Are you planning on some long drives this Christmas?  It’s a typical time of year when millions of car journeys are made as families and friends get together, and many of those journeys are ably assisted by a GPS device, and none are more popular than the Garmin Nuvi range.  If you own a Garmin GPS then make sure you update it with fresh maps before you drive because this will reduce your chances of getting lost and being late.  It’s not just Garmin map updates thta you can download though, there’s loads of other rich content – here’s a quick look at just a few customization options.

Garmin Updates & Fresh Maps

The most important upgrade is Garmin updates of your mapping software.  Maps quickly become out of date on a GPS device but thankfully they are updated four times a year.  So all you have to do is register your Nuvi GPS with Garmin and then you can check the different map update options available to you.  If based in Canada and the United States then the best download will be the City Navigator NT for North America download.  This costs anything between fifty and ninety dollars depending on which flavour you pick – but you will be guaranteed to having the most up to date maps should you decide to purchase.

How About New Vehicle Icons?

It’s not just Garmin map updates available; you can also customize the GPS display screen with a new vehicle icon.  Why not swap out the standard blue car for a fire engine? Perhaps a speed boat, or even a beasty 4×4 monster truck.  It will keep the kids entertained for a couple more minutes at least and could buy you some invaluable quiet time when driving through strange and unfamiliar roads over Christmas.

Get Darth Vader’s Voice on Your GPS

It doesn’t just stop there though – you can also change the voices on the Nuvi GPS.  And your kids will really love this as there are famous cartoon characters available – and even Darth Vader and Yoda from the Star Wars films.  It’s pretty cool having Darth Vader telling you to turn right and turn left.  These Garmin updates are quite cheap and retail under 10 US Dollars and will make your passengers laugh a little bit as you drive to your destination.

Those are just three ways in which you can update your Garmin GPS – there are many more on their official website so make sure you check it out today and make your drive a little bit more interesting.