Garmin nüvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished)

by Garmin

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 0.6 x 5.4 x 3.4 inches ; 7.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B002YNRUCM
• Item model number: nüvi1490TREFURB
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #392 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

  #24 in	Electronics > Car Electronics > Vehicle GPS > Portable Vehicle GPS
  #61 in	Electronics > GPS & Navigation

• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 22, 2009

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

This is a refurbished GPS. Refurbished generally means that the unit has been returned to the manufacturer, who brings the navigator back to like new conditions. Some GPS may contain cosmetic blemishes.

The large screen nüvi 1490T offers multiple-point routing and lane assist with junction view to help you manage busy highway interchanges. It also has subscription-free traffic alerts for most cities, hands-free calling, pedestrian navigation options and ecoRoute.

Navigation is just the beginning.

See Even More
It's easy to see where you're going on nüvi 1490T's 5-inch touchscreen display. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. With its large screen, you'll always get the big picture.

Navigate City Transit
With its enhanced pedestrian navigation capabilities, nüvi 1490T is the perfect travel companion for getting around town. Download optional cityXplorer content to help you navigate city public transit. Know where to walk, where to catch the bus, subway, tram or other transportation and how long it will take to get there. cityXplorer maps are available for select cities throughout North America and Europe. And with prices as low as $9.99, you'll have money left over to spend in the big city.

Take It With You
Twenty-five percent slimmer than other nüvis, you can take the ultra-thin 1490T anywhere. It easily fits in your pocket or purse, and its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot.

Know the Lane Before It's Too Late
No more guessing which lane you need to be in to make an upcoming turn. Lane assist with junction view guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. It realistically displays road signs and junctions on your route along with arrows that indicate the proper lane for navigation.

Plan Ahead
nüvi 1490T includes advanced navigation features to take the worry out of traveling. With route planning you can save 10 routes, specify via points and preview simulated turns on the 1490T's large screen. In addition, nüvi 1490T automatically sorts multiple destinations to provide an efficient route for errands, deliveries or sales calls. A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you've been on the map.

Brilliant 5-inch touchscreen display.             Click to enlarge.

Steer clear of traffic with the included FM traffic receiver and free lifetime traffic updates. Click to enlarge.

Get Turn-by-Turn Directions
nüvi 1490T's intuitive interface greets you with two simple questions: "Where To?" and "View Map." Touch the color screen to easily look up addresses and services and get voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination. It comes preloaded with detailed City Navigator NT street maps, nearly 6 million points of interest (POIs), 2-D or 3-D maps and the speed limit for most major roads. Its digital elevation maps show you shaded contours at higher zoom levels, giving you a big picture of the surrounding terrain. With the 1490T's enhanced user interface, you can slide your finger to conveniently scroll between screens. You can also upload custom points of interest (POIs). And with HotFix satellite prediction, nüvi calculates your position faster to get you there quicker.

Make Hands-free Calls
For hands-free calling, nüvi 1490T integrates Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker. Just pair it with your compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free through the 1490T while staying focused on the road. Simply dial numbers with nüvi's touchscreen keypad to make a call. To answer calls, just tap the screen and speak into its built-in microphone. Enjoy convenient one-touch dialing for contacts and points of interest.

Receive Free Traffic Alerts
Steer clear of traffic with nüvi 1490T's integrated FM traffic receiver and free lifetime* traffic updates. Receive alerts about traffic delays and road construction that lie ahead on your route. Next, simply touch nüvi's screen to view traffic details or detour around the problem area. Watch informational video

Lifetime traffic extends for the useful life of your Garmin traffic receiver (as long as you own a compatible Garmin GPS) or as long as Garmin receives traffic data from its traffic supplier, whichever is shorter.

Go Beyond Navigation
Navigation is just the beginning. nüvi 1490T saves you gas and money with ecoRoute--a green feature that calculates the most fuel-efficient route, tracks fuel usage and more. The 1490T includes many travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. With photo navigation, you can download pictures from Garmin Connect Photos and navigate to them. It's also compatible with MSN Direct (receiver purchase and subscription required). With its "Where Am I?" emergency locator, you always know your location. Simply tap the screen to get your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations. The 1490T features Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and is compatible with our free Garmin Garage where you can download custom voices and vehicles. Enhance your travel experience with optional plug-in microSD cards.

What's in the Box
nüvi 1490T, preloaded City Navigator NT for North America, lifetime traffic, FM traffic receiver with vehicle power cable, vehicle suction cup mount, USB cable, dashboard disc, and quick start manual

Which nüvi is Best for You?

Note: All nüvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.

Device	Screen Size inches (W x H)	Included Maps			Text-to-Speech (Directions in Real Street Names)	Traffic	Bluetooth	Media	FM Transmitter (audio through car stereo system)	Multi-Point Routing	Battery life (hours)
		Cont. U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico	AK and Canada	Europe
nüvi 205	2.8 x 2.1					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 205w	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 255	2.8 x 2.1					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 255w	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 260w	3.81 x 2.25							Photos			up to 5
nüvi 265T	2.8 x 2.1					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 265WT	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 275T	2.8 x 2.1					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 285WT	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free);		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 465T	3.81 x 2.25					FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 755T	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos, MP3s			up to 4
nüvi 760	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 5
nüvi 765T	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos, MP3s			up to 4
nüvi 775T	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos, MP3s			up to 4
nüvi 780	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 5
nüvi 785T	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9months free); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 4
nüvi 850	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 4
nüvi 855	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 4
nüvi 885T	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 9 months free); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos, MP3s			up to 4
nüvi 1200	2.8 x 2.1					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 1250	2.8 x 2.1					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 1260T	2.8 x 2.1					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 1300	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 1350	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 1350T	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 1370T	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 1390T	3.81 x 2.25					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 1490T	4.4 x 2.5					MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)		Photos			up to 4
nüvi 1690	3.81 x 2.25					NAVTEQ Traffic, 2 years free (Garmin nüLink! service)		Photos			up to 3

Product Description

The large screen nÜvi® 1490T offers multiple-point routing and lane assist with junction view to help you manage busy highway interchanges. It also has subscription-free traffic alerts for most cities, hands-free calling, pedestrian navigation options and ecoRoute™.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

134 of 138 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! Severe Traffic Ahead, Recalculating!, February 8, 2010

By	Lee Besing "N5NTG" (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished) (Electronics)

I bought this item after much comparison with the others available. This item was refurbished by Garmin, but still had a 1 year factory warranty, so why pay full retail? I just found this same GPS at a local major retail store for $449.99, so my $243 purchase price was a bargain, especially with free shipping!Garmin nüvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished)

Features - I wanted multi-point mapping abilities & ability upload routes from my PC, cause I volunteer for the MS150 and Tour de Cure bicycle events that have multiple break points (rest stops) and a route that zig-zags all over creation.

Features - I liked the idea of a larger screen (5 inch), the lifetime traffic service, the built in bluetooth speakerphone, and Garmin's reputation.

Map Upgrades - I found that I could buy a lifetime subscription to map updates for a little over $100, using the 10% discount code Garmin gave me for registering my unit with them. (Note: register with Garmin first, then buy the map upgrade from their site, save 10%.)

Other Items Bought - I also bought the Garmin friction dash mount to use instead of the (included) suction cup window mount.Garmin Portable Friction Mount [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]

Who Needs the Stinking Manuals - Being a guy, I didn't bother with reading any manuals until much later. Got it straight out of the box, turned it on and used it for a trip right then and there, comparing it side by side with my old GPS. I plugged in a destination about 160+ miles away involving interstate highways in Texas, plus some side roads, multiple towns, etc. I went straight from the PO Box, to the carwash before leaving town and hitting the highway north to Ft. Hood from San Antonio, TX.

The Garmin 1490T got me there faster (than the way my old GPS tried to route me) by about 20 minutes, cause it took me down a state highway with 60-70mph speeds, instead of sticking only to US highways.

Audio Directions - Audio quality quite nice in my opinion. Computer female voice, default 80% volume setting, easy to hear over road noise even in a rainstorm while driving.

Bluetooth Speaker Phone- I figured out how to connect my cell phone to the Garmin 1490T fairly easy, with pin code 1234. I've been making and sending calls thru it, mostly as a speaker phone, but found that the 1490T actually pulled down my phone directory and I could dial from there instead. But it didn't get 100% of the directory. For some reason, it didn't get all 500 phone #'s, like it skipped my wife's cell number. (not good). Audio has been reported as good from the callers on the other end, saying some road noise detected, one saying I sounded like I was on a speaker phone, but quite legible even while highways noise was in background. Don't try using the speaker phone while driving in a rainstorm, too much background road noise from the rain hitting the windshield, etc.

Traffic Alerts - I wasn't sure how that worked, but trusted it would, since San Antonio, TX, (where I live) was on the list of covered cities. But as I drove north on IH-35 toward Austin, TX, all of a sudden a voice came out of nowhere saying "Severe Traffic Congestion Ahead, Recalculating Route". This was about 35 miles before the congestion! It took me up into the congested area, then routed me around the majority of it. Wish I had trusted it earlier and I would have popped over to the nearby tollroad miles earlier instead. To me it was magic, I'm not sure how this works (FM transmitter / received built into power cord) in terms of where they get their live traffic info from, but it worked.

Lane Changing Alerts - The visual guide to changing lanes was more of a "hey, there are two right turn lanes ahead, left two lanes go straight", etc. Audio was very accurate in saying "stay left for exit to..." or "stay right to exit then turn left/right, etc." Very timely alerts and I never missed a turn while using it on this trip.

Screen Display - Easy to read! It alerts me to local speed limits when driving on highways, was only off by 5mph one short stretch of Texas Hwy 195 (speed was actually 60 instead of 65). Noticed some glare when the sun hit the screen from behind or from the side, will apply anti-glare screen like I used on my digital camera to see if that helps in future.

Cons: When text messaging received, it says "unknown caller" and stays on the screen, despite touching "ignore" or "answer". Have noticed a few times that pop-up screen (while using bluetooth function) is annoying only because it didn't go away right away, but the GPS kept giving me audio directions even though I couldn't see the map. I'm going to keep playing with that "issue" and contact Garmin tech support about it if I can't resolve it myself.

Recommendation - Yes, I strongly recommend this model to anyone wanting a easy to read, easy to use, accurate GPS for their vehicle. Supposedly it has pedestrian direction functions built in, with additional maps available for purchase (really cheap per metro area), but I will only be using it in my mini-van.

Thank you Amazon for another amazing deal!

54 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fixed firmware makes this refurbished Nuvi the very best of the best!, May 15, 2010

By	Jackson Harris "jhaxxis" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished) (Electronics)

OK ... First things first. When the 1490 was first released in 2009, the firmware was so buggy that the unit even suffered from spontaneous reboots ... IN MID ROUTE! Occasionally it would not even restart again without the 10 second hold on the on button. THOUSANDS of these units were returned to COSTCO who got the original release. In fact, so many were returned that Garmin actually released this product again ... as a refurbished unit. The only change being loading new firmware and packing it in a white box.
So now ... for under $200 you can get a new ... almost ... Nuvi with the best form factor, feature set, and ... now ... rock solid firmware on the market.
Here is what to do ...
1. Buy this unit ... just get it.
2. As soon as it arrives, scan the Amazon paperwork ... you'll need it for step 4
3. Log on to [...] and attempt to register the unit (you will need the S/N)
4. If you cannot register the unit ... you likely cannot ... call Garmin support (excellent USA based support) and tell them you cannot register your refurbished unit. They will ask you to send them proof of recent purchase ... immediately email the Amazon paperwork scanned in step 2. They will make an entry on the spot and you can register right away. Also explain that you want new maps. They can hook you up with a download of the newest maps since you are a new owner.
5. Download and install Garmin's free Webupdater program. You will need that to get the latest firmware updates. Latest version was issued May 10, 2010 and is version 4.10.
6. Finally ... install in your car and enjoy.

I know, all this takes time. The new map downloads alone are 2 hours, and the scanning thing ... well, just know that it is worth it. The 5" screen is awesome and since the resolution is unchanged, everything is bigger and clearer. Audio is louder and clearer on this model. Battery life is better. Bluetooth now works very well. The eco info is very useful and the traffic is perfect now ... in this latest firmware. Lane assist is 'da bomb. And don't forget about the little extras like an awesome photo viewer and available micro SD slot (I put in an 8 Gig card and Nuvi had no trouble reading it.)
All and all, you score big as a result of Garmin's short sighted decision to release an unfinished product too early. But now that the firmware is fixed ... WOW!!!

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SIMPLY THE BEST YOU COULD ASK FOR!, March 15, 2010

By	david c leavitt - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Garmin nüvi 1490/1490T 5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (Factory Refurbished) (Electronics)

I've owned several Garmin GPS products in the past, and The 1490T is my latest purchase. I consider Garmin truly the "gold standard" in the product field. Attractive casing, well engineered and laid out and very intuitive. The five inch screen is bright, easily read in traffic and very colorful, and frankly I can't understand why this five inch screen option is not offered on the rest of the upper scale Garmin line. Bluetooth linking to my I-Phone 3G S is flawless and audio quality both sending and receiving is quite good. The interface is easy to input addresses, and the user menu offers a wealth of information you can op for. In reading another review here included, the compliant arose over outdated map data, undoubtedly related to the refreb status. I too noted older map data in my unit, but with a simple free call to Garmin tech support I was easily able to overcome this problem. The tech support representative simply asked me for proof of current purchase date from Amazon, which I provided easily and quickly by emailing a copy of my Amazon online invoice. I was then provided with an updated current warranty date, and made eligible for the sixty day initial Garmin online complimentary mapping update. The resulting download I was then allowed to access through my newly set up Garmin account page gave me the latest North American map soft wear version 2010.40. The graphic lane change feature is amazing, as all screen clutter is immediately removed as you approach a major highway brake and are shown a colorful 3D arrow guiding you visually into the correct lane to maintain route. Again, the five inch screen size shines! The 1490T is state of the art, providing superb routing, colorful interface, excellent blu tooth connectivity, and the wonderful lane change feature...at $199.00 as a refurbished with a full year's factory warranty..look no further!