Garminfone from Garmin

This is Garminfone , one of GPS manufacture bring new phone named Garminfone . It doesn't take a rocket scientist -- er, make that a smartphone industry analyst --

to figure out that Garmin's been underperforming in the handset game since it tied up with ASUS early last year; notable missteps have included lackluster hardware, a hopelessly delayed first model, banking fortunes on WinMo in its twilight years, and a general failure to capture the kinds of blockbuster carrier deals that can prop up your bottom line. Indeed, it wasn't long ago that the company went public with the fact that Garmin-Asus' financials weren't where they needed to be, but things are getting a little more serious now: CFO Kevin Rauckman has mentioned in an interview that they'll need to decide "within the next couple of quarters whether [they] continue to invest or whether [they] pull back." Of course, "pull back" is probably code for "cut and run,"

Description: Garminfone from Garmin Rating: 4.5 Reviewer: sms ItemReviewed: Garminfone from Garmin

Garmin Nuvi 1690 Specification

The good: The Garmin Nuvi 1690 features free (and ad-supported) access to Garmin's NuLink data service, which provides traffic data, fuel prices, Google Search for points of interest, and a host of other features, including Bluetooth hands-free calling help to keep the driver's hands on the wheel while navigating.

The bad: The move to microSD media renders all old Garmin SD cards obsolete. Touch screen exhibits weird flickering when the data connection is being accessed.

The bottom line: By itself, the Garmin Nuvi 1690 is merely a solidly performing GPS device, but it earns its keep through the free NuLink service, giving users easy access to up-to-the-minute data for safety, convenience, and entertainment.

Description: Garmin Nuvi 1690 Specification Rating: 4.5 Reviewer: sms ItemReviewed: Garmin Nuvi 1690 Specification