By Robert Kaneko

Somebody at the PowerPage Podcast owes me money. I think it was Episode 83 of the PowerPage Podcast where they started to discuss GPS navigation systems. Chuck mentioned that he picked up a Garmin nüvi 200 at Best Buy for US$100 using a US$50 coupon he found online. A quick Google search put that same coupon in my hands. An almost equally quick trip put me at the nearest Best Buy. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the nüvi 200 in stock. However, being unable to let a perfectly good US$50 coupon go to waste, I picked up a nüvi 205. You can’t dangle an unbelievable deal on portable electronics in front of a gadget addict and not expect money to be spent.

The Garmin nüvi 205 is one of Garmin’s entry-level GPS car navigation systems. It includes maps of the lower 48 states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. It also strikes me as Garmin’s attempt to appeal to the iPod crowd. At the Best Buy I visited, it was the only GPS system that was available in multiple colors (red, white and black were available, though your mileage may vary since I’ve only seen black online). It comes with a 3.5" touch screen, microSD memory expansion slot, car power adaptor, car windshield suction cup mount and car dashboard suction cup adapter. The dashboard suction cup adapter is basically a round, plastic disc you attach “permanently” to your dash. It provides a place where you can attach the suction cup that doesn’t reside in the middle of your windshield. According to Garmin’s website, California and Minnesota drivers are currently prohibited from having devices mounted to their windshields. They will need to use the adapter or purchase a friction mount.

The nüvi 205 is a very good basic GPS navigation system. It has a bright, QVGA screen (320 x 240) and extremely easy to use navigation. The screen automatically adjusts to accommodate day or night use. The home screen would make Steve Jobs proud, since it only has four options. You can select from, “Where to?,” “View Map,” “Volume,” and “Tools.” Each of the main options are pretty much self-explanatory. “Where to?” lets you designate where you’d like to go. “View Map” let you see a street map, and if the GPS is active, your current location. “Volume” adjusts the sound level of the device and “Tools” lets you adjust most of the settings and features.

When you first turn the unit on, it will want to locate your current position, so you will want to do it somewhere where you have a relatively clear view of the sky. The initial satellite lock for me took about five minutes. Since that time, the longest it’s taken me to get a satellite lock has been about a minute.

Navigating with the nüvi 205 is wonderfully simple. You enter your starting point and your destination and the nüvi calculates the route. Data entry is accomplished by using a touchscreen keyboard. Once you’ve located your destination, you can save it to your “Favorites” if you want to be able to quickly access it again at a later date.

Garmin has included a number of very nice touches. The navigation display shows your current speed, approximate arrival time and turn-by-turn route. Each step in your route is displayed in the upper left hand corner. Current speed limits are displayed in the lower left when available. I’ve discovered that it’s nice to be able to check speed limits when you are near any signs. You can adjust the “zoom” with the controls in the upper right or return to the main menu by touching the “Menu” button at the bottom of the screen.

Voice navigation is clear with very good volume. I’ve discovered that I usually keep my volume level set to about 30% and I can hear it quite clearly. The nüvi 205 does not have text-to-speech recognition, so it will not read street names to you. However, “in 500 feet, turn right” is clear enough direction for me.

Garmin has a fairly unique method for interacting with the nüvi using your computer. They have developed a web browser plugin that will recognize your GPS. If you visit Garmin’s website, you can download the plugin. After you restart your browser, you are ready to go. The Garmin plugin will check to see if you have the latest firmware on your device and allow you to update if necessary (the plugin checks for available updates the first time you connect to it. Later updates appear to require Garmin’s web updater software). It will also allow you to download games, extra vehicles (my favorite is the Black Pearl), points of interest (POIs) and photos. Oddly, the plugin will also allow you to download Geocaching data if you are interested in Geocaching. However, the 205 does not have a GPS location mode that would really allow you to use it for Geocaching. You could certainly use it for getting to the area that contains the cache, but once there you would need another device to zero in on the cache location.

Garmin Connect, a Garmin service, allows you to download photographic waypoints. Basically, they are cool things to see that are added to the “Favorites” in your GPS. You are limited to 50 Garmin Connect photos per day for download from Garmin’s site and I found that they tended to clutter up the “Favorites” folder. In addition, Garmin Connect doesn’t keep track of photos that you’ve already downloaded, so you could end up with multiple versions of the same waypoint. Not a big deal, but annoying nevertheless.

The nüvi 205 is compatible with MSN Direct, which provides the option for realtime traffic, weather and other information if you happen to be in an area that provides MSN Direct service. Unfortunately, the 205 does not come with an MSN Direct receiver, and MSN Direct is a subscription service you have to pay for. I didn’t test the receiver or the service, but I prefer devices that do not include a monthly fee. The nüvi 205 by itself does not require a subscription.

Garmin’s nüvi 205 is a great entry level device for in-the-car navigation. It is small enough to slip into a pocket and extremely easy to use. Add in the fact that a US$50 off coupon at Best Buy is pretty easy to find on the Internet and it’s an almost irresistable gadget. Now, if I can just figure out how to get Jason or Chuck to pay for it…

If you've tried the 205 or have found a GPS device of choice, please let us know over in the comments or forums.