GPS Devices: Road-Tested and Reviewed

Garmin Nuvi 360

The Garmin Nuvi 360 earned our Best Buy nod. Despite a midrange cost ($413), it has such high-end features as Bluetooth connectivity (for hands-free phone calls), pronunciation of street names, and plenty of tools and information for travelers.

Though the Nuvi 360 is only about the size and weight of a deck of cards, it's a capable navigator. Besides offering first-rate maps and an intuitive interface (with 3D maps), it also has a media player for viewing images and listening to audio; language guides from Oxford University Press; and travel information (including restaurants, hotels, and points of interest) from Fodor's North America.

The device's battery lasted for 4 hours, 6 minutes in my test--more than 30 minutes longer than any of the other four competitors.

Unfortunately, the Nuvi 360 lacks a pedestrian mode for obtaining information on pathways that a car can't travel, though you can use it outside a vehicle; the device does not provide speed warnings or school-zone alerts, either. You can use it to listen to music and audio-book files stored on SD Card or MMC media while navigating, but you can't stream the sound or the voiced navigation instructions through your car's FM radio. You can buy an optional ($75) SD Card containing a language guide for six languages.

The Nuvi 360's SiRF Star III GPS transceiver latches on to satellite signals quickly, and the routes the device suggested were timely and accurate. The unit's smallish (3.5-inch diagonal) display can't fit in the amount of information shown on devices with 4.3-inch screens; it is easy to read even in bright sunlight, however, and the touch-screen controls make the tasks of entering street addresses and changing settings quick and simple. The unit's Safe mode (off by default) prevents you from changing certain settings, to help you avoid getting distracted while driving. You can enter a code to prevent unauthorized use, too.

The Garmin Nuvi 360's compactness, accuracy, features, and battery life make it the best value among the five GPS devices I tested.