Garmin Nuvi 360
THE PERFECT GPS FOR YOUR CAR OR WHEN YOU GO BACKPACKING AROUND THE GLOBE
It still hard to believe that GPS technology has only been around since 1999, when the first Global Positioning Satellites were declared active in April that year. Garmin has been one of the leaders in this market since the initial launch of the satellites and to prove that point, there has not been a single product from Garmin that we have not rated highly.
The Nüvi range of GPS devices has long been one of our favourites, simply because it combines a small form factor with powerful, and versatile, GPS software. In actual fact, Garmin refers to the Nüvi range as PTAs (Personal Travel Assistants), which means that these units were designed for GPS navigation both in a vehicle and on foot - perfect for any traveller.
If you have used any of Garmin’s GPS devices over the last year or two, you should feel right at home when you boot up the Nüvi 360 for the first time. The mapping software on this unit is Garmap, the same software found on most of Garmin’s GPS units. The major difference between the new Nüvi 360 and the older PTAs is that this one features Bluetooth capabilities. Connecting your cellphone to the Nüvi 360 via Bluetooth will instant turn this GPS device into a Bluetooth hands-free device. Considering that the Nüvi 360 also ships with a car cradle, this is a great feature.
Using the unit is exceptionally easy. The software was developed for one-finger operation and the maps are easy to read on the 2.8-inch tooth-sensitive LCD. When the unit is switched on, you are presented with three options: ‘Where to?’, ‘View Map’, and ‘Travel Kit’. Selecting the first option will take you to another menu structure, where you can choose the location you wish to go to. The Garmap software has a large range of preconfigured locations such at lodging, restaurants, petrol garages, shopping mails, attractions, hospitals, and the list goes on. When you select one of these options, the software will automatically give you a list of the places closest to your location. You can obviously also enter a street address and the GPS will plot your course accordingly. When you select ‘View Map’ from the main menu, you will be presented with a map of your current location. You can then zoom in or out and see the roads in your vicinity. The map view will also pop up once you have entered your destination details, with the road you need to take highlighted in purple. The map view will also indicate your cardinal direction, current speed and estimated time of arrival (which is surprisingly accurate). As mentioned before, the Nüvi 360 is a PTA and as such it has a host of travel-orientated features. These are found, not surprisingly, in the ‘Travel Kit’. There is a world clock, currency converter, MP3 player, and a language guide. Unfortunately, the language guide has to be purchased separately, but it will allow you to enter a phrase that will automatically be translated into the language of your choice. The Nüvi 360 will even say the phrase out loud.
As a GPS, the Nüvi 360 is by far one of the most user-friendly devices we have ever tested. The GPS maps are also extremely accurate and over the holidays we found the built-in trip computer very valuable. It gives you various readings such as distance travelled, amount of time stopped, maximum speed, and so on. In our opinion, the only downside is that the Nüvi 360 is not particularly cheap. By the time this magazine hits the shelves, Garmin should have released its latest entry-revel device called the Nüvi 200, which should have a very attractive price if you are not after the travel and Bluetooth capabilities of the Nüvi 360.
Garmin Nüvi 360 and more GPS devices and info!
Tags: bluetooth, garmap, garmin, garmin nuvi 360, gps, Nüvi 200, PTA