Many of today's smartphones have in-built GPS capabilities, and
at first glance their feature set can be quite intimidating.
Community-driven points of interest, maps downloadable on the fly, 3D
buildings - the list goes on and on. But because smartphone GPS devices
have to be stuffed into a small space along with a bunch of other
features, they tend to be much weaker, and sometimes require assistance
from the cellular network to even get a lock-on.
Dedicated GPS devices would not have these issues and that is why they are still viable purchase options. A good example, and the subject of this review, is the Garmin 1490LMT, a five-inch wonder that carries a whole host of features at par with the competition without breaking the bank.
The first thing you'll notice about the Garmin GPS receiver, and perhaps its most defining feature, is its massive five-inch screen, which is even brighter than some of the 4.3-inch devices that Garmin has released and makes touchscreen navigation much easier on the road. Some might complain about the fact that its 480x272 resolution remains the same as that of the smaller units, but no change was necessary given the distance at which you'll be interacting with the screen anyway. The whole device's hardware construction is sturdy, with a strong matte plastic back and a glossy bezel up front. An included suction cup mounting bracket lets you place the receiver on your windshield conveniently.
The interface is very easy to use, with what amounts to a home screen having two large buttons: "Where To?" which allows you to select a destination, either from among the millions of POIs included or by street name, and "View Map," which allows you to browse the included North American maps or any others that you have downloaded and placed into it via the microSD expansion slot. The map itself can be viewed 2D or 3D, and is made much nicer to use by the excellent screen. Turn-by-turn navigation cues are large and visible, and are augmented by clear voice navigation cues.
Bluetooth connectivity allows you to pair the Garmin 1490LMT with a Bluetooth-capable mobile phone and use the GPS receiver as a speakerphone, with its onboard speaker and microphone taking over the handset's own. The screen can turn into a dialer so you can make calls without ever reaching for the phone itself. It's a welcome feature, considering that there are dedicated "car mode" LCD panels that exist solely for this functionality.
Overall the Garmin 1490LMT has a wide variety of features that are much improved by a larger screen. It might cost a little more than its smaller brethren, but the ease provided by greater display real estate is worth the additional expense.
Dedicated GPS devices would not have these issues and that is why they are still viable purchase options. A good example, and the subject of this review, is the Garmin 1490LMT, a five-inch wonder that carries a whole host of features at par with the competition without breaking the bank.
The first thing you'll notice about the Garmin GPS receiver, and perhaps its most defining feature, is its massive five-inch screen, which is even brighter than some of the 4.3-inch devices that Garmin has released and makes touchscreen navigation much easier on the road. Some might complain about the fact that its 480x272 resolution remains the same as that of the smaller units, but no change was necessary given the distance at which you'll be interacting with the screen anyway. The whole device's hardware construction is sturdy, with a strong matte plastic back and a glossy bezel up front. An included suction cup mounting bracket lets you place the receiver on your windshield conveniently.
The interface is very easy to use, with what amounts to a home screen having two large buttons: "Where To?" which allows you to select a destination, either from among the millions of POIs included or by street name, and "View Map," which allows you to browse the included North American maps or any others that you have downloaded and placed into it via the microSD expansion slot. The map itself can be viewed 2D or 3D, and is made much nicer to use by the excellent screen. Turn-by-turn navigation cues are large and visible, and are augmented by clear voice navigation cues.
Bluetooth connectivity allows you to pair the Garmin 1490LMT with a Bluetooth-capable mobile phone and use the GPS receiver as a speakerphone, with its onboard speaker and microphone taking over the handset's own. The screen can turn into a dialer so you can make calls without ever reaching for the phone itself. It's a welcome feature, considering that there are dedicated "car mode" LCD panels that exist solely for this functionality.
Overall the Garmin 1490LMT has a wide variety of features that are much improved by a larger screen. It might cost a little more than its smaller brethren, but the ease provided by greater display real estate is worth the additional expense.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar