Garmin nüvi 885/885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct

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The Garmin nuvi 855 and nuvi 885T are Garmin’s top of the line voice command navigator. Updating the nuvi 850 and nuvi 880, the nuvi 855 and nuvi 885T add junction view, lane assist and a speed limit indicator. Nuvi 885T is also compatible with the third generation of MSN Direct services which is an optional feature on nuvi 855, including doppler radar and flight status. Nuvi 885T has bluetooth but nuvi 855 doesn't.

Find your way. Stay connected and ahead of the curve with Garmin nuvi 855 and nuvi 885T. These premium navigators feature voice-activated navigation, lane assist with junction view. Now you can keep both hands on the wheel, tell nuvi where to go and maneuver complicated interchanges with ease. The nuvi 855 and nuvi 885T do not only tell you where to turn but listen to your spoken commands. No more guessing which lane you need to be in to make an upcoming turn. Lane assist with junction view guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. Using MSN Direct, including in nuvi 885T and option in nuvi 855, you can check your flight status, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, get advanced weather information, enhanced movie listings, stock information, news and local events. Keep track of yourself and your car with nuvi 855 and nuvi 885T. Just speak or tap "Where Am I?" to find the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, and nearest address. High-sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix - nuvi will decrease satellite acquisition times by recording ephemeris data, then predicting satellite location for the areas & times recorded for up to 3 days High-resolution, 4.3; 480 x 272 pixels; WQVGA TFT Displays speed limits Alarm clock DEM maps Replaceable lithium-ion battery - up to 4hrs depending on usage Trip computer records mileage, max speed, & total time Built-in travel kit includes features such as picture viewer, world clock, currency & measurement converters & calculator Garmin Lock anti-theft PC connectivity using available USB 2.0 port Standard headphone & microphone jacks microSD card slot / MP3 play Unit Dimensions - 4.9 W x 3.1 H x 0.7 D; Weight - 6.2 oz In the box - nuvi 885T MSN Direct receiver/vehicle power cable, Preloaded City Navigator North America NT Remote for voice activation with battery Vehicle suction cup mount Vehicle power cable Lithium-i.

Comparing the nuvi 855 and nuvi 885T with nuvi 785T

Despite these improvements, the nuvi 855 and nuvi 885T do not include all the features found in the nuvi 785T. It is missing the following:

• 3-D buildings
• A2DP Bluetooth
• ecoRoute
• Recent cities and streets folders that speed searches (though these aren’t really necessary if you’re using voice commands)
• Customizable data fields

• Removable battery
• Dual speakers
• Voice command
• Custom avoidances (avoid specified streets or areas)
• Backup camera input

One other note; the nuvi 855 has all the features of the nuvi 885T except Bluetooth and MSN Direct, though the latter can be added by buying an MSN receiver.

Using voice commands with the nuvi 855 and nuvi 885T

The nuvi 8xx series offers the best voice command feature of any GPS unit on the market. I remain impressed with this feature. Popular Places even had "libraries" and "rest areas." Nevertheless, it is much faster to enter many things by hand, though the voice recognition feature is nice for anything that would involve a lot of keypad entry, like addresses and cities.

MSN Direct

I tested MSN Direct services in two metropolitan areas with coverage – Charlotte, NC and Greenville/Spartanburg, SC, yet I don’t feel like I had enough time to judge its effectiveness for traffic, gas prices and the like. I have included a few notes below, along with some screenshots. MSN Direct third generation features include:

• Traffic reports
  
• Weather – Current conditions, three day forecasts and Doppler radar (I love having the latter)
  
• Gas prices – While I didn’t end up finding and using a gas station with this feature, it did let me know what prices were like, so I knew it when I saw a good deal
• Send to GPS – Allows you to wirelessly send address and phone number from Live Search maps to your GPS
• Local events
• Movie times
• News headlines
• Stock quotes
• Airport delays
• Flight status

Custom avoidances

The nuvi 8xx series allow you to set custom avoidances. Follow the link for a full run down on this feature. You can select streets (or portions thereof) or rectangular areas to avoid. The only other nuvi with this feature to date is the nuvi 5000.

Bluetooth

The sound quality was better than many Bluetooth units I’ve tried, but still not quite as good as the nuvi 7x5 implementation, which remains the best performing that I’ve come across. Interestingly enough, the sound quality was better for the person on the other end than it was listening to the call on the nuvi. I will add one caveat here; this is a very subjective evaluation.

Lane Assist and Junction View

I had previously experienced this feature using the nuvi 765T in Atlanta, and I think Garmin has done an excellent job with it. Unfortunately, coverage is woefully lacking, as I did not see any signs of it in Charlotte or Greenville / Spartanburg. I can understand the latter, but c’mon, Charlotte is the 18th largest metro area in the country. Maybe it’s because I stuck to the northeast side of town.

Other features

On top of all this, the nuvi 8x5 series includes:

• Pre-loaded maps of the U.S. and Canada
• Multi-destination routing (and auto-sorting)
• Text-to-speech
• Where Am I? (find closest hospitals, police & gas stations, nearest address & intersection)
• Garmin Locate (marks position when removed from windshield mount)
• Photo navigation (navigate to geotagged photos)
• MP3 / audio book player
• FM transmitter

Conclusion and recommendation

If you do most of your driving alone, and especially if you succumb to the temptation to use the GPS touch screen while driving, I highly recommend the Garmin nuvi 855 and nuvi 885T. The voice command system makes it one of the safest GPS units to operate, and it is without doubt the best voice command navigator on the market.

However, if you usually have a passenger with you who can operate the device, or have the self-restraint to not operate it while driving, you might choose the nuvi 785T instead.

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It seems that Garmin is trying to create a nuvi for everyone, but with so many models in the marketplace, they’ve also created quite a bit of confusion. To help you navigate your way to the ideal nuvi, buyer guide written below will be useful starting point.

First of all, Garmin nuvi can be categorized into these groups.

• Basic Model (nuvi 2xx)
• Crossover model (nuvi 5xx)
• High end without voice control model (nuvi 7xx)
• High end with voice control model (nuvi 8xx)
• Portable GPS navigators (nuvi 12xx,13xx,14xx,16xx,5000)
• GPS navigators for RV and truck drivers (nuvi 5000)

Basic Model (nuvi 2xx)

• It has maps of the entire U.S., except for Alaska (49 states). Like all the nuvis, the it has around 6 million points of interest (POIs), name of geographic point that may be of interest to you.
• 3.5 inches screen size
• Track display – See where you’ve been. It can be helpful in finding your way in unfamiliar areas.
• Speed limit display – First implemented for major highways, we’re now starting see it on other thoroughfares as well.

• Live traffic – A nice feature that isn’t quite ready for prime time. Expect lots of inaccurate reports as well as incidents that aren’t reported. Delivered via FM, this service is provided by the Traffic Message Channel, hence you will sometimes see it referred to as FM-TMC. Unlike most other brands, Garmin traffic receivers are incorporated into the vehicle power cable. Also see MSN Direct for another traffic option.
• MSN Direct – This service provides gas prices, live traffic, weather and movie times. For nuvi 7xx and 8xx series models, second-generation MSN Direct adds even more features, including “Send to GPS” via the Internet. In terms of which is better for traffic, MSN Direct or FM-TMC, this often depends on which metro area you are in.

• Maps of all 50 states and Canada.
• Speaks street names – Formally known as text-to-speech, this function allows the device to call out the name of the street for upcoming turns, so you’ll get “in one-half mile, turn left on Oak Street,” rather than just “in one-half mile, turn left.” A very helpful feature.

• Live traffic
• Bluetooth for hands-free cell phone use

Crossover model (nuvi 5xx)

High end without voice control model (nuvi 7xx)

• MP3 player – Some people don’t like this, but I really do. It’s nice to have the name of the artist and song on the GPS screen. Though it varies by model, typically the music is paused or the volume reduced when navigation instructions are given.
• FM transmitter – This can work well enough in small cars in rural areas, but expect problems in urban areas with a crowded FM band. The distance to your antenna impacts reception quality, which can be problematic in larger vehicles with the antenna embedded in the rear window.
• Multi-destination routing – A very nice feature, but not a critical one. if the model doesn't have it, you can only enter one destination and one via point. This isn’t problematic since you can easily find locations under Favorites or Recently Found.
• Lane Guidance - With the new Lane Guidance feature built into the nuvi 7x5 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. This features is included in TomTom One 140-S which is the budget model of TomTom. However this feature isn't included in basic model of nuvi.

High end with voice control model (nuvi 8xx)

• 3-D buildings
• A2DP Bluetooth
• ecoRoute
• Recent cities and streets folders that speed searches (though these aren’t really necessary if you’re using voice commands)
• Customizable data fields

• Removable battery
• Dual speakers
• Voice command
• Custom avoidances (avoid specified streets or areas)
• Backup camera input

Portable GPS navigators (nuvi 12xx,13xx,14xx,16xx,5000)

GPS navigators for RV and truck drivers (nuvi 5000)

• External analog video (e.g., a back up camera)
• Customized routing to avoid select roads and areas
• Digital elevation maps that shows details about the surrounding terrain

Discontinued model which I don't recommend

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At the risk of upsetting the nice PR folks who provide me with review units, I've decided to share my thoughts on what brand of GPS is best. Clearly this is subjective — its my opinion and mine alone. And things do change. However, based on models I've tested over the past year, this is how I see things shaking out.

• Garmin – Garmin receivers are intuitive, easy to use units with an uncluttered interface. If you want a simple out of the box solution that just flat out works, this brand’s for you. They are easy enough that your parents or even grandparents can use them. While Garmin isn’t always the first to introduce new features, they generally nail them when they do. Finally, all their nuvi units have around six million Points of interest (POIs), name of geographic point that may be of interest to you, whereas most other brands will drop the numbers on lower level models.
• TomTom – The one place TomTom out paces Garmin is on customization. If you want to tinker with your device, get under the hood and play with settings, a TomTom may be your best choice. That flexibility can cost you though – there are more menus to navigate and a more cluttered screen. Having said that, TomTom does the best job of balancing lots of options with an intuitive interface. TomTom often leads the way in innovation too, though first to implement doesn't necessarily make for the best implementation. One other note — TomTom uses Tele Atlas maps while Garmin uses NAVTEQ. Both do well in urban areas, but in my experience, Tele Atlas maps underperform NAVTEQ in rural America.
• (TIE) Magellan and Navigon – These brands will perform basic navigation and get you from point A to point B, usually as well as a Garmin or TomTom. But along the way you may experience frustrating things like confusing interfaces, excess steps, lockups, etc.
• Mio – Before switching to the Navman interface, I would have ranked Mio higher. They dropped some advanced features in the changeover though, and I found routing problems in recent review units. Perhaps next year’s switch to Windows Embedded NavReady will improve their rankings.
• All the rest – Don’t go there. Stick with one of the companies above that have been doing this for years. Check the GPS rankings on Amazon and after scrolling way down to find the off-brands, read their reviews and you’ll see that the problems just get worse.

Car GPS Brand Summary

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