The Garmin Nuvi 660 offers an accurate GPS receiver, text-to-speech functionality, and traffic capabilities. The versatile system also features a gorgeous display, integrated Bluetooth, travel tools, and multimedia functions.
The Garmin Nuvi series has proven to be a great success for the veteran navigation manufacturer. The Garmin Nuvi 350 impressed us not only with its solid performance but also with its travel-friendly features, and it consistently ranks up there as one of our readers' favorite GPS devices. Armed with navigation tools, travel guides, and multimedia capabilities, it is the ultimate travel companion. Now, the company's latest model in the series, the Gamin Nuvi 660, adds even more improvements, such as integrated Bluetooth and a larger screen, all while delivering solid performance.
The nuvi 660 comes in the same slim package as the nuvi 360 making it ideal to slip into a pocket or bag when you leave the car. The big difference however is the incorporation of a larger, 4.3-inch touchscreen rather than the 2.8-inch screen found on the nuvi 360 and this according to Garmin means you can see more road on your screen.
"The Garmin Nuvi 660 builds on the legacy of the nuvi 300-series while adding desirable enhancements like a wider screen and integrated traffic", Gary Kelley, Garmin's vice president of marketing told us.
That means the core of the nuvi 660 is really the 360 with some supped up elements, which is fine by us. The unit comes with a folding out SiRFIII GPS antenna, and as with the 360 a petit sized cradle, which comes in two parts to help keep it compact. We especially like the fact that the cradle has a power socket at the rear so the power lead is kept out the way.
With no buttons, control is completely orchestrated via the unit's touchscreen and luckily Garmin has designed the unit for people with large fingers (read that as fat) and the additional screen space means everything is spaced out even more rather than just displayed with black boxes either side.
On start up, the screen offers three choices - the chance to view the map, the chance to ask for directions and finally the chance to access the unit's multimedia features in the Travel Pack.
Like the nuvi 360 the 660 offers a host of multimedia options including a translate foreign languages feature, read audible books to you via an SD card or listen to MP3 tracks via the units MP3 player. Like the 360 these functions are inhibited by the fact that the unit's speaker is rather lacklustre and certainly not a scratch on Sony's Nav-U range with its twin stereo speakers. Little has been done to improve it.
The traffic, which is supported in the 360 version, just not in the box means you can avoid the jams, however unlike some of the higher end GPS units on the market does involve you having to drap your dashboard with an FM radio.
Also similar to the 360, the unit will also speak the street names to you - so it’s a case of turn right on to the A618 rather than just a big right arrow.
Garmin routing software is very good and easy to use although we personally found the preferences menu a touch confusing - we had to look in the instruction book to find out how to change road preferences for example.
Design
At 4.9x2.9by0.9 inches and 6.2 ounces, the Garmin Nuvi 660 is slightly bigger and heavier than its predecessor but it's still an ultraportable and sleek device that you can use in and out of the car. Plus, the extra size is for a good reason. The Nuvi 660 now boasts a larger, 4.3-inch display compared to the Nuvi 350's 3.5-inch screen. The touch screen has an impressive 480x272 pixel resolution that made maps look extrasharp and colorful. It's also still readable in direct sunlight.
You can access all the Nuvi 660's tools and enter information via the touch screen. The interface is clean, and the menus are clearly identified and intuitive, so there isn't a steep learning curve to operate the device. In fact, it's so easy to use that we didn't even have to crack open the user's manual once. In addition, the icons and onscreen keyboard are large, so we didn't have any problems with pressing the wrong buttons.
With everything handled via the touch screen, the Nuvi 660 can have a minimalist design, which we like. There's a sole power on/off button on the top of the unit, while there's an SD expansion slot, a mini USB port, and a headphone jack on the right spine. Finally, there is a flip-up patch antenna on the back that stores flush with the unit's surface in its closed state, so it doesn't add any extra bulk. Our only wish would be for external volume controls, but if you give the power button a quick press, it brings up a Quick Settings page where you can adjust the sound and screen brightness.
Garmin packages the Nuvi 660 with a vehicle mount (windshield and dash), an AC adapter, a car charger with an integrated FM traffic receiver, a USB cable, a carrying case, and reference material.
Features
The Garmin Nuvi 660 keeps many of the same features that we loved in its predecessor and adds some new tricks as well. First, the system now has integrated Bluetooth, so you can use it hands-free to make and accept phone calls. Once connected, just press the phone icon that appears on the Main Menu page, and you can start placing calls with the onscreen dialer or your phone book. If a number is listed for a point of interest, the Nuvi 660 can dial out to that business with a press of a button--perfect if you need to make a last-minute reservation at a restaurant or hotel. Voice-guided directions are automatically muted during incoming calls. There are also options to send text messages, synchronize your phone's address book and call log, and dial by voice, but these features aren't supported with all mobiles. You can find a list of compatible phones and services on Garmin's Web site, though we were able to successfully pair it with the Cingular 8525, which wasn't included on the list.
As far as navigation, the Garmin Nuvi 660 is equipped with a WAAS-enabled (Wide Area Augmentation System for better position accuracy) GPS receiver and comes preloaded with maps of North America. You get all the standard GPS features found in the latest systems, including turn-by-turn text- and voice-guided directions, automatic rerouting, and text-to-speech functionality, which allows the unit to speak actual street names. The system can generate directions by fastest time, shortest distance, or off road, if you're the adventurous type. The Nuvi 660 isn't just limited to use in the car, either; there are settings for pedestrian, bicycle, truck, and bus modes. Unfortunately, however, the system does not support multistop route calculation.
The Nuvi 660 has a detour function for avoiding certain portions of your prescribed route, but the system also now comes with an FM traffic receiver that's integrated into the cigarette lighter adapter, so you don't have to pay extra for an optional accessory. Traffic information is provided by Clear Channel's Total Traffic Network and can alert you to any upcoming congestion or road construction. With the purchase of the Garmin Nuvi 660, you get a complimentary three-month subscription to the service. After that, you'll have to pay $60 for three more months. Also, be sure to check that your city is covered by the network.
Maps are available in 2D and 3D view with day and night colors, and you can change your view so that either north or the direction in which you're driving is always at the top of your screen. Plus and minus icons on the map screen allow you to zoom in and out, and there's also a trip information page that displays your speed, direction, trip time, and so forth. Finally, the Nuvi 660 has a comprehensive POI database with all the major categories and more specific ones; you can even search for restaurants by type of cuisine.
Among of the greatest perks and differentiators about the Garmin Nuvi 660 are its travel features. Like the Nuvi 350, it has an onboard Travel Kit that includes an MP3 player, an Audible book player, a JPEG picture viewer with a slide-show function, a world clock, currency and measurement converters, and a calculator. You can expand the device's capabilities with one of Garmin's three optional software packages (available on SD cards): Language Guide ($74.99), Travel Guide (price varies depending on what region you want), and SaversGuide ($49.99). The former includes a multilingual word and phrase bank with support for nine languages and dialects and five bilingual dictionaries. Thanks to the Nuvi's text-to-speech functionality, you can also get a spoken pronunciation of each entry in the word bank. The Travel Guide provides reviews and recommendations for restaurants, attractions, and more, while the SaversGuide offers discounts at participating merchants.
Performance
We took the Garmin Nuvi 660 out for a test-drive in San Francisco, and it performed wonderfully. The unit impressed us by acquiring a satellite fix in less than a minute, and subsequent starts were much faster. The system precisely tracked our location as we drove around the city running routine errands. We also entered a specific destination, and the Nuvi 660 quickly returned with a route. The directions were accurate, and automatic route recalculation was also prompt after we got off track.
Specifications
Storage: 2 GB internal storage media, preprogrammed with City Navigator? NT for street-level detail and addresses, plus listings of nearest restaurants, hotels, ATMs, etc., throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. In Europe, the n?vi 660 comes with full Western European detailed street map coverage
Routes: Automatically calculated with turn-by-turn instructions; custom road preference allows user to prioritize choice of back roads or major highways; automatic off-route recalculation shows how to get back on track if you miss a turn or exit; a detour function enables routing around traffic problems or road construction
Voice: Navigation instructions and warnings; Text-to-speech (TTS) feature identifies turns by street name. Wireless FM transmitter sends voice prompts, MP3's and audio books through your vehicle stereo.
Traffic: Alerts for traffic, road construction and weather-related tie-ups. n?vi 660 uses data to suggest alternate routes before problems are encountered
Waypoints: 500 with name and graphic symbol
Trip computer: Resettable odometer, timers, average and maximum speeds
Bluetooth features: Bluetooth wireless technology allows hands-free calling capability when paired with your compatible phone. Just tap the screen to dial or answer a call, then speak into the n?vi 660’s built-in microphone. Voice dial available on phones that support voice tags and Bluetooth.
MP3 Player
Audio Book Player (for Audible.com media)
JPEG Picture Viewer
World Travel Clock With Time Zones
Currency Converter
Measurement Converter
Calculator
Card Game
Travel Alarm Clock With Automatic Wake-up
GPS Receiver: SiRF Star III high-sensitivity GPS receiver
USB Connector
Antenna: Flip up patch; MCX-type connector for optional external GPS antenna connection
Size: 4.9”W x 2.9”H x 0.9”D (12.4 x 7.4 x 2.3 cm)
Weight: 6.2 oz. (190 g)
Display: 4.3 diagonal, 480 x 272 pixels; WQVGA TFT landscape display, with white back-light and touch screen
Case: Not waterproof or IPX0
Temp. range: 32?F to 140?F (0?C to 60?C)
Headphone jack: standard 3.5 mm
Input: 12/24 Vdc
Usage: 10w
Battery life: 3 to 7 hours
Why You Should Have A GPS In Your Car
The Garmin Nuvi 660 will appeal to those who want traffic data as standard and full European maps.
The widescreen is a bonus, but in our driving using it didn't really make that much of a difference.
Yes, you can see more road on the screen and it helped in the close confines of London where perhaps you were interested in seeing what roads were around your chosen path, however no more so that any other device with a smaller screen that we've tested here at Pocket-lint.
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