Garmin nüvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished) Review. The large-screen Garmin nüvi® 1490T offers multiple-point routing and lane assist with junction view to guide you through busy highway interchanges. It comes with subscription-free traffic alerts for most cities and is Bluetooth® compatible for hands-free calling. The pedestrian routing options and ecoRoute™ fuel-efficient routing provide a different way to get there....
"Wow! Severe Traffic Ahead, Recalculating!" 2010-02-09
By Lee Besing (San Antonio, TX USA)
I bought this item after much comparison with the others available. This item was refurbished by Garmin, but still had a 1 year factory warranty, so why pay full retail? I just found this same GPS at a local major retail store for $449.99, so my $243 purchase price was a bargain, especially with free shipping!Garmin nüvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished)
Features - I wanted multi-point mapping abilities & ability upload routes from my PC, cause I volunteer for the MS150 and Tour de Cure bicycle events that have multiple break points (rest stops) and a route that zig-zags all over creation.
Features - I liked the idea of a larger screen (5 inch), the lifetime traffic service, the built in bluetooth speakerphone, and Garmin's reputation.
Map Upgrades - I found that I could buy a lifetime subscription to map updates for a little over $100, using the 10% discount code Garmin gave me for registering my unit with them. (Note: register with Garmin first, then buy the map upgrade from their site, save 10%.)
Other Items Bought - I also bought the Garmin friction dash mount to use instead of the (included) suction cup window mount.Garmin Portable Friction Mount [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]
Who Needs the Stinking Manuals - Being a guy, I didn't bother with reading any manuals until much later. Got it straight out of the box, turned it on and used it for a trip right then and there, comparing it side by side with my old GPS. I plugged in a destination about 160+ miles away involving interstate highways in Texas, plus some side roads, multiple towns, etc. I went straight from the PO Box, to the carwash before leaving town and hitting the highway north to Ft. Hood from San Antonio, TX.
The Garmin 1490T got me there faster (than the way my old GPS tried to route me) by about 20 minutes, cause it took me down a state highway with 60-70mph speeds, instead of sticking only to US highways.
Audio Directions - Audio quality quite nice in my opinion. Computer female voice, default 80% volume setting, easy to hear over road noise even in a rainstorm while driving.
Bluetooth Speaker Phone- I figured out how to connect my cell phone to the Garmin 1490T fairly easy, with pin code 1234. I've been making and sending calls thru it, mostly as a speaker phone, but found that the 1490T actually pulled down my phone directory and I could dial from there instead. But it didn't get 100% of the directory. For some reason, it didn't get all 500 phone #'s, like it skipped my wife's cell number. (not good). Audio has been reported as good from the callers on the other end, saying some road noise detected, one saying I sounded like I was on a speaker phone, but quite legible even while highways noise was in background. Don't try using the speaker phone while driving in a rainstorm, too much background road noise from the rain hitting the windshield, etc.
Traffic Alerts - I wasn't sure how that worked, but trusted it would, since San Antonio, TX, (where I live) was on the list of covered cities. But as I drove north on IH-35 toward Austin, TX, all of a sudden a voice came out of nowhere saying "Severe Traffic Congestion Ahead, Recalculating Route". This was about 35 miles before the congestion! It took me up into the congested area, then routed me around the majority of it. Wish I had trusted it earlier and I would have popped over to the nearby tollroad miles earlier instead. To me it was magic, I'm not sure how this works (FM transmitter / received built into power cord) in terms of where they get their live traffic info from, but it worked.
Lane Changing Alerts - The visual guide to changing lanes was more of a "hey, there are two right turn lanes ahead, left two lanes go straight", etc. Audio was very accurate in saying "stay left for exit to..." or "stay right to exit then turn left/right, etc." Very timely alerts and I never missed a turn while using it on this trip.
Screen Display - Easy to read! It alerts me to local speed limits when driving on highways, was only off by 5mph one short stretch of Texas Hwy 195 (speed was actually 60 instead of 65). Noticed some glare when the sun hit the screen from behind or from the side, will apply anti-glare screen like I used on my digital camera to see if that helps in future.
Cons: When text messaging received, it says "unknown caller" and stays on the screen, despite touching "ignore" or "answer". Have noticed a few times that pop-up screen (while using bluetooth function) is annoying only because it didn't go away right away, but the GPS kept giving me audio directions even though I couldn't see the map. I'm going to keep playing with that "issue" and contact Garmin tech support about it if I can't resolve it myself.
Recommendation - Yes, I strongly recommend this model to anyone wanting a easy to read, easy to use, accurate GPS for their vehicle. Supposedly it has pedestrian direction functions built in, with additional maps available for purchase (really cheap per metro area), but I will only be using it in my mini-van.
Thank you Amazon for another amazing deal!
"Fixed firmware makes this refurbished Nuvi the very best of the best!" 2010-05-16
By Jackson Harris (Atlanta, GA)
OK ... First things first. When the 1490 was first released in 2009, the firmware was so buggy that the unit even suffered from spontaneous reboots ... IN MID ROUTE! Occasionally it would not even restart again without the 10 second hold on the on button. THOUSANDS of these units were returned to COSTCO who got the original release. In fact, so many were returned that Garmin actually released this product again ... as a refurbished unit. The only change being loading new firmware and packing it in a white box.
So now ... for under $200 you can get a new ... almost ... Nuvi with the best form factor, feature set, and ... now ... rock solid firmware on the market.
Here is what to do ...
1. Buy this unit ... just get it.
2. As soon as it arrives, scan the Amazon paperwork ... you'll need it for step 4
3. Log on to [...] and attempt to register the unit (you will need the S/N)
4. If you cannot register the unit ... you likely cannot ... call Garmin support (excellent USA based support) and tell them you cannot register your refurbished unit. They will ask you to send them proof of recent purchase ... immediately email the Amazon paperwork scanned in step 2. They will make an entry on the spot and you can register right away. Also explain that you want new maps. They can hook you up with a download of the newest maps since you are a new owner.
5. Download and install Garmin's free Webupdater program. You will need that to get the latest firmware updates. Latest version was issued May 10, 2010 and is version 4.10.
6. Finally ... install in your car and enjoy.
I know, all this takes time. The new map downloads alone are 2 hours, and the scanning thing ... well, just know that it is worth it. The 5" screen is awesome and since the resolution is unchanged, everything is bigger and clearer. Audio is louder and clearer on this model. Battery life is better. Bluetooth now works very well. The eco info is very useful and the traffic is perfect now ... in this latest firmware. Lane assist is 'da bomb. And don't forget about the little extras like an awesome photo viewer and available micro SD slot (I put in an 8 Gig card and Nuvi had no trouble reading it.)
All and all, you score big as a result of Garmin's short sighted decision to release an unfinished product too early. But now that the firmware is fixed ... WOW!!!
"SIMPLY THE BEST YOU COULD ASK FOR!" 2010-03-15
By david c leavitt
I've owned several Garmin GPS products in the past, and The 1490T is my latest purchase. I consider Garmin truly the "gold standard" in the product field. Attractive casing, well engineered and laid out and very intuitive. The five inch screen is bright, easily read in traffic and very colorful, and frankly I can't understand why this five inch screen option is not offered on the rest of the upper scale Garmin line. Bluetooth linking to my I-Phone 3G S is flawless and audio quality both sending and receiving is quite good. The interface is easy to input addresses, and the user menu offers a wealth of information you can op for. In reading another review here included, the compliant arose over outdated map data, undoubtedly related to the refreb status. I too noted older map data in my unit, but with a simple free call to Garmin tech support I was easily able to overcome this problem. The tech support representative simply asked me for proof of current purchase date from Amazon, which I provided easily and quickly by emailing a copy of my Amazon online invoice. I was then provided with an updated current warranty date, and made eligible for the sixty day initial Garmin online complimentary mapping update. The resulting download I was then allowed to access through my newly set up Garmin account page gave me the latest North American map soft wear version 2010.40. The graphic lane change feature is amazing, as all screen clutter is immediately removed as you approach a major highway brake and are shown a colorful 3D arrow guiding you visually into the correct lane to maintain route. Again, the five inch screen size shines! The 1490T is state of the art, providing superb routing, colorful interface, excellent blu tooth connectivity, and the wonderful lane change feature...at $199.00 as a refurbished with a full year's factory warranty..look no further!
"UPDATED REVIEW...THE BEST OF THE GARMINS" 2010-03-07
By Alan D. Nelson (Advance, NC)
I READ THE FIRST REVIEW OF THIS PRODUCT AND THE WRITER GAVE IT A 5 STAR ,SO I ORDERED ONE FOR MYSELF. HE WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! THIS IS AN AWESOME GPS.I WANTED A LARGER SCREEN AND THIS ONE SURELY DELIVERS. VERY LARGE BRIGHT SCREEN, EXCELLENT SPEAKERS MORE OPTIONS FOR THE INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN . CHOOSE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, DISTANCE TO DESTINATION, TIME TO DESTINATION, TIME OF DAY, ETC. IF YOU EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT YOUR TRAVEL SPEED CHANGES TO A RED NUMBER TO ALERT YOU!
WHEN I INITIALLY WROTE THE ABOVE REVIEW I HAD NOT YET EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS UNIT THAT CAUSES IT TO SHUTOFF DURING TRIPS AND NOT COME BACK ON. IT CRASHES FREQUENTLY, HOWEVER GARMIN HAS A FIX AND YOU WILL NEED TO INSTALL THE
GARMIN WEB UPDATER TO YOUR COMPUTER AND THEN CONNECT YOUR GARMIN 1490 TO YOUR COMPUTER AND IT WILL FIX THIS ISSUE. THERE IS NO OTHER GPS ON THE MARKET THAT IS
COMPARABLE TO THE 1490 AND I WAS DELIGHTED TO FIND THIS FIX AND WANT TO MAKE OTHER
BUYERS AWARE THAT THERE IS A FIX AVAILABLE AND IT IS SIMPLE TO INSTALL.
SO FAR THE UNIT IS WORKING GREAT AND WOULD STILL GIVE THIS GPS A 5 STAR RATING !
"WOW! I am impressed..." 2010-05-17
By Phillips A. Moore (Lawrenceville, GA USA)
The larger screen is a nice feature and the operation is exactly what you would hope for. Programming is easy as with all Garmin units. The traffic alert has already saved me one big traffic snarl and probably an hour delay in getting to my destination. The advertising that comes with the traffic alert is not intrusive. I really like this unit better than any previous Garmin I have owned. Very happy with the purchase. I bought the lifetime map updates so there was no problem with the reconditioned unit getting updated as others have reported.
The bluetooth synch with the phone is easy but the sound quality has been reported as very noisy by the people I have talked to using this connection. I can hear fine, but they seem to pick up a huge amount of static hiss. Not sure why since the car is quiet and the unit is mounted on the sandbag base provided by Garmin which is sitting on the dash so it should be insulated from engine noise.
By Lee Besing (San Antonio, TX USA)
I bought this item after much comparison with the others available. This item was refurbished by Garmin, but still had a 1 year factory warranty, so why pay full retail? I just found this same GPS at a local major retail store for $449.99, so my $243 purchase price was a bargain, especially with free shipping!Garmin nüvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished)
Features - I wanted multi-point mapping abilities & ability upload routes from my PC, cause I volunteer for the MS150 and Tour de Cure bicycle events that have multiple break points (rest stops) and a route that zig-zags all over creation.
Features - I liked the idea of a larger screen (5 inch), the lifetime traffic service, the built in bluetooth speakerphone, and Garmin's reputation.
Map Upgrades - I found that I could buy a lifetime subscription to map updates for a little over $100, using the 10% discount code Garmin gave me for registering my unit with them. (Note: register with Garmin first, then buy the map upgrade from their site, save 10%.)
Other Items Bought - I also bought the Garmin friction dash mount to use instead of the (included) suction cup window mount.Garmin Portable Friction Mount [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]
Who Needs the Stinking Manuals - Being a guy, I didn't bother with reading any manuals until much later. Got it straight out of the box, turned it on and used it for a trip right then and there, comparing it side by side with my old GPS. I plugged in a destination about 160+ miles away involving interstate highways in Texas, plus some side roads, multiple towns, etc. I went straight from the PO Box, to the carwash before leaving town and hitting the highway north to Ft. Hood from San Antonio, TX.
The Garmin 1490T got me there faster (than the way my old GPS tried to route me) by about 20 minutes, cause it took me down a state highway with 60-70mph speeds, instead of sticking only to US highways.
Audio Directions - Audio quality quite nice in my opinion. Computer female voice, default 80% volume setting, easy to hear over road noise even in a rainstorm while driving.
Bluetooth Speaker Phone- I figured out how to connect my cell phone to the Garmin 1490T fairly easy, with pin code 1234. I've been making and sending calls thru it, mostly as a speaker phone, but found that the 1490T actually pulled down my phone directory and I could dial from there instead. But it didn't get 100% of the directory. For some reason, it didn't get all 500 phone #'s, like it skipped my wife's cell number. (not good). Audio has been reported as good from the callers on the other end, saying some road noise detected, one saying I sounded like I was on a speaker phone, but quite legible even while highways noise was in background. Don't try using the speaker phone while driving in a rainstorm, too much background road noise from the rain hitting the windshield, etc.
Traffic Alerts - I wasn't sure how that worked, but trusted it would, since San Antonio, TX, (where I live) was on the list of covered cities. But as I drove north on IH-35 toward Austin, TX, all of a sudden a voice came out of nowhere saying "Severe Traffic Congestion Ahead, Recalculating Route". This was about 35 miles before the congestion! It took me up into the congested area, then routed me around the majority of it. Wish I had trusted it earlier and I would have popped over to the nearby tollroad miles earlier instead. To me it was magic, I'm not sure how this works (FM transmitter / received built into power cord) in terms of where they get their live traffic info from, but it worked.
Lane Changing Alerts - The visual guide to changing lanes was more of a "hey, there are two right turn lanes ahead, left two lanes go straight", etc. Audio was very accurate in saying "stay left for exit to..." or "stay right to exit then turn left/right, etc." Very timely alerts and I never missed a turn while using it on this trip.
Screen Display - Easy to read! It alerts me to local speed limits when driving on highways, was only off by 5mph one short stretch of Texas Hwy 195 (speed was actually 60 instead of 65). Noticed some glare when the sun hit the screen from behind or from the side, will apply anti-glare screen like I used on my digital camera to see if that helps in future.
Cons: When text messaging received, it says "unknown caller" and stays on the screen, despite touching "ignore" or "answer". Have noticed a few times that pop-up screen (while using bluetooth function) is annoying only because it didn't go away right away, but the GPS kept giving me audio directions even though I couldn't see the map. I'm going to keep playing with that "issue" and contact Garmin tech support about it if I can't resolve it myself.
Recommendation - Yes, I strongly recommend this model to anyone wanting a easy to read, easy to use, accurate GPS for their vehicle. Supposedly it has pedestrian direction functions built in, with additional maps available for purchase (really cheap per metro area), but I will only be using it in my mini-van.
Thank you Amazon for another amazing deal!
By Jackson Harris (Atlanta, GA)
OK ... First things first. When the 1490 was first released in 2009, the firmware was so buggy that the unit even suffered from spontaneous reboots ... IN MID ROUTE! Occasionally it would not even restart again without the 10 second hold on the on button. THOUSANDS of these units were returned to COSTCO who got the original release. In fact, so many were returned that Garmin actually released this product again ... as a refurbished unit. The only change being loading new firmware and packing it in a white box.
So now ... for under $200 you can get a new ... almost ... Nuvi with the best form factor, feature set, and ... now ... rock solid firmware on the market.
Here is what to do ...
1. Buy this unit ... just get it.
2. As soon as it arrives, scan the Amazon paperwork ... you'll need it for step 4
3. Log on to [...] and attempt to register the unit (you will need the S/N)
4. If you cannot register the unit ... you likely cannot ... call Garmin support (excellent USA based support) and tell them you cannot register your refurbished unit. They will ask you to send them proof of recent purchase ... immediately email the Amazon paperwork scanned in step 2. They will make an entry on the spot and you can register right away. Also explain that you want new maps. They can hook you up with a download of the newest maps since you are a new owner.
5. Download and install Garmin's free Webupdater program. You will need that to get the latest firmware updates. Latest version was issued May 10, 2010 and is version 4.10.
6. Finally ... install in your car and enjoy.
I know, all this takes time. The new map downloads alone are 2 hours, and the scanning thing ... well, just know that it is worth it. The 5" screen is awesome and since the resolution is unchanged, everything is bigger and clearer. Audio is louder and clearer on this model. Battery life is better. Bluetooth now works very well. The eco info is very useful and the traffic is perfect now ... in this latest firmware. Lane assist is 'da bomb. And don't forget about the little extras like an awesome photo viewer and available micro SD slot (I put in an 8 Gig card and Nuvi had no trouble reading it.)
All and all, you score big as a result of Garmin's short sighted decision to release an unfinished product too early. But now that the firmware is fixed ... WOW!!!
By david c leavitt
I've owned several Garmin GPS products in the past, and The 1490T is my latest purchase. I consider Garmin truly the "gold standard" in the product field. Attractive casing, well engineered and laid out and very intuitive. The five inch screen is bright, easily read in traffic and very colorful, and frankly I can't understand why this five inch screen option is not offered on the rest of the upper scale Garmin line. Bluetooth linking to my I-Phone 3G S is flawless and audio quality both sending and receiving is quite good. The interface is easy to input addresses, and the user menu offers a wealth of information you can op for. In reading another review here included, the compliant arose over outdated map data, undoubtedly related to the refreb status. I too noted older map data in my unit, but with a simple free call to Garmin tech support I was easily able to overcome this problem. The tech support representative simply asked me for proof of current purchase date from Amazon, which I provided easily and quickly by emailing a copy of my Amazon online invoice. I was then provided with an updated current warranty date, and made eligible for the sixty day initial Garmin online complimentary mapping update. The resulting download I was then allowed to access through my newly set up Garmin account page gave me the latest North American map soft wear version 2010.40. The graphic lane change feature is amazing, as all screen clutter is immediately removed as you approach a major highway brake and are shown a colorful 3D arrow guiding you visually into the correct lane to maintain route. Again, the five inch screen size shines! The 1490T is state of the art, providing superb routing, colorful interface, excellent blu tooth connectivity, and the wonderful lane change feature...at $199.00 as a refurbished with a full year's factory warranty..look no further!
By Alan D. Nelson (Advance, NC)
I READ THE FIRST REVIEW OF THIS PRODUCT AND THE WRITER GAVE IT A 5 STAR ,SO I ORDERED ONE FOR MYSELF. HE WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! THIS IS AN AWESOME GPS.I WANTED A LARGER SCREEN AND THIS ONE SURELY DELIVERS. VERY LARGE BRIGHT SCREEN, EXCELLENT SPEAKERS MORE OPTIONS FOR THE INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN . CHOOSE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, DISTANCE TO DESTINATION, TIME TO DESTINATION, TIME OF DAY, ETC. IF YOU EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT YOUR TRAVEL SPEED CHANGES TO A RED NUMBER TO ALERT YOU!
WHEN I INITIALLY WROTE THE ABOVE REVIEW I HAD NOT YET EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS UNIT THAT CAUSES IT TO SHUTOFF DURING TRIPS AND NOT COME BACK ON. IT CRASHES FREQUENTLY, HOWEVER GARMIN HAS A FIX AND YOU WILL NEED TO INSTALL THE
GARMIN WEB UPDATER TO YOUR COMPUTER AND THEN CONNECT YOUR GARMIN 1490 TO YOUR COMPUTER AND IT WILL FIX THIS ISSUE. THERE IS NO OTHER GPS ON THE MARKET THAT IS
COMPARABLE TO THE 1490 AND I WAS DELIGHTED TO FIND THIS FIX AND WANT TO MAKE OTHER
BUYERS AWARE THAT THERE IS A FIX AVAILABLE AND IT IS SIMPLE TO INSTALL.
SO FAR THE UNIT IS WORKING GREAT AND WOULD STILL GIVE THIS GPS A 5 STAR RATING !
By Phillips A. Moore (Lawrenceville, GA USA)
The larger screen is a nice feature and the operation is exactly what you would hope for. Programming is easy as with all Garmin units. The traffic alert has already saved me one big traffic snarl and probably an hour delay in getting to my destination. The advertising that comes with the traffic alert is not intrusive. I really like this unit better than any previous Garmin I have owned. Very happy with the purchase. I bought the lifetime map updates so there was no problem with the reconditioned unit getting updated as others have reported.
The bluetooth synch with the phone is easy but the sound quality has been reported as very noisy by the people I have talked to using this connection. I can hear fine, but they seem to pick up a huge amount of static hiss. Not sure why since the car is quiet and the unit is mounted on the sandbag base provided by Garmin which is sitting on the dash so it should be insulated from engine noise.
