Sticker shock awaits the GPS shopper who eyeballs the Garmin Nuvi 360. At first blush, this tiny navigation system appears woefully overpriced, especially considering that the almost identical-looking TomTom One sells for half as much. However, the Nuvi's diminutive size belies its impressive performance, advanced features and superb satellite reception -- and you can buy it online for hundreds less than the $964.27 list price. That's good, because although the Nuvi 360 rocks as both a GPS and a hands-free speakerphone, that price is a bit hard to justify.
  Garmin Nuvi 360 Click image to launch image gallery. |
Measuring 3.9 x 2.9 x 0.9 inches, the 5.1-ounce Nuvi isn't much larger than its 3.5-inch screen, and therefore can slip easily into a pocket. The device has no physical controls save for a power button on the top edge; all other interaction is performed via its touch screen. That works fine for the most part, but I miss having dedicated volume-control buttons. Thankfully, there's a shortcut to the onscreen controls: A quick press of the power button.
Stocked with about 2GB of memory, the Nuvi comes preloaded with street maps of North America (or Europe if you live "across the pond"). The RAM drive has about 500MB of free space you can use for MP3s, digital photos, or additional maps, or even just to transport files between PCs (the Nuvi appears as a regular storage device when connected to a USB port). There's also an SD memory-card slot in case you need additional storage space.
Bright And Clear
The Nuvi's 3.5-inch screen is one of the brightest in the group. Even on sunny days I had no trouble reading the display while driving, though in direct sun it does get a bit dim. Garmin supplies a suction-cup mounting arm that holds the Nuvi firmly in place; I didn't detect even a hint of wobble, even on bumpy roads. However, the arm is quite short, measuring just a few inches, so if you have a deep dashboard, you may find the Nuvi a bit farther away than you'd prefer.
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• Introduction • Averatec Voya 350 • Garmin Nuvi 360 • Mio C710 • TomTom One • Conclusion |
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It's also a fun little traveling companion. Its maps look colorful and almost cartoonish (but in a good way), and instead of the typical arrow representing your position, there's a little car. It's a small detail, but it made me smile. Other small details include the Nuvi's support for not just MP3s, but Audible audiobooks as well. It can also display a photo slideshow and a world clock, and it even comes with handy tools like currency/measurement converters and a calculator.
But what really separates the Nuvi from competitors like the TomTom One is its speakerphone function. All you need is a compatible Bluetooth phone and you can use the Nuvi for hands-free conversations. Not only that, but points-of-interest dialing as well: Just tap the phone icon that appears in any POI entry and the Nuvi will dial the number for you.
The Case For Bluetooth
I tested these Bluetooth features with my Sony Ericsson T610. Everything worked smoothly, from pairing the two devices to making and receiving hands-free calls. I particularly liked the way the Nuvi was able to display my phone's address book without any intervention on my part -- it just absorbed the numbers automatically. The Call Home button was a nice perk, too, though I had to set that number manually. My only complaint was that I couldn't adjust speaker volume without going through the aforementioned three-step process. Note to Garmin for the Nuvi 370: Volume buttons, please!
Also, would it kill them to bundle the optional GTM10 receiver ($199) so owners can take advantage of the Nuvi's traffic-monitoring feature? This nifty option pulls real-time traffic data from Clear Channel's Total Traffic Network, which the Nuvi uses to route you around congested areas. I wasn't able to test this option, but I think a $965 GPS should include the necessary antenna. At least you get 15 months of TTN service when you buy the GTM10 -- after that it's $50 per year.
In my driving tests, the Nuvi performed like a champ. However, I noticed that it tended to issue final turn instructions a bit late, like when you're right on top of an exit ramp instead of, say, a hundred feet away. But the text-to-speech feature helps navigation considerably, as it tells you the name of the next street to turn on rather than just the distance from it.
No doubt about, the Nuvi 360 is a class act all the way, from its rock-solid navigation skills to its envy-inspiring speakerphone capabilities. It's the GPS I most want to keep, though I still take umbrage with the price. You get your money's worth, but you can get an equally competent navigation system for significantly less.
Nuvi 360 Garmin Ltd. www.garmin.com Price: $964.27 Summary: There's everything to love about Garmin's compact, feature-packed navigation system—except the price. |
