Garmin nüvi 775T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
Amazon.com
Garmin continues to build up its nüvi 7xx series portable GPS navigators with its nüvi 775T, which adds a number of handy routing and communication features to an already impressive list of specs, including a 4.3-inch widescreen display, text-to-speech capabilities, media player, and FM transmitter for transmitting audio–including directions and MP3 music and audiobooks–from the device to your car radio.
Garmin’s nüvis pack top of the line features into a slim form factor.. |
New to the nüvi 7×5 lineup is Garmin’s HotFix satellite prediction (which locates your position quickly and precisely), Lane Assist (which provides lane guidance and junction views when possible), automatic time zone transitioning, and 3D Building views as well as Garmin Connect Photos to help you visually ascertain your position. Additionally, the nüvi 775T includes Bluetooth connectivity to your cell phone and free real-time traffic updates from Navteq (for the life of the device) via the included GTM 20 traffic receiver.
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As with all nüvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of an integrated high-sensitivity receiver, a slim, pocket-sized design with a gorgeous display, an easy, intuitive interface, and detailed NAVTEQ maps for North America (United States, Canada and Puerto Rico) as well as Europe with more than 6 million name-searchable points of interest. The Garmin nüvi 7×5 line features three other models–check out their spec highlights at the right and click here to see a quick, simple comparison of features for all Garmin nüvi GPS navigators.
The bright, 4.3-inch touchscreen display gives is anti-glare for ease of viewing during the day and automatically changes its color profile for easy viewing at night or in dim light. It offers 2d or 3D perspective views. The widescreen format gives you 70 percent more actual screen area than a 3.5-inch screen. Primarily this translates into a better view of the area through which you are driving. This is especially useful in showing you what parks, restaurants, ATM, gas stations, etc. are nearby, or in letting you know whether a detour is a good idea. Also, the device itself is larger, meaning controls on the screen are more widely spaced and somewhat easier to push.
The nüvi 775T comes preloaded with highly detailed City Navigator NT road maps from Navteq for the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico as well as Europe. This European version even includes a preloaded safety camera database containing the location of cameras for parts of Europe. This map database features millions of points of interest (POIs), including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions. Garmin’s interface is a key to their success and one of the things that makes their devices such a pleasure to use. Simple controls and sub-screens make it easy to enter or search for destinations and get data about your trip.
Garmin’s patent pending theft prevention system that disables the unit from performing any functions until the user types in a specific 4-digit PIN or takes the unit to a predetermined secure location.
Important Product Information: This device features a “screen lock” feature. This is a standard feature on all nüvi 2×5 and 7×5 Garmin units. If you slide the “Power” key to the right, it will lock the screen and prevent any accidental touches. Once the screen lock feature is engaged, the screen will go black/gray after about 15 seconds to save power on the device. To unlock the screen, just slide the “Power” key to the center position. This feature is really targeted for “Pedestrian” mode so that a user can put the device in his or her pocket/purse and quickly unlock the screen instead of powering on/off continuously. For more information, see page 5 of the product manual.
With Lane Guidance, the nüvi alerts you to which lane you need to be in for upcoming turns. In the image above, the three middle lanes of this seven-lane highway are highlighted. |
With Junction View, you’ll get photo-realistic 3D views upcoming turns with signage–signs not needed for navigation are faded. |
Lane Guidance
With the new Lane Guidance feature built into the nüvi 7×5 series, you’ll never question which lane you should be driving in again. It provides you with a view of what lane you should be in for upcoming turns. And with the 3D Lane Assist Junction View, you’ll be able to see a photo-realistic screen that shows you both the road detail as well as the signs as you will see them on the road. The signs that aren’t needed for navigation are faded compared to the appropriate lane signage.
Integrated Traffic Receiver
Steer clear of traffic with an integrated GTM 20 FM traffic receiver designed to receive alerts about traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. No subscriptions or additional hardware needed. Just open the box, turn it on, and get instant access to traffic information–the traffic updates are free for the life of the device.
All you have to do is simply touch the screen to view traffic details and you’ll be ready to detour around any problem area. And if you end up missing a turn, or you’re forced into a detour that is not relayed through the traffic receiver, the nüvi’s sophisticated automatic routing will get you back on track in no time.
In most areas, the traffic broadcasts are continuous–there’s no waiting for scheduled traffic news updates or random alerts. Because traffic broadcasts are received via a “silent” FM data channel, you can still listen to music or news programming on your car radio without interference from incoming FM traffic data transmissions.
Hands-Free Calling
In more and more places, it is becoming illegal to use cell phones while driving without a hands-free kit. WIth Bluetooth capability, microphone and speaker, you can match your nüvi to any Bluetooth-capable phone to make hands-free mobile phone calls. Simply dial the phone number with the nüvi’s touch screen keypad to make a call on a compatible phone. To answer an incoming call, just tap the screen and speak into the built-in microphone. Making and taking calls on the road has never been easier, or safer. In addition, Garmin makes it a breeze to look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or even tap into your cell phone’s call history log.
HotFix Satellite Prediciton
Garmin’s HotFix capability automatically calculates and stores satellite locations, greatly reducing satellite acquisition time so that you can turn the unit on and get going. With HotFix, your nüvi remembers the position of all satellites it is tracking when you turn it off, and calculates their movements in order to predict where they should be the next time you turn it on. HotFix can predict satellite positions for up to 3 days after the device was last turned off.
Multi-Destination Routing
This lets you enter several spots into the device (day care – supermarket-cleaners – office – day care, for example) and it will plot the fastest route. And once you’ve found the best router, the “Route Planning” feature lets you save up to 10 different routes, Garmin touts the feature for providing, “the most efficient route for errands, deliveries and sales calls.” The feature also makes this an instant essential accessory for anyone who shops garage sales (you know what we’re talking about). A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you’ve been on the map.
Where Am I? Where’s My Car?
The nüvi 7×5 series is the first to answer two common questions: “Where am I?” and “Where’s my car?” At any time, with a single tap of the screen, drivers can display their exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and gas stations. And to help drivers find their car in an unfamiliar spot or vast parking lot, all nüvi 7×5s automatically mark the position in which they were last removed from the mount.
Navigate by Photo with Garmin Connect Photos
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Using Garmin’s Connect Photos Web site, you can choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google’s Panoramio photo sharing community and download them to the nüvi for a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide.
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Other Features
The 3D Buildings feature helps you navigate by landmark. |
- The 3D Buildings feature is able to reference the buildings displayed on the map as well. Some buildings will be grey images “extruded” from the map, other buildings will be life like representations of the actual property.
- With Automatic Time Zone Transition, you’ll never have to remember to set the time as you travel. When the unit acquires a position fix, it automatically sets the unit to the correct time zone.
- MP3 player compatible with audiobook playback
- JPEG picture viewer
- FM transmitter plays voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle’s stereo system
- Compatible with optional content plug-ins available via SD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide, which provide detailed data for attractions and information on nearby merchants offering discounts.
- Add custom points of interest (POIs) from third parties such as school zones and safety cameras
- Travel tools: World travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more
What’s in the Box
nüvi 775T preloaded with maps of North America (United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico) and Europe, vehicle suction cup mount, Vehicle power cable, USB cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual Notes
- Optional software for language translation, detailed travel guides, and savings programs allow you to customize your nüvi to fit your travel needs
- The FM transmitter feature is only available in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
- Like most USB mass storage devices, the nüvi is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me.
Which nüvi is Best for You?
Note: All nüvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.
| Screen Size inches (w x h) |
Included Maps | Text-to-Speech (Directions in Real Street Names) |
Traffic | Bluetooth | Media | FM Transmitter (audio through car stereo system) |
Multi- Point Routing |
Battery life (hours) |
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| Cont. U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico |
AK and Canada |
Europe | |||||||||
| nüvi 200 | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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Photos |
up to 5 | |||||||
| nüvi 200w | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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Photos |
up to 5 | |||||||
| nüvi 250 | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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Photos | up to 5 | ||||||
| nüvi 250w | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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Photos | up to 5 | ||||||
| nüvi 260 | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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Photos | up to 5 | |||||
| nüvi 260w | 3.81 x 2.25 | |
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Photos | up to 5 | |||||
| nüvi 270 | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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Photos | up to 5 | |||||
| nüvi 350 | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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FM (with opt. receiver) |
Photos, MP3s |
up to 8 | ||||
| nüvi 360 | 2.8 x 2.1 |
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FM (with opt. receiver) |
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Photos, MP3s | up to 8 | |||
| nüvi 370 | 2.8 x 2.1 | |
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FM (receiver included) |
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Photos, MP3s | up to 8 | ||
| nüvi 650 | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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FM (with opt. receiver) |
Photos, MP3s | up to 7 | ||||
| nüvi 660 |
3.81 x 2.25 |
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FM (receiver included) |
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Photos, MP3s | |
up to 7 | ||
| nüvi 670 |
3.81 x 2.25 |
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FM (receiver included) |
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Photos, MP3s | |
up to 7 | |
| nüvi 680 | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN (receiver included; 1-year free); FM (with opt. receiver) |
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Photos, MP3s | |
up to 7 | ||
| nüvi 750 |
3.81 x 2.25 |
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FM (with opt. receiver); MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver) |
Photos, MP3s | |
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up to 5 | ||
| nüvi 755T |
3.81 x 2.25 |
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Integrated FM receiver with lifetime traffic |
Photos, MP3s | |
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up to 5 | ||
| nüvi 760 | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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FM (receiver included); MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver) |
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Photos, MP3s | |
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up to 5 | |
| nüvi 765T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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Integrated FM receiver with lifetime traffic |
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Photos, MP3s | |
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up to 5 | |
| nüvi 770 | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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FM (receiver included); MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver) |
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Photos, MP3s | |
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up to 5 |
| nüvi 775T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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Integrated FM receiver with lifetime traffic |
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Photos, MP3s | |
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up to 5 |
| nüvi 780 | 3.81 x 2.25 | |
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MSN-enhanced (receiver inc.; 3 months free) receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) |
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Photos, MP3s | |
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up to 5 | ||
| nüvi 785T | 3.81 x 2.25 |
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MSN-enhanced (receiver inc.; 3 months free) receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) |
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Photos, MP3s | |
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up to 5 | |
| nüvi 850 | 3.81 x 2.25 | |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) |
Photos, MP3s | |
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up to 4 | |||
| nüvi 880 | 3.81 x 2.25 | |
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MSN-enhanced (receiver inc.; 3 months free); FM (with opt. receiver) |
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Photos, MP3s | |
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up to 4 | |
| nüvi 5000 | 4.5 x 2.7 | |
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MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with opt. receiver) |
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external battery only |
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Product Description
Garmin nüvi 775T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth, Free Traffic, and Maps of North America and Europe
Buy Garmin nüvi 775T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator at Amazon
Related posts:
- Garmin nüvi 775/775T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Bluetooth, Free Traffic and North American & European Maps
- Garmin nüvi 285W/285WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic
- Garmin nüvi 765/765T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished)
- Garmin nüvi 1390/1390T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic
- Garmin nüvi 765/765T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Garmin has a somewhat confusing product line, which is somewhat alleviated by a reasonably good online guide on the manufacturer’s web site (you select the features you are looking for, and it narrows down the choices to fewer and fewer models until you find what you are looking for);
I was specifically looking for a model with both North America and Europe maps, capable of supporting multiple languages for speech synthesis (so that my non-English speaking parents could use it as well), traffic information, lane assist, and pretty good UI.
I had narrowed my choices down to the Garmin nüvi 775T and the Tomtom 930T, but eventually went for the Garmin for a couple of reasons. For one thing, I am a little biased, having used their aviation panel mounted models for a few years and I knew that Garmin makes excellent units. I was also impressed by their customer support: they replied to a couple of questions I had about their products pretty quickly, even though I hadn’t bought the 775T yet.
This is a feature rich device; I haven’t had time to play with all its functions yet; it is able to get a satellite fix even in non optimal situations (such as tree coverage, tall building, even indoors if a window is nearby); the routes it picks look quite reasonable (by the way: do not try to make it compute ’silly’ routes, such as asking it to compute a driving route from some place in California to some place in Europe… the unit will get stuck and might require a hard reset). The user interface is very intuitive IMHO and presents the information in a very concise and effective manner (important while driving!)
So overall, I am very satisfied with this purchase, especially at the price that was offered on Amazon (significantly cheaper than what I had found elsewhere).
A couple of things in no particular order:
The safety lock feature is neat (you can protect the unit with a PIN, and if you dial the PIN wrong too many times, the unit can only be unlocked by returning to a ’safe location.’ Sounds neat, until you realize that it is easy to misdial the PIN (until you get used to the touch screen I suppose), which might be a snag if you do that many miles away from said ’safe location’, for instance, when on vacation. I disabled that feature as a result.
The manufacturer’s web site was not specific enough IMHO about which voices were provided ‘out of the box’ for the speech synthesis function (where it speaks the instructions and street names); it turns out that the nice customer service representative answered that question promptly. Note that not all the voices / languages provided can speak the street names (e.g., the various English, French, Spanish, etc. voices can, but the one Arabic voice cannot)
If you choose a voice of a different language than the locale, its pronunciation of the street names can be a bit puzzling at times
it does however a remarkably good job most of the times (I went out of my way to try to confuse it 
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Finally, don’t forget to download your one free map update (you’ll have to choose between either the North America or European map for this free update), and the free firmware updates. There are also pretty neat applications available (which combined with some Google Maps features, e.g., possibility to overlay the contents of GPX files that the unit can export onto Google Maps, increase the possibilities.)
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Okay, I got lazy and bought the 775t from Amazon. I must say, this is a huge improvement over the built in nav system in my car and even more so over the $100 issue of a nuvi I purchased retail for my wife last year.
I will be traveling to Germany, so paying extra for the built in maps was worth it to me. Amazing detail there, by the way. Even walking paths I used in Bad Homburg were on the map.
As an aside, I’ve learned that the built in nature of the European maps is an improvement to my uninformed suggestion below. Yes, you can save a few dollars by buying the 770t and purchasing additional maps on SD chips, but I suspect this will slow the map retreival process somewhat. The convenience of having the maps preloaded may be worth the extra cost of the 775t.
The 775t is amazingly intuitive. There really is no user’s manual to speak of (unless there’s something online at Garmin, which I haven’t checked). The quick start pamphlet that comes with the unit is all you need to start using this device.
The bluetooth implementation works flawlessly with my Motorola Razor cell phone and is MUCH easier to use than the blue tooth implementation in my car. All the phone numbers in my cell phone transported (transparently) over to the nuvi, and how all I have to do is pick the number out of the nuvi’s phone book and have the nuvi dial it. I’ll be getting another one of these to replace my wifes unused “budget version” nuvi, just to get her telephoning hands-free in her car!
Speaking of my wife’s car: It has an “aux in” port that she can connect this nuvi to. I copied a couple hundred of my favorite mp3 files to the nuvi and these play beautifully over her mom-bomb’s stereo system. The media players functions are minimal, so don’t expect this to replace your i-pod or other mp3 player. Still, it’s nice to have.
The traffic feature may work well, but since we don’t live in the middle of a major urban area, we don’t seem to ever find ourselves in a situation where we’re re-routed because of taffic delays. The construction zones we negotiate don’t flag traffic delays. I like that this nuvi comes with permanent access to traffic info vs the 30 day trial her budget version did. The traffic signals come to the nuvi via fm receiver – no accessories or contracts required for this, unless you upgrade to a different service. This may suggest that the free included service may not be around too long, but consider yourselves advised.
I still can’t give the unit 5 stars because diverting to other features requires the user to step back repeatedly (via Back button) to return to the main menu. There you have to touch the Map icon to return to the mapping function for the route that’s being plotted. Seems to me there should be a simplified function to return you directly to the map from just about anywhere you divert to in the unit.
For example: You’re driving into the city to a friend’s house (the nav system is guiding you there). Enroute, your passenger decides to look for an Asian restaurant near your friend’s house. To return to the map displaying your route guidance can take as many as 5 or 6 steps “back” to get to the main menu. There you have to touch the map again.
But as for finding that asian restaurant, it’s pretty slick. If you know the name of the place you’re looking for, you can type it in (Spell) and viola, the unit hunts for all occurances containing that name. Be sure to select the one you’re looking for though, because the unit will continue to search ad infinitum to find more matches in the data base. Once found, it returns the address and telephone number of the place. You can choose to have the nav system take you there. But if you do it on the fly, I think it will override the destination you are presently being guided to. You can program in a sequence of destinations beforehand to get around this.
I’ve used this simply to get a phone number of a restaurant and love that aspect of it. The savings in terms of directory assistance charges alone may help defray the cost over time.
Another potential flaw is that, despite my powering the unit off, I’ve come back to my car to find the unit on. I don’t know if screen burn is an issue on these units, and I don’t know how, when or why the 775t powers itself back on. If it’s smart enough to know the car door is opened upon your return, then it’s a great feature. It it starts up on its own minutes after I park the car, it’s a flaw. I suppose I could always unplug it overnight while parked in the garage, but I would prefer if the unit just stayed off. Perhaps I’m doing something wrong and a visit to Garmin’s website will clear this up for me.
I recommend this unit despite the minor flaws I’ve encountered in its programming logic.
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original (hasty) review follows:
The 3 star review (which I can’t change as I revise my review) had more to do with Amazon pricing practices than the actual product.
I’ll probably buy this unit elsewhere because Amazon mis-states the Garmin list price at $849. Garmin lists this for $699. Granted, Amazon’s price of $565 reflects a decent discount from list, but other web sites offer it for considerably less (as low as $440 last time I looked). Now as a long time Amazon shopper and Amazon Prime member, my first choice is always Amazon, but this is the second instance recently where Amazon was considerably more expensive than alternate web sites. Where pricing is close, I usually give the business to Amazon as they have treated me well over the years. Even so, this time, I may shop elsewhere.
Another tip. Even at Amazon you can save money by buying the 765T ($407) and the Garmin City Navigator Europe NT SD card (010 10680-50) ($110) instead of the 775t with maps already loaded. If I do buy at Amazon, this is the route I’ll take. ($517 vs $556)
Good luck.
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:31 pm
1.0 out of 5 stars
BEWARE!!
After less than 60 days my 775T just died on me! And that without abuse or anything, it simply shut down while driving and it won’t switch on again.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:15 pm
1.0 out of 5 stars
Impressive – while it works
I got this in late April 2009 for general use and for use during a month long business trip in Europe.
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:17 pm
I decided to get a 775T when I really needed was a 265WT.
Price difference was $220 (prices on Amazon change nearly everyday as you probably know). A separate European map on SD card is approx $150. So you pay $70 for other features that you may not use. However, SD European map on memory card may not have the same features as the built-in map *shrug* I just don’t know.
The FM transmitter is useless. You must tune to an unused frequency. What’s the idea here? Do they expect you to hear static noise all the time while waiting for the GPS to give you direction? OTOH, they can’t overcome a strong FM transmission, so you may as well not have this feature.
The Bluetooth feature is a hit-and-miss. Some people get to use it, others don’t.
Multi-routing feature does not seem too useful. I will update this section when I get to play with multi-routing.
MP3 and picture storage are probably ok but there are better devices for those purposes.
The built-in dictionary is probably the only useful extra when travelling.
Traffic info requires automobile power cord plugged in. You don’t get traffic when walking or on bicycle.
I found battery life (after having fully drained and fully charged) is closer to what Garmin estimated: approximately 3 hours. While battery on the 265WT is supposed to last 4 hours. Remember to turn off Bluetooth and turn contrast down to 10% to achieve that. The feature chart on Amazon says battery for the 775T lasts “up to 5 hours”. Sure, Amazon is technically correct. Is 3 hours long enough for a walk in an European metropolitan city?
Is that all worth an extra $70 (30% of the price of a 265WT)?
Don’t buy a wall charger. I use my Blackberry USB charger. As with all electronic device chargers (laptop/digital camera/cell phone/etc), the Blackberry charger works at 110V/220V.
Do get a 010-10987-00 case.
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:28 am
3.0 out of 5 stars
A few bugs
I bought my 775T from Amazon just over a week ago and I’m reasonably happy with it.
I’m in Louisville KY and to date the “lane Assist and Junction View” has not…
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:26 am
5.0 out of 5 stars
First GPS
This is the first GPS that I have ever purchased. It is a great product and very user friendly. I won’t leave home without it!
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:00 am
5.0 out of 5 stars
EXCELLENT
I have owned several other GPS units and the Garmin nüvi 775T is the best one I have used. It does everything well. I am still learning all it does.
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:36 am
2.0 out of 5 stars
It is great device but the support is tirable
I tried this device and it is great but i have small problem, I rote 5 e-mail to the support group but no response for month & half.
July 3rd, 2009 at 3:20 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nuvi 775T is a great navigation device
Garmin nüvi 775T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
Simple, reliable, and fully featured. There is not much this GPS device can’t do.
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:11 pm
4.0 out of 5 stars
Review of garmin nuvi 775T
Of all the Garmin GPS units I have owned, I find nuvi 775T to be easiest to use. Besides navigation, I find the use of cellphone through the unit very helpful.
July 4th, 2009 at 3:38 am
4.0 out of 5 stars
Garmin nuvi 775T
This is a very good GPS unit. I’ve used it in the US (GA, SC, NC) and have had good results. I also used it in the Netherlands and it performed well.
July 4th, 2009 at 6:32 am
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nuvi 775T has premium features but lacks in Garmin support
As I frequently travel to the United Kingdom, I purchased the Nuvi 775T primarily as it comes preloaded with both U.S. and U.K. mappings.