Garmin Zumo 660 built to guide bikers
Garmin Zumo 660
(Credit: Garmin)In addition to the Nuvi 885T, Garmin introduced the Garmin Zumo 660 at CES 2009, a GPS designed for bikers by bikers. It's one of the few motorcycle-specific portable navigation devices available on the market (TomTom also makes one called the Rider), and brings a much-needed update to the Garmin Zumo 550, which was released almost two years ago.
The Zumo 660 sports a sleeker design similar to the Garmin Nuvi series but keeps the ruggedized and waterproof casing. It also features a larger 4.3-inch touch screen and has oversize icons so you can still use the device even with gloves on.
Inside, the Zumo 660 is loaded with maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico and 6 million points of interest. Like the Nuvi 885T, the GPS also has lane assist with junction view; plus, there's a new multiple routing feature that will give you a preview of the shortest, fastest, and off-road route so you can choose from one of three options.
The Zumo 660 provides text-to-speech directions, meaning you'll hear specific street names, and since the GPS has integrated Bluetooth, you can have the audio piped to your Bluetooth headset. Of course, you'll also be able to make and accept calls and there is stereo Bluetooth (A2DP) support.
The Garmin Zumo 660 is expected to ship in Q1 2009 for a pricey $799.99.
Bonnie Cha is a senior editor for CNET, covering smartphones and GPS. When she's not testing the latest gadgets, you can find her chasing after her crazy lab or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California. E-mail Bonnie.
The Zumo 660 has a few new features, but lacks many features of the Zumo 550. Cha writes (or it looks likes quotes Garmin) " and has oversize icons so you can still use the device even with gloves on".
The hard buttons are gone which will make it less easy to operate (on a motorcycle with gloves on, not in a car!)
It can only store up till 10 routes. The Zumo 550 can store up till 50 routes. 10 routes is absolutely not enough!
It has no XM Radio and no XM Weather.
These are important to motorcyclists.
What troubles me the most is that the Zumo 550 users have made a list over the last two years with improvements they would like to see and Garmin did not put any of them in.
So what's the "Much needed update" Cha talks about. Maybe she can explain in some detail what she means.
The real needed updates we do not see back (at least not at the Garmin spec sheet for the Zumo 660)
I am sure the guys over at the Zumoforums.com and Advrider.com will agree that 50 routes is very anemic ... Give us weather.... real aviation or nautical weather.. not the watered down stuff. We are exposed to the elements and want the real dope!
I like many of the new features but limit of 10 routes is a deal killer. While it does not support the XM Radio optons including weather and traffic it does support the MSN service which I have heard good things about. The information on the site says it has left side control buttons so they must be towards the back of the unit where you can't see them well on the pictures they have provided.
I like many others was hoping for a unit with full color weather radar overlay on the maps. This is a real need for bikes.
I'm also curious whether the new A2DP Bluetooth means the Zumo will finally have wireless stereo output without the need for add-ons.
Most of the changes sound like software tweaks, so there's hope (though slim) that maybe there'd be a substantial firmware upgrade for the existing Zumo line to add some of the newer goodies. Particularly since the lack of XM (which I think probably has a very high adoption rate among Zumo 550 owners) means very few people will be keen on dumping their 550's for 650's.
The Zumo 660 costs $ 799.99 . The Nüvi® 500 cost and $ 299.99 and support BlueChart® g2 maps!
How hard can it be to put this functionality into the Zumo?
I know the Zumo is for bikers, but if it had this functionality I could use the unit in my small boat with BlueChart® g2 maps.
Does Garmin expect me to buy a Nuvi 500 in addition to the Zumo?
Issues like this alienate me from the Garmin brand.
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by V6valkrider
June 19, 2009 10:18 AM PDT
- Caution!!!! Garmin Zumo 660 is crap. Well maybe crap is a too strong of a term; Garmin?s customer service is crap! Before you buy one call the customer service hotline, after you have been on hold for an hour think about what you doing. I bought the Zumo 660, and every now and then, it will shut down wile in use (bike or car) the only way to get the power back on is to pull the battery. So, I called customer service?this is where things deteriorated. It took two weeks to get a RMA number, then I had to foot the bill to send the defective unit in, two weeks later, they cannot seem to find what is wrong so they are sending the defective unit back. Am I wrong to think Garmin should have sent me a new one? (I only had it a week before the problems started). Am I wrong to think they should have sent me a UPS slip for returning it? Am I wrong to think customer support should not mean wait on hold for an hour only to be told, ?I can?t help you, hold please?.
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(14 Comments)Now at the same time I was dealing with this, my sisters kids Wee game station broke down, she went online, typed in the SN, and what do you think happened?she got a RA # and a UPS slip with directions on how to ship it back.
Try the Garmin website help line; it took a day just to get a generic answer that sent me into a loop on the site.
Use caution and think twice before buying the Zumo 660!