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Multi-Destination RoutingThis lets you enter several spots into the device (day care - supermarket-cleaners - office - day care, for example) and it will plot the fastest route. And once you've found the best router, the "Route Planning" feature lets you save up to 10 different routes, Garmin touts the feature for providing, "the most efficient route for errands, deliveries and sales calls." The feature also makes this an instant essential accessory for anyone who shops garage sales (you know what we're talking about). Where Am I?Garmin's "Where Am I?" feature is a useful safety feature on all nuevis, but voice recognition makes it even better. On any nuevi (including this one), you can just tap "Where Am I?" to find the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, nearest address and intersection. Also see your exact latitude and longitude coordinates. With the 800s, all you have to do is say "Where am I?" to get the info. Where's My Car?Like the nuevi 700s, the 800s will also remember where you parked. It automatically marks your position when you remove it from the windshield mount, so you can navigate with nuevi on foot and find your way back to your vehicle. Perfect for unfamiliar spots and crowded lots such as amusement parks, stadiums and malls. First-Rate Map Data
Garmin LockGarmin's patent pending theft prevention system that disables the unit from performing any functions until the user types in a specific 4-digit PIN or takes the unit to a predetermined secure location
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Key Features/Benefits
Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer. | Navigation is just the beginning. The nuevi 850 features travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, MP3 player, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. It also comes with Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map. This device is compatible with optional content plug-ins available via microSD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide provide detailed data for attractions and information on nearby merchants offering discounts, so you can customize nuevi for your travel needs note that the 800 series is unique among nuevis, in that the 800s use microSD cards, where all other nuevis use SD cards.. Garmin has also added the ability for customers to add custom points of interest (POI's) from third parties such as school zones and safety cameras. | A handy MP3 player lets you play songs stored on SD memory cards. |
Trick Your GPS Ride
 Custom vehicle icons let you ride in style, at least inside your GPS. See more icon option | All Garmin nuevis support configurable vehicle icons. These fun, customized car-shaped icons come in a variety of colors to add a personal touch to your vehicle's position on the map. |
New -- Navigate by Photo
 | Using Garmin's unique Web site — Garmin Connect Photos — users can choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google's Panoramio photo sharing community and download them to the nuevi for a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide.
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New -- Send Addresses Directly from Google Maps or Mapquest
tching to try out a new restaurant, or setting off on a road trip to locate the best toffee apples on the east coast? Now, it's easy to search for locations on Google Maps or Mapquest, then transfer the addresses directly to your Garmin GPS navigator.
The process does require a small plugin, which you can get at Garmin's website at http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3739. You can send business addresses to your Garmin device from these countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. | ||
Search for the location you want. | Pick "Send to GPS". | Go! |
Notes
- Optional software for language translation, detailed travel guides, and savings programs allow you to customize your nuevi to fit your travel needs
- The FM transmitter feature is only available in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
- This nuevi comes with a free, three-month trial for MSN Direct services.
- Like most USB Mass Storage Devices, the nuevi is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me.
What's in the Box
nuevi 850, Preloaded City Navigator NT for North America, Speech recognition remote, Vehicle suction cup mount, USB cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual
Which nuevi is Best for You?
Note: All nuevis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.
| Screen Size inches (w x h) | Included Maps | Text-to-Speech (Directions in Real Street Names) | Traffic | Bluetooth | Media | FM Transmitter (audio through car stereo system) | Multi- Point Routing | Battery life (hours) | |||
| Cont. U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico | AK and Canada | Europe | |||||||||
| nuevi 200 | 2.8 x 2.1 |  | Photos | up to 5 | |||||||
| nuevi 200w | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | Photos | up to 5 | ||||||
| nuevi 250 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | Photos | up to 5 | ||||||
| nuevi 250w | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | Photos | up to 5 | ||||||
| nuevi 260 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | Photos | up to 5 | |||||
| nuevi 260w | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | Photos | up to 5 | |||||
| nuevi 270 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | Photos | up to 5 | |||||
| nuevi 350 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | FM (with opt. receiver) | Photos, MP3s | up to 8 | ||||
| nuevi 360 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | FM (with opt. receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | up to 8 | |||
| nuevi 370 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | FM (receiver included) | | Photos, MP3s | up to 8 | ||
| nuevi 650 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | FM (with opt. receiver) | Photos, MP3s | up to 7 | ||||
| nuevi 660 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | FM (receiver included) | | Photos, MP3s | | up to 7 | ||
| nuevi 670 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | FM (receiver included) | | Photos, MP3s | | up to 7 | |
| nuevi 680 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | MSN (receiver included; 1-year free); FM (with opt. receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | up to 7 | ||
| nuevi 750 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 | ||
| nuevi 760 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 | |
| nuevi 770 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 |
| nuevi 780 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | MSN-enhanced (receiver inc.; 3 months free) receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 | |
| nuevi 850 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 | ||
| nuevi 880 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced (receiver inc.; 3 months free); FM (with opt. receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 |
| nuevi 5000 | 4.5 x 2.7 | | | | MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) | | | external battery only | |||
Enhanced MSN Direct Traffic Data and Content
| Basic MSN Direct Content Features | |
 | Traffic Reports
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 | Gas Prices
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 | Weather Reports
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 | Movie Times
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| Enhanced MSN Direct Content | |
 | Web Favorites (Send custom destinations to your GPS with Live Search Maps)
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 | Local Events
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 | Stock Quotes
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 | News Headlines
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| MSN Direct Coverage Map | |
Get detailed info for your Zip Code at the MSN Direct website.  | |
Voice recognition is THE way to go!!! October 6, 2008Sure, it costs a little more, however the voice recognition is 100% WORTH IT! Slightly more $ upfront, but you won't crash because you're trying to drive and operate the machine simultaneously. Keeps your eyes (& attention) on the road where it belongs. : ) It is astonishingly accurate and there is no need to pull over to type in addresses or perform searches. Really appreciate the 'Where Am I' feature, as well. It has come in handy when in need of a gas station in unfamiliar territory. Also...get the house charger, the car charger, the portable friction dash mount and the leather NUVI 800series carrying case. No complaints. LOVE IT! Would buy again and again.
Garmin nuvi 850 leads the way September 23, 20081 out of 1 found this review helpful
With very few glitches (one very long way around and tall structure interference in signal) the Garmin nuvi 850 made navigating San Francisco, the wine country and the Carmel areas delightful. I was able to travel around by myself in areas I never would have attempted before. Some of the instructions were a bit tedious but I always got to where I wanted to be.
NUVI 850 September 2, 20083 out of 4 found this review helpful
The Nuvi 850 works well and is easy to use. One small problem is that the manual does not cover the satellite tracking display is not cover in the manual. Additionally the set does not appear to receive WAAS. The display position of the SUN and MOON does not appear to be correct. All that is very small and the GPS receiver is very easy to use and works well.
Not Worth The Money - Voice Commands Hype August 9, 200818 out of 19 found this review helpful
I recently bought a Nuvi 850. Here's my advice for what it's worth.
The real value of a Nav system comes from the fundamentals.
* Receiver
* Maps
* Routing Engine
* Display
* User Interface
Garmin does a solid job in all these areas. But that's not why you're paying a premium for an 800 series Nuvi.
This model has a couple of "nice to have" features that were introduced on the 700 series of Nuvi's.
* Where Am I
* Where's My Car
Both are very well implemented and can be very handy. But again, all of the stuff I mentioned so far can be found in a Nuvi costing $300 less.
So what are you paying a premium for?
* Voice Recognition
* User Replaceable Battery
* Front Mounted Speakers
Well, the front mounted speakers are still drowned out by moderate road noise. So, I wouldn't pay a nickel for that. The only real sound solution remains the FM transmitter that everyone complains about. It works OK for me, in my car, in my area. Your mileage may vary.
The user replaceable battery is excellent. For $30 you can carry a spare battery and go totally wireless in the car or use the Nuvi for 8 hours of walking around a city. I'd pay for that. In fact, every portable device should have user replaceable batteries.
OK, that leaves the "Big Kahuna" feature, voice recognition. Don't believe the hype from the professional reviews or some of the hosanna's being thrown around in Amazon reviews.
Does it work? Yes, it works amazingly well. In a dead silent environment.
With moderate road noise or even indoors with a TV at low volume 15 feet away the thing to gets confused about what it's "hearing". It should have a microphone with low sensitivity and high directionality to screen out spurious noise. A little DSP noise filtering wouldn't hurt either. Unfortunately, the standard piezo mic that Garmin also uses for bluetooth phone calls will pick up any sound coming from any direction. The result is that voice recognition becomes an excercise in frustration.
Still, I'm gonna keep the darned thing. I'll simply enter destinations in the quiet of my home, office, hotel room, or a restaurant before heading out on the road. The remote will live in my briefcase. It does save you from a lot of tedious keyboard entry. But, it is not the mobile safety feature that reviews would have you believe since voice commands are all but useless in a car. You can get essentially the same features in a Nuvi 760 and save yourself $300.
Your decision.
EDIT: Update.....OK maybe I was a bit harsh first time round. I have found that the unit will respond with moderate background noise.....some of the time.....if you yell at it. It appears to have the ability to lock in on the loudest sound it "hears". So, if you are relatively close to the microphone and speak really loud (yell), it does respond some of the time.
On the upside, connecting to the Garmin website was very easy. I registered the 850, downloaded the newest firmware, and downloaded/installed the latest maps (2009), all in about ten mintues without a glitch.
Excellent GPS Navigator...Awesome Voice-Activated Controls July 20, 20089 out of 11 found this review helpful
This unit functions perfectly as it is described. The voice-activation is nearly perfect. Probably one of the best implementations to date that I can remember. The map is a bit under-detailed for the price but it gets you where you need to go. Voice commands from the unit are very easy to understand. Controls are easy to navigate as are the menu options. One thing that I think is a bit ridiculous is the absence of Bluetooth Hands-Free calling. For $800 they could have included that and it is the reason that I gave it four stars instead of 5. Many of the options included with the device are useless to me to be honest. Games? Picture viewer? MP3 player? I don't need any of these but the voice-commands for unit control are awesome.
If you have the money to buy this unit, get it... if not look at some of the lower-priced 700-series Nuvi's