Garmin 1695
Garmin 1695
Garmin presented the new 1695 model at the 2010 IFA event. The 1690 was its first internet-enabled navigation system. This is the second internet capable offering. The 1695 features a bigger screen than the 1690. Other changes involve the storage ring and the Live services. The unit includes maps of 44 European countries as of October 2010.
The display size increased from the 1690 from 4.3 inches to 5 inches on the 1695. The larger unit is more suitable for bigger cars like SUV’s, vans, and small trucks. Traffic jams are displayed via its internet capability in real time with no delay. The service includes a much more extensive road network, including roads and inner cities in contrast to the earlier models. A feature called traffic trend in turn picks up when calculating route historical traffic data and tries these calculations in advance. This is handy for busy roads to avoid potential congestion.
A so-called dynamic Park information feature is newly added to the previous Live services. It enumerates not only parking, but displays at the same time the current occupancy of parking garages, as well as the fees. Drivers can also view the cheapest petrol stations in the vicinity. Live services such as Google online search have been maintained.
The Live feature of the 1690 is useful not only for frequent drivers on highways, but also for regional travel on smaller roads. With the weather conditions feature it should certainly make many drivers sit up, as the Live feature for a small additional charge can be extended to a weather radar and severe weather warnings. Both the parking information and the filling station search can effectively and frequently be used, which is quite helpful in reducing the cost of the Live service.
The 1695 has the typical Garmin qualities such as ease of use and a very good routing offer.
