Garmin nüvi 265W 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

The last GPS I got I couldn't even figure out how to turn on...they have really come a long way as far as ease-of-use. This one...opened the box, easily assembled it onto the base with no directions, plugged it in, turned it on (okay, I had to go to directions for that, but they are very clear), followed all the steps (very intuitive - it walks you through it) and there I was - it had me pinpointed to my exact position in the parking lot - wow. So I plugged in an address, and yes, I'm old-school - I was shocked with this relatively inexpensive machine started TAlKING to me, nice voice too - very clear directions, tells you exactly how far to go before turning. This is the new model, which is why I got it, but it seems to have all the best features discussed in reviews of older models (I read a lot of reviews). Again, I'm not proficient in technology (my 11 year old niece has to help me with my phone and forget an I-Pod) but from my point of view this has all that a typical driver would need - I even think my even less-technically proficient parents would like it and I plan to try it out on them.

Update after a week: The screen shows several things I hadn't noticed, like your speed, the speed limit for the road you are on (some roads, not all roads), the expected time that you will get to the destination, the direction (North, South, East, West) and how far it is in miles. It's not distracting, as these notations are on the perimeter. The voice directions are very good, a warning prior to coming to a turn and then a 'turn left on ____ St.' when you get there and how far it is, as in 'turn left in point-three miles'. And it tells you which side of the street (left or right) your final destination is on, which is very helpful on a busy street.

Also nice is the 'Map' feature: It's simply a map of where you are, showing an automobile icon that moves as you go along...it shows landmarks, street names along with the speed limit and your speed so you don't have to look down at the speedometer and guess if you're going the speed limit and what it is. This can be used even when you don't have a destination plugged in. Plus, the machine saves addresses so you just have to tap on an address from a list of places you've been, instead of retyping it. It also saves the cities, so you can pull it down from a menu instead of typing it in...so I would consider it generally 'user-friendly'.

I got the portable Garmin Friction Mount to hold it in place (it's a beanbag type thing) which is really great, as you can easily stow it on the floor so no one decides to 'borrow it' if they see it on the dashboard. Overall, couldn't be more pleased...this one doesn't have 'traffic alerts', so if you want 'traffic' there is another Garmin model that would be more suitable.

I was amazed at how intuitive and easy it is to use. While traveling to a city in another state I was confronted with a train stopped and blocking the crossing in front of me, blocking my planned route. With confidence in the Garmin I turned around and took another route. It guided me street-by-street and turn-by-turn. I got to my appointment on time. The display is clear, even in bright sunlight. The voice is pleasant, and clearly loud enough to be easily heard.

The only problem I had was in assembling the mount. It requires a really hard push to install the ball socket of the mount into the base. Don't be afraid to break it, as I was at first try. It's designed to close tolerances, to maintain the friction necessary, to hold the Garmin display firmly in position.

Pushing a wide, and easy to access button at the base of the suction cup mount allows you to remove the display and power cord for storage elsewhere when not in use. This is a great security and convenience feature. It has a remote mountable push button remote control that activates and deactivates the voice control feature.

A very useful accessory that is not included is a DC/AC adapter. This device has on one end a male AC plug that plugs into your home duplex AC wall outlet and on the other end a female DC car socket. This adapter will allow you to keep your Garmin's battery fully charged. The battery discharges in about two weeks, with no usage, showing no indicator bars on the battery charge indicator.

The Garmin does contain a USB plug that will allow you to charge the battery via your computer. This works OK, but,it puts an unwanted load on my computer USB power supply. My old cell phone 400 ma rated DC output adapter fully charges the Garmin in under 2 hours. Garmin offers a 1000 ma rated adaptor, as an accessory, for under $20.00.

Bought this item initially for my wife when she has to make trips to Houston. After reading the reviews and deciding our particular needs I chose the nuvi 265 wt . I owned an older Garmin (deluxe IV ) and to be honest I was somewhat disappointed with it and my wife couldn't stand it . It was the sheer number of positive reviews that made me choose a Garmin again. WOW !! this thing is awesome . Took it on a trip to San Antonio and was amazed by it . VERY simple to setup , VERY easy to use . The hardest part was trusting it to direct me accurately due to the experiences with the prior Garmin navigator. It never missed a turn . And with the "points of interest" feature , changing our agenda or adding a stop was a breeze. Also the WT features a traffic information update that informs you with live traffic information ( time delay ) if there is a report along the route your on . Press two buttons and the nuvi will give you a detour option . Miss a turn due to traffic or other mishap and it will automatically recalculate your route from where you are going to get you back on track . The best part is my wife really likes it and even gave it a nickname . Definitely would buy again .

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