Nuvi

Garmin has announced the next generation of its Nuvi line of GPS devices, the Garmin Nuvi 3700 series. Garmin set out to make the 3700 series its thinnest ever, measuring just under 8.95mm thick. For comparison's sake, the iPhone 3GS is 12.3mm thick.

The 3700 series takes a few cues from the current crop of touch-screen smartphones, with which it will inevitably have to compete. For example, the Nuvi line's plastic resistive touch screen has been replaced with a glass capacitive touch panel (4.3 inches, WVGA) that's more in line with Apple and Google'… Read more

Any GPS device worth its salt will come preloaded with a number of prerecorded voices for speaking turn-by-turn directions aloud. But how many words does your GPS device know; what if you don't like any of them; or what if your language isn't available? Traditionally, you'd be stuck searching for and purchasing professionally recorded voice packages, but if you own a Garmin Nuvi, you can use a free application from Garmin called Voice Studio to record your own voice prompts. Here's how it's done.

Before you get started, you'll need a PC running Windows … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Even with the advent of robotic text-to-speech turn-by-turn directions, I still really enjoy playing with the different prerecorded voices on the GPS devices that I test. There's something about getting directions in a funny accent that's just comforting to me, which is why Garmin's new Voice Studio software is so intriguing.

The downloadable software will allow users to record and upload their own voice prompts to compatible Nuvi GPS devices, so that they can hear turn-by-turn directions in their own voices. The software guides users through recording replacements for the 65 words and phrases that the … Read more

I've been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Garmin Nuvi 1690. It's sort of a big deal.

As Garmin's second major foray into the world of Internet-connected PNDs and its first model powered by the nuLink data service, the Nuvi 1690 is poised to go head-up with not only our current favorite, the TomTom Go 740 Live, but also with the whole world of smartphone turn-by-turn apps.

But before I can test it, I have to open the darn thing up. Rather than just rip into the box with my teeth like I normally do, it was … Read more

We stopped by Garmin's booth at the 2009 SEMA Show expecting a new GPS device or news of another OEM integration deal, but we stumbled upon something even better. Sometime next year, Garmin's Nuvi GPS devices will gain the ability to communicate with your car through ESP. In this case, we're not talking about psychic extra-sensory perception, but the EcoRoutes ESP module for Nuvi navigation devices.

The ESP module is a hideaway box that connects to (and is powered by) your vehicle's OBD-II diagnostics port. The device gathers information about your vehicle's performance and relays … Read more