GPS Navigators Review

One of the main purposes of a GPS device is to provide right directions to your destination. And what much better way to enjoy this than by getting the information you want without merely touching the device. The latest lines of nüvi GPS from Garmin made this possible, and one of them is the nüvi 885T. This device is top of the line and one of the best gadgets released by the company. It doesn’t only serve as the road guide; it also provides a lot of useful information via MSN Direct.

The most sought after features of the Garmin nüvi 855T are voice recognition, lane assist with junction view, and the huge database of up-to-date contents from MSN Direct. This model was released early this year and several models came out thereafter, yet the 855T still is one of the feature-packed interactive GPS devices from Garmin.

Features Defined

Indeed, it is very convenient, not to mention safe, to have a voice-activated GPS device. With the Garmin nüvi 855T, you don’t even have to take your hands off the steering wheel to get the direction to your desired destination. All there is to be done is to program the device by recording the words corresponding each of the buttons on the screen. After which, the functions will already be voice-activated. This allows you to focus on the road instead of worrying on which buttons to push on the Nuvi’s screen.

With the lane assist and junction view that is built in to the nüvi 855T, you will be able to see a better picture of the roads that you will pass through. This is especially helpful on tough intersections and unfamiliar roads with several lanes. This feature tells you exact maneuvers you have to do on upcoming roads and turns, even road signs are included. The 855T is also preloaded with tons of POIs and can easily tell you the nearest address in case you get lost somewhere. Just say, “Where am I?” and the device will give you the information.

To further enhance the navigation experience, Garmin included MSN Direct with their latest nüvi lines, including the 855T. Subscription to MSN Direct is free for 3 months upon purchase of the unit. After which, an annual fee of $49.95 is required for you to continue enjoying the service. Some of the interesting features of MSN Direct are traffic conditions, fuel prices, Doppler weather, flight status, movie listings, news headlines, stock prices, and there is also the send to GPS capability which allows you to plan trips online using Windows Live Local and send the trip wirelessly to the nüvi 855T.

Few Roadblocks

One of the limitations of the Garmin nüvi 855T is its price, especially on its initial offering. These days, however, the price has gone to almost less than half that, yet it is still expensive for some. Also, in a given route, the device has a limit of 500 way points. Though that may already sound plenty, some GPS enthusiasts would still wish there could have been more.

The most noticeable weakness of the 855T is the quality of sound its internal speaker produces. The volume is quite low that you need to really be focusing on what it is saying or you need to have quiet surroundings in order for the words to be clearly audible. Garmin definitely needs to improve on that.

Despite the few drawbacks mentioned, the Garmin nüvi 855T is truly a best deal given the host of different features and functionalities it offers. Everything that you would want on a GPS device is all in the 855T.