Reviews for Garmin nuvi 260 Automobile Portable GPS Navigator3.5" - Touchscreen: Yes - Speaker, Photo Viewer - Secure Digital SD Card - Voice Prompt - USB: Yes - MPN: 0100062131 
By member:
bretclancy
- Dec 4, 2007
The Nuvi 260 DeliversStrengths: Text-to-speech, easy to use touchscreen, great point of interest database, and loud voice directions are clear even with the windows open or radio on Weakness: You can't search POI database with custom POIs, doesn't come with an A/C adapter (D/C for car only is included), and carrying case and USB cable aren't included either. The Garmin Nuvi 260 definitely delivers. I'm a first-time GPS buyer and after looking at the Nuvi 200 (which doesn't do text-to-speech), I realized that I needed TTS and the 260 is the only model in the line that does that. It is one of the newest and is incredibly easy to use. It picked up a signal almost immediately from a cold start. Definitely recommended to anyone looking for a regular, affordable GPS without excessive features. This is 100% solid and you can get a great price online. 100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
raider73
- Dec 10, 2007
Garmin's the Best GPS CompanyStrengths: Text-To-Speech Fast route calculation Very good signal strength Weakness: No MP3 player No Bluetooth Very good basic GPS w/ TTS. The higher models have more features but this one suffices. I love how small it is because I can just put it into my coat pocket when I leave the car and not worry about thieves. GPSes are a very popular items w/ thieves nowadays. This is my 3rd different GPS and Garmins is still the best. It's slighter more expensive than the no-name brand but it works way better. 100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
bizzle34
- Jan 7, 2008
Garmin Nuvi 260 (with TTS) - Amazing GPS!Strengths: TTS, ease of use, portability, overall good "bang for buck", fast recalculation of routes Weakness: doesn't come with case, charger, or USB cable, slow when searching POI's This unit is just solid! The TTS (text-to-speech) is a must have. I've tried a non-TTS unit before and will never go back. Although this unit doesn't come with a USB cable or case, you can just use a generic USB cable (which I had lying around for another gadget) and buy a generic camera case (which I did for $5) with the right dimensions. The routing has been great. Volume has been very adequate, too. In my opinion, this unit is the best GPS for the price (around $250 currently). 100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
Reply by member: durocher1766
Oct 19, 2008 As was mentioned in others also doesn't come with USB cable but I found one that came with my Canon camera worked with it. simple and easy to use and great for the price. Next time might get one with bluetooth. Great little machine.
By member:
bjkempter
- Dec 16, 2007
Garmin Nuvi 260 GPS Automotive Navigation SystemStrengths: Entire US is loaded into memory. Weakness: Screen could be larger Owned Garmins for 10 years plus. High quality and great customer support. I would not go to any other brand for price. The quality of Garmin is there. Thanks for the other brands to bring prices down. My original Garmin Street Pilot III and a great price back then was $700. 100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
thecanz01
- Jan 3, 2008
Nuvi 260 GPSStrengths: Unit is feature rich for what we intend to use it for. The display and the street annoucement is very clear and accurate. Simple to use touch screen, compatible with MAC, has car charger and mount. Weakness: I tried the unit and compared the route to a route I take to a friends house. At certian points, it instructed me to take a different route. I will try next time to see how it compares. Bought the NUVI 260 GPS for my wife for Christmas. After speaking to a Garmin representative regarding the features I was looking for, they were extremely helpful in narrowing down which device suited our needs. We've had it for over a week and use it a few times. My suggestion is that if you are taking a long trip, double check the route with a Map Quest or Yahoo Maps just to see if its on target. 100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
Anonymous
- Feb 9, 2009
Nuvi 260 GPS is an excellent value!Strengths: Nuvi has the best window mount available along with very quick navigation and recalculation on the fly. Weakness: This is hard to describe, but Garmin graphics look more general/casual than Magellan's that have a more precise/professional appearance. I like this 3.5" display better than the larger 4.3" size because it doesn't display any more info and is easier to travel with, 100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
BNozhnik
- Jun 3, 2008
GPS Garmin nuvi 260Strengths: Fairly large Database of POI, directions are pretty accurate, detour function is handy (ones you learn how to use it), Text to Speech option is awesome – it is a major step up from navi 200 and 250 Weakness: The database is not complete and a little outdated, it is like year or two old phone book, outdated but still 98% usable. I was the most anti-GPS person until I went for the first time to LA and had to get around, with the help of navi 250 which I have borrowed from my brother. The only thing that I found missing in that unit was Text to Speech function. Upon my return I have purchased this navi 260 which is has Text to Speech, I use it 2-3 times a month when I need to go places I have never been, of course I could use Google Maps, but GPS is more convenient and more fun. The Database of Points of Interests is pretty large, however some places are not there then I am still finding those by address. Also one more thing that have not been addressed in other reviews is that you could use this GPS as portable phone book because it has phone numbers for those POIs that are in its Database, for example if I leave work and I am thinking of getting pizza on my way home, I know where this pizza shop is located therefore I do not need directions to it, but I may need to find it on my GPS to get its phone number to call them and order this way by the time I will get there my pizza would be waiting for me. 100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
jpkmn
- Feb 2, 2008
Somewhat DisappointedStrengths: Easy to use, text to speech, fast. Weakness: No home charger, random routes, not as accurate as I had hoped. Before I used this for a real trip, I set it for the places I drive on a daily basis. Very disappointed in the routes it suggested. Totally random turns and out of the way routes. I had hoped it would suggest the major routes, but it had me turning down residential streets to get to the main road. I don\\\'t think I will trust this to take me to places I am not familiar with. I am thinking of returning it since what good is it then? 100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
pswebster78
- Dec 27, 2007
LOVE ITStrengths: I love everything about it. Its nice and small for great porability, and is so easy to use. Didn't even look at the manual for quite sometime and navigated it without any problem. Weakness: As with any GPS unit, it is only as good as the data it gets from outside companies, and so some of the addresses are off my a mile or so in the database I believe due to 911 address changes. I love the unit very much and wish I had bough one sooner. Everything about it is great, from the size to the ease of navigating your way around the menus and options. Plus you can hook it up to the computer and get updates from Garmin as they become available. 100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
civogel
- Dec 5, 2007
Compact and Easy to UseStrengths: Very portable. Fits comfortably in shirt pocket with no problem acquiring satellite strength. Weakness: Does not speak when screen is locked. Garmin confirmed and is looking into a software fix. This was an unintended design flaw. Overall, this is a very good unit. Text to speach, announcing street names is a must if you do not have a passenger in the auto. I did not have any problem acquiring satellite strength on Long Island with the built in antenna. The MP3 and audio book functions are not necessary for the purp[ose of GPS. I have found the unit, so far, to be accurate with directions and recalculation. Only flaw which I have communicated to the manufacturer is that the 'speach' is disabled when the screen is locked. Tech support is following up and believes this is an unintended anamoly that hopefully will be fixed with a software update. 100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
ncianfro
- Nov 22, 2007
Nuvi 260 - Excellent GPS with TTS, great valueStrengths: TTS Size Maps and POI database Screen Visibility Battery Life US and Canada Maps ETA accuracy No mp3 or other extras that are not needed Weakness: Custom POIs not searchable as part of pre-installed POIs. Been researching GPS units for the past 4 months. The biggest features are wide screen, TTS, and POI database. I then decided to favor the TTS over wide screen and went with the nuvi260. 95% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
seemapc
- Nov 27, 2007
great GPSStrengths: picks up satellite fast Weakness: screen is a little dull looking compared to 350/650 models I love this little unit. I downloaded vehicles and voices from the Garmin website. It's a perfect size to fit in your pocket or bag. My favorite thing is that you can plug the cigaretter lighter cord directly into the unit. On the higher end models, you have to plug them into the mount and then the unit. That makes it mode bulky. Also, be careful of the winshield mount. It's hard to get off completely. I'm looking into a 3d party vent mount. 80% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
cameralady
- Nov 15, 2007
nuvi 260 GPSStrengths: Easy to use, small enough to carry in your purse or pocket Weakness: Wish it shipped with an AC charger, but does come with car charger I have used other GPS devices before. The nuvi is extremely easy to use and I have found it to be accurate. I like the easy to use touch pad and it programs very well. The price is easily affordable and has all the features I need. It does not have Bluetooth, but for a good basic GPS it does the job. 75% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
Reply by member: balmeral
Mar 24, 2009 yes, no a/c charger shipped with unit. however it charges while connected to usb port and also works with my motorola w755 celler phone charger (5volts)
By member:
ackebous
- Dec 6, 2007
great GPSStrengths: Accuracy, convenience, easy to use, voice with street names, portable, bright display, internal antenna Weakness: does not include AC adapter to charge in house, accessories expensive The nuvi 260 does everything I expected and more. When I turned it on with just the map and no destinations, to my suprise it was displaying the speed I was going in the lower left corner. It would show each approaching cross street and within a couple of hundred feet after passing the cross street, it displayed the next cross street. It even displayed a half street used to enter a memorial park. When I entered a destination, it calculated and gave both visual and voice guided directions. I purposely made a turn in the wrong direction. Immediately, the nuvi stated "re-calculating" and indicated the next turn needed to get back on track. Overall, I am very impressed at how accurate it is. For example, driving on the highway I was crossing over a river and the display showed the car on the bridge exactly at the time I was on it. I got a great price on mine but think maybe I should have spent an extra $20 to get a refurbished nuvi 350 because it would have included the AC adapter and a leather case. The charger alone lists for $25. Plus the 350 has a few additional features but does not have the internal antenna like the 260 has. 50% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
bcbasslet
- Jan 6, 2008
data wrongStrengths: nice,portable, easy to read, as everyone else has said Weakness: data is wrong! first thing i put in was my home address, off by a block, every address in my zipcode way way off! and there's no way on the Garmin website to tell them that their information is wrong. You'ld think they'ld like to know; It has no idea where Interstate 80 is, even when you're on it! 0% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
armandorobles
- Feb 12, 2008
Nuvi 260 GPSStrengths: Compact size, Portability , Ease of Use, Fast GPS Response. Speaks street names Weakness: Search of Points of Interest hangs up system, limited flexibility in omitting certain routes the Nuvi 260 is a handy, and very reliable GPS device. Compared to other Garmin GPS, this one is so easy to mount in the car's front windshield. Remove it for safekeeping when getting out and putting it back in. The monitor does not have anti-glare for daytime brightness,but overall meets its functional expectations. 0% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
robmtown
- Sep 30, 2008
Garmin Nuvi 260 GPSStrengths: easy setup; good volumn; good screen visual; very well constructed Weakness: screen visibility suffers when subjected to sunlight; both direct and ambient nuvi 260 has performed well during the short time I have owned it. I see no reason why it should not continue to perform as well in the future. Very convenient for finding one's location in a strange town and the quickest way out if that is one's object. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By anonymous - Jul 13, 2008
one of the bestStrengths: The street names are spoken and written at the top of the screen. Fast routing, and re-routing when off route. Don't need the wide screen since street names are spoken. Commpact size. Weakness: mis- prounciation of some street names. Need bean bag holder, only comes with windshield mount. Love this unit. I have been purposely taking wrong turns, and it nicely reroutes me. Software seems up to date, knows most all streets. Had older street pilot, too cumbersome and very difficult to use. I would not ever get one without voice prompting. It makes me keep my eyes totally on the road, great. simple to use right out of the box. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
spidertrace
- Jun 19, 2008
Solid and reliable GPSStrengths: Text to speech, POI, small and lightweight Weakness: No USB cable or AC charger, Car mount is separate from power supply. No text to speech with other voices I've been using Garmin units for over 10 years and have always admired their ease of use and accuracy. The Nuvi 260 was an upgrade for me because my last one didn't have Text to speech. This may not sound like a big deal, but you really do want to have Text to speech and should spend the extra $$ to get it. Don't bother with the wide screen versions, they don't show you any more data than the smaller screen versions. They show you more of what's on the side of you which you really don't care about anyway. You want to see more of whats in front of you. So save some $$ and skip the wide screen. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
Falcon165O
- May 22, 2008
Perfect UseStrengths: Accurate. Fast. Very good at finding routes while missing a turn Weakness: No USB/Computer Cable. No wall plug in. No way to find another route, incase a road is closed. Personally I love this product. Although there are a couple weakness to this product it's virtually perfect. I have yet to find a time in which the Garmin was off by more than 10 feet. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
rich94061
- Mar 30, 2008
GPS user for 4 years, Garmin Nuvi 260WStrengths: Love it's portability, battery life, 3D Display, turn on street name, connects to satellite(s) much quicker than the StreetPilot. Wall charger is a must accessory. Weakness: Directions not a direct as on Garmins StreetPilot. Still don't like the Garmin voice, would love to change it to a mans voice. On screen menu options less than the StreetPilot. Mounts too expensive Garmin DOES MAKE A WALL CHARGER that plugs in to the Nuvi 260W (Wide screen). I had a Garmin StreetPilot 2260 for 4 years and finally gave it to my son so I could buy the Nuvi. Much better than the competitors. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
swilliam
- Jan 15, 2008
Nice portable GPSStrengths: text-to-voice, tons of "points of interest", maps of all of north america included Weakness: windshield mount leaves marks on windshield This is a nice portable GPS unit. It is loaded with tons of "points of interest", and can be used as phone book too to look up addresses and phone numbers. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
Arc07
- Jan 2, 2008
nuvi 260Strengths: easy to use right out of the box. no prior knowledge needed about GPS's. Weakness: no weakness found as of yet. The Nuvi 260 has just the right amout of features to make it a very useful tool for the price. I would not own a GPS without voice prompting. And speaking street names is priceless. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
kosta210
- Dec 20, 2007
nuvi260GPSStrengths: very good GPS recever fast connection with satellite easy to use and it had the feature of vocal directions naming the streets. Weakness: none I bought this product for my daughter who is a new driver and ever since we installed the product, we no longer get calls from her on the cell phone to help her find her way navigating the streets. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By anonymous - Dec 17, 2007
Garmin 260Strengths: Unit recaculates fast Weakness: I thought the directions that came with it should have been more informative for some a the features it has. Just love this unit from the price to the operation of it. I selected this unit over the more expensive ones due to the fact that I do not need a MP-3 player or bluetooth. The text to speech feature really works well a must have in any unit. The unit re-calulates fast when you wavier off course. The poi's are up to date and very helpfull when looking for a place to eat, shop or sleep. This is my first GPS unit and very happy that I purchased a Garmin product. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
testseek.com - Mar 11, 2009
Garmin Nuvi 260
TestSeek.com has collected 2 expert reviews for Garmin Nuvi 260 and the average expert rating is 80 of 100. The average score reflects the expert community’s view on this product. Click below and use TestSeek.com to find all ratings, product awards and conclusions. Top
TopTenREVIEWS.com - Jul 16, 2008
Garmin Nuvi 260
Garmin Nuvi 260 receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS score of 1.67 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #66 navigation GPS of all time. The overall rating represents an intelligent balance of features, value as a function of price to features, and a summary of reviews from a variety of sources. The TopTen REVIEWS' formula gives a picture of important consumer features, market value, and a product's... TopSponsored Links
 
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Garmin nuvi 260 GPS (with TTS - Text to Speech)
Strengths: TTS - Speaks turn directions & street names. Locks on satellites fast. Accurate. Brilliant touch-screen with adjustable brightness & automatic day/night colors. Loud speaker. SD card slot.
Weakness: No Bluetooh, No $5. USB cable, No AC home charger (has car charger). Has calculater, currency/unit converter, world clock & jpg viewer with input for custom points of interest (POI's). Not Waterproof.
For the serious pocket GPS aficionado : New big brother of the nuvi 2xx line now has TTS + US/Alaska/Canada maps in a sleek charcoal-black case. My personal favorite pocket GPS. (*Note: The nuvi-260 is now available under $250. [street price]. ** If you don't need Alaska/Canada & TTS consider buying [2] nuvi-200 US-48/Hawaii/Puerto Rico [no-TTS] units for you & yours for a little more than [1] nuvi-260. Also the nuvi-200 comes with a $5. USB cable). However the nuvi-260 is well worth the higher price if you like having TTS and the extended North America maps. (TTS = Text to Speech which announces the street names, Interstate numbers, exit numbers and P.O.I. names).
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Excellent easy to learn touch-screen interface and very rugged, includes a simple easy to understand getting-started manual. Garmin has released several new software updates available on their web site and also a flash update for the WAAS enabled Bravo/SiRFstarIII satellite chipset available through their new web updater, along with many new voice languages & new vehicle icons. The unit locks on satellites anywhere in the house quickly now. Streets, direction and ETA are clearly marked on the main map screen. Tap the position indicator anytime for current lat/long/elevation, or enter lat/long coordinates for simple geo-caching or even [dry] boating (has an off-road mode). Customizable .jpg splash screen. Has handy .jpg picture viewer you can load pics from your PC via a USB mini cable or use the SD card slot on the GPS unit.
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The nuvi-260 unit comes with (updated) Navteq NT-2008 maps for US/Canada/Alaska + TTS. (The baseline nuvi-200 has US-48/Hawaii/Puerto Rico only [no-TTS]. The nuvi-250 has US/Canada/Alaska [no-TTS]; or the nuvi-270 which has US/Canada/Alaska + Europe [no-TTS]. The nuvi-260 unit comes with a dash/window mount & car charger only. (I put some stick-on velcro on the back of my unit and on my upper dashboard and it works great!) You can buy online an (optional) Garmin 5v AC home adapter/charger $15., must-have Garmin USB mini cable $5. (for updating with your PC); and nice Garmin leather case $15. (recommended). (Check eBay - cheaper).
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Long 5 hour battery life off a 3-4 hour charge. Compact size, about the size of a deck of cards; fits easily in a pocket or small purse. Solidly built, clean looks and simple to learn and use right out of the box. Highly recommended, exceeds expectations. Very useful and accurate GPS unit, one of those few truly worthwhile acquisitions. Makes the ultimate gift.
100% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful?
Oct 8, 2008
Cheryl-Middletown, DE
Great piece of navigation....clear and precise. Have enjoyed
using it to get me to places I don't know!!
Would recommend to a friend.