Garmin nuvi 255 Review

Loaded with countless maps for either all of North America or Europe, the Garmin nuvi 255 is quite an improvement over its predecessors in the 200 series of personal navigators. It is now more compact, easy to use, and priced for the budget conscious.

Garmin nuvi 255 GPS Navigator

Product Overview

The Garmin nuvi 255 features a newly redesigned interface that not only offers more visible information but is also easy to use, even for the novice or those who are completely new to the world of GPS and personal navigators. Ready to use right out of the box, the nuvi 255 has simple controls and sub-screens for more details and easy access to the many onscreen icons that will perform a host of useful functions, including the text-to-speech (TTS) feature that announces street names and upcoming exits, instead of the generic, "turn left in 500 feet."

It has a 3.5 inch antiglare, full color display in front of a white backlight which is in place to make the device readable at any angle or in the sunlight. Because the 255 has a built-in antenna as opposed to the flip-up type, it's slim, compact, and fits neatly in a pocket or purse for taking it on the go.

Included with the purchase of the Garmin 255 is the Quick Start manual, dashboard disc, and vehicle power cable and suction cup mount. Depending on the features being used, the included rechargeable battery will operate the device for up to four hours without being connected to a power source, making it easy to bring the 255 along while exploring an area by foot.

Also included are three month subscriptions to both MSN Connect, which offers a variety of information such as gas prices, stock market details, movie listings, local events and more, and another to TMC Clear Channel traffic broadcasts. After three months, users will have to pay subscription fees for both if they want to keep the services.

Actual user review:
• "This GPS works exactly as expected. The remote button attaches easily to the steering wheel. Wait until the green indicator shows up on the screen. It has an excellent voice recognition interface, and the advanced GPS features that I want. This is really helpful when you are traveling alone and can't stop. You don't need to use the touch screen. It reads street, and highway lane names. The "Where am I?", Point of interest (POI) features are very useful. It stores location when you remove it from the vehicle mount. It takes you back to your car in a mall parking lot. It re-routes fast without complaining & asking you to turn around. Easy to add and change order of "via" points. You can pre-program easily at home." - M.C.Broder (NC,USA)

Notable Benefits and Features

Like all Nuvis by Garmin, the nuvi 255 comes loaded with large database of 6 million points of interest (POI), which include establishments such as restaurants, local attractions, hotels, ATM machines and banks, fuel stations, and plenty more. Also, this particular nuvi is capable of accepting custom POI from third parties, allowing the user to enter their own places of interest to the list.

With features like digital elevation maps you're able to see more details with the Garmin 255, giving you a better idea as to the actual surrounding terrain. And, if you're interested in navigating with the help of actual photographs, the 255 is compatible with Garmin's Connect Photos which gives users the chance to choose from millions and millions of geo-located pictures that come from the photo sharing community of Google's Panoramio.

The "Where Am I?" emergency locator feature gives users the peace of mind while traveling as with one touch of the icon the unit will display the closest intersections or addresses as well as listing the exact latitude and longitude of your location, even the nearest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations.

Customize your navigation experience by choosing from one of many car shaped icons that will represent your place on the map with the Garmin Garage feature that offers icons such as tanks, motorcycles, RV's sport's cars, and more. Garmin Lock, the company's patent pending antitheft system, is also included with the 255 model and works by disabling the unit from operating unless it is taken to a secure location that's determined ahead of time, or by entering a personal identification number (PIN).

Going beyond navigation, the Garmin 255 also includes several travel tools such as the world time clock with accurate time zones, the currency and measurement converters, the JPEG picture viewer, calculator and others.

Also available in Widescreen version: Garmin nuvi 255W

Technical Specifications

Antenna : Built-in
Battery : Rechargeable lithium ion, runs for up to four hours without power
Connectivity : USB cable (not included)
Dimensions : 3.8"(W) x 0.8"(D) x 2.8"(H)
Weight : 5.2 oz
Display : QVGA color antiglare with white backlight, 320 x 240 pixels
Expansion Slots : microSD card (not included)
Included Accessories: Set up and go guide, dashboard disc, vehicle power cable and suction cup mount
Included Software : City Navigator NT Street Maps for North America or Europe, three month subscription to MSN Direct for U.S. with optional receiver, three month subscription to TMC Clear Channel traffic broadcasts
Voice Capabilities : Yes, voice prompts, text to speech street names for North America version only

More user reviews:

• "What a great GPS!!! Didn't want anything big or expensive and thats what I got, the perfect GPS. It is easy to use and I didn't get lost. It is so much better than computer directions that are almost always wrong. I didn't have to call anyone for directions. I will never travel without it! " - L.Tapia (USA)

• "Let me set the scene for you: I arrive in Los Angeles at the airport, turn on my GPS system and instantly am ready to navigate. I then spend two days driving around Los Angeles not knowing where anything is located and haven't gotten lost once. The nuvi 255 is everything you need. Don't spend more because you think you'll need to talk for navigation or that you want to connect to some navigation service or whatever else they're selling. This is a small, FAST, device that you can easily carry with you when it isn't in your car. And folks, that's part of a portable GPS system: you can take it with you so it doesn't get stolen." - G.Raush (CA,USA)

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