Nuvi 255W

nheather · Regular Visitor Joined: Nov 02, 2005 Posts: 67

Considering a Nuvi 255W

1 - Has anyone tried one? What do you think?

2 - I would be moving from TomTom - what am I likely to not like?

3 - And what am I going to like?

4 - Do the Nuvis work well off-road? I appreciate battery life would be a problem but other than that?

5 - The other consideration would be the 760. More expensive, but with more features though most of which I wouldn't use anyway. I'm assuming that the 760 is an older generation (is there a 765 coming out) and I guess the 255W has newer maps and the relief shading. Is that correct?

Cheers,

Nigel

alancu · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 29, 2006 Posts: 4

I just took delivery of a 255T not a 255W but I apart from the wide screen I think the HW is all the same. So first the bad news:

I just sent it back! Contrary to most adverts, reviews and the US garmin site (which unfortunately was the only one I thought to check) the 255 UK model does not have text to speech!

This was the one reason I decided to upgrade from my I3 and all the research I did online lead me to beleive it had the feature. I can only assume this is a marketing decision by Garmin. At best they lost the sale at worse after hanging with Garmin for a long time I may just move to a competitor. Unless I am missing something profound this just sounds like marketing game. I bet all 255s come out the same factory and they just o disable the feature for specific markets. All that does is make me looks elsewhere.

In the day that I had the unit and tested it let me tell you the good features: The hotfix is neat, seemed to get a fix much much faster than my I3. TMC worked well in the short test I conducted as well and the new TMC receiver is nicely integrated into the power lead (less clutter). Unit if nicely constructed and the new processor seems to update maps much faster than my I3. I didn't think the speaker tone was as good as the I3 but I expected this due to the smaller (and much nicer) form factor.

Just don't make the same mistake I did and trust the reviews that said how useful the "text to speech" was, they must have been US reviews. It aint got it!

PaulB2005 · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject:

alancu is correct. The UK version do not have Text To Speech - Click Here

However the US versions do Click Here

Why? Only Garmin knows....

You can check each models features and compare with other models here. Just make sure you set the correct locale at the top....

jstallan · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 28, 2005 Posts: 7

WOW ... I'm glad I re-read that post. I was going to buy a Nuvi 255t based on text-to-speech... Now it's back to the drawing board....

nheather · Regular Visitor Joined: Nov 02, 2005 Posts: 67

I don't think it's on the US one either

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134&pID=30043

Cheers,

Nigel

Tom59 · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:46 pm Post subject:

I bought a 760, which did have text to speech, but it sounded like R2D2!
I also sent it back, not because of the voice, but the layout did not suit me. I have been using various TomTom's over the years and I decided that it was time for a change.
The biggest problem that I had was that I have become used to glancing at TT in "Travel" mode, to be able to see speed, next turn, time of arrival etc instantaneously. With the Garmin, you need to switch to a different screen (with no map) to see all that detail.
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Firmware 9.430. Map: Western Europe V 875.3613

TT iPhone app
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PaulB2005 · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:29 pm Post subject:

nheather- How odd. Your link says

kieeee · Banned Joined: Feb 27, 2008 Posts: 22

looks like US version

PaulB2005 · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:42 am Post subject:

MaFt · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 3:39 pm Post subject:

the 2x0 and 2x5 series are entry level devices and i very much doubt that any region-specific versions will have any extra features such as TTS...

MaFt

alancu · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 29, 2006 Posts: 4

Well when I called Garmin to find out why my 255 couldn't cough up road names I was told that it wasn't fitted in UK models. Implying that it was in others! After I sent the unit back I stumbled across this link that tends to back up the above:

http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/541260

"The nuvi 255 and 255W will be available in versions that include comprehensive coverage of North America, Europe, Australia or New Zealand. The nuvi 255 and 255W models for North America, Australia or New Zealand announce street names in their voice prompts, advising you to "Turn right on Walnut Street" rather than just saying "Turn right in 500 feet.""

If this is just a marketing decision I sure hope Garmin have thought this through. I'm looking elsewhere now after sticking with Garmin through an E-trex and an I3

mikealder · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:33 am Post subject:

This is similar the what TomTom have done with the One XL range, buy it in the UK/ Europe and all you get is standard voices, purchase it over in the US and you get the Text To Speech - Mike

SandLake · Regular Visitor Joined: Jul 29, 2006 Posts: 68

So, if you buy a Nuvi 250W or 255W in the US and bring it home and install UK/European maps it will have TTS?

m-a-r-k · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 4:59 pm Post subject:

I've just bought a 350 which has TTS. It isn't wide though but I valued the Europe maps and TTS more highly.
I'm very pleased with it. And in the UK it is heavily discounted now as the 360 has replaced it.
It has latest v10 maps as well by the way.

Worth a look.

Mark B
_________________
Mark B
Garmin nüvi 350
SW V6.20, GPS SW V3.00
City Navigator Europe NT 2018.10

alancu · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 29, 2006 Posts: 4

So, if you buy a Nuvi 250W or 255W in the US and bring it home and install UK/European maps it will have TTS?

Yes I was wondering about that, I think it should work. The only thing that put me off is whether the TMC will be compatible, I think it might not be. So ultimately you might get the TTS but lose the TMC, and then have to pay for the Euro maps as well.

What we really need is a good hardware hacker to get inside a 255 and figure out what Garmin do to nobble this unit for us UK buyers not worthy of this feature Smile

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