nuvi 680
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Garmin Nuvi 680 reviewed
Garmin's Nuvi 680 isn't exactly a major upgrade, virtually identical in appearance and features to the company's earlier Nuvi 660, with the notable exception of added MSN Direct support, which proved to be enough to get the folks at GPS Lodge to check it out for a full review. On that point, they found the 680 to mostly deliver the goods, with MSN Direct features like weather information and gas prices well-incorporated easily accessible. The MSN Direct Traffic feature, however, looks like it'll prove to be more useful to some than others, largely dependent on the coverage in your area. As for the 680's other functions, GPS Lodge found that the unit unsurprisingly performed identically to the Nuvi 660 -- in other words, very well. You'll still have to wait until March to get your hands on one, when it'll retail for $999 (including a free year of MSN Direct). Until then, you'll just have to make do with checking the weather on your coffee pot.
Three new ones from Garmin: the c580, nuvi 680 and dog-tracking Astro
Garmin seems to have missed out on the holidays, but that doesn't mean they can't provide a few snappy little presents to the lost ones among us. Most interesting is Garmin's new Astro dog tracking system (pictured). The gadget is designed for hunters looking to keep track of, you guessed it, hunting dogs, and seems to provide quite a bit of innovation in a market we hardly knew existed. The system includes the DC 20 transmitter, which is strapped to the dog, and the Astro 220 receiver, which receives location data from the dog up to five miles away, and can double as a regular ol' handheld GPS unit when hunting season's over. The software allows you to mark coveys, measure acreage, track where the dog has been, and even lets you know if the dog is sitting or running or just generally slacking off. Up to ten dogs can be tracked simultaneously, and the system should be available in June for $650. Back to the beaten path, Garmin's new c580 has the traditional looks of a vehicle mounted GPS device, with a 3.5-inch touchscreen, while the nuvi 680 does it on the slim, with a 4.3-inch touchscreen to play with. Both players feature FM, and it appears at least the 680 has Bluetooth for handsfree interoperability with your phone, but most interesting is the MSN Direct functionality that Garmin has stuffed into these things, bringing movie showtimes, weather and other fun info to the portables. Unfortunately, all this fancy stuff doesn't come cheap: with the c580 hitting the streets in February for $800, while the nuvi 680 should hit in "early" '07 for a whoppin' $1000. Check out these two navigators after the break.[Via Uber-Review, GPS Tracklog]Read - 680 and c580Read - Astro
Garmin Nuvi 670 / 680 with MSN Direct
We were wondering when someone was going to combine the infinite utility of a GPS receiver with the limited but potentially powerful data conveyed by Microsoft's MSN Direct (i.e. SPOT network). Look for the forthcoming Garmin Nuvi 670 / 680 (apparent followups to the 660 and 610) to sport this feature, among others -- you'll know more when we do.
