Garmin's nüvi 260 combines the thin profile and attractive price point of other nüvi 200-series GPS with directions in real street names. As with all nüvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of a high-sensitivity integrated receiver, a slim, pocket-sized navigator with a gorgeous display, detailed NAVTEQ maps that lets you search by name for more than 6 million points of interest like stores, restaurants or hospitals, and an easy, intuitive interface.
Which nüvi is Best for You?: Click here to see a quick, simple comparison of features for all Garmin nuvi GPS navigators.
The nüvi 260 comes preloaded with maps for U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, and features an ultra-slim design. | Text-To-Speech
The text-to-speech feature of the nüvi 260 means that device automatically calls out street names (saying "turn right on Main Street" instead of "turn right in 200 feet."). This feature lets drivers keep their eyes on the road while navigating through busy traffic and tricky roadways. Smart, Powerful Design
The nüvi 260W is built with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver for extreme accuracy, as well as an SD card slot for storing your media and additional navigation tools, and a USB interface for loading data. All this is wrapped up in a package that measures 4.8 x 2.9 x 0.8 inches (W x H x D) and weighs just 6.6 ounces. The nüvi display is touchscreen-enabled, making it a cinch to control the device with your fingertips. A rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides up to five hours of battery life depending on use. 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 Navigate with Ease
The nüvi 260 comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps, including a hefty POI database with hotels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. In addition, the nüvi 260 accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs.
Important note about map updates: Due to our high volume of sales, almost every Garmin portable GPS navigator sold by Amazon.com will come with the most recent map version. If you ever do need a map update, you can purchase one from Amazon.com at our Garmin Store. Easy To Use Interface
Garmin's interface is a key to their success and one of the things that makes their devices such a pleasure to use. Simple controls and sub-screens make it easy to enter or search for destinations and get data about your trip.
Beyond Navigation
Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer. |  nüvi 260W accepts custom points of interest (POIs). View larger. | Navigation is just the beginning. nüvi 260 features travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. It also comes with Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map.
This device is compatible with optional content plug-ins available via SD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide provide detailed data for attractions and information on nearby merchants offering discounts, so you can customize nüvi for your travel needs.
Garmin has also added the ability for customers to add custom points of interest (POI's) from third parties such as school zones and safety cameras.
Trick Your GPS Ride
Like all nüvis, the 260 supports configurable vehicle icons. These fun, customized car-shaped icons come in a variety of colors to add a personal touch to your vehicle's position on the map. With this GPS system on board you'll be prepared to steer clear of traffic with the integrated FM TMC traffic receiver. The nüvi 260W is designed to receive alerts about traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. 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 nüvi's sophisticated automatic routing will get you back on track in no time.
What's in the Box
nüvi 260, preloaded City Navigator NT for the continental U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Canada, vehicle suction cup mount, vehicle power cable, dashboard disk, and set up and go guide.
Note: Like most USB Mass Storage Devices, the nüvi is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me. Which nüvi is Best for You?
Note: All nüvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.
| Screen
Size
inches
(w x h)
| Included Maps
| Text-to-Speech
(Directions in
Real Street
Names)
| Traffic
| Bluetooth
| Media
| FM Transmitter
(audio through
car stereo
system) | Multi-
Point
Routing
| Battery
life
(hours)
| Cont. U.S.,
Hawaii, and
Puerto Rico
| AK and
Canada
| Europe
| | nüvi 200 | 2.8 x 2.1
|  |
|
|
|
|
| Photos
|
|
| up to 5
| | nüvi 200w | 3.81 x 2.25
| |
|
|
|
|
| Photos
|
|
| up to 5 | | nüvi 250 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | |
|
|
|
| Photos |
|
| up to 5 | | nüvi 250w | 3.81 x 2.25
| | |
|
|
|
| Photos |
|
| up to 5 | | nüvi 260 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | |
| |
|
| Photos |
|
| up to 5 | | nüvi 260w | 3.81 x 2.25 | | |
| |
|
| Photos |
|
| up to 5 | | nüvi 270 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | | |
|
|
| Photos |
|
| up to 5 | | nüvi 350 | 2.8 x 2.1
| |
|
| | FM (with opt.
receiver) |
| Photos, MP3s
|
|
| up to 8
| | nüvi 360 | 2.8 x 2.1
| | |
| | FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s |
|
| up to 8 | | nüvi 370 | 2.8 x 2.1 | | | | | FM (receiver
included)
| | Photos, MP3s |
|
| up to 8 | | nüvi 650 | 3.81 x 2.25
| |
|
| | FM (with opt.
receiver) |
| Photos, MP3s |
|
| up to 7
| nüvi 660
| 3.81 x 2.25
| | |
| | FM (receiver
included)
| | Photos, MP3s | |
| up to 7 | nüvi 670
| 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | FM (receiver
included) | | Photos, MP3s | |
| up to 7 | | nüvi 680 | 3.81 x 2.25
| | |
| | MSN (receiver
included;
1-year free);
FM (with opt.
receiver)
| | Photos, MP3s | |
| up to 7 | nüvi 750
| 3.81 x 2.25
| | |
| | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver)
|
| Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5
| | nüvi 760 | 3.81 x 2.25
| | |
| | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 770 | 3.81 x 2.25
| | | | | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 780 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | |
|
| MSN-enhanced
(receiver inc.;
3 months free)
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 5 | | nüvi 850 | 3.81 x 2.25 | | |
|
| MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) |
| Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 | nüvi 880
| 3.81 x 2.25 | | | |
| MSN-enhanced
(receiver inc.;
3 months free);
FM (with opt.
receiver) | | Photos, MP3s | | | up to 4 | nüvi 5000
| 4.5 x 2.7 | | |
| | MSN-enhanced
(with optional
receiver);
FM (with opt.
receiver) |
|
| | | external
battery
only | |
Average Customer Review:
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 Great GPS for a good priceOct 06, 2008
Very happy with this GPS. Reads street names out loud, not just turns. Bought one for my college age daughter, liked it so much I got one for myself.
Amazing GPS, but get the dashboard friction mountOct 05, 2008
Just a word about mounting this: get the dashboard friction mount instead of the suction cup mount. There are thieves who look specifically for these mounts or marks left by these mounts to see if you have a GPS in your car. The friction dashboard mount, sort of like a big heavy beanbag with a friction strip, leaves no marks, stores easily under the seat, and can be moved from car to car with no problems.
I'm a genealogist and frequently have to travel to places that are out of the way and not easy to find. Sometimes I have street locations, other times I only have GPS coordinates. It's easy to preprogram the Nuvi to both these types of locations and save them as favorites. I have managed to find several places, such as old cemeteries, that I never would have found with a map. Plus, it is to much safer to use the GPS for navigation when traveling alone -- you don't have to take your eyes off the road to consult a map or directions, or pull over to do so.
The Detour function works perfectly. I was recently in a town where a bridge right on the main drag was out, but I needed to get to the other side. I just clicked Detour and it immediately and accurately plotted a route around the obstruction.
I like that it shows my distances and estimated arrival times.
I do wish it had a feature where you could erase or delete preprogrammed places. I have run into a few times where restaurants it had listed were closed, and it would be nice to delete those from the database. I haven't found a way you can do that.
I also purchased this product because it does speak the street names. Just having the confirmation when it says "Turn right on Prospect Street" and seeing the Prospect Street sign is good. In some towns I have been in, it's been a little hard to tell from the map which street is which.
It's become my second most important tool for genealogical research (the first being my computer), and I'll never be without one again.
outstanding performanceOct 01, 2008
The Garmin nüvi 260 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator exceeded my expectations and performed flawlessly. Of course I'd like more...like a USGS topographic base map reference. However, for $200.00 it is an outstanding value. For two weeks of continuous use (my first use) it guided me through the most urban to the most rural regions of Massachusetts.
 Garmin 270Oct 01, 2008
The unit will not "re-calculate" a better, short-cut route when deviate from the original "Go-to". It keeps "re-directing" backward, or U-turn, to the original route which is longer.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Nice, but fails way too often.Sep 27, 2008
Yesterday I used my Nuvi for the first time to location 4 different places. It failed at various levels on 3 of those locations, and succeeded on the forth.
PROBLEM 1: I tried to enter a street address "Saint Johns Bluff Rd S" but as soon as I typed the "Rd" the Nuvi "helpfully" popped up the selections it thought I meant. The selection list had one item: the north version of the road. If you try to go back from the helpful selection list to continue entering what YOU want to enter you'll find that the field has been emptied. I was not able to enter my location and had to call for directions. BTW: This location has been in existance for years.
PROBLEM 2: I tried to find "Dave & Buster's", a popular attraction in this city but it was not in the database! I manually entered the address, and it accepted the address, but it took me to the wrong place. It dumped me off about a half mile away. Again, I had to call for directions.
PROBLEM 3: I tried to find a location on the street "A1A S" but as soon as I entered the "S" the Nuvi suggested that I meant "A1A Scenic and Historic". It would not let me enter what I meant, only what it thought I meant! Forced to accept Nuvi's suggestion, I compared the place it wanted to take me to a map someone else printed from MapQuest. They differed, and MapQuest was right. MapQuest actually accepted what the user entered. Imagine that!
It also gave me problems today.
- It lost satellite reception and didn't get it back until I rebooted.
- I followed someone to their house and the roads in this section of the town just didn't exist on Nuvi's map. I rebooted and viola! The roads appeared.
- I've found the database of known lodging and food places to be extremely limited; it often has minor things in a region but not major things.
- It has entries in its database containing characters that you cannot enter. For example, I played around searching for "Dave & Buster's" in other cities. In another city it find the location if I enter "Dave", but not "Dave and" because "and" is technically not in the name "Dave & Buster's". The Nuvi does not provide a way to enter the "&" character so it's impossible to enter the name! The Nuvi ought to be smart enough to match "&" with "And".
- A friend told me to head towards a specific intersection. I entered the information into the intersection search feature (Spelling the names of the roads properly) and it could not find them.
Another problem I noticed on day one is that the new offramp on the interstate that I often use to go home is not in the database. It's a year old! Why isn't it in there?
And I tried to use Garmin's website for help. First, I tried to update the software using the webbased tool but it failed without any feedback. I used an app-based tool and that worked. I played around with the same input as in those problems mentioned above and even with all the updates the same (or similar) errors occurred. I tried to post a complaint to their customer service department and the website failed to accept it! It told me to fill in the required fields marked with an asterisk. EVERY FIELD WAS SET!
I've had it. This tool is going back tomorrow, but sadly this is the state of computer technology today. No one even cares to make electronic devices that work anymore. So long as it technically works well enough to satisfy the legal requirements imposed by marketing's promises then that's all the better electronics are made.
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based on 337 reviews
