalculating 3 times than commits some kind of electronic suicide and shuts itself down"

and a comment to his review:

"unit goes black for example when traffic or traffic ads show up. Then the unit keeps restarting and restarting again until I unplug the traffic receiver... w/o traffic and on battery the unit is fine."

I'm curious if others have seen this too.

Yes, my 755T (v2.50) also having the restarting issues if I enabled "Proximity Alerts".

Last night, I updated several modules (gps, GTM and Proximity Alerts) using webupdater, and it is looking good. Stiil need some more testing.

TQ.

I installed the update today and the difference for me is huge. Previously I had had quite a bit of trouble with the screen being non-responsive. I would have to press quite hard or press several times for the screen to register. This has changed completely now. The screen responds to my touch just as well as my iPhone does. Very happy with this update.

The features on this model do look very promising but...
It looks like Garmin never tested the software thourougly!
When switching on the POI proximity alert feature, approaching certain POI's cause a reboot of the system.
The Custom Routes feature (with which the system automaticaly calculates the most economic way between a series of intermediate route points) also does not work properly; the final destination point is removed from the list and replaced with an indermediate point during the calculation process.
That is with software version 2.50 installed.
Tech support promised to work on the issues but never gave a due by date.
Garmin should do their homework.

I have a new Garmin 755T and am having problems with road lock. When i enter a highway, the Garmin still thinks i'm on the feeder road. Likewise, when i exit the highway, it thinks i'm still on it and it thinks i've missed my exit, thus recalculating. Is anyone else aware of this problem and is there a fix for it? I've updated to version 2.5 and am still having this problem.

I've had a nuvi 360 for two years and am looking to upgrade to either the 880 or the 785T. I have to say I am disappointed in looking at both units and seeing that when you plug the power adapter into the units it is on the side of the cradle and not on the back like the 360. Anyone know why this is? With the plug in the back it has a much "cleaner" look to it. The plug on the side looks unattractive and really stands out. Is there any one else that shares this view and is there any 3rd party that makes a cradle with the plug in the back?

Because these use a mounting cradle, the plug on the side is more convenient. Whether from the side (with a right angle plug by the way, straight down) or from the back, the cord is still always visable.

Try a beanbag mount. Moves completely off the dash and out of the way in just a couple of seconds when not needed. I highly recommend one.

Being a newbie in the portable GPS arena, I am faced with a decision. Should I purchase

A. Nuvi 780 for $300 and an Apple IPhone 3g (8g mem) for $200,

B. or just a 785T for $600.

They would both go to my wife. She has no GPS now and has trouble working gadgets and she needs a new phone.

We do not live in an area where MSN Direct is available but travel alot to the St Louis area for shows and events where the signal is strong.

Am I going to see twice the benefit from the 785T? Or is this a testosterone thing that she wouldn't understand?

I might have glanced over it, but is there a hybrid model that incorporates the lane feature AND has voice recognition capability?

Well,at last, Garmin has introduced the 885T and discontinued the 880 (as per Garmin's website). It has lane assistance and voice control, but no 3D buildings. I wonder why Garmin left that out.

I am eagerly waiting for the review Fletch's review on it.

Good review brother. Well done and 'thank you.'

7X5T vs 7X0 Comparison

Screen Display:

* 765T/785T Map Background Color is much lighter yellow (has even less color than a manila folder)

* Shade of Green for Top Banner (Directions) is much darker in color on 765T/785T. The 780 has a lighter and brighter shade of green which I thinks "stands/"pops" out more to call "attention" to your next maneuver.

* While it functions the same as on the 780 (ETA only displays for "final destination") it would be nice to have the option to display ETA for the "Next Stop/Waypoint". If using "Custom Routes" or "Route Planning" and I have ten stops along a 250 mile route, I want to know how long/how far to my next stop and not that "it will take me 4 hours to go 250 miles".

Map Detail:

* 3 Choices High/Normal/Low on 765T/785T compared to 5 Choices on the 780

* "High" on the 765T/785T has less detail than "More" on the 780( which also has "Most")

* On the 765T/785T starting at .5 miles Street Level Detail is missing from Map views even on the High Setting. The 780 shows streets on "Most" up to 1.2 Miles

* 765T/785T does not display names of "Favorites" on Map and just displays an icon (need to position cursor on icon to see "Pop Up" Name)

* City Names are displayed on 2d Map View (browse mode) but not in 3D Navigation Mode as on the 780

* Text & Outlines for streets are "Wider" and is "Fuzzier" to read on the 765T/785T compared to 780

* While in "cruise mode" the 765T/785T does not show upcoming cross streets on top banner

Audio:

* 765T/785T Volume is lower when running on battery than when plugged in even though volume is set at "100%". When Plugged in the sound is amplified to the level of the 780 at 100% while running on battery. The 780's volume is the same regardless of "power source".

Bluetooth:

* While Audio Player, System Sounds, and Navigation Prompts are played through a 2nd Bluetooth audio device, "Voice Calls" are always routed through the 765T/785T and sometimes get "routed nowhere" with no sound being heard through the 765T/785T.

* "On Paper" the A2DP Audio is the biggest and most important new feature of the 765T/785T. It is illegal in CA to hold a phone to ones ear. At times one may want to have a "private" conversation using a Bluetooth Headset while using the Nuvi's Phone Interface for POI/Phone Book look up or they may want to substitute the Nuvi's small rear firing speaker with a Larger BT Speaker System.

* In theory one would think that the "Audio Device" option would direct "All Audio" to an A2DP BT device much like "All Audio" is directed through the Headset Jack including "Voice Calls". The use of a Bluetooth Audio Device should be the "wireless equivalent" of using the Headset Jack.

* When dialing from the phone, the "In Call Window" on the 765T/785T always displays "UNKNOWN" while the 780 would display either the number dialed or the name as appears in the phone book.

* When using Voice Dialing I receive a "pop up" that "Voice Dialing is not supported on all phones" and then I receive the "Speak Now" screen followed by a message that "Voice Call Failed to Recognize" even though call was made through the phone.

* BT Features have been tested on the folowing devices:
o Sprint CDMA Phones:
+ Motorola Razr 2- V9M
+ LG Muziq-LX570
+ HTC Mogul-PPC 6800
+ HTC Touch Pro-PPc 6850

* BT A2DP Audio Devices
o Motorola S705 Stereo Headset Adapter
o Motorola T505 Speakerphone
o Jabra SP700 Speakerphone
o Jabra BT8040 Headset
o BluAnt Sonic- Stereo Speaker

EcoRoute:

* EcoRoute is a great new feature but needs to be enhanced with Multiple Vehicle/User Multiples.
* A user may have multiple vehicles or the Nuvi may be shared by multiple users in a family.

Custom Avoidances & Detour :

* The ability to avoid a particular "area" or "road" or to select to detour prompt distance.
* This is a standard feature for competitors including Magellan, TomTom, Navigon
* Feature was offered on older StreetPilots Series and reappeared on Nuvi 5000 and 880
* Bloggers, Reviewers, and Customers have been requesting this feature since the 6X0, 7X0, and now 7X5 series of Nuvi's is still missing this important feature.

Quite simply, can the 7x5 units allow me to hear Text to speech over bluetooth to my scala q2 headset?

Quite simply, can the 7x5 units allow me to hear Text to speech over bluetooth to my scala q2 headset?

OK, I give. I have gone through all of these comments and I fail to see one thing.

I would like to see a FEATURE comparison between the 785 and the 885. All I can find is the comment 'if voice command is important, pick the 885, but you will lose some features...' Can anyone tell me where I can get a decent comparison of these two units?

OK, as soon as I got done someone emailed me a whole lot of places.. Thanks for all the comments, looks like an 885 is in the future for me.. :)

The statement about the Lane Assist knowing which lane you are in is wrong; unfortunately the GPS doesn't seem to be able to tell what lane I am in. The arrows that show up always show from the "wrong" lane into the "right" lane, regardless of where I am.

I was hoping for this feature, but it isn't yet available in this Garmin unfortunately.

Garmin's Lane Assist page also knows your current lane of travel, and adjusts the 3-D rendering accordingly. So, if you're driving in the right lane, for example, the Lane Assist page might display an arrow saying to merge left and continue on the highway. But if you're already driving in the left lane, Lane Assist would instead display arrows pointing straight ahead.

Thx for the great review. I've been on the fence between the tomtom 730t and the Garmin 785t. Costco.ca currently has the 785t model for a cheaper price than the 765t so I'm thinking about taking a chance with the MSN service. Can you point out the clear advantages of the Garmin 785t over the tomtom730t?

Features important to me

- Traffic Updates
- Blutooth connectivity to the car
- Gas station locations and prices
- I'd also like to use Google Earth with the gps
- Trip Accuracy
- Portability and durability of unit (incase I take it camping..I know there are handheld devices for this but the price point is too crazy).

thx again for the great review

Instead of paying for the MSN Direct Traffic, can the FM-TMC life time traffic receiver be used instead on the 785T?

You'd have to buy the GTM 20 receiver to use in place of the MSN receiver on your 785t.

MSN Direct service is shutting down January 1, 2012, so if you plan on keeping this for more than 2 years. You might be better off with the 765T so you don't have to buy the NAVTEQ or Clear Channel traffic receiver when MSN direct goes down.

Considering MSN Direct will no longer be available after 2011, and I don't live in an area with support anyway, I'd be much better off getting the 765T instead correct? The MSN Direct seems to be the only real difference in the two devices.

Thanks for a response.

Hi there-Thanks for the great review of this gps as well as the others on your site that you have to get a good honest real time view of all the different options available. One option that I do not have on my current Magellan that I am actively seeking is if this Garmin has a Truck feature? I know there are some gps's that have a car/truck/emergency etc. setting so that the gps routes a way to not get people stuck where they can't go--ie--A 10 foot high truck going on Storrow Drive in Boston, MA. I know most of the roads around Boston that trucks aren't allowed on, but if I were to travel to say NYC my goose could really get cooked if I get in a jam. Thanks-Jon

I have been reviewing the 785T Garmin and was going to purchase it until I noted on Garmin's site that it is going to be discontinued. Any information on what will replace it and will MSN Direct be participating in providing product support after 2012?