Garmin Nuvi 750 Navigation System
Dimensions: 4.8"W x 3.0"H x .8"D
Weight: 6.2 ounces
Voice Commands: Voice prompts for navigation, TTS speech, FM Transmitter, MP3 compatible
Colors: Silver, Piano Black (only at Best Buy)
Street Price: $500 to $550
Included in the box are the Nuvi unit preloaded with City Navigator® NT, vehicle suction cup windshield mount and power cable, USB cable, PC dashboard disc, and quick-start guide.
----- What's a Nuvi and why should I let it tell me where to go? -----
In the current age of rapidly evolving technology it's only a matter of time until computers tell us what to do in every area of our lives, whether we like it or not. Although the future of an
i-Robot style world is still in doubt, one thing technology has helped with in a big way is navigation from point to point. While road trips even in the '90s involved spreading out an atlas or paper map and preferably a passenger to act as navigator.
Garmin already had a strong history in GPS devices for handheld back-country navigation when they entered the automotive sector with their early StreetPilot series.
Fast-forward to 2007 and the new field of GPS systems is light years ahead of those early offerings. Garmin's Nuvi series is at the top of the chain when it comes to user interface and easy navigation for technological neophytes. Thanks to the clear and extremely bright 4.3" widescreen you'll have no trouble seeing where you're headed and what's coming down the road. Unlike older GPS units which only held enough data to cover a few states, the Nuvi 700 series comes with Canada, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, and entire USA pre-loaded inside. Also found in the internal storage are over 6 million of points of interest (POI) such as hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and retail stores.
The new Nuvi 700 series has several advantages over the older 600 series, the two most noticeable are the newer, more sensitive GPS antennae (still internal) and built-in FM Transmitter. Text To Speech (TTS) is standard on all 700 models except the 710. Instead of hearing "turn left in 500 feet" when approaching a street, now your 700 series unit will speak the actual street name; "make a right turn on Florence Ave." for instance.
----- Why the Nuvi 750 over other Garmin models? -----
In a search to upgrade from my old Garmin Quest I decided to stay within Garmin's product line, thanks to an hour or so spent looking and playing with different units, I went straight for the Nuvi model as my choice.
In my opinion there's usually a "sweet spot" in any manufacturer's product line where price and features meet in one model. Most users looking for a GPS unit want accurate directions, clear and easy to see screen, and an easy user interface. The extra features such as Bluetooth compatibility and maps of Europe found on the 760 and 770 units are nice to have but not necessary for approximately 75% of GPS system shoppers. I've really come to rely on the Text To Speech spoken street names since many urban intersections have multiple streets coming up in a short span of time. This makes wrong turns very easy without knowing the correct street name which in turn wastes time and could be downright dangerous in some areas.
One of the best upgrades over the older C-Series units is the Nuvi windshield mount which makes unclipping and re-mounting your 750 a one handed operation. This new mount features a ball & socket style pivot which allows you to adjust the screen vertically and horizontally without loosening or tightening anything. While we're on the subject of the windshield mount, whenever you disconnect your Nuvi it remembers where you parked your car. Simply turn the unit on when you're ready to walk back to your vehicle and it will guide you to your ride if you want it to, this a a huge asset at amusement parks, airports, downtown, heck... even at your Super-Walmart down the block!
When the time comes to update your Nuvi's internal software it's quite easy to do. Simply plug the included USB cable into the unit and log into Garmin's website. You can update the unit or download new vehicle icons from the Garmin Garage. There's plenty of new vehicles once you're tired of looking at the standard car or truck, you may download anything from a military tank to the Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean.
----- Using the Nuvi 750 every day -----
Whenever you want directions simply tap the "Menu" at the bottom of the map screen and "Where To?" pops up, next you can select from several search options including address, points of interest, favorites, intersections, and cities. You can also route directly home easy by selecting the "Go Home" button. Want to make a big loop around town and hit several destinations in a row? Now you can map a route using a start point, end point, and as many via points as you want in between. Adding via points is very easy and you can insert them at any point in your route.
Aside from the obvious out of town or interstate trips there are plenty of uses for your 750 around your own city. If you tap your on-screen vehicle it will give you immediate access to nearby hospitals, police stations, and gas stations... no complicated steps to go through. You can also use the calculator, currency converter, or unit/measurement converter when you the occasion arises.
For the music lovers in the car you can download tunes right from your computer into the Nuvi's internal memory or a SD memory card. Simply turn on the Nuvi's FM transmitter and select the station you want to broadcast on. Now tune your vehicle's stereo to your selected station start the music. Just like an iPod you can select songs by artist, album, genre, or all music on the Nuvi. You can also create custom playlists to keep all your favorite songs quickly accessible. When music is playing and you jump back to the map screen, a tiny "
music button" appears on the map, this is your shortcut back to the MP3 player without going through the menu system. The Nuvi automatically mutes the music when speaking directions so you don't miss what's coming up, a nice touch that comes in handy.
Somewhat less useful (at least to me) is the picture viewer included with every 700-series Nuvi. Just like music files, you can drag and drop pictures to your Nuvi and play them back later either individually or as a slideshow.
Off the windshield mount/charger you'll see between 2 and 5 hours of battery life depending on how bright your screen backlight is. Satellite acquisition is very quick, usually between 10 and 30 seconds when you first turn the unit on until it's ready to navigate. You can choose between the standard Nuvi 3D map perspective or a more traditional overhead 2D perspective. In case you're interested, the Nuvi 750 is compatible Garmin's optional GTM-20 traffic receiver offers real time traffic information from the Total Traffic Network, as long as you keep paying for it. You'll get 15 months free with your GTM-20 purchase, then it's up to you.
Whether or not English is your primary or secondary langueage, you'll be able to select one of 30 available text languages and over 60 spoken languages or accents. All of the vocalizations are clear and easy to understand, whether spoken from the internal speaker or your vehicle's audio system.
Lastly, you'll find what I
believe is a new feature on the 750/60/70 models, boldly displayed speed limits on many interstate and state highways and tollways. The speed limit shows up on the lower left quadrant of the screen and stays there as long as the unit knows the limit of the road you're traveling.
----- Bottom Line -----
More and more new cars are coming with Navigation Systems built into the dash as options, expensive options. After experience with systems from BMW, Honda, and Mazda, I would recommend a Nuvi over all of them. The screen may be smaller, but it's easier to read, brighter, and has more detail at every zoom level. Not only that but you can move your Nuvi from one vehicle to another simply by unplugging the DC adapter and popping into another 12V outlet. Try moving your in-dash navi-system from your car at home into the rental Grand Am when you need it on a business trip.
Whether you've had several navigation systems or looking for your first, the Nuvi series is an excellent buy no matter which model you choose. I've loaned my Garmin Quest to several female friends & relatives when they had to take long trips, while they loved the map-free traveling they had trouble using the small buttons. All their complaints about the interface and route creation have been addressed with the Nuvi. I would have no worries about letting my daughter or wife find her way across the country or the county using only a Nuvi. Whether as a Christmas gift or as a tool for the cross-country businessman, the 750 will take you there and back again... and again... and again.
Related reviews:
TomTom GO 700 GPS Navigation System
Garmin Quest GPS Navigation System
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Openroad 2007
