Garmin Nuvi Bluetooth GPS

Garmin is known as an innovative leader in GPS navigation industry has released Bluetooth enabled GPS navigation system that can be connected with bluetooth enabled mobile phones allowing users hands-free communication. This feature is extremely valuable for drivers. For people on the road trip or frequent travelers, Garmin bluetooth GPS navigation system is the best option and perfect companion. Bluetooth GPS system not only offers directions, but also makes driving safer. The beauty of bluetooth GPS navigators is that it’s a wireless technology allows Bluetooth enabled devices to exchange information with each other without any messy wires instantly, eliminating the need of storage extra wires. In portable GPS systems the connection takes place between your Global Positioning System and your mobile phone. Your GPS unit works like a Bluetooth headset. When your phone receives a call, the caller ID info & will be shown on your GPS screen. This is extremely handy if your phone is somewhere in your pocket or a handbag, and it provides a safer way for drivers to take the call. The bluetooth enabled GPS in very suitable for people living traffic jammed area for people who get bored behind the wheel. Garmin Nuvi has some of the world class ultra slim bluetooth GPS devices which can fit in the pocket thus making the GPS navigator system portable. Garmin GPS system has text to speech feature, which looks up upcoming street names, which is being displayed on the screen, and uses its internal synthesizer to pronounce those street names. Another great feature on the Garmin GPS systems is eco-route which helps to locate the most fuel-efficient ways to your destinations saving both gas and money. In addition, Garmin GPS units have speed limit indicator which displays the speed limit on major freeways. Nevertheless, a bluetooth enabled Garmin’s global positioning system is truly worth buying.

Garmin nuvi 1690 GPS system

The Garmin nuvi 1690 with nüLink is an advanced automotive navigator that features a sunlight readable, 4.3-inch, WQVGA color TFT with white backlight display. This display allows the user to read all information with ease, no matter what the conditions are like outside.  This nüvi model also features preloaded

City Navigator® NT North America map with more than 6 millions of points of interest. These points vary from location to location, but usually include gas stations, hotels, restaurants, ATMs and more. You can also customize your points of interest (POIs) to include important areas such as monitored school zone areas or stop lights with safety cameras. This customization function allows you to set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs. Just touch the destination on the display and the nüvi will take you there with 2-D or 3-D map and turn-by-turn voice instructions. The text-to-speech feature announces the street names clearly, so you do not have to take your eyes off the road or your hands of the steering wheel. The car GPS navigator also features logically arranged, on-screen menus that are clearly labeled with colorful icons. These icons provide you with easy access to data, so you or your passengers can take full advantage of all the fun and innovative features. The Garmin GPS navigation unit features lane assist technology, which guides the driver to the correct lane when approaching a turn or exit. The device screen realistically displays road signs and junctions on your route with arrows that indicate the proper lane for navigation. Garmin nuvi 1690 automotive GPS also carries Bluetooth™ technology, which allows you to make and receive calls with a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone. With this function you broadcast navigation prompts and calls through your car stereo, so you can always enjoy hands-free mobile calling while on the road.

Garmin nuvi 1690 GPS points of interest

Garmin nuvi 1690 Front

Garmin nuvi 1690 Back

Garmin nuvi 1690 Top

Garmin nuvi 1690 Bottom

The Garmin nüvi 1690 is preloaded with the Garmin nüLink! Services that provide you with accurate, real-time information about the area you’re traveling through. Garmin nuLink service is delivered directly to the nüvi 1690 via a built-in wireless module. Moreover, the unit comes with a free 2-year Garmin nüLink! Subscription (a very nice addition). The Nuvi 1690 portable gps navigation system also features Garmin’s HotFix capabilities, which automatically calculate and stores satellite locations and provides faster fixes and lesser startup time. The HotFix technology can also predict satellite positions for up to 3 days after the device was last turned off. With the power of Google™ local search you can access all information for the local area and navigate directly from the search results. Use your Garmin Nuvi GPS navigation system as if it were your laptop, access important information while on the go with Google. One great feature that will you help conserve money and our environment, is the unique eco-Route function. This allows you to find more fuel efficient routes when navigating and you can even keep track of fuel usage. This feature allows you to save more gas and money by adopting smarter driving habits and finding new, fuel-efficient routes. For those into social networking, the Garmin nuvi 1690 navigation system also features the Ciao! ™ Technology. Ciao! ™ integrates multiple third party location-centric social network applications, such as GyPSii (a service that lets you track the whereabouts of family and friends).While at its beginning stages, these applications will be quickly expanding within the next year. The Garmin nüvi 1690 also features the flight status feature that provides information regarding flight departure, arrival times and gate information from airports around the world. You can also tap on the weather icon to get current and 5-day forecasts tailored for major cities around the world. With so many features, the nüvi 1690 has definitely become the most desired portable GPS navigation unit on the market today!

Garmin nuvi 1690 Mount

Garmin nuvi 1690 Mounted

Garmin nuvi 1690 What's Included

What’s Included

• Garmin nüvi 1690 GPS
• Suction cup mount, dashboard disk
• USB cable, vehicle power cable
• Battery
• Owner’s manual

Garmin nuvi 1690 Features

• Preloaded base maps of North America
  With up to 100 user-programmable waypoints and 6 million points of interest to guide you toward interesting and useful destinations.
• Backlit 4.3″ color touch-screen display
  Lets you easily navigate settings and functions.
• Turn-by-turn voice prompts and text-to-speech technology
  Allow you to keep your eyes on the road while navigating with convenient voice guidance that announces the name of streets and exits.
• Real-time traffic and weather updates
  Avoid possible traffic jams and weather delays with optional traffic and weather receivers (both not included).
• ecoRoute planning
  Lets you plot the most fuel-efficient route.
• Lane assist with junction view
  Helps you navigate busy highway interchanges.
• Up to 4 hours of battery life
  With battery (included).
• Automatic rerouting
  Provides alternate travel directions in the event of a deviation from the directions given. Avoid highways/tolls mode allows you to avoid congested routes and toll roads.
• Bluetooth wireless technology
  Allows you to connect your Bluetooth enabled phone for hands-free calling.
• Garmin nüLink! services
  Provide access to Google local search, fuel prices and more (subscription required, not included; additional fees may apply).
• Travel tools
  Include calculator, currency/measurement converter, safety menu and world travel clock.
• High-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver
  Enhances performance in heavy cloud cover, wooded areas and canyons so you don’t have to worry about losing the satellite link. WAAS is Wide Area Augmentation System.
• microSD media card slot
  Insert a removable media card (not included) containing additional map data or regional maps to expand your navigational ability.

The Garmin Nuvi 200W portable GPS is widescreen navigation that fits perfectly within your pocket, and your budget. This entry-level personal sized portable GPS unit has a bright widescreen display, and maps that are preloaded for the US, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

It’s slim design makes it perfect for traveling on business or pleasure. It’s small enough to fit inside a briefcase or suitcase easily. And the suction cups that are included, combined with it’s slim size, make it perfect for mounting right on your windshield.

The easy to use touch screen display is 2.8 by 2.1 inches making it very easy to see and navigate.

The Nuvi 200W gps system comes ready to use with preloaded City Navigator NT maps for all 50 United States and Puerto Rico. However, for extensive use, you may want to consider upgrading, which will cost you extra. The argument has been that since Garmin is a North American company, then their maps would be more accurate than the European based maps which other GPS devices use. This can be disproved by driving down certain streets that have been completed for years and still aren’t registered in the maps that the Garmin Nuvi 200W comes preloaded with. A simple upgrade will solve this problem, but again, the upgrade will cost a little extra. With all the good features of the Nuvi 200W automotive gps, however, a simple, inexpensive upgrading of the mapping system doesn’t seem like a major problem.

The Points of Interest, such as school zones, traffic cameras, etc., are accepted by the 200W, and it has the ability to warn you of upcoming points, such as a speed trap.

Features include a JPEG picture viewer, calculator, Garmin Lock, which is a patented anti-theft feature, and vehicle icons that you can configure to select car-shaped graphics to show your location.
The rechargeable lithium-ion battery will run up to five hours per charge, which will come in very handy for shorter trips. If you’re planning a move to a new city, the Nuvi 200W is dependable and can take you from point A to point B with precision and ease. Even for walks around a new town, or a vacation spot, the Nuvi 200W is so light and slim that you can carry it with you wherever you go. With the WAAS-enabled receiver it locates the position you need in less than 30 seconds. Turn by turn voice directions will get you exactly where you need to be, and if you happen to take a wrong turn, it will re-navigate your route within seconds.

The Nuvi 200W is has all the features of the Nuvi 200, with the wider screen for easier navigation. And Nuvi GPS system does come ready to use, and use is so simple that even a child can figure it out. No pouring over the instruction manual, this one is simple enough to use without the manual altogether.

Overall, if you’re in the market for a good, reliable, sleek personal navigational device, the Garmin Nuvi 200W with the wide screen is definitely worth looking at.

What’s in the Box
nuvi 200W navigator, preloaded City Navigator NT maps, vehicle suction cup mount, vehicle power cable, dashboard disk, user’s manual.

Product Description
Widescreen navigation at a price that won’t break your budget ? meet nuvi 200W. This entry-level personal travel assistant comes with preloaded maps for the continental USA, Hawaii & PR (Canada and Alaska not included) . Like all nuvi 200-series members, the 200 features an easy-to-use colorful touchscreen and ultra-slim design ? perfect for everyday navigation. nuvi 200 comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps, including a hefty points of interest (POIs) database with hotels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. In addition, nuvi 200 accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs. Like the rest of the nuvi 200-series, nuvi 200 sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot. Navigation is just the beginning. nuvi 200 includes many travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. It also comes with Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map. Optional plug-in SD cards let you add additional features.

Features

Widescreen navigation at a price that won’t break your budget — meet nüvi 200W. This affordable, entry-level personal travel assistant comes with a bright widescreen display and preloaded maps for the continental U.S., Hawaii and Puerto Rico or regional coverage in other areas. Similar to nüvi 250W, it features an intuitive touchscreen and ultra-slim design — perfect for life on the go.

See More
With nüvi 200W’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, antiglare, landscape, 4.3-inch display with white backlight is easy to read — from any direction.

Navigate with Ease
nüvi 200W comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator® NT street maps, including a hefty points of interest (POIs) database with hotels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. In addition, nüvi 200W accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs.

Take It With You
Like the rest of the nüvi 200-series, nüvi 200W sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot.

Go Beyond Navigation
Navigation is just the beginning. Garmin nuvi 200W portable GPS navigation includes many travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. It also comes with Garmin Lock™, an anti-theft feature, and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map. Optional plug-in SD cards let you add additional features. Purchase Garmin Travel Guides for detailed data on attractions and our SaversGuide for information on nearby merchants offering discounts to customize nüvi for your travel needs.
nüvi 200W: Widescreen navigation at an affordable price.

After testing the Garmin nuvi 760 portable GPS system, it’s obvious that this is one of best nuvi GPS yet. A new big & bright display, real time traffic, multi-destination routing, Bluetooth integration, tracklog support, a new “Where Am I?” and “Where did I park?” feature, combined with Garmin’s routing engine and superb usability features makes the nuvi 760 an excellent choice for novice and power user alike.

Garmin nuvi 760 is an outstanding navigation system that continues Garmin’s tradition of delivering top of the line navigation in a simple, easy to use package. Nuvi 760 includes many multimedia characteristics that are well built in into the navigation experience.

Garmin’s weak FM transmitter, and points of interest ( POI ) look ups could be faster and needs to be improved. Garmin has integrated many features to the nuvi 760, further upgrading the very popular nuvi gps line. Conspicuously missing, however, is a route exclusion feature the ability to avoid specific roads or highways from a planned route. Nuvi’s new on-screen keyboard layout is more difficult to use than older nuvis, as the keys are a little smaller.

The Garmin nuvi 760 portable gps system is one of the best GPS on the navigation market, not necessarily the best bargain;  Still, if money is no object, and you’re looking for the best GPS, or you’ve been waiting for a  nuvi gps with multi-destination routing capabilities, the Garmin nuvi 760 is unbeatable in terms of quality, features, and ease of use.

The PLUSES (+) :

• Super bright screen is the brightest nuvi display to date (and possibly the brightest GPS display I’ve ever seen). Noticeably brighter than the nuvi 300 and 600-series nuvi models
• Address entry system remembers recently used State, City, and Street names; a handy time saver when entering destination addresses
• “Where Am I” feature provides one-touch access to your current location, as well as nearby hospitals, police, and gas stations
• Best routing engine available (better than Magellan or TomTom)
• Excellent Bluetooth compatibility (worked with everything I could find, including a Blackberry 8800 and Apple iPhone)
• Well-designed cell phone integration via Bluetooth
• MP3 playlist support
• Ability to listen to MP3s or Audio Books while navigating
• When listening to a song while navigating to a destination, nuvi pauses the song playback to announce navigation prompts, then resumes playback
• When using hands-free calling while navigating to a destination, nuvi suppresses all audio navigation prompts
• Menu items only appear when needed. For example, the telephone button only appears on the Main Menu if the nuvi is paired with a cell phone. Less clutter and simpler interface
• Track log recording
• Supports multi-destination routing with route optimization (ability to sort the locations by distance)
• Includes everything needed to receive real-time traffic updates (comes with a 3-month free trial, then requires an $60/year subscription)
• Speed limit information displayed on the map screen (when available)
• Automatically stores the position where the nuvi was last undocked from the mount, creating a “where did I park the car?” waypoint you can use to walk back to your car
• Garmin’s WebUpdater software provides an easy way to keep the nuvi up-to-date with the latest firmware
• Simplified interface is easier to use than the nuvi 600-series
• Excellent windshield mount
• Good text-to-speech delivers natural sounding text-to-speech (GPS announces actual street names)

The MINUSES (-) :

• New embedded antenna design less sensitive than previous fold-out patch antenna design
• new virtual keyboard layout more cumbersome than previous version
• Touch-screen not as sensitive as previous nuvis (you have to press a little too hard sometimes, which can be annoying when driving)
• Underpowered FM Transmitter is all but useless in areas with a crowded radio dial
• Searching POIs can take a long time if you search all categories
• Favorites are sorted by distance only, and cannot be sorted alphabetically
• Cumbersome to set the GPS into off-road or pedestrian modes
• GPS Simulator mode only runs at 1x time. No way to accelerate the simulation (i.e. 2x, 3x, etc.)
• Very basic Detour function
• No way to exclude specific roads from a route

Professional Review of the Garmin Nuvi 880 GPS Unit

Speech Recognition That Really Works!

We’ve seen this technology in other gps units, such as the Magellan Maestro 4250 and TomTom GO 930, but the Nuvi 880 utilizes the most impressive speech recognition technology we’ve see to date. You can use voice commands to perform 30 functions, including entering addresses, adjusting system volume, activating the hands-free speaker system, play/stop music player, viewing the trip computer, or to access the MSN Direct services.

The nuvi 880 is Garmin’s current top-of-the-line portable GPS, and includes a new hardware design which includes a slightly updated user interface. Using the same top-quality screen found on the 700-series, the 880 weighs the same, and is only 0.1-inches wider and taller. The most noticeable physical difference with the nuvi 880 are the two front-side speakers, located on the right and left of the display. Also new to the nuvi 880 is the move from a non-serviceable internal battery to a removable lithium-ion battery.

The PLUSES (+) : The Garmin Nuvi 880 includes a number of outstanding, user friendly features, including text-to-speech functionality, MSN Direct services, and Bluetooth, into a compact design. The portable navigation system offers the most accurate speech recognition capabilities we’ve ever seen.

The MINUSES (-) : The Nuvi 880 is very expensive @ $899.99, and route calculations tend to be a bit sluggish.

To SUM up : As we’ve come to expect from Garmin GPS, the Nuvi 880 offers an impressive feature list and solid performance, but it’s the accurate speech recognition that really pushes the Nuvi 880 over the edge and makes it one of the best GPS we’ve tested to date. It really is an amazing device. Way to go Garmin!

What the other experts are saying about nuvi 880:

Laptop Magazine

Laptop magazine names the Garmin nüvi 880 “The best GPS device at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show”, the biggest trade show in the GPS world. Laptop Magazine reviewers name the nüvi 880’s voice recognition and steering-wheel remote as its best features.

PC Magazine

“This is the GPS device I want on my windshield, and therefore it earns our Editors’ Choice.”

U.S. News & World Report

“Garmin really knows how to make you drool. … To get an idea of just how advanced its speech recognition is, you can just say ‘find nearest Starbucks’ and it will automatically direct you to the nearest Starbucks joint for your caffeine fix.”

Consumer Reports

Garmin’s new nuvi 880 portable GPS navigation device, introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), takes speech recognition technology one step further than other units on the market by allowing the driver to control the device entirely with voice commands. Other devices advertised with this feature still require a combination of voice and touch-screen input.

See Detailed Specs Here

Overall Satisfaction: A-

Features: A+

Signal Quality: A

Affordability: B-