Garmin nüvi 785/785T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth and Maps of U.S, Canada & Puerto Rico
| Overall rating: |
|
Directionally challenged? Many people lose their sense of direction. Getting from point A to Point B can be so stress provoking that you hardly want to leave point A. The Garmin nuvi 785T helps get you from one point to another and helps you have fun at any point you choose. And you’ll never be lost. The nuvi 785T offers full coverage mapping for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The preloaded map data features nearly six million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs and attractions. The map data is provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping. It features 3D buildings, lane assist and lifetime traffic alerts from NAVTEQ. Take advantage of Garmin’s first premium traffic service without subscription fees. 3D navigation with lane assist provides drivers a clear picture of what lies ahead on their route, including road sign detail and arrows indicating the proper lane for navigation. Some areas even offer a 3D view of buildings. Steer clear of traffic with nuvi’s integrated FM traffic receiver. Receive alerts about traffic delays and road construction that lie ahead on your route. The nuvi 785T features an MSN Direct receiver with a 3 month trial subscription that includes updated information about traffic conditions, fuel prices, weather reports, movie listings, headline news, stock quotes and local events. Auto time zone will automatically adjust your time zone while navigating Garmin Connect Photos – associate your favorite images with saved locations DEM maps show you shaded terrain contours at various zoom levels High-sensitivity GPS receiver for improved performance and reception Turn-by-turn directions with voice guidance Easy-to-use, Touchscreen interface Trip computer records mileage, max speed, total time and more Simplified PC connectivity, using USB mass storage Configurable vehicle icons allows users to select a fun, and cus
Features
- NOTE: The MSN Direct receiver with integrated vehicle power cable is one device that is BOTH the MSN Direct Service (traffic) receiver and the car charger
- Bright, 4.3-inch diagonal color WQVGA TFT touchscreen with 480 x 272 pixels and white backlight
- Preloaded with City Navigator North America NT
- Bluetooth wireless technology for hands-free calling
- High-sensitivity GPS receiver for improved performance and reception
- NOTE: Model number on the box is 785T because the traffic receiver is included; however, the model number on the device itself is 785 as the “T” in 785T refers to the additional component
- Dimensions (W x H x L): 1 x 3 x 5 inches
- Weight: 0 pounds
Nuvi 785T
GPS and extra features work well. Bluetooth did not link up with my phone, but otherwise I am happy with the unit.
Impressed but with reservations
As the owner of a Magellan unit, we needed a GPS device that could interface with our Mac. I have no problems with the software, though the process of getting a custom map from your Mac to the device is poorly documented. It required an email to customer service to have the process explained. Basically, after sending the custom map to the 785T from “Roadtrip” on your computer, you have to go to “Custom Maps” on your device and download your new map.
Overall the GPS unit works well though I was disappointed to learn that all Garmin units lack the turn chimes used by our Magellan. One nice feature is that the 785T finds the satelites much faster than our previous GPS devices.
Basically, you buy a GPS unit to get you where you need to go and the 785T does what it is supposed to do.
GARMIN DOES NOT HONOR FREE MAP FOR OUTDATED ONE THAT COMES W/ THE UNIT
Garmin’s customer suport has gone down the tubes. I was unable to update the map on my unit as it got stuck – thought it went thru. Getting ready for my trip and discovered the unit is OUT OF DATE and Garmin says, so sorry about your disappointment but you can purchase an updated map. The unit won’t even find a Walmart for crying out loud. They said 60 days and its been 90 days but the map wouldn’t not load on day 5. SHAME ON YOU GARMIN.
Great GPS poor map graphics
I have used this unit for like 4 days now and I must say I feel badly let down. Though it works well as expected, the unit has a feel of cheapness around it especially with the graphics of the map. For a company like Garmin, I would have expected their graphics to be sharp and crisp instead it comes across like graphics from 10 years ago when compared to the graphics on Sprint Telenav. While navigating and when approaching a section of the highway that splits, the unit is supposed to display a pictorial image of the road and the exit sign so as to serve as extra guide, well mine hasn’t shown any of that yet.
My second gripe with the unit is the limited amount of data on display while navigating. It is good to have data like speedometer, speed limit, time of arrival, exit information, and name of street driving on displayed, but when you have to punch the screen to access other information like distance to destination especially, or time at destination, or other fun information, it gets really annoying.
The call clarity of its bluetooth is nothing to write home about. I’ve used navigon’s GPS system before and there’s worked far much better than this one, so I have had to resort to using my bluebooth headset.
Not that it is a piece of crap, the unit is actually an impressive gadget. It is slick and not bulky. When powered on, it doesn’t take long to obtain a gps signal. The windshield mount was properly thought out as it is very easy to mount and unmount the unit. Although the map that came with it was out of date, I was allowed to update it without charge. There is also another neat little feature that I found on it: ecofuel. It monitors your speed and compares it to your mpg usage to let you know how eco friendly your driving is. Lastly, I am pleased that there is a lock security code on it to prevent unauthorized use, though it would have been nice if you can set the unit to time out when standing still after a predetermined amount of time.
I am going to return it as I am not completely satisfied.
Very pleased with my new Garmin
I replaced a Magellan GPS with a Garmin Nuvi 785T and am really pleased with what technology has come up with in the 5 years since I first purchased the Magellan. The Nuvi is filled with helpful features and is so user friendly. My only disappointment is that the MSN service is going to be discontinued. I like the added convenience of finding gas prices, movie times, etc. Maybe something new will come out that can be downloaded to the unit. Overall I really like the way the Garmin operates. I don’t think anyone would be unhappy with this product.
Garmin Nuvi 785T
I purchased this as a replacement for my stolen Garmin 760. I loved the old GPS, but amazon mentioned this was the more recent version, now for about the same price. I love the features on it – lane assist, choice of voices, multi-destination trip planning, 3D map view, etc. I’m just a little disappointed because it takes a while to load maps sometimes, or find a satellite, so the system gets “lost” sometimes even if I’m just stuck in traffic for too long in one spot. And the traffic feature has been fairly accurate on delays, but wrong in where they are located. It also is a little slow reading things you enter on the touch pad. So, for example, when typing in my passcode or destination, I type for a bit and it looks like it’s not working, so I double-press keys, and all of a sudden the device will “catch up” with me and I’ve overtyped the info. I’m learning to copy with it, but it’s annoying. So, overall, I think it’s an amazing device with features I love, but the execution is not ideal. The old version definitely worked more smoothly. There wasn’t an option for 1/2 stars, so I rated this a 4, but I think it’s more like 3 1/2 stars out of 5.
I returned it
I bought a refurbished model and the keyboard brought up the wrong keys when I typed them in. It would freeze and return to the main menu. It also comes with the MSN traffic cord, not the free lifetime traffic cord that the 265T has. If you want that, you have to pay another $100. The MSN traffic will end in January 2012 and they are offering you 9 months free MSN as an incentive. Not worth it. I had a 265T and it was wonderful. The text to voice was much better. The 785T is not worth the money. Even if it worked well, the free lifetime traffic of the 265T makes it worth buying instead. I’m disappointed in Garmin. Their more expensive model should have better voices, not worse. And I shouldn’t have to pay an extra $100 for what I can get included in the cheaper model.
Still, having tried Tom Tom and Magellan, I’d buy another Garmin. Just not the 785T.
Very easy to use.
Very easy to use. Just put it in the car, plug it in and tell it where you want to go. I will be buying one for my wife’s car.
Garmin 785t
One of the best Navigation that i have ever had.Easy in use fast and 3D is vonderful.I drivin in NJ for along time and know alot of roads but with Garmin it’s make my trip faster and i have never stucken in trafick.
Great GPS
This GPS functions as advertised. I replaced it with an older version of a Garmin. Love the bigger screen.
Great GPS…poor Bluetooth
GPS works great…but bluetooth function isn’t the best I’ve used. Many times didn’t recognize my cell phones (Blackberry and LG).
love it
I just love using my new GPS, would recommend this to everyone, very easy to use.
Poor Screen Calibration
I used the 785T for 2 weeks. Other than the screen calibration issues I was pleased with it. I tried at least 4 or 5 times and the screen would not properly calibrate.
Poor calibration example…
If my favorites were listed like this:
HOME
SCHOOL
WORK
THE GYM
THE PARK
If I highlighted/selected HOME – 8 out of 10 times it would think that I selected THE GYM or THE PARK several entries down and started calculating toward that location instead of home. I’ve since learned that the calibration issues plague the 7X5 series -either you get a good one or you don’t. I sent it back to Amazon this morning and rather than risk another calibration issue I am replacing the 785T with a 1390T.
The 785T was very easy to set up and use. The screen was a good size 4.3″, the volume seemed ok to me and the bluetooth was ok -what you’d expect and it was very easy to set up and use. The traffic feature wasn’t anything special -it worked…..it told me I was in traffic when I in fact was and it let me know I wasn’t in traffic when I wasn’t. It was pretty much just verifying what I was seeing in front of me. The MSN traffic was a free 3 month trial -I would not have kept it if I had to pay for it.
Bottom line: If I had been one of the lucky ones and received a 785T w/out the calibration issue I would have kept it and been very pleased with it.
Also, Garmin has discontinued the 785T -which doesn’t really matter much if the unit works properly. I contacted Garmin about the calibration on my 785T and they told me “you got a lemon -return it to where you bought it”
Great GPS, Bluetooth didn’t work for me
This is my fourth Garmin GPS. The previous three were great. My favorite was the C550, which I went back to after I returned this GPS. The biggest reason is that I use the Bluetooth feature on the C550 with my BB8320. It would not allow me to control the volume of the phone during a call. After upgrading the GPS and the Phone to the latest software it still didn’t work. I reverted back to my C550.
The things I like with the 785T is the traffic that MSN provides, it is better than all free traffic that I have used. It’s still not perfect, but better than no warnings.
It seems a little slower, than the C550/C330 series on redraw and switching screens.
I thought the live radar was really cool. Lane assist was nice as well.
The other feature that I like is putting MP3’s on an SD card, hooking a simple cable from the headphone jack to the AUX jack in on your newer cars, and listening to musics while driving. When it’s time to make a turn the GPS interupt the music, states the direction, and goes back to music. The same is true for a call. I really miss the external volume control on the C550 series, it made using this feature much easier.
Very Nice
This Garmin GPS is very simple to use. I had no trouble programming it for the first time. I connected my cell phone to it for a trip, but when in use, the speaker is not strong enough to carry your voice to the party on the other end without a lot of interference from vehicle noises. I will use my vehicle bluetooth connection for this from now on. My directions were pertfect to a “T”. This Garmin produces very accurate directions each time I have used it. I am very happy with this purchase.
love it love it!
I HAVE A NUVI 780 AND WANTED MY WIFE TO HAVE A NICE GPS IN HER CAR. SHE HAS BEED USING A SMALL GARMIN STREET PILOT, BUT THIS ONE – THE 785 – IS SO EASY TO USE…REALLY JUST LIKE THE 780 AS I CAN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE SO FAR. BOUGHT FROM AMAZON.COM AND AMAZON SHIPS QUICK!! GARMIN IS THE WAY TO GO!!
worst Garmin Ever!
I am thr proud owner of not one, but two Garmins. I love the brand in general and decided to upfrade my Nuvi 205 to a larger more advanced model. When I bought mine over 2 years ago, It was top notch but now they offer 3D buildings, spoken street names and real time traffic. I ordered my new a couple weeks ago for our anual vacation to Sc. To make this review as brief as possible so you get the most from it, I will list everything that is wrong with this model.
1. Touch screen is way off. Even after callibrating the Garmin,you still have to press underneath whatever you are trying to touch in order for it to work.
2. Touch screen AGAIN- Sometimes you can touch something on the far left of the screen and it will select an option from the complete other side of the screen.
3. Randomly shuts off for no reason. I could be using the MP3 player or just inputting a address and then boom, it shuts off and cycles back on again. Then I have to start all over again.
4. Lane assist? Maybe. If you are in a area which is covered which is not very many. I drove 9 hour trip on the east coast and could only get the lane assist feature to work in the DC area.
5. 3D Maps. Nope! Well maybe in some areas. Used this garmin from DC to SC and NEVER once was able to see anything/buildings in 3D.
4. Keyboard freezes. When you start to type either an address or a “Point of intrest” it will select the first letter and then lagg/freeze for a good while with the letter highlighten in orange before you can finish typing. I had to pull over at one point because it was taking me almost 5 minutes to type a location which is dangerous.
I hope this review helps. I was really excited about this new garmin, but my 2 1/2 year old plan jane model with absolutely no features works every time! I still need another Garmin though so I have since ordered the Garmin 855 and I have high hopes that this model with be a little more user friendly and “Bug” free.
I will say, the one feature I loved was ( Which is not only in this model thank god) is the MSN direct because the live traffic worked so well. The MSN direct was able to detect a 40 min traffic jam long before it happened and re routed us to a different route.
One of My Best Deals
While looking for a great deal from a brick and mortar store to the Internet; I found this gem right here.I drive tour buses and this jewel saves me many headaches. I saved over $50 from a regular store and the customer service is tops. I would buy again from Amazon.com.
Handy gadget to have
I bought mine about a month ago. I used it on some shorter trips. But a few days ago mI used it to travel from CT to GA. This model has an mp3 player built in. Although my car has a CD player I just put my 8 gig SD card in and made a big playlist. It worked nice but it took me a few tries to figure out hgow to get the playlist to work because its a different format than my Sansa mp3 player. This model has a built in FM transmitter too. Don’t bother with that feature. It’s too weak to give a clean signal. I just plugged my external unit into the headphone jack. It was much better.
I noticed on the lower left of the screen it displays the speed limit sign. Well its quite accurate. But what I reall noticed about it was when the speed limit changed I saw it change on the screen as soon as I passed the sctual speed limit sign on the Interstate. I like the POI feature and found that I can find places that I didn’t need to bother inputting their address’s for. I noticed when I crossed state lines it displays a dotted line where you cross it too. Also when I was travelling along the interstate the upper right displays how many miles are left on it. But all it really is displaying is how many miles until the next major exit ant it keeps promting you to stay right or left. Then it recalculates to the next one until you eventually do get to your exit. All in all I’m happy with this GPS. Of course when you wear polarized sunglasses you will see dark bands on the screen. But that is just the nature of polarization and LCD screens. It doesn’t really interfere with it. You can still see the screen clearky enough.
What The Heck Is Garmin Doing? Another Major Failure!
I’ve reached a point of total frustration with Garmin products. You can read my review of the 265T that shows the beginning of my frustration. I have owned a number of Garmin products over the years:
- eTrex Vista (still works like a charm)
- Forerunner 301 (sold to pay for my 305)
- Forerunner 305 (keeps on ticking)
- Street Pilot 330 (my son has it in his car)
- Nuvi 350 (my daughter has it in her car)
- Nuvi 265T (returned to Costco)
They all were consistently good to great – until the 265WT. The downward trend continues with the 785T.
Under three months of using the nuvi 265WT, I returned it to Costco. I’ve had the 785T for less than two months, and it is more frustrating than the 265T. It will be returned this weekend.
Some of the same issues that plague the 265WT affect the 785T as well:
1. Confounding Interface (same as the 265WT) – They moved the custom POI from the Favorites, down another level to EXTRAS. Why? In the 350, selecting Favorites gave a list of Recently Selected, Saved Favorites, and Custom POIs, if there were any installed. You now have to go to another level, on the second screen (page down) for EXTRAS, and the only extra is Custom POIs. Why?
2. Traffic (same as the 265WT) – The 265WT traffic was so bad, that when it was right (which was seldom) I got mad. I got the 785T knowing full well that the MSN Direct service, delivering the traffic, would end in 2011. No problem, because in my mind the 265WT traffic was so bad, I was not going to use the traffic on the 785T. Truth be told, it was pretty good the first few weeks. But, recently, it’s gone all to hell. The reports are laughable – asking for a “Traffic On Route” will get traffic on roads I am not on and will not be going to! I was actually thinking of paying for the service and taking it until the bitter end – I don’t think so …
3. System Crashes – unfathomable … I’ll be looking at traffic on route, hit back twice to get to the map, and BANG … the Nuvi crashes and restarts. Just what I want in the middle of my drive. This happens constantly.
4. Touch screen issues – Others have reported the issue around the touch screen. I have recalibrated my screen at least three times. I’ll touch the lower right corner of the screen, and it will react as if I touched the lower left. I’ll touch the Setting icon on the main screen and the STOP will react. I’ll touch a character on the keyboard, and another character ON THE OTHER SIDE will come up. It’s beyond frustrating.
5. SLOW SCREEN RE-PAINT – SLOW DIRECTIONS – I cannot believe how slow this device re-paints a screen, and the spoken directions always seem to be a step behind. The issue has been reported by others.
6. Bluetooth problems (shared with the 265WT) – if you setup a connection to your Bluetooth cell phone, but the phone is not in range when you turn on the GPS, you get a connection failure message (for example, I get in the car, start up the GPS, go back into the house to get something and come back out after the GPS has started). No problem. Menu dive DEEP into system settings to set up the connection. The GPS will lock up EVERYTIME. I have learned that I just do not turn on the GPS until I know my phone will stay in range.
7. Strange Direction Changes (shared with the 265WT) – In my review of the 265WT I detailed an issue with directions on my commute home. That very same issue exists for the 785T. On top of that, it will, on occasion, take me off a highway, only to bring me right back on. “Exit right, towards … keep left onto the Garden State Parkway.” What?!?
I feel like I’ve been burned twice in a row by Garmin. It seems as if they are chasing Tom Tom and not feeling vetting the new units in quality control. It’s like they think that the fixes can be done after the sale with the firmware updates.
I’ll repeat the same reasons for me NOT to contact Garmin support. If there was a problem that could not be fixed over the phone, they would want the unit for repair/replace. The problems:
1. I pay for shipping
2. I am out a GPS until they repair or replace
3. The replacement is almost ALWAYS a refurb – trade my brand new unit for a repaired? I don’t think so
4. Word is that at least some of the issues I am suffering do not get fixed. Which again makes me wonder what the heck is Garmin up to.
5. Costco has a great return policy – no questions, 90 days. If I exchange it, I get a new unit, or I can return it for a full refund.
Which is what I will do again – get a refund.
Sad, but I think I am at the end of the road for Garmin products.