50
Garmin Nuvi 255W
$300.00
Released March, 2008
The Pros:Option to change voices. Easy to read display while driving. Text-to-speech system for reading street names.
The Cons:Typing is laggy; if you don't type carefully, it's easy to miss a letter or two. Doesn't include lifetime map updates. You can only set one waypoint for a trip.
The Garmin Nuvi 255W is the 4.3" widescreen version of the Garmin Nuvi 255 released in March, 2008 with retail price of $299.99. The 255W is the successor to the Garmin Nuvi 250W released in 2005.
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The 255W features several minor software updates over the predecessor including a QWERTY keyboard interface, detour routing, text-to-speech reading of street name, and updated 2009 North American maps. It also features compatibility the MSN Direct service.
User Reviews (22)
Pros & Cons
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13
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12
Easy to read display while driving
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11
Text-to-speech system for reading street names
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9
Excellent USB connectivity with your computer
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9
Turns on and off automatically with car using cigarrette adapter
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6
intuitive, easy to use user interface
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5
Has the latest 2009 maps out of the box
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5
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5
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3
Reroutes missed turns very quickly
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3
widescreen display makes it easier to input data
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3
compatible with msn direct services with the purchase of an adaptor (live traffic, weather, gas prices etc...)
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1
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13
Typing is laggy; if you don't type carefully, it's easy to miss a letter or two.
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9
Doesn't include lifetime map updates
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7
You can only set one waypoint for a trip
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7
Buggy for some street names: "Dr." gets read as "doctor" not "drive", "South Shore Rd." will get read/displayed as "Shore Rd."
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6
Somewhat "tinny" sound out of the speaker
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6
Can't adjust road preferences that much. Doesn't learn from your habits in any way
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6
Tough to select a particular point on the map using touch screen
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5
Doesn't include USB cable or external AC power adapter
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5
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5
American voices are extremely annoying
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5
Can have trouble saying a few common words: "North", "Boulevard"
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4
If you're driving too fast, it may not display the current road you're driving on, because it will zoom to far out
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3
Direction gets overriden if you put a via point at an intersection where you need to make a turn (bug)
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2
If zoomed in map redraws very slowly.
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2
Can get confused in more dense urban areas. It thinks you're on an adjacent, parallel street
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1
Proximity alert keeps beeping if more than one waypoint, even when set for single beep.
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-1
Very poor sound out of the speaker even on high.
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Comments (3)
dakalvia:
#garmin_nuvi_255w Just got this unit as a bday gift, but have used similar one before. I agree that the american voices are totally annoying: "RECALCULATING....RECALCULATING--IF PAH-SAW-BAL MAKE A U-TURN." It is somewhat amusing at first to hear a robo-voice with a Chicago accent...but turns into an annoyance after a hour or two. Overall this is a sweet GPS unit to have on the road though.
Oct 23, 08
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Erik:
#garmin_nuvi_255w I've been driving around with this unit for a while, and I am very pleased. It's easy to read, the directions are simple to follow, and the overall experience is pleasant. I set my voice to British Serena speaking American English because I found the American female or male voice obnoxious (it's kill-oh-mee-ters, not kill-aw-meh-ters). That and it sounds cooler. I think it's my love affair with the original Knight Rider kicking in.
My main gripe with the unit, and pretty much all automotive GPS units is that they don't learn from my driving habits. They make approximations of road speeds based of speed limits and things, and there suggested routes are thus not often the fastest in reality. I'd love to see a GPS that keeps track of how fast each road "really" is based on my (and others if connected via Web) actual driving on those roads. That way, the unit could always tell me the true fastest way to get to my location based on historical data. And, yes, I speed.
Oct 20, 08
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Erik:
#garmin_nuvi_255w There's a common comparison between the 255W and the 260W. I say go for the 255W since it has the newer interface, and updated maps right out of the box. You'll see them price similarly in stores.
Oct 18, 08
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