Garmin DriveSmart 61 NA LMT-S with Lifetime Maps/Traffic, Live Parking, Bluetooth,WiFi, Smart Notifications, Voice Activation, Driver Alerts, TripAdvisor, Foursquare

If you purchase this product, you will receive the shaft twice!! The GPS device I received was dead on arrival. It could only function if it was plugged in. I just wanted to swap it out for something new. For a defective product, the seller wants me to pay for return shipping!br>br>Update. I ignored my own advice and purchased a second one, which failed to function after only four months. I'm guessing it's the same charging problem I had with the first one. This is a terrible model. This model ought to make Garmin blush.

Theodore Porter

| May 12, 2021

This is my second Garmin device, and I thought it was very stable and reliable when I first got it. It's become increasingly unreliable following several map and software updates. Here are a couple of examples:br>br>- It will take you on strange loops and turns while ignoring obvious alternative routes. For example, one recalculation resulted in a 25 - For no apparent reason, a 50-mile loop has been created that diverges from the original route.

- The only way to prevent it from making strange changes to the route is to place edit points along the route to prevent it from recalculating some strange detour. Why not just have a device that allows you to plot your own route, which defeats the purpose?

- It is inaccurate in calculating the remaining distance. So you'll be 11 miles away from your next turn, then it'll suddenly change to 18 miles away, and when you arrive at the next turn, it'll show you have 7 miles to go, then switch to showing you have 300 feet to go.

- When you get back on a freeway and can drive right onto the ramp, it will sometimes want to cross the bridge to the other side and do some strange u-turns. then turn around and do another strange u-turn. Turn around and you'll be back on the same on-ramp you were on before. br>br>When I first bought it, it wasn't doing this, and I didn't think I could trust it. Now I'm not sure I trust it, which is causing me problems. br>br>Also, even if the update is only a 1 or 2 megabyte download, this device won't let you do it unless it's connected to a power source! What's the point of having wifi if you have to connect in order to download anything? br>br>Overall, I believe Garmin software is becoming increasingly unstable, which is something you don't want when driving in real life.

Dante Adams

| Jul 11, 2021

There are a plethora of them - and you'll be aware of it because the screen will continue to inform you. This would be particularly useful in vehicles without windshields; the rest of us can simply look ahead to see that - What's more, not all roads are straight. Looking for a parking spot in the city? No? Unfortunately, the display will be taken over by a Can We Find Parking screen, which will not go away unless you press the touch screen - It will reappear with each recalculation, requiring you to take your gaze away from the road to address it. br>br>Do you like it when you hear "Please drive to the highlighted route" every time you start a journey? You can't turn this off, just like you can't turn off curve warnings or parking warnings, so Garmin engineers had to think of something. br>br>Want to take a detour down a side street, maybe to get some gas en route - "Please make a U-turn whenever possible," says the Garmin. Every 5 seconds, the phrase "turn" will be repeated. br>br>Oh, and if you're driving down that winding country road with all the curves and curve warnings and want to look at other options, don't. Every map is treated by Garmin as if it were a city center - As you zoom out, it will hide the road views. To reduce screen clutter, it will only show the road you are driving on in isolated areas. All others will be removed. br>br>Wow, this is what you get even after decades of refinement.

Demetrius Wise

| May 13, 2021

61 LMT- UPDATED ON THE 12TH OF AUGUST 2017: br>br>I really like the capacitive touch screen and the size of the display; it's a lot nicer than my old Nuvi 1450LMT, which this new Garmin replaced. Even from a variety of angles, everything is clear and easy to read. During various operations, the unit is quick and responsive, with no noticeable lag. br>br>OK, the voice command works well for basic commands. However, street addresses can be hit or miss. br>Personalization is a term that refers to a person's ability to American voices that have been installed: Michelle is an English speaker from the United States. Samantha is in need of some help. Samanatha is the only one of the two who can communicate in "Garmin Real Directions. " Her voice has an unusual tone to it, and she mispronounces simple words. Michelle has the best voice, but her instructions are limited to "Turn Left. " br>The volume level is good, and there is an option for auto volume level to compensate for road noise, but I have the auto volume level control turned on and it does not work. With the windows open or closed, the radio turned on or off, I hear no difference in volume. The unit is kept cool. br>br> There were no issues with overheating, but I would have preferred a magnetic mount instead of the round plastic snap-on. It's included in the type. It's a pain to use the newer round type mount. When removing the unit, I sometimes accidentally pull the mount off the ball. br>br>I've only used Bluetooth with my phone a few times to test it out because I don't need traffic information where I live, and I don't use (or need) the Foursquare or TripAdvisor apps. br>I believe I read somewhere that you can use a Garmin HD Charger/Traffic receiver with this and it will work fine. br>br>The unit has around 16GB of main memory. After deleting unused voice files, about half of that is available for personal use, as well as worry-free map update sizes that will fit without the need for an SD card. br>br>Wifi update works well. On a good network, you can get updated software and maps quickly. When I tried to update the unit, it said I had an update available (with the highlighted download arrow), but when I tried to update it, it said "No updates Available. " I turned the unit's wifi off, then back on, and it worked this time. br>When not in use, make sure to turn off the wifi and/or Bluetooth because they consume more power and drain the battery faster. If your power plug/port powers on/off with the vehicle, the unit will automatically turn off and on. br>br>You can organize your saved points/addresses into categories, making it easier to find specific items without having to sift through an entire combined list. One thing I don't like about the plain square flat greenish map symbols that have replaced the previous multicolored shaped ones is that they are plain square flat greenish map symbols. At the very least, there should have been more variety and color options. br>br>Updating features with Garmin Express. I couldn't find any other American voices speaking "Real Directions," and I couldn't find any male voices either. There are no other add-ons, such as Map Symbol Icons or ecoRoute, as there are on the Nuvi. br>br>One thing that perplexes me is that when you insert an SD card containing your backed up gpx files (stored points/addresses), they are automatically copied into the main internal memory. Remove the SD card, and all of the information is now available on the computer's internal hard drive. So, in my opinion, what is the point of having an SD card if it simply dumps everything into the internal memory? At the very least, this should be an option. br>br>Garmin should use a glass touch screen with capacitive touch on all of its GPS units. If the 51 LM had a glass screen like this one, I would have probably bought it. The more expensive Garmin DriveLuxe 51 NA LMT- is the only other option. br>I don't think the FourSquare and TripAdvisor apps are necessary, and I'll never use them with a GPS. br>br>In its current state, the Alerts system does not appeal to me. Select alerts can be turned on or off, but only the audio tone is turned off. You still get an on-screen alert in the form of an orange bar at the top of the screen. It's not necessary for me to be aware that I'm approaching a railroad crossing. Depending on where you live and how well you can read road signs, you may require this. I can come to a complete stop on an abandoned rail crossing from the 1970s, and it will either pop up with a warning window that I must manually close, or it will say that there is still 20 feet ahead. br>This, as well as the accuracy, must be addressed. The speed signs on the Nuvi 1450 do not update as quickly as they do on the Nuvi 1450. Why is this? I'm not sure. br>br>At times, the routing algorithm it employs is absurd. They haven't made much progress in this area, in my opinion. Even with the settings of Shorter or Faster calculation, it still chooses strange routes when you know the one you usually take is the better choice. br>br>After a few months of use, I am satisfied with it. I've decided to keep it after taking it on several trips. br>br>When a junction appears, an animated split screen appears, instructing you on which lane to take or which lanes you can take. It's fantastic. br>br>I still think the price was a little high, and I've even plugged in my old Nuvi 1450lmt and used it on occasion. br>br>If you want a really nice and easy to read 6 inch screen with capacitive touch for easy input, this is the unit to get. br>If not, I'd look into a less expensive unit that will still do the job. br>br>I bought the Evecase Portable Case Bag Cover with Extra Front Pocket 5-pack from Amazon. Inch. Despite the fact that it says it's for a 5-inch GPS, it actually fits this unit well. Internal dimensions are nearly identical to those of the 61 LMT-.

Keily Bowman

| May 24, 2021