| Garmin Nuvi 1690 |
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Last Updated
January 25, 2010 Editor's Rating 
 
Garmin released its "Nu"-est Nuvi in July, the Nuvi 1690, which adds fuel to the already heated competition in the GPS market. This model includes Bluetooth connectivity, text-to-speech, lane assist, and two years of included live traffic service. While a fairly solid device, there are a few short comings, especially when it comes to POI searches. The 1690 is packed with more practical features from the Nuvi lineup, including Bluetooth connectivity, a 4.3-inch color touch screen, text-to-speech (which enables the device to announce street names), lane assist (so you can see simulated highway signs), and ecoRoutes. We found that to be particularly useful when visiting areas never traveled before with high traffic. The 1690 is thicker and about half an ounce heavier than the 1370T, but unlike the 1370T, it includes multi-segment routing with route optimization.
The 1690 generated simple, reliable routes and its text-to-speech feature works very well. Lane assist with junction view provided a clear visual for my interstate highway exit tests. The Bluetooth phone interface pairs easily with phones with the same capabilities and worked well as a speakerphone. The Bluetooth interface was disappointing compared to previous Nuvi models, which allowed reading of contacts and call history from a connected cell phone whereas the newer and more expensive 1690 does not. The menu structure on the 1690 is essentially the same as that on other Nuvis, though on the 1690 various connected NuLink services are scattered throughout the menus. Most of these services are logically located in the appropriate menus. For example, the connected services in the tools menu are Flight Status, Weather and Currency. Under flight status, you can check flight numbers and search arrivals or departures. Checking weather gives you the current day's forecast for your current location along with a five-day forecast. The device also provides current conditions for New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles; but you can't specify other locations. Finally, the currency exchange function updates exchange rates daily, so you'll always have the latest information. At $500, the Nuvi 1690 seems significantly more expensive than TomTom's $370 Go 740 Live, but included in the price are two years of the NuLink services. Therefore, service only costs $5 a month. TomTom only includes three months of service with the Go 740 Live, and charges $10 a month for the service after those three months. For 24 months of connected service, the Nuvi 1690 actually costs about $80 less than the Go 740 Live with a few additional and convenient features on top of that. The initial price may be higher for the Nuvi, but the calculations prove that with some math, the better buy is actually the Garmin. If you're a fan of the Garmin navigation line, the added NuLink connected services will only enhance your experience. The Nuvi 1690 is Garmin's first connected GPS device and a good start to their new technology, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.
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