Years ago, when the Earth was still cooling, I had an appointment with the CEO of a software company in Tampa. Not having been there before, I missed a freeway exit and became horribly lost. To make a long story short, I was over two hours late for my interview (at that time, cell phones weren't common).
I thought of this incident several times recently while testing Garmin's Nuvi 350, a sleek, pocket-sized Global Positioning System device. If only I'd had such a gadget back then, I would never have been so late for that interview.
Then again, at a list price of $857, the Nuvi 350 would have been out of bounds to the cub reporter I was then. And therein lies the rub: After several weeks of testing, I developed a serious attachment to the Nuvi 350. Throughout my informal tests in San Francisco, Charlotte and Greensboro, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina, the Nuvi was mostly spot on in its turn-by-turn directions, delivered by a soothing female voice. But its price tag is hefty enough to give even a hopeless gadget-hound like me pause.
This just in: As this article was being edited, Garmin introduced the Nuvi 310 and Nuvi 360. Both models add Bluetooth wireless technology and a microphone and speaker, so you can use either as a hands-free accessory for your Bluetooth-compatible cell phone. The Nuvi 310 comes preloaded with nine regional European maps; the Nuvi 360's maps cover either all of Europe or all of North America. Pricing wasn't available for the Nuvi 310. The Nuvi 360 will cost $964 in North America; pricing has not been set for Europe.
All three Nuvi models are expected to ship in June.
No GPS device or online mapping service I've tried provides completely accurate driving directions all of the time, but the Nuvi 350 is about as good as it gets. Its turn-by-turn directions were accurate and useful about 85 percent of the time, in my experience. Some intercity routes the Nuvi 350 suggested weren't what a savvy local would recommend, however. For example, the route Nuvi 350 calculated from my home to my gym was technically correct, yet it had me on a heavily trafficked road that I usually avoid.
Also worth noting: The Nuvi 350 held onto its GPS signal even during a drizzly rain. Cloudy skies, trees, and tall buildings sometimes prevent GPS devices from maintaining satellite contact.
Measuring 3.87 by 2.91 by 0.87 inches, the Nuvi 350 is about the size of a thick PDA. It weighs only 5.1 ounces, so it's easily portable.
The device's on-screen menus and maps are easy to read and use. For U.S. buyers, the Nuvi 350 comes preloaded with maps for North America, so you can start using the device right away.
Garmin markets Nuvi 350 as the ultimate travel companion. Along with the GPS-guided directions and maps, you can listen to MP3s and audio books via speaker or headphones. Other features include currency and measurement converters, a calculator, a photo viewer, and a world clock. I explored each of these tools briefly; all seemed to be useful, though not essential.
For the Nuvi 350's suggested list price of $857, you could buy a decent notebook, among other things.
I found the device for as low as $675 online. That's better, but the price still doesn't hit the Goldilocks mark for me.
Other portable GPS devices are available for less, of course. For example, Garmin's own iQue M4 ($700) combines built-in GPS navigation with Windows Mobile functionality. However, a Garmin spokesperson said the Nuvi 350's GPS receiver is stronger than the iQue M4's. That means the Nuvi 350 is more likely to maintain a signal under adverse conditions such as rain, according to the spokesperson. (I haven't tested the iQue M4.) At press time, I found the iQue M4 for as low as $525.
If you frequently rent cars in unfamiliar cities and don't want to pay extra to make sure the rental comes with a GPS system, the Nuvi 350 is probably a good investment.
Others should carefully weigh the Nuvi 350's price against its benefits. For example, if you need GPS assistance mostly in your own car, a more sophisticated in-car navigation system might be a more practical--if far more expensive--option. You might also want to browse our roundup of portable GPS systems for less-expensive alternatives.
I liked Garmin's Nuvi 350 quite a bit. But I need GPS assistance only on occasion. The Nuvi 350 would have to hit a price point of about $450 to get me to buy it. Until prices drop to that extent, I can't justify the expenditure.
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Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket? Tell me about it. However, I regret that I'm unable to respond to tech-support questions, due to the volume of e-mail I receive.
James A. Martin
