Product Description
GARMIN Nuvi 205 3.5 Inch City Navigator. Garmin International is
pleased to announce the nuvi 205 and nuvi 255 affordable GPS
navigators. With easy to use touchscreen displays, both models can
route to addresses, restaurants, hotels and more with turn by turn
directions and voice guidance. nuvi 205 will say Turn right in 500
feet, while nuvi 255 will include text to speech which will prompt you
to Turn right on Main Street. New appealing features include MSN Direct
compatibility, HotFix, Garmin Connect Photos, digital elevation maps,
automatic time zone updates and smoother map updates. Nuvi 205 and nuvi
255 are compatible with Garmin¿s optional MSN Direct receiver /GDB 55.
This new MSN Direct receiver provides premium content such as traffic
updates, weather, gas prices, enhanced movie listings, stock info,
news, local events and a send to GPS feature for trip planning. This
accessory will be available third quarter of 2008. Nuvi 205 is the most
affordable option, with mapping coverage of the lower 48 states, Hawaii
and Puerto Rico. It offers five million points of interest, including
hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs and attractions. nuvi 255 has
broader map coverage it comes preloaded with City Navigator NT road
maps for North America1 and six million points of interest. The map
data for both units is provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium
quality mapping.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #326 in Consumer Electronics
- Color: SILVER
- Brand: Garmin
- Model: Nuvi 205
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: .80" h x
2.80" w x
3.80" l,
2.00 pounds
- Native resolution: 320 x 240
- Display size: 3.5
Features
- 3.5-inch Touch Screen Navigation with Turn by Turn spoken Directions
- Pre-loaded Maps for continental U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico with 6.5 million searchable points of interest
- FM Traffic or MSN Direct Traffic/Content compatible (with optional GDB 55 receiver)
- Easy to Use Interface; slim, pocket-sized form factor; 4-hour rechargeable battery
- 3D terrain views, navigate to photo, and automatic time zone adjustment
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Product Description----May 7, 2008
Garmin's nüvi 2x5 models improveupon their 200-series predecessors by
adding top-of-the-line features such as FM traffic updates or MSN
Direct content capability to an entry-level line. But Garmin is also
introducing some significant improvements with this new series, like a
predictive technology that provides faster satellite lock, a redesigned
screen with more information, terrain maps, and an exciting new photo
navigation feature.
The
nüvi 2x5 models sport the slim design that Garmin introduced with the
200-series last year, so they all fit comfortably in your pocket or
purse, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that makes them
convenient for navigation by car or foot.All of the models include
useful travel tools like a JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with
time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and
more.
Important Product Information: This device features
a "screen lock" feature. This is a standard feature on all nüvi 2x5 and
7x5 Garmin units. If you slide the "Power" key to the right, it will
lock the screen and prevent any accidental touches. Once the screen
lock feature is engaged, the screen will go black/gray after about 15
seconds to save power on the device. To unlock the screen, just slide
the "Power" key to the center position. This feature is really targeted
for "Pedestrian" mode so that a user can put the device in his or her
pocket/purse and quickly unlock the screen instead of powering on/off
continuously. For more information, see page 5 of the product manual.
Key Features/Benefits for all 2x5 Series Navigators
- New -- HotFix (Long Term Ephemeris Prediction) finds satellites faster (Learn more)
- New -- Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Basemap shows 3D shaded terrain features (Learn more)
- New -- Faster 333 Mhz processor offers faster, smoother map drawing and vehicle icon motion through turns
- New -- Redesigned user interface offers more information (Learn more)
- New -- Photo Navigation lets you upload geo-coded photos from a phone, geo-coding camera or photo site and navigate to them. (Learn more)
- New -- Add Dynamic MSN Traffic and Content with the optional GDB 55 antenna and charger (Learn more)
- New -- Send addresses directly to your Garmin from Google Maps or Mapquest (Learn more)
- New -- Automatic Time Zone Transition
- Memory
Card Slots so you can add maps and travel guides, or store photos
(MicroSD card slot on 3.5-inch units; SD card slot on 4.3-inch units)
- Preloaded Maps with Navteq data of the Lower 48 States + Hawaii + Puerto Rico
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery for easy portability (up to 4 hours per charge)
- Custom Vehicle Icons let you personalize your navigator (Learn more)
- Integrated Antenna for a slim form factor
- Where Am I? -- instantly shows you all of the emergency services nearby (Learn More)
Which nüvi is Best for You?:
Click here to see a quick, simple comparison of features for all Garmin nuvi GPS navigators
Learn More
| One
of Garmin's key product philosophies is to make extremely complex
technology easy to use for anyone right out of the box, and perhaps
nowhere is that better exemplified than in the user interface for
Garmin's portable navigation devices.
Garmin's interface is
a key to their success part of what makes their devices such a pleasure
to use. Simple controls and sub-screens make it easy to enter or search
for destinations and get data about your trip. Simply touch the color
screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with
turn-by-turn voice directions, 2-D or 3-D maps and smooth map updates
as you navigate.
This year, Garmin has redesigned its interface to include much more useful information.
|
Old Interface
 |
New Interface
|
| Your
GPS device locks onto transmissions from a dedicated network of
Satellites in order to determine its position. Until the device gets a
"lock" on three satellites, it can't effectively navigate, so
decreasing the time it takes for your device to get "satellite lock" is
always a goal of GPS manufacturers. With Garmin's new HotFix
technology, your Garmin GPS remembers the position of all satellites it
is tracking when you turn it off, and calculates their movements in
order to predict where they should be the next time you turn it on.
This gives the device an idea of where it should look for satellites,
and dramatically decreases the time it takes for your Garmin to get its
position and start navigating. HotFix can predict satellite positions
for up to 3 days after the device was last turned off.
Using
Garmin’s unique Web site — Garmin Connect Photos — users can choose
from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google’s Panoramio
photo sharing community and download them to the nüvi for a richer
navigation experience using pictures as a guide.
|
| Using
Garmin’s unique Web site — Garmin Connect Photos — users can choose
from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google’s Panoramio
photo sharing community and download them to the nüvi for a richer
navigation experience using pictures as a guide.
- Choose from Panoramio's collection of photos from around the world.
- Easy to use interface displays photos on Google Maps.
- Search for photos by location name or map area boundary.
- Transfer photos directly from Garmin Connect to device with the Garmin Communicator.
- View photos in Google Earth.
- Supports Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 2+, Safari 3+ on Windows and Mac.
|
| Shaded
relief terrain maps show you when to expect hills, mountains, forests
and other natural features. Topographic terrain maps are viewable when
using the 2D "birds-eye" view.
|
| 
|
tching
to try out a new restaurant, or setting off on a road trip to locate
the best toffee apples on the east coast? Now, it's easy to search for
locations on Google Maps or Mapquest, then transfer the addresses
directly to your Garmin GPS navigator.
- Hook up your Garmin to the computer via it's USB port
- Search for the location you want
- Click the Send link in the info window for the address. That will bring up a popup "Send to" form.
- Pick GPS, then pick Garmin and hit the "Send" button.
The address will instantly transfer to your Garmin device, The point
will be saved as one of your favorites, and you can navigate to it or
view it on a map just like with any other favorite. The process
does require a small plugin, which you can get at Garmin's website at
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3739. You can
send business addresses to your Garmin device from these countries:
Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great
Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the
United States.
|
Search for the location you want.
| Pick "Send to GPS".
| Go!
|
MSN Direct Enhanced Traffic and Content
 | With
an optional receiver, you can access enhanced dynamic content from the
MSN Direct service. Check the weather, avoid traffic backups, compare
local gas prices, get enhanced movie listings, stock information, news
and local events when you travel with your unit. Even plan trips from
the convenience of your computer, via Windows Live Local, and
wirelessly send custom to your nüvi.
Check out a full description of MSN Direct content features, or a coverage map for MSN Direct services.
A 3-month subscription to MSN Direct is included with the receiver.
After that, subscription fees are $49.95 per year, or $129.95 for a
lifetime subscription. |
FM Traffic
| With
an optional receiver, you can get alerts from TMC Clear Channel about
traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your
route. All you have to do is simply touch the screen to view traffic
details and you'll be ready to detour around any problem area. And if
you end up missing a turn, or you're forced into a detour that is not
relayed through the traffic receiver, the nüvi's sophisticated
automatic routing will get you back on track in no time.
In most
areas, TMC Clear Channel traffic broadcasts are continuous — there's no
waiting for scheduled traffic news updates or random alerts. Because
traffic broadcasts are received via a "silent" FM data channel, you can
still listen to music or news programming on your car radio without
interference from incoming FM traffic data transmissions.
A
3-month subscription to TMC Clear Channel's Total Traffic Network is
included with the receiver. For more information on subscription fees,
coverage in individual cities, and traffic data networks in the United
Kingdom and Europe, check the Garmin website.
|
On any nüvi, just tap "Where Am I?" to find the closest hospitals,
police stations, fuel stations, nearest address and intersection. Also
see your exact latitude and longitude coordinates.
nüvi accepts custom points of interest (POIs). View larger.
| The
nüvi comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City
Navigator NT street maps for the continental United States, Hawaii, and
Puerto Rico, including a hefty POI database with hotels, restaurants,
fuel, ATMs and more. Simply touch the color screen to enter a
destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and
turn-by-turn voice directions. Garmin gets its map data from NAVTEQ, a
world leader in premium-quality mapping.
In addition, nüvi
accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and
safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of
upcoming POIs
Important note about map updates:
Due to our high volume of sales, almost every Garmin portable GPS
navigator sold by Amazon.com will come with the most recent map
version. If you ever do need a map update, you can purchase one from
Amazon.com at our Garmin Store. |
Garmin's patent pending theft prevention system that disables the unit
from performing any functions until the user types in a specific
4-digit PIN or takes the unit to a predetermined secure location
| Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer.
| Navigation
is just the beginning. The nüvi 2x5 models features travel tools
including a JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones,
currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more.
This
device is compatible with optional content plug-ins available via
microSD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide
provide detailed data for attractions and information on nearby
merchants offering discounts, so you can customize nüvi for your travel
needs. For Accessory Map Cards and Travel Guides the Units Feature: a
MicroSD Card Slot on the 3.5 inch Units, and an SD Card Slot on the 4.3
inch Units.
Garmin has also added the ability for customers
to add custom points of interest (POI’s) from third parties such as
school zones and safety cameras.
|
Custom vehicle icons let you ride in style, at least inside your GPS.
See more icon option | All
Garmin nüvis support configurable vehicle icons. These fun, customized
car-shaped icons come in a variety of colors to add a personal touch to
your vehicle's position on the map. |
Notes
Note: All nüvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.
|
| Screen
Size
inches
(w x h)
| Included Maps
| Text-to-Speech
(Directions in
Real Street
Names)
| Traffic
| Bluetooth
| Media
| 3D Terrain
Maps
| Photo
Navigation
| FM Transmitter
(audio through
car stereo
system) | Multi-
Point
Routing
| Battery
life
(hours)
|
| Cont. U.S.,
Hawaii, and
Puerto Rico
| AK and
Canada
| Europe
|
| nüvi 200 | 2.8 x 2.1
|  | | | | | | Photos
| | | | | up to 5
|
| nüvi 200w | 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | | | Photos
| | | | | up to 5 |
| nüvi 250 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | | | | | | Photos | | | | | up to 5 |
| nüvi 250w | 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | | | Photos | | | | | up to 5 |
| nüvi 260 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | | | | | | Photos | | | | | up to 5 |
| nüvi 260w | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | | | Photos | | | | | up to 5 |
| nüvi 270 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | | | | | | Photos | | | | | up to 5 |
| nüvi 205 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos | | | | | up to 4
|
| nüvi 205W | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos | | | | | up to 4 |
| nüvi 255 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos | | | | | up to 4 |
| nüvi 255W
| 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos | | | | | up to 4 |
| nüvi 350 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | | | | FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s
| | | | | up to 8
|
| nüvi 360 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | | | | FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 8 |
| nüvi 370 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | FM (receiver
included)
| | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 8 |
| nüvi 650 | 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 7
|
| nüvi 660
| 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | FM (receiver
included)
| | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 7 |
| nüvi 670
| 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | FM (receiver
included) | | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 7 |
| nüvi 680 | 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | MSN (receiver
included;
1-year free);
FM (with opt.
receiver)
| | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 7 |
| nüvi 750
| 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)
| | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 5
|
| nüvi 760 | 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 5 |
| nüvi 770 | 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 5 |
| nüvi 780 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced
(receiver inc.;
3 months free)
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 5 |
| nüvi 850
| 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 4 |
| nüvi 880
| 3.81 x 2.25 | | | | | MSN-enhanced
(receiver inc.;
3 months free);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | | | up to 4 |
| nüvi 5000
| 4.5 x 2.7 | | | | | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | | | | | | external
battery
only
|
| Basic MSN Direct Content Features
|
| Traffic Reports
- Find
the best route through traffic. Your GPS device uses MSN Direct traffic
data to select the best route for you to avoid traffic congestion.
- Check traffic flow. Know at a glance where to expect slowdowns in traffic.
- Get accident warnings. Receive warnings about accidents, road closures, and construction in the area that may affect you.
|
 | Gas Prices
- Compare
local gas prices. See a list of recent gas prices in your area and an
indication of how recently the prices were reported.
- Find your
way to the savings. Once you find the best price in your area, use your
navigation system to guide you to the gas station.
|
 | Weather Reports
- Stay
on top of current conditions. View the current weather conditions in
your area, including today's high and low temperatures, chances of
precipitation, and more.
- View the three-day forecast, Plan ahead by checking the three-day weather forecast for your area.
- Check weather in other cities. See current weather conditions in major cities across the country.
|
 | Movie Times
- Search for a movie. Find the theaters in your coverage area that are showing the movie you want to see.
- See which movies are playing. View which movies are playing in your coverage area or at your favorite theater.
- See
show times and get directions. Once you find a show you want to see,
check the show times and use your GPS device to guide you to the
theater.
|
| Enhanced MSN Direct Content
|
 | Web Favorites (Send custom destinations to your GPS with Live Search Maps)
- Powerful trip planning: Use Live Search Maps on your computer to look up an address, search for a business, or plan a trip
- Choose
your favorite location, and then MSN Direct delivers the address, phone
number, and more straight to your navigation system.
- Visit Live Search Maps at http://maps.live.com.
|
 | Local Events
- See what's happening near you. Find nearby events to see what's happening in your area.
- Find the events that interest you. Browse events sorted by category.
- Search for an event. Get details about a particular event.
|
 | Stock Quotes
- Watch
the stocks that interest you. Select stocks that you want to keep an
eye on, and then see regularly updated stock prices and daily changes.
- Get a little more detail. Touch a stock in your list to see daily highs, lows, and trading volume.
|
 | News Headlines
- Browse the headlines at a glance. See breaking news and other major news stories of the day.
- Read more details. Select a headline to read all the details about the news story on your navigation system.
|
| |
| MSN Direct Coverage Map
|
Get detailed info for your Zip Code at the MSN Direct website.
|
A GPS for all that is required from a GPS..
Ok..now I feel morally obliged to offer my review
after reading so many other reviews to base my buying decision. The
inner voice kept asking me to post a review even though it is boring
like mowing somebody elses lawn.
I have used nuvi 205 couple of times and find it really well
designed. Garmin has tweaked the screen-interface and I must say that
it really works in favour of the users.
Users care less about mp3 and other cosmetic stuff provided in
nuvi 350. All we care about is a smart GPS that guides us through the
best route. 205 has all those ingredients!!
Nuvi 205 does not have spoken street names but it does have voice
guidance that says something like " turn right in next 1 mile". Users
who typically find guidance through one of those green-freeway-signs
are smart enough to figure the street name. Moreover, the street name
is right on top of the screen. In my view, it is a waste of $$ to pay
100 bucks more for just yelling street names when it is right in front
of you. Satellite acquisition and Route recalculation also seemed to
have improved a bit. I have not used the traffic support and POI to
offer any good comments. One little feature I find cool is the speed
limit mentioned on the screen. This way user doesnt have to be on
lookout for signs showing the limit. Of course, this is of little use
to people who drive in left lane @ >70...
And for those of you who think that GPS should offer more..205 does
have photo navigation, customized car-shaped icons, world travel clock,
currency converter, measurement converter, calculator.....I wouldnt
really give big grades for having them..
Hope that this review helps users..to navigate to the best GPS!!
Garmin Nuvi 205 - Great Basic GPS With Updated Features
The Garmin nüvi 205 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator is one of
several updated models in the 200 series. It's funny to admit this, but
using some of the higher end versions has actually made me like this
model more. Sure, this doesn't have the 4.3 inch widescreen of the 600
series, or the W models like the Garmin nuvi 205W and Garmin Nuvi 255W.
And it doesn't give you Bluetooth like the 600 series and others. But
what it does give you is a GPS unit that covers the basics very well,
is very affordable, and has been updated with a LOT more features than
entry level models from the competition. So if you need a starter GPS,
this is probably the daddy of them all right now.
Pros:
+ Great performing unit for a starter GPS unit
+ Comes with all the things you need, GPS, window mount and car power adapter
+ Updated Garmin features including HotFix to speed up satellite acquisition
+ Included compatibility with MSND traffic service (though not great in all areas)
+ Improved pedestrian mode
+ Improved interface with slick look and feel
+ Cool extras like photo navigation and cool web features
+ Nice pricing
Cons:
- Still some software issues to be worked out with updates
- 3D view still needs some work
- Not the least expensive starter unit on the market
- Garmin still overcharges for map updates
- Traffic services not great in all areas
Pros
The updated interface is very nice, though many of the changes are
subtle in terms of functionality. The look and feel are definitely
slicker, but there are also extra directional markers. In order to
really access all the extra info, you have to change your settings to
display "most detail." Either way, those who've used the 200 will
definitely notice the improvements.
The main complaint that all GPS units have to overcome is the
dreaded delay in finding satellites. All models and all brands have
this issue to one degree or another. Now with the Hotfix, the 205 and
other updated models do find satellites a little faster than before.
You will still have issues locating satellites indoors, but under
standard use outdoors you will see it find satellites faster.
The other feature that is aided by the update is pedestrian mode.
This feature is not used too often. In fact, it's somewhat hard to find
in the menu settings. But the problem that was often encountered with
the older generation of products was that in cities like NY with tall
skyscrapers, it was very hard to find and hold a signal long enough to
use pedestrian mode. Now, it can still take a while but is noticeably
faster and more reliable.
Some of the newer Garmin features like photo navigation and send
custom location info to your GPS unit are really slick. You can go to
the Garmin website to access these things and more. Still, those are
all true extras. You don't need those things to enjoy the main function
of this guy, which is to give you directions via GPS navigation.
You will also need to consider accessories such as the Garmin
Portable Friction Dashboard Mount for Nüvi Series. The included window
mounting suction cup may not be enough for your needs.
Cons
There are some things you should know about the MSN Traffic
Service. For some people, this is going to be a great service. For
others, not so much. Garmin should be given extra points for
integrating the functionality. This service has been offered with other
models for a while I'm very familiar with it. The shortcomings are not
totally the fault of Garmin. The bottom line is that the MSN traffic
data may be stale depending on where you live. You need current data to
reroute around rush hour jams or accidents. It's not ready for
prime-time everywhere yet. And when the service improves, believe me I
plan to use it full time.
The 3D terrain maps are the result of people clamoring for altitude
data. Well, the data is now there, though it seems somewhat limited.
These 3D maps are not very useful and it is difficult to display the
information without zooming out to distances that are not ideal.
Certainly, Garmin isn't the low cost provider when it comes starter
units, updated maps and POIs. But those cons are all minor. Overall,
this is a nice improvement and a great starter unit.
Conclusion
If you are looking for an upgrade for your Garmin nüvi 200 3.5-Inch
Portable GPS Navigator, you are probably going to want to step up to
the Garmin nüvi 660 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator or better. If you
need a starter unit for yourself or as a gift, the 205 definitely needs
to be on your list of models to consider.
Enjoy.
Not all changes are improvements
I've had the Nuvi 205 for about six weeks and use it
several times a week. I also have a Nuvi 200 that I've owned for a
little more than a year. I opted to buy the new 205 instead of
upgrading the maps in the 200 because the 205 was available for only
$118. Since I have both units, this will be something of a comparison
review.
For the most part I like the Garmin interface, and they've made a
few improvements in the 205. The speed limit information is very handy,
and it's nice that the zoom in/out "buttons" are now placed next to
each other. I love having a constant display of the street I am
currently on. It also finds satellites faster than does the Nuvi 200.
The suction cup mount is much improved, with the rubber cup itself
being softer and tackier. The mount for my 200 would often lose suction
and fall off the windshield.
The Garmin literature touts the 205's new faster processor as being
able to redraw the map more smoothly. This appears to be true, but this
also appears to be a case of technology for technology's sake, and it
has actually made the unit more difficult to use. This applies
primarily to situations where a destination has been entered. Anytime
the car approaches a turn along the calculated route, the display
begins to zoom in, presumably in order to show more detail.
Unfortunately the zooming is done in such a way that the upcoming turn
remains at a fixed distance out ahead of the current position (on the
screen). It almost appears as though the car has stopped moving,
especially when there are few details on the map to provide a visual
cue that the display is zooming. Once the zooming in stops, the map
rapidly rushes by. When I first used the 205 I missed several turns
because I thought I wasn't very close to the intersection and then
suddenly the intersection was behind me. Even now that I've grown
accustomed to it, I still find myself double checking the map with the
distance-until-turn reading. I never had to do this with the Nuvi 200.
Other nit-picks
===============
* The Nuvi 205 gets lost more often when I'm downtown. The buildings seem to confuse it whereas the 200 has no problem.
* The rerouting is sometimes baffling after I've missed a turn. It
once sent me two miles along a couple of roads to turn around in a
cul-de-sac and then retrace my route. I don't know if this is the case
with the 200 because I didn't miss turns with it.
* The LCD display is not as good as the Nuvi 200's, with lower contrast and viewing angles.
* Battery life is not quite as good as the Nuvi 200's, presumably because it now has a faster processor.
* It does not display the compass heading when following a
calculated route. It displays the current speed instead. Every car has
a speedometer, but not that many have compasses. I really don't need
validation of my speed, but I would like to know my current direction.
* Searching the POI database is often so slow that it's unusable.
This is not new to the 205. As an example, yesterday I had some extra
time after running an errand and wanted to find a Toyota dealer to look
at a new car. There are quite a few Toyota dealers in KC, but I didn't
know what dealers were in the immediate area, so I just entered
'Toyota'. After five minutes it had returned no results. If you know
the exact name (Superior Toyota, for example), the search speed is
reasonable, but that limits the usefulness.
My feedback to Garmin:
======================
* When displaying turns on calculated routes, just zoom in once or
twice when approaching a turn rather than in a longer continuous zoom
that sometimes makes it appear that the vehicle is not getting closer
to the upcoming turn.
* Use a better LCD screen.
* Improve the POI searching or make more categories.
* When displaying a calculated route, make the bottom left
button/readout user configurable. It currently displays the speed, and
when you touch that area of the screen it displays all sorts of
navigation info (including the compass heading). The user should be
able to touch any item on that screen and have that be the new value
displayed in the lower left corner of the main screen.
* Draw major roads with thinner lines. Sometimes the highways are drawn with such thick lines that useful details are obscured.
