Garmin 3490LMT Review
As a GPS Unit, the 3490LMT is phenomenal, and I'll receive to why within a bit, but first, I am choosing to write this assessment for those who, just like me, live in a part with the world where the climate is extreme enough to transform it into a necessity to take your GPS in and from the car on a regular basis to stop damage (or crime).
I utilized to possess a Garmin 765T, which inturn would be a fantastic little unit, for all the reasons Personally, I buy a GPS. I don't care so much about playing MP3's or watching photographs, or even bluetooth, I recently desire a quickly, accurate, and user friendly GPS. And, I've come to discover i additionally NEED one which is easy to adopt using me once i leave my vehicle.
So, when my 765T's maps were out of date I used to be faced along with a decision whether or to not upgrade the maps, or just acquire another unit and i also decided that for around the identical price I'd "upgrade" with a new GPS that came through lifetime map and traffic updates rather than spending money on a couple of month improve to my old Garmin 765T.
After searching around I resolved on the TomTom XXL500TM. As a GPS, it turned out a great unit, but I immediately missed the "quick release" feature of my old 765T which usually permitted me to merely pop out of it's charging cradle on very hot or extremely cold days or when parking in areas where creating a GPS in plain sight might tempt the criminally minded beyond what they were strong enough to resist. After a couple 20 second episodes groping around at night inside the dark to hook up the charging cable and snap the TomTom into its cradle, I'd had enough and i also sent it back. It was simply impractical for where I live. If you live where you could leave your GPS inside the car nearly all of the time without them growing legs, melting, or freezing in to a sub-zero brick, then save a few bucks, but if you never, read on...
Next, I began a search with the web in search of ANY gps units which had lifetime traffic and maps plus some form of a quick release charging mount. That has been literally all I cared about in terms of functions, and that i sadly came to discover that it was planning to fee me a smaller fortune to acquire a GPS matching those simple search criteria.
Finally, after comparing mounts among the TomTom and then the Garmin I broke down and tried the Garmin 1390LMT.
Same story, when the Garmin 1390LMT proved being similar in top quality to the TomTom XXL500TM in terms of response serious amounts of characteristics. And when I did find its car charger and mount to become somewhat simpler to hook up in the dark car (maybe just a few seconds of fiddling around using the power cable and mount instead of 20), that it was still a no-go.
That only left me together with a couple of other GPS designs offered anywhere, by ANY manufacturer which in fact had quick introduction mounts (for the time of the writing) and i also was hesitant to spring the $499.00 sticker cost (again, for the time of this writing), for a Garmin 3490LMT just for exactly what I saw as "a few extra features" I'd likely never use, and also a return to a somewhat quick release mount.
But then luck struck and that i was capable of pick up a 3490LMT only at Amazon to get a little over 20% off and i simultaneously sold my old 1390LMT for much more than twice just what I'd just fairly recently bought it making the improve a wash. And exactly what an Enhance it turned over to be!!
This GPS does what it really is supposed to accomplish, and yes it does it properly. It's quick. It's sleak. It's got fantastic life of the battery. AND, most importantly to me, it's got a fairly quick release mount (not exactly the same old option release since the 765T, but it can still be done within a second or a few using one, stiff, cold, gloved hand. And then for me that's not too bad in any way).
Added Bonuses:
I rapidly came to appreciate the 3790's "voice command" feature. NEVER thought I'd even apply it, and really didn't care one tiny bit regarding it once i bought it, but now I've appeared up all my frequent destinations via Yahoo Earth and entered their lat/long in as "Favorites" and using voice command I am quickly routing my next destination, and adding via points for coffee or gas, all while driving down the road, using my hands and eyes fully engaged in driving. On trips using frequent stops, the time savings truly does add up.
Voice Command Tip: The Voice Command feature works practically flawlessly through good diction, but even though munching on a snack (aka talking by using food during my mouth... shhhhshh, don't tell mom), it's still proven to become almost "false detection" proof when while using the numbered destinations saved in my "favorites".
Can it be improved upon? Yes.
1. Garmin could go returning to that old switch introduction mount they used to have got within the times of the 765T.
2. Voice Commands could have more options such as zooming maps in and out, lane assist and junction view.
Conclusions:
I heartily suggest this unit as considered one of the finest all around GPS units at the time of this writing. All opinions and brand preferences aside, it's considered one of the only real offered by any manufacturer at the time of the writing that can be quickly transferred from the car for a pocket and back as needed.
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