I just ordered with Amazon and what a pleasant experience. I first tried my luck with one of those other on-line sites that advertises this same product for much cheaper, and come to find out that it was loaded with 2005 maps, so they wanted to "sell" me the updated 2008 maps for and extra $[...]!
Beware of those cheaper products! If the price seems to good to be true, then it probably is!

It is fine for out-of-town, unfamiliar places, especially local restaurants, gas stations, attractions, etc. Be aware that it will not always give the best, fastest or easiest routes, but it will get you to where you are going. The user may still want to consult a map for a broader, over-all sense of location.

I'd considered a GPS many times but was put off by the absurd number of available units and manufacturers. I did not want to have to become an expert on GPS just to make an intelligent purchase. I envisioned getting something where I could just plug in a destination and it would guide me there and back. Pictures? Video? BLUETOOTH? What does any of this have to do with directions and maps? Ultimately I relied on Consumer Reports and went with their recommendation of the Garmin Nuvi 260W as a top pick for features and size. It has all the GPS features including turn by turn vocal instructions in American English and NONE of the junk that adds to cost. After the usual Amazon super-fast order processing, the box arrived. The "W" in 260W is for widescreen and it is. Great graphics, clear and bright screen. The manual was laughably short. At first I was actually annoyed that it ran all of six pages and most of that discussed how you shouldn't soak it in water or throw it against a wall, etc... Turns out, Garmin was showing off. The user interface is so simple and easy to understand that a detailed manual is pointless. I know nothing about GPS units but still had this up and running in seconds. The on-off button is the only button on it. Everything else is touch screen. So how's it do? Brilliantly! I have tried, HARD to mess it up. Blown through turns, gone the wrong way, left it on while the car was parked. None of this phased it in the least. It constantly tracks your position and gives ETA and MPH. If you continue past a turn, it takes about 2 seconds for it to recognize what happened and then the voice tells you "Recalculating". In no more than another two seconds, it has mapped out an alternate route. (The speed of this thing is stunning.) Mind you I'm not talking about it saying "Turn around bone-head, you blew that last turn." It literally maps out the next best way to your destination in a flash. Driving with it is very cool. It tells you to prepare for a turn and then tells you dead on the money to make the turn. By the way, it doesn't say "Turn left in point two miles." it says "In point two miles, turn left on Main Street". Then when you get there it repeats it as "Turn left on Main Street." This means that if there is more than one left turn coming up, you know exactly which one to take. It also monitors the road itself and advises of bends and twists. As an example, I was on a major highway that bent to the left with a single lane exit if you kept straight. As I approached this spot, it told me to keep left! This thing is nailed down. It is dead nuts simple to operate, does what it should in real time and seems to be without vices. Great device.

I spent 3 days pouring over the reviews. I wasn't interested in bluetooth or any other "bells and whistles". I just wanted a good simple navigation system. I started out with the TomTom in mind, but after reading the reviews I purchased the Garmin nuvi 260w. It does everything I need. I especially like the response of the touch screen and being able to switch from the 3d view to the 2d view with just a touch. The trip computer function is great. The maps are adequate and easy to read. The voice is understandable and directions are given early enough for adequate time to lane change, etc. The POI choices have met my needs so far. Satelite acquisition is quick, usualy w/in 30 to 45 seconds, battery life is about 4-5 hours.

I bought this GPS a month ago to replace my stolen Magellan and I couldn't be happier! This new unit has updated 2009 maps and fits in your pocket. I like the wide screen format, light weight, and portability of my Garmin nüvi 260W. This GPS updates quickly and provides very accurate directions and has even taught me some short cuts around town. Thanks Garmin! Amazon had the best price hands down...they even crushed Best Buy's price by $100.