The Garmin nuvi 1490LMT was designed for people seeking a GPS with large display and planning on keeping it for more than just a couple of years. Not only the nuvi 1490LMT has a stylish design and institutive user interface, but also it is dependable and accurate. The features are easy to use even for someone who has never used a GPS before. It is not hard to see why Garmin has become the leading manufacturer in the vehicle GPS industry.

The 5-inch widescreen display gives you a much better and clearer view of the map. The large display puts the 1490LMT in a different class than other nuvi models which have 3.5-inch or 4.3-inch displays. However, even with the massive screen size, the nuvi 1490LMT is still compact enough to fit in your pocket or purse.

I still remember the old Garmin iQue 3000 I had many years ago. The screen was almost unreadable under bright sunlight. The technology has come a long way, however. The anti-glare display on the nuvi 1490LMT is much better. It is viewable under almost any weather condition and you don’t even have to max out the brightness settings. The screen resolution is 480 x 272 – same as that of the 4.3-inch models. Therefore you are not getting more information but the maps are bigger and easier to see when you drive, which is crucial for using a GPS device in a car.

The route planning feature let you save up to 10 routes with multiple destinations and via points. This is helpful when you are planning a long road trip. The HotFix satellite prediction feature makes acquiring satellite signals much faster. It uses the last known location of your GPS as a starting point and it shortens the time needed to lock on satellite signals. This means you can start navigating sooner after powering it on. It also speaks the street name which is great for driving in a densely populated area.

Another useful feature is Lane Assist. It tells you which lane you are supposed to be on so you can prepare any lane change ahead of time if necessary. In certain metropolitan areas, the nuvi 1490LMT’s Junction View shows realistic pictures of highway exchanges so it’s almost impossible for you to make a mistake as to which exit ramp to take.

As mentioned above, the Garmin nuvi 1490LMT was designed for people who want to keep it for a long time. It comes with free lifetime map updates. You get up to 4 updates per year so you can keep the GPS up-to-date with the latest road changes. This way there is no need to buy expensive upgrades or get a new GPS every few years. It also includes free lifetime traffic reporting that gives you real time traffic condition so you can avoid traffic jams.

Bluetooth is another nice feature included in the nuvi 1490LMT. It allows you to pair up the GPS with your mobile phone and use it as a hands-free device. You can easily make hands-free calls and also dial directly from the GPS to thousands of points of interest that are already stored in the nuvi’s database. In summary, the Garmin nuvi 1490LMT is jam-packed with useful features that make driving easier and safer. And with a street price around $200, the Garmin nuvi 1490LMT is also affordable and a great buy for anyone who is looking for a portable car GPS.

Author Bio: Visit author’s web site for more in-depth review of Garmin nuvi 1490LMT. You may also be interested in Garmin nuvi 1450LMT which is very similar to the 1490LMT but without the Bluetooth capability. Also check out the TomTom XXL 540TM.

Category: Automotive
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