4 / 5 - PCWorld, Jan 2, 2008
Pros
Bluetooth connectivity
Long battery life
Cons
Relatively small screen
Lacks speed alerts and other safety options
Bottom Line
This tiny, affordable GPS device offers high-end features such as travel information.
Garmin Nuvi 360
nuvi 360 GPS (City/Vehicle, 3.5" LCD) Review, by Dennis O'Reilly January 2, 2008
The Nuvi 360 is compact--about the size and weight of a deck of cards--but a capable navigator. Besides offering first-rate maps and an intuitive interface (with features like 3D maps and pronunciation of street names), the diminutive GPS lets you choose a voice from among several different English ac cents. It also features 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 long battery life enhances its portability: It ran for 4 hours, 6 minutes in my test--more than 30 minutes longer than any of the other four devices I tested for "GPS Devices: Road-Tested and Reviewed." 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 an SD or MMC card while navigating, but you can't stream the sound or the voiced navigation instructions through your car's FM radio. You can also buy an optional ($75) SD card with a language guide for six languages.
The Nuvi's SiRF Star III GPS transceiver latches onto satellite signals quickly, and the routes the device suggested were timely and accurate. The device's smallish (3.5-inch diagonal) display can't fit in the amount of information shown on de vices with 4.3-inch screens; it is easy to read even in bright sunlight, however, and the touch-screen controls make entering street addresses and changing settings quick and simple. The unit's Safe mode (off by de fault) 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 compact Nuvi's accuracy, features, and battery life make it the best value among the five GPS devices I tested for our February 2008 print issue.
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User Reviews
Average User Reviews for Garmin nuvi 360 GPS (City/Vehicle, 3.5" LCD)
- Latest User Reviews 1 review
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Reviewed by: michaellloyd1
Duration of ownership: 1 Year
Strengths: screen size is just right - not too big, not too small.
navigation functionality is excellent, even when traveling at high speeds :-)
great feature set - meets/exceeds my needs
easy to use - human interface is excellent also.
blue tooth works well with my treo (treo's seem to be a bit picky interfacing to other blue tooth devices)
mp3 player and sd card feature are very useful for my work commute
battery life is great for getting around with out the charger
Weaknesses: just one - tinny sounding speaker (see my solution below)
Overall: received as a gift. very useful and i wish i had gotten it sooner.
there are software hacks to crank the volume up a bit to help the "tinnyness".
The best solution is to get the audio to play car audio system. i've read unfavorable reviews of the various FM transmitters, but found a $9 cassette adapter that works fantastically (yes, my car still plays cassettes as well as cds, etc).
overall, a great product and i strongly recommend it if you are in the market for a gps device.
User Reviews From Around the Web
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Reviewed by: tippywoo
Strengths: I like the smallness of the GPS. Its compact compact and has all the nessecary accessories such as car charger, USB, and Plug in to house hold outlet
Weaknesses: Not dependable and unpredictable. I have trouble when I start a new trip. It tells me that I am still at the previus location.
Overall: Can't trust it. Custumer service is 25 mins wait and not sure if my time is worth the waiting time. I think if you have a little patience, this model may not be for you.
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Reviewed by:
Strengths: complete in begining worked well
Weaknesses: voice hard to understand then stopped completly yr later
Overall: Loved it in beginning, got lost ocasionaly in mountains but otherwise perfect. Then voice became hard to understand then voice quit working. So unless you are able to read it don't invest your good money. find something less expensive that can be replaced
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Reviewed by: exatc
Strengths: Fair
Weaknesses: Bluetooth Not compatible with many cellphones. Check your compatibility before you buy.Phone was discontinued by the manufacturer March 2008
Overall: Advertising says "compatible Bluetooth technology". Very limited selection of compatible phones. Their tech support was absolutely no help. No mention in any advertising that the unit had been discontinued
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Reviewed by:
Strengths: size
Weaknesses: blurry screen
Overall: I had the Garmin 360 for a couple of days and it's ok, but compared to my MIO which is 2 years old, its not as good. the biggest dislike is that the screen is blurry. also the voice is not loud enough.
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Reviewed by:
Strengths: Rich features at a low price. Smaller size is perfect for portability and travel. Bluetooth interface for hands-free phone usage.
Weaknesses: None so far.
Overall: My first GPS, I picked the 360 over other models due to its features, small portable size for travel, and Bluetooth for hands-free phone usage. More features in a GPS than I'll use (images, MP3s, etc.
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Ratings
4 / 5 - PCWorld, Jan 2, 2008
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