Five Ideas on Customizing Your Garmin Nuvi GPS

Being the best-selling and most popular GPS the World has ever seen, it’s surprising that more is not known about how to customize a Garmin Nuvi with additional and extra content designed to enhance or make your car journey fun.

With millions of car trips being routed by a Garmin every day you would think people would try and make more of their device and get a bit more from it – if you didn’t know what was possible then read on for more details with our top five ideas on how to customise a Nuvi.

Download Garmin Map Updates

Probably the most essential upgrade option for a Nuvi GPS is to install new and fresh maps on it.  You should do this at least annually because there are constantly changes being made to the national road network.  In order to get the latest map updates then please visit www.garmin.com – please note that you will need to register the navigation device on the official website in order to check which new maps are available for the region or country that you reside in.

Maps

Add New Garmin Vehicle Icons

It’s also possible to change the standard blue car that appears on your Nuvi GPS display.  If you want to change yours to something totally different then visit the Garmin Garage web pages and download a new vehicle icon for free.  The range includes new cars that look like a Star Wars’ X-Wing or Tie fighter or even the cartoon characters Wallace and Gromit. If those ones don’t appeal then why not upgrade to a speed boat or fast red sports car instead?

Icons

Change the GPS Dashboard Display Theme

This is a new option, and will let you change the GPS display’s theme.  New dashboard themes include a Death Star style or even popular kid’s characters like SpongeBob SquarePants or Dora the Explorer.  Your kids will love the new styles and might keep them entertained on a long car journey – even if for only five minutes!  New dashboard styles are free and can be downloaded from Garmin’s official website using a USB cable and decent Internet connection.

Dashboard

Additional Voice Command Files

Do you ever get annoyed by the Garmin voices telling you to turn right and left?  If that’s the case then why not change them?  Download new voice files including a frightening Yeti, or the even scarier Darth Vader voice.  For sports fans there’s the option of having the Team Garmin Tour de France cycling team telling you where to go in their own inimitable style.

Voices

Update with Your Own Voices

It’s one thing downloading famous voices to your Garmin GPS, but how about adding your own directions to the personal navigation device?  That’s possible if you grab the free Garmin Voice Studio software.  Simply use your PC or Mac and a microphone and record your own directions which can then be exported and added to your Garmin Nuvi.  Your kids will love it, and if giving a GPS as a present to a grandparent you could even add the children’s voices on first as an idea for a gift.

Voice Studio

Inspiration for More GPS Updates
If this little taste of what you can do with your Garmin has given you the appetite for more please visit: www.mygpsmapupdates.com – this website has update ideas and information on all GPS manufacturers including TomTom. Find out more about how to update with new maps for new regions and much more.


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Comments

2 Responses to “Five Ideas on Customizing Your Garmin Nuvi GPS”

  1. Dave on January 10th, 2012 9:17 pm

    People need to take care when buying a GPS unit. There are good ones and bad ones. Be sure to investigate the types before you buy.

  2. Dave on January 16th, 2012 3:15 pm

    I agree with this article. Garmin is one of the trusted brands of GPS information.

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Category: Car GPS Info