Garmin Nuvi 660 Reader Comments

I recently exchanged emails with a reader, Steven, who bought a Garmin Nuvi 660 after reading our review of it, and after using the Nuvi 660 for a while; he had some comments that he agreed I could pass along to other readers. I think they are helpful to read and hear about other users impressions on what the Nuvi 660 is like in action.

On Bluetooth
“I enjoy the Bluetooth, but it still has some limitations when trying to connect to a device. When finally connected, though, the sound is great through the speakers in the car, and even though my phone, Samsung A920 was not recently on the supported phones list, my phone book appeared making dialing a call so much simpler.”

Playing Music
“I think the MP3 sound is as good as my Creative Zen, and I love the navigation through the car speakers when it pauses the music. I wish it supported more file formats and larger SD card capacity. I found the FM transmitter not a good idea for my rear antenna, but the cassette adapter works well. It appears that the sound out jack on the base is a micro rather than a standard mini jack, so I will have to find an adapter. I wonder why they used two different sizes [one on the unit and smaller on the base], perhaps I have misidentified what the smaller jack is for.” I have found that FM transmitters are OK, not great in general. More and more the auto industry is moving to AUX inputs for MP3 players and things like a Nuvi 660 output. I say “it’s about time.”

Traffic Trouble
“All in all, if the traffic service works well - though it doesn't work as I expected - this may be a stress and time saver - well worth any cost.” He’s had some trouble with the Nuvi routing him off the highway and then right back on to avoid traffic, and also the timeliness of updates. I agree; this is a system in transition. When I used it for the first time around a year ago, I wasn’t as convinced, but I have seen dramatic improvement around Boston since then, and expect the service to get even better. I do think that it takes some getting used to, some proactive work to look ahead to where traffic issues are, and mentally planning out what you need to do.

Odds and Ends