Garmin Nuvi Blog
Jan
3
2006
Following behind TomTom, Garmin has created a blog specifically about the Garmin Nuvi. The blog is written in a first person perspective of the unit itself as it travels to shows. There isn’t much information there yet, we’ll see how it takes shape. nuvi.blogs.com.
Update: There is more information trickling in there now including how you can win a Garmin Nuvi.
The nuvi blog has a sign-up where they’re giving away nuvis during CES.
Is this contest still going on? Thanks.
Randy, the contest ran January 5-8. I didn’t win either.
Santa brought me a 350 and as I’ve come to expect it’s as much a jewel as my etrex vista a very well thought out and produced piece of hardware. This is my first GPS that’s geared to automotive navigation and I’m not impressed with the dependability of the software. Jill has given me enough bum steers that I no longer trust her. Just once I went ahead and followed her instructions only to have her recalculate and turn me 180 degrees. Often her routes will get me there but they’re miles further and lots longer than going a more obvious way. It’s not unusual for her to space out in the middle of a route and start giving me directions to some other place. Do I have a hardware problem? I’ve uploaded to V 2.40 with audio version 1.40 and GPS SW 2.30. One could bet that map updates are an ongoing effort. Do you get an updated map when you load a version upgrade?
Phillip,
I would contact Garmin directly about your device. It doesn’t sound like a hardware problem to me, however I haven’t used the Nuvi enough to troubleshoot potential hardware issues… just enough to get a feel for the device and a bit of actual navigation.
Having great difficulty with my nuvi 350’s “supposed” ability to download pictures (JPG’s) & MP3’s. 1st nuvi was taken back to retailer, due to it would not allow any downloaded JPG’s to be displayed/viewed, nor would it play any downloaded MP3’s. 2nd nuvi at least displays downloaded pictures (JPG’s), but am unable to assign any of them as my ’splash screen’. Though I can now download/play some MP3’s, I am still unable to get the nuvi 350 to play ‘all/large’ MP3 files – but working directly with GARMIN Product Support to investigate / “hopefully” resolve.
Thanks for the comments, Rjohns22. Please let us know how the issue is resolved.
Is there a way to load golf course maps into my Nuvi 660?
I have the same question… did you find an answer?
I just bought a Nuvi 200. Love it so far. I am traveling from Houston,TX to Wisconsin in a few days. How can I view the entire course it sets before I actually start the trip? I have made this trip from maps many times and go the same way each time. I need to know if its sending me the same tried and true way. Thanks
Gregg – After creating the route click on the first instruction (bar) at the top of the map, then click the ‘Show Map’ button.
My Wife gave me a Nuvi 670 for xmas, I was under the impression that it would be able to display altitude and ground speed, howerver mine does not seem to have this feature. Justwondering if this feature is a separate purchase?
Are there sources for Bike route maps for my new Nuvi 260? It allows you to specify bicycle or pedestrian but it doesn’t seem to know about the bike paths/greenways in NYC.
Follow up on my Nuvi 200. Just drove from Houston, TX to Wisconsin and back. Used the Nuvi and it was fantastic. Best toy Ive bought in years. Took me front door to front door and arrived at the time it said. Very easy to use. Would recommend it to anyone. Bought at [snip, see comment policy].
i purchased garmin nuvi and want to know if i can load golf course
does any one when the nuvi 200 maps will be updated and how old are the maps on the 200 are??
Anthony – If you go to Wrench -> Settings -> Map -> Map Info, it will show you the map version. Your current map version will depend on when you purchased the device.
tim, it saids city navigator north america nt2008, city navigator lower 48 states nt 2008
That is the most recent map Garmin has made available. It is based on a release they received from their mapping supplier in the second half of 2006. A new update should be available in the next couple of months.
updated my map to city navigator nt 2008 and find it doesn’t include street changes that are more than a year old! will I be able to download updates?
Phil, as I mentioned in the post above yours, the 2008 map is based on map Garmin purchased from their mapping supplier in the second half of 2006. So it won’t have any streets newer than that and many streets created just before that date won’t be included as well.
thanks Tim. There’s been freeway work west out of Houston that been going on for years and the 2008 edition of the map doesn’t have it. It thinks you’re on the feeder when you’re on one of the new lanes. Having bought the 2008 map edition, will I be able to get updates to it or just have to shell out bucks yet again when the next edition comes out.
Garmin typically offers map updates once per year, in the Spring. They haven’t updated them yet this Spring.
I want to load Golf Course maps into my Nuvi 660. Anyone know where I can get some for the Northeast?
I have a new Nuvi 260 that works great in one car, but when plugged into my Jeep’s cigarette lighter outlet (or aux) to keep the charge up, the Nuvi goes immediately to the “connected to computer” screen, rendering it useless for navigation until i unplug the unit and restart. Any suggestions?
The 200W handbook is very sparse. You say “After creating the route”. I don’t see a way to do that. Also when entering new addresses, is there a quick way to get back to the home page instead of clicking Back 5 or 6 times?
John– The green bar at the top of the map you see while driving— click on that.
Tap and hold down on the back button to go back to the map view.
well I purchased a 2008 map update for my 350 in April 2008 expecting to get a free online update later in the spring. the update didn’t address lots of the raod upgrades and other problems I’ve run across in my area. now I see another update offered for $$$. anybody know what the deal is or is there no deal?
Phil, you can check to see if you qualify for an update by registering your device at my.garmin.com
Question for anyone that has attempted to use their Garman Nuvi series as a “cross-over” unit from road to marine use. I wrote Garmin, asking if it is possible and they informed me that it would interface with the Bluechart software, however you might not have all the options nor the resolution that a marine gps unit would provide. Has anyone given this a shot? Sounds like a good back up option should your marine GPS go south.
Anyone?
Joel, you can load and view the maps, but you don’t get any point to point navigation functions. If you are going to spend the money for the maps, I’d at least put them on a water-resistant device if they will be used near water. Or look into the new Nuvi 500 series which are waterproof.
For those who asked about golf maps for the Nuvi, I have a website that has free download maps of Central Ohio golf courses. There’s also is a webtool to allow you to create your own- it’s easy. You have to have a Nuvi that has the capability of off-road distance measurement. The Nuvi-200 will download the maps, but you can’t find out distances.
Oh, yeah.
The website is:
http://www.wideopenwest.com/~don_barger
I owed many GPS my last one is a NUVI 200W. It is only useful for city driving because it does not have the more important GPS feature: tracking function. This function must be used for off-road driving in order to be able to find the way back. For that reason i keep my old garmin GPS III. It does not have maps but is more useful for off road driving than any NUVI.
I have been looking for a GPS and looked at a Garmin 260 at [deleted]. The sales guy did not know if I could download DNR maps or offroad maps to this model or any other, he toldme I would have to buy the handheld type. I wanted to buy one that would fit all of my needs. Using the GPS while snowmobiling would be a great asset.
Doea anyone know if this is possible??
Santa brought me a Nuvi 250 for Christmas, under the impression that it would be good for a novice cyclist. i’m wondering if anyone knows how to get the bike paths to come up as an option.
oh i’m in Brisbane, Australia if that helps!
Thanks!
There are no bike path maps on the Nuvi. There is a bicycle routing mode which will follow the “rules” as pertain to a cyclist, for example not allowing interstate travel.
Catherine,
You ought to check out GPSies.com
It allows you to draw your bike route on a Google-style map and share it with other riders. The site converts the map to a Garmin track format that you can download into the Nuvi.
This also could apply to Chuck- to map out snowmobile runs.
Looking at the Nuvi 265WT and it says it is FM Traffic Compatible and comes with the ‘receiver and lifetime traffic included’. The kid at the store said that I would have to pay a $10 fee every month to MSN for this. Does anyone know if this is true or not? Or do you have one with the traffic and if so do you ever use it? Thanks
If the kid at the store was referring to the same model, he was incorrect. Some of them require a paid subscription, others have lifetime free (but advertising supported) traffic.
I have a 200 NUVI, is there a free site to get map updates? Garmin wants too much and a new NUVI on sale is not that much more.
Gregg,
Legally? No. [...] There are quite a few free map sites that users have made. They are usually limited to a particular city or a topo. The amount of effort to make a North American map would be tremendous.
Can anyone advise if the nuvi 250 with factory programming will provide driving maps in Barcelona Spain. I am going by crusie ship and would like to rack positions along the way and when I arrive,
William
I live in Bangkok. I’ve purchased a GARMIN NUVI 203. It always directs me towards Toll-ways. Is there any way I could request direction without Toll-ways. The literature I have is in Thai which is of no use to me. Appreciate if anyone can assist. Thanks
i am looking for a garmin nuvi i had purchased a 255w and after i did update it would hardley have any street names just a bunch of lines i would also like to be able to have how long to destination display with what time i would arive at destination it would also be nice to plan route the way i would like to go not the way it wants to go any help would be great thank you
DON’T try to update your Nuvi 200. I like mine, but have found out that it will not hold the updated North America map. Very weird. And expensive. And exasperating trying to talk to someone at Garmin. Two days, no call-back.