Garmin Nuvi 360 Review

The Nuvi 360 is just another of a great line of slim and sleek GPS units that Garmin has turned out. It’s small enough to take with you in a rental car, or even walking or hiking. And it has navigational settings for both. At only 3 by 3.9 inches, the 360 can even fit in your shirt pocket. And since it weighs only 5.1 ounces, you’ll barely know it’s there.  A great compact, personal device if you travel, and just want something that can be ready to go instantly. It’s ease of use makes it even better. With instructions (not that you really need them, as it comes ready to go straight from the box) so clear that even a child could use it, you can be assured of being able to operate it, even if you’ve never used a GPS device.

It features Bluetooth technology that doubles as a hands free speaker phone. It also includes an MP3 player.  During phone calls, the MP3 player, as well as directional voice prompting, is muted. When you have an incoming call, the Nuvi 360 screen will change to a caller ID screen, if the incoming number is available, and you have the option to answer or ignore the call. Of course, since it’s mounted, you may have the problem of sounding like you’re on speaker phone, and the other party may sometimes be hard to hear.

The navigation is precise, and easy to use. You simply enter a destination, and you get directions with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. And it announces the names of streets or exits. It comes preloaded with street maps for North America or Europe, and has points of interest such as ATM’s, school zones, safety cameras, etc. You also have the option to set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming points of interest. =

It can lock into satellites where earlier versions of GPS receivers would lose signal. You get precise and quick directions from the 360. The initial satellite lock takes on average less than 2 minutes.

It’s powered by a rechargeable lithium ion battery, that can last up to 8 hours on a single charge.

Truly, if you are looking for a personal, compact sized GPS device, that is reliable, and on the mark with your directions, then the Garmin Nuvi 360 is a great unit for you. It’s small enough to go with you anywhere, and dependable enough to get you from point A to point B without taking you around in circles.

Product Description

Navigator. Translator. Entertainer. Tour guide. Garmin’s nüvi 360 is your pocket-sized personal travel assistant. This versatile GPS comes with hands-free Bluetooth® wireless technology in addition to the popular features offered in the nüvi 350 — making it the go-anywhere travel companion.

Make Hands-free Calls

Talk about worry-free driving. nüvi 360 integrates Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker, so you can pair it with your compatible Bluetooth phone. Then talk hands-free through the 360 while staying focused on the road. Simply dial numbers with nüvi’s touch screen keypad to make a call. To answer calls, just tap nüvi’s screen and speak directly into its built-in microphone. You can also easily look up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or from your phone’s call history log. With 1-touch dialing for points of interest (POIs), you can conveniently call ahead for reservations or information.

Navigate With Ease

nüvi 360 comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator® NT street maps, including a hefty points of interest database with hotels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. Simply touch the color sunlight-readable screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. It even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. In addition, nüvi 360 accepts custom points of interest, such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs. The European version even includes a preloaded safety camera database containing the location of safety cameras for parts of Europe.

Add Traffic Alerts

Avoid traffic jams with the addition of an optional FM TMC traffic receiver and traffic services. By adding these to your nüvi, you are notified of accidents or road construction ahead on your route. Simply touch the screen to view traffic details or recalculate your route to avoid traffic. Select nüvi 360 models also include an integrated traffic receiver and services (click versions tab to view all).

Take It With You

Like the rest of the nüvi series, nüvi 300 sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot.

Go Beyond Navigation

Navigation is just the beginning. nüvi 360 includes many “must have” entertainment and travel tools including MP3 player, audio book player (subscription to Audible.com required), 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. Optional software on plug-and-play SD cards for language translation, detailed travel guide and savings program allows you to customize nüvi for your travel needs.

Physical & Performance: 
Unit dimensions, WxHxD:3.87″W x 2.91″H x .87″D (9.83 x 7.39 x 2.21 cm)
Display size, WxH:2.8″W x 2.1″H (7.2 x 5.4 cm); 3.5″ diag (8.9 cm)
Display resolution, WxH:320 x 240 pixels
Display type:QVGA color antiglare TFT with white backlight
Weight:5.1 ounces (144.6 g)
Battery:rechargeable lithium-ion
Battery life:up to 8 hours
Waterproof:no
High-sensitivity receiver:yes
RoHS version available:yes
Maps & Memory: 
Basemap:yes
Preloaded maps:yes
Ability to add maps:yes
Built-in memory:internal solid state
Accepts data cards:SD card (not included)
Waypoints:500
Routes:0
Features: 
Voice prompts (e.g. “Turn right in 500 ft.”):yes (internal speaker)
Speaks street names (e.g. “Turn right ON ELM STREET in 500 ft.”) :yes
3D map view:yes
Auto sort multiple destinations (provides most direct route):no
Auto re-route (fast off-route and detour recalculation):yes
Choice of route setup (faster time, shorter distance, off road):yes
Route avoidance (avoid highways, tolls etc.):yes
Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest):yes
Hands-free calling with Bluetooth® wireless technology:yes
FM traffic compatible:yes
XM Navtraffic (includes basic weather) & Radio for U.S. compatible:no
MSN® Direct for U.S. compatible:no
MP3 player:yes
Audio book player:yes
Picture viewer:yes
Configurable vehicle icons (select car-shaped icons for map navigation):yes
World travel clock, currency & measurement converter, calculator:yes
Touchscreen:yes
Remote control:no
FM transmitter:no
Headphone jack/audio line-out:yes
Dead reckoning:no
Garmin Lock™ (anti-theft feature):yes
Motorcycle-friendly:no
Additional:This USB Mass Storage device is compatible with Windows® 2000 or later and Mac OS X 10.4 or later.

What’s in the Box: 

  • nüvi 360
  • Preloaded City Navigator® NT for North America or Europe (full coverage)
  • Vehicle suction cup mount*
  • AC charger
  • Vehicle power cable
  • Dashboard disk
  • USB cable
  • Carrying case
  • Quick reference guide
  • Owner’s manual on CD-ROM

*Notice to Drivers in California and Minnesota

Package contents may vary per version. See your local dealer for more information.

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