Garmin nüvi 760

Editors' note: The following review is of the Garmin Nuvi 750. The Nuvi 760 is identical to the 750 in nearly every way, except that the 760 adds Bluetooth hands-free calling and an FM Traffic data receiver to its feature set. As a result, the 760 gets extra points in the features rating category and an adjusted final score.

The Garmin Nuvi series has earned a reputation as a solid line of portable navigation systems, offering accurate routing, good design, and ease of use. We've seen it in the entry-level Garmin Nuvi 200 and the more advanced Garmin Nuvi 660. So we expected much of the same from the Garmin Nuvi 750, and for the most part, it delivered, but it also disappointed us in some ways. The simple design and interface are still there, and we were happy with the text-to-speech directions and accuracy of the routes. We also really like the added "Where Am I?" location feature, which helps you pinpoint your position and nearby services in case of emergencies. That said, we weren't expecting the sluggish route recalculations and upcoming turn alerts. It didn't happen on every instance, but enough to make us take notice. And at a pricey $535.70, we expect a bit more. As such, we think we'll stick with the Garmin Nuvi 660 for now.

The Garmin Nuvi 700 series also includes the Nuvi 760 ($749.99) with integrated Bluetooth, the Nuvi 770 ($964.27) with added European maps, and the Nuvi 780 ($857.13) with MSN Direct services.

Design
The Garmin Nuvi 750 has the signature look of the Nuvi line of portable navigation systems. The silver, rectangular device is slim and lightweight at 4.8 inches wide by 3 inches high by 0.8 inch deep and 6.2 ounces. It's just slightly bigger than a deck of cards, so it's easy to travel with and transport between vehicles.

Like the newer models, the Nuvi 750 features a wide 4.3-inch (diagonal) touch screen with a 480x272-pixel resolution and white backlight. Maps, text, and images looked sharp on the display, and we were able to see the screen in various lighting conditions. The touch screen itself is responsive, and the menu icons are big enough that most people should be able to use them without mistakes. Some may find the onscreen keyboard to be slightly cramped, but we like that you can choose between a QWERTY and ABC format. The overall interface and menu system are simple enough that you should be able to use the Nuvi 750 right out of the box, though you may want to check out the owner's manual for more specific settings.

While you handle most of the device's operations via the touch screen, there are a few other controls and design elements on the Nuvi 750. The left side holds a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack and an SD expansion slot for loading additional maps or media files. There's a power/lock switch on top and a Mini-USB port on the bottom. Finally, the speaker and external antenna jack are located on the back.

The Garmin Nuvi 750 comes packaged with a car charger, a USB cable, a vehicle mount (windshield and dash), and reference material. The car mount is simple and easy to install, and the cradle securely held the unit in place during our road tests.