Garmin - Speak Plus with Amazon Alexa and Built-In Dash Camera

Design: The sleek and cylindrical design of the Garmin Speak Plus minimizes windshield space that is taken up, and the display is just large enough to easily see directions that are displayed. With this being a dashcam, GPS and voice assistant all in one, I am impressed by the small size. What I dislike about the design is the power cord. It plugs into the right side of the Garmin Speak and you must route the cord along the edge of your windshield down to wherever your car’s power supply is. I would recommend putting some thought into where you place the Garmin Speak because, unfortunately, the power cord is quite noticeable. I wish the Garmin Speak could be wireless, but I understand that all the active features would quickly deplete a battery. On the other hand, I do like that you do not have to worry about ever charging it, so the power cord is not all that bad. Overall, the Garmin Speak Plus is a well-designed product that is sleek and practical for a windshield but keep in mind that a power cord will need to be routed to it. Alexa Voice Assistant: I quickly realized how beneficial having the Alexa voice assistant in a car could be. Alexa picks up my voice easily and responds quickly. I primarily request directions, additions to my to-do list or shopping list, weather forecasts, and sports scores. Like the in-home version, there is obviously a lot more that Alexa can do. Asking questions and playing games like trivia make extended drives more enjoyable. So far, I have not had any connectivity issues that would inhibit Alexa from responding to my requests. Dashcam: The Garmin Speak Plus has impressive video quality and additional features that set it apart from other dashcams. If your windshield is relatively clean, you can expect video clarity, as well as a wide viewing angle. Video is recorded continuously, so it will not miss anything, and I have found that reviewing the video is quite simple thanks to the date and time labels. Not only do the Alexa voice assistant and GPS features set the Garmin Speak Plus apart from other dashcams, there is also driver alerts that include lane departure warnings, forward collision detection, and “Go” alerts that notify you when stopped cars in front of you start moving again. Thankfully I have not had a collision warning occur yet, so I can only speak to the lane departure warnings and “Go” alerts. I would say that they work most of the time. Unfortunately, these alerts are not perfect, but I would rather have the imperfect features than not have the features at all. Despite its imperfections, I think that the dashcam on the Garmin Speak Plus is one of the best on the market. Garmin GPS: The Garmin GPS navigation is up to date and accurate. Now that I have the Garmin Speak Plus, I prefer getting directions on the Garmin rather than using my phone. The turn-by-turn directions are spoken clearly, and the minimalist display is easy to read. A subtle feature that I like is that the illuminated ring around the Garmin Speak’s display starts to turn greener as you approach an upcoming turn. I have not had any occurrences of inaccurate directions, so the GPS is very effective. Verdict: I am excited about the future of car technology because I have realized the benefits that devices, such as the Garmin Speak Plus can provide. Thanks to the Garmin Peak Plus, I feel less distracted by my phone and can have productive commutes, since I can perform actions with my voice and ask questions that are on my mind. Some of the features have imperfections, but the benefits and enjoyable overall experience far outweigh those minor imperfections.

I'm a huge home automation fan, so when I saw that Garmin was bringing out a GPS with Amazon Alexa built in, I was really excited, and then to have the dash cam in there sealed the deal for me. Upon receiving the Garmin Speak Plus, with Dash Cam and Amazon Alexa, I was surprised to see just how small it is. The round face of it is right at 1.5" in diameter, so when it's on the windshield, it is really unobtrusive, and I love that. I really, really wanted to love all of this product from the first day I saw it. It had everything I wanted in something aftermarket I wanted in my vehicle. Being able to speak to Alexa when a weird question arose or to add things to my Amazon shopping cart on the move, or to control the lights in my house BEFORE I got home, (without using GeoFencing) would be great. Out of the box, you get very little instructions, a nice long power cord with a 12V adapter on the end, the unit and two sticky magnetic mounts. Installation is a breeze. You stick the mount where you want to (I chose the center of my windshield up high, to the left of my rear view mirror). I ran the power cable straight up and into the headliner, all the way along the front of the windshield, down the A pillar and then in behind the rubber of the door seal on my Camaro. You can only see about 3" of cable, all of the rest is hidden. Looks perfect! Download the Garmin Speak App and connect to Bluetooth. Now this is where I have some issues. On day one, I connected and it found my Garmin Speak Plus. Was able to play around with it in the car that evening. I was excited to use the GPS in the morning. Started my drive to work the following day and on my 17 mile commute to work, my iPhone and Garmin Speak Plus disconnected from Bluetooth 8 times. My phone never moved and was only 24" away from the Garmin Speak Plus. This was infuriating. I use Bluetooth all the time in my car, as I walk up to the car, it automatically connects to my Camaro and I've used it like this for almost 8 years now, but in one day with the Garmin Speak Plus, it disconnected over and over and over again. It rendered the product almost useless at all to me, being as I couldn't use the GPS, or use Alexa, and couldn't review any of the dash cam footage that had been recorded. I was incredibly disappointed. This was on Feb 10th. I did some searching and investigation online to find out that Garmin was releasing an update for the Garmin Speak Plus software and also an app update around Feb 12th. Feb 12th came and went, I was still having connectivity issues, but the dash cam was working and actually a lot better than I was expecting. I posted a recording online and my friends were very impressed with the quality of it! So instead of removing the Garmin Speak Plus, I decided to keep it in the car and use it for the dash cam. A couple of days later, while driving home, the Garmin Speak Plus turned itself off and did the software update (mid navigation, which was a tad inconvenient!). And then that evening, the Garmin Speak app updated as well. Since then, the connectivity issues have been fewer, and now my phone and the Garmin Speak Plus reconnect fairly seamlessly, meaning that I can complete a navigation route, however, it does still disconnect about 4 times in a trip. And every time it connects back up, you get the 'welcome sound'. Which you can turn off, but I kind of like having it on so that I know that it has initially connected. Just gets a little annoying by the fourth or fifth time of connecting on the journey. The GPS doesn't appear to be particularly dynamic, unlike Google Maps. There are times that Google Maps has taken me to work 5 different ways on 5 different days, in order to avoid delays, traffic, wrecks etc, whereas the Garmin Speak Plus has taken me the same way to work, every single day. There doesn't appear to be any algorithm to take account of the traffic. I do like that the ring around the Garmin Speak Plus lights up in green at the bottom and builds around the whole ring as you get closer to your desired junction. That is very useful and a nice feature. Something that would be nice to have is to be able to click on the map in the app, and see real time your position on the map, again, as a visual cue, if you have your phone mounted in the car. I've tried tapping on the map in the app to no avail. I do like the forward collision warning, and the lane departure warnings, both the audible and visual cues (ring turn yellow in the direction of the obstacle). The sensitivity can be adjusted and it works very well indeed. My Amazon Alexa account linked quickly and cleanly, and works reall well, when the bluetooth connection is available. I'm able to control my lights, thermostat etc as I am driving, so that my house is how I want it when I get home. I also find myself asking random questions, which passes the time on the commute. The Garmin Speak Plus also lowers the volume of what ever you are listening to when asking questions or receiving information. The dash cam is really, really good. Nice and smooth, nice high definition and a good frame rate. The Garmin VIRB app doesn't seem to work well. I couldn't get it to work as requested in the user guide. Instead, if you click on 'Gallery' in the Garmin Speak app, you are able to connect to the dash cam footage a lot easier. And easier still is to connect your dash cam direct to your PC. You can simply drag and drop your footage that way. It would be nice if the power cord was also a USB cord, so you could just plug it into a USB outlet in the car (most cars have them now a days) and then you could also use it with your PC to download your video footage. The Garmin Speak Plus is a fantastic product with so much potential. It has a nice small footprint, unobtrusive, pleasing to the eye and useful. The caveat is 'when it works'. The bluetooth connectivity issue is so frustrating. I use bluetooth headphones with my phone at work, they never disconnect. I use the bluetooth in my car, and it never disconnects, I use bluetooth to connect to my media center at home, and again it doesn't disconnect, so I don't quite understand why the Garmin Speak Plus continually disconnects from the bluetooth on my phone. I'd happily give this product 5 stars, if there wasn't such a connectivity issue. I can recommend this product as a dash cam, as it does record even when the bluetooth isn't connected. Outside of that, it's a tough sell.

The Garmin Speak Plus with Alexa + dashcam is a good concept, but in all reality, a big miss, in my opinion. PROS: ----- * Camera has decent video during the day. Width of coverage could be a bit better though. I think the width is only 82-degrees. * Compact size with lengthy power cord * Easy setup though it did take a while to confirm the update was in fact updating. * 2-3 apps need to be installed on smartphone for this device to work. * MicroSD card can be popped out of the device with something similar to a small flathead screwdriver... push it in, and it pops out. Easily readable on a PC if you have an microSD card adapter (not provided). Transferring files off the card is quickest using this method. * Easy readable front display for instructions and directions. * After I linked Pandora to the device, it was able to start up Pandora, pause, and start music with no issues CONS: ----- * Camera does not have good video at night. * My biggest complaint is that it ALWAYS has to be connected to your phone's BT connection in order for the ENTIRE unit to work. I found that if not connected, the dashcam does not even function. Perhaps a SW upgrade could make the dashcam work regardless of BT connection - and if you want Alexa's other functions, then have the ability to turn it on. Forget your phone? Unit won't function. * Couldn't cancel directions if I didn't need them anymore. I was at address but still 300' away from where it thought I needed to be... I couldn't get Alexa to stop telling me what to do directionwise. * Unable to call or text with Alexa. Alexa stated that this device is not supported for voice or text functions. * Simple function of "Alexa, start my day" did not work after I had programed it to do so. * The user is unable to select what size video files are stored. Usually the option is up to 3-4 minutes per clip... this device auto-stores the videos in 1-min increments only. * User is able to download videos to smart device but only through crazy wifi connection that can sometimes be a bit aggrivating. * Unit came with an 8GB microSD card. As cheap as these cards are, at least 32GB would have been a better choice. OTHER OBSERVATIONS: ------------------- * The power cord has to be facing up due to forced nature of microUSB power port. I didn't mind as my cord was going to be hidden up top, but some people may want it to go down in some applications. Perhaps a USB-C power connection would be better? * The blue light on the power adapter is very bright and might be a bit distracting at night if the cigarette lighter outlet is in a bad spot in front of you. You can use a small circle of electrical tape to black-out completely OR 1-2 small circles of white cloth tape to dim the light. * The only option to mount to windshield is using the sticky flat area. There is no other way to "mount" the device (no suction cup, no visor connection, no rear-view mirror connector, etc). Suction cups give out after time, so that's fine. CONCLUSION: =========== I honestly don't know why anyone would need to be doing "assistant" type tasks while driving when your focus should be on driving somewhere safely. The turn-by-turn directions by Garmin is great... and the webcam is the best feature; however, having to use and learning HOW to use Alexa is the tedious part of this process. If you're already familiar with Alexa, perhaps this might be the device for you. But seeing how I have other apps for most of the functions that Alexa is used for, I found the assistant feature nearly useless. Also, not being able to text or call someone nearly defeats the purpose of an in-car assistant as that's what people usually do in a car - make phone calls or text people (though texting manually is NEVER a VIABLE option... voicing a text is at least slightly safer). I just don't know many people that need to tell their home devices to do things as they are usually on auto-pilot themselves... or making lists. Product missed the mark, in my opinion, and with device not working unless BT is enabled, that's the biggest miss of all. If I don't bring my phone, then the dashcam doesn't even function. Fix that, and it might earn one more star. For the issues here, I would hope the price of this product is significantly lowered unless fixes are made.

The built in camera is very nice. It produces a clear picture and has a wide enough angle to show the entire road in front of the vehicle. The mount allows easy adjustments to line the camera straight ahead. I used some of the footage for a safety briefing and was able to blow it up with a projector onto an approximately 8’ screen with satisfactory clarity. My only issue with the camera is the mount cannot be moved to another vehicle without losing it’s adhesive. I read a couple reviews from people placing this in the top right corner and having difficulties with driver alerts and cable placement. Mine is placed in the top center just under the mirror. With it’s small size, it doesn’t interfere with visibility and I was able to easily hid the cable down the passenger side trim. The GPS functions exactly as advertised but doesn’t have all the capabilities of a standard Garmin or build-in GPS system. Being such a small device (which I do see as a perk), the display only provides left, right, and straight as well as driver alerts (lane departures and front collision detection). I like to see a layout of the roads in the area I’m driving and trip information. I love the driver alerts. It takes a few initial adjustments to get the lanes “calibrated” but, once set, accurately helps keep you aware of drifts. I installed this in a heavily modified vehicle with a very soft suspension so stopping on a dime is not always a luxury. The front collision indication works far enough ahead that I have plenty of time to stop (even tested last night in the dark). For a regular vehicle, this should give ample time to respond in order to avoid accidents. Though others may not have an issue with it, I do not personally like the apps Garmin Speak and Garmin VIRB. It takes a bit of use to even become familiar with it and then you need to leave power to the Garmin speak to use it. Amazon Alexa integrated into the unit is it’s saving grace for my opinion of this device. The option for hands free control is more flexible than and more accurate than my Garmin GPS system. Since I installed this in an older vehicle, it’s nice to have the hands free calling. Something I miss when not driving my second (newer) vehicle. My last drawback to the Garmin Speak is the volume. After extensive research, I can’t determine how to increase the volume. The included manual only shows installation. With the radio on, I can’t hear any directions. Bottom line, is this is a nice unit for all it comes with but I’ll only be using this for the built-in dash camera and lane departure warnings. I’ll stick with my GPS unit for directions.

When i first heard that Garmin was coming out with Speak Plus I was super excited. As I had always wanted a dash cam, this was the prefect item for me. After giving it some thorough use i have some to the conclusion that the quality of this item really boils down to 2 categories. Functionality and Features. After the super smooth set up i jumped right into the basic 101 of the item. Easy GPS, Easy recordings, Easy Alexa Integration. The App was very intuitive in setting up too. One thing that i noticed, however was that the App was a little lagging on features... but the alexa integration hedged that thought of mine. The app doubled as my in vehicle GPS, but smoother. I was able to "ask Garmin" to direct me to the nearest coffee shop in a breeze. Bottom line, if you are looking for an intuitive device to assist with GPS capabilities, this is a go to. It also is super compact and does not eat up a lot of room on my dash/windshield... and although the OLED display is solid the wires that go from the unit to the power plug in are a bit in the way which which negated the overall score of this review. Functions - One thing that, for me, is a little bit of a learning curve is the "connected" nature of our tech era. I enjoy if, but often times forget of the capabilities. The Alexa integration is a great example... the feature are endless... change my thermostat, can play music, etc etc. Its hard to remember all of the features. But never the less, practice makes perfect. All in all a great slender, device that is bound to change the way we stay connected while on the go!

I’ve always been interested on having a cam like this on my vehicle , so I give it a try to the Garmin speak plus with the built in camera & Alexa. I have a few gadgets that use Alexa so I’m familiar with the voice command, and on this device , Alexa works great !.This Garmin plus was easy to install and set up, but there was a few things I didn’t quite sure liked , for example ,the way you have to install the metal part on your windshield, rather than suction cups that way you can move it to another vehicle if you like, the second down side was the cord it’s a little annoying having that cord on the right side sticking up and you have to put that long cable around your dashboard to hide it, it would’ve been nice to have a wireless-rechargeable device, like regular GPS. I will recommend this Garmin plus for those people that do not have those basic driving alerts like the new vehicles have ( lane departure alerts, stop traffic alerts, etc). There’s two apps that you need to download on your phone to be able to manage videos and pictures from the dash cam, the app need some work since you can’t control to much on it unless you are connected to the Garmin plus via data network. Once in a while the Garmin lost connection because poor data connection, in order to see the videos on the Garmin video app, you will need to be connected to the WiFi . The switching to Alexa app to the Garmin app or to the Garmin video app it’s to much. I rather have a gps from Garmin that include dash cam that you be able to see it on the screen and has voice command on a rechargeable product , I’m sure they have one. Good try with the Garmin speak plus with Alexa, but it really need some more work and updates for the price.

OK - I have several Alexa device in my home, so it's only logical that now I have one for my car! The Garmin Speak Plus does just that - a step up from the original Garmin Speak as this new version adds the Dash Cam, GPS and more from Alexa. First off - the BAD. I wish this had a portal suction cup mount so I can move it from vehicle to vehicle or use in a rental. As of now is has a magnetic base that adheres to the windshield - and you only get one in the package. At a min, they should include 3. Overall - they should make a suction cup mount. Second, the GPS is touch to use when by now we are all used to the built in GPS or cell phone GPS. I'm a huge Waze user on my iphone, and there's no way I'm going to switch so the GPS function in the Garmin Speak just won't be used. What I will use, is the Dash Cam and Alexa. Even from my first trip with it, I can see it is beneficial. The Driver Assist features are pretty cool too for older vehicles that don't have these features built in: Lane Drift Warnings, Forward Collision Warnings and Go Alerts for when you are stuck in traffic jams. The Dash Cam seems to have a limited view angle - so only head-on or far front collisions may be detected. Still - better than having nothing. You have to ask Alexa to save a picture or save mobile video - would be better if that was more straightforward. You can use the Garmin Speak app on your phone as well, but voice commands are infinitely easier. It also auto-detects collisions and will save the footage upon that trigger as well. Mobile footage management isn't the best because it's all done with Garmin's VIRB app, which is stark, to say the least. All that said - I love having Alexa as my driving companion in the car. If you have a older vehicle lacking many of these features - this is a no brainer!

At first I was going to return this. But once you start to figure it out, it gets better. Camera is decent but you start to add in the little features like lane assist and collision warning, it really is good. Add in Alexa and things get better. My wish would be that they would just sell the little window magnet and not have to buy the whole assembly. App is ok, sometimes a bit laggy with viewing the video clips. Overall, I’m happy. Zero issues with overheating.