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| Garmin nüvi 680 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator | 
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| Brand: Garmin
Category: CE
List Price: $964.27
Buy Refurbished: $188.95
You Save: $775.32 (80%)
New (73) Used (4) Refurbished (10)
Avg. Customer Rating:  160 reviews
Sales Rank: 862
Platform: Not Machine Specific
Media: Electronics
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Native Resolution: 480 x 272
Display Size: 4.3
Includes MP3 Player: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 9 x 2.9 x 4.9
nv:Type: Receiver
Acquisition Time Cold: 38 Seconds
Acquisition Time Warm: 1 Second
Update Rate: 1/second, continuous
GPS Accuracy Position: 10 meters
GPS Accuracy Velocity: 0.05 meter/sec RMS
Inputs: USB
Inputs: Bluetooth
Display: TFT
Touch Screen: Yes
Voice: Yes
Expansion Slots: SD Card
Battery Type: Nonreplaceable Lithium-Ion Battery
Battery Life: 3 hours
Antenna: SIRF-GPS antenna
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
Warranty: The Official Ford Licemsed Garmin nüvi 680 product features a full 3-Year Warranty from Garmin. The Ford Licensed Garmin nuiv 680 comes with a 3 year warranty certificate from Garmin in the box. This is a FULL 2-Years longer than the Garmin warranty offered by other retailers.
MPN: 010-00540-25
Model: 010-00540-25
UPC: 053759067992
EAN: 0753759067991
ASIN: B000MF4N42
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Mostly a disappointment July 7, 2007
8 out of 12 found this review helpful
I wrote a much larger and more comprehensive review, but Amazon somehow dedicded not to publish it. Let's try again.
I rate the device as two stars for the following reasons:
- The navigation functionality of the device is by far the best feature. (go figure) For the most part, it works well, reads street names correctly, and has generally good ideas about navigation. This is where my likes for this device end.
- The device, either when it gets lost or when you make a wrong turn seems to quickly recalculate a new navigation plan. The problem is, it makes impractical turn requests, such as turning in 100 feet when you are driving at 40 MPH! Of course, you miss that turn having not had the chance to cross 4 lanes of traffic in such little time and at that speed, it recalculates again, and the cycle repeats. Eventually you pull over or simply turn the thing off.
- The device gets lost, a lot. It frequently puts me on Main St instead of Elm (I live in Dallas, TX), or thinks I'm traveling north/south when I'm actually driving east/west. And, then the recalculation cycle begins, etc, etc.
- The device takes forever to find the satilites and seems to loose them easily within Dallas proper. It seems to take a lot longer on the high precision mode, but in low precision mode the device is so in accurate it can think I'm blocks away from where I actually am an the navigation becomes absolutely worthless. It works better in the suburbs.
- The Nuvi 680 has an annoying penchant for recommending you drive against traffic on one way streets the wrong way, in particular Continental ave in downtown Dallas. Ignoring the device's request to endanger myself and break the law, this, of course, begins the never ending recalculation cycle mentioned above.
- Unless set to "shortest path", the Nuvi will *always* direct you to a navigation involving expressways, even if it's miles out of your way. In Dallas, this is almost never the "fastest way" as we have many major surface streets that offer "green wave" stoplights and are better for navigation, in particular during busy weekday hours. Set to Shortest Path, the Nuvi does much, much better, but will recommend side streets with tons of stop signs and turns instead of a reasonable compromise of using a major avenue like Ross, Gaston or Live Oak that are only a block or two out of the way. I can only imagine the device has the same failures in other cities if it's this bad in Dallas.
- I bought the device to help me avoid traffic. Using the MSN direct and following the device's advice, I've been jammed in more bad traffic than I ever did before I owned it. Mid day last week, the Nuvi recommended 635 between the Tollway and 75. Now, anyone that's been in Dallas for 2 months knows this is a stupid move -- take Forrest instead. Well, no traffic problems were shown, so I took the Nuvi's advice and promptly sat on the roadway for 20 minutes. This is unacceptable that a decade-old piece of knowledge about the city isn't in the database. $10 says next month when I'm in Boston it routes me right through the big dig.
- The MP3 Player is a travesty. First, it will only play classical and jazz CDs that have a "low level". Pop CDs play very, very distorted. The output level to the FM transmitter is also very low, so you will find yourself *cranking* your radio to hear anything. Don't switch stations if you like your ears!
- The FM Transmitter is really weak. My antenna is only about 3 ft from where I mount the Nuvi, but the reception is noisy, has interference, is waaaaay less in level than other radio stations (I know that's unavoidable to some extent) and sounds so bad I just can't stand to use it. This is a real disappointment in the device.
My recommendation is to purchase a basic navigation system without the frills and MSN direct, which mostly don't work in a satisfactory manner, and save yourself the extra money.
 Excellent device -- hard to beat July 4, 2007
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I think this product works just as a GPS should work -- accurately and simply. The screen is outstanding. The computer is fast doing recalculations and so far, no misdirections. The only fault I find is that the device MUST be plugged in to the cigarette lighter to use the MSN traffic and weather functions. I did not realize the FM receiver was in the charger and not the device itself. This somewhat defeats the "cordless" aspect of the device. But it's so much better than OEM systems in cars -- not to mention quite a bit less expensive.
Update -- a little con: there is a flaw in the text to speech function. The computer voice reads "Dr." as "Doctor" not "Drive" -- that's understandable, except when refering to traffic directions!
Super Unit June 30, 2007
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
I live in central Florida and travel up and down the east coast. The gps is great and usually finds the shortest routes but sometimes it can be fooled by new construction. Found everything in Disney World and seems to be pretty up to date. I love it. My friend with a built in Lexus GPS is very jealous of it and is buying a unit for his second car.
Very, very, very nice GPS system. June 22, 2007
74 out of 81 found this review helpful
This is a nice little unit. I used to program GPS applications so I have used a few. The software running this unit is great. The GPS algorithms for finding the shortest or the longest route work excellently. I tested with 4 separate routes. When you deviate from your route the unit is a little slow to pick up on it, 2 or 3 seconds depending on how far you have moved, but then it starts recalculating and gets you back on track.
The maps are easy to read and the views (2d and 3d) are easily switched and zoomed.
The MP3 player works great. It plays music and when it needs to give a voice command it pauses the music and tells you what it needs to tell you. The FM tuner works well too. Although if you come in range of a station the station takes over.
The hands free calling works great. As soon I as I get in the car it finds my phone. If music is playing, it is puts it on pause until you are done on the phone and then turns it right back on.
The user interface is very intuitive and user friendly. I have hardly needed to use the manual or help.
The MSN direct features work good also. They take some time when you first turn it on to download all the information. The traffic feature has worked well. The data has been up to date so far. If it tells you a road is closed, LISTEN TO IT!!!!! We decided not to and sat in 4 hours of traffic because we thought "No way could the turnpike be closed." We could have totally avoided it.
The movie data in my area have all been up to date and have included some theaters I didn't know existed. The gas feature usually has data (prices) that is a day or 2 old, but it did list all the gas stations in my area.
At first when I used the suction cup mount I thought it was defective because it kept falling off. After reading the directions, I discovered that I need to clean all the dust of the window before trying to use it. Since I have discovered that little trick it has worked great. We have used it in our 2 cars and truck.
We do yard sales on Saturday and my girlfriend had to make maps with MapPoint every week. Now we just put the addresses in as we go.
Having a GPS like this definitely changes the way you travel. Running errands is great. I type in the name of the store I want to go to and go to the closest one. Then type in the next one. I have discovered a lot of store locations I didn't know about.
Over all the purchase was definitely worth it.
Best one yet June 5, 2007
3 out of 13 found this review helpful
If you can get one, do it. The very best GPS you can have.
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