I bought my first GPS more than 5 years ago - a Magellan 700 and paid near $1300. I have had a fair amount of experience using a GPS and when my Magellan started acting up on a recent trip I immediately started my research & within a few days decided to try the new Garmin nuvi 260. After paying top dollar for my original GPS I wasn't sure I'd like the Garmin. I was dead wrong! Granted, over the past few years all GPS makers have improved their models even though prices have come down but I can tell you first hand that the 260 is a no nonsense GPS that grabs the satellite signal quickly, & has a great data base, as well as a super easy to use interface. It has text to speech prompts that warn you in plenty of time when to make turns etc. and it is fun to use. I made up my mind that I wasn't going to spend an arm and a leg as I did the first time around and for the price I paid for the 260 and seeing the quality of this GPS I am very pleased. I do not need bluetooth,MP3, or audio books and other features in a GPS so if you need those features look elsewhere. However if you want to be able to go from point A to point B without aggrevation and simple elegance the 260 is the one. The price point of this unit makes it a steal and the size of the unit makes it super easy to slip into your pocket or bag when you fly somewhere and are going to rent a car or if you go into an eatery and don't care to leave it in the car!

I researched 2 days before the purchase.

This has all the functions that you use in the car, without unnecessary stuff.

1) Text speech-to-Street is a must, and this unit has it. There is a huge difference between "turn left" and "turn left in the fifth ave, and this unit tells you the street name. This is one of recent model so 2) design is slim and cool. 3) It has good battery life, too. It also have a function to simulate your route on the unit. When I travel to the complicated area, I use this simulator before I leave to get familiar with the route. You can even change icons using web, so my Garmin 260 has "American Jack" (male) voice and vehecle icon is an american football. You have to pay additional dollar, but I strongly recommend you to buy friction dashboard mount (with this, you don't have to attach it to the window using suction, letting the whole world to know you own GPS). Arriving at my destination, I simply remove from the portable mount and carry it within my purse (It is smaller than your palm). When my husband use it, he puts Garmin 260 next to him along with coffee mug, and he just listens to direction, without looking to the screen. In that case, wide screen is not worth to pay extra money. I bought both AC connector and car charger, but having a car charger is enough. I hope this helps.

After doing an extensive review and analysis of the GPS units with the features and price range we desired, we selected Garmin because of its easy to read display and the Garmin reputation. We wanted North American coverage with spoken street names and selected the 260 over the 260W because the additional width took up more space and did not substantially enhance the information displayed while costing about 30% more. The 260 proved to be easy to use right out of the box requiring only charging of the battery. We ordered the unit from Amazon because of good past shopping experience (but not with Amazon's partners) and the lowest price which was $233 with free shipping available. The Garmin nuvi 260 is an excellent product and has met all our expectations. We recommend it to anyone wanting a basic GPS (no phone, bluetooth or MP3) that is easy to use and available at a reasonable price.

I have two of these units and absolutely love them. I also had a Nuvi 660. The 260 does everything the 660 does except bluetooth and MP3 and a slightly smaller screen. The screen size is more than ample. After getting my 660 stolen, I replaced it with the 260 and have since bought one for my college bound daughter. The price is so affordable and getting cheaper every month. I would recommend this unit to everyone.

What I like about the 260 is that verbally tells you WHAT STREET to turn on. Example " in 500 feet turn right on MAPLE STREET". Some of the less expensive Nuvi's just say "turn right in 500 feet" For a few extra dollars, this feature is well worth it.

It is VERY easy to use and unbelieveably reliable. I can go anywhere and with a touch of a button, get back to my hotel, airport or go home. My daughter can go off to college, and I have peace of mind, she can get back to her dorm or just get home from anywhere.

Like the GPS, but wish it came with more directions and a a/c adaptor. Had to wait for a few weeks before I could get it charged enough to use. I am still learning. I know it will be good when I learn how to use it properly.

I bought this unit for my husband and he loves it.

I wasn't sure which GPS to buy with so many out there. He wanted just a basic unit for the US and Canada. I looked at reviews and then talked with one of my husband's friends that actually has had a couple of GPS units (the friend owns a towing company/garage and makes runs for AAA). He highly recommended this particular unit.

This is simple to use and easy to put into different vehicles and go. Easy to figure out by the instructions or by trial and error.

We didn't need lots of "bells and whistles" to make things complicated.

Easy to follow verbal instructions, lets you know ahead of time when you are going to turn, and also gives you the street name.

Great map feature to expand roads etc in the area.

Even in extremely rural areas, the little known dirt roads are in this system.

I would recommend this as a good solid basic unit.

I can't make any comparisons, since this is my first GPS. I purchased it from Amazon, which was a good experience. I ordered it on Sat and received it yesterday (Tues) I've probably read about 1,000 GPS reviews in the past 6 months, and I picked this model because of its price and TTS feature. I almost purchased the C550, because some comments said the Streetpilot is sturdier, but the Nuvi 260 isn't flimsy at all, and I don't need the Bluetooth or MP3 features. Actually, many of the reviews frightened me, but this is so easy to use, I can't imagine being able to operate a vehicle legally and needing instructions. Seriously, I am mechanically and technically challenged, but this is a touch & go product. For example, one review mentioned the lack of an external volume control and another said the voice was too soft or too loud. Changing the volume takes 2 seconds by tapping on the speaker icon. Another said there were no custom POIs and the first day I entered my home address, the supermarket, my bank, and more. One person wrote that it doesn't announce street names, but you just need to select a language/voice that indicates TTS next to it for that feature. None of this requires a manual, just common sense and a little patience. I'm sure there are many features I haven't yet discovered but will in time.

The signal - as soon as I plugged in the power it received a signal within a few seconds, not minutes. The TTS voice (English Jill) pronounces the street names clearly. Keep in mind this is not a human, so every pronunciation isn't perfect and neither are the directions, but they're close enough. For example, I asked how to get to Publix from my house. Although the directions were correct, I would have driven a little out of my way in the wrong direction and made a U-turn had I not known where to turn. So it apparently doesn't recognize traffic light turns into a mall or shopping center, maybe because there's no street name. (just guessing) Still, it's much better than using a paper map if you are in an unfamiliar area, and it will automatically recalculate the directions if you make a wrong turn. Sometimes that feature takes a few seconds. I tried to fool it by taking a back road, but it quickly found my location and recalculated the route. She even sounded annoyed at me!

This is my one BIG complaint. Maybe it's my ignorance, but the power cord is in such an awkward place that it's nearly impossible to place the unit in a good position without using a mount. Otherwise it would be very simple to put it in my cupholder or even sit it in the little change tray. For some reason, I thought a GPS needed to be facing the sky, but I can get a good signal when it's on the passenger seat or sitting in my center console. Last night I even had a signal inside my concrete block house! If the power cord was a little higher, it wouldn't bend so much and I'd be able to use it without a mount. Even with the included cradle & mount, it still bends and is always in the way!

Another minor complaint is that, although it seems inexpensive at $242 plus shipping, it doesn't even come with a cheap case - nothing! It also doesn't include an A/C cord or a decent instruction manual. I knew all of this before I bought it, but accessories add up quickly. So before you run out and spend more money, look around your house. I found at least 2 zippered cases in which the 260 fits comfortably. One held my mini binoculars which I haven't used in years and another is a small, zippered cosmetic case. Just make sure there are no rough edges that might scratch the touch screen. I lined the case with a microfiber cloth and it's perfect to stick in my pocketbook when I leave the car. I was going to spend another $30 on a bean bag mount, but last night I stuck the dashboard adhesive disk to the plastic cover that flips over the cup holder in my Camry. It's very secure and the suction cup sticks to it so tightly I have to pry it off. Since it's plastic, I "assume" any residue will come off with goo-gone.

I know this is already a long review, but I hope it will help by adding that I went a little crazy trying to get the plastic ball into the cradle. Just press firmly and don't worry about breaking it. I'm not strong and I was ready to give up. Now I can attach and remove it easily. I think it was just my fear of breaking it at first. Also, it's a lot easier to simply remove the cradle from the GPS when you take it with you than to take the mount apart.

The reason I was able to finally decide on spending the extra money for the 260 over the 200 or 250 model was by listening to a couple of demos on YouTube. People actually were nutty enough to drive around filming their GPS experiences, and I'm grateful to them! You can hear how much easier it is to follow instructions when street names are announced. Still, if you are on a tight budget, the GPS always shows the street name in large print at the top of the map, so it's easy to glance at it quickly. I feel the TTS is not only convenient, but adds a safety feature, since you're less likely to take your eyes off the road. Even if it's mounted in front of you on the dash or windshield, you still aren't concentrating on the road if you're reading a map.

In short, this seems to be a great little unit that's user friendly. So far it hasn't disappointed me, although it's only my 2nd day. I posted quickly so newbies like me would know that you don't have to be an expert or a gadget geek to use a GPS.

I had a nuvi 200 and I must say that it was great. It did everything that it said it would. After reading many reviews I realized that many users were upset that the 200 did not say the Street names or it did not come with an ac charger or a case, even a usb cord. If you read the description that Amazon gives, it tells you what you get. If it did not state ac charger, usb cord, etc. you do not get them. I knew what I had ordered and thought that I had made the right choice. After using it for 2 weeks I knew why the 260 was more money than the 200. The text to speech is well worth the extra money. With the 200 I found that I was always looking at the screen to see the street names. Not a good idea while driving. So, I bought a 260 from Amazon just for the street names(you do get extra maps with it). I am so happy that I did. I now drive with my 260 face down, speaker up on my console. You have no need to look at the screen while you are driving. Also, when leaving your car you can just slip it into you pocket and leave no tell-tail marks on your windshield. The 200, I returned to B--t B-y no questions asked. By the way, I bought an ac charger from Amazon. It will make charging it very easy.

Finally, a great product with ONLY the essential features that you need! I had to look around too many sites to find a GPS that had only the features I really needed. Sure, Bluetooth, MP3 capability, and photo viewing are nice, but who needs them? I have my iPod for the car, a wireless earpiece for my phone, and do I really need to look at photos while I'm driving? This device updates routes quickly when you stray off course and has easily accessable Point-of-Interest locater. I think this is an awesome value!

I purchased this for my wife for Christmas based upon the recommendation from our son. We could not be happier. The Nuvi 260 is the perfect balance of features for the price. It is the lowest price Garmin that will pronounce street names, a feature that is essential in residential areas. Its small size, along with a beanbag friction type mount make it perfect to move from vehicle to vehicle or even more important, to be able to secure in the trunk. The screen size is plenty large enough to see without a problem. Cound not be happier.