Garmin nüvi 360 review
Aug 1, 2006 bluetooth, garmin, gps navigation, gps reviews, nuvi
Garmin nüvi 360 gets the Editor’s Choice award from pcmag.com. The nüvi 360 is the successor of nüvi 350. They share the same body but the new 360 adds bluetooth capability with a phone interface so you can use it as a hands-free speaker phone.
The nüvi 360 is really small in size, it only measures 3 x 3.9 x 0.9 inches it will easily fit into your shirts pocket. Its physical size maybe small but the onboard memory is big enough to fit pre-loaded North American maps. Garmin uses what is called a ‘text-to-speech’ technology that will actually announce street names instead of just saying “take next right”.
The bluetooth interface is what makes the nüvi 360 stand-out from the crowd:
On the settings menu, there’s a new Bluetooth icon that lets you set up the Bluetooth link with your cell phone. Setting up the link is quite simple. On the nüvi 360, just tap the Bluetooth icon, tap Change, and select Add Device. The nüvi 360 will then start searching. On your cell phone, enable Bluetooth and make your phone “visible” or discoverable. Within a minute or so, the nüvi 360 will discover your cell phone. Select it, and after exchanging pass codes, your cell phone and the nüvi 360 will be paired.
The new nüvi 360 can do more than just syncing your address book. It gives you the capability of POI dialing so you can make reservations at the local restaurant while driving. When you get an incoming call nüvi 360 will even switch to a called ID screen where you can take the call or pretend it never happened. The nüvi 360 is smart enough to mute the mp3 player as well as voice guidance when you have an incoming call.
Garmin nüvi 360 features:
- Receiver: high-sensitivity WAAS-capable GPS receiver by SiRF
- Display: 3.5 inches diag., 320 x 240 pixels; bright, TFT display, 64K colors, with white backlight and touch screen
- Unit dimensions: 3.87″ W x 2.91″ H x 0.87″ D (98.3 mm x 73.9 mm x 22.1 mm)
- Weight: 5.1 ounces (144.6 grams)
- Battery: built-in lithium ion battery; between 4-8 hours of battery life depending on use
- Bluetooth wireless technology for hands-free calling
- Supports FM TMC traffic alerting
- Includes Garmin Lock; an anti-theft feature
- Voice announces streets by name
- Preloaded maps for all of North America or Europe
- Fingertip touch-screen interface
- Look up addresses and points of interest
- Choose 2D or 3D map perspective
- Upload custom POIs, including alerts for speed zones and safety cams with POI Loader
- Built in Travel Kit includes MP3 player with sample MPs, audio books, picture viewer, world clock, currency and measurement converters, calculator and more
- Add optional software such as Travel and Language Guides to personalize nüvi
- SD memory card expansion slot
- USB interface for loading data
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August 2nd, 2006 at 1:04 pm
I think this was Garmin’s intention to rival the TomTom 910. It’s smaller but I prefer a larger screen when trying to see where I need to go while driving. I’ve heard a lot of great things about the 910 so it will be interesting to see how the garmin nuvi matches up.
April 22nd, 2010 at 11:07 am
The Garmin Nüvi 360 is the ultimate traveler’s tool, and if it weren’t for its high price, we’re sure the gadget would appeal to a large number of travelers