I would say there is no perfect GPS unit in the market, but this definitely is one of the best.

If you were a nuvi owner like me, a previous owner of a nuvi 350 GPS, you will know that nuvi is very easy to operate. You do not need any thick manual to study how to use the unit, just get it out the box, turn it on, and play it around, then you are ready to go. This is a nuvi, so, yes, it is easy to use. As a trade off, some advanced routing functions are not included in this unit, for example, you can not add many via points to one route.

Basically, Nuvi 260 is a Nuvi 250 with Text to Speech, so even you can not find many reviews for Nuvi 260, actually you can just search those for Nuvi 200 or 250. Nuvi 260 is also a nuvi 350 after some weight loss which means some functions such as MP3 player will miss in this unit. The box comes with the unit contains less accessories than the one for 350 too. You will not have USB cable,leather case, and AC charger. However, in other hand, the 260 has more improvement. What I like most is the screen brightness which is really fantastic compared to the nuvi350. It is highly readable even directly under the sun light. The view angle of this screen is also much wider than that of the 350. Both the driver and the front seat passenger can read the screen easily if you place the unit in the middle. While my experience with 350 is that you need adjust the unit to a right angle so that the reflection from the screen will not bother the driver from reading the screen. Another sweet part is the internal antenna which makes the unit more sleek than the 350.

The mount is still easy to assemble, easy to adjust, compact. Unfortunately Garmin changed the mount slightly from the design of 350.For the nuvi 350 the power cord connects to the mount and then the mount feeds power to the Nuvi, but in the 260, the power cord connects directly to the device. So in order to disassemble your 260, you need disconnect both the power cable and the mount which is not as convenient as the case for 350.

My unit has a Bravo sensor instead of the SIRF III sensor in 350. Both are boasted as the high sensitivity sensor. After testing it for several trips and in my home. I found that the Bravo has better signal receipt ability than the SIRF III. I can easily get full bars signal before my computer desk with Bravo, but with 350, I can only receive signal near to the window. Somehow I feel that the SIRF III has better accuracy although the difference is subtle. Like I said, no GPS is perfect, so neither does the sensor.

Overall, I like the 260 very much. Garmin has the best navigation engine and algorithm in the industry, so you do not need doubt its navigation performance at all. Furthermore, this is the cheapest Garmin nuvi with text to speech. If you like Text to speech and do not need other fancy functions like bluetooth, mp3 etc, this one is definitely the best choice for you. Otherwise, if you do not care the text to speech function, you may consider nuvi 250 or nuvi 200(no Canada map) which are cheaper.

Updated(Dec. 8,2007)
For those who do not like the window mount, I strongly suggest you check out this friction mount:
http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Portable-Friction-StreetPilot-010-10908-00/dp/B000LRMS66
I purchased it with my nuvi 260 and it works great!

It's tiny, works great and is a decent price compared to the rest of the GPS units out there. It's my first GPS and I'm using it with a Mac - very impressed! And, Garmin finally has a web updater that works on Mac OS X - now I just need to get some extras for it! My only complaint with Garmin is their website, it seems quite confusing and not user-friendly. Not to mention they have about 40 models of GPS that are difficult to distinguish. Rant aside, this unit is wonderful and has a great new design without any flip up antenna. Recommended!

Never thought I'd buy I GPS unit but what the heck, the prices are dropping and I'm a gadget geek.

So I get this unit, hook it up, and all is good!

The voice is a bit robotic but that's what I expected and I suspect other GPS units are the same. Certain words/letters (street names) are not clearly annunciated given the limit of the robot voice but it's good enough. If a certain street name is not spoken clearly and you're not sure what it just spoke all you need to do is take a quick glance at the green bar at the top of the screen and it's all spelled out for you...not a problem at all.

I love this thing!

The Nuvi 260 is a Nuvi 250 with the addition of text-to-speech (speaks actual names), so check out the detailed reviews for the Nuvi 250. Other than the text-to-speech feature, the units are identical in appearance and operation.

Why did I buy this? While many other GPS models have features not needed for navigating (such as an MP3 player or Bluetooth), the 260 only has what I (and most people) really use in a portable GPS. It's sleek, intuitive, easily transportable, has a tremendous database, fast processor, and doesn't force you to waste your money on features you didnt want in the first place, plus you will never use.

Unlike the flip-up antenna found in Garmin's 300 series, the 200 series has an internal antenna...a big plus. (One less thing to break.) In addition, the screen in the 200 series units is significantly brighter and sharper than Garmin's older 300 series.

Speaking street names is a tremendous asset. Units that don't have text-to-speech say "In 500 feet exit right". That forces you to glance at the screen to see what street/exit/etc you need to navigate to. A unit with text-to-speech says " In 500 feet take exit 52, on right, to Route 80 West". You keep your eyes on the road with this feature. So besides the convenience, text-to-speech is a safety feature that is worth the extra dollars.

What do I dislike about the Nuvi 260?
1)I am not a fan of the windshield suction mount. In many reviews people have said that the mount is not reliable in the long term. It randomly falls off (this happened to me a few times). On a hot day the suction cup can soften and is reluctant to to come off at all, or it leaves a telltale ring on the windshield. That's not good. Save yourself from the inevitable and buy the beanbag dash mount. (In a few states it is illegal to use a windshield mount).
2) The information in the database and maps can be a few years old. This problem is seen in all brands of GPS units, not just Garmin. There are millions of points of interest and roads to keep track of. It changes by the minute. By the time the final product makes it to market, some of it is already outdated. But, for over 99% of the time, it is correct and it finds what I looking for. Until the manufacturers figure out a way to update their databases and maps in real time, this is what we have.

Once you think about what the really important features are in a portable GPS unit, you will realize that the Garmin Nuvi 260 is a wise choice. The touchscreen interface in the Nuvi 260 is so intuitive, many people can skip the short instruction book altogether. Ten minutes of just "playing around with the unit" is all you will need to be navigating. That's the mark of a great design.

Nothing bad to say about this baby. Gets you from Point A to Point B with TTS (Text To Speech - Talks Street Names) Great signal range, with fast recalculating when you make a wrong turn. Slim profile. Great battery life (5 hours plus) Only minor complaint is that Garmin doesn't include an AC adapter or USB cable for PC connectivity. Even though the unit can be purchsed for under $300 these acceserries will set uou back another $40.

Great product! Almost like having an angel on your shoulder when you're driving in unfamiliar territory! Not only gets you where you're going, but can help find anything you might need. Needed a drugstore when traveling out of town recently, plugged in "CVS" - and it directed us to a store just a mile from our hotel. Even my husband -- who isn't a gadget fan -- is impressed! One piece of advice ... the British voice doesn't announce street names -- just says "Turn left, right, etc." ... so for that feature, use the American voice. That's not clear in the "minimalist" literature!

I'll keep this short and sweet. Since I've had it, It's led me perfectly wherever I planned out, fit easily in my pocket (smallest car GPS?), and looks great, aesthetically. It has a charcoal body, not silver, and the screen is among the brightest out there (unlike the Nuvi 350). There isn't an mp3 player (who cares?) but you can still use an SD card for the jpg viewer. Grab the update online which increases the draw speed on the maps. What adds to the fun of this unit is that you can also download custom vehicle icons from garmin.com AND download various other voices for the Text-To-Speech. It comes with American English "Jill" but you can download both male and female voices for American, British, and Australian English. I have a Santa Sleigh with (a slightly robotic) Lara Croft telling me where to go. I love this GPS!

I got this unit just a few days ago. I like it, but I must admit I was expecting more. My biggest disapointment is about the startup and fix time and then how unbelievably slow the POI database search can sometimes be plus 3-4 out of 10 places are not found. Example: in Houston, there are a few Fry's but after a few mins it found some 300 miles away from me but none close to where I was when there is one just about 5 miles away. Great ! Well, I can live with it if I know the address but...
I also don't like the fact I have to always enter the city name etc., would be much better if the values were retained or if it worked the same way like for the state screen where there is a button with the state you selected last time. As for navigation it seems to give good routing results, when turns are missed it recalcs quickly and so far after a few days of tests I have always arrived where I wanted.
Overall a nice unit but needs improvements.

Pros:
- very sleek and pocketable
- text to speech (pronounces street names)
- good routing results
- quick recalculations
- nice graphics
- good reception even indoor

Small cons:
- when resuming driving after a stop the unit is confused for a while where you are actually headed
- some streets are missing
- POI database is incomplete
- must enter city every time when searching for an address, should be pre-selected (or should remember all previous values)
- speaker seems weak and distorted

Big cons:
- Start up time is 20+ secs to get to the "I agree" screen + some additional time to actually be ready to drive
- Satelite fix can sometimes be slow - 30 secs, even minutes
- Searching for POIs is painfully slow (minutes)

I WAS VERY HESITANT IN BUYING A GPS.. I READ MANY REVIEWS FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT HAPPY WITH THEIR GPS... . ONE BRAND IN PARTICULAR (WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A PERSON'S NAME) HAD MANY BAD REVIEWS. I DEFINITELY DIDNT WANT TO BUY THAT BRAND.....
AFTER WEEKS OF COMPARING , I DECIDED ON BUYING THE GARMIN NUVI 260...
I HAD IT FOR over A WEEK NOW AND I LOVE IT...
I M REALLY GLAD I BOUGHT THE GARMIN NUVI 260...
FOR A FIRST TIME GPS USER.. I THINK THIS ONE IS AMAZING .. ..
IT IS SO EASY TO USE.. EVEN WITHOUT READING THE MANUAL.....THE SCREEN IS SO READABLE EVEN IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT...
OK... SO IT DOESNT HAVE A MP3 - BIG DEAL... I HAVE AN IPOD ALREADY.. THAT CONNECTS TO MY CAR STEREO ANYWAY...
THANKS GARMIN FOR MAKING A GREAT GPS.. I WILL HAVE THIS ONE FOR YEARS
OH BY THE WAY...I AM NOT FROM GARMIN.. :-) I AM JUST A SATISFIED CUSTOMER....!

If all you are looking for is a navigational tool, this is your unit. For me, this unit delivered everything I needed. I already had an I-Pod, a PDA, and all of the other handy dandy gadgets out there. I did not need a GPS unit to blue tooth, do books on tape, or any of the other non-essential options with the more expensive units. As far as the navigation goes, it delivers. I have even tested the ETA's, distance, speed, etc.. when bored with kids on long journeys and this unit is pretty precise. It is definitely worth the money, I totally recommend it.

This GPS is easy to use out of the box. Just plut it in to the charging cord and you can plot your first course. The spoken street names function is wonderful, particularly at intersections with multiple streets converging or on interstates with several exits very close in proximity. The first night I used it I was faced with a major accident that closed the interstate and it rerouted me several times and did so accurately. The screen can be seen clearly, even in bright and glaring light.

First - Love my Nuvi. We have traveled everywhere with it and we now travel with confidence. The speech-to-text is essential, in my opinion, and the Nuvi does it well. Don't know how we got along without it.
Second - the caveat(s). Maps are slightly out of date in places as are the points of interest (which is a real bummer). The Nuvi takes awhile to link up. We loved it so much we bought a second one for our other car, though, and it crashed from the very beginning. Sent it back to Garmin and they sent a refurbished one that was worse than the first. Just got back another one today so we'll see how it goes. BUT - the service support at Garmin is very good. Nice, helpful people. Which is probably why - of all the GPS choices out there - I just bought a third Nuvi for my parents. It's good and it works (mostly).

I just recently purchased my GARMIN NUVI 260 GPS system and I love it!!

I have never owned a GPS system before, and never even had any intentions of buying one. I am not really a "gadget" type of person. I am pretty darn novice when it comes to all the technological devices etc. But, I read a litte about GPS systems, saw that they are now affordable, played with them in the store, and bought one. Now, I LOVE IT!!

The GARMIN NUVI 260 is so easy to use, right out of the box!! I just charged it using my car and the included cord, and I was ready to go!!

I love the TEXT to VOICE feature, as you don't even have to look at the unit when you are driving. You just listen to the voice and it will take you right to where you are going!!

The bottomline is, if I can figure ot how to use t, anyone can!!

I purchased mine from AMERICAN ELECTRONICS in Oak Creek, WI. I worked on the purchase with Matt S., who is the manager of the Electronics Department there. Not only was the price excellent at AMERICAN, they were one of the only places in town that had actual stock on the product!!

Get a GARMIN NUVI 260 and you won't be sorry. Buy it AMERICAN ELECTRONICS in Oak Creek, WI and tell them that Brian sent you. You won't be sorry!!

I have always been known as the one who can get lost in my own neighborhood. My family bought me this GPS for my birthday in November, and I have probably saved gallons of gas and hours of driving time by having Jill (my daughter named it that) direct me.
One day I needed to find a gas station quickly in an area I didn't know, and entered find fuel, and it immediately led me to the closest station.
It has shown me shorter ways to get to places I go frequently, and when I do something different than what it originally tells me to do it doesn't tell me how dumb I was!
It is easy to use. I had to call to find out how to get it to tell me the street names, but it was just how I had the language set. It's a great unit for most anyone, who doesn't need bluetooth or MP3 capibilities.

I can't make any comparisons, since this is my first GPS. I purchased it from Amazon, which was a good experience. I ordered it on Sat and received it yesterday (Tues) I've probably read about 1,000 GPS reviews in the past 6 months, and I picked this model because of its price and TTS feature. I almost purchased the C550, because some comments said the Streetpilot is sturdier, but the Nuvi 260 isn't flimsy at all, and I don't need the Bluetooth or MP3 features. Actually, many of the reviews frightened me, but this is so easy to use, I can't imagine being able to operate a vehicle legally and needing instructions. Seriously, I am mechanically and technically challenged, but this is a touch & go product. For example, one review mentioned the lack of an external volume control and another said the voice was too soft or too loud. Changing the volume takes 2 seconds by tapping on the speaker icon. Another said there were no custom POIs and the first day I entered my home address, the supermarket, my bank, and more. One person wrote that it doesn't announce street names, but you just need to select a language/voice that indicates TTS next to it for that feature. None of this requires a manual, just common sense and a little patience. I'm sure there are many features I haven't yet discovered but will in time.

The signal - as soon as I plugged in the power it received a signal within a few seconds, not minutes. The TTS voice (English Jill) pronounces the street names clearly. Keep in mind this is not a human, so every pronunciation isn't perfect and neither are the directions, but they're close enough. For example, I asked how to get to Publix from my house. Although the directions were correct, I would have driven a little out of my way in the wrong direction and made a U-turn had I not known where to turn. So it apparently doesn't recognize traffic light turns into a mall or shopping center, maybe because there's no street name. (just guessing) Still, it's much better than using a paper map if you are in an unfamiliar area, and it will automatically recalculate the directions if you make a wrong turn. Sometimes that feature takes a few seconds. I tried to fool it by taking a back road, but it quickly found my location and recalculated the route. She even sounded annoyed at me!

This is my one BIG complaint. Maybe it's my ignorance, but the power cord is in such an awkward place that it's nearly impossible to place the unit in a good position without using a mount. Otherwise it would be very simple to put it in my cupholder or even sit it in the little change tray. For some reason, I thought a GPS needed to be facing the sky, but I can get a good signal when it's on the passenger seat or sitting in my center console. Last night I even had a signal inside my concrete block house! If the power cord was a little higher, it wouldn't bend so much and I'd be able to use it without a mount. Even with the included cradle & mount, it still bends and is always in the way!

Another minor complaint is that, although it seems inexpensive at $242 plus shipping, it doesn't even come with a cheap case - nothing! It also doesn't include an A/C cord or a decent instruction manual. I knew all of this before I bought it, but accessories add up quickly. So before you run out and spend more money, look around your house. I found at least 2 zippered cases in which the 260 fits comfortably. One held my mini binoculars which I haven't used in years and another is a small, zippered cosmetic case. Just make sure there are no rough edges that might scratch the touch screen. I lined the case with a microfiber cloth and it's perfect to stick in my pocketbook when I leave the car. I was going to spend another $30 on a bean bag mount, but last night I stuck the dashboard adhesive disk to the plastic cover that flips over the cup holder in my Camry. It's very secure and the suction cup sticks to it so tightly I have to pry it off. Since it's plastic, I "assume" any residue will come off with goo-gone.

I know this is already a long review, but I hope it will help by adding that I went a little crazy trying to get the plastic ball into the cradle. Just press firmly and don't worry about breaking it. I'm not strong and I was ready to give up. Now I can attach and remove it easily. I think it was just my fear of breaking it at first. Also, it's a lot easier to simply remove the cradle from the GPS when you take it with you than to take the mount apart.

The reason I was able to finally decide on spending the extra money for the 260 over the 200 or 250 model was by listening to a couple of demos on YouTube. People actually were nutty enough to drive around filming their GPS experiences, and I'm grateful to them! You can hear how much easier it is to follow instructions when street names are announced. Still, if you are on a tight budget, the GPS always shows the street name in large print at the top of the map, so it's easy to glance at it quickly. I feel the TTS is not only convenient, but adds a safety feature, since you're less likely to take your eyes off the road. Even if it's mounted in front of you on the dash or windshield, you still aren't concentrating on the road if you're reading a map.

In short, this seems to be a great little unit that's user friendly. So far it hasn't disappointed me, although it's only my 2nd day. I posted quickly so newbies like me would know that you don't have to be an expert or a gadget geek to use a GPS.

I just received the Garmin 260 for my birthday. I researched all the brands to death (especially Tom Tom and Garmin) before coming to my decision on what I wanted.
br /Here are my reasons for choosing Garmin over TomTom.
br /1. From everything I have researched, Garmins U.S. maps are much better than TomTom's. Since I don't travel in Europe, Garmin seemed to suit me better.
br /2. The Garmin, in my opinion, is much more "user friendly" out of the box.
br /3. In using the Garmin, the satellite aquisition is very good.
br /4. There are not a lot of extra fancy items to have to filter through.
br /Just get me to where I need to go the best possible way. Garmin does that.
br /
br /Also, for anyone who is trying to decide between saving a few bucks and just having the voice say "turn right in 400 feet" or paying a little more and having the text-to-speech say "turn right in 400 feet on oak street. PAY THE EXTRA COUPLE OF BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
br /
br /If you are driving in a city where the streets are right on top of one another, turning right in 400 feet (or even when right when the voice tells you to turn) may only narrow it down to 2 or 3 streets.
br /You really should have the street names given to you (text-to speech). It helps!!
br /
br /Another thing. I have read reviews from people saying that they knew how to get to a certain place and the GPS didn't take them on the most direct or quickest route. A gps is NOT supposed to be used to get you to where you already know. Of course you will know little side roads that might be shortcuts. A gps is to be used to get you to where you DON'T know any route to where you are heading. It works well when you use it the right way and will definitely get you to where you need to be.

I ordered the Garmin nuvi 260 before taking a trip to Minnesota, where I knew I'd be traveling by car from point to point, often with little notice of my next destination, so it seemed time to rely on something besides map sites on the web. The 260 gives very good audible directions, has a clear map display, and a real bonus, helped me find a restaurant to host a family dinner on short notice in a location central to everyone. It also helped me find the gas station closest to the airport to refuel the rental car before turning it in. I probably saved $40 in gas over three days thanks to the nuvi. This model includes Canada, which will come in handy as I live in the Northeast. Also, an important note: After much hemming and hawing over how to mount the nuvi, I decided to purchase it with only the standard mount. It received the satellite signal very well while simply perched in my cupholder! You absolutely do not need to have constant access to the screen. In this way, no mounting is necessary AT ALL. This resolves the break-in risk, the beanbag vs.windshield mount question, and allow me to drive undistracted by the screen. A friendly voice simply told me when to turn (with way more warning than my husband ever gives). At stoplights I could check the map very easily. I strongly recommend this lower distraction method! Then just stow the nuvi and cord in the glove box every time you get out of the car. No suction cup, no beanbag, no adhesive. The larger screen size seems silly given that the device rides in my cupholder, and I'm relieved I didn't get it.

great gps. small so easily transportable. excellent visual screen and graphics. added voice with announcement of street names also is icing on the cake.

Ok, it is not perfect- nothing is; still, I'd easily pay twice having had this lovely device now. And you have heard it before- PAY for the text-to-speech - worth every penny, without this feature you are purchasing an obsolete item- absolutely do not underestimate this statement(please)! I placed mine in the center well... I look down when stopped although even this is now completely unnecessary, now no need to distract the driver while driving. Street name given nicely, clearly and on time. High quality feel, and more than adequate everything period. Minor (valid) issues are deftly stated elsewhere, yet this still is a MUST have item in modern life (and yes I thought I was to cool to need help too)- saved hours, gas, mental anguish- already and on every turn. Every year they re-evolve, just buy one now and you will be enjoying the ride! First day in SF made believers out of the entire car full of backseat driving loved ones - all nay-sayers zipped it. Better than family therapy!

Had a model before this one - not that great - this one is really nice as it tells you the street to turn onto. I like this also because it does not have all the extra stuff that you never use anyway. Just a real nice basic function unit. Saved me from getting lost a lot of times and it is easy to take with you when traveling. Highy recomment this unit

Used the Garmin for the first time on a vacation trip. We had just received the Garmin the day before our trip so there was no time play with it before the trip. Read the instructions on the plane, plugged it in when we rented the car and my wife who has trouble reading maps became an instant navigator. It worked great. Very easy to use and understand. We had no problems for the week we were in South Florida. Also a great price from Amazon!

As someone that has never used a GPS before I would say this one is very good! Very easy to use and other people have told me the same thing compared to their GPS systems. The only thing that is an issue and it may be with all GPS so who knows...when there are alot of different roads around on the map ( congested areas) its hard to tell where it is pointing you and the GPS will get a little confused almost like it does not know where you are. All in all you end up making an extra turn here and there and you find your way so no biggy. Better than being lost completely. Overall I do recommend this GPS!

This garmin has everything I could have wanted. It does a great job of quickly finding detours or figuring out the best route after a wrong turn. My favorite feature is probably the fact that it calculates what time you will get to the given destination.

The only negative thing I can say about it is that the maps are a bit outdated-it doesn't recognize one of the roads I regularly travel on...but other than that it has been perfect.

I bought this unit for my husband and he loves it.
I wasn't sure which GPS to buy with so many out there. He wanted just a basic unit for the US and Canada. I looked at reviews and then talked with one of my husband's friends that actually has had a couple of GPS units (the friend owns a towing company/garage and makes runs for AAA). He highly recommended this particular unit.
This is simple to use and easy to put into different vehicles and go. Easy to figure out by the instructions or by trial and error.
We didn't need lots of "bells and whistles" to make things complicated.
Easy to follow verbal instructions, lets you know ahead of time when you are going to turn, and also gives you the street name.
Great map feature to expand roads etc in the area.
Even in extremely rural areas, the little known dirt roads are in this system.
I would recommend this as a good solid basic unit.

I have used a few navagation devices and the Garmin Nuvi is by far the best for its $. I dont expect anyone to take my word for it but highly suggest you use the Nuvi as a starting point when doing your research.

I had a nuvi 200 and I must say that it was great. It did everything that it said it would. After reading many reviews I realized that many users were upset that the 200 did not say the Street names or it did not come with an ac charger or a case, even a usb cord. If you read the description that Amazon gives, it tells you what you get. If it did not state ac charger, usb cord, etc. you do not get them. I knew what I had ordered and thought that I had made the right choice. After using it for 2 weeks I knew why the 260 was more money than the 200. The text to speech is well worth the extra money. With the 200 I found that I was always looking at the screen to see the street names. Not a good idea while driving. So, I bought a 260 from Amazon just for the street names(you do get extra maps with it). I am so happy that I did. I now drive with my 260 face down, speaker up on my console. You have no need to look at the screen while you are driving. Also, when leaving your car you can just slip it into you pocket and leave no tell-tail marks on your windshield. The 200, I returned to B--t B-y no questions asked. By the way, I bought an ac charger from Amazon. It will make charging it very easy.

This is great - the first GPS we have ever had (62 years old). No more looking at maps! It names the streets, which is nice, and if you get off course it recalculates a new one for you. One of the most useful things we have ever purchased. We are in Florida for a couple months and have had no problem finding our way around.

Finally, a great product with ONLY the essential features that you need! I had to look around too many sites to find a GPS that had only the features I really needed. Sure, Bluetooth, MP3 capability, and photo viewing are nice, but who needs them? I have my iPod for the car, a wireless earpiece for my phone, and do I really need to look at photos while I'm driving? This device updates routes quickly when you stray off course and has easily accessable Point-of-Interest locater. I think this is an awesome value!

My Garmin Nüvi 260 was a great investment! Its preloaded maps, voice prompts, and rechargeable and long-life battery are just a few of its characteristics which every driver needs. If you run into traffic or a closed road, its detour option comes in extremely helpful. The Nüvi 260 also gives users the option of various routes. Because time is an issue for many people, users may chose to take the quickest route. However, others may opt to take the route with the shortest distance, which may end up taking a little longer but helps to conserves gas.
br /
br /Its turn-by-turn voice prompts and street names are so helpful. Many GPS devices simply highlight the directions on the screen. However, with the Nüvi 260 users can keep their eyes on the road as it verbally relays directions. This is not only a convenience for the driver, but is also beneficial in preventing vehicle accidents.
br /
br /The Garmin Nüvi 260 includes a rechargeable, long-life battery. It comes with a power cable that plugs into the smoke thing.
br /
br /Also on the list of pros, is the device's ability to save locations as favorites. When the driver travels somewhere often, but maybe not often enough to remember exactly how to get there each time option keeps the user from reentering the location each time. Its ability to save a home location is also helpful. Wherever you are, just touch on home and it will get you there without having to enter the address or find it in your list of favorites.
br /
br /Although I have not had the need to use it, this Garmin also has a SD card slot. This allows users to upload pictures for viewing or a slide show.
br /
br /These are just some of my favorite characteristics offered by the Garmin Nüvi 260. I have never had any complaints with the device and recommend it to anyone looking for a GPS device.
br /

I bought this model after having it recommended by a friend who has one. He told me I didn't need all the bells and whistles of more expensive models, nor did I need a larger screen. He was certainly right. This model is easy to install, easy to read and program, and does everything I need it to do. I would definitely reccomend it, especially for a first-time user.

would recommend this gps to anyone.its great.also the reps at garmin were great to talk with.any help needed on downloading the most recent maps was made easy.customer assistance was excellant and you speak to a real person.thank you. gtbull rochester ma.

What a great device! We purchased this for a 5000 mile road trip and it was a lifesaver more than once. The maps were accurate even on secondary mountain roads and obscure towns in Wyoming. The turn by turn voice navigation was great, and I love how it recalculated the route immediately after missing a turn instead of telling us to turn around and go back. My only complaint is that sometimes the routes are not as simple and direct as they could be. But overall a fantastic product that I would recommend to anyone.

I bought the Garmin nuvi 260 for my husband's birthday, and he loves it. It was ready to use right out of the box, and is a great value for the price. It is so easy to use, even technologically-challenged parents would probably be able to figure it out (hopefully not while driving!) The only thing I'd recommend doing is buying a bag or something to put it in when you're not using it so you don't scratch the screen.

Very happy with this GPS. Reads street names out loud, not just turns. Bought one for my college age daughter, liked it so much I got one for myself.

Just a word about mounting this: get the dashboard friction mount instead of the suction cup mount. There are thieves who look specifically for these mounts or marks left by these mounts to see if you have a GPS in your car. The friction dashboard mount, sort of like a big heavy beanbag with a friction strip, leaves no marks, stores easily under the seat, and can be moved from car to car with no problems.
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br /I'm a genealogist and frequently have to travel to places that are out of the way and not easy to find. Sometimes I have street locations, other times I only have GPS coordinates. It's easy to preprogram the Nuvi to both these types of locations and save them as favorites. I have managed to find several places, such as old cemeteries, that I never would have found with a map. Plus, it is to much safer to use the GPS for navigation when traveling alone -- you don't have to take your eyes off the road to consult a map or directions, or pull over to do so.
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br /The Detour function works perfectly. I was recently in a town where a bridge right on the main drag was out, but I needed to get to the other side. I just clicked Detour and it immediately and accurately plotted a route around the obstruction.
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br /I like that it shows my distances and estimated arrival times.
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br /I do wish it had a feature where you could erase or delete preprogrammed places. I have run into a few times where restaurants it had listed were closed, and it would be nice to delete those from the database. I haven't found a way you can do that.
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br /I also purchased this product because it does speak the street names. Just having the confirmation when it says "Turn right on Prospect Street" and seeing the Prospect Street sign is good. In some towns I have been in, it's been a little hard to tell from the map which street is which.
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br /It's become my second most important tool for genealogical research (the first being my computer), and I'll never be without one again.

The Garmin nüvi 260 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator exceeded my expectations and performed flawlessly. Of course I'd like more...like a USGS topographic base map reference. However, for $200.00 it is an outstanding value. For two weeks of continuous use (my first use) it guided me through the most urban to the most rural regions of Massachusetts.

This little unit is great. Take it with you every where you go. Easily fits in your pocket. Love all of the POI included in the database. You will never get lost with this jewel.

I've had the garmin for almost a year. The garmin is great. I've used it in the U.S. and Canada. Works pretty much perfect. The only time I've had a problem was where there are multiple roads running over top of each other in big cities. It would loose track of which one we were on. You need to stay ahead of the directions in these cases. The multiple destination feature is great. You can map out final destination and pick places along the way to stop so you don't have to reset final destination when looking for places to eat on way. I also like been able to turn highways off in big cities when traffic is bad. Helps avoid Interstate setting during construction. I would highly recommend this product.

The Garmin 260 is a useful feature-rich GPS device without all those marginally useful features that do little more than jack-up the price.
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br /I have a friend who has a more expensive Garmin and I was impressed with what I saw while riding around with him in his vehicles. GPS technology has really come of age over the last decade since I last owned a GPS device.
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br /This unit locks on to the the requisite number of satellites in short order and the maps are quite accurate. One drawback is that sometimes the unit will direct you in some weird routes, but on the whole it will get you where you need to go when you don't have a clue yourself. The main thing to remember is that you can't disconnect your brain when using it.
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br /Even when I'm just driving around town going places I'm familiar with, I like to have the unit on, because it tells me exactly where I am and lists the cross streets as I approach them. Sometimes when I'm lost in my own thoughts, it's nice to just look at the device to determine exactly where I am on my route.
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br /The unit provides a wealth of information at a glance, including direction, speed, maximum speed, elapsed time (moving and not moving), estimated time of arrival, miles traveled, miles to go, coordinates, and elevation. Of course, the turn-by-turn directions and the text-to-speech features are what this device and others like it are really known for.
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br /The points of interest feature is very useful I have found, not only while I'm driving, but for planning my errands. It's like having a compact yellow pages. Of course, it's not comprehensive, but it is a good, quick resource.
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br /I bought this unit after spending hours on Amazon researching the various models. I bought my unit at WalMart just as I was leaving for a long trip during which I was going to traverse Dallas/Fort Worth, which is one of the most challenging drives I've ever experienced. Even though I was skeptical of the route offered by the device, it got me through the Dallas/Fort Worth maze of freeways better than I have ever done it before. That alone made the unit worth the price.
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br /The Garmin 260 wasn't the exact unit I wanted, but it was the closest that WalMart had, so I went with it. I could have saved a significant amount if I had planned my trip a little better and purchased my unit from Amazon in advance, but as I said, I feel I got my money's worth.
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br /I had wanted to get one of the wide units, but now that I have this one and realize that it is plenty legible and easily fits into the front pocket of my jeans, I'm more than pleased with it.
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br /I felt that the unit should have come with a USB connector, since in order to upgrade the unit and even to register the device, it must be connected to a computer.
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br /The instruction manual is the very model of minimalism, but being a gadget freak, I enjoyed teaching myself how to navigate the software. Regardless, it is true that you can get this thing mounted and plugged in in short order and be on your way, even if you are only marginally competent in its use.
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br /I don't think that an AC adapter is necessary, although I might buy one later. It runs fine plugged into one of the DC outlets in the car and it seems to me that it charged even while I was using it. During my trip, power was never an issue. I have a battery jumper that I plug the unit into at home, so I don't have to plug in while driving around town.
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br /I think that the Garmin 260 is a fine instrument for use while traveling or just puttering around town. It has some quirks, but a sentient driver should have no problem dealing with them. The 260 has just the features I like, without a bunch that I'd never use.
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br /The 2009 map upgrade was free of charge, by the way.
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br /It's a keeper, for sure.

After doing some research I decided to purchase the Garmin Nuvi 260. It quickly became named Shirley. Maps are up to date. Speaking voice good on pronunciation. Quickly recalculates if you don't like the route it sends you on. Easy to program and well worth the price. Excellent Amazon service.

This is my first GPS unit and it has been very simple to use. It has been very accurate in most cases. I tried a few known tricky routes that it did not know what to do. So I know to be a bit prepared for an occasional mis direction. But I am excited at the ability to take new and better routes that it suggests. It is also quick to re route a destination if I turn at an unexpected place.

After a horrible experience with a Tom Tom XL S, got a Garmin nuvi 260.

Ahhhhhhh.

Setup was instantaneous.

Its directions are OK - if you know almost where you're going, you may get a few "Recalculating," but once you're near your destination, let Gertie take over - she'll get you there.

Manuals, online updates, all are nice and quick - you can even geocache!

Ya gotta getta Garmin!

i really like having it, but it (1) doesn't save 'favorites'. when you give the location a 'name', it reverts to saving your 'HOME' location under that name. a software glitch; (2) wrong directions for my own house number, which made me not love this device right off the bat. I wish Garmin had a way to email them with fixes they need to make; And the price amazon has for it is way above mfr list, which is wierd.

This won't take long. I am not good at gadgets. I resent them mostly, and have horrible success.

Here's my review. I received mine as a gift Christmas day. I flew to my home city, opened the thing and plugged it into my car in the airport parking lot and put in my home address. It talked me home. I'm still a little shocked.

First gadget ever that worked for me right out of the box.

The Garmin Nuvi 260 is worth the slight cost increase over the Nuvi 200 simply for the text-to-speech feature. Aside from the fun you can have playing with the various voices and accents available to give you directions, the real advantage is that it announces the street names, which is invaluable for those of us who can't tell 300 feet from 50 feet when turning and constantly turn a block too soon. The street identification has eliminated "recalculating" the last block or two because my sense of distance is lousy. The points of interest and search capabilities are also the best, finding movie theaters, gas stations and anything else you can think of to find in the area. Definitely rate it a five star!

The 260 is ok. Lot of POI's that are years out of date, but otherwise a good product. Extemely helpful when in unfamiliar territory.

Garmin nüvi 260 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

I wouldn't be without it, it's great.If you make a wrong turn it will get you back on track. Not to get lost ever again.

Barbara

I needed to go to training in an unfamiliar city and thought the Garmin Nuvi might be able to help me out. Before leaving my town, I punched in the address that I needed to find. As I approached the city, I was prompted to get off at the correct exit and then proceed to each of my destinations. Even though some of the directions weren't as exact as they could have been, most were clear, succinct and led me to my destination. I really like the easy to follow menu, very user friendly. This is the first gps navigation device I have owned and I think it is worth the money I spent on it ($251 / no shipping or tax charges through Amazon). I love the text to voice...very clear!

First GPS unit. Tried it in my home town to test it's correctness of directions. It did poorly. I don't think it is a problem with the Garmin unit...but the GPS overall capability. I typed in the nearest "Target Store"...which is just a mile away...and the unit hooked me up to the closest one about 130 miles away. That Target Store has been there for several years. I have had similar other incidents. It would tell me to turn onto a street when I was already on the street. There was a recent Wall Street Journal Article, "If your GPS tells you to go over a cliff, would you go over a cliff?" Apparently, there was someone who received instructions from his GPS unit to drive on an abandoned road that was thankfully blocked off from him going over a cliff. The technology is behind...it would be better to just get a prepared map from Yahoo Map..or use an old fashioned map. I bought it for an upcoming trip when we will rent a car to drive from North Carolina to our motel in Washington D.C. I believe it will help us get there...I just don't want to go to D.C. via California. :)

At this point, it was a mistake to get one of these. However, specifically concerning the unit...it was easy to set up...the voice is clear...it just doesn't seem to take you from point A to point B in the most expeditious way.

Overall I like the Garmin...this unit:
- is compact (about the size of a pack of playing cards)
- is priced well at Amazon
- performs OK
- has map data that is old

I chose the nuvi 260 because it is a 'basic' GPS that also announces street names as you navigate.

One has to remember that GPS units are a navigation aid, and not a total replacement for driving directions.

Big con: The map data in this unit is dated....streets in my subdivision that are 5 years old are not in the 2007 dataset. I did contact Garmin and they will provide a complimentary copy of thier 2008 map data when available.

Route calculation: Another 'troubling' performance issue is the way routes are calculated...at times it is clearly not the best way.

It would be great if these devices had a 'learning' mode to allow a user preferred route to be chosen, especially when traveling on streets not yet in the map data.

When on a route (from point A to point B), one of the most useful features is the 'countdown' of distance to your next turn or maneuver...it allows you to be a bit more relaxed and confident during driving.

One aspect of these GPS units is just viewing the map of the area as you drive (without being on a specific route). It really helps you learn more about the areas you drive through! Also, the compass and speed display indicators are useful.

I use the dash mount vs the suction cup mount on the windshield. It is much easier to take the unit off of the dash and put it on the floor while out of the car (as GPS units are common theft items).

Overall, it has been a good unit, and since I often rent cars and travel to unfamiliar areas, it is a great portable aid that I will not be without.

Before buying the Garmin 260 I reviewed the specs on all the other leading brands and read as many customer reviews as I could find. Based on my findings I bought the Garmin. This is my first GPS, so I'm a novice, but I haven't been disappointed. I've had it a month and have taken it on several workout trips to get a feel for how it works. To be honest, I'm amazed at how well it performs. It is fun and easy to use and the Text to Speech feature (speaking the street names, freeway exits, destination names, etc.) is a life saver in heavy traffic where you can't afford to take your eyes off the road. The placement of the on-screen data is very well thought out - the best of any GPS I reviewed. I especially like the coordinates feature - being able to save where you are and have it then appear on the map. Also, being able to type in coordinates instead of addresses. I found this of great value when I recently attended a home show. They gave GPS coordinates for the homes, as well as addresses. The coordinates worked well because many of the homes were in new areas that weren't yet mapped. I have no complaints. I gave it only 4 stars, not because I don't like it, but because, in my opinion, 5 stars ought to be reserved for perfection. I won't say the Garmin 260 is perfect -- but it's close.

I am absolutely delighted with my 260, except for one small concern. The car power cord is so stiff, especially when it is left in a vehicle and the temperature goes below 50 degrees. Then it becomes a wrestling match with an unweilding cord. If they would only manufacture it with a more pliable material.

I am extremely happy with my Garmin 260. It worked right out of the box, exactly as it was supposed to. Out of 100 or more addresses I have used it for so far, some very rural, there were exactly 3 it had trouble with. One, I'm not sure why as it is an established road, one it found the road but not the house as it was a very new house. The last one is a huge retirement center that is too new I guess. Anyway, I have absolutely no complaints and would recommend this to anyone. It does accept an SD card and show pictures but I haven't used that feature yet.

I have been using it for a month and it has been very helpful. I am very happy with it. only problem is that the points of interest are not up to date' some places no longer exist but they still appear on the gps.

I researched this product for sometime prior to purchase. This is extremly easy to use right out of the box. It has the features I wanted and performs to my expectations. Amazons price was very competitive and as always their service was excellant.

I love it!!! We have the Garmin 360? i think its bulky but works extremely well but this purchase was easy to use as the other one, small compact and easy to carry ... great purchase! If anything I wish the carrying case had a folder over top and the stand that fits on the dash held the unit better ... but it works great!

Received unit in a timely manner, and have found this unit just what I was looking for.
The nuvi 260 is a great unit on the road, and I don`t travel without it.

This is a lifesaver for me. I travel all over New England with my sons for hockey and the $$ I'll save on ink and paper alone (Mapquest) will be worth it. :)

I love the text to speech option that says street names and how it recalculates my route if I go a different way.

My only issue would be that it has taken me down back roads (in the snow), long, windy roads, when I would rather have been on the highway a little longer if it meant staying on main roads. I'm not sure if I could remedy that myself using the GPS. Maybe there is an option. I know that it took me the quickest way but I didn't feel it was the "best" way.

This was the first time that I had purchased anything from Amizon.com. I must say I was very impressed with the whole process.

The Garmin nüvi 260 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator is exactly what I hoped it would be and the price was what I wanted to pay. It has found us motels when travelling, shops when shopping, and I have even used it for garage sales.

The shipping and tracking information was right on. Great product. Great way to shop.

a NICE UNIT IF YOU GET IT FOR UNDER 250.00. Nice bright screen. Should come with a case & ac charger. Battery life seems to be about 3 hrs, depending on briteness & volume level. Worst function is the tinny sounding speaker & it can take 2-3 mins to get sattelite sometimes. Routing is typical Garmin logical most of the time. Good poi's but they all seem to leave out poi's that you just assume would be in there.

I purchased the Garmin Nuvi 260 for my daughter who is directionally challenged. She has had it a couple of weeks and loves it. It is very easy to use and she really likes the way it names the streets to turn on. I got her a carry case also which makes it very handy to take out of the car and carry on her person. I would buy again.

Nice and small, and easily fits in purse.
We just took it to Hawaii, and it was extemely helpful.
I think it is very important to have the street names announced. That is what sold me on this unit.
Very user friendly.

This GPS does all the things I need it for and nothing more and the price is just right. I am very happy with the product.

this is the second one i've purchased. This unit has all of the features I need ( touch screen, voice instructions, pronounces street names), without all the extras that are of no real use to me, but complicate using the overall product. Great gps, and easy to use.

I love this product! It is so easy to use. I bought one for my boyfriend and loved it so much I bought another one for my father. When I buy a car I'm buying another one for myself. Its pretty inexpensive and so helpful!

Seller shipped item promptly and it arrived in good condition. I am very satisfied with my purchase.

I have been using the Nuvi 260 for about a month now. I am extremely pleased with it. Before purchasing, I was looking for a unit that was easy to use, had text-to-speech (TTS) capability (would say the street names, etc.) and had easy to use/find Points of Interest.

This unit has all that and the maps are extremely easy to read. We have not had any errors with bad directions, etc.. Over the past month, we have used it even if we knew the directions to our destination, just to test out the route it gave. Sometimes, we chose a different route based on known traffic patterns, etc., but the routes it gave were reasonable. I was impressed that a recently built bypass was recognized in the maps.

As for ease of use, we literally took this unit out of the box and started to use it. All of the controls are very easy to find/adjust and the battery keeps its charge for a respectable amount of time.

I do wish it came with an AC adapter, but if you are looking for an affordable, easy to use, up-to-date GPS unit with a respectable number of features, this is a great little unit.

**Amazon order note: Although we ordered a Nuvi 260 and the invoice and even the BOX said we received a 260, the unit we originally received was a Nuvi 250. It was only when we were trying to listen to the TTS function that we realized we had the wrong unit. The 250 does not have TTS. Actually, this is the only reason we chose the 260 over the 250.

At any rate, Amazon replaced the unit and I had the new one in my hands within 5 business days. Just make sure you look at the unit and the box to make sure you get the unit that you ordered!!

Garmin nüvi 260 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

This product was just wonderful. We took it on a trip to Florida and was able to get from one spot to another without any problems. Another nice feature was the fact that we could punch in a name of a restaurant and get its phone number to make reservations.

I bought the Garmin Nuvi 260 after my dad got his. This is a must if you travel a lot or if you move to a new area. No more printing directions from the internet and trying to read a map while driving... this GPS receiver will get you there! Only drawback is that it does not contain maps of some new roads or housing developments. Overall, it is money well spent. Two thumbs up!

I love this product so much!!!! I am directionally challenged, so this is a must have for me. it tells you where tio turn (the street names and the distance). It is great!!!

This GPS is very easy to use. I had a question about setting something up, all I had to do was call Garmin and they walked me through it right over the phone plus gave me some tips on how to use it. Very good cust serv.

I purchased a Garmin Nuvi 260 well in advance of a planned cross country move, feeling I would need it also when I got to a new state. I did some research on different models and different brands, and read all customer reviews before deciding this might be the right one for me. I was delighted to find that after a mere 10 minutes (maybe less!) I was able to use all functions easily. One small drawback, as reported by another reviewer - the suction mount for the windshield does not hold after a while in the heat in Florida.
Any first time buyer of a navigation unit (or one who's technically challenged) would not be disappointed in this item.

The Garmin Nuvi 260 works great for me. I'm an "electronically challenged" grandma & find it simple to program & operate. The screen is a little small, but I rarely have to look at it. Directions are loud and clear enough for me that I don't get stressed out. Sometimes directions are a little off, but I'm told that's true w/ all GPSs. Wish it came w/ carrying case. Glad I bought a Garmin portable friction mount for my Nuvi so I can easiy remove or tuck my GPS out of sight when necessary.

Great product. worked as advertised. the great advantage is finding grocery stores, etc in unfamialar areas.

The GARMIN 260 was very useful on my recent trip to Ga. S.C. My only complaint is it doesn't give enough advance notice prior to making a change from one highway to the connecting highway change, especially on I-75 in Atlanta. I liked it so well I bought one for my son too.

First, let me say I am a sales rep on the road in multiple states. I use this product daily. I purchased this particular model after 2 other co-workers bought it. Best GPS. Honestly. My brother got a different name and it was so confusing to use. This one is user friendly. Simple to operate. Little instruction needed. Excellent turn by turn directions with a clear and easy to read screen. You won't be sorry you bought it. I recently updated it online at Garmin for $69. Again worth it. The roads change and make it necessary to update about once every year or so. Buy it and you will see. A great GPS unit at a fair price.

I bought this model specifically on the recommendation to get text to speech rather than just turn by turn directions. I definitely second that recommendation - this model not only tells you when to turn, but the specific street name or exit number - which is very beneficial. Only drawback I have with this is that the battery only lasts a couple of hours at full charge. Comes with a car cord - but I prefer not to have the wires running all over the dash.... Great unit - I recommend it.

The Nuvi 260 has the newest interface from Garmin. What that means is this unit has the next turn indicator in the upper left of the screen; also it has faster acquisition of the satellites. What this unit also has is the voice problems seen on the Nuvi 255. While on the highway the spoken directions sound tinny. This problem has been improved by Garmin with software updates but it still is less then optimal. Overall it does what is expected of a GPS and get me where I want to go.

My husband and I are old fashioned map people. We are spontaneous road trip people. My mother got this for us 2 years ago and we didnt use it for the first year. Then I got into sales so I tried it out and I was so impressed. The directions it takes you in are perfect. It is very explainative and the voice is not annoying. It keeps you awake during those long trips to! :) I would definitely recommend this product. STOP getting lost and get a GPS already. ps. Spend the extra for a garmin. Hope this helps

GARMIN Nuvi 260 GPS Navigator The nuvi 260 is a great entry level GPS unit for your car. Telling you street names is a nice feature. It is very simple and easy to set up. I'd suggest getting the dashboard beanbag mount for it as well. Makes it easier to reach and easier to remove from site if parking and don't want to entice someone to break in to steal it.

If you really want to save gasoline and money, don't inflate your tires like some morons tell you to do. Buying a garmin is the most intelligent thing to do. Imagine never getting lost, saving gas and knowing what time you will arrive at your destination? Great Product!!!

I've had about 3-4 Garmin GPS units. My friends and family members have Garmin 340s, 350s and 260s. For the price and EASE OF USE, these are the best. You can't go wrong. Get one of these for yourself, your kid away at college (my daughter LOVEs hers at school - and I get a LOT of piece of mind knowing it's in her car) or for your older parent(s).
br /I paid $450 3-4 years ago for something that now costs $150. What a deal.
br /Great Christmas gift IMO.
br /Good luck with your research and purchase. If you do get a GPS (from whoever), PLEASE, PLEASE make sure it has Text-to-Speech (speaks street names). You'll thank me in the long run. And this Garmin 260 is quite a deal at this price (did I mention that?).
br /Tony

This GPS is perfect for my needs. It is easy to navigate even if you are not very electronic savvy. I would recommend it.

This has got to be the best device that I have ever purchased.....I travel extensively and I never leave without my friend GARMIN......Once you purchase one you will understand.....Nothing is worse than being in another State in a strange City and have no CLUE as to how to get to your destination.....I have never been lost since I got this unit....Also you do not have to worry about all of those pesky paper maps.....
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br /You will be totally satisfied with this purchase.
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br /Bernard

I find this product to be incredibly easy to use. Unlike my old tom-tom it has excellent satellite reception and takes me to my destinations accurately. I especially like the feature that tells the user which side of the street the destination will be on. Overall I would say this is an excellent GPS for the price and I highly recommend it!

I was so impressed with it that I bought one for my sisters birthday. She loves it too.

I love this product. It give me streets names and exact times for arrival. Very very nice!!

Well since it was for my wife it had to be easy to use or I'd get complaints. The menus system never leaves you uncertain of where to go next...no getting lost on the screens. Almost bot a TomTom but didn't think the menu was quite as good while trying it in stores. I could be wrong. The audio is plenty loud and usually clear. I only tried one voice. Maybe there are more? Found it does two thing well. Navigates to locations AND if you just display the map without inputing where to go...it provides a fantastic situational awareness of where you are, showing the upcoming streets, side streets etc. While actually navigating, if you miss a turn or opt for a different way, it simply recalculates the remaining trip. Takes about 5 seconds. Never suggested a u turn. At first start up it took maybe 5 minutes to find itself. Every other time it locks on in just seconds. Keyboard is not qwery due to the size. 4.5 inch model has the optional keyboard. That's my only not complaint but a request to Garmin...even if the keyboard had to be smaller to fit the 3.5 in screen. Letters displayed as abcdefg are harder to find than a typewriter type display. If it is plugged into the car and you pull the power or turn off the car it will auto shut off when it detects the power loss. It gives you a choice to allow the shut down or overide and continue ON using battery power. A lot of write ups said the 260 didn't have this feature but mine does. Bought it from Amazon Oct 2008. I paid $200. The best price anywhere Best Buy wanted [...] with a rebate. As everybody says, units that anounce the street names is the only way to go. You might not even look at the unit, just listen. Wife wouldn't take the 5 minutes to learn the unit. After two weeks finaly did. Now loves it.

We just finished a 5 day driving trip (using side roads and the scenic/long route) from L.A. to S.F. and back using the Garmin, and it was great. My wife also uses it for work. Overall, great unit, very easy to use, nice features, I'll never use a paper map again. Good audio clarity, nice flexibility when you upgrade the firmware online for additional voices, good direction timing. It was really great to be able to find restaurants, gas, landmarks, etc. on the fly, and it also has a pedestrian mode. It also is very flexible if you ignore the instructions about suggesting some pretty good alternate driving instructions on the fly. Lots of nice stats available too, and it's very easy to use, both my wife and I can use it with ease now.
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br /Cons: Weak signal, sometimes it takes a few minutes when you start it up to locate the satellites, and won't work at all inside my apartment, while a cheaper competitor will. Also, some of the directions try too much to optimize, and will take you off of what is in fact the fastest route, like a small stretch of a city street between a bend in the highway, taking you off, then on again, when clearly you should have just been kept on the freeway. Once again, a cheaper competitor's unit seems to work better on this (whichever one Costco sells regularly). If they can fix this, the unit would be perfect, but meanwhile, you end up having to second-guess the instructions a lot and know where it is you want to go and how.

Have had a chance to use this GPS on several trips now. Very happy with it. Currently using suction cup but may try some sort of air vent clip. Small size makes it easy to carry in pocket. Some small drawbacks: sometimes "Mother" seems to wait until the last second to give directions. I kinda miss the spoken 'next turn' directions as reading that information from the green band at the top of the screen can be difficult, in bright sun especially. The POI feature is very useful but still misses many targets (ie enter the name of a chain restaurant and it finds four of them 60 miles away but not the one in your town...). Still, we're glad we bought it and would highly recommend it.

I like the portability of this unit. I do not leave it attached to the windshield so that it will not be in sight. It is very easy to use. There is nothing complicated to learn to set it up and is easy to navigate.

After reading many reviews about this item, most of them at Amazon, I purchased this for my son who is on the road everyday and he just raved about how easy it was to set up and use - until he did I was holding my breath because so many GPS devices are not designed for the non-geek. Documentation that came with it was understandable and their website is very useful too. Exceptionally pleased with it and it is still working without a glitch.

One of the best purchases I ever made. Don't go without it. Adds more excitement to your trips.

The product is good and it came in one day. It's small, which is convenient, and the detour option is very good. It also announces street names. Like Mapquest, local routes are not always the best and need to be ignored, but it's very good for places that are far and even directed us on an alternate route because it knew that a road was closed for bikes and pedestrians on Sunday.

The unit will not "re-calculate" a better, short-cut route when deviate from the original "Go-to". It keeps "re-directing" backward, or U-turn, to the original route which is longer.

I now don't worry about going to new places. My Nuvi get me there. There are times you might have to go a round about way if the shorter way is not on the map yet. For someone who always turns the wrong way to the exit from a hotel room - Nuvi is the answer.

Inexpensive GPS - a lot for the money. We borrowed our son's for a trip to Brooklyn, NY. Not being from Brooklyn or the surrounding area, we would have never found our destination without this great little device. We liked it so much, we had to purchase our own. Very easy to use

I've wanted a GPS for sometime, and was surprised by my wife for our anniversary with the nuvi 260. My requirements for a GPS were pretty minimal, but I'm glad my wife bought this one.
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br /Pros:
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br /- It does actually have the voice that indicates when and where to turn. Very handy versus having to look at the screen
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br /- Nice and portable, I love being able to bring it with me in different cars. It was fun, we did take it on a train ride, and it even was able to track us on the railroad.
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br /- Fairly decent maps - I've had very few issues locating a place. There were a few instances, but I'll go into those later.
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br /- Menu system works well - Everything is pretty straightforward. It isn't difficult even to type in a specific address. The GPS usually picks it up quite quickly, and provides you with the various options it could be for your selection.
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br /- Remembers recent locations/items
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br /- Does have an expansion slot to view photos, etc. Not a big deal for me, but is a nice advantage
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br /- If you take a wrong turn, etc. it picks right up and tells you where to go to compensate.
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br /Cons:
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br /- It can take FOREVER sometimes to acquire the satellite signals. Sometimes I type in an address, and I could be halfway to the location before it picks up the signal. This is very frustrating, especially when the destination is one that I'm not at all sure where it is. For those destinations that I know the general area, it's not too bad.
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br /- I realize the maps are outdated (although the copyright for the software is 2008 on the GPS), but some of the restaurant locations I've tried going to were completely wrong. For my anniversary, for instance, we were trying to find the local Dairy Queen. It also listed a separate restaurant option called Dairy Keen. Turns out, there has never been a Dairy Queen in the city. Not sure how the GPS had that. Incidents like this have happened on several occasions.
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br /In the end, I'm still very satisfied with the unit. I'm glad I have it, and really have no reason to look at getting another. It does all I've ever needed in a GPS.

This is my second Garmin GPS. I love the size and features. The text to speech is nice, but I don't think it gives me enough advanced warning, the old GPS did not have text to speech but it always let me know of next move well in advance with warnings about one mile before, this one only tells me 500 feet before my move so I am finding I have to read the thing as often as I did the old one.......it is still a good basic GPS, I just wish it communicate with me more.......

What do you want to do is the question?Let me just say that I have read ALL of the other reviews on this site. What they have to say about the pros and cons are correct. I could list them myself-----but why do you need to read a long review on a great product?? Garmin makes great products(no I am not associated with them)and they stand behind their products. I will give you an example---After I received my nuv260 I noticed that it didn't announce the street turns soon enough, before I had to turn. It only announced the turn once at about 60ft before the turn! I e-mailed Garmin support and recieved a reply to my problem within 2hrs(shocked I was)with a solution. I was a little nervous about making a mistake so I then called Garmin. I reached a rep. in Kansas(shocked again) he was very helpful and walked me through updating my software to the latest version (20min)with no problems at all. So my problem was solved by a very,very responsible company that takes an interest in its customers.This is very important to me and I hope this ""review"" helps you.------------By the way I would buy this unit again without any hesitation. Garmin 260 easy to use,dependable,reliable,user friendly and service is excellent. Buy it you WILL like it.

This is a great product. Turn by turn voice is great! I saved over $70 over Wal*Mart's price. The benifits of registration are worth the effort. You will need to borrow a mini USB cable from some other device (camera).

All in all very happy. Also looked at Tom Tom and Magellan but seems that in the USA that the Garmin is the most accurate and best bet. I know they do well with marine electronics. I sometimes find it hard to get the satellite or it gets dropped when driving along in rural areas. My first real trip with it it couldn't find my destination. It is possible that it was my error though. I have yet to figure out what the "GPS Simulator on /off " function is for in the "Settings" but if it is turned to ON, the unit will not get a signal. I understand their Customer / Tech help service dept. is very good. Hearing the spoken street names as opposed to "300 feet" etc. is VERY helpful, especially in city driving. All in all, very useful item - recommend.

First GPS we've had for "land" navigation. We're pleased with this admittedly entry-level unit. It does everything we hoped and maybe somewhat more. Our only complaint thus far, and it's minor, is that the rather tinny audio is sometimes difficult to understand.

I've had my Garmin Nuvi 260 for about six weeks and I'm very satisfied with this GPS unit. I do a good amount of research in all of my purchases and this one was no different.
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br /I started with Garmin, then looked at the others and ended up coming full circle back to Garmin. Simply the best portable GPS units on the market today. I am certainly guilty of overkill in my past purchases of other products, especially computers. Buying features that I realized later that I did't really need.
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br /I realized I didn't need an MP3 player or bluetooth built into my GPS. From all of the reviews that I read about these devices, a dedicated MP3 or bluetooth would be a better choice in my opinion. So I went with the least expensive GPS that had TTS (Text To Speech) feature. Which was the Garmin 260.
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br /Pros:
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br /1)I drive for a living and in the six weeks that I've owned this device it hasn't steered me wrong one time.
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br /2)Great screen, even during the daytime.
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br /3)TTS
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br /4)Recalculates quickly when you go off course.
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br /5)Quick satellite acquisition times. About one minute on a cold start (after 4 hours). About 30 seconds on a warm start (within 4 hours).
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br /6)Points of Interest. Over six million of them. I really like the feature while your driving that allows you to view and see the POI's that interest you the most by displaying the names, direction and distance from where your currently at. When you see the one that you like, you just tap the POI and it will direct you there.
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br /7)Very portable and easily fits in your pocket or purse.
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br /Cons:
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br /Can't think of any.
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br /So far as mounting my GPS, I went with the Arkon air vent. Works great and only cost me $7.00 shipping included from Amazon. They say that it is designed for horizontal air vent louvres only, but I use it with vertical louvres as well. Like I said earlier, I drive for a living and drive different types of vehicles. No problem. I like having the device just below the dashboard and closest to me. This mount allows that.
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br /Note: Make sure that when you first turn on your GPS, that you allow it to download the data from the satellites for about 45-60 minutes with no obstructions. This will allow your GPS to acquire satellites much quicker after that. Hope this helps.
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br /BB
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Works like a futuristic dream !
br /I did a ton of research before buying.
br /This is the lowest priced GPS that will announce street names to turn at.
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br /Only complaints:
br /No external Volume control.
br /Holder did not stick to dash but probably just as well
br /that would be a sign post to thieves. I stick it in coffee hole.
br /Or u can buy a weighted removable one for $10 ?
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I'm not sure how much critical input I can give you being a first-time user. It hasn't made too many errors and it's never sent me the wrong way down one-way streets and has infrequently directed me to back roads. It's very helpful to have some idea where you are going in the first place and not rely on this solely. Sound and visuals are excellent, even in bright sunlight. Always picks up signals. Don't panic if you think you are on the right track and it announces "recalculating". I didn't update software and I think some roads changed a bit over time because of construction. Voice isn't as irritating as it could be with others. Love using the memory, favorites and finding restaurants, ect.

I really like this product. I have very basic needs and this works for me. I received it, turned it on, answered a few questions, and it was ready to use in minutes! I wear glasses, but I can see the screen clearly without and the voice is easy to understand.

I bought this for my wife because she seems to remember how to get to a place from only where she initially went there from (used to live 10 miles north of it so she would drive 10 miles north just to drive back south the way she knew.. UGH!! HELP ME!) This is the first GPS I bought but I did some investigating and read good things about this unit. Let me say that my wife won't stop telling me how much she loves me after this purchase. It was a late, additional Christmas gift. The text to speech works very well. The screen is nice and bright with vivid colors. After you get used to what categories to use in the menu when searching for nav points then you will find that the searches work pretty quickly and everything but your grandmaw's house seems to already be in the unit. I checked several places I figured would not be in the unit at all yet it found every one so far. The touch screen works well and the unit is so small that my wife can either put it in her middle console or in her pocket. This thing does everything we want. I've been very impressed and my wife has been overjoyed with the purchase. I can honestly say that this is the best present I have bought her, well besides her engagement ring. :) One other note is that I had originally bought this at CC but returned it because Amazon's price was so much better. Every once in a while it goes the other way but typically I can find pretty good deals here and don't have too hard of a time on returns.
In conclusion. If you are looking for a well priced Nav unit that has text to speech and won't break the bank then I've found this to be a good choice. Most of the extras on the higher priced models weren't worth the extra money.

I purchased the Garmin nuvi 260 as a gift for my wife. She and I are very pleased with the unit. It's intuitive and easy to use. The only negative is that I could not get the device installed on the dash board of the car. The "sticky" base would not stick. I had to install it on the window which I find a little more distracting while driving.

The best you can get for the price. Garmin will allways be my first choice for navigation. They have a great product and an even better customer support program.

Great product. Good features, easy to use and priced reasonably. Audible street names is worth the money!

I bought a refurbished one and I am very happy with it. Initially I was debating with this one or a mio (both with the text to speech function - street names) and getting teh refurbished item from amazone warehouse help me to get it cheaper and thus I went for the garmin. So far, I love it. It takes a bit of time when you turn it on to find your location and soemtime chooses a route that may nto be the fastest but it gets me to whaere I want.

I gave 5 stars still because has same (more) features than the 200. But, not sure if price increase over 200 is worth it.

Below is my review of the 200 and how it relates to the Nuvi 260...

I purchased this item over a few other entry level models after reading many reviews. I have to say that I was immediately impressed with simplicity of operation and that I didn't need the skimpy user manual (LOL--only a few pages). The volume was crystal clear at every volume level. One would be hard pressed to miss the announciation of street names from the Nuvi 260. There were a few glitches such as the system reset itself for no reason after turning off/on the car (lighter), not finding local businesses (I knew they were there and I have latest map), but would try to send me 100 miles away to a Staples store. Also, I wish the favorites were sorted alphabetically. Another nuisance is having to manual enter addresses (better if it could be done from web or pc). There were a few occassions when the unit just shut off from three battery bars to none without warning, but I tend to run from battery a lot more than power source. I was very happy with unit, but continued to read reviews and everyone kept touting the text to speach feature and I caved in and returned and got the nuvi 260. However, I immediately noticed two things. (1) for whatever reason, there was about 100MB more free space than the Nuvi 200, and (2) the TTS (Text to speach) voice was no where as clear as the 200 (although you have option to use same voice in settings as 200 but without TTS), and the volume was not as strong--almost tinny. I'm really torn; better clarity and volume versus TTS for about $50 to $60 more. I like voice announciation of streets, etc. but I just don't know. I definitly wouldn't pay a lot more for TTS. Overall, I'm impressed with either unit.

I had the same problem with large chain stores, small malls etc. They just aren't in there. It was extremely frustrating and I wanted to file a complaint. All I got was, "go to map errors". That did not satisfy me, why should others get stuck with incomplete information??? They should not have released this product unless it was absolutely correct. The guy at Garmin said "its the map people". HUH? If you get to keep my $250 you should check on the MAP people. I tried reaching a management person to complain to, well GOOD LUCK reaching anyone in authority at Garmin.

I bought the Nuvi 260 as a gift for my boyfriend. He's been having a blast with it. It is a fairly intuitive product. Very easy to figure out. I settled on the 260 after much discussion on GPS units, comparing GPS units, and deciding on what features were desireable. The Nuvi 260 offers the text to speech feature while the 200 does not. I felt that this was important, especially if you're focused on looking for a street name. It's nice to have the unit say the street name.

As for the other features like bluetooth, media player, and so on. They were not desireable features. The wish was for a basic GPS unit to do navigation (car, bike, or walking).

It has been a bit sluggish on picking up the satellites at times. But the reason has been because of our location (underground parking lot or a parking lot structure - just can't read through concrete).

It also lost the text to speech function once. But after restoring the defaults, the text to speech function returned.

All in all, it has been a good purchase.

Yesterday I used my Nuvi for the first time to location 4 different places. It failed at various levels on 3 of those locations, and succeeded on the forth.
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br /PROBLEM 1: I tried to enter a street address "Saint Johns Bluff Rd S" but as soon as I typed the "Rd" the Nuvi "helpfully" popped up the selections it thought I meant. The selection list had one item: the north version of the road. If you try to go back from the helpful selection list to continue entering what YOU want to enter you'll find that the field has been emptied. I was not able to enter my location and had to call for directions. BTW: This location has been in existance for years.
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br /PROBLEM 2: I tried to find "Dave Buster's", a popular attraction in this city but it was not in the database! I manually entered the address, and it accepted the address, but it took me to the wrong place. It dumped me off about a half mile away. Again, I had to call for directions.
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br /PROBLEM 3: I tried to find a location on the street "A1A S" but as soon as I entered the "S" the Nuvi suggested that I meant "A1A Scenic and Historic". It would not let me enter what I meant, only what it thought I meant! Forced to accept Nuvi's suggestion, I compared the place it wanted to take me to a map someone else printed from MapQuest. They differed, and MapQuest was right. MapQuest actually accepted what the user entered. Imagine that!
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br /It also gave me problems today.
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br /- It lost satellite reception and didn't get it back until I rebooted.
br /- I followed someone to their house and the roads in this section of the town just didn't exist on Nuvi's map. I rebooted and viola! The roads appeared.
br /- I've found the database of known lodging and food places to be extremely limited; it often has minor things in a region but not major things.
br /- It has entries in its database containing characters that you cannot enter. For example, I played around searching for "Dave Buster's" in other cities. In another city it find the location if I enter "Dave", but not "Dave and" because "and" is technically not in the name "Dave Buster's". The Nuvi does not provide a way to enter the "" character so it's impossible to enter the name! The Nuvi ought to be smart enough to match "" with "And".
br /- A friend told me to head towards a specific intersection. I entered the information into the intersection search feature (Spelling the names of the roads properly) and it could not find them.
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br /Another problem I noticed on day one is that the new offramp on the interstate that I often use to go home is not in the database. It's a year old! Why isn't it in there?
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br /And I tried to use Garmin's website for help. First, I tried to update the software using the webbased tool but it failed without any feedback. I used an app-based tool and that worked. I played around with the same input as in those problems mentioned above and even with all the updates the same (or similar) errors occurred. I tried to post a complaint to their customer service department and the website failed to accept it! It told me to fill in the required fields marked with an asterisk. EVERY FIELD WAS SET!
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br /I've had it. This tool is going back tomorrow, but sadly this is the state of computer technology today. No one even cares to make electronic devices that work anymore. So long as it technically works well enough to satisfy the legal requirements imposed by marketing's promises then that's all the better electronics are made.
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There is no option to change the annoying voice. She really sounds like a %&%#@#.

This is a great excellend product. This is our first GPS system and it is a dream. Worth the price, awesome.

The nuvi 200 and the nuvi 260 are not compatible with our 2008 Toyota Highlander Limited or the 2008 Camry. Garmin knows this but does not appear to have posted it on their website or anything like that. I called customer service today (my second call) and the customer service rep acknowledged the problem to me. According to Garmin (and some theorists on the internet) it is something in the windshield. I confirmed the incompatibility today with my Toyota dealer and have reported the problem to Toyota. The Highlander fried the nuvi 200, killed it dead. The 260 doesn't seem to have sustained much damage, but it won't work in the Highlander. Garmin knows this and they should tell people.

Beware--although this product is listed as being in stock; it isn't. I bought it on Tuesday, and it still hasn't been sent. I just spoke with an Amazon rep, and he said "there's a problem in the supply chain," which means it is NOT in stock. I used two-day shipping to get this gift to the recipient by Friday, and now I learn that it will get there on December 24, long after the recipient has gone on vacation. This is false advertising, and I resent having to call Amazon in order to find out what the problem is. Surely I was owned the courtesy of an explanatory email.

I used the GPS on a recent trip to San Diego and we managed to travel to a large number of places that we would have had trouble finding without it. It is a very helpful device when traveling.

I started using this Garmin 260 Nuvi right after I received it and since I have not used any GPS before I got really confused that why in the world this thing is showing a destination path through the apartment complex???
It basically created a path that did not exist and I wonder what would have happened if I had followed the path?? Probabley would have damaged few homes and injured few ppl.In the course of finding the destination there was no voice suggesting any directions either.I really hope this is the only one of the kind as I really dont want any one to get injured.
Othrwise QA department from Garmin should be sent home.

For the price you cannot beat it. It works very well and very happy with this product.

I have ordered from Amazon for years without a hitch. Until now. I ordered this lovely Garmin GPS for my husband, the box arrived, and it was .... empty! What do I do? Is there a phone number, or even address to contact the folks at Amazon? I've been through the help options, have tracked the packaga -- yes it was delivered on the porch. Can anyone help me?