nuvi

Garmin and AT&T just announced that AT&T will be the wireless network provider for the nuvi 1690, a portable navigation device (PND) with built-in wireless planned for release later this year.

The nuvi 1690 will come with Garmin's nuLink!, a service that will give customers mobile access to Google Local search and up-to-date local information, including traffic, weather, fuel prices, movie listings, flight status, local events, and white page telephone listings. The service also features Ciao!, Garmin's location-based social networking system.

The nuvi 1690 will come with two years of free Garmin nuLink! service, and will have maps of North America preloaded. It is expected to be available in the fourth quarter of 2009 for $499.99. After the first two years of service, the price of the Garmin nuLink! service is $5.00/month. Read more

Garmin today announced a new GPS in their nüvi line – the 1490T. This 5-inch, touchscreen GPS is 25-percent thinner than other nüvi models. In what Garmin calls a "premium automotive GPS device", the nüvi 1490T features free lifetime traffic alerts, lane assist with junction view (for those complicated intersections), automatic time zone transition and a speed limit indicator.

The 1490T makes route planning easy, as it saves up to 10 routes. And to help travelers save money, it comes with ecoRoute, which suggests the most fuel-efficient route. "Shorter distance" and "Faster time" routes are available as well. Bluetooth is also included for receiving and placing phone calls (over 200 Bluetooth enabled phones are supported).

The Garmin nüvi 1490T will be available in July 2009 for $499.99.