Top Ten GPS Mystery Unravelled- Number Seven!

This article is part four of a ten part series on the Top Ten GPS units of 2010. Working our way down from number ten to number one. This top ten gps list represents a combination of cutting edge features and value for your money in each gps unit. Number seven: the Garmin Nuvi 260w.

Features:

Slim sleek and highly portable. Even with the 4.3 inch screen, the design of this unit is compact enough to take it with you wherever you go. And big enough to see your directions while driving in the car.

Text to speech, including street names. Spoken directions and street names make your driving experience in unfamiliar places a lot less stressful. You don't need to take your eyes off the road to find your turn. Simply listen to your gps tell you where to go.

Garmins extremely simple interface. Not a technical wizard? Don't worry about it. Garmin makes the menus on their gps units simple and intuitive. Most of us could take it out of the box, turn it on and start using it without ever looking at the instructions.

Up to five hours of battery life. Keep your Garmin Nuvi 260w fully charged while you drive with the provided vehicle charging cable. Unplug it and take it with you wherever you go, with the confidence that you'll have the power to do what you need to.

Garmin Lock anti-theft protection. This feature will not prevent your gps unit from being stolen. In the event that your Garmin Nuvi 260w is stolen, Garmin Lock will disable the unit until the proper pin is entered or it is taken to a pre-programed location. Avoid any hassles and replacement costs by taking your gps unit with you whenever it is not being used in the car.

Easily add custom points of interest. Found a really cool place and you want to make sure you can get back? All it takes is one touch of a button and you'll be able to get there from anywhere.

Personalize your Garmin Nuvi 260w with customizable vehicle icons and voices. Through the Garmin website you can change the vehicle icon to something that's more you. You can also change the voice giving you directions to something you enjoy or understand better.

Comes with the basics. This particular gps unit comes with a vehicle mount, a vehicle power cable, and a quick start manual. All you need to get going.

The typical add-on options are available with this unit. Through the Garmin website you can pay for and download the Garmin Language, Travel, and Savings guides. If you travel alot, these could be useful. But they do cost extra.

Pros:

Extremely clear and accurate. A bright LCD screen and accurate directions are all you need to get you where your going.

Easy to use. Garmin makes it simple with their menus. No experience required.

Easily save any location as a favorite. One touch of a button saves any location to your list of favorites, so you can get there from anywhere.

With one touch of a button, you can see the entire list of directions your gps unit has planned for you. Not a true believer yet? Still using Google or Yahoo driving directions along with your gps? Touch and hold the green menu bar at the top of the screen, and the gps will display the full list of directions for your route.

Cons:

Minor complaints about initial satellite acquisition. It may take a little bit to lock on, but once it does, you'll be okay.

Does not display routes downloaded from Mapquest. This will only be an issue if Mapquest is your usual choice for directions. Otherwise your Nuvi will get you there on its own.

Only a few of the custom voices work with the text to speech feature. I can't imagine why Garmin would do this, but make sure that any custom voice you choose is compatible. Otherwise, what's the point?

The optional security feature which requires a pin to use your gps will lock you out if mis-entered, even on the first try. If this happens, manually power down the unit, turn it on, and it'll give you another try.

For more information on the Top Ten GPS units for 2010, visit http://www.squidoo.com/top-ten-gps