New Garmin 2200 and 2300 nuvi navigators will likely be popular gift items this coming holiday season. The company just announced that the nuvi family will be soon be expanding yet again, with the Garmin nuvi 2250 and Garmin nuvi 2250LT likely to be the first new arrivals.  These should be followed in short order by no less than seven different 2300 series models.

The basic difference between the two groups is screen size. The 2200s have a 3.5-inch touchscreen while the larger 2300s will have a 4.3-inch viewing area and a feature for previewing multiple routes.

All of these new Garmin GPS models are being marketed as "entry level" units, with the smaller devices priced in the $150-$200 range. Yet they come loaded with high quality features.

In the 2200 group a few basic differences stand out. The baseline 2200 model comes with preloaded street maps for the lower 48 states plus Hawaii and Puerto Rico, while the 2250 and up come with the full North America city maps package. The 2250 also adds the Lane Assist feature, which helps you find the correct lane for an upcoming turn or freeway exit.

The 2250LT model comes with an integrated FM traffic receiver and free Lifetime Traffic updates from the real-time Navteq traffic update service. For this plus the broader map coverage and lane assist, the nuvi 2250LT seems like a good bargain, retailing just $30 higher than the 2200.

All of the new models deliver turn-by-turn directions with spoken street names, now a standard feature in any good automotive GPS. All include Garmin's "myTrends" technology, which means the unit "learns" your favorite destinations and so can predict where you are going before you even tell it.  They also may help you save gas with the "ecoRoute" calculator that lets you choose the most fuel-efficient path to your destination.

Garmin also promises an enhanced user interface for easy operation and scrolling between screens. A host of other features are included, a "photo navigation" option which lets you download pictures from Garmin Connect and then find your way to the location shown. You also get the emergency "Where Am I?" locator, which gives you your location, nearest intersection, and closest emergency services just by tapping the screen.

The Garmin nuvi 2250T and other Garmin 2200 series units should be available on Amazon by November 5, in plenty of time for holiday gift-giving. Check GPS Update for the latest price and sale info.

The Garmin Forerunner 110 is the latest in Garmin's line of GPS-enabled personal training watches. It has received mostly glowing reviews since its release earlier this year. The 110 was specifically designed for runners, and has been widely praised in the running community for its simple, easy-to-use features and small size.

Both casual and serious runners often want a GPS watch to record their pace, speed, and distance. The Forerunner 110 fulfills these duties, without the feel of an overly large device strapped to one's wrist. It locks onto satellites quickly, and its  high-sensitivity SiRFstarIV receiver allows users to keep track of their location even in covered areas like woods, canyons, or near high-rise buildings.

The unit itself can store 200 hours of data from past workouts in its memory. Users can also upload and track their running data on the Garmin Connect website. Here they can analyze past performance, set goals, view maps of routes traveled and more. Read the rest of this entry

Even seasoned adventurers sometimes need help getting around. The compact and nifty Garmin 76Cx does the job, proving  to be a rugged handheld GPS navigation device for your land and sea adventures.

This lightweight unit is part of Garmin's popular GPSMAP line of marine GPS receivers and chart plotters. The GPSMAP 76Cx is an upgrade to the stalwart Garmin 76C, which has long been a favorite among boaters and adventure travelers.

Weighing in at just 7.6-ounces, this user-friendly navigator has been tested to withstand even the harshest of conditions. The rugged case is waterproof, and even floats if dropped in the water. The unit's bright 256-color LCD display makes it easy for the user to view tmapping details and trip information with ease and clarity in any kind of lighting conditions.

The Garmin 76Cx delivers high accuracy with its highly sensitive SiRF receiver, capable of tracking over 20 satellites. When you're navigating the great outdoors, this handheld navigator proves to be an indispensable tool. It can quickly acquire satellite signal to help track your location, even in challenging settings such as heavy foliage or deep canyons. Read the rest of this entry

A complete navigation system that’s smarter than your average GPS navigator, the TomTom 340S is a reliable solution to your travel needs.

The TomTom XL 340S is an entry-level successor to the TomTom One, with a larger screen and some features shared with the higher-end TomTom GO devices.

With the addition of its IQ Routes Technology, the TomTom 340S provides users with the fastest route each time. Using actual average route speeds, this feature lets you select smartest route option instead of merely relying on the posted speed limits.

Text-to-speech technology in the XL 340s delivers spoken turn-by-turn instructions, including street names. Driving assistance can be delivered by different user-selected voices, including foreign accents and celebrity impersonations. Read the rest of this entry

The Garmin 265WT takes a couple of steps forward in terms of performance by adding significant improvements that are missing in its nuvi 200-series predecessors.

The first among the navigational device’s new additions is free real-time traffic updates with its integrated GTM 20 FM traffic receiver. Users are guaranteed to receive alerts and instant access to traffic information and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. Having this kind of information, allows the driver to prepare himself to make detours in any problem area.

If you’re worried about interruptions to your music or news programming, the Garmin nuvi 265WT solves this problem by sending traffic broadcasts via a “silent” data FM channel to eliminate any interference.

However, should you end up missing a turn or when you’re suddenly forced to changed routes, the Garmin 265WT has automatic routing capability that can provide a new set of directions to get you back on your original track. Read the rest of this entry

Garmin 255W reviews have been highly positive. The Garmin nuvi 255 and widescreen nuvi 255W GPS navigators were released in 2008 as the latest in Garmin's entry level 200 series automotive GPS lineup. The nuvi 255W went on to become the top selling GPS navigator of 2009, and has received acclaim for its extensive set of features and low price point.

Originally priced around $300, Garmin's suggested retail price for the nuvi 255w is now $219.99. Consumers can do even better shopping on Amazon, where a new Garmin nuvi 255W can be now be purchased for as low as $119.99; the smaller Garmin 255 sells for $109.99.  At those prices the nuvi 255 and 255W represent one of the best GPS bargains available for the 2009 holiday season.

The Garmin 255 and 255W  improve on their predecessors with the addition of higher-end features including optional add-ons such as FM traffic updates and MSN Direct content. The redesigned screen presents more information, including an easy-to-see indicator showing the direction of and distance to the next turn, as well as speed and speed limit readings. Both units incorporate text-to-speech technology, so you hear spoken street names and driving instructions. Read the rest of this entry

Reviews are coming in for the Garmin nuvi 855 and 855T GPS navigators, launched earlier this year. Here's a summary from several sources.

The 855 is Garmin's latest full-feature automotive GPS--or as they like to call it nowadays, "personal travel assistant". As is true of most of Garmin GPS releases, there's nothing dramatically new in the nuvi 855 that we haven't seen before. Instead, there is further refinement of various features that Garmin has been developing in its nuvi line over the past year or more.

The Garmin 855 follows the current trend toward slimmer and more streamlined design in automotive GPS navigators. GPS engineers face a tough design problem in trying to combine cell-phone-like portability with wide screen visual clarity and ease of use. The nuvi 855 solves this problem as well as any unit on the market.

[September 2010 update: The 855 has now become one of the best values on the market as well, now selling new for under $100 on Amazon.]

Read the rest of this entry

Garmin nuvi 1200 and nuvi 1300 series portable gps navigators will be released later this year, according to an announcement issued this week. The new slim, pocket sized nuvi models are expected to start shipping in June.

These latest Garmin nuvi offerings will be value-priced, starting around $200, and will offer a broad mix of quality features. The initial marketing is focused on establishing the nuvi 1200s and 1300s as lightweight, pedestrian-friendly traveling companions—although they can serve as portable automotive gps navigators as well. Read the rest of this entry

GPS giant Garmin has switched to a new subscription-based GPS map updates program. Customers who purchase the Garmin nuMaps Lifetime service can download quarterly map and POI updates for the LIFE of their GPS device.

The nuMaps Lifetime map updates program has been expected for some time, but the initial fall 2008 release date had to be pushed back. Now Garmin nuvi, StreePilot and zumo users can purchase nuMaps Lifetime and start downloading Garmin updates up to four times a year, as new NAVTEQ map data become available. Read the rest of this entry

The Navigon 2100 Max is not quite as slick as the new 2200T (although it has a larger screen) or the new Navigon 7200T (but it's a lot less expensive.) But it's one of the best value buys out there in portable / automotive GPS. The trusty Navigon 2100 features a wide 4.3 touchscreen display and a load of advanced features including Navigon's "Free Real-Time Traffic Updates for Life", text-to-speech and 3D imagaing. Now you can get the 2100 Max bundled with the Navigon FreshMaps subscription update service, which lets you download multiple GPS map and POI updates for three years. Read the rest of this entry