Garmin nuvi 1690 Review (GPSmagazine.com)

20 Pros

Includes 2 years of nuLink! connected services (Google Search, White Pages, Fuel Prices, Movie Times, Local Events, Flight Status, Weather, Currency, Ciao!, myGarmin)
Bright, crisp display is easy to read -- even in bright sunlight
New, louder internal speaker makes navigation prompts and hands-free calling easier to hear
Nearly instantaneous access to traffic data - no waiting for data to download
Operates on AT&T's network, so network coverage is strong
Powered windshield mount
ecoRoute helps save fuel and makes it easy to log mileage for business use
Enhanced pedestrian mode lets you navigate cities like a pro. When paired with cityXplorer maps, you'll even know which bus or rail lines to take
Garmin Locate (marks position when removed from windshield mount)
Ability to provide feedback on Points of Interest (you can set ratings or report errors to Garmin)
Ability to delete incorrect or outdated POIs
Lane Guidance and 3D Junction View make it easy to navigate complex highway intersections
Speed limit information displayed on the map (and your actual speed is shown in red if you are speeding)
Improved traffic reporting options now include traffic map, traffic search, and traffic on route
Ability to customize the lower left data field on the map to show distance, remaining time, direction of travel, elevation, or time of day
Fast map refresh rate makes for ultra smooth scrolling map when navigating
Automatic map zooming adjusts the map zoom level based on your speed and the current maneuver
Easy Bluetooth pairing process & reliable Bluetooth functionality
When using hands-free calling while navigating to a destination, audio navigation prompts are automatically suppressed for the duration of the call
Good text-to-speech quality
Good routing engine
Good customer support

21. Cons

Glossy plastic case looks cheap
No memory card slot for storage expansion options
Placement of mini-USB port on the docking cradle makes it difficult to use Garmin's friction mounts (sold separately)
No prompted detour feature (you cannot avoid a specific road from the planned route)
No way to exclude a specific transportation type (i.e. Bus, or Train) when navigating in pedestrian mode in a city for which you have purchased cityXplorer maps. For example, you can't set the GPS to only use bus routes, and exclude using the subway
Lane Assist with Junction View coverage is worse than competing GPS units (fewer intersections are included than on some other GPS units)
No "Night" version of the 3D Junction view screen
CityXplorer maps cost extra ($10 - $15 per city)
Searching the POI database for a specific business name (by spelling the name via the on-screen keyboard) is slow
Cannot sort Favorites alphabetically; saved addresses always listed in order of closeness to your current location
Can't switch SIM cards, or use an existing AT&T card you might have

22. Conclusion

Garmin's nuvi 1690 manages to succeed where others have failed, effectively combining a suite of handy wireless features with top-notch GPS navigation. The 1690 comes with a free 2-year subscription to nuLink, Garmin's connected services (after the 2-year subscription expires, it'll cost you $5/month to continue receiving the nuLink services).

The 1690's wireless connection gives users access to Google Local search, traffic, weather, fuel prices, movie listings, flight status, local events, and white-page telephone listings. It also includes Ciao!, Garmin's new social networking platform that gives users the ability to share location data with friends.

North American maps are stored locally on the device, so wireless outages won't impact the 1690's ability to get you to your destination.

Like many other Garmin nuvi GPS units, the 1690 includes Bluetooth for hands-free calling (through a paired cellphone), ecoRoute for fuel efficient routing, lane guidance, 3D junction view of highway intersections, and the ability to create multi-destination routes with route optimization (order the stops in the most efficient manner).

Garmin's nuLink! services worked well throughout my testing. Results were speedy, and the interface is easy to use. Of course, the most useful feature is Google Local search, but found myself using the other nuLink! features as well.

Garmin's routing logic remains strong, and the 1690 generally chose good routes. Sorely missing from the 1690 is the ability to browse the planned route and exclude a specific road or highway from the route -- a very useful feature found on most competing GPS devices.

Priced about $100 more than Garmin's nuvi 1490T, the 1690 offers an almost identical feature set, but also includes 2 years of nuLink! wireless service, and Garmin Locate (automatically saves the position when removed from the windshield mount).

Compared to other connected GPS devices currently available, the 1690 is easier to use than TomTom's Go LIVE model, and much, much better than the TeleNav Shotgun (both of which cary monthly service charges of about $10 per month).


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October 4, 2009