ConnectedPnd
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Garmin's nuLink! 1695 attracts high-end GPS buyers, nuvi 2200 and 2300 mop up the rest
Looks like Garmin's cellular nüLink! service was something of a success -- it's now become the brand of the company's new top-tier GPS. The Garmin nüLink! 1695 replaces the nüvi 1690 with a model nigh-identical on the outside but for a larger, 5-inch touchscreen, but imbued with the traffic trending features of the 3700 series -- in other words, pretty much just what we expected. Unfortunately for spendthrifts lusting after its connected search functions (including traffic, weather, Google, fuel prices, flight times and more) and new integrated services store, the price is about what we expected as well, starting at $450 for the unit with a year of nüLink data and $5 a month thereafter. However, if that's out of your price range Garmin's not going to let you go without a fight -- it's also introduced no fewer than eleven new nüvi 2200 and 2300 series PNDs with a wide variety of features at nearly every wallet size. Press releases after the break, and find the full lineup at our source link.
Garmin's connected nuvi 1690 now shipping for $500
Guess what, kiddos? Garmin's minty fresh connected PND is now shipping, and if you plan on getting your home address on one of those labels, you best break out the checkbook. The nüvi 1690 is now moving out from Amazon's warehouses, and just as promised, it's going for a penny under $500. Is real-time access to Google search, white page listings, real-time traffic and flight status updates on your GPS unit really worth all that cheddar? Maybe -- but just wait until those two years of free service expire. Good times.[Via navigadget]
TomTom pushes Google services to mid-range XL 340S LIVE
TomTom has already delivered its LIVE services to an array of its higher-end personal navigation devices, but now the company is pushing the Google love onto less expensive siblings. Er, one less expensive sibling. The mid-range XL 340S LIVE has just been launched, complete with Google-powered Local Search, real-time traffic information, real-time fuel prices, local weather and the company's own IQ Routes, which gets you from one point to another via the most efficient route possible. Essentially, this is simply a 4.3-inch (320 x 240 resolution) XL 340S with connected services, and as with Garmin's latest, said services are being provided courtesy of AT&T. Unfortunately, the $299.99 asking price only includes three months of LIVE; after that, you'll be shelling out $9.95 per month and hating every minute of it.
Garmin's nuLink! service powered by AT&T -- more connected nuvis to come?
Connected PNDs have it rough. Ever since Dash folded, the future has been murky at best for any GPS company hoping to rope consumers in by promising real-time information on the face of their navigator. Garmin, however, is hoping to get folks hooked by avoiding that awful monthly fee for the first two years on its nüvi 1690, and it's using AT&T's network in order to do so. Today, the carrier proudly announced that it would be the one providing service to the device, giving users within range of an AT&T tower access to Google Local search, updated fuel prices, white page listings and Garmin's own Ciao! social networking system. What's interesting, however, is the high-profile nature of the partnership. We'd hate to speak too soon, but would we be nuts to think a whole cadre of AT&T connected GPS units were on tap for, say, CES 2010? Guess only time -- and sales data from the 1690 -- will tell.
Garmin's connected nuvi 1690 and browser / camera-equipped nuvi 1860 leak out
Garmin already had a little fun at CeBIT this year, but it looks as if the PND maker is gearing up for quite a thrilling IFA, too. For starters, we've confirmed that the nüvi 1690 you've seen floating about is legitimate, and if Garmin prices those connected services right (read: gives them away), it stands a chance of being a real winner. Slated to launch on September 3rd just as IFA kicks off, the 1690 will pack a 4.3-inch WVGA display, North American maps, text-to-speech, Bluetooth handsfree support and EDGE data for pulling down weather, flight statuses, fuel prices, movie times, traffic and Google-powered local search results. It should be available at the tail end of Q3 for $499.99, though there's no word on how pricey the connected services will be. If you're looking for even bigger and better things, there's the nüvi 1800 family. The nüvi 1820 checks in with a 4.8-inch WVGA panel, a Linux-based OS, Bluetooth handsfree support, WiFi, lane assist, a traffic receiver, text-to-speech and a few features not found on your common PND. We're talking about a full-fledged web browser (with YouTube support), multimedia player, access to email, internet radio streaming and even video streaming. Of course, you'll have to provide the web access, but if you've got a MiFi or the like riding shotgun in your ride, you can keep this bad boy connected throughout the trip. Also of note, the nüvi 1860 packs all of the aforementioned goodies but throws in a 3 megapixel camera with geotagging for good measure. Garmin doesn't bother to mention pricing details on either of the 18xx units, but we get the impression that both will sticker for well over the $500 mark.Update: That $500 sticker on the 1690 will include two years of connected services -- not perfect, but a solid gesture nonetheless.[Thanks, Anonymous]
User manual for Garmin's connected nuvi 1690 reveals "nuinfo" service branding
The connected PND, by most accounts, is a dying breed. Dash couldn't pull it off, TomTom's execution was downright pathetic and no one even remembers that Insignia made one. But considering that Garmin's nüvi range has always delivered, we're going to let the nüvi 1690 ship before passing judgment. Said navigator, which just slipped into the FCC's database a fortnight ago, didn't have too many details attached to it, but a recently discovered user manual reveals that although Garmin's local-data service will be powered by Google, the company has branded it with the virtually-unpronounceable name "nuinfo." Yeah, we have no idea, but we're definitely interested in finding out what the ultimate plan is -- the shots of the device in the manual lead us to believe that local weather information will be on tap in addition to the usual waypoint searching and so forth, but unless Garmin throws these so-called "connected services" in gratis, every smartphone owner on the planet will simply laugh and move on. [Via GPS Tracklog]
Telenav Shotgun connected GPS launched, reviewed
It doesn't seem like the connected GPS market is the best place to be at the moment -- Dash just dropped hardware sales in a radical restructuring and Magellan's halted development of the 5340 -- but Telenav isn't shying away, throwing its hat into the ring with the $300 Shotgun. A $12/month GPRS subscription gets you the usual slew of web-enabled features like real-time traffic and weather, live POI searches, gas pricing, and online trip planning, all wrapped in the usual Telenav PND UI and bolstered by 11 million preloaded POIs. Sounds like an interesting piece of kit, and it's apparently well done -- GPS Review took an early look at the 4.3-inch touchscreen PND and found it to be a "good start," albeit with some minor annoyances that will hopefully be remedied in a future software update. Still, we're just not all that convinced that another subscription fee is going to appeal to many in this economic climate -- we'll see if the Shotgun manages to fire. Peep tons more pics in the gallery.%Gallery-36523%
How would you change the Dash Express?
To say we've been waiting far too long for the Dash Express to escape the labs and hit the shelves would be a gross understatement, but now that this connected navigator has taken to the streets, we're wondering if the public at large feels that it was worth the wait. During the time we spent with it on our escapades around the Windy City, we didn't find too many chinks in the armor, but for the price, we wouldn't be shocked to hear of people expecting more. So, is the Dash Express living up to your lofty expectations? Aside from rocking a discounted sticker, what else could be squeezed in here to make paying up sting a little less? The forum's yours, dear readers.
Dash Express unboxing and hands-on
Not much has changed since we got to play with a beta version of the OpenMoko-powered Dash Express GPRS / WiFi-connected GPS unit, but the packaging is quite nice and the final hardware feels top-notch -- and there are some thoughtful details like a separate cradle power connection so you can just grab and go when you get to your destination. %Gallery-19110%%Gallery-19246%
