Garmin Nuvi GPS - overview of the Nuvi line and its features

Garmin is one name that has been synonymous with GPS and navigation systems. As to their portable navigation systems for cars units, their Nuvi line has been the best sellers as compared to other brands of portable GPS in the market. The Nuvi line starts with their 205 series which is the entry level units but don't that discourage you in buying because they offer a lot of features that you generally need.

The Garmin 205W features the 4.3 inch screen that is glare free so that it can be seen even if it is out in the sun. It has turn by turn voice directions and have an option for 3 dimensional or 2 dimensional maps which shows POI or even accepts your customized saved Points of interests.These portable units are not just for cars but it was designed to fit in a pocket that you can actually use it to navigate yourself as a pedestrian, Aside from being a GPS system, it can also be used as a picture viewer, currency converter, world clock and calculator.

All Nuvi 205s are preloaded with City Navigator data for the US version which includes Hawaii and Puerto Rico but doesn't include Alaska. If you are just starting to use GPS on your daily driving, this unit will fit your needs and with usually less than $100.00 retail price.

There are a lot more models on the Nuvi line and it goes up to their top of the line Garmin Nuvi 3700 series which offers a thinner profile and mostly resembles like an iphone and is only 9 mm thick, a full glass 4.3 inch multi-touch display and you can set it to show the maps horizontally or vertically. Aside from the thinner profile, it has a subscription free "traffic trends" which depending on the time of the day, it will predict the best route for you to avoid traffic. It also has a "myTrends" feature which the GPS unit will learn from your driving habits and will predict and set itself automatically to your intended destination without input from the driver. It also has a "lane assist" feature which eliminates errors in exiting major freeways by prompting you to change your lane whenever you are near in exiting the freeway. And because it is designed to appeal more on pedestrian navigation due to it's slim size, the Garmin Nuvi 3700 series have an option to download and install a version of "cityExplorer" which will help you navigating the city and has information on where the bus stops, subways and tram areas are and also post their transit schedules.

Prices on the Garmin Nuvi GPS 3700 starts at $350 to $500 and the higher priced model adds lifetime updates on the map and traffic information access which is a pretty good deal by itself. It also responds to your voice "speak commands" which you can control without leaving your hands on the wheel of the car. Also with bluetooth connectivity, the unit can be used for hands free calling.