Garmin | On the Road

Summer road trip must haves

Garmin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:23:05 -0500

Are you looking to hit the road for a summer road trip? If you haven't done a summer vacation yet, you're probably itching to get away. While you're packing your car, don't forget a GPS. It can literally transform any trip so that you can stop asking for directions or wondering if the next road-side exit has better restaurant options. Since it's summer driving season, editors at a variety of publications and websites are reviewing GPS navigators so that you can make an informed decision on which device is best for you. Here's a sampling of recent Garmin reviews:

The nüvi 205 received 4.5 out of 5 stars from CNET. This is one of our entry-level units and according to CNET, "the Garmin is a much faster, simpler, and easier-to-use device right out of the box, making it a better choice for nontechnophiles."
If you want a high level overview of our nüvi 12xx and 13xx series, check out this popular consumer site. According to them, "new GPS devices continue to hit the market during the summer travel season, providing more premium-level features in basic units and increasingly user-friendly designs." They tested handfuls of devices so you don't have to.
The nüvi 1390T's video debute is available at GPSmagazine.com. If you watch this thorough video review, you'll see the 1390T being put through its paces.
The nüvi 1490T is our new 5-inch, wide-screen wonder. In Boing Boing Gadget's recent post they said, "the GPS is great, too: I actually discovered a faster route from my home to the freeway (a route Google Maps has never once suggested)."

Go Garmin!

Garmin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:00:25 -0500

Popular Mechanics just concluded its first-ever consumer brand survey to determine what consumer brands their readers preferred. Twenty-nine different product categories were included, with a minimum of five brand choices in each category. Over 7,000 readers voted, and thanks to you, we were chosen the favorite GPS brand. Thank You!

As most Garmin customers know, we serve a plethora of markets and we do our best to give each of these markets the specialized attention it deserves. We strive to develop revolutionary products with features that are specific to that market. One of the many ways we do this is by having employees design, create, build and market products for industries they're passionate about. Forerunners are developed by runners, Zumos by motorcycle riders, chartplotters by boaters, avionics by pilots -- I could keep going, but I'm sure you get the idea. This Popular Mechanics award helps reiterate that we're on the right path, but don't worry, we won't rest on our laurels. We're determined to continue building products that make life a little easier and more enjoyable for our customers.

Garmin Garage: Take a Tour with Team Garmin

Garmin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:51:30 -0500

As Team Garmin races around the globe, we thought it would be fun to create a new vehicle bundle for the 2009 race season. Of course, we couldn’t release these vehicles without approval from the team. So Team Garmin Director Matt White stopped by the Garmin Garage to take a look. While he was visiting with us, we quickly realized that Matt would make a great co-pilot for nüvis far and wide. A quick recording session was set up and through the magic of technology, Matt was nüvi-fied. So now you can download Matt’s voice to your nüvi and he can guide you wherever you need to go. Matt's personality really shines. And if you have half as much fun listening to Matt as we did recording him, you’re sure to have smiles for miles (or kilometers). Pedal over to the Garmin Garage today and show your support for the Argyle Armada with our Team Garmin bundle. It’s free and it’s a lot of fun. But hurry – Matt’s waiting!

Garmin + BMW Motorrad = Navigator IV GPS

Garmin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:00:00 -0500

BMW motorcycle owners are about to have a new BMW-customized navigator at their fingertips. Today we joined with BMW to announce the next generation BMW Motorrad Navigator, the Navigator IV. This portable GPS device is based on Garmin's zumo 660, but it has customized features specific to the BMW such as a customized four-button mount, unique Bluetooth capabilities and preloaded BMW dealers. This is the fourth generation BMW Motorrad Navigator product, and the previous version, the Navigator III, was based on the StreetPilot 2820.

The BMW Motorrad Navigator IV is a top-of-the-line Garmin navigator designed exclusively for BMW motorcycles. Ready to go right out of the box, it has everything a rider could need. The portable, 4.3-inch navigator has a bright touchscreen display that is glove-friendly and comes preloaded with detailed street maps with millions of points of interest that include locations like restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, hotels and specific street addresses. After the rider selects a destination, the system calculates the best route and gives turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions to the final destination. This feature can also work with a compatible Bluetooth enabled helmet or headset. The BMW Motorrad Navigator IV’s stereo (A2DP) Bluetooth wireless technology makes it possible for riders to pair their phone to a Bluetooth enabled helmet or handset so that they can safely talk on the phone or listen to MP3’s without having to remove their gloves or helmet.

Ask Garmin: Updating your nüvi, zūmo or GPSMAP software

Garmin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:19:59 -0500

Some customers have asked us to follow-up about last week's mandatory software update decree, and they've specifically asked if all the new software has been released. The answer is a resounding YES! We have free software updates available for the nüvi 7x5 series, nüvi 800 series, nüvi 8x5 series, zūmo 660, GPSMAP 620 and GPSMAP 640. Offering free software is something we regularly do and we've always recommend you update your GPS when new free software is available. However, last week was atypical because the software update was mandatory. If you own one of the GPS devices listed above and haven't experienced any problems acquiring a GPS signal, you still need to do the free software update. It's free and easy to do. All you need to do is visit our WebUpdater site, download the free WebUpdater application, follow the screen prompts, and it will do everything else for you.

Garmin Garage: Fun for the Fourth!

Garmin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:55:29 -0500

Getting ready to load up the Family Truckster and make your way to friends and family this holiday season? If so, we’ve got two new vehicle icons to help you celebrate in style. Stop by the Garmin Garage today before you hit the road. We've spent the last week getting Topper and Ol' Glory ready to go! They'll look great guiding you from picnic to party to fireworks show and back home again. So if you're traveling near or far, your nüvi will be packed with patriotic pride. Of course, Topper and Ol' Glory aren't the only vehicles you'll find. We've got many more - including last year's Fourth of July icons - Wingspan and Moonshot. Stop by and load up! From all of us in the Garmin Garage, have a safe and festive Fourth of July!

Learn your Garmin with the Garmin Learning Center

Garmin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:25:42 -0500

Have you ever wanted to see a Garmin product in action before you buy it? Or, maybe you're interested in tips and tricks about a device you already own? How about expanding your overall GPS knowledge? If any of these scenarios sound familiar, the online Garmin Learning Center is for you. The Learning Center is the newest addition to Garmin.com, and is quickly becoming a popular place to visit because it's a one-stop resource for learning about Garmin products and all things GPS. Once you visit this site, you can watch short video snippets to learn more about your GPS. So far, the site features videos for the Forerunner 405, Edge 705, Approach G5 and Marine network. More videos will be coming soon, so you'll want to check back often.

20-year stories: eMap finds its way home

Garmin — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0500

In celebration of Garmin’s 20-year anniversary in 2009, we’re reaching back to the past to bring you stories from our younger years, including some memorable customer testimonials. When the following story was submitted through our website in 2000, this customer had definitely piqued our curiosity. Be sure to keep reading for the rest of the story.

An interesting thing happened to me today that I think is worth sharing with you. I have a Garmin eMap that is my newest best friend. I fell in love with it after I purchased one for my daughter as a gift. I had to have one of my own. I carry my eMap with me constantly and had the misfortune to lose it last weekend. I was about to order another one to replace it when I received a knock at my door. A young gentleman was standing there holding what he described to be my eMap. He asked me if I had lost it. I was flabbergasted! It seems that he is an electronics nut like myself and had found it in the park. He managed to get to the waypoint page and found one titled “home.” He set this as a destination and tracked to my home using the eMap. He said he figured that it must have been important and felt that it should be returned. We had a very nice discussion about the eMap. I went ahead and ordered another eMap and gave it to this young gentleman to reward him for his honesty and inventiveness. I’ve now bought three eMaps and am delighted to have done so because they have been valuable tools for me and my daughter, and I’m sure will do the same for my new young friend. Thanks, Garmin, for making such splendid products. Oh, by the way, did I mention that I’m blind? It’s true. I’ll bet I have your curiosity piqued, right?

Gil L.

The rest of the story, part I (published in Garmin’s internal newsletter, 2000)

Gil certainly did have us scratching our heads in amazement. We contacted him to find out just how he uses eMap … and we’re still amazed. Gil, who is blind, uses his GPS receiver in conjunction with a digital talking map software program called GPS-Talk, which allows his eMap to “talk” through a software speech synthesizer.

When Gil goes out for a walk or is headed for a business appointment, he’s equipped with a backpack that holds a laptop computer. His eMap is connected to the laptop and rests in the backpack. Also plugged into the laptop are earphones and a numeric keypad. He uses the keypad to access information and execute functions on the GPS, and he hears the information relayed through the earphones.

Gil uses a special computer adapted for the visually impaired along with the GPS-Talk software to create routes before leaving home. Once he has activated a route, the speech synthesizer kicks in, telling him which way to start walking and how many feet to proceed. It even announces streets and intersections as he approaches them.

“It’s very accurate, especially with Selective Availability turned off,” said Gil. “I can enter a street address and it gets me to within a doorway of where I’m going. I usually just pop my head in and ask if I’m at the right place.”

Along with his eMap, laptop and other gadgets, another companion on his outings is Lexy, Gil’s Seeing Eye dog. Gil calls Lexy, a golden lab, his “furry Ferrari.” She goes wherever her partner goes, even when Gil is traveling overseas. Gil does a lot of traveling with his job as a computer consultant specializing in adaptive computer devices. He’s also involved with a technology resource center serving the Toledo, Ohio, and surrounding areas. Gil started the resource center on his own. In describing the services provided by the center, Gil said: “We deal with all the geek stuff that allows a person who’s blind to use a computer.” Now here’s a guy who lets nothing slow him down or stand in his way. Hats off to Gil and others who adapt Garmin products to serve their needs, giving them the freedom to go anywhere and do anything.

The rest of the story, part II (what Gil is doing today)

We reconnected with Gil to get an update and we’re thrilled to hear he’s still in the business of adaptive computer technologies. Here’s the latest from Gil:

I'm still deeply involved with GPS and often have dueling GPS trips with my daughter using her Garmin StreetPilot. I'm really considering getting a nüvi 880 for my wife. If I'm not in the car navigating with my GPS, her trips can get very adventurous. I think she would be able to manage a device she could talk to. With a little modification, nüvi could easily be used by blind users. If the menus would read, it would work very well. My new furry Ferrari, Evie, and I have traveled all over the world by ourselves and this was made very easy with our GPS system. My little company, Sendero, has really blossomed. We now are the undisputed leader in adapted GPS. I'm very proud of what a small group of people have been able to do.

Free, mandatory GPS software available now

Garmin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:44:38 -0500

Today, Garmin released a free, mandatory GPS software update to correct a software issue that has been discovered to cause select GPS devices to repeatedly attempt to update GPS firmware, and then either shut down or no longer acquire GPS satellite signals. The products affected are the nüvi 7x5 series, nüvi 800 series, nüvi 8x5 series, zūmo 660, GPSMAP 620 and GPSMAP 640.

Garmin nüvi 7x5 series products that are no longer able to acquire a GPS satellite signal may download a firmware update immediately that will correct the software issue. This firmware update may be downloaded using Garmin’s WebUpdater.

Firmware updates for other affected products will be available online through Garmin’s WebUpdater in the near future. Affected customers who have registered their GPS device will be notified about these updates through email.

Garmin nüvi 7x5 customers who are no longer able to power on their GPS device will need to visit www.garmin.com/support, and select the first FAQ titled “My nüvi 755T, 765T, 775T or 785T is giving me the message ‘Updating GPS Firmware’ or will no longer power on…” Customers will then need to follow the instructions to request a return authorization so that the device may be repaired under warranty.

We know our customers rely upon their Garmin GPS device(s), especially during the summer travel season, and we regret any inconvenience this situation may have caused. We are committed to developing products that are known for their quality and reliability and will continue to work diligently to earn the trust of our customers.

Ask Garmin: Why does my nüvi 7x5 not power on?

Garmin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:24:18 -0500

It has come to our attention that the Garmin nüvi 7x5 series has a firmware error that is causing some devices to perform an unprompted GPS software update and in some cases shut down. We are aware of this issue and we are working diligently on a solution. We know our customers rely upon their GPS devices and we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. Developing quality products always has been and continues to be a priority at Garmin. For regular updates about this issue, please visit www.garmin.com/support.