New Garmin Montana

[AugustFalcon]

Link to Garmin blog article:

http://garmin.blogs.com/my_weblog/20...versatile.html

Link to additional info:

http://gpstracklog.com/2011/05/4-mul...announced.html

[IdahoRenegade]

Looks nice, like an Oregon on steroids.

[djborden]

Very very nice! At twice the sale price, Im good with my purchase though. Otherwise, the new unit is really trick with the camera and large screen. I can really see that being a great feature for documenting scenic rides.

David

[dacrazyrn]

Just what I need!! More temptation!!

[DrLax]

Oh baby. Looks like it ships in June. I might be saying goodbye to my delaminated StreetPilot screen.



4" diag screen vs. the Oregon's 3" diag screen.

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/gear-ne...unit/8301.html

[Twohondas]

And it talks to you...just like a wife

[DRTBYK]

But don't you also lose other detail along with contour lines? My Dakota 20 does.

I'm talking about an "on/off" switch for contour lines. That way you get the relief shading and the routing detail without the clutter of the contour lines when you don't need them.

Cheers,

[DRTBYK]

After looking over all of GPSCity's videos on the Montana, I see one glaring omission in the Map page Dashboard options. There's no option for the four corner transparent Data Fields like we have on the old chartplotters and now on the zumo 66x units for example.



I can't imagine that this would be much effort though given the significant customization capabilities already available. I'm lobbying for a software update and this thing's not even released yet

Cheers,

[dacrazyrn]

If you mean changing them to different data, I am sure it is like many Garmins (the Oregon), just click on that field and it opens up and you can choose. I would bet with it set on Small Data also, you could have quite a few more populating the screen.

[DRTBYK]

If you look at the GPSCity video on Map Page Dashboard customization, you will see that the Small Data Fields is a four-field "block" at the top or side of the screen. Not the four corner transparent fields as illustrated in my zumo 660 screenshot above. Yes the Montana data fields can be changed to show any of the list of data types. But, there is no such Dashboard configuration/layout as the one I'm talking about - at least not on the prerelease unit GPSCity has.

[NoDirt4Me]

Originally Posted by DRTBYK

After looking over all of GPSCity's videos on the Montana, I see one glaring omission in the Map page Dashboard options. There's no option for the four corner transparent Data Fields like we have on the old chartplotters and now on the zumo 66x units for example.



I can't imagine that this would be much effort though given the significant customization capabilities already available. I'm lobbying for a software update and this thing's not even released yet

Cheers,

That's the exact question I asked GPSCity yesterday - only I should have been more specific.

What data fields are available? Can the data fields be overlayed on the 2-D map page when using the Montana as an automobile navigator?

The answer I received did not make me think they understood my question.

Hello Fred,

On the 2D map you will have all various data options available on the trip computer screen just like the Oregon, GPSmap 60, GPSMap 62S and other Garmin mapping handhelds but on the map screen also.


www.gpscity.com/garmin-montana-600-videos.html?youtube=fg6DBgpdHMQ

What I wanted to know is what data fields are available, and can they be overlayed as transparent data fields into the corners of the map page like I do with my 276C.

[DRTBYK]

There is a very extensive list of data types that can be picked for display - many more than the old chartotters since this device also caters to the fitness and geocaching crowd. If you use the Pause on the video you can see all of them as Jordan scrolls through them - tedious but doable.

[Schannulleke]

Ok, I already decided to buy the Oregon, but now I see the Montana, I think we have a new winner.

Question: what disadvantages or less functionality does the Montana have compared to the Oregon?

Montana vs. Oregon:

+ Screen: bigger, higher resolution, better readability in bright light conditions, screen protector from Garmin
+ Battery: 3x AA instead of 2x AA thus improving autonomy
+ Audio output (not interesting for me)
+ External antenne connector (don't know if interesting for me)

- No Wherigo (not interesting for me)
- No disabling automatic recalculating routes (disabling feature is interesting)
- ...

?

[bigboyxl]

Looks like a good satnav. I'm waiting for somebody's real life review to see how friendly it for motorcycle.

[brfinley]

I have used a number of Garmin GPS receivers over the years, and currently use a Nuvi 3760 in the car and an Oregon 300 on foot and on motorcycles. From what I am reading, I am very excited about the Montana.

For me, the Oregon has a great feature set. It has a large number of flexible displays. It can navigate by routes or tracks. There are only two things I hate: the screen is too dim, and the USB external power connection sucks. The Montana apparently fixes both of those problems (although I haven't seen the screen yet). There is hardwired power to the cable and audio out. You just snap the Montana in with no cables to connect.

With the addition of turn-by-turn route navigation, I probably wouldn't own a Nuvi for the car.

I am hoping that RAM does something like they did with the Nuvi 37xx series cradles. You take the factory power cradle and snap it permanently into the RAM cradle. Then the GPS pops in out of the whole thing. The RAM cradle holds the Nuvi much more securely than the Garmin cradle by itself, which makes it good for motorcycles.

So, I'm just waiting for the price to come down a bit. I think this is the one I've been hoping for.