After multiple years of car trips, backpacking, camping and other uses of my previous Garmin handheld, it finally needed major service — so I decided to upgrade.

This unit is good in most areas and features, but with one major problem. Sensitivity is great, turn on and signal acquisition time is much improved! Color screen is bright and colorful, with excellent readability — except you need to turn on the backlight to read the screen, even in daytime. Links well with my existing National Geographic TOPO! software. In general a good, solid unit. Precision of the unit, based upon it recording routes and tracks is excellent — you can even see what side of the road you’re on! The USB interface works very well — amazingly faster than the previous serial cable.

However, the base map sucks. I’m sorry, but compared to the base map in my previous unit the coverage is horrid. My previous unit included coverage in the base map down to major secondary roads. I could use it with confidence if I needed to grab it out of the glove compartment or backpack, and navigate. This base map is missing *everything* except major interstates, and major state highways. As an example, State Highway 2 (the Angeles Crest Highway) north of Los Angeles is totally missing — let alone any of the connector roads to this state highway. Cities are listed as floating dots with no linkage to any of the road networks. In the LA basin, it’s missing any indication of major inter-urban roads which are 4-6 lanes wide! Makes you wonder how the new “navigate” function works from where you are to a listed location, doesn’t it?

I suspect that you need to spend the additional $100-200 to get the Garmin Mapsource additional map data, in order to download more detailed maps. I’ve already ordered a copy of this, to see if it helps. Figure this additional purchase into your price if you are going to use this other than on a major interstate. However, the HC unit only has about 24 MB of memory, so you can’t download significant amounts of map data to the unit.

Overall, I’d not recommend this unit at all. If they had put in the previous map base, I’d be writing a 5 star recommendation. But without the previous map base, you need to spend at least $100 ain additional to make this as usuable as the previous model — and the unit has little ability in 24 MB to add additional map data. I’d recommend at a minimum going for the HCx model which allows you to add a micro SD card for up to at least 4GB of additional map memory.

Now, why did they downgrade the quality of the base map? My suspicion is they want to sell the map software as well. In which case, they should offer a bundle of the two items, which I’ve not seen offered anywhere.

I’m going to be using this extensively in the next few months for backpacking and road tripping (including beyond major highways), so I’ll give it a fair test. From my initial usage, most likely I’ll be junking this and going for a HCx in a few months…
Rating: 2 / 5

The Venture HC is great for geocaching. I took my family out on our first hunt last weekend, and although we only had about an hour to spare, we had a great time finding caches stashed around a park nearby. I can see this as a fun family activity on road trips as well. The Venture has built-in geocaching features that let you download waypoints directly from geocacher.com (using the free Garmin browser plugin), and even mark caches as found right on the GPS. The color screen is very readable in sunlight. Although the Venture HC doesn’t have a proper compass, the “compass” page is very useful for closing in on the target.

The Venture HC is also great for amateur astronomers. My computerized telescope needs to know lat/long/time to accurately slew to and track objects in the sky. I can get coordinates on standard addresses on geocoder.us, but if I just want to set up at a dark site somewhere, a GPS is a must. Rather than pay $200 to get the GPS option on my scope, I can use this general purpose GPS and just plug the numbers into the telescope’s controller, or even connect through my laptop. Although any GPS will give you the time and location, not all have as nice a backlit screen as this one, a good thing when you’re out in the dark. The customizable color schemes (with automatic night mode) and the variable backlight intensity are also great for astronomy to keep stray light to a minimum.

If I’m disappointed with anything it is with the built-in base map. Again, because this is my first GPS I was somehow expecting more detail, not necessarily in terms of street names, but certainly with respect to canals, mountains, even major cross streets etc. The only features I’ve been able to distinguish are freeways, lakes and cities. There are many mountains where I live and none of them are shown on the map. More detailed topo maps are available, but cost anywhere from $80-$120. I’m not subtracting any stars for this, because I’m sure all basemaps are pretty much the same. And with 24MB of memory, there’s room for decent quality maps.

Garmin updated the firmware for the Venture in February 2008, so one of the first things I did was download their free WebUpdater utility to automatically install updates. I had one scary moment when my GPS lost the USB connection in the middle of the process, and I was worried my unit would be disabled. But after turning it off and back on it came right back up and, after a second try, the new firmware was installed in about 5 minutes.

All in all, I’m very happy with the quality of this unit. It feels sturdy yet light weight, with a nice rubberized feel to it. It’s also waterproof, so no trouble using it in the rain. The interface took a little getting used to, but after a while it becomes second nature. The Venture lets you customize almost every screen to your taste; for example, I wanted to have time, elevation and location on the same page for astronomy purposes, so I set one of the screens up to show all these fields. At $130, the price point was perfect: significantly lower than the next model up (sacrificing only the compass/altimeter and microSD slot), and not much higher than plain-vanilla black & white units without geocaching features.

I highly recommend it.

Rating: 5 / 5

Mac Users:

It’s a bit tricky, but I am able to use the USB cable and the ‘send to Garmin’ to automatically load waypoints from geocaching.com. One warning is that they have a Mac firmware web updater and it’s very new and froze on my attempt to use it, which blanked my unit. [...]. I did the update for this unit on a friends PC and it went fine.

There are some Mac caching software, but none of them are working for me with this unit. So keep that in mind if you really want to go beyond the web waypoint downloads. That’s a bummer, since Maccaching and GeoJournal look like they’d be great.

The included software does not work on a Mac, so ignore that CD. From the Garmin site, you can download the plugin for Mac to make Safari aware of the unit so you can do the “send to Garmin’ trick. They also have the Mac version of their WebUpdater (the one that hosed my first unit) on their site. Finally, you don’t need any USB drivers for Tiger or Leopard OSX, so don’t worry about them only being for Windows on the Garmin site.

Usage:

Crazy fast turn on and acquiring satellites. We are thrilled that we can turn it on in the car and it will start to pick up satellites right away. Our Magellin (an cheap 100 unit) would take awhile even outside in cloudcover.

It also seems to save all the time, as the shutdown is very fast, with no ‘saving’ note like our Magellin made us wait for.

I guess our only complaint is that we like to use the backlight a lot and that sucks batteries. It’s winter now, and so many days and locations are dim, and without the backlight, the unit can be pretty dim to read. It takes 2 AA’s. It also has a system pref for the type of battery you use (Alkaline, NiMH or LiOn), why? Maybe to only USB charge when they are NiMH’s?? But remember to set that to the correct type.

We really love auto loading the coordinates. And even with the free account on Geocaching.com, we get the cache name, GC# and coordinates. That saves tons of time and mistakes. We find ourselves loading up any cache that interests us, just in case.

Accuracy:

The unit seems right on. Our other unit would usually be more like 20-30 feet accurate in the woods, and this one led us right to the cache and showed 16′ accuracy at that point under normal tree cover. It also refreshes more often than our old unit, so it feels more responsive. No more going 20 feet and then seeing that the arrow just didn’t update to show we were going the wrong way, or overshot.

Build:

It seems solid and took our last rainy hike well. The back has a bit of a gap, but the seal must lock in fine. It uses the ‘D’ lock, so just half a twist to lock and unlock, which is fast and appreciated on a cold cache while changing batteries. We always had to dig to get the Magellin’s ring out and turning to pop the back.

Thumb toggle:

If you’ve used the old Garmin’s with button input, the toggle on the front is really welcomed. We zip through data entry and you push the toggle in to accept an entry. It’s also a shortcut to Mark your current location (holding down the toggle button). Another tip is that holding down the lower left button brings up the ‘Find’ menu quickly.

Speed:

One thing I noted was that when I went just one setting more on ‘detail’ for the maps, it really cut the redraw speed (which is a tad slow to begin with), so that was disappointing.

Hope that helps someone and happy caching!

for Team Spiderweb4-2
Rating: 4 / 5

It disappoints no more. The Venture HC is the eTrex perfected. It remedies almost every shortcoming that plagued the original models. The new high-sensitivity receiver is amazingly effective. Countless times I’ve stood in wide open spaces cursing my old eTrex because it wouldn’t acquire a single satellite. Last night I turned on the Venture HC on the bottom floor of my two story house, and it locked onto 8 satellites…through the roof and the upper floor! No more “need a clear view of the sky” messages. Amazing.

The old monochrome display has become color, and the user interface is now substantially more intuitive, while adding even more functionality. The cable, which was serial on previous models, has been upgraded to USB, another welcome improvement. The case is somewhat wider than before, but the design bears a strong resemblance to the original eTrex.

A basemap is included but it’s just that – basic. It shows the largest highways, bodies of water, and has some limited capability to display highway exit services. If you need turn-by-turn street directions, an eTrex is not for you. This is a GPS receiver true to Garmin’s outdoor GPS heritage.

Promised battery life (14 hours) is near the bottom of the range when compared to the existing eTrex models, but is still perfectly adequate and has posed no problems.

One weakness that remains is Garmin’s waypoint manager PC software. It has the feel and functionality of a software product released circa 1994. Garmin could certainly develop a better PC interface. For $49 you can buy ExpertGPS from Topografix, or download the free version (EasyGPS)from their website. Either is far more functional than the Garmin OEM software.

Still, the software criticism is a quibble. The Venture HC itself is great. It is a market changing product that renders all previous eTrex models (and many competitors) obsolete. Finally, an affordable outdoor GPS receiver that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

Rating: 5 / 5

* Like all Garmins, the interface is designed for ease of use. My grandparents use a Garmin. However, if you are looking for customization, you might want to consider a TomTom.

* The routing engine is very good. Caveat: Be wary that the points of interest (POI) addresses may be inaccurate. If you have a specific address, enter it!

* The 265T is much quicker at getting a satellite lock when turning on than my c320. Starting from power on, usually about 10-15 seconds vs. 1-2 minutes before.

* The traffic service is free (ad-supported). Other makes and models require a subscription, which I’m not a big fan of. The ads are unobtrusive and appear only on startup and on arriving at your destination.

* Text to speech

* The new interface is much more helpful, specifically, the upcoming turn direction indicator.

The higher end Garmin features, such as lane assist, 3-D building view, mp3 player, etc. seem superfluous to me. Voice recognition would be cool, but the 855 and 885T models are very expensive. If you want a widescreen model, the 265WT is exactly the same except for a bigger screen. Still, I don’t have any problem reading the 265T’s screen and its approx. $50 cheaper.

P.S. I would highly recommend getting the Garmin Friction Mount as well. This will prevent suction cup rings on your windshield, to reduce your profile for theft.
Rating: 5 / 5

so easy to understand yet so informative

THANKS now I can do my physics assignment easily

I succesfully registered the device with Garmin.com and downloaded the firmware and software updates. After a couple restarts of the device, it recognized the FM traffic receiver and worked flawlessly.

Overall, it’s a great GPS. However, I’m disappointed that Garmin doesn’t provide decent instructions about downloading updates.

Rating: 4 / 5

The screen is clear and visible except for the most extreme angles of glare in which you might need to adjust it just a touch. The screen is very responsive when panning around the screen and even has a fairly accurate mouse pointer function if you want to get to a particular place on the map. The icons are clear and the tracking is smooth. The only improvements I could wish for is if the displaying information was able to be configured. Sometimes I just like to be ignorant of the speed limit and would rather like to know the distance to my destination rather than the ETA without having to keep tapping at the screen. A little arrow pointing north would also be nice.

Compared to my old iBlue receiver and iGuidance software the 265t locks onto satellites eons faster to get you going on the road ASAP. The FM receiver does warn you of upcoming traffic with a little icon in the upper left corner with an expected delay time but I can’t comment on it’s diverting capabilities yet, even with a recent traffic heavy trip from NY to Toronto. Some areas just don’t have the traffic information when you need it which isn’t the fault of the unit, but the lack of coverage of the traffic reporting area.

One difference I would like to point out where iGuidance may have better function over this nuvi is that you can detour around specific roads in the route list, whereas detouring with nuvi is perhaps oversimplified. Once you hit detour, you’re at the mercy of the unit.

Overall, it’s a fun little gps. It’s pocketable, functional, not too gimmicky, and has more POI than I imagined. There might be a few more menus you wish you didn’t have to go through, but for the most part it’s organized and has outstanding search capability.
Rating: 3 / 5

I have had the unit about 2 weeks now.

Any gps unit that you buy today should lock on in seconds, give accurate directions, have a display that is not confusing and have a simple menu navigation system. It does all of these things well except give accurate directions.

My other gps the Tom Tom 130 does everything mentioned above well, but lacks the traffic feature so I will return it. But it always gives very good directions 100% of the time. I just wish it had the traffic capability and I would keep it.

The directions that the Nuvi 265 gives are accurate most of the time, but occasionally gives strange non optimized directions. I don’t know if it is because of the traffic component or not. The directions that are not the best only lose about 5-10 minutes at the most.

The unit’s philosophy is to have a minimalist view of everything. It only displays what you need to know based on the route you are taking.

My other complaint is that it takes about 5-10 minutes to access the traffic information. There is also no direct way to look at the traffic map. For example if your destination does not involve using the traffic feature, it won’t display the traffic map. I wish I could just go to the traffic map directly.

What I like about the traffic is that it does route around problems and it gives warnings about slowdowns ahead, which is nice. So the traffic feature is nice to have and I wouldn’t want a unit without it.

So my dilemma is that can I live with less than accurate directions some of the time in exchange for the free traffic that does work well when I am going through an area with traffic jams.

I am also considering the Dash Express and the Navigon 2200T which I may try out.

————

UPDATE Nov 21 2008

I am upgrading my rating to 4.9 stars

For in depth review see this site.

http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2008/11/garmin_nuvi_265wt_review.php

The reason is that while it gives inaccurate directions some of the time, it is only because I know a more direct route or I know that even though it gives a more direct route, those streets are slower, than a slightly longer way that I know through experience. So you buy a gps for when you DON’T KNOW where your going, not where you do know where your going.

The traffic functionality does pop up right away during rush hour, (within a few minutes). If shows you problems and how far they are away. You can see a traffic map by going through a few screens and unzooming. It also shows a yellow or red colored line next to the road if you are in a traffic jam and when it will end. So overall it works really well. I also read that Navteq traffic (the free FM) works better than MSN paid service according to this site.

http://www.gpsreview.net/traffic/

I read here that Dash is no longer selling new units, although on their site it shows that they do, they cut 50% of their staff and want to focus on selling their traffic software to other companies. See this page and scroll down.

http://www.gpsmagazine.com/

I am getting the Navigon 2200T to try out but consumer reports rates it very low, compared to the 265WT. In fact the only other serious competitor to the 265, on consumer reports, for the price is the Garmin Nuvi 760, its an older model, which costs about the same as the 265, but you have to pay for traffic at $10 a month and it has some other extra features, none of which I would use.

My only real complaint is the non qwerty keyboard, which bugs me. The only reason that they don’t have it is to get you to buy the 265WT which does have it. So the trade of might be to get the 265WT just for qwerty keyboard. I also like the fact that you can transfer addresses directly from Mapquest or Google maps through the computer cable, which is nice.

Sure if it was perfect it could have reality view lane selector, 3-D maps, voice recognition, historical traffic info, directions to which side of the street, instant Dash Express like traffic interface, ipod connection, fm to car radio input, better cell phone integration(I don’t use this), XM satellite reception and everything else you can think of.

But for now it does have very good traffic options, good directions, very fast response time, nice responsive touch screen, and a very affordable price which is now $40 less than I paid only 2 weeks ago $239.

So someone show me how you can get something better for the price or close to it.

Rating: 4 / 5

but overall, it’s funny, and quite true of many gps users.

And I thought they were all located in CA…

=DDDDD WoOoOoT!

And NJ? Oh, Nalts. I never would have taken you for being that low.

I suggest that potential buyers & users go to the GPS Magazine site and read the Garmin 885T review with step-by-step photos & examples of its functions. The 855 is the same unit without Blue Tooth & the Microsoft network. Here’s the link:

http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2009/01/garmin_nuvi_885t_review.php

Here’s a link to a PDF of the full owner manual

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/nuvi855_OwnersManual.pdf

1. The serial number is printed on the outside of the unit box, and in the battery compartment.

2. Connect on line with USB cable. Register your unit, and then follow instructions to download “plug-in” which identifies your unit, and then updates your software & most recent maps. This took me 20 minutes with a cable modem.

3. You can charge the battery with the USB cable plugged into your computer. No need for AC charger.

4. On off switch: . Slide left to turn on, it springs back to center. Slide left again to turn off. Slide right to lock ( prevents accidental activation.)

5. Volume control. There are 2 separate controls. After you press VOLUME, press MIXER. There are 3 separate volume controls there, VOICE, MEDIA,( PHONE which doesn’t function on this unit). My factory setting for voice was 70%. Others might be lower. This should be increased to 100%.

6. The MEDIA setting is for the micro SD card . You can buy 2 2GB cards & SD card adapter for $19 or less.

7. The FM link to YOUR CAR RADIO is restricted in power by US law, so that other cars won’t get your signal. It varies in effectiveness depending upon where your FM antenna is in your car!

8. If you want to play recordings on the Micro SD, try using an adapter from Garmin headphone output into your radio. On older radios, a cassette player adapter will work.

This unit is a great deal, and works well if you read the instructions.

Try it at home, you can walk outside if you don’t get satellite signals. Try all the functions & use the voice commands. Then practice on a familiar route until you get used to the functions.

Rating: 5 / 5

What makes this GPS so remarkable is the voice recognition! I feel like I’m using Star Trek technology. It rarely has any problem understanding what I tell it. Hands free GPS navigation! I never have to pull over to type a new destination (or try to do it while driving). I can’t imagine any of the minor complaints offsetting the awesomeness of the voice recognition. Now that it’s available, I wouldn’t have a GPS unit without it. If your budget allows for a voice recognition GPS with 1000 waypoints, an improved on/off switch, and smoother screen refresh, then by all means get that one. But if you’re looking to spend about $300, and want voice recognition, do not hesitate to buy the 855. I wouldn’t exchange it for a non-voice recognition unit that has those features that this one lacks.
Rating: 5 / 5

The most impressive feature of the 855 is the voice command. Many voice commands, such as “volume up”, can be done from any screen. Doing “volume up” on the touch screen would have involved 5 presses: “menu”, “volume”, “+”, “back”, & “view map”. You do have to keep an eye on the screen and speak only after you see the green symbol on the upper right corner. You can even speak the name of the place stored in Favorites, such as “San Francisco City Hall”. Other systems would have required you to speak the line number.

The most disappointing feature of this 855 is the overall sluggishness of the system caused by the voice command system. The screen refreshes very slowly compared to Nuvi 765′s ultra smooth refresh. The 855′s CPU is just not fast enough to do voice command and high refresh rate at the same time. Garmin even eliminated the cool 3D building feature from 765, apparently in an effort to minimize CPU usage. Garmin could have kept the refresh rate high while voice command is not being used. But doing so would illuminate the refresh problem even more vividly as soon as the user presses the remote button to speak.

To use voice command effectively, you need to turn your car’s audio system volume down before you speak; then back up afterwards. The better solution is to use the 855′s built-in FM transmitter and put your music on a micro SD card. A 2 GB card is about $7. Nuvi will automatically lower the music volume during voice commands or announcements. But that means you cannot listen to regular radio broadcasts. The FM transmitter worked very well in my Toyota Highlander which has a front antenna. But the FM transmitter was completely not usable in my Toyota Prius which has a roof mounted antenna. Many new cars have small roof mounted antennas and probably will not work well with 855′s FM transmitter. However, if the new car has an MP3 jack, then you can run a cable from 855′s audio out jack to the car’s MP3 jack.

[ Update: ] After using the FM transmitter for a few weeks in my Highlander, it did worse than I originally thought. Bear in mind that my Nuvi 855 has direct line of sight of my Highlander’s hood mounted antenna. Power lines not even close by disrupted the transmission easily and often. I finally dug up my old Iriver FM transmitter and hooked it up to the Nuvi’s audio out jack. The Iriver was way better and louder too. Several magazine reviews pointed out that the Nuvi’s FM transmitter was underpowered – now I have to agree. Garmin’s Webupdater log showed an update to the FM transmitter’s firmware to “comply with European standard”. I imagine that meant a reduction of FM transmission power. Tomtom forum also has many posts that recent firmware updates reduced the FM transmission power. Perhaps the FCC and/or the authority in Europe are now more vigilant in checking FM transmitter’s power so cars next to you won’t get interference. The bottom line is that you will likely be disappointed if you need to use Nuvi’s FM transmitter.

I updated the system software via Webupdater. For some reasons, it unselected the City Navigator map. The next day I used it, it lost voice command and the map had only major highways. A call to technical support solved the problem. Only about 7 minutes of wait time and the rep knew right away what was wrong. But phone support is only available Monday through Friday.

Bluetooth connectivity is not provided in 855, a little surprising considering the price of this model. Routing is excellent and no stupid routes like my previous Mio C520. But that is expected of Garmin. I heard Tomtom is almost as good now.

I wish Garmin would implement split screen like so many other manufacturers. To me, the map view of the road ahead is more important than the sides. The left and right edges of the map screen are just wasted real estate. A split screen showing the next 2 or 3 turns would have been nice.

The lane assist works great but not too many interchanges have that feature incorporated. The photo realistic screen is nice but not that useful. The multiple arrows representing the different lanes already gave me full information.

The Nuvi 855 is not a bad unit. But it doesn’t live up to my expectations. If you value lane assist and voice command (and your car can work with its FM transmitter or audio out), and you don’t mind the sluggish screen refresh rate, then this is a good unit. However, many people may be happier with the “lesser” models with no voice command.
Rating: 3 / 5

Pros and Cons of the Garmin Nuvi 855

PROs: Custom routing; ease of setting unit options; responsiveness to my spoken commands; quick map scrolling via finger movement; Lane Assistance arrows are helpful; map detail is better than on the 755/765; place names appear on screen as you drive; extensive and easy use-to-use Points of Interest database, and POIs can be displayed on map if you choose.

CONs: Volume needs to be louder; warnings of upcoming turns should come sooner; inadequate online manual provides insufficient detail about unit operations;; cannot actually turn unit fully OFF; Lane Assistance displays are very limited; significant learning curve required to confidently program ANY Garmin to respond as the user intends.

Primary GPS Purpose and Recent Nuvi Ownership

I highly recommend the Nuvi 855, but my perspective is primarily based on three road trips, using its Custom Routing feature, plus recent experience with two other Nuvis. My main purpose was to create specific routes before trips, such as eight driving days averaging 500 miles each, on unfamiliar highways and city streets (and also finding McDonalds when we wanted). I have benefited tremendously from the unusual experience of using a Garmin 760 for a month last year, then recently driving 4,000 miles with a more advanced 755…but returned it to get this outstanding value in an 855. I have since used the 855 on a one week trip (and fully expect the bulk of its features to work as they have on the earlier 760 and 755).

We do not need Bluetooth (due to our pre-installed car option), nor the free Traffic alert service (found it mostly useless in 755), nor the 3-D buildings or Eco Route features in other Garmins. Perhaps commuters would enjoy the Traffic service in other Nuvis, but our limited highway trip experience found it alerted unnecessarily, and offered unhelpful detour advice: We thought it an interesting gimmick, but which Garmin may well improve over time.

Low Volume

Many reviewers complain the 855 volume is so low as to warrant returning their units. Actually, low volume may be the most common complaint seen online among all Nuvis. My wife and I agree that volume on the 760/755/855 is too low, but we have never missed a turn because of it: We usually anticipate when an important voice instruction is coming, and turn down the stereo and close windows to “listen harder.” It’s a slight inconvenience, but that main flaw is worth overlooking. Everyone should be certain to check both possible “Volume” settings: the main one should be at 100% volume, but also set “Mixer” to have all three volume adjustments at 100%. One other learned trick is that users can press the “Next Turn” arrows (upper left corner), and hear again the upcoming turn instruction, as well as have it display the upcoming intersection at the same time. [I almost always check the "next turn" instruction well before upcoming turns; I also find it helpful to press the green text line at the top of the map screen to display a summary of several upcoming turns on my route. This practice should prove useful with many other Nuvi models.]

Low volume is a distinct Garmin flaw, but we enjoyed the 755 for 4,000 miles despite it. We usually had some wind noise with the sunroof and rear windows open, but would close them (IF necessary) when we anticipated receiving an instruction, such as at the .8 mile mark before a turn; we frequently pressed the screen to re-hear an instruction, as well as to view the turn well beforehand. I urge others to work to overcome the volume issue…and move on to enjoy all the other benefits of an 855. We believe the 855 volume is just as usable as our previous units. However, I do intend to download a popular voice editor, which other Nuvi owners have bragged about, because it lets them increase the volume of spoken instructions.

Lane Assistance and Junction View

855 buyers should also be aware that Lane Assistance and Junction View are VERY much complained about Garmin features, due to the fact that they are primarily available only in major metropolitan areas and on interstate highways. Despite that, we enjoyed the 755 Lane Assistance multiple turn lane arrows appearing many times during our trip through Salt Lake, Phoenix, Tucson, and San Diego, and found it very helpful. We wished Junction View pictures of the green interstate highway signs appeared more often, but thought them mostly unnecessary (except passing through Portland area @ I-205 and I-5 interchanges, where they were very helpful). I expect 855 service to be identical,

Remote Control Voice Command

My wife and I are tremendously pleased with the 855 Remote Command function and expect that it will be very useful in future driving, as well as a pleasant diversion to play with. The remote has responded FAR better in our road testing than I could have imagined; it is much safer than the manual adjustments I was previously making while driving (stupid guy tricks at 70 MPH are a thing of the past!).

I have compiled my own list of the remote Voice Commands, and was surprised to find several that are not in the manual. Almost any menu instruction can be given by voice, making the 855 even more functional than expected. You might be surprised to learn that the following commands also work: Yes, No, Back, Page Up/Down, Scroll Up/Down, Clear, and Delete. I have also discovered that “Next Turn” will repeat the spoken instruction for the upcoming turn; this is handy to check many miles before your turn. Once the “Next Turn” graphic is displayed, the user can command successive upcoming turns to be displayed and spoken. Among my favorite commands are “Zoom In” and “Zoom Out,” instead of reaching and pressing on the screen while driving. Any sound problems in making ourselves understood are easily overcome, as my co-pilot wife can always intervene with manual operation when we are moving.

I find it easy to use the Voice Commands, but only because I have played with the menu settings manually in three Nuvis. Thus, I can usually interact freely with the 855 Voice Commands, and flow from one screen to another while driving, without letting the remote shut off before I’m finished with it. On the other hand, I do wish that the green “On” icon would stay active longer than it does: Keeping an eye on the icons and flicking one’s vision back-and-forth from the road to menu options is a significant distraction, and potentially dangerous. I think it important to try and limit Voice Command use to situations where traffic is light, and oncoming vehicles are not present. I try to perform extensive menu operations (by voice) for situations where I feel safe diverting my attention from driving; on the other hand, my wife is becoming more comfortable at searching through the menus by herself, and enjoys the 855 as much as I.

Routing Accuracy and Points of Interest

Accuracy of our Nuvi instructions have generally been excellent, as is the extensive Point Of Interest (POI) database and operation. We have had some Garmin map goofs and occasional mis-routing, but also have extreme confidence that we will be rerouted quickly and correctly to fix mistakes we make in taking wrong turns. Based on our previous extensive Garmin experience, I expect the same wonderful service with the 855 model.

In contrast to occasional Nuvi annoyances, one of its best features is the confidence it gives us that whenever we goof up (such as missing a turn), when it will speak up almost immediately with a “recalculation.” Similarly, whenever we are uncertain if we have made a correct turn, the fact that NO “recalculation” occurs gives us confidence that we are still “on track.” Even when not on a route, we love being able to drive anywhere unfamiliar, and know that we can just search for a major landmark street or POI…and get ourselves “back to civilization.”

The POIs come in handy in several situations that one might not ordinarily consider. For instance, when in a strange city, one can locate gas stations by brand or chain restaurants, find the way back to your motel, locate a nearby park to relax after a tiring daylong drive, as well. It is also useful to search for locations of interest before a trip, and learn how far they are from your overnight lodging (as well as establish a route to them). I find the GPS far easier to find POIs than following instructions from well meaning strangers.

We were frustrated using POI’s to locate one McDonalds: Voice command and manual controls via several search methods failed to identify a McD along our route, and we finally gave up…despite being certain there was one nearby. Twenty miles later, upon arrival in the parking lot of a McD, the 855 still could not find it via “Where I Am Now.” We have also experienced slight mistakes in POI locations for two other burger places, but both were close enough that we found them anyways. Thus, we have learned that Nuvi isn’t perfect, and have learned to compensate…and “grin and bear” its boo-boos.

Learning to Use Any Nuvi

It seems that all major gps brands lack a detailed, printed manual; instead, they provide an online manual. However, even online instructions (especially Garmin!) are inadequate to fully demonstrate all unit capacities and efficient use. I have read the online manual for each of my Nuvis, but hate the fact that they are so incomplete. Garmins also have a fair amount material in the onboard “Help” feature, which is handy when you are away from your computer. These Help references are very brief, however, and mostly serve to remind me of info previously seen in the manual.

Nuvi owners who want printed instructions may benefit from this $10 book: “Garmin Nuvi Pocket Guide,” by Jason O’Grady. It has 146 pages describing just basic operations applying to a wide range of Nuvis, including the 2xx, 7xx, and 8xx models (but has NO Lane Assistance, Traffic Alert, or ecoRoute information). It is nowhere as detailed as the online manuals. However, persons who want to always have at hand something with more information than the printed Nuvi “Quick Start” guides may find it useful. I recommend looking at it in a major bookstore before purchasing it.

There is a significant learning curve with any Garmin GPS, and I have greatly enjoyed reading other user experiences online. I have learned from a lot from these comments and user forums, and have become more proficient with each unit I have tried. Some users assert that they essentially turned their Nuvi on and had no trouble using it right away, but I’ve read many more newbies who complained about problems from the start. I believe many persons have problems due to Nuvi settings, either as original defaults…or after they have “fiddled” with settings upon initial trials (and chose ones that are not optimal for their needs).

Nuvis contain powerful and crucial features, but they are poorly explained. Almost all instructions are limited to text highlighting of the steps to use each feature, rather than illustrated graphics of the specific menu settings. Further, there is often no explanation of the various choices in each menu, nor any advice about the most common and popular selections. The fact that the manual is an online download should allow Garmin to present extensive detail and illustrated samples of all the options users can choose, and make it easy to explore and understand all features of any Nuvi model.

New users find it easy to select menu options, but the effects of those choices are not explained well enough, such that it causes frustration with unit operations. “Map Settings” and “Navigation Settings” contain important customization features, but deserve better detailed illustrations and explanations of how they work; the manual should discuss how to avoid common mistakes in their use. Further, these “Settings” are crucial to operation, but are placed near the end of the manual (see “Customizing the Nuvi”): They belong near the front of the manual. All Nuvis contain the features of Favorites, Recently Found, Cities, Addresses, and Intersections, and deserve detailed text explanations and graphic illustrated samples. Similarly, the main feature of “Routes” (in the 7xx and 8xx series) should be explained with narrative text and visual examples of how to create them efficiently.

I’ve experienced my own frustrations (especially with Custom Routes), but have learned to select the correct screen options to get Nuvis to do what I want. I have worked my way thru several simple mistakes, but still find myself occasionally making the same ones over again. I have read many hundreds of Nuvi user online comments, and believe that most frustrations occur due to making some simple, wrong menu choices. Garmin does a very poor job of instructing users in proper use of their units, because it does not make enough use of illustrations or provide examples of things to avoid. Arrrghh! Garmin also does an even worse job of informing users of the MANY lesser features of their units: It is up to you to discover them by accident, if ever! If you really want to enjoy using ANY Nuvi, I think that it is mostly up to you to study, experiment with settings, scan forum discussions, and practice to make it work in the manner most optimum for you.

A good example of having to learn something by yourself is the seemingly simple Power button. A crucial point about the 855 is that pushing Power to OFF doesn’t truly turn it Off; it only goes to a Suspend mode…and will drain the battery to zero in 3-4 days, without further charging. Owners who use their 855s daily will probably like this feature, because car usage will always keep them charged. However, given my use primarily for vacation trips, I disable the battery until I need the 855 (keeping the battery in the unit, but with the terminals covered). The Suspend “feature” is only indirectly explained on page 55 of the manual (instead of page 1, where it belongs!). In fact, I only learned of the foregoing manual reference after other 855 owners pointed it out to me in an online discussion forum. [Note: My chat with a Garmin support technician showed that even he did not know of this feature.]

Custom Routing

Our main reason for buying the 855 was to create and use Custom Routes (a feature available throughout the 7xx and 8xx series). Thus, our prime usage will be during road trips, where we are totally unfamiliar with the highways and cities. However, I still find it crucial to use a road atlas or AAA map as the basis for deciding which waypoints to input into the Nuvi. [I also carry those maps in the car, as a valuable backup resource, particularly if we choose to modify or add new routes.] I use the paper map to “see the big picture” and consider alternative highways, and then input those choices to the Nuvi. I also love the easy-to-use menu for creating Start and End points of a route, as well as inserting intermediate points, and then optimizing and saving a route: That entire process was a prime reason for buying this unit. Even though other Nuvi’s can create routes with multiple waypoints, they cannot do so as easily as the 8xx and 7xx series, nor can they save a route after the unit is turned off: I can save up to 10 routes at a time. I also enjoy creating a route a week or more in advance (and possibly modify it later with additional “Via Points”). It is also convenient to turn the unit off during a trip, when exiting the car at rest stops or for dining. If you leave another Nuvi ON with you outside the car, it may turn off accidentally (thus deleting your route), or continue to speak up with commands from your pocket wherever you happen to stroll.

After creating a route, I double check the 855, to be certain it has selected the intended roads. It is also vital to check against any unintended “side routes,” which can happen with Via Points selected in cities: The Nuvi will set your Via Point at some centerpoint of a city, and not necessarily along the highway you expect to stay on. It is up to the user to make sure you won’t be unexpectedly be exiting off the intended route…into and through X city or town. The foregoing steps and precautions make for more work (and require lots of “zooming in” on the map screen) but I have learned NOT to blindly depend on the Nuvi choosing routes automatically, until after I have inspected EVERY Via Point. I happen to enjoy creating my routes just as much as I used to study road maps before every long trip: Your mileage may vary!

Other Enjoyable 855 Features

Custom Display of POIs: I can select which POI categories to display (or not!), and they show up at the map detail levels I like to use. I display just restaurants and gas stations for now; I might also add lodging during future trips. There are a dozen categories to choose from.

Custom Avoids: I can also specify a particular street, road, or highway if I want to prevent the Nuvi ever routing me there. Even better, I can draw a rectangular or square area of any size, to prevent the Nuvi accessing that geographic space. This may prove useful during future road trips, if I am otherwise unable to prevent being routed where I don’t want to go.

Quick Map Scrolling: I am not certain, but it appears the 855 scrolls quicker and smoother than I’ve seen in other models. This is helpful when I preview a lengthy Custom Route, especially when “zoomed out” to 50 miles or so screen width.

High Map Detail: The 855 offers one more level of map detail than the 755, such that I can better view names of adjacent streets and even towns as we travel; it has four levels of detail (although the 760 was even better with five levels). I really appreciate being able to “zoom out” on the map, when I want to know names of nearby towns and streets.

Upcoming Turn is displayed at the top of the map screen when on a Custom Route. I have read of others being dissatisfied with their route showing only the street name they are currently traveling on.

Some Other Disadvantages of the 855

The 855 does not have the Traffic feature offered on the 205 series, or the 755/765. Our limited experience during primarily Interstate travel found the Traffic feature mostly unhelpful. Three or four times it alerted us to upcoming traffic delays, but none were of significance; a supposed 10 minute delay brought up a suggested detour, but when the alert was cancelled…the detour was still recommended: We stayed on route. Perhaps others who use the 855 daily in major urban areas actually find Traffic alerts useful.

I cannot operate the 855 while plugged into USB power. The 760/755 were fully operational while on the computer, and this was useful to try out various routing techniques while reading about them online (especially Gary Hayman’s Nuvi “Tips and Tricks…”).

I miss not being able to configure the “data field” at the bottom right of the 855, and thus cannot choose between displaying Distance to Destination, Remaining Drive Time, Arrival Time, Elevation, etc., as on the 755. I also do not have the “route summary information” tab feature, which displays time of travel and distance for each newly identified destination address.

I believe that my 855 speaks its turn instructions just a bit later than on the 760 or 755 (at .7 miles instead of .8, at highway speeds, and at slightly less than .2 miles for the final warning). Even if this apparent glitch turns out to be corrected by a software update, I think these warnings should be provided even earlier, at least 1.0 mile ahead. To overcome this concern, we have learned to check all “Next Turn” commands several miles ahead of time, by pressing on the upper left corner, both to see and hear the instruction.

NOTE; I have no experience with the Music or Audible Players, the FM transmitter, or downloading the Map Update. I will be downloading the software update for the 855, but I’m more worried that it will change some things for the worse, in addition to whatever improvements occur. I do look forward to getting the free (60 day) Map Update, and hope that it adds some useful POIs, as well as more Lane Assistance and Junction Views. Last, I have no interest in the other features built into some Nuvis, such as as 3-Dimensional buildings or ecoRoutes (to help measure gasoline usage/mileage).

Concluding Comments

Despite our brief initial use, I have absolutely NO doubts that the 855 is the model for us: It is far easier to use than the 755 (which is also at the “high end” of the current Nuvi crop), which had very frustrating screen touch problems, as often commented upon by other online users. Because I had used a 760 before, I was constantly upset with the erratic response of the 755 during “keyboard entry” of addresses, as well its frequently bringing up the wrong function or menu when I touched the screen. I am immensely relieved by the accuracy of all keypresses on the 855.

I am very pleased with three 855 improvements (over the 755) that are important to ME (POIs displayed on maps, voice command, map detail), plus several lesser advantages not found on other Nuvis. I also know of a few minor features that the 855 lacks (compared to less expensive Nuvis), but believe that even combined with whatever still undiscovered flaws it may have, that I will love this unit.

I have read numerous Amazon and Costco reviews with very negative opinions of the 855, particularly regarding low volume, routing dislikes, poor battery charging, and even difficulty in operating the On/Off switch. Despite whatever annoyances some have experienced, I have tremendous regard for the 855. I urge buyers to give the 855′s many features a fair test of several weeks driving, and to practice extensively at creating Custom Routes.

Read the online manual and practice with the unit at home to learn efficient use and overcome apparent problems. Help yourself out by reviewing recent complaints and solutions at appropriate GPS forums…and seek personal help by asking your own questions. I especially recommend accessing forums.gpsreview.net as the most “newby friendly” source, and specifically its “Garmin Nuvi Forum.” Several other sites are easily found by internet search for “gps forum.”

I think Garmin has made a major marketing mistake in providing totally inadequate manuals. I do understand the financial decision in not providing written manuals. However, I cannot understand why Garmin doesn’t provide much more extensive instruction in their online manual: What can it possibly cost to provide illustrations and detailed examples of the various steps and menu choices? Prepare one detailed manual, and add/delete the appropriate sections for each new Garmin model…DUH!. I have read far too many online complaints about this or that frustration with various features, which could easily be avoided by Garmin addressing common user problems…and do a much better job of explaining how each Nuvi feature works. Garmin must certainly know the specific issues that users face, and should obviously take care to explain how to avoid them. Many frustrated buyers claim to return their Nuvis because they cannot understand how they are supposed to work, but Garmin apparently does not care enough to satisfy those customers. I grant that many buyers probably don’t take the time to read the online manuals, but those manuals should be much more informative for those who do want to learn ALL about their Nuvis.

If your 855 seems obviously defective, contact Garmin for advice. Request a free exchange if necessary, so that you can begin enjoying your unit as much as I already love mine. I hope that this review helps others to buy an 855 and enjoy making the most of it.

I hope that most persons have enjoyed this review, both first time GPS buyers as well as others familiar with several different brands and models. I apologize for its length, but wrote it this way to give enough information to help others make a well informed decision if the Garmin Nuvi 855 is for them…or if they might decide they would be better off with some other GPS. I have NOT read elsewhere of many of the details presented here…and that is why this report is so verbose. Perhaps if others know of all that the 855 offers, they may agree with me that it is an outstanding value at its current low price. Similarly, some persons may be more inclined to go a step further, and buy the sister model 885…because they also want Bluetooth and the MSN feature. Hey, keep an eye out for future price drops on both units! I also look forward to learning from the responding comments that others might offer in return: I truly look forward to what others can teach me about the 855 features I have yet to discover.

UPDATE July 14, 2009

The biggest negative that I have about the 855 is that one CANNOT really turn if OFF. The Off switch really just puts it into a “Sleep” mode; I’m sure that this was intended as a feature, so that users could turn it back on very quickly (just a couple seconds). Persons who use their 855 regularly will probably always keep their unit fully charged, via daily driving. However, since I intend my Nuvi for only occasional use, I always remove the battery when not in use, to avoid constantly draining it to zero; my assumption is that it will last longer that way than if I am always continually draining/recharging. [My early use found it discharging completely within five days.] The fact that this “sleep” feature (or “NO TOTAL OFF” function] is not mentioned anywhere in the Manual is another example of what I consider poor documentation by Garmin.

I used the TTSVoiceEditor, and am extremely pleased with the results: We can hear all instructions even with windows open at 60mph, and stereo on moderate volume. The volume of spoken commands is actually TOO loud at times, like when we have the windows closed. However, since spoken instructions only occur sporadically, the volume is not a significant issue: We would much rather hear it always loud than always too quiet. The VoiceEditor was very easy to use and apply the volume change: Originally, the American Jill voice was default set at 65, and now I have it at 90 (and Volume remains at 100%). In fact, I also changed the phrase that always comes up when we make a route mistake: We no longer hear Jill tell us that she is “recalculating;” NOW she utters “Oopsy Boo-Boo…Let’s turn around.” YOU can create whatever phrase you like, and make substitute commands for virtually everything in the Nuvi.

I offer the following as useful 855 accessories, all available at Amazon:

Garmin Portable Friction Mount (known as the “beanbag”) for about $25

Garmin Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for nüvi Series and StreetPilot C5XX Series GPS Navigators (C530, C550, and C580)

Garmin 010-11280-00 Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for nüvi Portable GPS for about $30

[I have both mounts, but am currently using the $30 version, because it is more compact and easy to store in the glove compartment; however, it has only 10 Amazon reviews, versus 2,363 reviews for the older and highly popular, 5* version. Make your own choice!]

Garmin Carrying Case ( “wallet” style), costs $17.83, for excellent protection against dropping 855, and can operate Nuvi inside case with full satellite reception

Garmin 010-10987-00 Carrying Case

“Garmin AC Charger,” for about $14.23

Garmin A/C Power Cable for nüvi Portable GPS Navigators (010-10723-00)

This Charger allows 855 users to recharge off wall power, and at the same time have FULL operational control of the Nuvi. This is handy when you want to practice functions and explore features while sitting in the comfort of your living room…or wherever. Otherwise, charging while on USB computer power will NOT let you operate your 855. My unit fully recharges the Nuvi in less than 1.5 hours.

I am very pleased with all the above accessories: They work fine for my needs. I apologize if the type font for the specific models doesn’t display easily above.

Rating: 4 / 5

nice…

The programme name was written at the start of the video AND in the video info

Why did they do that?? I love this GPS it’s my fav of all I have tried!

While the “roadtrip” bag protects it from getting lost, it doesn’t protect it from fingerprints and scratches.

This particular cover is wonderful. It slips over the Magellan like a glove and fits snugly, meaning it won’t come off inside the bag, and it keeps the GPS fully protected.

I know the leather is faux (a fancy word for fake), but it looks nice and adds a bit of class. The soft inside is great for holding and protecting the GPS.

If you are looking for a low-cost cover, this one is nice and fits great. It is made sturdily, and looks like it will last a long time.
Rating: 5 / 5

I have wanted a case for a while, but the price turned me off from the brand names. This item is priced so as to be an affordable accessory to my unit. In addition, I loved the hassle free packing, which was 100% recyclable and was very easy to open. I like this so well that I will be buying one for my daughter for Christmas.

Rating: 5 / 5

Both fit perfectly in the Garmin 4.3-Inch Carrying Case. But, now that I own this AmazonBasics Carrying Case for Portable GPS Units (Black), which costs less and, I think, is better-made, I see no reason to buy the Garmin case.

This AmazonBasics unit is slightly smaller in exterior dimensions than the Garmin one, yet the AmazonBasics case is padded better. In addition, the AmazonBasics unit has elastic extensions on its sides rather than the vinyl ones on the Garmin; the extensions leave room at both the top and bottom of the sides in order to facilitate retrieving the GPS unit. It is easy to insert and remove my Garmins in either of these two cases.

Don’t let the elastic sides dissuade you from the purchase; they appear to be quite robust and I am certain that this case will last at least as long, if not longer, than Garmin’s own.

Like the Garmin case, the AmazonBasics case has a pocket; however about the only thing you could put into either would be a few small pieces of paper. Especially when the GPS is stored in either of the cases, it is difficult to retrieve anything stored in the pocket. Yet I suppose it’s better to have it than not to have it. Someone may find a use for it.

Since AmazonBasics has begun, I have obtained several of their items. In all cases thus far I have found the items to be at least comparable to the “name-brand” equivalent (and better made in some cases) and they are priced lower. In my opinion, Amazon Basics products represent good value for money.

The “frustration-free” packaging is a bonus; though you DO need an implement to open the box (I use an ordinary letter opener), there is none of the teeth-gnashing associated with those “wonderful modern” plastic packaging which are now so ubiquitous. (I detest that type of packaging!)

I give this little case five stars in its category – for its construction, for its design, for its usefulness, and for its price.

For owners of the Garmin 200-series GPS units, and for owners of other GPS units which are of the same size, I recommend this case highly.
Rating: 5 / 5

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