TomTom GO 930 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've owned Garmin's for more than 5 years and I currently own a NUVI 760. I've heard the great news about the TOMTOM 930 with IQROUTES, lane guidance, and the HOME feature so I decided to buy the 930 so I can give it a spin and compare it to the NUVI 760 with MSN DIRECT.
TOMTOM Pluses:
Arrival time -
The arrival time with IQROUTES are MORE accurate than Garmin's. The NUVI keeps updating the arrival time during the trip. I compared the arrival time from the start and the TOMTOM was more accurate. TOMTOM is constantly collecting the travel times and updating their database. When you sign in to the HOME program the IQroutes from your trips are uploaded to the TOMTOM server.
Routes:
If anyone writes a review about a GPS and states that routes are 100% accurate then they are lieing, I have not found the perfect GPS with perfect routes.
The routes on both the 930 and the NUVI 760 have been identical. With the 930 I see minutes left on the trip, time left, and arrival time. I can even tell the 930 what time I would like to arrive at my destination.I can AVOID any of the roads on my trip. You CANNOT avoid roads on the NUVI 760.
TRAFFIC:
I'm using traffic on the 930 through my ATT Tilt phone and it seems to work and it is accurate. It uses my Tilt to access the traffic on the TOMTOM server through the Internet. If you have cell coverage you should have traffic data.
MSN Traffic on the 760 is not accurate and the avoidance feature does not work that well. The bad thing about the MSN Direct feature is that it does not have good range. I live in Chicago and the service does not work in many of the outlying suburbs.
PLUSES:
Iqroutes are more accurate than the NUVI.
Lane guidance works in my area.
Avoiding roads on your trip.
Being able to correct street names, closed streets, one ways, and many other errors is a big plus.
Traffic works well.
The GPS chip has not lost reception. I've lost the signal numerous times on the NUVI.
More information on the 930 screen than on the 760.
TOMTOM minuses:
The screen is hard to see in sunlight.
The maps are not bad since I loaded the Garmin map look on the 930. I even have the magenta route line on my 930.
The battery does not last more than 1 hour.
The Text to speech does not work all the time. The street names are not pronounced as good as the NUVI.
You don't get the constant reminders that the NUVI 760 provides. Sometimes I don't think that I drive the 930 with my eyes close. With the 760 you can close your eyes and not miss a turn.
I cannot locate an address by ANY city like the NUVI. Sometimes the 930 cannot locate an address if it thinks it's in a different city. You have to input the surrounding city names to get the correct address and route.


Click Here to see more reviews about: TomTom GO 930 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

TomTom's award-winning software means ground-breaking new technology for the ultimate driving experience. Switch on and go right out of the box. Just enter the address on the touchscreen or use voice address entry and start driving anywhere in the US or Canada. TomTom guides you door-to-door with turn-by-turn spoken instructions, including street names. TomTom has the most accurate maps and with TomTom Map Share technology you can instantly modify street names, street direction, and POIs on your own device. New IQ Routes gives you the fastest route every time by using actual average speeds of travel to calculate your trip rather than posted speed limits. Enhanced Positioning Technology gives you uninterrupted navigation even in tunnels or highly built-up areas. And now, Advanced Lane Guidance brings even more clarity to complex multi-lane exits so you can be even more confident on the road. The GO 930 makes driving even safer with handsfree calling. And with the Help Me! menu, there are added safety features so you can easily access local emergency providers. The TomTom GO 930 is the ultimate car navigator.

Get 23% OFF

Click here for more information about TomTom GO 930 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin nüvi 885/885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Excellent features and very good GPS. It gets a satellite lock inside my house!!! The voice recognition is the gem in this thing. It really works and once you start using it, it is very useful and functional. You don't have to push buttons.
Positives: Voice recognitions, lots of POIs, on-line sites like POI-Factory to add custom POIs (easy to do), and a very good set of features. I have tried (it works) but not extensively used the bluetooth hands free and mp3 player yet (8GB microSD card ordered) but I think it will be useful. MSN Direct is the way to go and works very well. I am getting helpful traffic updates in Louisville.
Negatives: I have to say the volume on the unit should be higher. I realize the FM radio option is there, but sometimes you are listening to the radio or a CD and it is hard to hear the Garmin. On a trip do they expect you to only listen to the Garmin? I figure if I use the mp3 option on an FM channel that maybe that is a way around the CD because I assume it will give voice prompts through the music audio (have not tried). Also the few hands-free calls I have taken have given very poor sound on the Garmin speakers making it not useful (maybe a software update? Not sure they are using the A2DP or a good profile.). They must fixe these two issues. They should already have this perfected. One other small potential issue. The band for the voice recognition button barely fits my steering wheel (last notch), on some others that are larger it could be an issue (but I think this may be minor)?
I will post more as I use it. I should give it 4 starts because of the sound issues. I will come back and re-review as I use it. It is worth buying. My brother and siter have Tom-Tom and another Garmin (780) and this is definitely better. The voice command and satellite lock really distinguishes it. When you are driving you don't want to have to reach and push buttons on it. Garmin, please improve the audio ASAP.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nüvi 885/885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition

Get 36% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin nüvi 885/885T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Speech Recognition

Garmin nüvi 765/765T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Garmin with NavTeq maps is the way to go. Nearly perfect routing. Reliable maps. Very solid combination generally. This particular unit is an excellent combination of features and, as a refub, a stunning value.
The features that allow this device to stand out from most other Garmins are these: (1) Instant on and instant navigation when turned back on where it was turned off. (2) Lane assist in major cities in some intersections. (3) Multiple stops (Via Points) from your starting point to your destination (many Garmins don't do this). (4) Lifetime traffic. You have to put up with small, rather inconspicuous ads now and again, but it's really no big deal. (5) There is no antenna to extend. It's built into the base unit. (6) It's really, really sensitive. Really. Sensitive. Works great. (7) There are transparent images of large buildings and structures that aid somewhat in navigation but even more, are entertaining and interesting.
You really can't go wrong.
What does it lack? (1) Most notably, voice recognition. (2) MSN services, but that is scheduled to be shut off for lack of interest anyway.* (3) A way to turn off the navigation to carry it around listening to the MP3 player when you're out of the car. It's constantly finding GPS signals in the grocery store and announcing when it's lost the signal in the store. I certainly don't need that and certainly don't need the battery being drained trying to GPS while I'm in Barnes & Noble. It would be nice to be able to turn the GPS off while using other features, like the MP3 player and Audio Book player. (5) The FM transmitter that assists using the GPS and MP3 player with the car stereo is apparently as strong as the FCC permits, but it's still not strong enough to overcome competing stations in the city. It's just not a good connection. Too much noise. Some FM transmitters do better, and I've actually plugged my Garmin GPS's audio output into Belkin FM transmitters that seem to do a better (but still not great) job. (6) It doesn't have Europe on it. Just all of North America.
These really are niggling complaints. It's a great unit. I'm loving the instant on. didn't realize how much I'd like that until I got it.
[...]
Since I liked the first one so much, I bought two more. One for my wife and one for another vehicle. My views have not changed. This is really, really the right product for me. Highly recommended.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nüvi 765/765T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished)

This is a refurbished GPS. Refurbished generally means that the unit has been returned to the manufacturer, who brings the navigator back to like new conditions. Some GPS may contain cosmetic blemishes.
Garmin continues to build up its nuvi 7xx series portable GPS navigators with its nuvi 765T, which adds a number of handy routing and communication features to an already impressive list of specs, including a 4.3-inch widescreen display, text-to-speech capabilities, media player, and FM transmitter for transmitting audio--including directions and MP3 music and audiobooks--from the device to your car radio.

New to the nuvi 7x5 lineup is Garmin's HotFix satellite prediction (which locates your position quickly and precisely), Lane Assist (which provides lane guidance and junction views when possible), automatic time zone transitioning, and 3D Building views as well as Garmin Connect Photos to help you visually ascertain your position. Additionally, the nuvi 765T includes Bluetooth connectivity to your cell phone and free real-time traffic updates from Navteq (for the life of the device) via the included GTM 20 traffic receiver.

As with all nuvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of an integrated high-sensitivity receiver, a slim, pocket-sized design with a gorgeous display, an easy, intuitive interface, and detailed NAVTEQ maps for North America (United States, Canada and Puerto Rico) with more than 6 million name-searchable points of interest. The Garmin nuvi 7x5 line features three other models--check out their spec highlights at the right and click here to see a quick, simple comparison of features for all Garmin nuvi GPS navigators.

The bright, 4.3-inch touchscreen display gives is anti-glare for ease of viewing during the day and automatically changes its color profile for easy viewing at night or in dim light. It offers 2d or 3D perspective views. The widescreen format gives you 70 percent more actual screen area than a 3.5-inch screen. Primarily this translates into a better view of the area through which you are driving. This is especially useful in showing you what parks, restaurants, ATM, gas stations, etc. are nearby, or in letting you know whether a detour is a good idea. Also, the device itself is larger, meaning controls on the screen are more widely spaced and somewhat easier to push.

The nuvi 765T comes preloaded with highly detailed City Navigator NT road maps from Navteq for the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. This map database features nearly six million points of interest (POIs), including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions. Garmin's interface is a key to their success and one of the things that makes their devices such a pleasure to use. Simple controls and sub-screens make it easy to enter or search for destinations and get data about your trip.

Garmin's patent pending theft prevention system that disables the unit from performing any functions until the user types in a specific 4-digit PIN or takes the unit to a predetermined secure location.

Important Product Information: This device features a "screen lock" feature. This is a standard feature on all nuvi 2x5 and 7x5 Garmin units. If you slide the "Power" key to the right, it will lock the screen and prevent any accidental touches. Once the screen lock feature is engaged, the screen will go black/gray after about 15 seconds to save power on the device. To unlock the screen, just slide the "Power" key to the center position. This feature is really targeted for "Pedestrian" mode so that a user can put the device in his or her pocket/purse and quickly unlock the screen instead of powering on/off continuously. For more information, see page 5 of the product manual.

Lane Guidance With the new Lane Guidance feature built into the nuvi 7x5 series, you'll never question which lane you should be driving in again. It provides you with a view of what lane you should be in for upcoming turns. And with the 3D Lane Assist Junction View, you'll be able to see a photo-realistic screen that shows you both the road detail as well as the signs as you will see them on the road. The signs that aren't needed for navigation are faded compared to the appropriate lane signage.

Integrated Traffic Receiver Steer clear of traffic with an integrated GTM 20 FM traffic receiver designed to receive alerts about traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. No subscriptions or additional hardware needed. Just open the box, turn it on, and get instant access to traffic information--the traffic updates are free for the life of the device.

All you have to do is simply touch the screen to view traffic details and you'll be ready to detour around any problem area. And if you end up missing a turn, or you're forced into a detour that is not relayed through the traffic receiver, the nuvi's sophisticated automatic routing will get you back on track in no time. Watch informational video

In most areas, the traffic broadcasts are continuous--there's no waiting for scheduled traffic news updates or random alerts. Because traffic broadcasts are received via a "silent" FM data channel, you can still listen to music or news programming on your car radio without interference from incoming FM traffic data transmissions.

Hands-Free Calling In more and more places, it is becoming illegal to use cell phones while driving without a hands-free kit. WIth Bluetooth capability, microphone and speaker, you can match your nuvi to any Bluetooth-capable phone to make hands-free mobile phone calls. Simply dial the phone number with the nuvi's touch screen keypad to make a call on a compatible phone. To answer an incoming call, just tap the screen and speak into the built-in microphone. Making and taking calls on the road has never been easier, or safer. In addition, Garmin makes it a breeze to look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or even tap into your cell phone's call history log.

HotFix Satellite Prediciton Garmin's HotFix capability automatically calculates and stores satellite locations, greatly reducing satellite acquisition time so that you can turn the unit on and get going. With HotFix, your nuvi remembers the position of all satellites it is tracking when you turn it off, and calculates their movements in order to predict where they should be the next time you turn it on. HotFix can predict satellite positions for up to 3 days after the device was last turned off.

Multi-Destination Routing This lets you enter several spots into the device (day care - supermarket-cleaners - office - day care, for example) and it will plot the fastest route. And once you've found the best router, the "Route Planning" feature lets you save up to 10 different routes, Garmin touts the feature for providing, "the most efficient route for errands, deliveries and sales calls." The feature also makes this an instant essential accessory for anyone who shops garage sales (you know what we're talking about). A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you've been on the map.

Where Am I? Where's My Car? The nuvi 7x5 series is the first to answer two common questions: "Where am I?" and "Where\'s my car?" At any time, with a single tap of the screen, drivers can display their exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and gas stations. And to help drivers find their car in an unfamiliar spot or vast parking lot, all nuvi 7x5s automatically mark the position in which they were last removed from the mount.

Navigate by Photo with Garmin Connect Photos

Other Features

The 3D Buildings feature is able to reference the buildings displayed on the map as well. Some buildings will be grey images "extruded" from the map, other buildings will be life like representations of the actual property.
With Automatic Time Zone Transition, you'll never have to remember to set the time as you travel. When the unit acquires a position fix, it automatically sets the unit to the correct time zone.
MP3 player compatible with audiobook playback
JPEG picture viewer
FM transmitter plays voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle's stereo system
Compatible with optional content plug-ins available via SD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide, which provide detailed data for attractions and information on nearby merchants offering discounts.
Add custom points of interest (POIs) from third parties such as school zones and safety cameras
Travel tools: World travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more

What's in the Box nuvi 765T preloaded with maps of North America (United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico), vehicle suction cup mount, Vehicle power cable, USB cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual
Notes:

Optional software for language translation, detailed travel guides, and savings programs allow you to customize your nuvi to fit your travel needs
The FM transmitter feature is only available in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
Like most USB mass storage devices, the nuvi is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me.


Which nuvi is Best for You? Note: All nuvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.
Device

Get 38% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin nüvi 765/765T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished)

Garmin nüvi 1690 4.3-Inch Portable Bluetooth Navigator with nüLink Services Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)EDIT - 12/15/09: Upon further use of the unit and it's nuLink traffic feature, I've run into numerous occasions where the traffic data simply wasn't too accurate. There were times that I'd be driving and the 1690 would indicate that I was in yellow level traffic, however, there really wasn't any traffic on the road at the time. There were other instances of where there'd be highway road construction going on with bumper to bumper traffic, but the nuvi didn't acknowlegde any traffic existed. With that said, overall there have been more times than not that the 1690 has nailed the traffic data and has been accurate, but it's been more like a 70-30 ratio which is just ok in my opinion. While I still believe the 1690 has the most accurate traffic compared to other nuvi models (explained in my review), it still leaves alot to be desired at times. I've come to the conclusion that the radio is simply the best source for the most up to the minute traffic info.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I purchase alot of navigation devices, so I was excited about the 1690 as there was much hype with this unit. The nuvi 1690 is Garmin's current top of the line model. It features the new Garmin nuLink service which includes things like traffic, weather, gas prices, movie times, etc. It's really good if you like that kind of stuff. It's basically a much better version of MSN Direct if you've ever used that service.
I have a nuvi 1490t and 765t as well, so I'm going to make comparisons of the units. First thing I must say is that this unit acquires a satelite signal FAST (provided you used the unit within the past couple of days prior). I'm talking less than 10 seconds fast. I remember with my old nuvi 350 I used to have to sit in my car and wait a few minutes for the unit to get a signal, not with this 1690. The same can be said with the 1490t as far as fast satelite acquisition. With the 1690 however, I can actually get a signal inside of my house without standing directly by the window, which is the first device that can do that in my experiences. I would imagine it's good in a city with tall buildings like NYC with this kind of signal strength though I haven't tested there. As far as navigation, it navigates as well as any other Garmin device so no changes there. Directions are very accurate and re-route calculations if you miss a turn are quick. Text-to-speech is excellent as well and is very accurate and clear with pronunciation of street names. Something Garmin has done with the newer software in all of their new units is increased the size of the text in the green bar when you're navigating. This is great because the text in that green bar used to be too small to make out sometimes while you were driving. The size and thickness of the font of the arrival time (which can be changed to another category) and speed indicator (which can't be changed to another category) have also been increased. The speed indicator font now turns red whenever you go above the speed limit. I've noticed that the little speed limit signs are also now on practically all roads and not just highways. They are also pretty accurate and update as soon as I pass the real speed limit sign at times. Another thing to note with the 1690 is you now have an option to change the screen layout. You can have it where the map screen itself is smaller and a list of four categories (three choosable, can't change speed indicator) are to the right of the approximately 3.5" sized map screen (ie. Arrival Time, Direction, Distance to Destination, etc.) You can now also flick your finger on the screen like an iphone to navigate the menus instead of pressing the up/down arrow which is neat. Some have complained about the responsiveness of the keyboard, however, I feel it's the same as all the previous nuvi models I've owned. When I press a key it gets immediately entered though there have been a couple rare times it has taken a second to register. Nothing serious though, it's very useable. Also, the map screen redraw rate during a route is fast, so the car on the screen moves along nice and smooth like both the 765t and 1490t (and unlike the nuvi 350, 660, etc. which hops along instead of glides).
The screen on the 1690 in terms of quality is exactly like the screen on the 765t. This is a bit of a disappointment for me because the screen on the 1490t is far superior to every other nuvi model. The 1490t's screen is of course larger (5" instead of 4.3" like on the 1690). The 1490t's screen is a much better screen because not only are colors more vivid, but viewing angles are MUCH better. I was hoping the 1690 would have the same screen, but in a 4.3" version. Not the case. I uploaded a couple of screen shots of a 1490t and 1690 side-by-side so you can see the comparison in screen size.
The speaker in the 1690 is the same as the one in the 1490t which is a big plus because that speaker is LOUD. The 1690 and 1490t models have better speakers than any other previous nuvi model. If you have the volume turned up to 100% it's actually TOO loud. Highway driving with windows down would be the only probable scenario for 100%. You can hear some static however during turn by turn instructions with it turned up to the max 100%, but not a deal breaker and the voice can still be understood. So much credit to Garmin for including a loud speaker.
The nuLink services are good if you're into that kind of stuff. Traffic is one of the big features included. Garmin includes a 2-year subscription to the service which is $5 a month thereafter I believe. Now WHY they still have the little popup ads present like in all their other "free lifetime traffic" models I have no idea. These ads for varoius companies that pay Garmin will pop up on your screen from time to time, like if your vehicle is stopped at a traffic light or you're searching for a POI (they won't actually pop up if your vehicle is moving on an active route, only when stopped). Problem is there's really no way to permanently get rid of the ads (which annoy me greatly, but some others don't seem to have an issue with them). Weather is nice as you can view the forecast in your current location or another location you can manually choose. The White Pages feature is great as well as you can look up a person by first and last name and drive directly to their address on file. It uses the data connection of the unit to get the info, so it'll be up to date since it's accessing the Internet. Google Local Search is an excellent nuLink feature. It basically makes your POI database 10 times larger and always up to date since it accesses the Internet for it's data. It's separate from the internal POI database, so you would have to choose one or the other to search for a POI. It would've been nice if both POI searches were integrated, but I can understand why they aren't. The Google Local Search relies on an Internet connection being present whereas the internal POI database is already stored into the unit's memory. You would constantly have duplicates of the same POI if they were integrated since they may be named slightly different since they come from completely different sources. The Gas Prices search is good as well as you can search whatever area you're in for the lowest gas prices. In my experiences it's been very accurate (gets the data from customers' credit card receipts) and will show you under the price it displays the last time it was updated... ie. Today, Yesterday, 3 Days ago, etc. It usually says Today or Yesterday the times I've used it.
Traffic on this unit is GREAT. I say great because all the other units with free traffic are horrible because they're constantly feeding inaccurate traffic data to the unit via the integrated FM receiver. With the 1690 it uses at&t's data network for nuLink, so traffic data is MUCH more accurate and can be delivered to the unit much faster making it more up to the minute. I did a real-time side by side comparison of the 1690's traffic data and the 1490t's free traffic. Think they'd be identical because they both use Navteq traffic? Think again. I searched for all traffic incidents nearby my current location. I'm not exhaggerating when I say the 1690 brought up double the amount of incidents that the 1490t brought up. Just to test it out I drove to the closest traffic incident nearby and sure enough it was there. The 1490t didn't even acknowledge it existed. Also, there were times where they'd both have the same traffic incident, but different data (ie. 3 min delay as opposed to 10 min delay). I drove to a common incident as well to see which one was more accurate. Again, the 1690 was more accurate. I assume it's because the 1490t still had older data that hadn't yet been updated. That gives you an idea of how much better traffic on the 1690 is compared to all other Garmin models. AT&T's EDGE data network seems to be everywhere as well, so chances are if your at&t cell phone has reception, so will the internal receiver of the 1690. I have MSN Direct on my 765t which I believe works good... when it wants to work. Problem is... it never works. It takes forever to download data and reception is horrible in alot of places with MSN Direct. Not at all the case with the 1690 and at&t's network. In addition to having great coverage, it downloads data fast which is great. Once the device is powered on (and has cellular network reception), you'll have all the updated traffic info in no more than a few minutes. I really like the whole "connected" idea when it comes to traffic.
The border around the unit is about the same width as the 1490t, despite being a smaller unit. It's also thicker than the 1490t. I suppose that's because they had to fit the cellular radio module with sim card inside the unit. The black border is a piano black finish and...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nüvi 1690 4.3-Inch Portable Bluetooth Navigator with nüLink Services

Get real-time content on the go with nuvi 1690. From fuel prices to Google™ Local Search, you'll be the first to know with Garmin nuLink!™ services¹. The 1690 also includes preloaded maps, Lane Assist with junction view, hands-free calling and ecoRoute™ — making it one smart navigator. Travel Like a Local with Garmin nuLink! Services With Garmin nuLink! services, you receive accurate real-time information delivered wirelessly to your nuvi 1690. In the U.S., each nuvi 1690 comes with a free 2-year nuLink! subscription. After the 2-year period ends, subscriptions cost $60 a year — that's only $5 a month! With nuLink! services, you'll get Google™ Local Search to find local POIs and traffic services that deliver alerts for delays and road construction then automatically guide you around them in the shortest time. Need fuel? Find up-to-date fuel prices near your location for regular, mid-grade, premium or diesel. Other convenient services included in the subscription: Ciao!™ friend finder, weather, movie times, local events, Send to GPS, flight status, currency converter, White Pages and myGarmin™. Know the Lane Before It\'s Too Late No more guessing which lane you need to be in to make an upcoming turn. Lane Assist with junction view guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. It realistically displays road signs and junctions on your route along with arrows that indicate the proper lane for navigation. Lane Assist with junction view is available in select metropolitan cities. Get Turn-by-turn Directionsnuvi 1690's intuitive interface greets you with 2 simple options: "Where To?" and "View Map." Touch the color screen to easily look up addresses and services and get voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination. It comes preloaded with detailed City Navigator® NT street maps, nearly 6 million POIs, 2-D or 3-D maps and speed limits for most major roads in the U.S. and Europe. Its digital elevation maps show you shaded contours at higher zoom levels, giving you a big picture of the surrounding terrain. And with HotFix® satellite prediction, nuvi calculates your position faster to get you there quicker. Make Hands-free Calls For hands-free calling, nuvi 1690 integrates Bluetooth® wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker. Just pair it with your compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free through the 1690 while staying focused on the road. Simply dial numbers with nuvi's touchscreen keypad to make a call. To answer calls, just tap the screen and speak. Enjoy convenient 1-touch dialing for contacts and POIs. Select Fuel-efficient Routes nuvi 1690 saves you gas and money with ecoRoute — a green feature that calculates the most fuel-efficient route, tracks fuel usage and more. With ecoRoute, you have a "less fuel" option as a routing preference. When selected, nuvi will determine if a more fuel efficient route exists based upon road speed data and vehicle acceleration data for a given route. Route Planning nuvi 1690 includes advanced navigation features to take the worry out of traveling. With route planning you can save 10 routes, specify via points and preview simulated turns on the 1690's wide screen. In addition, nuvi 1690 automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands, deliveries or sales calls. It also displays speed limits for highways and Interstates. A trip log provides an electronic breadcrumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you've been on the map.See More With nuvi 1690's widescreen display, you'll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3" (10.92 cm) display is easy to read from any direction.
Go Beyond NavigationNavigation is just the beginning. "Where Am I?" emergency locator finds the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, nearest address and intersections. nuvi 1690 helps you remember where you parked by automatically marking your position when you remove it from your car. It also includes travel tools, such as JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter and calculator. Photo navigation lets you download pictures from Garmin Connect™ Photos. The 1690 features Garmin Lock™, an anti-theft feature, and is compatible with Garmin Garage™ where you can download free vehicles and voices. Enhance your travel experience with optional plug-in microSD™ cards. What's in the Boxnuvi 1690, Free 2-year data subscription to Garmin nuLink!™ services in the U.S., Preloaded City Navigator® NT North America (U.S. and Canada), Vehicle suction cup mount, Vehicle power cable, USB cable, and Quick start manual Compare all Garmin nuvisClick the button below to compare by series, user type, and features.

Visit Garmin.com at https://www8.garmin.com/support/download.jsp to get the latest firmware updates for your nuvi to keep it current and performing at its best. ¹Two-year data subscription to nuLink! services included with purchase of nuvi 1690 while offer lasts. nuLink! services only available in select coverage areas. See the nuLink! coverage map for coverage details. nuLink! Traffic services are available in select areas. See the nuLink! traffic coverage map for included areas. What's in the Box nuvi 1490T, Preloaded City Navigator NT for North America, Lifetime traffic, FM traffic receiver with vehicle power cable, Vehicle suction cup mount, USB cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual

Get 58% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin nüvi 1690 4.3-Inch Portable Bluetooth Navigator with nüLink Services

Garmin nüvi 765/765T 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This Nuvi does several things very well, and I've yet to discover any serious shortcomings. My thoughts:
Navigation: Excellent, as is typical with Garmin units. On a couple of occasions the voice (right now I'm using Australian Karen) told me my destination was on the wrong side of the street.
Map: The map is clear, the refresh rate is fast, and all of the right information is provided on-screen, including details for upcoming turns and junctions, speed limit, and traffic alerts. It's annoying that I can't choose to switch the display of my current speed to some other piece of info. I already have a speedometer. The 3D buildings feature seems pretty gimmicky, and is implemented sporadically, even in downtown Boston. When there is coverage, most buildings are monochromatic blocks, and not the photo-realistic buildings seen in screenshots.
Lane Assist: This feature has been spot-on so far. It's nice driving in a new area and not getting flustered about being in the wrong lane. I have yet to see the full-screen 3D Lane Assist Junction View shown in the many 765t screenshots -- however, I've done very little highway driving, and I believe this screen requires that the user press the top-left (upcoming turn icon).
>>>>>UPDATE: After some highway driving, it turns out that the full-screen 3D Lane Assist Junction View shows up automatically before potentially tricky highway junctions. Very nice.
Traffic: As far as I know, I have not been re-routed because of traffic. However, it's very easy to bring up a list of major roads and their current traffic conditions, and to avoid them at will. The pop-up advertising associated with the "free" traffic is pretty subtle, and never distracting.
Bluetooth: I'm impressed with this feature so far. It mated with my phone (old Motorola RAZR V3) easily, importing all of my contacts in the process. The ability to instantly dial any point of interest (e.g., to check on store hours) is brilliant. The volume from the speaker is reasonably loud. I also tried sending the audio to my car stereo using an audio cable, and the output seemed a bit low (I had to turn my car stereo way up). I have not yet tried sending the audio to my car stereo using the FM transmitter. I called my voicemail, and the built-in microphone picks up my voice reasonably well with the engine running. I'm not sure how well it would work with highway speeds. I'm told that the cheap Garmin microphone (which plugs into the cradle, not the unit) improves voice quality.
>>>>>UPDATE: This is true -- the microphone is an improvement, though it adds yet another long cord to your long cord collection. Also, I've tried the FM transmitter. It works, albeit with a certain amount of static. I imagine this feature would intolerable if you are driving a long way.
Other features: I haven't used the SD card slot for anything. I haven't tried the photo viewer or the mp3 player, and I probably won't.
Build Quality: Seems solid. The unit has a certain heft to it, and it's covered in a soft, rubbery coating. I've also dropped it already (because I'm an idiot) -- still working beautifully.
Suggested improvements: Garmin doesn't make it easy to look up the actual coordinates (latitude and longitude) for favorites or points of interest. This information should be available at the press of a button.
Needless to say, I'm pleased with my purchase. The 756t is not cheap right now, and if you can live without the new features, you might be better off with an older unit. That said, if you're looking for a gps device with all of the latest features and compatibility, this seems to be a solid pick.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nüvi 765/765T 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic

Take the right way on the highway with nuvi 765T, featuring lane assist. This feature guides you to the proper lane for navigation. The 765T adds hands-free calling to the nuvi 755T. Like the rest of the nuvi 705-series, this advanced navigator comes with premium features including 3-D building view, photo navigation, faster screen redraws, route planning, emergency and car locators and much more.
View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color.

Get 61% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin nüvi 765/765T 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic

Garmin nüvi 255W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I actually could not decide between the Garmin Nuvi 255w or the 750 model, so I decided to buy them both for comparison. I mounted them both to my car windshield and gave them various addresses to find together. I found that both models took the same routes and announced upcoming turns and street names at practically the same time. One thing I noticed about the 255w was that it was updating my position on the road more often, I'd say about 3 times as often as the 750. This made for smoother graphics on the 255w of the vehicle moving along displayed roads, where the 750's display was more of a "jerky" movement. I also found that the display on the 255w was a bit brighter, clearer, and more vivid than on the 750 in both daylight and at night. Another feature I like on the 255w is the graphic turn indicator in the upper left corner, which the 750 lacks. This is a small arrow which shows upcoming turns and the distance to that turn. It also show things like a fork in the road, (ie: a Y intersection), and which fork you will be taking. The 750 just displays text on the top line for upcoming turns without the arrow. It's just a little extra feature on the 255w which I happened to really like. The 255 also automatically adjusts the font size of displayed text so that even lengthy text will fit.
Another feature on the 255w is a display of the posted speed limit on the road which you are currently on right above your current displayed speed. I found myself not even looking at my car speedometer as I could easily see my current speed and the speed limit of my route at a glance. The 750 doesn't have this feature. I also like how they moved the zoom in (+) and zoom out (-) buttons on the 255w to the same side of the screen which makes it a bit easier. On the 750 the zoom buttons are on opposite sides of the screen.
Now there are some features on the 750 that the 255w does not have. The 750 can broadcast it's sound over your FM radio with the supplied cigarette lighter cable, and it has a headphone jack, which I found to be nice features. The 750 also has an MP3 player and an Audio-book player, which the 255w does not. Another really nice feature of the 750 is the car locater. This is a great feature if you are parking in a really big lot, such as at an amusement park or a fair. The 750 marks your location when you remove it from the car, then you take it with you and it remembers where you parked and takes you right back to your car. The 255w doesn't have the car locater.
I also thought the the voice prompts of the 750 where more pleasant sounding than the 255w's. The 750 sounds more like a real female voice, where the 255w sounds more robotic.
Another thing to consider was that I paid $50 less for the 750 and it came with the FM transmitter cable and a USB cord to connect it to your computer for updates and downloads.
My final decision was to keep the 255w and return the 750 because I really liked the graphic turn indicator and the posted speed limit and current speed indicators. I didn't find a need for the 750's MP3 player and Audio book player, but that is up to personal preference. Since the USB cable was not included with the 255w, I purchased it on this site for $10. I also intend to purchase the MSN direct cable when it is available in August 2008.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nüvi 255W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

Go wide and get peace of mind with nuvi 255W. This affordable, widescreen navigator leads the way with voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions that speak street names and optional MSN Direct® services to get you there on time and keep you informed. It's packed with millions of destinations and maps for North America or Europe. Like the rest of the sleek nuvi 2x5-series, this portable navigator is priced right and ultra-easy to use. See More With nuvi 255W's widescreen display, you'll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3" (10.9 cm) display is easy to read, from any direction.
With the nuvi 255W's widescreen display, you'll alwasys get the big picture

Get 52% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin nüvi 255W 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

Garmin nüvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this item after much comparison with the others available. This item was refurbished by Garmin, but still had a 1 year factory warranty, so why pay full retail? I just found this same GPS at a local major retail store for $449.99, so my $243 purchase price was a bargain, especially with free shipping!Garmin nuvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished)
Features - I wanted multi-point mapping abilities & ability upload routes from my PC, cause I volunteer for the MS150 and Tour de Cure bicycle events that have multiple break points (rest stops) and a route that zig-zags all over creation.
Features - I liked the idea of a larger screen (5 inch), the lifetime traffic service, the built in bluetooth speakerphone, and Garmin's reputation.
Map Upgrades - I found that I could buy a lifetime subscription to map updates for a little over $100, using the 10% discount code Garmin gave me for registering my unit with them. (Note: register with Garmin first, then buy the map upgrade from their site, save 10%.)
Other Items Bought - I also bought the Garmin friction dash mount to use instead of the (included) suction cup window mount.Garmin Portable Friction Mount [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]
Who Needs the Stinking Manuals - Being a guy, I didn't bother with reading any manuals until much later. Got it straight out of the box, turned it on and used it for a trip right then and there, comparing it side by side with my old GPS. I plugged in a destination about 160+ miles away involving interstate highways in Texas, plus some side roads, multiple towns, etc. I went straight from the PO Box, to the carwash before leaving town and hitting the highway north to Ft. Hood from San Antonio, TX.
The Garmin 1490T got me there faster (than the way my old GPS tried to route me) by about 20 minutes, cause it took me down a state highway with 60-70mph speeds, instead of sticking only to US highways.
Audio Directions - Audio quality quite nice in my opinion. Computer female voice, default 80% volume setting, easy to hear over road noise even in a rainstorm while driving.
Bluetooth Speaker Phone- I figured out how to connect my cell phone to the Garmin 1490T fairly easy, with pin code 1234. I've been making and sending calls thru it, mostly as a speaker phone, but found that the 1490T actually pulled down my phone directory and I could dial from there instead. But it didn't get 100% of the directory. For some reason, it didn't get all 500 phone #'s, like it skipped my wife's cell number. (not good). Audio has been reported as good from the callers on the other end, saying some road noise detected, one saying I sounded like I was on a speaker phone, but quite legible even while highways noise was in background. Don't try using the speaker phone while driving in a rainstorm, too much background road noise from the rain hitting the windshield, etc.
Traffic Alerts - I wasn't sure how that worked, but trusted it would, since San Antonio, TX, (where I live) was on the list of covered cities. But as I drove north on IH-35 toward Austin, TX, all of a sudden a voice came out of nowhere saying "Severe Traffic Congestion Ahead, Recalculating Route". This was about 35 miles before the congestion! It took me up into the congested area, then routed me around the majority of it. Wish I had trusted it earlier and I would have popped over to the nearby tollroad miles earlier instead. To me it was magic, I'm not sure how this works (FM transmitter / received built into power cord) in terms of where they get their live traffic info from, but it worked.
Lane Changing Alerts - The visual guide to changing lanes was more of a "hey, there are two right turn lanes ahead, left two lanes go straight", etc. Audio was very accurate in saying "stay left for exit to..." or "stay right to exit then turn left/right, etc." Very timely alerts and I never missed a turn while using it on this trip.
Screen Display - Easy to read! It alerts me to local speed limits when driving on highways, was only off by 5mph one short stretch of Texas Hwy 195 (speed was actually 60 instead of 65). Noticed some glare when the sun hit the screen from behind or from the side, will apply anti-glare screen like I used on my digital camera to see if that helps in future.
Cons: When text messaging received, it says "unknown caller" and stays on the screen, despite touching "ignore" or "answer". Have noticed a few times that pop-up screen (while using bluetooth function) is annoying only because it didn't go away right away, but the GPS kept giving me audio directions even though I couldn't see the map. I'm going to keep playing with that "issue" and contact Garmin tech support about it if I can't resolve it myself.
Recommendation - Yes, I strongly recommend this model to anyone wanting a easy to read, easy to use, accurate GPS for their vehicle. Supposedly it has pedestrian direction functions built in, with additional maps available for purchase (really cheap per metro area), but I will only be using it in my mini-van.
Thank you Amazon for another amazing deal!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nüvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished)

This is a refurbished GPS. Refurbished generally means that the unit has been returned to the manufacturer, who brings the navigator back to like new conditions. Some GPS may contain cosmetic blemishes.

The large screen nuvi 1490T offers multiple-point routing and lane assist with junction view to help you manage busy highway interchanges. It also has subscription-free traffic alerts for most cities, hands-free calling, pedestrian navigation options and ecoRoute.


See Even More It's easy to see where you're going on nuvi 1490T's 5-inch touchscreen display. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. With its large screen, you'll always get the big picture.

Navigate City Transit With its enhanced pedestrian navigation capabilities, nuvi 1490T is the perfect travel companion for getting around town. Download optional cityXplorer content to help you navigate city public transit. Know where to walk, where to catch the bus, subway, tram or other transportation and how long it will take to get there. cityXplorer maps are available for select cities throughout North America and Europe. And with prices as low as $9.99, you'll have money left over to spend in the big city.

Take It With You Twenty-five percent slimmer than other nuvis, you can take the ultra-thin 1490T anywhere. It easily fits in your pocket or purse, and its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot.

Know the Lane Before It's Too Late No more guessing which lane you need to be in to make an upcoming turn. Lane assist with junction view guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. It realistically displays road signs and junctions on your route along with arrows that indicate the proper lane for navigation.

Plan Ahead nuvi 1490T includes advanced navigation features to take the worry out of traveling. With route planning you can save 10 routes, specify via points and preview simulated turns on the 1490T's large screen. In addition, nuvi 1490T automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands, deliveries or sales calls. A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you've been on the map.

Get Turn-by-Turn Directions nuvi 1490T's intuitive interface greets you with two simple questions: "Where To?" and "View Map." Touch the color screen to easily look up addresses and services and get voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination. It comes preloaded with detailed City Navigator NT street maps, nearly 6 million points of interest (POIs), 2-D or 3-D maps and the speed limit for most major roads. Its digital elevation maps show you shaded contours at higher zoom levels, giving you a big picture of the surrounding terrain. With the 1490T's enhanced user interface, you can slide your finger to conveniently scroll between screens. You can also upload custom points of interest (POIs). And with HotFix satellite prediction, nuvi calculates your position faster to get you there quicker.

Make Hands-free Calls For hands-free calling, nuvi 1490T integrates Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker. Just pair it with your compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free through the 1490T while staying focused on the road. Simply dial numbers with nuvi's touchscreen keypad to make a call. To answer calls, just tap the screen and speak into its built-in microphone. Enjoy convenient one-touch dialing for contacts and points of interest.

Receive Free Traffic Alerts Steer clear of traffic with nuvi 1490T's integrated FM traffic receiver and free lifetime* traffic updates. Receive alerts about traffic delays and road construction that lie ahead on your route. Next, simply touch nuvi's screen to view traffic details or detour around the problem area. Watch informational video

Lifetime traffic extends for the useful life of your Garmin traffic receiver (as long as you own a compatible Garmin GPS) or as long as Garmin receives traffic data from its traffic supplier, whichever is shorter.

Go Beyond Navigation Navigation is just the beginning. nuvi 1490T saves you gas and money with ecoRoute--a green feature that calculates the most fuel-efficient route, tracks fuel usage and more. The 1490T includes many travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. With photo navigation, you can download pictures from Garmin Connect Photos and navigate to them. It's also compatible with MSN Direct (receiver purchase and subscription required). With its "Where Am I?" emergency locator, you always know your location. Simply tap the screen to get your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations. The 1490T features Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and is compatible with our free Garmin Garage where you can download custom voices and vehicles. Enhance your travel experience with optional plug-in microSD cards.

What's in the Box nuvi 1490T, preloaded City Navigator NT for North America, lifetime traffic, FM traffic receiver with vehicle power cable, vehicle suction cup mount, USB cable, dashboard disc, and quick start manual



Which nuvi is Best for You? Note: All nuvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.
Device

Get 61% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin nüvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished)

Garmin nüvi 265W/265WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Spent a weekend reviewing various GPS devices to replace my less than 1 year old Mio C320 (avoid these like the plague) that had its battery die about 4 months after purchase. Went back and forth along the entire line of Garmin devices, and finally settled on this one for the blue tooth and traffic, neither of which I'll probably hardly ever use, but nice to have when I want them.
I was disappointed with the map, the "new" 2009 one, because I have some streets in my neighborhood that have been around for over four years and they're not to be found on this unit. Even the piece of junk cheap Mio had these streets.
But that's about the only downside there is to it, the only reason I haven't given it 5 stars.
Having been used to the MIO, and the horrible refresh rate, it is a pleasant change to see smooth scrolling as my vehicle moves. The ability to change the car icon is nice, especially with the plethora of icons available on the garmin website.
Accuracy is very good as well, and even in turns the unit isn't so laggy that it becomes annoying. And also unlike what I was used to with the MIO, when I come to a stop at the intersection, the map doesn't start rotating randomly on me.
Speaker is about as I expected, won't hear much over a loud stereo but crank it up enough you can at least hear it if you keep the music down a bit.
The option to easily download voices is also appreciated.
It did well with my testing of going point to point, following the instructions, and for the most part you're given the instructions in plenty of time. only once or twice did it not tell me "turn right on such and such" until I was about 20 feet from the street, but that was when I was coming up on stop signs and had slowed down, so it may be compensating for the speed factor.
Recalculation notice is a bit annoying, my MIO would say it once, sometimes this says it three times before it starts to display the alternate route.
Still has about 900MB free on the internal memory for additional voices, icons, maps, and such, and with the SD slot there's plenty of room to grow.
I have a Verizon XV6900 phone with Windows Mobile 6.1, and while the bluetooth paired well and it can see the phone status, battery power, signal, even dialed and missed call lists, it never does get the phonebook. it gets a random entry and that's it - so whenever I turn it on, I have just one user to select from, and it's different each time. Still haven't tracked that one down yet. But every other bluetooth option worked just fine.
I'm not a fan of the very thick double power cable for it though, and it would be doubly annoying (no pun intended) if I were mounting this somewhere higher up on the window to have that double cable dangling down.
I can see how the ads would get annoying sometimes (the free traffic is because it is advertising driven) but you don't get them at all if you turn off the traffic feature, and since most of my driving isn't around times that traffic is a concern, i can just leave it for when I really have a use for it.
Good response to finger input, and while the unit is overall much better quality than the MIO, I really do miss the MIO's ability to have an info pane down the last third of the screen and the map on the first two thirds of it when desired. But there's some of that info available in the data bubbles on the bottom and top so I'll survive.
Overall happy with the unit, it works well and was worth the cost.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nüvi 265W/265WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic

Get 49% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin nüvi 265W/265WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic

Garmin nüvi 1390/1390T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic & Lifetime Map Updates Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is my second GPS from Garmin. Both have been for automobile use. The first was a Garmin StreetPilot 2610, which I have had for about 8 years. While not completely dead yet, after roasting under 8 summer suns and freezing through 8 cold winters, it has finally started to present intermittent screen display problems. Not wanting to get caught without a working GPS, I purchased this unit. I originally was leaning toward the 1350T, but opted for the 1390T instead because the price included 4 map upgrades per year for the life of the unit, and since I tend to really get my money's worth of use from these things, the price difference for me was a great deal over spending money for each upgrade separately.
I've had the 1390T Nuvi for a little over a month now. In that time, most of my traveling about has been in my local area, with only a couple of trips out of the area. During the time I have had the 1390T, I have identified several positive and negative observations about it. These are presented in no particular order of importance.
Positive Comments:
1. After initial acquisition, satellite reacquisition is very, very fast.
2. The intersection view showing the highway signs and the proper lanes to be in is very useful when traveling on highways you are not familiar with. Just be aware that you won't see this screen unless the highway has multiple lanes that fork in different directions. This view is not displayed for standard cloverleaf exists.
3. Screen resolution on the Nuvi is great. It is bright, clean, crisp, and easily viewed in full daylight. Button functions, for the most part, are obvious and operate smoothly. Audio quality is excellent with good volume control.
4. The map can be displayed as a standard 2-D map or as a 3-D map, and you can switch between them at will. Which you use as your primary map display will depend on your preferences after experimenting with each.
5. I like the fact that the USB connector port is on the back of the unit, rather than on the mount.
While the general functioning of the Nuvi appears to be excellent, I do have a few
Negative Comments:
1. When indoors and plugged into a wall outlet with no satellite reception, the 1390T will not allow me access to its functions EVEN when the correct password is entered.
2. Documentation for my toaster oven is better than that which is available for the Nuvi. To put it plainly, the Nuvi documentation, which has to be downloaded separately from Garmin's web site, is almost worthless. I somehow made a change to the display that wasn't in the owner's manual and could not reverse that accidental change without doing a system restore to factory settings. That really pissed me off.
3. When I touch the top of the screen to display the intersection where I am to turn, the display only remains visible for between 3 and 4 seconds. That is not enough time to really be certain you have seen what you wanted to see. It should be displayed automatically when I approach the intersection and should remain visible until I press a return button of some kind, or until after I have executed the turn or the cloverleaf exit.
4. No map scale is displayed continuously. Some times it is displayed, and sometimes it isn't displayed, and when it is displayed, the font size is too small to be of much use. Since I often refer to the map scale, I would like to see it continuously displayed in a font size to make it easily recognizable.
5. When following a route, the 3-D map has a habit of zooming in on every intersection I travel through, even though no turn is indicated. I find this annoying. If I want to zoom in on those areas, I would prefer to do it manually.
6. When I go off route, this unit will recompute a new route. But - if I have moved to a road that is not on the current map, the unit will simply tell me to return to the marked route. It gives no indication of where that marked route might be or what direction I should drive in to get back to it. That's not so bad in an area I know something about, or if I am not too far off the route, but outside of my area and way off route, it could be a bit problem.
I have not tried to use the geocaching capability of this unit, so I can't comment on the internal compass or on the accuracy of the altimeter. Neither have I tried to use the bluetooth capability. I would also be remiss if I did not point out that the unit I have shut itself off once while it was calculating a new route and would not restart for 30 minutes. It may have been caused my the fact that the software was interrupted by sunrise initiated screen display change just as the computation was being initiated. The only way I could get the unit back up was to hold down the power button for about 15-20 seconds before releasing it, a solution that I could not find in the owner's manual, but it seemed to me that there had to be a reboot capability. The unit also refused on one occassion to display the roads on the map until I did a reboot. That really sucks.
While the 1390T is more attractive than my StreetPilot 2610, I think the 2610 was more stable and had functions that behaved a little bit better than the corresponding functions in this new 1390T. I like the Nuvi 1390T, but for all the reasons stated here, I can only give this unit a 3-star rating.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nüvi 1390/1390T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic & Lifetime Map Updates

The Garmin 1390T bundle includes lifetime map updates and features a widescreen, ultra-slim design (approximately 25% thinner than previous models), enhanced user interface, ecoRoute, public transit mode, and text-to-speech on all models. The nuvi 1300 series are the first nuvi devices to offer pedestrian navigation capability enabled through optional CityXplorer maps, which are available for select tourist destinations in North America and Europe and can easily be downloaded directly to the nuvi. The nuvi's enhanced user interface features improved graphics and a new slide control for menu operation, while ecoRoute suggests fuel-efficient routes to save drivers money and fuel. Also, Garmin's new public transit mode allows you to navigate using buses, tramway, metro, and suburban rail systems. Pre-loaded with City Navigator North America NT.


Thin New Design The nuvi units are just over a half-inch thick and weigh only 5.7 ounces, which means they'll fit easily into your pocket and can be taken just about anywhere.

Bluetooth Wireless Technology The 1390T enables calling with a compatible phone, giving you a completely hands-free mobile phone experience. Broadcasts navigation and phone calls through your car stereo.

NAVTEQ Traffic Receiver Included The included traffic receiver provides North America traffic information to your 1390T. Using this data, your device alerts you to local traffic tie-ups and displays current traffic levels. The receiver also acts as an in-vehicle power charger. Traffic provided by NAVTEQ Traffic. Watch informational video

Comprehensive, reliable nationwide coverage
Accurate traffic flow speeds
Unplanned incidents such as accidents and stalled vehicles
Planned incidents such as road construction and closures
Information about special and sports events and holidays that may affect traffic


See More With nuvi 1390T's widescreen display, you'll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos, and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3-inch display is easy to read--from any direction.

Easy-to-Use Touchscreen Interface One of Garmin's core beliefs is to continually enhance the simplicity of the user experience. The nuvi on-screen menus are logically arranged, with clearly labeled, colorful icons, making it easy to enter data and get to the information you need quickly.

Navigate with Ease nuvi 1390T comes ready to go right out of the box, with pre-loaded City Navigator North America NT street maps and millions of points of interest (POIs), such as hotels, restaurants, fuel stations, ATMs, and more, with map data provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping. Enter a destination on the touchscreen, and nuvi takes you there with 2-D or 3-D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. Text to speech enhances standard sat-nav voice guidance by speaking the names of places and roads. It even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. In addition, nuvi 1390T accepts custom points of interest, such as school zones and safety cameras, and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs.

Travel North America With nearly 6 million points of interest and detailed road coverage for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, City Navigator North America NT delivers all the data you need to navigate North America.

Displays nearly 6 million points of interest--hotels, restaurants, parking, entertainment, fuel, shopping, and more.
Includes highways, interstates, business, and residential roads in metropolitan and rural areas.
Includes such detailed information as turn restrictions, roundabout guidance, speed categories, and other navigation features.
Gives turn-by-turn directions on your compatible Garmin device.
Includes postal code support for Canada.
Contains traffic data for compatible Garmin devices that use traffic receivers.
Enhances pronunciation data for compatible Garmin devices that speak street names (example: "Turn right on Main Street").

Know the Lane Before It's Too Late No more guessing which lane you need to be in to make an upcoming turn. Lane assist guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. It realistically displays road signs and junctions on your route along with arrows that indicate the proper lane for navigation.

Junction View takes it a step further, giving you a photo-realistic screen that shows you both the road detail as well as the signs as you will see them on the road.

Pedestrian Navigation With the Public Transit feature, you can navigate using buses, tramway, metro, and suburban rail systems with optional CityXplorer content. Downloadable CityXplorer data and city guides are available for purchase and download from garmin.com for many cities.

Where Am I? Keep track of yourself and your car with nuvi 1390T. Just tap "Where Am I?" to find the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, nearest address, and intersection. Also see your exact latitude and longitude coordinates. The nuvi 1390T even remembers where you parked. It automatically marks your position when you remove it from the windshield mount, so you can navigate with nuvi on foot and find your way back to your vehicle. Perfect for unfamiliar spots and crowded lots, such as amusement parks, stadiums, and malls.

HotFix Satellite Prediction Garmin's HotFix capability automatically calculates and stores satellite locations, greatly reducing satellite acquisition time so that you can turn the unit on and get going. With HotFix, your nuvi remembers the position of all satellites it is tracking when you turn it off, and calculates their movements in order to predict where they should be the next time you turn it on. HotFix can predict satellite positions for up to three days after the device was last turned off.
MSN Direct Compatible Add the GDB 55 receiver for MSN Direct. With dynamic content from MSN Direct, you can avoid traffic backups when you travel with your compatible Garmin device. MSN Direct broadcasts traffic data to your GPS navigator so you can find the best route through traffic, check traffic flow, and receive accident warnings.


What's in the Box nuvi 1390T preloaded with City Navigator North America NT, lifetime map update card, vehicle suction cup mount, FM traffic receiver/vehicle power cable, dashboard disc, and quick start manual

Which nuvi is Best for You? Note: All nuvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.
Device

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin nüvi 1390/1390T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic & Lifetime Map Updates

TomTom GO 730 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)There are alot of reviews out there for navigation units with comparisons between units made by different manufacturers, most stating that one is better than the other, which I found to be of no use since I almost never had the unit they were comparing to. So I have written this review as a review of the TomTom 730 rather than a comparison.
(please note this is the FACTORY REFURBISHED moel of the 730)
The 730 was well packed, and had a little bit of charge right out of the box. It includes all of the accessories and most of the literature that a new model does, including the windshield mount, dash disk, car charger, instruction manual and CD. There were no cosmetic blemishes on the unit I got. Refurbished units come with a shorter warranty, but the price difference more than makes up for lost warranty time.
The unit did arrive with an old map and firmware revision. After installing TomTom Home and creating a profile, the software asked me if I wanted to update the unit, and installed the most recent 'North American Maps' pack (includes USA and Canada) and 8.30 firmware. The download and installation process took a whopping 1.5 hours to download and install over a wireless broadband connection. Choosing to accept Mapshare, an additional 11386 corrections were added. I did not have to enter any update codes or call TomTom to get the latest map update. Other maps were listed as available at additional cost, but they were for other countries that I did not need.
After updating the unit, I took the 730 on a few trips to see how well it works. I travel roughly 1000 miles a week for business and pleasure, all over Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia. I have had several Nav units over the last two months trying to find the right one for me, and I am impressed with this unit. There are some problems with the unit, which are a result of the limitation of Nav units in general, rather than specific to the 730. An example: Whitehurst and Canal st in DC run literally on top of each other. Where they start you have a choice to go up or down, whereas the 730 tells you to go straight. Both choices are straight, and reagrdless of which you pick, the 730 continues to navigate as if you were heading down Whitehurst.
The 'IQ Routing' feature is absolutely the most useful feature of the unit. Anyone who lives in the DC metro area(or any other huge population dense area)knows that certain roads simply aren't passable during certain times of the day. I have used this feature extensively, and although there is room for improvement, it has found me several new, faster ways to get to common destinations. This nav unit is also the only one I have tested that correctly finds the fastest way to my home from the interstate.
Advanced Lane Guidance is a nice feature, during my travels I see it about twice a day. It works well, but the image for the I270/495 lanes divide on the inner loop shows the wrong number of lanes leading off to the spur. Other lane divides are accurate, why not this one?
The voice recognition navigation aspect works okay, it does a good job of recognizing what city and/or street that I said, but the whole system is a bit akward since it is a combination of screen presses and voice prompts. Still, it works well if you are patient with it and learn its qwerks.
The bluetooth function does not work with my phone (I have a really lousy phone)so I cannot comment on that, the FM transmitter works well if you can find a free frequency. Playing music from the TomTom was neat, and navigation prompts do come through the music when they occur.
TomTom Home and the community support it provides is awesome. Other than Mapshare (which is awesome in and of itself) there are differnt icons, voice prompts(which you can record yourself with the 730), display screen, map colors, and other customizable features that help you personalize and enhance the unit.
In summary, I believe I have found the right unit for me. The is the best navigation device I have used yet, and at the refurbished price it is well worth purchasing. I hope you found this review helpful.


Click Here to see more reviews about: TomTom GO 730 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished)

TomTom GO 730 REFURB Portable Navigator with Bluetooth. The TomTom GO 730 portable navigator offers you peace of mind when you're traveling with its powerful, yet easy-to-use features. You can use its 4.3" widescreen touch display to access detailed maps of the U.S. and Canada, and to explore over 5 million points of interest. The text-to-speech voice prompts announce actual road names at turns, giving you more helpful information when driving through unfamiliar areas. Refurbished.

Get 42% OFF

Click here for more information about TomTom GO 730 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished)

Garmin External Microphone (010-10804-00) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Works as it should. No noise cancellation means it can get a little noisy but it's better than my phone's speakerphone option. Personally I find the nuvi's built-in mic too lousy to use, as all my callers will complain that they can't hear me. I also left myself messages in my voicemail to test the quality and my conclusion is that the External Microphone offers the best quality vs using my phone's or the Nuvi's built-in mic.
Also comes with two mounting options - a non-adhesive one that will clip to your visor, and another with an adhesive mounting strip which you can stick to the side pillar or somewhere close to your mouth. :)
Hope this helps!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin External Microphone (010-10804-00)

The Garmin 010-10804-00 External Microphone for the StreetPilot C550 is for use with your StreetPilot C550.

Get 9% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin External Microphone (010-10804-00)

Garmin Heart Rate Monitor Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Works as advertised, no problems. This is a replacement of my first one that the seal (o-ring type) in the battery compartment failed, causing the battery to corrode due to moisture leaking. Then it never worked again. Be careful changing batteries not to damage the seal.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin Heart Rate Monitor

GARMIN 0101099700 Heart Rate Monitor. This digital heart rate monitor continuously tracks heart beats per minute which is wirelessly transmitted to the Forerunner 50. Effectively tracks and records your heart rate while you work out, providing instant feedback about how hard your heart is working. Even train in a certain heart rate zone to improve your fitness level. For Garmin Forerunner 50 ONLY.

Get 38% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin Heart Rate Monitor

GARMIN 010-11049-00 Astro DC 30 Wirelesss Collar Transmitter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The original astro came packaged with a small rechargable orange transmitter and a velcro harness to put it on your dog. Anyone mixing velcro and dog hair knows what happens next. There was also a plastic clip you could use to screw the transmitter onto your dog's existing collar, but my dog broke 2 of those clips giving chase.
When the DC30 came out it was a major improvement. Garmin realized that the heavy transmitter would sag down where the dog tags hang, so they put it there intentionally instead of trying to force it on top.
The passive antenna in the original unit was replaced with an active amplified gps antenna sewn into the collar facing the sky. A small thin cable is hidden in the collar to carry the gps signal down to the transmitter below.
Finally, the transmit antenna was redesigned for vhf frequencies and realizes 1dB more gain over the previous transmitter - not alot but still an improvement.
In short, the DC 30 makes the astro a real dog tracker. I bought the collar separately and was immediately impressed. No longer did I have to scrape dog hair from the velcro on their earlier design!


Click Here to see more reviews about: GARMIN 010-11049-00 Astro DC 30 Wirelesss Collar Transmitter

Garmin DC 30 Transmitter Collar. This rugged, all weather collar has an integrated GPS transmitter and antenna that work with the Astro 220 to ensure that your dog will never be lost again. Plus, its specially weighted so the antenna will always point to the sky for optimal signal. When teamed up with the Astro 220, this system will have you hunting in no time. The DC 30, in combination with the Astro 220, pinpoints your dogs position every 5 seconds and runs for 17 hours. You can extend the battery life of the DC 30 by changing the position transmit rate from 5 to 10 or 30 seconds, enabling the DC 30 to work up to 36 hours in the field on one charge. You will know if your dog is pointing, sitting, moving or treeing. Where its at. Where its been. How fast its moving and how far its gone.

Get 21% OFF

Click here for more information about GARMIN 010-11049-00 Astro DC 30 Wirelesss Collar Transmitter

Garmin Astro 220 Dog Tracking GPS Bundle with DC40 Wireless Transmitter Collar Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This astro should be pointed out that its fixed many of the bugs those of us early adopters encountered (like using velcro to attach anything to a dog was mistake 1).
The early versions featured an orange "box" with a non-amplified antenna built into the top of it, plus a li-ion battery. You got a velcro harness to hold it on the dog and keep it pointing skyward. After 2-3 trips the velcro was full of hair and the antennas were being broken by anxious dogs racing through brush.
Garmin re-designed the astro and fortunately for us all we had to do was buy the upgraded collar design. The (now black) collar works the same but features an amplified antenna on top, the electronics box down below where it naturally hangs, and an improved longer antenna with better range (about 25% better in my testing)
From the top of one mountain I can now find my dog 7.48 miles away with almost full signal strength, so this really works. Getting to the dog is another matter.
The collar transmits either every 5, 10, or 30 seconds. 10 is a good value as you get about 2 days of use from the transmitter before the battery dies. 5 seconds will die in under a day (about 18 hours). These settings are made by placing the collar in close proximity to the handheld tracker and uploading them.
Finally for the radio folk the collar transmits on the MURS VHF frequencies at 2 watts digital. The frequencies are 151.82, 151.88, 151.94, 154.57 (old analog radio channel - not a good choice) and 154.6 (same as 154.57) [all in MHZ]
The 151 frequencies provide the best range near towns becuase every fast food drive through uses the 154 frequencies to talk around. These correspond to the last 2 sets of 10 channels in the Astro.
If you are wondering how they get 10 channels on one frequency, its simple - both the receiver and transmitter have GPS inside, so they know EXACTLY when a second clicks by to a great precision. They then divide a time period (1 second) into 10 parts, each 1/10 of a second long. Channel 23 for example specifies frequency 2 (151.94) and timeslot 3 - the 3rd 1/10 of a second after 0.00 seconds. Since the radio and the transmitter both know when the transmission will happen the radio tunes frequency 2 at 0.3 seconds after a second "ticks" to listen for the 1/10 second transmission from the collar.
The only problem with this is you can not put multiple collars next to each other as the receiver needs time to process the data it receives (about another 1/10 second) so if 151.94 is a good channel for you, pick dog numbers of 21, 23, 25, 27, and 29 if you have multiple dogs on one system or are hunting with another astro user. Also, you can't have the radio tune different channels at the same time, so don't pick dog A on channel 14 and dog B on channel 24 because their transmissions will be at the same time on 2 different freqencies.
Keeping those simple rules of separation in mind you can track alot of dogs a long ways with Astro.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin Astro 220 Dog Tracking GPS Bundle with DC40 Wireless Transmitter Collar


Tired of searching for your hunting dog in tall grass or dense cover? Now you can leave the hunting entirely to him. Astro is the premier high sensitivity GPS-enabled dog tracking system for sporting dogs. This unique system pinpoints your dog's position and shows you exactly where he is, even when you can't see or hear him.

Tall grass. Short dog. Game on.
See Your Dogs' Every Move The Astro system includes a bright color-screen handheld GPS device and the rugged, orange polyurethane DC 40 collar. The collar accommodates most e-collar receivers--eliminating the need to put two separate collars on a dog. Plus, Collar Lock creates a four-digit PIN number that helps prevent others from seeing your dog's whereabouts--a useful feature in field trials to ensure that an Astro is used only as a recovery tool when a dog in competition becomes lost.

To get started, just take Astro outdoors and turn on the handheld and transmitter to acquire GPS satellite signals. Then attach the DC 40 to your dog. Now you're ready to turn him loose--no other setup required.

The rugged, all-weather collar is made of durable one-inch orange polyurethane, ready to stand up to the elements and the hunt.

Track Dogs in Dense Cover As often as every five seconds, your dog's DC 40 transmits his position to your handheld, and you can see his current location and a trail of where he's been on the Map page of your handheld. Switch over to the Dog Tracker page to view a compass pointing to your dog's location as well as his current status: whether he's running, sitting, on point or treeing quarry. Astro can also sound an alarm to let you know instantly when your dog goes on point.

Astro boasts a high-sensitivity GPS receiver that can track your dog's position even in the densest cover. You can track up to ten dogs at one time with Astro, at a distance of up to seven miles away (depending on terrain). The system transmits information by line-of-sight, so it reaches farthest in flat, open territory.

Count Your Coveys After you've captured your quarry, mark the exact spot with Astro's Covey Counter, a special waypoint that tells you the exact location, time of day and elevation where you found your prey, as well as the number of birds you flushed and took from that location. Astro lets you save other special waypoints, such as "Truck" and "Lodge," so you can save the location of these places quickly and easily for each hunt. Astro also offers special waypoint icons to represent food plots, tree stands and other hunting-related points.

Experience Full-Featured GPS Astro shines when you're out on the hunt, but it also excels in getting you back to your truck at the end of the day, or even back home again. In fact, the Astro handheld has all the features of Garmin's top-line handheld outdoor devices.
The barimetric altimeter provides elevation profiles for climbers and hikers, and the electronic compass ensures you get a good bearing. Handy tools like an area calculator and celestial information help you plan your day. With optional detailed city street maps, you can search for over 6 million points of interest and create a route on roads with exact turn-by-turn directions; or download TOPO maps complete with elevation information. Finally, the Astro 220 features a rugged, IPX7 waterproof exterior, ready to take on incliment weather without a hitch.

What's in the Box
Astro 220 Handheld, DC 40 Wireless Transmitter Collar, Carrying Case, AC Adapter for DC 40, Vehicle Power Cable for DC 40, USB Cable, Wrist Strap, Belt Clip, Owner's Manual, Quick Start Manual

Get 18% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin Astro 220 Dog Tracking GPS Bundle with DC40 Wireless Transmitter Collar