Garmin Nuvi 660

Pros: Tiny form factor, intuitive interface, responsive satellite tracking, gorgeous bright wide screen display, includes integrated FM traffic receiver, excellent Bluetooth integration

Cons: Tinny speakers, lackluster battery life, **expensive**,

Summary: HINT: Thieves LOVE this. Be sure to remove it from your window (inluding the suction mount) and take it with you or hide it in your vehicle when parked. I've had TWO Garmin Nuvi units stolen from my car this year.

Based on what is out there, this is the ROLLS ROYCE of portable GPS units, with a price tag to match. That being said, don't pay more than $750 for it new, anywhere. Many places on the web, including eBay, sell this item new for that price often with free shipping.

I've owned the Garmin Nuvi 350, and had it stolen twice. It was my favorite gadget of all time, hands down. When Garmin announced the upcoming widescreen Nuvi 660 with integrated Bluetooth, FM transmitter, and included FM traffic reciver, I ordered one. I have not regretted it. The overall appearance, design, form factor, and usability of this device is only rivaled by Apple's iPod, in my opinion.

To be blunt, I prefer the smaller form factor of the Nuvi 350 and 360 units. The 660 is a widescreen unit and is slightly thicker as well, which goes against the industry-leadnig portability established by its predecessors. However, the screen seems to have been revamped and is VERY bright and easy to see. As a matter of fact, it handles direct sunlight without washing out any of the display. At night, I keep it at only 20% brightness. This makes it less visible in my peripheral vision as I am driving, as well as saving the short battery life. So far the unit averages about three hours of battery life after a full charge, with the WAAS/Egnos feature turned off and the display dimmed somewhat to conserve on power.

The user interface is the best out there: simple, robust, and responsive. The mapping is excellent, and the Google Map-style drawings are both beautiful and functional. It powers up and very quickly picks up the GPS satellites. You can load your custom points of interest as well. One of the neatest features I have seen is that it will display your Bluetooth-enabled phone's contacts right on the Nuvi display screen as if you were looking at your own phone.

As far as durability and quality, there are no concerns. Garmin makes excellent, well-tested products and the Nuvi is no exception. I've dropped my device several times already without any damage to it.

BOTTOM LINE: Very highly recommended.

HINT: If you want to avoid highways, you can go into the Navigation options under "avoidances" and tell the unit to avoid major highways. I do wish that Garmin would make this option easier to set instead of having it embedded in three levels of menus, but at least it has it.