advantages: nüLink! Services, Hands-free calls, Altitude readings
cons: Too many ads, MicroSD media
Released in January 2010, the Garmin Nuvi 1690 Hiking GPS is packed with many features to make navigation easy. It’s nüLink! Services for Connected Navigators provide fast, real-time updates on gas prices, traffic conditions, flight status, weather and more. That’s a huge advantage, as you can stay up to date on all the information you want on the go. And it also tells you about local events, restaurants, movie times at theaters near your location. It also allows you to search Google using preset categories or search terms of your choice. NuLink! Service works on AT&T’s EDGE network and is free for the first two years of use. You will save a lot of dollars there! After this free subscription time, you may need to pay a small fee to continue with this service (that’s a real spoiler!).
When it comes to the design, the Garmin Nuvi looks quite sleek and stylish with its glossy black frame and chrome accents. The 4.3-inch touch screen gives you a clear view of the streets and maps. The touch screen is unresponsive at times. Navigation, on the other hand, is very simple. (Although many have to push the buttons a little hard.) Just press the up/down buttons or swipe the screen to navigate the menu.
Like most Garmin nuvi models, the 1690’s main menu is also very simple. It has two large icons: “Where to?” and “View Map” with a row of small buttons for Volume, Phone, and Tools at the bottom.
The Bluetooth setup makes it very easy to pair your phone with the device to transfer all the phone numbers. But, the downside is that you can’t get directly to the number you want, instead you have to scroll up and down to get to the right number.
Garmin 1690 only has a microSD size card slot. It means less capacity, but it also means you can use a wide range of compatible SD cards. So this feature doesn’t get bumped up or down.
Nuvi’s Ciao Friend Finder is an interesting addition to the device. This patent-pending software helps you share your location and other details with shared friends. It could be useful, if you could take your eyes off the road to say ‘Ciao’ to your friends!
The bottom line:
If you are looking for a reliable GPS to navigate around the city, the Garmin Nuvi 1690 is a good option.