Garmin Nuvi 360
Mar
8
2006
Garmin also took the wraps off the Garmin Nuvi 360. The Nuvi 360 includes preinstalled maps for all of Europe or North America. The Nuvi 360 also gains Bluetooth connectivity for hands free calling. Dialing destination phone numbers is possible through the POI database or through an address book. Incoming calls can also utilize the Nuvi 360’s speaker.
The Garmin Nuvi 360 comes with Garmin Lock which is a system for requiring an PIN number to access the GPS receiver functions. Text-to-speech is also an advantage the Nuvi 360 has over the Nuvi 310.
The Nuvi 360 has a MSRP of $964.27 and is currently shipping.
| Store | Rating | Best Prices |
|---|---|---|
Compare all prices on the Garmin Nuvi 360 Auto / Road GPS ranging from $149.99 to $499.99. | ||
 |  In stock at MemorySuppliers.com | $225.00 |
powered by  | ||
interested in price quote and availability. Planning a trip at the end of June 06.
Don
Hi Don. We still expect the Nuvi 360 to become available at retailers in about six weeks. You can get a Garmin Nuvi 350 right now for about $100 less than the 360.
Where would I find the 360 in bulk? I need 100 units.
What is the difference between the 350 and 360?
Larry, the only difference is that the 360 comes with Bluetooth for hands free calling.
How does Garmin Nuvi 360 compare with TomTom 910?
The TomTom GO 910 comes with a bigger screen, 4 inches version 3.5 inches on the Nuvi. The Nuvi uses NAVTEQ maps while the TomTom uses Tele Atlas maps. (I’ll avoid getting into a big debate over which one is better… it just depends where you are.)
Battery life on the Nuvi is longer… it doesn’t need to power the bigger display like on the TomTom.
Both have similar features and target a similar customer. The TomTom 910 is just starting to hit store shelves while the Nuvi 360 hasn’t been seen quite yet.
Does the new 360 allow more than one via point? Can you plan a multi-stop route?
I understand that the TomTom 910 allows both a phone and headset to be connected via bluetooth so that the directions can be heard through the headset as well as using the phone. Will the Nuvi 360 have the same capability? My car is very loud, and earpiece directions via bluetooth would be very helpful. Thanks.
Brian, The “via” functionality on the Nuvi 360 works the same way as it does on the 350… only one “via” can be inserted between the starting location and the destination.
Ken, it is unclear from the product manual if that will be supported or not.
To answer my own question, I received this information from Garmin Tech Support:
Can I copy Outlook address book or Mobile phone address book to an SD card that can then be read by either NuVi 350 and/or360?
Don, you can through Garmin’s POI Loader application. You would need to export your address book into CSV format, then use the POI Loader application to covert the CSV file to a custom POI database, then copy the custom POI database to the 360 or 350.
Ken,
I received the exact opposite info from a Cust Svc Mgr at Garmin. He said that the 360 WOULD pair up with Bluetooth speakers and/or headset — I’m not sure exactly which I asked about, but if it works with one it should work with both. I want to be able to use a BT headset when on my bicycle, and BT speakers if necessary for volume in my car
Can the Nuvi sync with other MP3 software such as iTUNES?
How does the 360 compares to the 350 is it worth the extra for the 360 bluetooth not an issue.
Jose – No, the major difference is that the Nuvi 360 includes Bluetooth support. It also comes with the Garmin LOCK anti-theft software. If Bluetooth isn’t an important feature for you then I wouldn’t spend the extra money for the Nuvi 360 and get the 350 instead.
Brian – the Nuvi doesn’t really “sync” with iTunes, however you can copy your MP3 files from iTunes into the Nuvi. Note that the Garmin Nuvi cannot play music purchased from the iTunes Music Store in the native format since those are not MP3 files.
I have read a few reviews that complain that the screen on the 350 is not compatable with polorized sun glasses, has this problem been resolved in the 360?
Larry, I believe the 360 uses the same screen as the 350. This happens with many auto GPS systems and isn’t limited to the Garmin Nuvi series.
For others reading this who might be wondering what we are talking about…. polarized sunglasses help reduce glare. They work great in most situations, however if you look through two polarized lenses at the same time and they are not “aligned” properly you can actually block all light from traveling through.
I suspect that the anti-glare features in the Nuvi 360 screen and many other GPS navigation systems uses polarization techniques. This works great for people who don’t wear polarized sunglasses since it makes the GPS screen easier to read in glare situations.
However if you do wear polarized lenses you are introducing a second filter and if those filters are not aligned they will block light.
I don’t think Garmin (or other GPS manufacturers) would consider this behavior a problem needing to be corrected. Most people do not wear polarized glasses and therefore the anti glare features on these GPS navigation systems will work for the majority of customers. For customers who wear polarized glasses, however, it is certainly a pain.
Ken,
I previously reported that Cust Svc at Garmin had given contradictory info re the 360’s ability to pair via BT with a headset or speakers. I checked again today and they say your info via tech suppt is more recent — the original design was to allow headset/speaker pairing in addition to the phone, as the 2829 allows, but that has been dropped. Major disappointment.
How does the Garmin Nuvi 360 differ from and compare to the Garmin Streetpilot c550? I’m going to give one to my DH for Father’s day and they sound similar.
Napkin, “Under the hood” the Garmin 360 and the StreetPilot c550 are very similar. Here is where the differ.
The most obvious difference is the form factor. The Nuvi 360 is much smaller. The c550 is about three times larger when looking at overall volume (cubic inches). They use the same size screen though. This makes the 360 much more portable if you want to swap it between vehicles. The 360 will fit in a shirt pocket while the c550 is closer in size to a baseball or softball.
One way the Nuvi 360 isn’t as well featured as the c550 is that the Garmin Nuvi does not come with the integrated traffic receiver the c550 does.
The Nuvi 360 also has an optional Language guide…. this doesn’t appear to be an option on the c550.
Other than those items the featureset is very similar between the devices. So with the Garmin 360 you pay a little more for the very small size and portability. The c550 will save you about $100 and get you an integrated traffic receiver at the expense of a much larger overall size.
Between the c320, c330, c340, and c550, which would be fine for giving accurate, fast, up-to-date VOICE street-name directions? We don’t need additional features but do want the BEST that will help us not get lost in big cities.
Thanks!
The c330 adds pre-installed maps which the c320 doesn’t have. The c340 adds an optional traffic receiver as well as spoken street names which the c320 and c330 don’t have. The c550 adds Bluetooth, a more sensitive GPS chipset, an integrated traffic receiver, and an MP3 player.
Hi there!
Is the nuvi 360 Mac compatible?
M.
Hi Michael, it depends on what you want to do with your Nuvi 360. Garmin has announced Mac compatibility forthcoming however we haven’t seen much of the new Mac software yet.
The maps come pre-installed on the Nuvi 360 so you won’t need your Mac to install maps. If you want to load MP3 files you could do this through an SD card reader directly attached to your Mac if you have one. Otherwise we’ll have to wait until Garmin releases better Mac support… hopefully soon.
First off…Thank you for this wonderful site!
I will be purchasing a NUVI 360 or a SP2820 as soon as they are available. But I am still torn between the two. The NUVI offers great portability, but I believe it sacrifices the ability to store routes (which I assume is very useful). I am new to this type of GPS, but I am an engineer so I love the specifics. Any suggestions as I am trying to decide?
Brian, I haven’t yet been able to get ahold of the user manual for the 2820 yet so I can’t confirm if it can store routes or not. I do have the Nuvi 360 manual.
I think for most people the portability will make all the difference. I have a highly portable GPS like the Garmin Nuvi and it has come in handy dozens of times. When my other half needs to go on a trip I can just pass the GPS along to her without needing to mess with even a minor installation.
Also GPS devices are becoming a device thieves really like. With something really small like this GPS it can be easily moved to the glove compartment when you park your vehicle. The 2820 is three times the size and much more difficult to conceal.
Something else that might be worthy of consideration is that the Nuvi 360 comes with a SiRF Star III chipset. While the chipset in the 2820 will perform just fine the accuracy of the Nuvi 360 will be amazing… something an engineer will appreciate.
There are some times when storing a route is something I use, but not too often. For those really long trips you can just define your own custom waypoints and then navigate between each of your custom points in order.
One more thing…. The Nuvi 360 should also be about $220 cheaper (based on MSRP) than the 2820. I was really surprised when I saw the retail price of the 2820 at $1185. You can buy a really nice laptop for that price.
I just purchased a 350 and while I do like some of the features I find it lacking when compared to my Magellan 700. Part of this may be that I am used to the Magellan software, but there are some specific issues I find disturbing. I found the screen reflected far to much light to clearly see the maps. The device to attach the unit to the window is to short in many cars including my own which places the screen much to far away from the user. While I love the text to voice capability I found the unit far to talkative, when compared to the Magellan. Needless to say the 350 has features I want hence my purchase. What I want is bluetooth, portability, traffic integration, MP3, text to voice with a screen that is glare resistant and of course reliable map software. All that said, I see that Magellan is going to be releasing a Roadmate 6000T in July. Since I seem to prefer the Magellan software, can you tell me how the 6000T will compare to the 360? Also do you know to what extent the software and capabilities will differ from the 700 and 760?
Can you tell me if 360 or any similarly sized portable unit provides “Dead Reckoning”?
I live in New York City and with all the high-rises I am afraid the unit will keep loosing its position, as does my satellite radio. How does it deal with lost GPS coverage say when I am in Holland tunnel or lower level of GWB w/o “Dead Reckoning”; will it pick up the route where it’s left off etc.?
Larry – I’ll get to your question soon as I write a more complete answer.
Metin – Some GPS systems sort of provide this functionality… but in my opinion it really doesn’t matter since they will pick up the route when you come back out.
Some GPS systems will simply keep the cursor at the last known position when satellite acquisition is lost. Other systems will try to guesstimate you current position based on your last known position, heading, and speed.
All systems (I can think of) will simply pick up your route again when the GPS acquires your position again. For example a few days ago I drove through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel. As I went into the tunnel the GPS continued to guesstimate my position through the tunnel. When I came out the other side my position was acquired again within about five seconds and navigation resumed without any trouble.
The Garmin Nuvi 360 has a SiRF Star III chipset which is one of the best consumer GPS receivers you can find. It should provide better reception in NYC than GPS receivers with older, less sensitive chipsets in them.
Could the 360 load trailmaps for on/off trail hiking? if so how?
Phu – No. It is only compatible with certain City Navigator, City Select, and WorldMap base-maps. For both on-road and off-road mapping you might want to check out something like the Garmin GPSMAP 60Cx
Let’s not forget that it’s much easier for the 360 to have the traffic transmitter installed then the 350 is…with the 360 you can do it yourself. When will it be available in the US?
That’s right, Todd. It uses the GTM 11 traffic receiver which is plug and play. The 350 is compatible with the GTM 10 and professional installation is suggested. (Update: Some Garmin information suggests the 350 is compatible with the GTM 11 while other information hints otherwise.)
I expect to see the Garmin Nuvi 360 become available in about five weeks. The release date has slipped back by about a month from initial projections.
How many songs can be stored on each of the Nuvi’s ?
Is this dependant upon the size of the expansion cards ?
Yes, it depends on the size of the SD card. You can store MP3 files either in the internal memory or on the SD card. I’m not positive how much free space is available on the internal drive of each of Nuvi, but I recall on the 300 it is about 200 MB.
Can an external antenna be attached to the Nuvi 360?
Yes, Dave. The Nuvi 360 can be connected to the Garmin GA 27c antenna. There is a connector on the back of the Nuvi 360 for it.
Is the volume high enough on the unit to enable easy phone conversation, especially in old noisy cars via bluetooth.
I was hoping to use nuvi360 for my end of the month road-trip but looks like it won’t be available by then. Any news on the availability. Amazon says it will be available by June 15th. But they already pushed their date once from June 1st to 15th.
It is hard to day if the volume will be loud enough for your car’s environment or not. The speakers on the other Nuvis are pretty good so I expect the Nuvi 360 to have a good speaker as well.
Right now the guidance I’ve received from Garmin says the Nuvi 360 will be available sometime in July.
Looking at the 360 and will definitely buy the traffic add-on. I live in Chicago. I see from the Garmin site that I register for a city. What happens when I travel to another city (that has the system)? Does it work? Do I have to “pre-register”? Is there an extra cost?
thanks.
You don’t really register for a city. There is an option in the setup where you select from USA or Europe, but the subscription isn’t limited to just one city in the USA. The system will work in other cities without an extra cost (provided those cities are still in the USA).
Do you expect the price of the Nuvi 350 to fall further upon the release of the Nuvi 360?
I wouldn’t expect to see any drastic changes in price. There are a few retailers who already have the Garmin Nuvi 350 in the lower $600 range (more than $200 below retail) so I don’t think the Nuvi 360 release will have a big impact on the price of the 350.
Just wanted to let you know that the GMT 11 traffic receiver is compatible with the Nuvi 350.
Thanks, Brian. There is ambiguity about this in Garmin’s documentation with much info indicating the 350 will only work with the GTM 10.
I’m interested in a portable Auto GPS system that supports both N. Amer and Europe roads. The Nuvi 350 looks interesting but the Europe maps are very costly- $350. The info on the Nuvi 360 says “preloaded with N. America OR Europe”. What does this mean? Will I still have to pay $350 extra for Europe? Are there any other systems which have both regions pre-installed at a more economical price?
Steve – Depending on where you purchase the Nuvi 360 from it will come with North American maps OR European maps. So if you purchase the North American version you would then need to purchase the European maps in addition.
Depending on the features you are looking for you may want to consider the TomTom GO 910 which comes with maps for the USA, Canada, and Europe.
A couple questions:
1) I live in the US and travel to Europe. I don’t want two GPS devices. The TomTom GO 910 appears to have the distinct advantage here. But I like Garmin. Will the US version of the 360 offer the option of switching to the same maps that I would get if I were to buy the European version? What software product would that be? Are they really $350 extra (ouch!), or can they be found for less by shopping around?
2) Apparently, Garmin switched Nuvi screens in 2005 to a cheaper one with glare that is hard to read in sunlight. I presume this screen will be used in the 360. How serious a problem is this? Does anybody have experience with an anti-glare screen protector? Wouldn’t that solve the problem?
Hi
Do anyone know the release date of 360 ? If it is going to be dealyed, i will go with 350.
Larry – The feature-set between those two devices is very similar, they are designed to compete against each other. The Nuvi 360 has had some screen revisions since the initial specification and the Magellan RoadMate 6000T hasn’t been released either so it is difficult to tell if one will have a better screen. They both have the same size screen.
The 6000T is supposed to have all of the features you mentioned: bluetooth, portability, traffic integration, MP3, text to voice.
Given the similar hardware, the unique software features of each device might make the majority of the differences. For example the Garmin Nuvi 360 can use the optional Language Guide, Savers Guide, and Travel Guide features while the Magellan has things like QuickSpell and InstantLocate.
If you are used to the Magellan interface and like it then the 6000T sounds like it would be a good match for you. Magellan hasn’t released complete specifications yet which will make it more difficult to do a direct comparison with either the Nuvi 360 or the Magellan 700 until the full specs are released.
I have not heard any further updates on a release date of the Magellan RoadMate 6000T but will post any info I find to that page.
Robert –
1. Yes, the software would be City Navigator Europe. I have seen them for a little less while shopping around, but yes, they really do cost that much.
2) There are a few people who have commented on the Garmin Nuvi 350 page about the glare issue and found it troubling. However other people I’ve talked to said their screens are okay. They might have got a newer screen, it is difficult to tell for sure without comparing two units side-by-side.
You could try an anti-glare protector, that might do the trick just fine.
frenzied – I’m still hearing “sometime in July” from my contacts.
I think I have waited enough. Apart from the Bluetooth and Antitheft lock on the new nuvi 360, are there any more major differences like the screen quality etc compared to nuvi 350.
I for sure need one for the end of the month road trip I planned. If 360 is going to be delayed I think I plan on buying a 350 at gpsnow.com for $650.00. If anybody knows of any other cheaper place on the web,I appreciate.
Mahesh – If you go to the Garmin Nuvi 350 page you should see some deals in the middle of the page, just above the comments, for about $625.
I didn’t see a response to Larry’s question above re: Magellan 6000T s. Nuvin260. I am considering the NUVI 360 vs. the Magellan 6000T (both due out in July). I currently have a Magellan 700 with all the upgrades. The only magellan feature that I think I would miss is the predictive street/city entry. How else do they compare?
doug
Doug – See # 52.
After a big waiting line on the call, finally i got hold off a sales rep from garmin and she mentioned to me that on July 17th dealer would have the nuvi 360. I am planning to wait for this one.
Just wondering, is the Nuvi 360’s BT compatible with the Treo 700? I know the Treo 650 but that has a Palm platform. R
I just wanted to add one major difference between Garmin and Magellan. Magellan units use sequential receivers. That is, the receiver gathers all of the information from one satellite and then looks for the next satellite and so on until it has complete info from 4 of them. Garmin (and TomTom) use 12 channel parallel receivers. That means they can track up to 12 satellites simultaneously. Ultimately this means Magellan products come across as sluggish, slow and prone to lost signals. Garmin track fast and less likely to lose a signal. The difference is very noticeable if you’ve used parallel and switched to sequential.
raybfree – As you probably saw, the Treo 700 currently isn’t listed as being compatible with the Nuvi 360 at Garmin’s site. It could be that they have just not tested it yet since the Treo 700 is fairly new.
Rich – Magellan’s specifications for the new Magellan RoadMate 3000T and Magellan RoadMate 3050T show that they are using the 20 channel SiRF Star III chipset which is the same chipset speced in the 360.
Magellan has not yet released full specs for the Magellan RoadMate 6000T however I would expect it to also have the SiRF Star III chipset. You are correct though that some of the other models do use 12 or 14 channel receivers.
That’s interesting. There were features about Magellan I liked, but I was told by Magellan reps their receivers were sequential (deal killer). I guess they were referring to older models. Do you know if Magellan also uses Navteq? If you personally compared the Magellan 3050 to Nuvi 350, which would you like better and why?
Yes, Magellan uses NAVTEQ maps. I haven’t played with the 3050 yet as availability is still thin. However based on specs it is a very close call. The Garmin Nuvi wins on having a smaller size. It will likely come down to which interface (Garmin versus Magellan) you are more familiar with.
I’m very interested in the Nuvi-360.
Thanks for your info forum!
I noticed that you have the Nuvi-360 User Manual which is not yet posted on the Garmin Website.
The User’s Manual on the Nuvi-350 indicated that they do NOT display LAT/LON/ALT on the display.
Q1: Will the Nuvi-360 display LAT/LON/ALT?
Q2: Is the Nuvi-360 a good Geo-Caching receiver?
RadioRich
The owner’s manual doesn’t make any mention of being able to display latitude, longitude, or altitude. I assume it will function just like the 350 in this regard which would make using the Nuvi 360 for geocaching very difficult. That is too bad with the nice small size of the Nuvi.
Thanks for your comments on the Nuvi-360 User Manual.
I read a review or the Nuvi-350 SW Version 3.10 which shows LAT/LON/ALT displayed in the Sat-Page.
I was hoping that this firmware update was available in the upcoming Nuvi-360. Does Garmin typically carry updates from a prior model into a new model?
Tnx again. RadioRich
I would suspect that it will show the same information on the satellite page as the 350. If so you could geocache based off coordinates alone. That would add to the difficult and perhaps fun.
Note too that the manual for the 350 doesn’t talk about displaying latitude, longitude, or altitude either. It appears a firmware update did add that to the display. I would suspect this would appear in the Garmin Nuvi 360 as well.
My understanding is that Garmin c550 has a newer version of US maps (v. 8.0 I believe), whereas the nuvi 350 uses an older version of maps (v. 7.0?). Am I incorrect? If not, will the nuvi 360 have the newer version of maps?
Dave, I’m not sure which version of the maps the Nuvi 360 will ultimately ship with.
Hi. How does the Nuvi 360 compare with the TomTom GO 910 – are there any major advnatge of one over the other – I am in the UK so will be using it mainly in Europe. Thanks Philip
Philip, see comments number 3, 4, 6, 49, & 50 on this page which discuss differences between the TomTom GO 910 and the 360. Feel free to ask if you have any additional questions.
If you purchase the NUVI 350 or 360, what exactly do you need to do to load up the European Maps? (what software do you purchase? Is it USB to your software or can you use the SD slot?) Once you have loaded up the European Maps, does this erase your US Maps? If so how do you put the US Maps back?
Does the 360 have any internal memory or is the SD card it? In other words if I take out the SD card am I taking out all the pre-loaded US or European Maps? If so doesn’t this mean that if my MP3s are on a separate SD card that I can’t really simultaneously listen to MP3’s and have all the Maps loaded up at the same time?
Han – You would want to purchase City Navigator Europe, provided you purchase the GPS in North America and want maps for both North America and Europe. It doesn’t erase your US maps unless you want it to.
The 360 has an internal hard drive as well as an SD slot. Maps come pre-installed on the hard drive. Yes, you can simultaneously have maps and music stored on either or both memory types.
The nuvi 360 sounds very interesting and when I was perusing ebay I kept seeing them for astronomically low prices out of china – are these imitations?
Allan, China has a history with fake GPS products… especially maps. There are some tell tale signs of a scam in looking at that auction. Check the seller’s feedback. 100% sounds good with 12 transactions…. But there are some major problems…
Each person that left feedback for that seller had a different username, but they each had 0 feedback of their own and left almost the exact same comment. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Also note that the feedback was left for the seller within two minutes of the end of the auction. Now that is fast shipping!
It is certainly a scam.
Is the battery in the Nuvi replaceable? I am planning on running on battery power quite a bit, so will I be able to buy a new battery in 2 years or so, when the battery no longer holds much charge.
No, it contains an internal (non-removable) lithium-ion battery.
Is it definite that the GTM 11 FM TMC Traffic Receiver will interface with the Nuvi350?
The documentation is ambiguous in this regard Walter, however Garmin did tell me it is compatible.
I just got my nuvi 360 yesterday!
Still playing with it now, and I will let you know my impressions on my first-ever handheld GPS (my BMW530i comes with its own built-in GPS).
I bought the device from Dubai for AED2700 (= USD 735)
nuvi nubi
hmmm, so when the battery finally dies, you have a redundant unit ??
That is my understanding. You would still be able to run it from the cigarette lighter, but that might not work for many people. I’ll see if I can find life expectancy estimates for the battery in the Nuvi 360.
If you Google “Garmin Nuvi Replace Battery” you will find links to posts in which the topic of battery replacement is discussed. Apparently, Garmin is willing to replace the battery of a 350 for a fee. One fee mentioned is $225, the other is “$275 or so.” Presumably, the 360 would be the same. There is some speculation/hope that an after-market battery replacement service might spring up that would charge less.
Hi – Can you tell me how the nuvi 360 compares with the Garmin Street Pilot c550 which comes with a GTM21 for approximately the same cost as the nuvi 360 plus gtm 11 – Thanks Philip
Philip – See comment # 21 above comparing the c550 and the 360.
Philip – I would like to answer your question for you. I too was debating 360 vs 550. Besides size, Nuvi 360 allows you to add 1 via point in a route. It also has a Language guide, audible book player, picture viewer, world clock, currency converter, measurement converter and a calculatior. Nuvi has lat/long coordinates and elevation reading and you can enter lat/long coordinates into the nuvi. The 550 speakers will likely be more clear as it has 2 (one on each side) and you will get less glare from the screen in direct sunlight (although Nuvi has a timed backlight that, when on, makes it readable in sunlight).
Right now I’m debating between the Nuvi 360 and StreetPilot 2820. I’m not sure why Garmin is not using the new SiRFstar III receiver in their 2820, but there tech support suggests it is not really necessary as the 2820’s receiver works very well. Can anyone tell me if there is really going to be that much difference between the Nuvi’s receiver and StreetPilot 2820?
1. What is the size of the internal memory of the Nuvi 360? and how much of this is taken up by the system and other pre-loaded software and data?
2. Noticed someone has the 360 already? I thought they weren’t beling released until mid July? Are there certain countries that have it already and if so where can you get it? Any way to get it shipped to the US?
Rich & Philip – The c550 does allow you to add one via point to a route just like the 360.
Rich – There will be a difference in the receiver, although the receiver in the STP 2820 will work well. The receiver in the Nuvi 360 will just work better in “fringe” situations where the signal is weak such as around tall buildings in cities, in canyons, and any other time a clear view of the sky is obscured.
Han – (1). I believe there is about 200 MB free although this is not confirmed yet.
Han, I was told Nuvi 350 has about 2 gigabytes or so. Then it has 700 megs of user memory for more maps, music, or audio books. If this is not enough, you can add an optional SD memory card which is available up to at least 2GBytes. I think that would be enough for most users. Anyway, I’m also told the 350 and 360 are virtually identical, except the 360 has bluetooth, so it should be the same.
Wow? Are you sure the c550 has 1 via point? Tech support at Garmin said it did not. Although I do know that sometimes you may speak to someone, in any industry, that gives you an answer as if it is true when they are not sure. I’m inclined to believe you as it makes sense it would have at least one.
FYI – Tech support is where I also got the info about the free megs. Nuvi European would have about 200 megs free and US would have 700. But like you said, that’s not confirmed yet.
Rich, the manual for the c550 shows the ability to add one via point. I assume your values for free space are correct as well.
Dave O. & Larry –
According to Garmin, the battery in the Nuvi 360 is supposed to last approximately 10,000 charges. So if you used through two charge cycles each day (about 8-16 hours of usage) you would get almost 14 years of use out of the battery. One charge cycle per day would put the “life limit” of the Nuvi 360 to about 27 years.
Hi – does the nuvi 360 have problems with speaks and sound as some reviews have send that it can be diificult to hear ? Thanks Daniel
Daniel – Since the Nuvi 360 isn’t yet available for sale I haven’t been able to listen to the speakers yet.
Can you post the nuvi 360 manual for download?
Daniel – I have a friend with the Nuvi 350. As far as voice commands, the speaker is fine. It is not as good as the streetpilots, but just fine for navigation and you can turn the volume up if you need to. I would think the clarity will be the same for the 360.
BWEB – Garmin does not have any manuals for the 360 on their website, so I doubt anyone else has it. However, if they do I would like to see it posted here too. In the meantime, you can go to garmin’s website and get manuals for the 350. They are virtually identical minus the bluetooth.
Does anyone have opinions about general routing capabilities…Garmin vs. Magellan? Forget about slower aquisitions, rerouting and lost signals. I think Magellan leveled the playing field here with SiRFstar III parallel receivers. I’m honestly torn between Nuvi 360 and Magellan Roadmate 6000T. Probably still getting the 360 with my comfort level in Garmin, but I’m open to opinions.
BWeb – No, unfortunately we cannot post product manuals on the site due to copyright restrictions.
Hello,
Can I program the custom poi’s on Nuvi360 with thelephone numbers, so I can call them direcly as on the pre installed Poi’s
Egil
Egil, yes you can.
Just an update on availability. Most retailers I’ve talked to have been told to expect stock of the Nuvi 360 around July 21. As always, some retailers will probably get it before others, but that seems to be when most retailers are expecting stock.
I have been considering the Nuvi 360 (and have absolutely no experience with GPS) but am also considering changing my cell phone to a Treo 700p with cingular when it becomes available. Would the garmin product available for the treo be every bit as functional as the 360 and more cost effective than to have both?
It looks like Nuvi 360 had 2GB of built in memory versus Nuvi 350’s 700 MB. Does this mean 360 has more map data than 350?
Aside from BT capability, are there other advantages of the 360 versus 350?
David – The Nuvi 360 will have additional features beyond what you will find in the smartphone software, but it should have the same navigation features.
Joseph – I haven’t seen any official specs yet on drive space, however it should be nearly the same as the 350. Also the amount of free memory can vary depending if you have the European or North American maps pre-installed.
As far as I know, Bluetooth is the only major difference between the 360 and 350.
Can addresses in the Nuvi 360 be stored into an address book on the unit itself, or do all address book entries have to be input on a computer and then downloaded to the Nuvi?
Thomas – You can search for an address directly on the Nuvi 360 and then save it to ‘My Locations’.
Walter – I moved your comment to the Nuvi 350 page and will answer it there.
Hi – can you tell me please how does the nuvi 360 compare with C550 in terms of waypoints on route – it seems that the nuvi can only accept one way point – is this true ? – Thanks Philip
Following up on Thomas’ question. Can I take a file off of my computer and upload addresses to the Nuvi, or do I have to type them all in? I’ve got over 100 addresses on my Magellan 700 currently that I’d love to avoid re-typing.
Philip – See comments # 7 & 91.
Doug – See comments #10 & 11.
Any new news on the US release date?
Pik – See comment #105
Q: I go deer hunting in the woods in northern MN. I was thinking could i take the Nuvi 360 out of the car and into the woods? I walk about 3 miles in. It would be nice if i was to get lost to get back on the trail. I understand it’s an automotive GPS unit, but would this assist on how to get back to the truck? Can you make a drop point with the Nuvi 360?
Pik – That is possible, but you might be better off spending $99 on an inexpensive GPS made for outdoor navigation. Since I expect you will be able to see Latitude and Longitude information you could make note of a waypoint then travel back to it if necessary by looking at your current location and determining the proper direction to travel. I would also have reservations about using such an expensive GPS outdoors.
Is the Nuvi 360 capable of displaying in multiple modes, such as 2D and 3D? Also, how can the display be dimmed at night? Is it automatic or manual or both? Do the colors “reverse” at night (i.e. what was white becomes black) to make it easier on the eyes.
I greatly appreciate the information that this website provides.
Thomas, Yes to all of your questions. The Garmin Nuvi 360 can display in 2D and 3D views. You can select between Daytime (light background), nighttime (black background), or auto to automatically switch between modes when appropriate.
Guys,
You are too good. I have been reading the whole page, found you to be too humble in answering qns. quickly, appropriately and very informatively.
Good job. Keep it up.
I got my confusion clarified and I am not going to wait for nuvi 360. Instead, I will go ahead with nuvi 350 immediately. CNR.
Naveen – One thing you may want to consider is the Nuvi 350 is having issues with glare in sunlight. The old ones did not have this problem, then Garmin switched vendors. However, after talking to Garmin, the Nuvi 360 will come with the old Nuvi 350 screens which would correct this problem. I did not have the impression they were changing the screens on the 350 back to the old ones, but that is possible. Worth calling Garmin first and, if so, find out which vendor(s) has the anti-glare screens.
I bought TomTom GO300. I didn’t work at all. My location was not the map and I tried other location and it got me lost. Is there a difference in maps for nuvi 350, streetpilotc550 and nuvi 360? Which one is better? I was going to buy nuvi 350, then I heard they were coming out with nuvi 360, world nuvi 360 have a better map??? Please help, thanks.
I’m a real estate agent and a GPS with the ability to map out the most efficient route for multiple destinations is crucial. A clear vibrant screen and smaller size is also a plus. Which GPS would you recommend? I have a feeling the Nuvi 350 / 360 is not it.
Extremely Helpful information, Thanks a bunch. I have read that the 360 unit comes with a windshield mount. Do you know if a dashmount kit will be available? I also like the idea of an FM modulator to broadcast the directions through the car stereo. Do you know of any units that will do that, other than the Alpine Blackbird?
Jessica – All of the GPS receivers you mentioned from Garmin come with maps from NAVTEQ. Some might be from version 7 and others from version 8 but they will all come from NAVTEQ. Without going into a long rant about maps, you will find inaccuracies in any map. If you don’t need the Bluetooth option in the Nuvi 360 then you might want to opt for the Nuvi 350.
Thomas – Most people are comparing the Nuvi 360 with the TomTom 910. The Nuvi 360 is much smaller, but also has a smaller screen and some people have had glare issues with the Nuvi screens. The TomTom 910 also comes with an Itinerary feature which would likely be extremely helpful for someone like you who goes to several new destinations in one day. But the 910 is also much larger.
Roy – Yes, there will be a dashboard mount kit available for the Nuvi 360. I recall they are about $30. The Lowrance iWay 350c is another GPS which has an FM modulator.
How do you know if the maps are version 7 or version 8? Which version is better? What version dose nuivi 350, nuivi 360 and streetpilotc550 have? Which one is better? Thank you very much.
The Nuvi 350 is shipping with version 7. I haven’t confirmed yet which version the c50 is shipping with, however I suspect it is version 7 since version 8 hasn’t yet been released for retail sale. Since the Nuvi 360 isn’t shipping yet I don’t know for sure which maps it comes with.
Sorry I don’t have better info for you on this. I’ve talked to Garmin about “which maps” but I’ve received conflicting answers from them.
I bought 3 (yes, that’s right 3) Tom Tom 910’s from various retailers. 1 was dead right out of the box, the other 2 were dead within 3 days. Loved it while it was working but don’t want to own anything with such glaring design flaws. Multiple destination mapping is crucial to my Real Estate business… any other suggestions? I’ve looked at the Garmin 2620… it’s too large and bulky. Thomas
i’m about to buy a GPS for my Suburban. the C550 and the nuvi 360 seem so similar. What are the differences? how do i decide which to buy? the 360 is a new model. is the 550? can you help me decide which to buy??
Thomas – Have you considered the TomTom GO 700 since you like the interface of the 910? It is smaller than the 910 but has many of the same features.
Gary – See comment #21. Yes, the c550 is also new.
i posted earlier about the C550 or the Nuvi 360. I just found out that the Nuvi won’t be out till July. so do i get the 550 or is a different one from a different manufacturer that i should consider? thanks.
Gary – if you don’t need Bluetooth then consider getting the Nuvi 350 now. If you do desire to have Bluetooth then consider the TomTom GO 910 or the TomTom GO 700.
Some people have expressed a concern about the speakers on the Nuvi’s. I have a Nuvi350 and on occassion I supplement the speakers with an earphone plug, jack inserted half way. I then receive voice directions from both the unit and earphone. Love the Nuvi!!!!!!!!!!!
was wondering if the streetpilot 2820 or the nuvi 360 will give voice directions and play mp3s wireless over my trucks radio?
Retailers are receiving nuvi360 shipments. I spoke to a rep at 4×4books and they have them in stock. I almost decided on c550 for my end of the month road-trip as nuvi360 was not going to be released untill mid July, but I have second thoughts now. May be I will go with a nuvi360. Traffic receiver and the bright screen on c550 are a plus but formfactor on the nuvi is a plus too.
Scott – Neither the 2820 nor the 360 offer an FM transmitter built in. Both have audio jacks through so you could purchase a separate FM transmitter and get the audio to your radio that way.
Hi, I ordered 360 from 4×4 books today and it was already ship out. I will get it by Wednesday afternoon. Hope it works as I expected. All fans, it is in the market now.
I ordered mine as well today from 4×4books.com and should have it by tomorrow afternoon. I’ll post comments after this weekend’s road trip.
Ordered mine this afternoon. Will be receiving it tomorrow. Will post as soon as I get a chance.
Just interested to know if garmin nuvi360 could play mp3 and give directions at the same time.
Are you guys sure that the 360 is available? I too called 4×4books and was told that it was available for immediate shipment, but several other stores have said that this is impossible.
Just an update on traffic receivers previously discussed. The Nuvi 360 will be compatible with the GTM 10 and GTM 12 traffic receivers (both FM-TMC), just like the 350. The GTM 11 has been discontinued.
James – Yes, the Nuvi 360 can play MP3 files while providing directions.
BWeb & Rich – The Nuvi 360 manual is now available from the Garmin website.
Nuvi 360 Question:
When i get my 360, do I need to buy the “Travel Kit” to use the MP3 player on it or does it come with the option stock? 2nd Question: If I buy a GTM 12 can that be used for transmitting MP3’s. Thanks, you guy’s RULE!!
Pik – You don’t need to buy the Travel Kit to use the MP3 player in the Nuvi 360. The GTM 12 cannot transmit MP3 files, it is only used to receive traffic information.
1) what’s the difference between the GTM 10 and GTM 12? The garmin site says that GTM10 “suggests” professional installation.
2) Garmin is still showing the GTM11 on their site, but you say that it is discontinued.
More questions about POI’s vs. Favorites
Somewhere I read that POI locator needs lattitude and longitude? Is that correct? This gets back to the earlier questions about loading in POI’s through the POI loader app.
What’s the difference between creating POI’s vs. “my locations – favorites”? Can favorites be automatically loaded or do we have to do these one at a time?
Thanks for telling us about the Manual. I read the manual and it doesn’t talk about POI’s except under “custom POI”. Does the 360 have POI’s built in, and if so, I assume that it is a sub funtion under “Where to”?
Lastly, I’m confused about the difference in the manual between Finding an address vs. Finding a place by spelling its name.
thanks as always.
Garmin has responded to my inquiry regarding the possibility of 4×4Books being able to ship the US version of the 360 by saying it is not possible because Garmin has not yet received their first shipment from Taiwan. Those of you who have placed orders should be asking somebody some serious questions.
Doug – The GMT 10 says it requires professional installation because the antenna splices in to the antenna cable mounted in the back of the existing stereo. Therefore you need to pull the dash and/or radio to get to the place where the cable is connected.
2. The GTM 11 is still listed on the website, however it says “This product has been discontinued.” and it is not listed on the new compatibility charts.
Got mine today. So far it works great and I have no complaints. Before I ordered, I spoke to somebody at 4×4books and asked how they had received them before the release date. They said that a shipment of about 25 unexpectedly showed up last week. I’m going to continue to run it through it’s paces, but again so far I’m very pleased with the unit.
Received mine yesterday. Very pleased with it so far. The screen is not that bad. It was not a washout but OK visibility in sun-light. Very fast recalculation. It has ver8.0 maps. My only complain, the key-board is not qwerty….all the alphabets are lined up in order. For those who use computers a lot this might be frustrating. I spoke to GARMIN on 4×4 availability and they said they were scheduled for a June release and various vendors get at various time. We were lucky. The phone audio quality was not that great. I use a treo650, pairing was smooth but the speaker is not that great. Will post more later.
GPS- I would like to make a correction to your comment no. 152 – The GTM 10 has not be discontined. It is the GTM 11 that has been replaced by an install yourself GTM 12.
Walter, sorry for the confusion. I was referring to the second question in comment #149. In this firs question he asked about the GTM 10 and in the second question he asked about the GTM 11. I’ll update that comment to reduce ambiguity.
Dose the Nuvi 360 have a brighter screen then 350?
I got mine this afternoon from 4×4books after 2days Fedex shipping. I am playing it now. The GPS signal is sensitive. Bluetooth works perfect to connect to my V3. Yes, the phone voice sounds not that cristal clear. I will test other functions, and keep you guys posted. So far, I like it, no complains. I will going to enjoy it in coming holiday travel.
Who knows the internal memory of size of 360? I read all manual and website informations, but can’t find it. It is important to know how big of new maps or how many MP3 and photos can stored in it without SD card.
Does the 360 come with Map version v8? What has changed from v7 to v8 and is worth the upgrade?
It looks like many more retailers are starting to receive shipments of the Nuvi 360. Some appear to even be offering it at about $170 below MSRP.
Todd Yes, as other people mentioned before I got to it the 360 does come with v8 maps. There are some corrections to the data (roads, POIs, etc) but like everything with mapping there will still be errors.
The newer maps are a slightly smaller size in terms of storage space though.
Can someone try TX,Van Alstyne and then the road FM121. Stands for Farm to Market. Was is a Best Buy trying to locate but it won’t recognize FM 121 as a valid road. Wondering if it was because I was inside a store. (Tried it on 350)
Also very interested in users experience with the 360 for volume, clarity and bluetooth/phone results.
Trying to decide between 360 vs 2820. Size is obviously a factor but any other comments from anyone regarding these two models?
Keith, the 360 and 2820 are very different models. I actually don’t mind the size of the 2820 but it does not have a battery and internal speaker, which means you always have to plug it in.
The C550 and 360 are more similar to each other, but I am leaining towards the 360 because the mounting bracket looks more secure (c550 uses a ball and socket).
Thomas – thanks, have just about ruled out 2820 due to the battery,and wasn’t aware of the speaker issue until your post.
Of course I am still wondering what you do when the 350/360 battery dies? If the 350/360 had multi destination routing it would be a lock for me.
Now torn between the small size (I like), the huge price (I don’t) and if the Bluetooth is any good and really worth the extra $.
Sometimes I think I should just get off cheaper and go with a 550. Bulky,lacks bells and whistles but gets you there and not as bad if someone rips it off.
Let’s hear from you guys with the 360 on phone quality and ease of use.!!!!!!
Keith – I know what you mean; I would love multi-stop route capability but Garmin does not offer it in their small units. I love Garmin products but they are really making it difficult for me here. BTW, the Quest and Quest II do have internal batteries but no internal speaker. I don’t know what the point of this is because like the 2xxx series, the speaker is attached to the 12V adapter.
As far as your question goes, I would always keep the 12V adapter in the car and just plug it in when necessary.
I have been back and forth so many times between the c550 and 360 and here is why I am going with the 360 (unless someone convinces me otherwise).
1. C550 and 360 are the same price but…c550 comes with the FM traffic module. However, this only covers certain cities and unless you are in one of those places it may not be that helpful. BTW, “built-in” traffic receiver (in this case) means it is built-in to the 12V adapter. This makes the adapter larger than necessary and requires it to be plugged in any time you want to use the traffic function.
2. Nuvi is small. I am much more apt to detach it and stick it in my briefcase or pocket than the c550. The c550 would probably end up in my glove compartment because it is an awkward size and succumb to being slow-cooked in my car. High temps are not good for electronics. I wouldn’t worry about the 2xxx series becuase they are waterproof and seem a bit more rugged.
3. Screens – The main reason why I wanted a c550 is because of the brighter screen. I haven’t really heard of complaints, just figured that brighter is better.
4. Volume control – The c550 has a little wheel on the right side which is nice and seems easy to access whereas the 360 has a touchscreen menu for volume that you have to get into. A little more cumbersome than I wanted but I’ll have to deal with it.
5. Travel Kit – The 360 comes with the travel kit which includes an alarm clock and other stuff. The size of the 360 also makes it good for traveling. As I am going to the UK for a while, this really appealed to me.
6. Mounting system – See my previous post for my take on this.
Hope this helps. I do not have personal experience with either unit, so this is just based off a lot of reading and research and my preferences based on how I plan to use my GPS unit. Whichever unit you choose, I’m sure you will be happy.
I would also love to hear from the lucky few who have managed to purchase the NUVI 360 already. How is the screen, bluetooth, etc…?
I received my Garmin Nuvi 360 a few days ago. This is my first GPS and I spent a lot of time (about 6 months) investigating and researching various options. I am very pleased with the unit. The screen is bright with no glare, the maps seem to be accurate and load very fast. Depending on the weather the unit works pretty reliably inside my house. The menus were all very intuitive and although I read the manual, I never had to reference it for usage. It is truly plug and play. The bluetooth works fine although my phone (the LG VX 8100) does not transmit the contact list to the Garmin. BTW that phone is not listed as compatible on Garmin’s site. However, the basic phone functions work fine.
I was really amazed by the name search function, which enabled me to find businesses and individuals FAST. Almost like having directory assistance right there. Push a (screen) button and you can map it or push another and the phone starts dialing. Also very cool is the latitude/longitude/altitude function.
When I first got the unit I charged the battery up and played with it constantly for 6 hours and the battery was still on one bar when I stopped.
The mounting is very easy and I like that the power supply plugs into the mount, so that the Garmin 360 quick releases right out of the mount without having to fumble with cords and connections.
Many thanks to GPS review for all of the great information that was instrumental in my decision making process. If any of you have any questions, I will try to answer them.
Stewart -
How is the sound quality and volume when you are using the 360 to make/receive calls?
It seems to be as good or better than the speaker phone function on my phone. I can hear calllers fine and they say they can hear me fine. Garmin has a hands free mic AKS available as well for about $15
Hi
I am in Singapore and am really interested in getting the Nuvi 360. However I noticed that it only gets bundled with either NA or Europe map.
I have a friend who has the Garmin 320 and he loads he SIngapore map from the SD card.
Wondering can the nuvi360 do that? Will i be able to use the maps he used on his 320?
THanks in advance
I had a Nuvi 350 which I got rid of and picked up the 360. Is it my imagination or does the 360 respond slower than the 350? It seems like the route scrolls in bigger jumps on the 360 and responds slower when turning a corner, etc. The 350 had V7 maps and the 360 has V8 maps. I wish I had the 350 here to compare but unfortunately it went back last week.
Hi GPS Review /Stewart/installation experts,
Hope you guys can share some information of dashborad mounting of nuvi 360. Except wildshild and dashborad mounting with suction cup and disc, that is a little bit far to reach when you try to figure touch the screen during driving, also it is an extra block for drivers view, even it is low and small.
I found a nice position in my Honda Odyssey. There is a two inch wide spot between techometer and air vent just right up corner from the wheel. It is quite convenient to watch and very easy to operate device. It is very important for safe driving.
But it is hard to mount it on since it is vertical non-flate base. The adhasive disc can’t hold device firmly after several miles driving, it is wrose during hot summer for the adhasive. Is there any other way to mount it tightly in this vertical position. I even think about a small screw to mount it on and hide power wire inside the dashborad too. desparately need your advice and help!
BTW. Is there any infor about travel guide. How useful it is. I am just curious, and like to add more easy functions to this perfect toy.
Thanks!
I’ve got a NUVI 360 in transit from TigerGPS.com. They shipped the same day I ordered and according to UPS tracking it will delivered tomorrow. Total cost including 2nd day air was 767.58.
Darren I believe the same maps should work, you will just need to purchase a copy of the same product. You can check compatibility information with the maps you need here.
Just a reminder to all Nuvi350 owners….If bluetooth is not important to you then remember to do your computer updates. Version 3.60 was just released and I updated. I have all the features of the Nuvi 360, except bluetooth. Also, Garmin will Email when there are new updates if you register on-line with them. Still love my Nuvi. On a recent trip the optional traffic navigator alerted me to upcoming accidents and the unit automatically adjusted my route to avoid the traffic. What did I ever do without it?
I recently purchased a Nuvi 350, but the first one was defective so I got a replacement that had the out of date CitySelect NT v7 maps and old software. Dissapointed to say the least. I am now awaiting a Nuvi 360.
I’ve had several GPS units. I can say from experience that while a little expensive, the Nuvi is one incredible unit. Small, but very powerful. It’s already shown me shorcuts I never knew existed.
One reason for getting the Nuvi over the C550 was it’s size, and it’s ability to enter co-ordinates directly. It’s nice to have your current lat/lon position handy for emergencies too.
Frank I don’t know of any “off the shelf” vertical mounting solutions for the Nuvi series. I think some sort of custom mount might be your only solution.
Does the Garmin have the feature of showing miles until destination on the front screen? I find the time feature useless, considering I sit in a lot of traffic. If it is not on the front screen, what is involved in getting the unit to display how many miles until you reach your destination. I was using a street pilot c330 and it drove me nuts because I could not find an easy way to display the miles.
THANKS!
Can anybody who has the new Nuvi 360 verify the amount of free space on the internal hard drive?
Thanks the reply from GPS Review!
I saw a website list specifications of 360. It shows 360 has 700M free space. Can’t find this site again to show here. I haven’t fill my 360 up yet. Acutal size report later.
Mine had a bit under 700MB, closer to 660MB free when I got it. I removed a lot of the voices I was not going to use, the MP3’s and JPEG samples that were on there and ended up with a bit over 900MB free.
Not sure if others are having this issue, but my 360 had a lot of lag and always seemed to be several seconds behind in updating. Garmin suggested the new 2.5 software that just posted on their site and it seems to have helped quite a bit.
Frank – you might want to look into a ram mount solution to see if something there matches your needs.
I plan to purchase a GPS, as much for finding my way around cities on foot as in the car. I plan to travel to London UK, then to Canada east coast, then back to Canada west coast. I need maps for Can,US & UK.I like the look and the size of the NUVI 360, do I need to purchase additional maps? Would you recomend the 360 or the 350. Thanks John
John – The only big difference between the Nuvi 350 and the 360 is that the Nuvi 360 comes with Bluetooth.
As for maps, the Nuvi 360 comes with maps of North America or Europe depending on where you purchase the device. If I remember correctly the North American maps cost about $140 and the European maps cost about $350.
As an alternative you could consider the TomTom 910 which comes with maps of North America and Europe, pre-installed and unlocked.
You guys ROCK!
I need all the help I can get: I’m trying to decide between the Nuvi and the 6000T. The 550 is a runner up in my considerations.
I think I really need the multi destination feature which the Nuvi lacks. I’m in & out of the car up to 14 times a day. At this point, the Bluetooth is not an issue for me. I frequently drive in those “fringe areas” and also in some “questionable” neighborhoods – for legitimate purposes, mind you.
I especially like the Garmin anti theft lock, slim size (hides/carried well) and it’s travel & audio book features for when I’m travelling on my own time.
The 6000T looks to be smaller than (slimmer body) the 550c. The quick spell & text-to-voice are a plus as is the integrated traffic kit.
I’ve read the posts, but now cannot figure out/recall if the Nuvi has an integrated traffic rec or is it on the Nuvi’s 12 volt cord? The 6000T is inside the unit, yes?
I do not work in the named cities for the the Traffic reporting, but on occasion, I have travelled into NYC or CA. 6000T comes with a 15 mo free vs. 3 mo free with Nuvi.
I would greatly appreciate any advice! Thank you.
Cori – Yes, you can get this information from the ‘Trip Information Page’. See page 7 of the Nuvi 360 manual.
Gabrielle, if you don’t need Bluetooth than consider the Nuvi 350 instead of the Nuvi 360.
You are correct, the Nuvi will only allow one “via” and it does not come with an integrated traffic receiver, you would need to purchase it separately.
The Nuvi 360 also has 2GB of internal space, not 700mb. That’s second big difference btwn 360 and 350. I got more than a gig of space that I don’t need to buy separate memory card. With bluetooth and 2GB of memory, I’m glad I waited for 360. The price tag of $750(no tax + free shipping) was about $150 more than 350 as of today, but is worth it considering 360 has 2GB mem, bluetooth, and map V8(for sure).
Jason, the 700 MB being quoted here is referring to the amount of free space remaining on the drive after maps, not the total size of the drive which you are correct, is 2 GB.
A number of post suggest that the 360 comes with map v8, however the Circuit City write-up states that it has v7. The Garmin website is silent on this matter. I cannot imagine that the 360 could have either or.
How does one verify which version will come with the unit.
I am contemplating buying and would like to know that I am getting the latest version.
Also, glad to hear that they have gone back to the matt screen.
Thanks
Rick, everyone who has picked one up so far has told us the Nuvi 360 does come with version 8 maps.
Hi,
My nuvi 360 has a bug with its road map software. A road just out from my home should be 1.9 miles to highway, but the words and speech shows 5.8 miles, (high lighted road on map is correct)everytime when I drive out. But it show correct 1.9 miles when I drive back. Do you guys find the same problem somewhere eles in Garmin’s software? How can I fix it or maybe Garmin can fix it for me? I called Garmin. The technician said would reply me the same day, but several days passed. I haven’t got any answer yet. Thanks for your help! Hope this is the only problem in its software, no matter it is V7 or V8.
Frank, that sounds like it could either be an algorithmic bug or perhaps an error in the underlying dataset. Did you get any sort of ticket number from Garmin support to call them back? You could also try emailing them so that you have a written track of the conversation.
I just received my Nuvi 360. Nice to see that anti-glare screen back in place.
I had an issue with it recently. I turned it off at night and this morning it went into “Updating the GPS software” mode then it wouldn’t see any satellites. A reset took care of it for now, but hmmm… Has anyone tried that new 2.52 Beta software. I don’t want to upload any software that doesn’t work before my trip. My touch tones don’t always work either. I may try and run the Webupdate program and ee if it uploads any new software.
It isn’t just me I’m sure, but I notice that the 360 uses a new algorithm to search routes. I have a 350 and 360 side by side, and on a planned trip to the Maritimes it gives me two different routes near the final destination. I’m pretty sure I like the 350’s route better. It remains to be seen if the 360 sees the better route when I get near my destination.
That is interesting, Chris. Thanks for pointing it out. It could also be a difference in the underlying mapping data. Perhaps one of the roads is classified different which accounts for the difference in route rather than an algorithmic change.
2 Questions! Does the Nuvi 360 also show the car speed in the main display? And how easy is it to download updates, in particular speed cameras? (In the UK).
Well I did the WebUpdate and there was a button for reloading the current software level. I also found that there was a GPS software update available. After completion of this, here are the current levels.
Software Version: 2.4
Audio Version: 2.20 (was an update)
GPS SW Version: 2.70 (was an update)
Bluetooth SW Version: 2.14 (was an update)
This morning when I put it in the car cradle and it self poweres up, it froze on me again. This time saying it was trying to update Bluetooth Software, but it wasn’t doing anything. I’m convinced there is a software bug in there somewhere. I’ll be telling Garmin this morning and I’ll post up when I have this problem fixed.
Nick,
To answer your first question. If you are viewing the map screen but not using it to navigate then your current speed is shown in the box on the lower left of the screen. If navigating you must tap the box in the lower left that gives you your ETA and the trip data speed will show up with your current speed.
Tapping this box at any time fromthe map screen will take you to the trip data screen.
I’m sure someone here can help you with question 2. Good luck!
Nick – The Safety Camera subscriptions for Garmin devices like the Nuvi 360 appears like it will become available in the next couple of months. I suspect they will use the POI Loader application to get the data on your Nuvi 360.
Chris
Thanks for the reply. I am a little confused however; what is the difference between viewing with map screen and navigating? Surely the map is displayed as you navigate? I am used to Tom Tom which has the option viewing the car speed together with all the journey data at the bottom of the screen.
GPS Review
Thanks for the reply. Just to clarify then: The Nuvi 360 does not come with speed camera info already pre-loaded (unlike Tom Tom). If not, is there nowhere to download it for the moment?
Nick – From what I recall you cannot get your speed to display on the navigation map itself while navigating like there is on the status bar on TomTom devices. On the Nuvi 360 you need an extra tap on the screen to display your speed.
No, the Nuvi 360 does not come with speed camera information pre-loaded. Garmin will offer this as a subscription service sometime in the next couple of months.
Navigating – meaning having the unit guide you turn by turn. You can view the map display on it’s own just showing you where you are on the map. While it navigates(turn by turn directions) for you, that box is then used for an ETA (Estimated Time Arrive) you lose the current speed info that would normally be there.
Enlighten me. I am trying to figure out why anyone cares if the the current speed is being displayed.
Seems to me that it makes a whole lot more sense to look at the large speedometer on the cars dash vs. a tiny speed indicator on GPS display. What am I missing?
I think the ETA feature is much more valuable. If someone calls me I can tell them I should be there in 20 min vs I am going 76 MPH and am not watching the road.
To change the subject:
Several reports of 360 not being as loud.
Is that a problem for you owners or just different?
Any problems with Bluetooth?
What are the reports from people on the other end of a call? Do you sound like you are in a drum or it is clear? In short, is it worth the extra money for the 360 vs 350?
Me thinks for apx $800 I shouldn’t have buggy software, features available later, low volume, freeze ups, glare or extra hardware required.
Just my opinion, I am waiting out the bugs before buying a 350 or 360. Keep those bug reports coming.
Current speed 95, taking detour due to blue light in mirrow, ETA unknown!
Well Keith, having the speed on the same screen is not all that important to me either, but I guess people see it on many other units, and wonder why Garmin deosn’t. Your not missing anything, you simply have a different perspective.
As for the volume, I too noticed that it isn’t wuite as loud as the 350, but when turned all the way up it seems to work very well.
Bluetooth – I recently had an issue where when the Nuvi is turned on it accasionally tried to update the software but froze. I talked to Garminm and they don’t know much about any issue like this yet. Just a couple hours ago I loaded the Beta 2.52 software into my Nuvi. So far it has improved a few areas where my Nuvi wouldn’t work quite as fast as the 350. I’ll know better tomorrow morning if my problems have been fixed.
As for waiting for the bugs to be fixed, maybe a great idea for you. I wanted this unit for a trip though, and I can work through the bugs in time through updates that I’ll gladly do.
Good luck on your decision. Either way you’ll end up with a top notch product.
Thanks for the info Chris & please keep us up to date on your results. First GPS experience recently when I rented a car with a c330(?) and really liked it until I came across the Nuvi.
Looked at Tom Tom and liked what I saw until I did an internet search and found lots of problem reports (to be fair, a lot of them were due to the map service) so have elected that it will be Garmin 350 or 360 due to size.
The two things I really wish it had is multiple stop routing (I am a Realtor) and wish it would
use FM to the car radio so volume wasn’t an issue. That would put it way over the top.
On buggy – I have a habit of buying bleeding edge and a little tired of doing updates and beta work on products. I know….it’s the way of the world these days. Thanks again for the info – much appreciated.
Well Keith I would be delighted to “enlighten” you why anyone would care to see if the current speed is displayed on the main screen.
It does so on the Tom Tom (and maybe other devices I don’t know)and is therefor useful for making a comparison between the Tom Tom and the Garmin Nuvi as to their respective specs.
Furthermore, I have discovered that the speed reading given the GPS unit is generally held to be more accurate than the speedometer on the dash.
I hope this has enlightened you!
Just go my nuvi 360. Has v8 maps and non-glare screen. It is quite an amazing gadget for its size.
The only problem that I have noticed is that it does not have my home address even though it is over 2 years old. Also, it does not have the address of my place of work even though it has been there for many years. I put in the closest intersection to my place of work and received the “no match†message. However, when I drive down the streets in question, their names appear on the map, so they must be in the database.
Anybody else encounter this issue??
Thanks
Nick,
No argument that the speed indicator is probably more accurate and others may have the same feature but it still isn’t useful to me vs. getting to where I am going.
But hey, if that is what makes your day, you have a bad speedo and strong eyes I am enlightened.
Rick:
I tried to find my address on a 350 at Best Buy and had the same results as you. However, I live in a rural area and the street name changes once you get outside of the city limits. When I used the “city” street name it found it.
From what I think I know, it’s not a Garmin issue, it’s the map data that they buy. Not sure if it’s Mapquest or Google maps but one of them uses the same company for map data. Would be interesting to see if the results are similar.
It (and most all Garmin devices) uses maps which come from NAVTEQ.
Thanks Keith
Interestingly enough, the opposite approach worked for me. I had been searching by “city†was getting the “no match†message. I did the search by state and was able to find the address. When I brought it up, the city shown at that address was the city right next to us. As it turns out, we are close to the city boundary lines.
I guess the lesson learned is that you might have to use both approaches (city and/or state) to find an address.
Unfortunately, this did not work for my home address
Well after a conversation with Garmin they don’t know of any issues like mine. I tried all the updates and even the new Beta 2.52 software. Still freezes on me. This unit is going back to Garmin and I hope to get another one shortly. I guess I just had bad luck. I’m now starting to wonder if I should have just gotten a C550.
UPDATE!!!
I just got finished talking with my local supplier of my Nuvi, they tell me that Garmin is having operating software issues with the Nuvi 350, 360, and even the C550’s, possibly even more units. The issue is uits freezing up and malfunctioning. Apparently Garmin knows about it and is currently working on a solution, and there is apparently an imminent software release in the making. When I hear more about it I will post it up here.
UPDATE 2 !!!
I just got off the phone with Garmin International. They confirmed that there is a problem in the software that causes the unit to try and update the SW code levels (GPS and Bluetooth).
The “Automotive Product Supervisor” confirms that there will be an offical Unit Software Update released any day now. They are just working out the final details. So watch the Garmin website for the new update and all should be resolved.
Excellent Support!!! GO GARMIN!!!
I am considering both the nuvi 360 and streetpilot 2820, and had a few questions. I would mostly be using the GPS for my business trips, so need to swap it into different rental cars.
-Does the nuvi 360 have both a battery and the ability to plug into a cigarette lighter?
-How are both units for multiple destination trips?
-Can I input and save my own destinations ahead of time so that I can just click on them while traveling?
-How extensive are the POIs? I travel to many high schools around the US for business, and am wondering if most high schools are already in the POI database.
Any help/advice would be appreciated. Thanks so much!
I own a Nuvi 360 – Does anyone have battery issues? My was FULLY charged and it died after 1.5 hours????
Karyn – It does have both a battery and cigarette lighter power. The Nuvi 360 only allows one “via” to be added as a waypoint to a route while the STP 2820 allows multiple “vias”. Yes, you can save “favorites” for quick use. I’ve never looked to see if public schools are included as POIs. Perhaps someone here who has one of these units at home can look.
Pik – I haven’t heard of anyone having battery issues. Has this happened on all charge cycles?
Nuvi does have schools built in.
My battery lasts quite a bit longer than 1 1/2 hours. Never checked it exactly but it is good for 3-4 hours at least.
I also was looking for multiple via’s but after working with the 360 for a bit, find that I really don’t need them. I rarely plan out a multi stop route ahead of time. Instead I just enter the different stops as individual addresses and then they are listed in order of distance. Easy to go to each and if I have to detour, then I am not disturbing the entire planned route.
Pik,
Try draining the battery completely and recharging it to full without disruption. That should display the battery life correctly.
(My apologies — I had already posted this question to the Nuvi 350 list, but since we are leaning toward the 360, I reposted.)
I am considering buying a Nuvi 360. My question is, if I buy the unit preloaded with maps for North America, and I decide to travel to Europe, can I easily load separately purchased maps for Europe and then switch back again to North American maps on return to the US?
Or, if the unit is “preloaded†with North American maps, do you use the SD card for the European maps?
I guess my question is really whether you can unload and reload the “preloaded†maps.
Do preloaded maps additionally come on an accompanying DVD with the purchased unit?
Another question: As a customer in the U.S., is it even possible to buy the Nuvi 360 here in the U.S. preloaded with European maps?
Or is the only practical way of using European maps on the Nuvi 360 “American” version to buy the European maps separately?
I’m having a bit of difficulty searching and finding info on that issue.
Al – You could do it either way. You will probably have a hard time finding someone who sells the European version in the U.S. Therefore it would be easier to purchase the North American version of the Garmin Nuvi 360 and then purchase the European maps.
You won’t be able to fit both sets of maps on the internal drive at the same time. You can run the maps off either the internal or external drive so you could leave the North American maps on the internal drive and then insert the European maps on SD card to have both at the same time.
Well Garmin just released another FW Update. The current version to look for is Software v2.8.
I am curently awaiting my new 360 to arrive from Garmin USA. The previous 2.7 update did not correct my Bluetooth update error, nor did it correct a few other anomolies I was having. Oh well.
I’m happy.
I recently took the Nuvi on a 3000km road trip and it performed flawlessly. So well, I was able to venture into unknown territory without worry of getting lost.
The SiRF III receiver even worked to maintain a decent lock in downtown Quebec City (accuracy of ~5m) amongst all the tall buildings. Out on the open road I was getting accuracy of 3m or less, without WASS!!
This unit is a no brainer!
I might be in wrong forum to post this. But I received “Fodor’s North America SD card” for my Nuvi 360 last week but I noticed that the listing for downtown Las Vegas Hotels were in wrong locations. I mean my complain is that those old hotels been there for a long long time yet the Fodor has wrong info. It’s not a big problem since I already know those places but I wonder if I can trust other areas that I’ve never been to. Anyone else found incorrect info?
Well, I bit the bullet and picked up a Nuvi 360.
My wife recently started a new job that has her driving to lots of fairly obscure places all around the greater Houston-Galveston metropolitan areas, and I’m giving it to her in a few days for her birthday.
I can’t wait to “borrow” it from her.
Thanks in part to the great info here, I feel I was able to make a well-informed decision on the unit to go with. Thanks, GPS Review. You’ve got a great resource here for people like me!
Does anyone have any experience with the bean bag friction dashboard mounts for the Nuvi? I have a Dodge Durango with a long sloping windshield and can’t find the perfect spot to mount my Nuvi on the windshield.
Apparently the bean bag mounts are filled with lead “beans” that mold to the dashboard. My concern is that the unit will shake a bit while connected to this type of mount and will be difficult to read.
Any opinions on the various Nuvi mounts on the market are welcome.
Thanks!
PS: I purchsed the Nuvi over other models based on info gathered on this site and I’m very pleased with the info I received and the Nuvi I purchased.
Hi Kyle and GPS Review,
I posted my 360 bug on #193. Following your suggestion I called and email them my 360 problem again. Recently I got to replies from Garmin tech support as following:
On Aug.12:
On Aug. 15:
Now I don’t know who should be responsible for this error on mapping with Garmin GPS unit. Does the software of Version 8 not created by Garmin? Or mapping/mapsource information not created by Garmin. Iam going to report it anyway. I did see the updates from Garmin Website for mapping program and mapping. But I don’t know when and which update they will correct my routnig issue? Hope Garmin takes serious responsible to every mapping error their customer found out and make a quick step to correct them!
Kyle – You might want to read our article on Outdated GPS Maps. Unfortunately, finding inaccurate data is a fairly common occurrence.
Mark – We’ve written a little bit about Bean Bag mounts for GPS before. Most people I’ve talked to have been pleased with the results. Since that post I’ve used them a couple of times and most of the time they work great… no vibration issues. The only time I had trouble was with bumpy dirt roads.
Frank A company called NAVTEQ produces the raw data that Garmin uses to produce their maps. So while the MapSource product is created by Garmin, the actual data of where house numbers are, intersections, road locations and grades, etc. all come from NAVTEQ.
Therefore Garmin would not be able to provide you with corrections until NAVTEQ corrects the data, gives it back to Garmin, and Garmin releases a new version of their mapping data. Garmin typically releases new map data once per year, so it often takes years for corrected data to reach the consumer…. Unfortunately.
I’ve personally submitted corrections to NAVTEQ/Garmin a couple of times over the years. Once was about three years ago and even the latest maps from Garmin (version
didn’t yet fix the issue. Other times the data was corrected but I don’t really know if they fixed it on their own, or based on my input.
Hi Chris!
1.I’m glad to finally get comments from someone who has actually used the Garmin 360, and I am pleased with your comments.
Some reviews mentioned poor sunlight-readable screen quality and also poor sound, at least when compared to the StreetPilot c550.
What can YOU tells us, based on your experience, about these two features.
GPS Review,
In their response to Frank, #229, Garmin indicated that they would give him a free update to V8 maps. Any idea how much such an upgrade costs?
Will Nüvi 350/360 purchased from today onward have V8 Maps? How can we check which version is included when we purchase the unit?
Thanks.
Louise, all of the Nuvi 360’s I’ve seen have come with v8 maps. The 350 comes with v7. The update is $75.
I purchased a 350 in mid-July and it came with v8 and a matte screen. To my knowledge, all new 350s being sold now come with v8 and the matte screen.
That is correct Adam. I meant to write “the 350 originally came with v7 maps”. I am not sure if there is a way to tell the difference between the 350 that comes with v7 and the 350 that comes with v8 by looking at the box.
Looks like Garmin has released software version 2.9 for the Nuvi 360. Here are some of the updates:
• Improved the calculation of long routes and avoiding highways
• Improved coordinate entry find method
• Improved vehicle load times on vehicle page
• Fixed potential routing problems in areas with overlapping maps
• Removed off-road bearing line
• Updated text language translations
• Added verification step to Garmin Lock Pin entry
• Fixed traffic list and detour button interaction
• Adjusted the Bluetooth Audio parameters
• Removed the audio tone for proximity points while a call is active
Curious what – “Adjusted the Bluetooth Audio parameters” means?
Also – any word on Nuvi 660? Internet chatter says this will be out in the near future and includes FM transmitter and larger screen.
FM transmitter sounds good, hope they don’t make it so big it no longer fits in your pocket.
Hi Keith – Your guess is as good as mine regarding the adjusted Bluetooth parameters. We have posted a good amount about the Nuvi 660 you might want to read and comment on over there.
Louise,
The sunlight display on the C550 is pobably a bit better than the Nuvi, but the matte Nuvi screen is readable in direct sunlight. If you keep the unit facing away from you a bit it helps even more. I’ve had zero issues reading the unit except for when the sun was directly facing it so that the reflection angle between you and the sun is near 180 degrees. This is not a serious concern though as the only time that would be a fact would be for a few short hours, during sunrise and sunset, or during high noon if you are carrying the unit face up towards the sun.
Sound quality is ok on the Nuvi, as there is only one speaker, and it faces the widshield when mounted. For assistance with that issue I use a patch cable right to my car stereo. Another option would be to use an FM transmitter, but I’ve had isses with them not being clear. In dense urban environments you may even have an issue finding a clear channel.
These issues are still not enough to disuade me from owning this fantastic unit.
Thanks for a great website that helped me choose the Nuvi360, and I wanted to share some of my experiences.
1. Bluetooth was a prerequisite for the GPS I purchased. I use a Sprint Samsung A920 which is similar to the Verizon A950, this phone paired with the C550 at Circuit City, and after special ordering the Nuvi360 it would not pair until I took the phone and had it updated by Sprint technicians, web updating did not work.
It now works great, caller ID, hands free answering etc.
The only issue I have is occasional “phantom incoming calls†on the Nuvi, the cell phone does not ring.
2. The Nuvi is a better GPS than my wife’s Lexus, which also has phantom rings, Nuvi tech support suggests updating the software, this did not completely take care of the problem.
3. Speaker volume is not loud enough for me at freeway speeds with the radio turned
up, following a previous reviewers suggestion I hooked up a portable speaker to the Nuvi (in the manual is says power connector!) and mounted it on the sun visor. This works well for me as it allows you to turn on the speaker when necessary, phone calls directions etc. and still be able to use the radio.
The speaker is a Sony SRS-T33 active speaker system with amplifier using two AAA batteries, approx’ 8â€x 2†purchased at Frys and available on ebay for $40, you need an extension cable. Maybe other extension speakers will become available as portable GPS become more popular.
4. I have the Nuvi mounted to the left side of my windshield, which makes it closer than mounted in the middle and easy to use even being right handed. A larger screen Nuvi660 would be even better I believe.
I do not have any problems with screen reflection, and was pleasantly surprised to find the Nuvi turns itself to night mode at sunset if Auto is selected in Color mode Display settings. This is also a good reminder to turn on headlights
Will I be able to view the entire routing as pre-determined by 360.
I have been using my Nuvi 360 for over a month now. I waited for the ‘360 because I wanted the BlueTooth functionality. I recently signed up for a 2 year VerizonWireless contract and got a Motorola Razr V3c BlueTooth enabled phone as part of the deal.
I was surprised how easy the BlueTooth association process went (took about 5 seconds). Now, when I get into my car, the Phone icon on the Nuvi 360 pops up. It immediately put my phone-number directory on the screen. Calls are soooo easy. I hit 2 icons,and can voice-dial either numbers or names without taking my hands off the wheel. The audio is quite acceptable. If an incoming call comes, it suspends the playing MP3 (I have all my favorite ripped albums on the Nuvi).
The GPS engine is amazingly fast. My accuracy varies from 15′ to 9′ ! (shorter than my car). The maps, navigation, and voice-annotation are much better than my cousin’s brand new E-class Mercedes.
This is the best consumer electronic product I’ve every purchased. You can’t go wrong with a Nuvi 360 (except maybe the bigger/more features Nuvi 660!) All the worry-wart issues on this blog were a non-issue for me. Happy motoring.
- RadioRich
Hi..Im very new at this GPS reciever thing and Im planning to get my bf a Garmin Nuvi 360 for his birthday but I did some research and some say that the Tomtom One is also very good..plus it’s cheaper then the Garmin 360..I dont know which one to get him..If anyone has the Nuvi or the ONE..what do you think of it? any suggestions?
Thanks!!!!
-Yvonne
Yvonne – The 360 has the ability to connect to a Bluetooth mobile phone for hands free calling via the 360. It also has the ability to store extra files on the hard drive such as MP3 files, etc. The Nuvi can play MP3 music. The Nuvi can also speak street names like “turn left on Main Street” versus “turn left in 400 yards”. The battery in the Nuvi will last 4-8 hours while the ONE will last about 2 hours. However with those additional features, the retail price of the 360 is nearly twice that of the TomTom ONE.
Can’t save or create a custom route
No roadblock or area to avoid feature (great if a road is closed or due to construction)
As mentioned only a single via point can be used
Detour function is very very weak on the nuvi, hard to understand what it does
No tracks or breadcrumb feature to see where you’ve been
These things missing from this expensive unit by Garmin are driving some users crazy and as such I’m looking at my next unit to be a TomTom which has all these features and more. Now with the TomTom One release the nuvi no longer has a monopoly on the small size category. It’s a shame because the nuvi can truly be the best unit out there.
I finally got my Nuvi 360 and I think it is well worth the price. I have the Europe Navigator SD card on order for my trip to Ireland and Englanda couple weeks.
My impression of the performance:
1. Although I thought it took a while to turn on, I then timed it – less than 30 seconds. Not bad, I’m just impatient.
2. Can quickly acquire a signal in an open area. Capable of holding onto a signal in an obstructed area, but could take a several minutes to acquire a signal in such locations.
3. Interface – Easy, easy, easy! Try it and you’ll love it.
4. Bluetooth – Easy to set up, easy to use.
5. Display – Highly legible under most conditions. I cut out and applied an LCD screen protector because I am anal and I hate fingerprints and scratches, so this cuts down a bit on the gloss of the screen – minor price to pay for piece of mind.
6. Volume – Loud but may not be loud enough for driving around with the windows down above 50mph
7. Windshield mount – solid and secure; easy to quickly install and remove nuvi.
8. Address searches, points of interest – very quick.
9. Battery life – seems pretty good. I have been playing with it a lot and have only had it though 2 charge cycles. I would expect 3 to 4 hours with normal use, (button pushing, backlight on, and bluetooth phone use)
So for about $1000 I have a fast, compact GPS unit that I can use in any car in the US and all of Europe. May seem pricey to some, but the user interface and bluetooth is better than any OEM car nav unit that I’ve ever seen. BTW my personal reasons for going with Garmin over TomTom are the following: 1)very good previous experience with Garmin products, 2) product design features, and 3) Navteq vs. Teleatlas maps.
In short, this unit lacks nothing. Again, I think the unit’s portability, functionality and small size justify the price. Slip it into your pocket and you will never have an excuse to be lost – even if you aren’t the driver.
By the way, as I am sitting in my bedroom right now, surrounded by a slate roof and brick walls (there is one large window about 10ft from me) I have 4 out of 5 bars of singal strength – awesome.
Hope this helps other prospective buyers, like the other posts helped me.
TC
I’ve been reading this site for a while and have a few more questions about the Nuvi360. I want to have this hardwired into my car, so no need for wires going into my cigarette lighter. A local store said they’d do it for $40. Would this be a problem? Also, I wanted to get an external antenna for better reception. Would this be wasteful, given all the great reviews about satellite in houses, etc? One last thing…if ordering from the internet, how can one be sure to get a “newer” 360 ( with the earlier bugs worked out?) Thanks for your help – a very informative site!!
Sabrina – Having a “hard wired solution” shouldn’t be a problem so long as the installation is done properly. If the local store knows what they are doing it shouldn’t be a problem. As for the external antenna, you could always try it first without, and then if you find you need it have it added later. However I doubt you will need it.
I’m not aware of and hardware changes in the Nuvi 360 since it was released. All of the changes to work out the bugs have been with software updates which you can perform from your computer.
I am having an issue with dis-mounting my nuvi from the windshield mount. Does the small plastic insert suppose to stay connected to the Nuvi unit?
Pik = Nuvi 360
After a long wait and watch, i have decided to go with NUVI 360. 660 might be a good option, but the form factor of 360 is more useful and the important point. though if the reviews of 660 are encouraging, i will sell this unit and get a 660.
Thanks to all the people who gave so much information on this web page, it really helped me to decide.
I wish to receive followup comments
Hi Guys,
I remember I asked how useful of Garmin Travel Guide (North America) in the previous post. Since Garmin sells it as one of important accessories and a travel assistant benefit function in its GPS. I am so curious and can’t help to spend $70 more to get it, hope to have more fun in 360. BUT when I took my photo and MP3 memory card out and plug this Garmin Travel Guide (North America)card in, I realized it is a foolish investment I have made since I got my 360. The information Fodor’s provide just like a book of ads. which Fodor’s has picked up for you, and the contents and categories is hundred times simplified than its website. I think it just add a bad reputation spot for Garmin GPS. I don’t know how much Fodor’s can make from those ads, and how much Garmin make from Fodor’s to put its ads book in this good GPS unit. BUT as end customers, we have to spend a lot to buy and read in that small screen.
Just a suggestion to 360 holders. It is worthless to use this function on your 360!!!
I have the GMT 11 for my NUVI 350. I see it (GMT 11) is discontinued. Any problems you are aware of? I sometimes have problems with receiving data even though I live in a metro area.
Thanks
Pat, I’m not aware of any major issues with the GTM-11. I think it was just superceded with a newer product, the GTM-12, which has a more compact design and antenna suction cup mount.
[...] With the most recent software update, version 2.91, Garmin Nuvi 360 owners can now use SMS Text Messaging if you have a compatible phone. Grab the software update and keep the phone in your pocket while not missing out on text messaging. [...]
I’ve had my Nuvi 360 for a few weeks now and basically love it! I do have a problem releasing it from it’s mount – anyone know a special trick here? Also, does anyone know if i can download waypoints from GSAK (a geocaching tool) to the Nuvi? They are .gpx files… thanks!!
Sabrina, I’ve heard of of people successfully doing this although I have not done it myself. You can read one set of solutions here and I’ve also heard of people having success transferring the waypoints (.gpx files) with the MapSource application.
I got my nuvi 360 a month ago and I was excited to use it. It works pretty well and happy the way it perform until I just noticed that mine does’nt speaks street names in giving directions. Am I missing something? Is there any settings that I should do to activate this features?
James – according to which “person” you get to talk to you, you can have the street names spoken or not…We are currently using an australian-accented woman – she speaks the names very nicely, altho sometimes provides comic relief with her pronunciations. Try a few different “voices” and you’ll see what I am talking about.
Sabrina- Tried what you said and it work great. Thank you very much.
I have had my NUVI 360 for about a week and in general love it. My one pet peeve is that once you are deep into the menu tree (POI find etc.) you have to “BACK” out through the whole trail to get back to the MAP. Am I missing something?
Also one other question. For trip planning can I set both “Where From” and “Where To” locations? I know how to do the “Where To” but can only seem to calculate route from current location.
I wonder if this bluetooth function works as a gps data streamer via bluetooth to work with 3rd party products such as Google earth on laptop or symbian Cell phones that you can get your position data without any cable connection. On the website, they only mentioned phone features such as Handsfree call etc.
Peter:
For your first question hold the BACK button down for 2 sec and it will back all the way out to the main menu negating having to push back several times.
As for guidance from a location you are not at, you must close the antenna (Simulating GPS mode) and use the “Browse Map” feature in the “Where To” menu. There you can manually search for a location on the map. Ath the bottom of that screen will be a option button for “Set as Location”. Then go back to “Where To” and select your destination. Keep the units antenna closed during this operation or the unit will automatically reset you to your current location. Hope that helps.
Altug: No it does not. It is for Handsfree use only.
Chris,
Thanks for the help on these functions. I guess I should read the manual a little better. One question about manual search in “Browse Maps”. Is just scrolling through map (zooming and re-centering etc.) the only way to do the manual search? I even checked the manual on this one and it only suggested this as only approach.
Pik – i too had problems removing my Nuvi from the mount, until my husband figured it out…the directions in my manual are incorrect – you merely push that bottom button IN ( rather than pull forward as my manual states) and the Nuvi practically falls into your hand. Much easier!!
Defective Suction Cup?
We are finding that windshield suction cup on my wife’s Nuvi 360 does not want to adhere to the windshield of the vehicle consistently well. It tends to fall off at random times, despite whatever amount of care we tale to fix it snugly to the windshield. (Although she uses it exclusively, I’ve been in the vehicle a couple of times when it happened, and she assures me it’s not an uncommon thing.) It’s also happened in both of our vehicles. We’ve tried cleaning the windshield and the suction cup, but still keep having the problem. This of course worries me because of the possibility of damaging the unit. Anyone else have this problem?
In the mean time, I’ll contact the manufacturer and see if they might replace the suction device (on the possibility that there may be some small defect in ours that keeps it from working correctly) or whether they might have some other suggestion for us. But any feedback here would be appreciated.
Thanks!
My Nuvi 360 drops the phone icon after about 10 seconds of being connected to my Treo 650. I’m using Cingular and the 650 is on software version Treo650-1.15-CNG. Do I need to update the software on the 650 to get the phone icon to stay on the Nuvi?
Peter,
Unfortunately yes this is the only way to manually search for a new location. I’d love to see Garmin put in a software update to correct that.
Al,
Are you locking the suction cup? If you are following the install directions correctly then you can try one more trick. Clean the area on the windshield till spotless, then apply a small amount of water to the suction cup and press against the window firmly, then push the lock on the suction cup. The water will help to provide a better air seal against the glass.
Thanks for the quick response chris, Do you think that feature (GPS Data Streaming via Bluetooth) can be applicable with a firmware update? I don’t want to use a seperate gps receiver
Window mount / mine almost fell out of my window. I also have that issue !!
Altug,
My best guess is that this would be a hardware limitation for the Nuvi. There are manufacturers out there that make just such devices for laptops and PDA’s that are fairly inexpensive.
Chris,
Thanks for the “water” suggestion. I’m guessing we’ll get better results with that. Or. the “spit” method, if no water available — but I’ve tried to avoid advising my wife to spit on her Garmin, if you know what I mean…
But yeah, we’ve been doing the lock-down correctly (as well as cleaning the windshield). For some reason, though it seems to lose suction over a relatively short period of time – but not every time. Maybe I’ll get her to keep a small water “spritzer” (tiny sprayer) in the car to give the suction cup a shot before she places it on the windshield. We’ll see if something like that helps.
Hi everyone,
Thanks for the great conversations that are happening here! Since this page is getting long with comments (closing in on 300) I’ve decided to try something new.
We are now offering GPS Forums where you can start your own threads, reply to others, and have a slightly more unmoderated, free flowing discussion than these comments allow.
You will need to register for the forums to participate although hopefully it will be painless.
Here is a link where you can find the Garmin Nuvi forum where you can continue to discuss the Nuvi 360.
The only people who will know about the forums (for now) are people that read this comment, and the same comment on another post. Therefore the amount of posts will be very small at first. It is a test, and if things go well I’ll make a full announcement and encourage more participation in the forums. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.
Looks like Garmin just released another software update for the 360 to version 3.10. Not much new in this version except for “Improved the Bluetooth firmware update process”.
[...] Hyundai dealerships are starting to offer a customized version of the Nuvi 360 to their customers. So what is different about the Hyundai Nuvi 360? Not too much. A different splash screen, and a POI category for Hyundai dealerships and service centers. Other than that it is a basic 360. “We’re very pleased to offer the state-of-the-art nuvi to Hyundai customers,†said Gary Kelley, Garmin’s vice president of marketing. “This arrangement gives Hyundai customers a great opportunity to easily purchase a navigation device at the same time they’re purchasing a new vehicle – and they can be assured that they’re getting one of the most cutting-edge navigators available anywhere today.†[...]
[...] In the UK, a test was conducted recently to compare the speed at which two drivers could navigate from point A to B. One was equipped with a Garmin Nuvi and the other had maps which came from the UK Government website Transport Direct. Who would you put your money on? [...]
[...] The Garmin Nuvi 360 is one of the most praised GPS devices out there. But like virtually any product it is not without a few faults. One issue we hear frequently is that the hands-free calling feature isn’t loud enough. However that issue might now be a thing of the past with the new 3.40 Nuvi firmware update. [...]
A few more software updates have been released for the 360. You can read about them in the Nuvi Forums.
A new software update has been released for the 360, this one includes fixes for the “+” sign when dialing POIs in the USA as well as a fix for changes the USA is making to daylight savings time.
how does this product compare to the Magellan 4250? i know the 4250 is the widescreen and has a few more features. are the other things equal or is this better?
how does this product compare to the Magellan 4250? the 4250 has a widescreen and has a few more features. are the other things equal or is this better?
I’ve ordered the 350 and it’s being shipped but I just checked and the 360 is $10 more. What’s the difference between the two? I think it’s only the hands-free bluetooth capabilities on the 360, is that correct? In regards to the bluetooth, I heard if you are using that, your directions and map is gone until you end your call. Is that correct? I’m wondering if it’s worth shipping back the 350 and getting the 360.
Lastly, is the Magellan 3140 worth getting compared to the 350 or 360? It’s about $100 less and has the text to speech feature I want. Thanks
Correct, the only difference is Bluetooth. However the map does not disappear when you are on a call.
Tim, is the sound for blue-tooth good on the 360? Do you think it’s worth returning the 350 and getting the 360? Thanks
Sound quality really depends on the combination of the phone and GPS. Some combinations work good, some are not as good. Even on the best ones I wouldn’t really want to carry on an extensive conversation though.
how does the garmin 360 compare to the Magellan 4250? the 4250 has a widescreen and has a few more features. are the other things equal or is this better?
Does garmin 360’s bluetooth supports Motorola PEBL?
The Magellan 4250 has some performance issues that the Nuvi 360 doesn’t. Most times you have to wait after pressing a selection, sometimes nothing happens.
Why doesn’t Garmin nuvi 350 battery last? I just bought a Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS. I have two key problems: 1) I fully charged the unit, and turned it off, did not use it at all. However, the battery is out of electricity after one day. Is my battery defective, what can I do? Shall I return it? 2) It may take a few minutes for GPS to acquire sattelite signals.
I am hesitant if I should return GPS or just buy a new batter. However, I have not found the slot for battery? HOw can I replace Garmin Nuvi 350 battery?
Thank you.
Cynthia
Cynthia, the battery in the Nuvi devices (and most auto GPS devices) is sealed and not user-replaceable.
I bought my Nuvi 360 just over a year ago. It started to lose satellite reception frequently, to a point of complete no reception in the past month. Has anyone else experienced the same? I am just hoping that is not a hardware failure; and that I can somehow fix it by a software patch or reset. Any feedback will be appreciated.
I just encountered the same problem. I had my nuvi 360 for 3yrs and it worked well until it started not to acquire any satellite reception. I tried updating the maps and the resetting it via the reset button but to no avail. I heared sending the unit to garmin for repair will cost you $100 plus of so. I am contemplating just buying a new unit. I feel so bad losing such a great device that has now proved to have poor long term reliablity. I wonder if it is because of the so called “programmed obsolesence” that environmentalits often blame electronic manufacturers of–so we keep on buying their products.
MM, follow our GPS satellite acquisition tips.
The BEST value for the money. The unit goes back and forth between two cars. The reception is great and most of the time we do not mount the GPS, we just put it in the middle console and plug in to the lighter receptacle. Many times we just take it and run off of the internal battery.
Ihave not seen one better for the price. I paid less than $250.
I just ordered the Nuvi 360 for [snip, see comment policy] but just realized that the StreetPilot c550 is on sale at C—– for [snip] and has nearly the same features. How much bigger is the c550? Is it still comfortably portable and easily fit in my glove compartment? Also, how helpful do you think the live traffic report option would be in the Los Angeles area? I’ve heard the information is delayed, so if that’s true, no use in getting the c550 for the built-in receiver. Also, is it true that you have to pay an extra $125 or so for an FM receiver to use the traffic option on the nuvi 360? I can return my nuvi 360 until Friday, so I’d be grateful for any input. So far, I’ve considered the nuvi 360, SP c55, Magellan 3225 [snip], and Navigon 7100 [snip]. Willing to spend up to $250. Must haves: text-to-speech, clear/intuitive interface, readable screen in sunlight/night, reliable (re)routing. Nice perks: bluetooth, traffic reports (that won’t break the bank), 4.3″ screen, case, non-windshield mount (for CA resident). Thanks!
I’m having the same problem. Have you had any luck? I’ve reset, updated software, tried the diagnostic mode and nothing is working? I have about a month left on the warranty!
Hi–for me, it’s down to Garmin 350 vs. TomTom XL-S. The deciding factor seems to be map updates. I see that TomTom boasts a “map share”, yet still sells map updates. What’s the basic difference here?
Aside, is there any info you’ve coma across that would lead you to choose one over another? Thanks, Ian
Ian, MapShare is user submitted (and user-shared) updates. The other updates are the “official” map updates from the mapping companies. You can use MapShare to report and fix many of the errors you might find, and then share those changes with other users.
As to the XL-S versus 350, the XL-S has a widescreen display as well as multi segment routing so it has some feature advantages. If neither of those are important to you (and even if they are) also consider checking out the two articles I link to from this page which document two people who faced similar decisions and how they made up their mind.
How often do you have to update maps? I just purchased a 360 in Feb08. It doesn’t have the baseball stadium in Washington DC (Nationals Park). Do you have to download maps when you first configure the unit?
Garmin offers updates once per year. You can update as often as you would like. Keep in mind that not all Points of Interest that are known are included on the device, unlike the street database where 100% inclusion is strived for. So the mapping company could know about the POI, but Garmin might not have chosen it for inclusion on the map.
if my car has an auxiliary input (like I can plug my iPod into), can I plug that into the 360 and get the gps audio, phone and music through my car’s stereo? I was thinking about the 660 for the FM transmitter, but I heard the quality isn’t great, so if this worked it would pretty much make my decision for me. Anyone ?
Read all this with a great interest. I am planning to buy Nuvi 360, however there is something that bothers me, in literature it says that Garmin Nuvi 360 has a SiRF Star III chipset, but it also says that it is 12 parallel channels, in Wikpedia it says that SiRf Star III has 20 channels receiver. Any comments?
The 360 uses a SiRFstarIII, which has 20 channels, however it will never practically use more than 8-12 at a time which is why it is often listed as a 12 channel receiver.
JA – That should work for you. I’m not certain how well the Bluetooth would work. (I’m not saying it wouldn’t… just that I wouldn’t be surprised if it was somehow problematic.)
Thank you for an answer. I ordered one and waiting for delivery sometimes next week. What is the country of origin where this unit was made? Garmin site says nothing really “maybe USA, maybe some other place in the Solar System”. Basically I would like to know if there are “knock-offs” of nuvi 360?
Most Nuvis are made in Taiwan.
Found this on Garmin site, basicallu is country of origin is other than Taiwan or US it would be fake:
“All of the Garmin products come from the factory in either Kansas or Taiwan,”
Sorry for errors, should be:
“basically IF country of origin is other than…”
Received my nuvi 360. On the box it says:
“Designed in the USA, made in Taiwan, Cables made in China”
Nice solid packaging, I would say “too nice”, they could package it cheaper, to avoid “cost saving” moves that affect product.
Took unit to the parking lot (no trees no buildings) and turn it on for the first time, and placed it on the roof of the car. Thought it would take some time, however unit was ready to go within 10 seconds. Drove home with GPS “on”, finally found out what is the name of the street that I have been passing for 10 years. Registered product, got free update “NT2009″. To download, it took 40 minutes (2.04 GB), loading onto to the unit took another 2.5 hours. Everything works nice. Controls are very easy even without reading manual.
Do you know why the Nuvi 350 and 360 have been discontinued? I’m noticing a lot of good deals on them out there. Should I be concerned that Garmin won’t support these models and go for a newer product? I really like the functionality of the 350/360, and I don’t have a problem with last year’s technology as long as I can get support and updates. Thanks.
All devices will become discontinued over time. The 300 series is over two years old now… ancient history as far as consumer electronics goes. I would personally look to the newer models (200, 500, 700, 800, 5000 series) instead.
Guess I’ll steer clear of the 350, but I’m looking for a lower-priced unit – a couple of hundred bucks (or 40,000 Amex point in my case). How do the 205, 205W, 250, and 250W compare? Thanks!
You can compare those here.
Have had 360 for six months and very pleased. One problem compared to last garmin model i had and gave to son…this 360 doesn’t give accurate mileage from point a to point b when it initially calculates same, although the time estimate is dead on and if you go through all the turn by turn dtails and add the miles it is accurate. Garmin people explained the model calculates the true mileage as the crow flies, but the time and turn by turn calculations are exact. Does this sound right?
If you simply search for a location, and are looking at the search result(s), it will display the straight line distance. If you create a route to that location, the trip info will show you the route (actual driving) distance to that location.
will the 360 work in South Africa, im traveling there on vacation and airport are important, and non toll roads or shorter ones going of hi way and seeing wildlife, i don’t know north from south in SA and don’t want to get lost is the 360 or tomtom 920 a better option, or what is the better one to get, and were do i get SA maps?
You can view Garmin’s South Africa map coverage here:
http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/citynavSAFRICA.jsp
The screen on the NUVI 360 is hard to see in bright sunlight.
The bright white background on the streetpilot c550 is much better.
I just brought the 360 series for my 19 year old daughter not knowing it was discontinued. The price was great and a co-worker has one. My daughter likes the talk to speech, bluetooth and MP3 player, which webget for low pricing. Would you suggest I return it and geta more updated model?
How much did you pay for the discontinued model garmin nuvi 360 if you dont mind me asking I just bought one for 135.00 bucks but just found out it was dicontinued I feel like i got ripped off thanks for any info?
I am looking to purchase a gps unit for the 1st time. I like the scrren display on the TomTom models (current speed, ETA, # minutes to destination etc but notice the Garmin models display less data unless one touches the display screen. Is there a way to set-up the garmin models (such as the nuvi 255 or 360) to display the same data on the map screen similar to the TomTom models?
Do you know if the dash mount and charger for nuvi 200 will fit the nuvi 360? Someone stole my 200 and just puchased a unit on ebay…..
thanks