Garmin nüvi 1690 reviews

The Garmin nüvi 1690 is actually a 4.3-inch GPS with sufficient of extras, including a good edge wireless data radio for nüLink, Garmin's brand new, Google-powered service. nüLink provides real-time traffic, Google Local Search, weather, movies, local events, and many more. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, Garmin's marketing department got the top hand. As you move the nüvi 1690 is a great navigator, it's overpriced at $499.99, doesn't include map updates, only includes a two-year subscription for data services, plus the device displays ads.

Design, UI, and Connected Services
The garmin 1690 measures 3.1 by 4.9 by 0.8 inches (HWD) and weighs 6.2 ounces; that is a comparable as comparable 4.3-inch devices like the higher-resolution Magellan Maestro 4370. The nüvi 1690's front frame is glossy black plastic, although back panel is matte black and rubberized. The top part has a recessed on / off switch, even though the left side incorporates a sd card slot for loading new map data or photos. The mount includes a docking connector and also a port with the power cord, which makes it simple consider the unit out of your car—unlike the Maestro 4370, which requires you manually disconnect the cord through the unit itself everytime.

Some.3-inch touchscreen technology offers 480-by-272-pixel resolution; I wouldn't mind seeing a slightly larger screen on the $500 device. Garmin's excellent UI is within full force while using nüvi 1690. Light up these devices and you will probably experience a typical Garmin entry screen after just a few seconds. Two main icons ask "Where you should?" and invite one to "View Map," while smaller ones at the base right offer volume controls and also a distance to the nüvi 1690's various settings menus. Tap "Where To," and you will probably see icons for going home, getting a new address, or mentioning recent destinations. Entering addresses put in at home because of the nüvi 1690's accurate, on-screen QWERTY keyboard and type-ahead database, which brings up possible answers as soon as you've keyed in enough letters to narrow it into just a couple of choices. There isn't any voice-recognition mode, though.

Tap "Sights" and you could search the unit's robust, integrated POI database, that is powered by NAVTEQ and contains six million entries. But deal . face one of many oddest aspects of it: That database is cordoned faraway from Google Regional online research, which cues with another icon and quickly scans the blogosphere towards Internet to jog separate searches. In truth, there are Google-powered and Garmin-powered services everywhere in the menus, from White Pages lookups to fuel prices, weather, flight statuses, movie times, local events, ATM finders, and more. That's as well as locally-stored databases of cities, intersections, and route creation icons. A lot of it is quite useful, however the connected services feel grafted on; the organization must have combined each reasons for data.

Regardless of the unit's high up-front price, you're not done paying either. Following 1st two years—assuming you do not upgrade to your new unit at that time—nüLink will definitely cost $5 every month. Understanding that fee doesn't include map updates, the silly omission for a supposedly connected device. An independent lifetime subscription for quarterly map updates costs $119, or you will can find them individually. The ads, though, would be the worst; everytime I powered up the garmin 1690 and began an outing, I saw banners for Chili's or Target plastered across the screen. That could not bother you, though the perception of spending $500 the choices have ads flashed at me in a car—however infrequently—raises my blood pressure level. Remember, most of your data nüLink offers can be purchased on today's cellphones and smartphones. Should you be already buying a data plan and among those devices, there's probably you should not pay again here.

For the Road
Despite my misgivings in regards to the connected services, the nüvi 1690 was excellent once I hit the trail. The extender had no trouble with any one of my test routes, and offered accurate directions, robust voice prompts with sufficient of volume, and clear map layouts. Speed limit signs displayed for everyone major highways and most (but not all) secondary roads. In a few spots, the directions didn't make sense, along with the unit often couldn't know if I missed an exit ramp until I used to be well past it. That's more a limitation with the five-year-old SiRFstar III GPS architecture compared to device itself, but it is worth mentioning given the $500 price. About the plus side, the nüvi 1690 also includes EcoRoute, which optimizes trips for little fuel as possible, and tracks driver acceleration and speeds to help reduce fuel the next occasion around.

Traffic reporting was particularly useful; the device displayed the quantity of extra minutes an outing would take resulting from upcoming congestion, and you could cue up a detour for getting around nasty jams. The nüLink traffic reports also have a wider coverage area compared to the NAVTEQ free traffic included with lower-priced Garmin units, like the $220 nüvi 265T. You can save up to 10 routes, and the unit can sort multiple destinations to devise essentially the most efficient route for errands. Other details: The nüvi 1690 carries a "More Data" mode that displays current elevation readings and distance remaining alongside an inferior map view; the maps themselves are also shaded reported by elevation. I learned a lot about my Massachusetts town throughout the review, and why it's colder in spots. (Short answer: they're above.)

The on-board Reality View and Lane Assist features (which Navigon first given market) helped with complex interchanges. Nevertheless the Reality View was inconsistent. Often times I exited a highway—even multistep exits—and didn't see the 3D graphics showing the correct lane. The nüvi 1690 also never displayed Reality View whenever I'd the elevation readings activated. Doesn't necessarily display 3D buildings either. Another quirk: I heard sporadic, low-volume GSM buzz during my car's factory head unit, a side effect of your 2G EDGE data radio. It happens perhaps the stereo is on or off, so there's no escaping it. A rechargeable lithium-ion battery promises up to 4 hours useful, but I barely went to two prior to a unit displayed low-battery warnings.

Additional features and Conclusions
All the common secondary features you'd find over a high-end GPS device may also be here, including Bluetooth for hands-free calls with a cell phone. When followed by my BlackBerry Curve 8330, calls sounded tinny and distorted when cranked up enough to get rid of highway noise—odd, since voice prompts for directions sounded fine. It didn't display my phone's contacts, either. Finally, garmin 1690 includes Ciao, a proprietary, location-based social network service, though early only useful find out other Ciao users.

Overall, Garmin should work toward integrating the connected services more thoroughly, rather than simply sprinkling icons over the UI. Nevertheless, the nüvi 1690's rating mostly reflects my disappointment with the costs. GPS enthuasists while using cash—plus a higher tolerance for ads—will relish the nüvi 1690. In an industry full of low-priced, capable GPS devices, it's hard to recommend the nüvi 1690 in the $269 Garmin 265WT, some.3-inch version from the stellar 3.5-inch nüvi 265T. You'll save $230 up front nonetheless get real-time traffic reports, although you'll lose every one of the Google-powered lookups and additional map info. The $299 Magellan Maestro 4700 is yet another solid option; it possesses a slightly larger, 4.7-inch screen, an AAA guide and tour book, although its voice-recognition system isn't particularly properly designed.

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