Our Garmin GPS Nuvi 750 system is one of the best Christmas gifts that we have received. We travel a lot by car across the United States and Canada. In the past we have relied on the old fashion paper maps to navigate, CAA books to find local hotels and restaurants as well as entertainment venues. Needless to say there have been a few discussions in the car when we got lost or did not get to our destination as quickly as we thought we might.
No more! Once we started using our new Garmin GPS Nuvi 750, we just plug in the address we want to go to or search for a gas station etc etc and follow the directions! For many people who have used a GPS device, this is old hat, however when you are driving 5000 miles across the United States or Canada, the true value of the GPS system really makes itself known.
We also really like the restaurant chain, Texas Roadhouses, and downloaded information we found on the internet into our Garmin Nuvi 750 GPS system. Whenever we are near a roadhouse we get an alert to tell us that our favorite steakhouse is nearby.
We also downloaded a database that someone put together of favorite spots that the police like to set up speed traps. The first time we encountered a speed trap location, ( the police were not set up, thank goodness) our Garmin GPS device rang an alarm and flashed an alert on the screen to alert us that we were approaching a speed trap area. That was pretty cool!
Map Updates
Consumers can check out the Garmin web site for updates to current maps that are installed in their GPS device. There is a fee for this service unless you are within the warranty window, however if you want to have the latest upgrade and plan on traveling a great deal then it may well be worth it to upgrade your GPS system.
Garmin offered two choices for our Nuvi 750 system. For $69 US we could download a one time update or for $119 US we could download updates 4 times a year for as long as we owned the device. Both deals are pretty good, however for our traveling requirements, we opted for the lifetime package and updates 4 times a year. They will also send you an email notification when a new update is available!
It is also important to note that the one time map update does not include map updates for Canada. The lifetime update map package coverage includes detailed maps for the United States and Canada, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Mexico coverage is not included. Maps for Mexico, and Europe can be purchased separately.
The process of connecting the Garmin Nuvi 750 GPS system to the internet was relatively straight forward, however we did have to update the browser interface from the last time we had used it. That meant another download and installation, which took a matter of 5 minutes. We also had to restart our browser as well. Everything installed easily and we now have the latest maps!
Once you decide that you want to upgrade your maps , go to www.garmin.com/mapupdates and follow the instructions for downloading the map update package you select and if needed, the interface package which is free.
Interface with the Garmin Nuvo 750 While Driving
We have become avid users of this GPS system while driving, however we have to emphasize that drivers should not be programming your next destination or searching for addresses on the Garmin while driving. When the Garmin system turns on, there is a warning and of course their web site also emphasizes this point.
We have to agree with Garmin. Fortunately there have been no accidents or even close calls, but it is difficult to drive safely and program your Garmin at the same time. We strongly recommend against trying any kind of programming other than reading or following the maps on the screen while driving.
Drivers have the choice between following directions by following commands on the screen or listening to voice instructions from the GPS internal speaker. Consumers can also tune their radios to a specific frequency to listen to voice commands through their cars radio system. We found that the GPS internal radio is fine and we programed our GPS to use an Australian female accent.
Other Features We Like
There are a few other features that we like as well. For example, converting from kilometers / hour to miles per hour when you travel from Canada to the United States. This also includes your current speed and speed limits are also shown on the map display.
We also really like the trip tracking statistics. Average speed, moving and stopped along with total. This last statistic is interesting. Whenever I use mapquest to plan our trips we never know if they include stops or not and what average speed they use to calculate the time to get to your destination. Our Garmin GPS Nuvi 750 takes into account stopped time and recalculates arrival time. So with rest stops, stop lights and traffic there is never any guess work as to when you will arrive at your destination.
Saving favorites is another excellent feature. You might ask why do you need to save a favorite if you already know how to get there. We found that it is sometimes nice to know how long it will take to get somewhere, or perhaps a better route. We found for one location that there was actually a better route than the one we had been taking for years!
Consumers can program their GPS for the shortest distance, the faster time or off road. One couple we know had their GPS programmed for the shortest route which ended up taking them along country roads that were not much more than logging roads. Never again! Even if the fastest route is a bit longer in terms of distance traveled, staying on well traveled paved roads is definitely the way to go.
