Garmin GPS - Few more about my new Nuvi 680

Author

Few more about my new Nuvi 680

Joel

2007-06-22, 3:33 pm

Even I have been using (Garmin) GPS for nearly a decade or so, and just
like everything else I often take my time to explore more about the newer
toy a little at a time. So I still have lot to learn about this new Nuvi
680 yet.

And I wanna share what I see at my end.

- The Nuvi 680 comes with City Navigator 2008 (I believe this is the =
newer
version not yet available at Garmin, and it's called version_9)

- I called and asked for the DVD and the Garmin tech sent me the City
Navigator v8, and it arrived in less than 24-hrs.

- 2 days ago, I tried to make a backup of the map on internal memory by
COPYing it from Nuvi 680 to hard drive (I did check for hidden file as I
don't think there is any, but probably go for the "better safe than =
sorry),
and I ran into few minor issues.

- I ran into few small files (VOICE) the system reported that something
was wrong that can't be copied, and I had to SKIP to continue. It =
seems
like Nuvi 680 itself has some issue with copying file and devide not
found (or I/O err).

- While copying Nuvi 680 acted up by disabling the USB driver (probably
because it was trying to install the Garmin USB driver or something) =
and
powered itself up to GPS mode (no longer a USB removable drive), and I
losted all USB connection.

Something caused conflicting between USB driver and Garmin USB driver
caused WinXP to disable ALL USB at booting up. And it took me few =
hours
to solve the problem (too many different steps and tries to know =
exactly
what solved the problem)

- The Transcend 8GB SDHC Class-6 arrived and it works fine with Nuvi 680.=
=20
Same with the internal memory, I got few I/O error when trying to copy =
some
file from hard drive to Nuvi 680. It could be BUFFER problem (?) as it
seems to work fine *if* I copy few files at a time, or it may report =
problem
when I try to copy 10-15 files (even they are pretty small)

- The sad thing that my old multiple card reader doesn't seem to support
SDHC. yes, it supports SD (I never had SD before) but doesn't seem to
support SDHC so I may have to buy a newer multiple card reader. But I =
may
try again later

- MSN Direct, I haven't seen or run into TRAFFIC issue yet (like car
accident or big contruction etc.), but yesterday I saw the WEATHER symbol
popped up on the *regular* map, when click on the symbol it gave more =
detail
of the weather. So I believe that the Traffic should work similar to =
the
Weather, and it would be the way I expect it to work, or it could be more
useful than the option to CHECK for traffic report (it has option to =
display
the map with traffic report)

- Firmware version, on the first few days after I got the Nuvi 680, I
checked the ABOUT for firmware version and everything reported version =
#.##
*except* the Bluetooth reported version 0.00

- While asking for the DVD map, I asked the tech and he suggested me to
use web-upgrade to check for newer version which I did (I do read many
reported and suggest to upgrade manually which I can't find anything
about Nuvi 680 at Garmin site to do manually) and I did upgrade both =
Nuvi
from v3.70 to v3.80 and also Bluetooth version.

- After upgraded all new firmwares Nuvi changed from v3.70 to v3.80 =
while
Bluetooth remained version 0.00. Then yesterday while waiting for my
cousin at airport I checked and now Bluetooth reported v2.80

- BLUETOOTH, I have no problem paring bluetiith with my Samsung A900, but=
it
seems like Nuvi has the mind of its own, so the bluetooth works whenever
Nuvi 680 feels like, else it's a pain in the donkey as it keeps reporting
"PHONE DISCONNECTED" every few seconds until you disable the Bluetooth.

Bruce.

2007-06-22, 3:33 pm

"Joel" <Joel@NoSpam.plz> wrote in message
news:uh0o73tvpfjlhn7
6g3ksr1i135l0g3ai62@
4ax.com...
>- The Nuvi 680 comes with City Navigator 2008 (I believe this is the newer
>version not yet available at Garmin, and it's called version_9)
>
>- I called and asked for the DVD and the Garmin tech sent me the City
>Navigator v8, and it arrived in less than 24-hrs.

That sucks. Hopefuly they'll agree to send you 2008 once that DVD starts
shipping.

>- I ran into few small files (VOICE) the system reported that something
> was wrong that can't be copied, and I had to SKIP to continue. It seems
> like Nuvi 680 itself has some issue with copying file and devide not
> found (or I/O err).

After reading about a few having trouble with corrupted internal drive, I
decided to make a back up of my 650 to my PC today. The copy ran flawlessly
start to finish. I copied the entire drive.

> - The Transcend 8GB SDHC Class-6 arrived and it works fine with Nuvi 680.
> Same with the internal memory, I got few I/O error when trying to copy
> some
> file from hard drive to Nuvi 680. It could be BUFFER problem (?) as it
> seems to work fine *if* I copy few files at a time, or it may report
> problem
> when I try to copy 10-15 files (even they are pretty small)

Sounds like perhaps a USB reliability problem of sorts.

> - The sad thing that my old multiple card reader doesn't seem to support
> SDHC. yes, it supports SD (I never had SD before) but doesn't seem to
> support SDHC so I may have to buy a newer multiple card reader. But I may
> try again later

I just ran in to the exact same thing with my multicard reader and my SDHC
4GB cards. I had to find and order a new reader. Should get here next
week. It's a shame because my current one is only about 6 months old.

Bruce.

Joel

2007-06-22, 10:33 pm

"Bruce." <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:

> "Joel" <Joel@NoSpam.plz> wrote in message=20
> news:uh0o73tvpfjlhn7
6g3ksr1i135l0g3ai62@
4ax.com...
newer[color=darkred]

>=20
> That sucks. Hopefuly they'll agree to send you 2008 once that DVD =
starts=20
> shipping.

I guess I can always ask for 2008 when Garmin has it available online.
They won't lose anything and I believe I (we) have the right to have the
backup of what comes with the hardware (or installed on hardware). I =
don't
think we ask for any bonus or freebie but what seems to be the right =
think
for Garmin to do. And it's safer and cheaper than paying Garmin $230-250=
to
reinstall the map (if someone happen to destroy it)

something[color=dark
red]
seems[color=darkred]

>=20
> After reading about a few having trouble with corrupted internal drive,=
I=20
> decided to make a back up of my 650 to my PC today. The copy ran =
flawlessly=20
> start to finish. I copied the entire drive.

I will try to copy it again and hope it will work this time. And I just
bought a new multiple memory card reader which supports SDHC (and bunch =
of
others) and I now can read the SDHC fine. I didn't think I wanna spend =
some
$$ on another card reader just for the SDHC (I have the old Sandisk =
multiple
card reader) but when I saw a local store has the Transcend multiple card
reader for only $18 so I bought it (Best Buy has Sandisk card reader for
around $39)
=20
680.[color=darkred]
copy=20[color=darkre
d]
it[color=darkred]
>=20
> Sounds like perhaps a USB reliability problem of sorts.

I have no idea as this is the very first time I ran into this type of
problem, and I have been computing for around 3 decades now <bg>

support[color=darkre
d]
to[color=darkred]
I may[color=darkred]
>=20
> I just ran in to the exact same thing with my multicard reader and my =
SDHC=20
> 4GB cards. I had to find and order a new reader. Should get here next=
=20
> week. It's a shame because my current one is only about 6 months old.

I have been using digital camera for over a decade now, and I may have
8-10 card readers. Years ago, we didn't have multiple card reader so we =
had
to buy different card for different type of memory card, then multiple =
card
reader, then USB2, then another multiple card reader because of newer =
card,
and another card reader because of newer type of memory card <bg>
=20
> Bruce.
=20

Bruce.

2007-06-22, 10:33 pm

> I guess I can always ask for 2008 when Garmin has it available online.
> They won't lose anything and I believe I (we) have the right to have the
> backup of what comes with the hardware (or installed on hardware).

I couldn't agree more. The internal memory is very volatile and subject to
alternation from various sources. A backup is an absolute must I think.

One question though. Have you installed the v8 on your PC? I'm wondering
if the 2008 unlock code that came with your gps works with v8 or not.

> I didn't think I wanna spend some
> $$ on another card reader just for the SDHC (I have the old Sandisk
> multiple
> card reader) but when I saw a local store has the Transcend multiple card
> reader for only $18 so I bought it (Best Buy has Sandisk card reader for
> around $39)

I wish I had known that. I ended up ordering the SanDisk one as it was the
only one I could find online that said SDHC in the desciption.

> I have been using digital camera for over a decade now, and I may have
> 8-10 card readers.

I think this new one will make 4 for me. Crazy. I hope the memory card
industry finally stabilizes.

Bruce.

Joel

2007-06-23, 4:33 am

"Bruce." <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:

online.[color=darkred]
the[color=darkred]
>=20
> I couldn't agree more. The internal memory is very volatile and =
subject to=20

> alternation from various sources. A backup is an absolute must I =
think.
>=20
> One question though. Have you installed the v8 on your PC? I'm =
wondering=20
> if the 2008 unlock code that came with your gps works with v8 or not.

I haven't had the chance to install the v8 yet.

card[color=darkred]
for[color=darkred]
>=20
> I wish I had known that. I ended up ordering the SanDisk one as it was=
the=20
> only one I could find online that said SDHC in the desciption.

I bought mine local.

have[color=darkred]
>=20
> I think this new one will make 4 for me. Crazy. I hope the memory =
card=20
> industry finally stabilizes.

I started messing around with digital camera about a decade (or more) =
ago,
and it was lot more expensive than now. Or I paid around $800-900 for =
each
P&S, and my DSLR cost me around $1400 (now it costs around $600-700), and=
I=20
have probably close to $17K-20K invested on photography equipments =
(current
system)

> Bruce.

quietguy

2007-06-23, 10:33 pm

I use my 660 to pair by Bluetooth with my Samsung A701 - it works OK except as yours
does it goes on and on and on and on and on with "PHONE DISCONNECTED" - a real pain
in the butt

David

Joel wrote:

>
>
> - BLUETOOTH, I have no problem paring bluetiith with my Samsung A900, but it
> seems like Nuvi has the mind of its own, so the bluetooth works whenever
> Nuvi 680 feels like, else it's a pain in the donkey as it keeps reporting
> "PHONE DISCONNECTED" every few seconds until you disable the Bluetooth.

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