Find Your Way to Story Time

Most everyone has a favorite watering hole – a place to unwind, relax, and catch up with friends. Whether you’re there to tell tall tales or simply listen to them, there are few better settings than your classic UK pub.  And if you’re heading across the pond (or if you’re already there), we’re making it easier than ever to discover and travel to these gems. Garmin has teamed up with Good Guides to bring the classic UK pub-goers directory to your compatible Garmin GPS. The Good Pub Guide brings information about pubs in your proximity including location, contact details and reviews.

It’s easy to choose and navigate to a Good Pub. The Good Pub Guide POI (Points of Interest) recommends places in your area and lists reader suggestions as well.

So the next time you’re traveling the lands of Shakespeare and Wordsworth, take the Good Pub Guide along on your journey. You’re practically guaranteed some good stories to return home with – no matter if home is ten minutes or ten time zones away. Interested in learning more? Visit our Good Pub Guide page for details.

Having Fun with the POI Loader

Is “fun” the right word to use when discussing points of interest?  We sure think so (and we aren’t just saying that because we are crazy for cartography)!  If you haven’t spent much time with our free POI Loader, now is a great time to check it out. 

With it, you can send personalized points of interest directly to your compatible Garmin GPS.  And loading custom points of interest is another way to truly make your unit your own. History buff?  Hot dog connoisseur? No matter what you’re interested in, you can send locations important to your personal interests and set out on a customized odyssey with your POI Loader-compatible Garmin GPS.

But don’t limit your exploration. Be daring. There are lots of other places to get POI Loader compatible data.  You can even create your own files and add to the world’s symphony of custom point data.  The possibilities are almost endless with our POI Loader!  And the best part - it's quick. It's easy. And it's a great way for you to make the most of your Garmin GPS.

You can learn more by visiting our POI Loader site. It's where you'll find everything to get started down the road of custom POIs. See you out on the open road!

Downloadable US TrailMaps enhance equestrian and whitewater adventures

If you enjoy exploring the outdoors on land and on the water, you'll be excited to hear that Garmin has teamed with US TrailMaps to offer equestrian trails and whitewater runs available for download from the Garmin website. Use the featured trail data in conjunction with Garmin topo map offerings such as TOPO 100K or TOPO U.S. 24K for a complete adventure. Conveniently download the maps to your GPS and you’ll add even more detail including complete trail information, useful points of interest, and trail and rapid names. When used with Garmin’s topo maps, US TrailMaps enhances your outdoor journey even more, plus it adds the most comprehensive whitewater or equestrian information available for your GPS.

US TrailMaps Whitewater contains 4,400 classified whitewater runs totaling over 42,000 miles. You can get detailed information such as rapids names and put-in and take-out access points for each run. US TrailMaps Equestrian contains over 20,000 miles of comprehensive equestrian trails and information for your GPS. You’ll have vital points of interest including the locations of hitching rails, watering holes, trailer parking areas, horse camping, tack shops, horse training, trailheads, visitor centers, stables, shelters, restrooms and picnic areas.

So take a moment to explore US TrailMaps and get the most out of every outing!

Ask Garmin: Updating your nüvi, zūmo or GPSMAP software

Some customers have asked us to follow-up about last week's mandatory software update decree, and they've specifically asked if all the new software has been released. The answer is a resounding YES! We have free software updates available for the nüvi 7x5 series, nüvi 800 series, nüvi 8x5 series, zūmo 660, GPSMAP 620 and GPSMAP 640. Offering free software is something we regularly do and we've always recommend you update your GPS when new free software is available. However, last week was atypical because the software update was mandatory. If you own one of the GPS devices listed above and haven't experienced any problems acquiring a GPS signal, you still need to do the free software update. It's free and easy to do. All you need to do is visit our WebUpdater site, download the free WebUpdater application, follow the screen prompts, and it will do everything else for you.  

June is Map Update Month

We're not exactly sure who proclaimed June as Map Update Month, but apparently it's official,so we're celebrating!  Roads, routes, and points of interest are always changing. That’s why we offer three map update options -- nüMaps Guarantee, nüMaps Lifetime and nüMaps Onetime. Each of these are great options that will help you make the most of summer roadtrips. According to a study done by NAVTEQ (Garmin's map provider), drivers want to be reminded when to update their maps. Seventy-three percent of Americans said they want to receive reminders to update the maps in their systems. If you're one of those who want to be reminded about map updates, we have good news since most newer Garmin devices notify you when yearly map updates are available and myGarmin.com tells you when quarterly map updates can be downloaded. If you want to see if your GPS has the latest and greatest map data, just connect your device to the computer and then we'll show you what you may have been missing. 

my.Garmin.com: Get the latest and greatest for your GPS

We're at it again. We're figuring out ways to make your life easier, and we think we have another winner. This time we've created something for the GPS device you already own -- my.Garmin.com is a site where you can manage all there is to manage about your GPS. From registering your Garmin to downloading new maps to learning more about your specific GPS, my.Garmin.com is designed to be a helpful resource 24/7.

So, here's what you should do...
1. Visit http://my.Garmin.com.
2. Click on the second tab, myDashboard and follow the screen prompts
3. Connect your GPS to your computer through the USB port.
4. Be prepared to learn more about your GPS than you ever thought possible from one central location.

As soon as my.Garmin recognizes that a GPS device is connected to the computer, you can click on the second tab, myDashboard, and you'll see a picture of your devcie along with helpful information about your GPS like map updates and free software updates. myGarmin is completely tailored to you and your GPS, so take some time to explore and discover everything there is to know about your Garmin.

Make the Most of your Garmin with Downloadable Content

It happens. Your employer asks you to make an emergency international trip, your significant other surprises you with a birthday getaway to New York City (and your birthday is tomorrow), a friend suggests a spur-of-the-moment hiking trip. We’ve all been there – and now we’re making it easier to get there with downloadable content for your compatible Garmin GPS. 

In the past, you could get additional maps and guides by purchasing a DVD or a pre-programmed data card. It’s easy enough . . . but last-minute trips could present a challenge. That’s where our downloadable content really shines. 

We have downloadable content for a variety of uses. If you’re planning a trip to a new city and want to get out on foot and explore, our cityXplorer map data (for compatible Garmin products) is the ideal navigation companion. With cityXplorer, you can plan and use routes that include public transit options such as bus, tramway, metro and suburban rail systems. You can also download Travel Guides as well. Travel Guides provide reviews and recommendations for restaurants, hotels, shopping and more. 

Garmin is proudly offering downloadable maps for many parts of the world for a variety of uses. Whether you’re hiking, biking, fishing, or driving in unfamiliar areas, you’ll be able to get the content you need when you need it.  

Visit our Download Page today and learn more about all of our Downloadable Content options. 

Plan a Trip Down Memory Lane

One of the misconceptions about using GPS is that it’s only beneficial in getting from Point A to Point B (or A to B to C to D), when really it’s as much about finding the interesting points in between. One of our friends in Cartography offers up a suggestion – and some nostalgia – for anyone looking to explore with their Garmin.

As kids we all had “favorite” spots that now have great sentimental value. When I was young, there was a railroad bridge from which I used to dangle my legs and watch cars go under. (I know, nowadays the police would chase me away – and rightfully so, kids, don’t try this at home! – but back then no one seemed to mind.)  Fast-forward more years than I care to admit.  I found I had a little time & decided to play with Garmin Connect Photos. When I typed my boyhood hometown into the search field and zoomed, there it was – my old stomping ground — my bridge!

I immediately got down to business.  I already had Garmin Communicator installed on my PC and had a myGarmin account.  I clicked “add all photos” and grabbed my trusty nüvi 255 and saved the selected photos to it in a flash.

The next weekend I was off for a visit.  I tapped the familiar “Where To” on the nüvi and went into the Favorites folder.  I tapped Panoramio™ Photos.  I found the geotagged photo of my old bridge, tapped “GO” and headed out for an old but somehow new journey.  It was a little thing, but it made my day!

 

Getting Your Fix

At Garmin, we’re always hard at work making sure our customers are able to make the most of their Garmin devices. An example of this commitment is evident with our Mapping Feedback Form. It was created to allow users to submit revisions directly to us. As roads, routes, and points of interest continue to change, we work to manage this always-shifting amount of information. The Mapping Feedback Form allows Garmin users to report missing roads or new points of interest. Once feedback is submitted, a report is sent to our staff cartographers for review. Depending on the request, it’s sent to one of Garmin’s mapping vendors. As you can imagine, we partner with quite a few content providers. Whether it’s a just-opened restaurant in the area or new subdivision across town, we work to ensure the right information is sent to the right people. Our content providers are just as committed as we are. Often, a mapping vendor will assign a driver to visually (and electronically) verify updates. Mile after mile is driven to ensure that the maps are as up-to-date as possible. 

Of course, none of this would even be possible without all of you. So to those of you who have submitted requests in the past and continue to do so today, we thank you for your efforts. Your assistance helps us make a better product for everyone.