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| Garmin StreetPilot c580 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct | 
 enlarge | Brand: Garmin
Category: CE
List Price: $499.99
Buy New: $148.54
You Save: $351.45 (70%)
New (51) Used (4) Refurbished (2)
Avg. Customer Rating:  202 reviews
Sales Rank: 156
Platform: Not Machine Specific
Media: Electronics
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Native Resolution: 320 x 240
Display Size: 3.5
Includes MP3 Player: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.9
Dimensions (in): 2 x 4 x 3
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
MPN: 0100052206
Model: 0100052206
UPC: 753759068004
EAN: 0689076109529
ASIN: B000MF7L50
Release Date: January 8, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Garmin Street Pilot Portable Navigator with MSN direct September 22, 2008
This is the my first GPS unit. So I don't know what is great and what should or should not be. Overall, I am pleased with the unit. It was easy to setup and use. The maps are all preloaded which is good. The point of interest are great. I can find anything I want and get easy directions to their location. I can add my favorites as well. If I miss a turn it will recalculate the trip automatically. I have not used the bluetooth feature but plan to. The MSN direct is easy to use as well. The service will direct your route of travel around traffic. The gas listing I have found very useful. The turn by turn is great, it tells you the street name and therefore you do not have to take your eyes off the road or guess which street if there are many close together. I could not understand the name of some streets because the pronounciation was flawed and sometimes the voice says road or place instead of street and that could be a problem down the road when I really don't know where I am going. But so far it has been a okay.
Garmin StreetPIlotC580 GPS September 20, 2008
I was very impressed with the GPS. It takes you exactly where you want to go. This is my first experience witha GPS and it is sooo neat. I got a 2009 map upgrade free with the purchase when I registered it, but had trouble downloading it. It is a file over 2 gig so you really need a fast broadband connection or you should select the option to pay for and get on a DVD. They provided a DVD with the upgrade on because of the problem. I now need to get a DVD player to complete the process.
 Garmin c580 review September 19, 2008
The database is not the most up-to-date. The directions/route-planning is decent but not the most optimal at all times - sometimes, it makes you go through way too many turns just to shave off a few yards. I would've liked it if the algorithm was a little smarter. Overall, the GPS part works reasonably well. The screen is clear and bright and very visible even when viewed through polarized sunglasses. The text-to-speech and street name announcement is nice. However, the MSN Direct receiver takes a long time to download information. I would call it an OK product. I like it slightly better than the Tomtoms I've seen in other people's cars - primarily because of the TTS. But I expected more out of Garmin - especially due to the glowing reviews they get. My experience with some built-in GPS nav units has been much more positive. Although for $2-3K, they are 10 times the cost of this portable little unit! With pricing the way it is on this unit, it's not a bad gadget to have around. I'd suggest it primarily for finding stuff in an unfamiliar city. However, pay attention to your general sense of direction and location and do not blindly follow the GPS' directions. None of the portable units I've seen so far are perfect.
It's OK September 18, 2008
the product generally works well and does what it is supposed to do. I'm amazed at the general productivity and value generated by a GPS unit when it is working properly and wish I had gotten one sooner (this is my first).
However, I've found many defects in the GPS system, the mapping, and the MSN Direct service. MSN Direct basically has little to no signal power anywhere in the US, they have terrible coverage everywhere, and that is a problem as it is hard to get any MSN Direct features updated. I would value the MSN Direct Service at about $0.01. The maps are sometimes inaccurate, wrong, outdated, and/or just plain incorrect. I've found several routes and areas where the GPS is just plain wrong. The maps should be more accurate and the routing calculations should take into account accuracy. This is critical as I hate being led to the nearest station, only to find out the gas station no longer (or more likely) never existed in the first place.
I've been led astray a couple of times already, and I just bought it a couple of weeks ago. Not good.
Great Garmin! September 18, 2008
This model is a step up from the now deleted 550 version and is a terrific replacement. This newer version which can be found for hundreds of dollars less than it's original price offers just about everything anyone could ask for. I will confess I love the look of the slightly larger, newer, flat-screen Nuvi models but this beats almost all of them for the money. If you get a new one and find that it does not have the latest map version, Garmin will supply you a CD for upgrading or you can download the new maps from their site for free. The mapping system is great, in the year and half I've had my 550 I have not found a single street that was not in the data base, and this new one residing in my wife's vehicle seems to have even more info. As with all GPS units, you may find that the Garmin will not always know the shortcuts that you my have discovered over the years in your local area, most folks don't need a GPS to get around their own back yard.
The built-in MP-3 player is very cool and will take a regular SD Card for music or as in my case, old radio shows for playback as you drive. If your auto radio has inputs for external devices you can play back your music and driving directions through you car sound system. I've found that one of the best features is that this model will sync with your bluetooth phone and you can ditch that annoying earpiece while you are driving. Your phone rings through the Garmin unit or your radio, you press one button and have your conversation. When you first pair the Garmin unit with your phone, it installs all the information from the phone onto the Garmin so when you go to make a call, one button brings up your list of names and numbers, you press the dial button and your call is made. The speaker in the Garmin is fine for calls and I've never had any reports of problems with anyone I've called hearing me loud and clear at their end. I do wish the volume went a tiny bit louder for music playback when it's not playing through my radio, but that is a minor complaint for sure.
The 580 also comes with a free year of MSN which allows you to check movie theater locations, start times for the movies, the location of gas stations in your area with the current price of gas, weather and traffic conditions, temperature, in your area and more. Of course there are ton's of points of interest included and you can add more with some optional Garmin tools available from their website. Thousands of addresses for restaurants, coffee shops, etc., are at your fingertips too.
Highly recommended by this user..........
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