Drive, hike, bike or boat. With the rugged, waterproof, multi-mode Garmin nüvi 500, you can do it all. Packed with detailed street and topographic maps, nuvi 500 is ready for adventure both on and off the beaten path. Like the nuvi 550, nuvi 500 switches modes to navigate your active lifestyle and provides spoken turn-by-turn directions to your destination.
Take It Anywhere
nuvi 500 features driving, walking, bicycling and boating modes which customize your nuvi specifically for your method of travel. This portable hybrid combines the advanced navigation features and large, color display found in automotive units with the durability of an outdoor handheld. Sleek and slim, you can slip nuvi 500 into your pocket or backpack. The user-replaceable, rechargeable lithium-ion battery lets nuvi navigate you on roads or off.
Get Turn-by-Turn Directions
nuvi 500's intuitive interface greets you with two simple questions: "Where To?" and "View Maps." Touch the color screen to easily look up addresses and services and get voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions to your destination. It comes preloaded with City Navigator NT map data for the lower 48 states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, and is packed with millions of points of interest (POIs) and features digital elevation maps that show you shaded terrain contours at higher zoom levels. With nuvi 500, you can upload custom points of interest (POIs) and navigate to geo-tagged photos. If you're lost, use the Where Am I? emergency locator to view your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations.
Navigate Off-Road
nuvi 500 also includes preloaded U.S. topographic maps and accepts optional mapping for all of your outdoor adventures (see the "Accessories" tab for compatible maps). Conveniently plug in BlueChart g2 Vision and Inland Lakes Vision marine maps on a microSD card for a great day on the water. The card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you don't have to worry about getting it wet. With its high-sensitivity GPS receiver and HotFix satellite prediction, nuvi 500 locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover, deep canyons and near tall building and trees.
Expand Your GPS
Navigation is just the beginning. nuvi 500 includes many travel tools, including world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. Show off photos of your excursions with nuvi's picture viewer. Even download geocaches and instructions from Geocaching.com straight to your unit. nuvi 500 comes preloaded with a free MAD Maps scenic road trip for Historic Route 66. Get turn-by-turn directions on motorcycle-friendly roads and insider tips for an unforgettable ride across America. It supports optional FM traffic alerts or optional MSN Direct content. The 500 also features Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and is compatible with free Garmin Garage, where you can download custom vehicles that show your location on the map.
Get the newest maps available and navigate with confidence with Garmin's nüMaps Guarantee. Simply register your new Garmin nüvi or zumo at my.garmin.com (click here) within 60 days of first using your device, and if there is a new map version available, you'll be able to download it for free! Or if you prefer, you can have a map DVD mailed to you for $10. With the Garmin nuMaps Guarantee, you'll be up-to-date when you hit the road.
Garmin nuvi 500/550 Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the Garmin nuvi 500 and nuvi 550?
A: The nuvi 500 and nuvi 550 at Tiger GPS represent the ultimate in portable multifunction navigation tools. They are similar in design to a nuvi 200 series models, but with ruggedized cases and screens that make them waterproof and therefore able to handle jobs on the trail or on the water. The interface lets you choose between driving, walking, bicycling and boating modes, so that whatever activity you do, you can take your nuvi with you.
Q: What's the difference between the nuvi 500 and nuvi 550?
A: The difference is in the pre-loaded data. The nuvi 500 contains City Navigator NT for the lower 48 United States, plus Hawaii and Puerto Rico; the nuvi 550 adds City Navigator NT maps for Alaska and Canada as well. City Navigator NT provides detailed road maps and a robust points-of-interest database; it also enables the nuvi 5x0 to give simple voice directions on the road. Though the nuvi 500 doesn't have northern road data, it does have pre-loaded topographical data for the lower 48 United States, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. This data is 1:100,000 scale and equivalent to what one would find on Garmin MapSource Topo 2008. For help comparing the map types, see our Garmin Software Guide (click here).
| Feature |
nuvi 500 |
nuvi 550 |
| Pre-loaded road maps of the lower 48 United States, Hawaii & Puerto Rico |
Yes |
Yes |
| Pre-loaded road maps of Alaska & Canada |
no |
Yes |
| Pre-loaded topographical maps of the lower 48 United States, Hawaii & Puerto Rico |
Yes |
no |
Q: How do the nuvi 500 and nuvi 550 compare to the new Garmin Oregon series?
A: The Garmin Oregon series (click here) are new outdoors GPS receivers with a touch-screen interface. Here's a comparison chart:
| Feature |
nuvi 500/nuvi 550 |
Oregon series |
| Unit Size |
4.21" x 3.35" x .9" |
2.3" x 4.5" x 1.4" |
| Screen Size |
3.5" diag. |
3.0" diag. |
| Touch-screen |
Yes |
Yes |
| Pre-Loaded City Navigator Maps |
Yes |
no |
| 3-D Street Views |
Yes |
no |
| Voice prompts |
Yes |
no |
| Pre-Loaded U.S. Topo Maps |
nuvi 500 only |
Oregon 400t only |
| 3-D Topographical Views |
no |
Oregon 400t only |
| Pre-Loaded U.S. Coastal Charts |
no |
Oregon 400c only |
| Pre-Loaded U.S. Inland Lakes |
no |
Oregon 400i only |
| Barometric Altimeter |
no |
Yes |
| Electronic Compass |
no |
Yes |
| Battery Type |
Rechargeable Li-ion included |
2 AA (not included) or rechargeable (not included) |
| Battery Life |
8 hours |
16 hours |
| Waterproof |
Yes |
Yes |
| High-sensitivity receiver |
Yes |
Yes |
| Expandable memory |
microSD slot |
microSD slot |
| Waypoint storage |
1000 |
1000 |
| Routes |
10 |
50 |
| Tracklog |
no |
10,000 points, 20 saved tracks |
| FM Traffic compatible |
Yes, with GDB 55 |
no |
| Picture viewer |
Yes |
no |
| Geocaching mode |
Yes |
Yes |
| Rubberized seal |
no |
Yes |
| Available at Tiger GPS |
Yes |
Yes |
| Kicks butt |
Yes |
Yes |
| Listings |
nuvi 500/nuvi 550 |
Oregon series |
Q: What maps are available for the nuvi 500 & nuvi 550?
A: All forms of City Navigator NT will work on these nuvis. In addition, there's BlueChart g2 Vision software and Vision Inland Lakes software for use with these units, though you won't be able to view aerial photography and satellite overlay on the nuvi 500/550. Topographical accessory mapping will be available as well - check back here and Tiger GPS will keep you updated when Garmin announces the specifics.
Q: What's the difference between the nuvi 500 and nuvi 5000?
A: The nuvi 5000 is a large-screen automotive navigator designed for truck drivers and other road vehicles with large dashboards. It boasts a huge 5" diagonal screen, but is not equipped to handle outdoors functions like the nuvi 500 and nuvi 550 are.
"Garmin nuvi FAQs" Copyright © 2008 TigerGPS.com, Ltd. All rights reserved.
