Garmin GDB 55 MSN Direct Receiver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Here's the conundrum...
I have a Garmin nuvi 255. On the POSITIVE side, with the GDB 55, the 255 IS capable of plotting and changing your route on the fly automatically according to the traffic data it receives. The DOWNSIDE is that the traffic data it has received so far has been next to useless.
For example, last Friday we traveled from Massachusetts to Maryland. Coming down the Jersey Turnpike the unit showed a small (1 or 3 min delay) and kept us on the pike. Just before we reached exit 7, we decided we'd had enough, pressed Detour, and ended up doing something involving route 295. When we reached our destination, we learned from those who arrived hours later that the pike had turned into a virtual parking lot and we'd have lost hours if we'd believed the Garmin regarding traffic.
I'd return the GDB 55 except that the traffic data really can get the 255 to change its recommendations. So, fool that I may be, I'm going to keep working with it on the hope that the traffic data service will improve. I figure (a) it's part of the price of getting in when a service is relatively new and (b)I can always hit Detour manually as we did last weekend should we start getting anxious again.
Unless you *have* to have it, however, I recommend against buying this unit until early adopters report that its performance has improved to being minimally acceptable. At the moment, it isn't!

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Notice: MSN Direct service will be available only until January 1, 2012. Activate a subscription between November 19, 2009, and March 31, 2010, and receive 9 months of MSN Direct service for free.
The MSN Direct Receiver/GDB 55 turns your compatible Garmin into a dynamic on-the-go information source. With the purchase of this receiver, you'll get 12 months of MSN Direct services, including traffic updates, gas prices, weather forecasts, and so much more.


Travel Smart The GDB 55 delivers the content you need for life on the go:

Traffic updates
Weather forecasts
Fuel prices
News stories
Movie listings and reviews
Stock info
Local events, concerts, festivals and more

The GDB 55 sends information to your compatible Garmin navigator so you can avoid traffic, save money at the pump, check the forecast, and find your theatre--while staying on top of news and stocks. The Send-to-GPS feature lets you plan your trip on your PC, then wirelessly send it to your navigator.

Activate and Navigate The MSN Direct receiver is plug-and-play portable, making it easy to connect to your unit when on the go. No professional installation required. Simply activate your receiver following the instructions in the manual. After activation, plug the receiver into your compatible Garmin device, connect to your vehicle's power outlet, and you're ready to receive data.

Subscription Information MSN Direct is available only in select cities where coverage exists. Visit MSN Direct to extend your current service, purchase a service plan for an additional area or view coverage information.

Compatibility nuvi 1200, nuvi 1250, nuvi 1260T, nuvi 1300, nuvi 1350, nuvi 1350T, nuvi 1370T, nuvi 1390T, nuvi 1390T, nuvi 1450, nuvi 1490T, nuvi 205, nuvi 205W, nuvi 255, nuvi 255W, nuvi 265T, nuvi 265WT, nuvi 275T, nuvi 500, nuvi 550

What's in the Box MSN Direct receiver and owner's manual

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Gilsson 4.3-Inch Leather Belt Clip Case for GPS Review

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(More customer reviews)Initial impression: Great construction and features gives me confidence that the Nuvi will be protected when I take it with me. Heavy plastic belt clip is functional and appears to be ABS so it should be able to withstand lots of use. Front and back are rigid for screen protection regardless of how the GPS is inserted. Sides are flexible leather. Stitching is very good. Magnetic catch works well. Fit is perfect for the 4.3" screened, Nuvi 750.

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Premium 4.3" GPS Leather Case with Belt Clip. Perfect for Garmin Nuvi series and other selected models

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Garmin Motorcycle Audio and Power Cable for GPSMap Units (010-10587-00) Review

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(More customer reviews)This cable works to hardwire your GPS, but for my application (BMW R1200RT) the cables were too short and therefore useless.

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Garmin Motorcycle Power/Audio Cable 010-10587-00 Cables (temp)

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Garmin nüvi 265/265T 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished) Review

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(More customer reviews)Researched my GPS purchase for 2 weeks and couldn't find a better deal than this one! The 265T has lifetime traffic (the ads are super small so they don't distract), bluetooth that works great with my cell phone, text-to-speech for all streets AND has a voice dial feature I didn't even know about! Received promptly and Garmin support was excellent when I called to get my free map update. You can get 1 free update, but you must provide them with Amazon proof of purchase because it's factory refurbished.

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This is a refurbished GPS. Refurbished generally means that the unit has been returned to the manufacturer, who brings the navigator back to like new conditions. Some GPS may contain cosmetic blemishes.Garmin's nuvi 265T improves upon its 200-series predecessors by adding free real-time traffic updates from Navteq (for the life of the device) as well as Bluetooth connectivity to your cell phone. Other significant improvements in the 2x5 series include a predictive technology that provides faster satellite lock, a redesigned screen with more information, terrain maps, and an exciting new photo navigation feature. The 265T provides complete maps for North America and the handy Text-to-Speech feature, so you get turn-by-turn spoken directions with the real names of streets (e.g. "turn left in 50 feet at Nebraska Way", rather than merely "turn left in 50 feet").
The nuvi 2x5 models all sport the slim design that Garmin introduced with the 200-series last year, so they all fit comfortably in your pocket or purse, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that makes them convenient for navigation by car or foot. All of the models include useful travel tools like a JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more.

Important Product Information: This device features a "screen lock" feature. This is a standard feature on all nuvi 2x5 and 7x5 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.



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 nuvi'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 nuvi to any Bluetooth-capable phone to make hands-free mobile phone calls. Simply dial the phone number with the nuvi'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.
Key Features/Benefits for all 2x5 Series Navigators
New -- HotFix (Long Term Ephemeris Prediction) finds satellites faster (Learn more)
New -- Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Basemap shows 3D shaded terrain features (Learn more)
New -- Faster 333 Mhz processor offers faster, smoother map drawing and vehicle icon motion through turns
New -- Redesigned user interface offers more information (Learn more)
New -- Photo Navigation lets you upload geo-coded photos from a phone, geo-coding camera or photo site and navigate to them. (Learn more)
New -- Add Enhanced MSN Traffic and Content with the optional GDB 55 antenna and charger (Learn more)
New -- Send addresses directly to your Garmin from Google Maps or Mapquest (Learn more)
New -- Automatic Time Zone Transition
Text-to-Speech gives directions with real street names
Memory Card Slots so you can add maps and travel guides, or store photos (MicroSD card slot on 3.5-inch units; SD card slot on 4.3-inch units)
Preloaded Maps with Navteq data of North America + Hawaii + Puerto Rico, including 6.5 million searchable points of interest (Learn more)
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery for easy portability (up to 4 hours per charge)
Custom Vehicle Icons let you personalize your navigator (Learn more)
Integrated Antenna for a slim form factor
Where Am I? -- instantly shows you all of the emergency services nearby (Learn More)

Which nuvi is Best for You?: Click here to see a quick, simple comparison of features for all Garmin nuvi GPS navigators

Learn More
New -- Improved Interface

New -- HotFix™ – aka: Satellite Ephemeris Data Prediction
New -- Navigate by Photo

New -- 3D Terrain Maps


New -- Send Addresses Directly from Google Maps or Mapquest


Traffic-Capable for Either FM Traffic or Enhanced MSN Direct Content MSN Direct Enhanced Traffic and Content FM Traffic
Where Am I? On any nuvi (including this one), you can just tap "Where Am I?" to find the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, nearest address and intersection. Also see your exact latitude and longitude coordinates.

First-Rate Map Data
Garmin Lock 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


Beyond Navigation Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer.

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Garmin nüvi 265W/265WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Spent a weekend reviewing various GPS devices to replace my less than 1 year old Mio C320 (avoid these like the plague) that had its battery die about 4 months after purchase. Went back and forth along the entire line of Garmin devices, and finally settled on this one for the blue tooth and traffic, neither of which I'll probably hardly ever use, but nice to have when I want them.
I was disappointed with the map, the "new" 2009 one, because I have some streets in my neighborhood that have been around for over four years and they're not to be found on this unit. Even the piece of junk cheap Mio had these streets.
But that's about the only downside there is to it, the only reason I haven't given it 5 stars.
Having been used to the MIO, and the horrible refresh rate, it is a pleasant change to see smooth scrolling as my vehicle moves. The ability to change the car icon is nice, especially with the plethora of icons available on the garmin website.
Accuracy is very good as well, and even in turns the unit isn't so laggy that it becomes annoying. And also unlike what I was used to with the MIO, when I come to a stop at the intersection, the map doesn't start rotating randomly on me.
Speaker is about as I expected, won't hear much over a loud stereo but crank it up enough you can at least hear it if you keep the music down a bit.
The option to easily download voices is also appreciated.
It did well with my testing of going point to point, following the instructions, and for the most part you're given the instructions in plenty of time. only once or twice did it not tell me "turn right on such and such" until I was about 20 feet from the street, but that was when I was coming up on stop signs and had slowed down, so it may be compensating for the speed factor.
Recalculation notice is a bit annoying, my MIO would say it once, sometimes this says it three times before it starts to display the alternate route.
Still has about 900MB free on the internal memory for additional voices, icons, maps, and such, and with the SD slot there's plenty of room to grow.
I have a Verizon XV6900 phone with Windows Mobile 6.1, and while the bluetooth paired well and it can see the phone status, battery power, signal, even dialed and missed call lists, it never does get the phonebook. it gets a random entry and that's it - so whenever I turn it on, I have just one user to select from, and it's different each time. Still haven't tracked that one down yet. But every other bluetooth option worked just fine.
I'm not a fan of the very thick double power cable for it though, and it would be doubly annoying (no pun intended) if I were mounting this somewhere higher up on the window to have that double cable dangling down.
I can see how the ads would get annoying sometimes (the free traffic is because it is advertising driven) but you don't get them at all if you turn off the traffic feature, and since most of my driving isn't around times that traffic is a concern, i can just leave it for when I really have a use for it.
Good response to finger input, and while the unit is overall much better quality than the MIO, I really do miss the MIO's ability to have an info pane down the last third of the screen and the map on the first two thirds of it when desired. But there's some of that info available in the data bubbles on the bottom and top so I'll survive.
Overall happy with the unit, it works well and was worth the cost.

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