Garmin GPS - Me and my new Nuvi 680

Author

Me and my new Nuvi 680

Joel

2007-06-16, 4:33 am

Well, I only have this new Nuvi 680 for a very short time, and still in
learning stage, getting to know all the basic options to be able to give =
all
small detail. But I don't think it hurt to give as much/little =
information
as I know.

- The Nuvi 680 is lot more accurate than my old StreetPilot III+, and =
it's
the first time in many years I was able to let the GPS to guide me to my =
own
address.

- I haven't tried other smaller symbol other than the CAR, and with 2-D
display the car is usually OFF *not* right on the exact spot like the =
3-D
does.

- Besides the 3-D displaying and more accurate, I like the LARGER FONT of
StreetPilot III+ more than Nuvi. Few things the Nuvi missing

- Large Font for information making lot easier to read. Or at least =
Nuvi
should use BOLD letter instead of small regular font. Example =
"ARRIVAL"
instead of "Arrival" and "Turn In ###'"

- Nuvi doesn't have the COMPAS (arrow pointing to the destination) which
can be useful when you decide to use different route. With the Compas =
we
can be able to drive parallel with the main route route or won't have =
to
depend on the re-calculation 100%. I think this is the trouble many =
Nuvi
users have.

- "Arrival at 8:33pm", unlike StreetPilot III+ it calculates and update
the TIME depending on the SPEED. I tried 15 miles test with Nuvi 680 =
and
I changed the speed between 60-75mph and the word "Arrival 8:33pm"
remained the same. I forgot to check the time when I arrived <bg>

- With the StreetPilot III+ I can see lot of silverware, gas-pump etc.
symbols (POIs) on screen, but none with with Nuvi 680

- Bluetooth, I had no problem having Nuvi 680 paired with my Samsung =
A900,
and I had it worked on the first try and it last for about an hour. =
Then
I keep getting "Phone Disconnected" every few seconds. I tried to pair
again and again and again, but keep getting the "Phone Disconnected" so=
I
disable the "Bluetooth"

- Pretty neat, after I paired Nuvi 680 with my Samsung A900, it =
transfered
all the contacts from A900 to Nuvi 680 (with incoming and missing =
calls
too). But too bad that it's no longer working <bg>

- The speaker and microphone seem to work pretty work. But I was =
driving
only around 20mph so not much noise.

- FM, I tried and got the (wireless) FM worked, but in order to use the =
=46M
we won't be able to enjoy news or regular radio etc. so I only try to
make sure it works then back to internal audio.

- MSN Direct, it took 1-2 minutes to activate, around 10-15 mins to get
activated and started receiving information. Yes, it shows some
information, but I read on the first time it may take around 24-hrs or =
so
to download all information then transfer the info to Nuvi, so I may =
try
it again tommorow to find out more. Right now

- It's getting more and more near by gas station and more name instead =
of
Unknown, but it doesn't seem to have all gas stations=20

- MSN Direct, it's getting some and probably need to download more for =
it
to work (?). Right now, it can display some contruction areas, but =
for
some reason the information doesn't display on regular route. If I =
click
on the Traffic button then it displays the street and contruction =
symbol,
but the street has less detail, and the CAR symbol doesn't seem to =
move.=20
So right now MSN Direct is pretty much useless, and I will do more test
tommorow when it gathers more info.

Like I said, it's way too early to have much to say, especially while I =
am
having some issues with Bluetooth, MSN Direct. So besides the more
accurate, I do miss quite afew great_status/ direction_displaying
of the =
old
StreetPilot III+. Also, the LSD screen is just a little bigger than
StreetPilot but not much.

Rich Elgin

2007-06-17, 4:33 am

Joel,

Glad to hear that you are enjoying your new Nuvi 680.

I to have a StreetPilot III and have used it every day for the last six
years.
One feature that I use most of the time when I am not routing is I have the
StreetPilot III set to a split screen with the map on the left and on the
right
side it displays the next street comming up and on the bottom of the screen
it displays the current street you are on with the address changing as you
move along.

I have been looking at the new Garmin units including the Nuvi series but I
can't confirm that any of the new Gamin units have the capability that I
described above.

If you get a chance can you reply to this post if your new Garmin can
display
the format I talked about.

I would love to get a newer unit but I would hate to loose that non routing
feature.

Thanks,
Rich
"Joel" <Joel@NoSpam.plz> wrote in message
news:v8h673hes90dvr6
l58oi1bbfshmq84n8gs@
4ax.com...
Well, I only have this new Nuvi 680 for a very short time, and still in
learning stage, getting to know all the basic options to be able to give all
small detail. But I don't think it hurt to give as much/little information
as I know.

- The Nuvi 680 is lot more accurate than my old StreetPilot III+, and it's
the first time in many years I was able to let the GPS to guide me to my own
address.

- I haven't tried other smaller symbol other than the CAR, and with 2-D
display the car is usually OFF *not* right on the exact spot like the 3-D
does.

- Besides the 3-D displaying and more accurate, I like the LARGER FONT of
StreetPilot III+ more than Nuvi. Few things the Nuvi missing

- Large Font for information making lot easier to read. Or at least Nuvi
should use BOLD letter instead of small regular font. Example "ARRIVAL"
instead of "Arrival" and "Turn In ###'"

- Nuvi doesn't have the COMPAS (arrow pointing to the destination) which
can be useful when you decide to use different route. With the Compas we
can be able to drive parallel with the main route route or won't have to
depend on the re-calculation 100%. I think this is the trouble many Nuvi
users have.

- "Arrival at 8:33pm", unlike StreetPilot III+ it calculates and update
the TIME depending on the SPEED. I tried 15 miles test with Nuvi 680 and
I changed the speed between 60-75mph and the word "Arrival 8:33pm"
remained the same. I forgot to check the time when I arrived <bg>

- With the StreetPilot III+ I can see lot of silverware, gas-pump etc.
symbols (POIs) on screen, but none with with Nuvi 680

- Bluetooth, I had no problem having Nuvi 680 paired with my Samsung A900,
and I had it worked on the first try and it last for about an hour. Then
I keep getting "Phone Disconnected" every few seconds. I tried to pair
again and again and again, but keep getting the "Phone Disconnected" so I
disable the "Bluetooth"

- Pretty neat, after I paired Nuvi 680 with my Samsung A900, it transfered
all the contacts from A900 to Nuvi 680 (with incoming and missing calls
too). But too bad that it's no longer working <bg>

- The speaker and microphone seem to work pretty work. But I was driving
only around 20mph so not much noise.

- FM, I tried and got the (wireless) FM worked, but in order to use the FM
we won't be able to enjoy news or regular radio etc. so I only try to
make sure it works then back to internal audio.

- MSN Direct, it took 1-2 minutes to activate, around 10-15 mins to get
activated and started receiving information. Yes, it shows some
information, but I read on the first time it may take around 24-hrs or so
to download all information then transfer the info to Nuvi, so I may try
it again tommorow to find out more. Right now

- It's getting more and more near by gas station and more name instead of
Unknown, but it doesn't seem to have all gas stations

- MSN Direct, it's getting some and probably need to download more for it
to work (?). Right now, it can display some contruction areas, but for
some reason the information doesn't display on regular route. If I click
on the Traffic button then it displays the street and contruction symbol,
but the street has less detail, and the CAR symbol doesn't seem to move.
So right now MSN Direct is pretty much useless, and I will do more test
tommorow when it gathers more info.

Like I said, it's way too early to have much to say, especially while I am
having some issues with Bluetooth, MSN Direct. So besides the more
accurate, I do miss quite afew great_status/ direction_displaying
of the old
StreetPilot III+. Also, the LSD screen is just a little bigger than
StreetPilot but not much.

Joel

2007-06-17, 3:33 pm

<snip>

> Like I said, it's way too early to have much to say, especially while I=
am
> having some issues with Bluetooth, MSN Direct. So besides the more
> accurate, I do miss quite afew great_status/ direction_displaying
of the=
old
> StreetPilot III+. Also, the LSD screen is just a little bigger than
> StreetPilot but not much.=20

Few comparisons between the 5-6 years old StreetPilot III+ vs Nuvi 680.
Also, since I don't have newer model of StreetPilot 2xxx to know if they =
are
any better (besides the larger memory and POI etc.)

- LCD size, the LCD displaying is about the same.

- Daytime (sunny) the StreetPilot is much better or the bright sun =
doesn't
have much effect on the displaying like the Nuvi has. Or you can =
just
turn the SP 2-3 degrees from the glare and will have perfect clear
display. This trick doesn't seem to work with Nuvi 680 LCD =
displaying.=20
One point for the old StreetPilot

- Nitetime, Nuvi 680 is lot brighter and easier than StreetPilot (I may
see if I can reduce the brightness a little). One point for Nuvi 680

- Current status report - I like the way StreetPilot reports better than
Nuvi

- StreetPilot is continuously updating the current Speed/Arrival Time =
when
it seems like Nuvi displays the calculated Arrival Time. =20
One point for the old StreetPilot III+

- StreetPilot displays the status in much larger FONT (20-40+ times
larger) which make thing much easier to follow the instruction =20
(especially a small screen 2-3' away and while driving). Or we may =
need
to be within inches to be able to read the word "Arrival" and similar.=20
One point for the old StreetPilot

- Not only the old StreetPilot continuously report the current status =
with
LARGER FONT, when getting closer to the turn StreetPilot auto-switch to
even LARGER displaying (around 1/4-1/3 of full screen) for some seconds
then switch back to normal screen.
One point for the old StreetPilot

- Routing, the Nuvi 680 with 3-D displaying and Voice intruction is much
nicer than the 2-D of the old StreetPilot.
One point for Nuvi 680 (or even 2 points if I would <bg> )

And like in the previous message I have mentioned the Nuvi is lot more
accurate than the old StreetPilot. But if you just look at the REPORT =
then
you will see it's still OFF by 30-100', but doesn't cause some problem =
like
the StreetPilot does (or the newer data map is more accurate than the old
Vity Navigator v4.01???)

- Points Of Interest, since I haven't had external SD memory card yet to =
use
addional POI to know if it will make any difference. But comparing to =
the
old StreetPilot III Deluxe and Nuvi 680.

- With SP-III I see lot of symbols (silverware, air-plane, gas pump =
etc.)
which is nice to know what's going on around you (similar to what you =
see
in MapSource's detail view), while Nuvi 680 doesn't show anything.

- SP-III doesn't have the option to use additional POI when Nuvi 680 =
does
(and most newer models do). But since I don't have any addiotnal POIs =
to
know if Nuvi 680 will display the symbol on screen or not, or just the
names and addresses to locate??

... I had to go somewhere for an hour, now I forget what I was going to
say <bg>. Anyway, it seems like it's still a hard decision for old
StreetPilot user (especially newer 2xxx model) to upgrade to Nuvi model
which has few nice features but missing lot of old unique and useful
features of the old StreetPilot (besides Nuvi is thinner and lighter than
SP).

Oops! about the Bluetooth

- I got it working on the first time then few hours later it stopped =
working
and started popping up the error message "Phone Disconnected" every few
seconds. The next day I enabled the Bluetooth and it worked again, then
next time I turned the Nuvi ON and again it pops up the error "Phone
Disconnected" that I have to disable the bluetooth option.

- MSN Direct, after over 24 hrs collecting information I still don't see =
any
warning about contruction area which happens to be few blocks from where =
I
live. And the "Traffic" report some contruction about 12 miles away.... =
may
be I have to be at the real heavy TRIFFIC or contruction for it to pop =
the
warning??????

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