Garmin nüvi 3790T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
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Nuvi 3790T GPS
Features
- Less than 9 mm thick – about the same as a standard #2 pencil
- Full glass 4.3″ diagonal multi-touch display
- Dual orientation capabilities allow you to use the nüvi 3790T either horizontally or vertically
- Innovative speech recognition let’s you control your nüvi with your voice – allowing you to keep both hands on the whee
- Bluetooth® compatible with a built-in microphone and speaker
- Dimensions (W x H x L): 5 x 3 x 5 inches
- Weight: 1 pounds
Very Sexy nuvi 3790T
This is a fine addition to the Garmin lineup! Coming from the eMap and owning several iterations forward, I can say it’s a real beaut. Owned it about 4 days now and it looks like the feature-set is what I’ve been waiting for. Just a few quick observations, will update again later:
The sexiness is in the glossy display. It’s a fingerprint magnet, but fingerprints do not hinder clarity once you turn it on as you won’t notice them. It’s a trade off but worth it. As with all displays of this caliber, keep a fine microfiber cloth with your go-gear (you should have one anyway?), if the fingerprints are an annoyance.
Bluetooth is acceptable, but I’d like to see the ability to transfer map addresses to the unit via Bluetooth from (e.g.) Google maps, etc., and not have to connect it to my PC with a usb cable every time. (a short 18″ usb cable comes in the package). That’s not a slight on Garmin, but the overall state of Bluetooth technology. I did manage to pair the unit with my WIN7 ULT OS and onboard module but the usefulness of that has yet to be determined.
The speaker(s) is almost too loud, which is great! No more missed exits because I was listening to the radio cranked up. I would however like to see the speaker level automatically adjust based on the ambient sound within the vehicle.
Voice Command works very well and so far has not misinterpreted any spoken commands.
Unit gets a tad warm on the right rear side while charging, but that’s not unexpected given the very slim form factor.
5 stars for now is very deserving. May be a bit pricey for some, others not. Once you get your hands on one of these, it’ll be hard to put it down.
Great GPS!
I previously owned a Garmin Nuvi 260 and loved it. I decided to give it to my parents and upgrade for myself. After much research, I decided on the 3790t. I really didn’t care about some of the “new” functions my 260 didn’t have, but I loved the idea of voice commands.
I just received it today (I realize I haven’t truly tested it) but I have spent a few hours programming in some favorites, used it to get me to a friend’s house and back, tried out the voice activation on several commands and all in all, I am going to love this new unit.
There is one hitch mine seems to have but nothing worth dropping the rating or returning it. Some of the commands aren’t very sensitive to touch on the touch screen. But I can get them to work. If it becomes a worse problem later on, I’ll return it and get another one, but right now it isn’t too bad. I just have to touch it again and leave my finger on it a little longer, whereas, most of the commands barely need to be touched.
I will update this review if I have anything negative to say, but right now all I can see is a lot of happy travels with my new GPS!
Crisp Display, Super Thin, Wonderful GPS!
I just got my Nuvi 3790 today and I must say it is by far the best GPS I have owned. I have owned Garmins, TomToms, Navigon, and Magellans.
The display is super crisp and bright. Even in bright sunlight. I had my Nuvi 1690 up next to it. The 1690 was washed out, the 3790 was very, very bright.
I transferred my favorites (waypoints) from the 1690 without a hitch. Also installed traffic cameras… no problem. I tried the voice command and it worked surprisingly well. I had used a TomTom with voice control and this was far superior. You get a list of commands on the screen and I had no problem activating the feature simply by saying, “Voice Command.’ Picked me up without a hitch. Only once it seemed to freeze on me and for a minute I thought I would have to do a reset, but I said another command and it cleared.
The unit is super thin. In fact, I almost lost my grip on it a few times it is so thin. I bought the Garmin case for it and it fits very well. Easily fits in my shirt pocket.
I did a backup on the hard drive, which by the way is a whopping 8 GB, using a little over 4 GB — room for expansion indeed. I couldn’t select all on my mac and get them all to copy over, but I burned a DVD and pretty much everything was copied from what I could tell. It took about 25 minutes or so.
The unit did get pretty warm in use, perhaps because of the black back and the sun. I haven’t used it at night to tell if that is it.
I live in northern Virginia and was not able to pick up traffic. My 1690 was showing traffic in the same areas. The 1690 is cell-connected, the 3790 is FM.
In comparison with the 1690 with most detail selected, the 3790 is pretty much about the same in many areas, perhaps a bit more in others. No complaints about that at all so far.
I do like the ability to rotate the screen. I didn’t think I would but I like the portrait view. It gives me more of where I am going rather off to the sides. i will need to experiment with it.
Routing is a bit different than my 1690. I will see how it evolves in its learning my routes. Calculation seems quick. It did take a while to lock in after being powered off, but nothing appreciable.
I can easily pack this, or put it in my shirt pocket and take it most places.
A great GPS. Pricey, but wonderful. This is the iPhone 4 of the GPS world. Nothing comes close to the beauty of the 3790.
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Update – 7/6/10
The Junction Views on this appear more often than they did on my 1690. Same map version, but obviously updated Junction Views. I have read that in Europe they have photo realistic Junction Views and from the pictures they look very good. Hopefully they will update the US Junction Views to photo realistic ones…. makes for a much nicer picture.
Also, the software user interface is different in this unit and while it offers pretty much what the 1690 software does, many things are in different places. For instance the last position you are at when you remove the unit from the mount in the 1690 was found under favorites. In the 3790 it is found under parking – last stop.
Best thing is to explore all the menus and see what’s there. Very nice indeed.
Impressive But There Were Some Issues
I have owned many gps units for the past 10 years. I am very picky when it comes to gps units and I do not think twice about sending back units that I do not feel are good and accurate. I currently own Nuvi models 360 and 780.
I received my 3790T last week and for a brand new model this one has blown me away. One main thing to remember is to make sure you uncheck most of the choices on the avoidance screen so your routing is more accurate. For instance on my unit the only thing I have checked is to avoid ferries.
I downloaded the voice Dr. Nightmare and is by far my most favorite voice and is excellent quality. The maps that ship with this unit are April 2010 and Garmin support indicated the next map update is due out in July and they indicated I would get that update for free.
So far the 3790T has exceeded my expectations and I will keep this unit.
It has not locked up or rebooted at all during the first week so far, so hopefully the hardware issues other models have had are not going to occur since this model is a new design.
I would highly recommend this unit !
***Update***
Well after writing my previous review the 3790T starting to do some strange things. When I left work or my house I did not go the direction that the gps had suggested which would of normally prompted the gps to recalculate the route. In both cases the gps correctly showed my position on the street which was 1-5 blocks away from the suggested route and it did not reroute me until I crossed the suggested route and then it recalculated.
Next I had problems getting the unit to power up when getting in my car one morning. I placed the 3790T into the cradle with the car turned on and it would not power up, I removed the 3790T and tried to power it up holding it in my hand and still nothing. I then placed it back into the cradle again and after about 1 minute it power up. Keep in mind the battery was fully charged.
The last and most puzzling issue was I had told the gps that I wanted to go home so it calculated the route correctly, then I decided I wanted to stop for gas on the way home and searched for the gas station and selected to add it to my route which it did successfully. While still driving towards the first stop at the gas station I added a stop at Wendys into my route which occured about 4 miles after the gas station and 3 miles before my home.
I arrived at the gas station just fine, then it wanted to route me home first even though I was driving right past the Wendys that happens before my house, then once I arrived at home it wanted to have me do a U turn and go back to the Wendys.
I cancel the trip and put it back in again and it still was going to route me home, before the Wendys.
I called Garmin tech support, held for the usual 1 hour and then explain the various issues. Since there are no software updates for this new unit yet the only suggestion then had was to do a reset all and see if it happens again.
Well I decided not to keep the unit because I can’t justify keeping a gps that does not route correctly. I purchased a Magellan Roadmate 3045-LM on sale for $169 that includes lifetime traffic and map updates that uses Navteq maps and traffic just like Garmin does and works correctly.
So if you are looking for a dependable no frills gps I would highly recommend the Magellan Roadmate 3045-LM. Also if you are a AAA member, once you register your Roadmate you can extend the hardware warranty for 1 extra year for free !
Best of the best
This unit is, hands-down, the most beautiful PND I have ever seen. The industrial design is amazing. I was happy with my Nuvi 785t, but when I saw the 3790t, I had to have it! It looks better than almost all phones I have seen and I have to wonder why Garmin doesn’t put Android on the device and turn it into a smartphone. The user interface has changed somewhat from previous versions and it took some getting used to, but I have come to appreciate the changes. I must admit that the voice recognition isn’t perfect, but it is significantly better than other devices I’ve tried. Other than that, I haven’t experienced any bugs or problems; everything has worked flawlessly. Compared to my previous PND, this one is faster, smoother and more polished. Before deciding to buy this one, I checked out some devices from TomTom and other manufacturers, but none of them even compare. This thing is game-changing. I expect Garmin’s competitors to try to copy this device the way Apple’s competitors attempt to copy the iPhone. Put this side by side with any other navigation device and I’m sure you’ll agree.
Finally a reason to upgrade from my nuvi 760
For the most part, standalone navigators have retained their same form factor for the better part of the last five years. Each one looked like the other, with the main differentiators being a fold-out or integrated antenna and a big or small display. I wasn’t convinced that shaping a Navigation unit like a smartphone was the best answer, but you won’t find me complaining about the sleek lines and slim nature of the nüvi 3790T. The 3790T is the king of the 3700 series and packs a 4.3-inch WVGA multitouch display and a frame that’s just 9mm thick; what you’re left with is the most stunning personal NAV system on the planet.I have now had a chance to play with mine for about a week and I have to say, it’s simply amazing.
I specifically love the multitouch display. Garmin’s older nüvi screens were some of the best resistive panels ever, but having access to this is a real treat. My only gripe with the display is how stunningly glossy it is, making it somewhat difficult to use outdoors where it’s obviously shaped to be used. Then there’s free lifetime traffic alerts, an integrated antenna, the company’s own EcoRoute and nüRoute services and a somewhat overhauled interface. The 2D and 3D maps are gorgeous, and they certainly load more quickly than on older, slower devices. I also noticed that town and street names auto-populated at a blazing pace. Overall a really sweet upgrade from my 760.
Love it!!!
It looks just like my new iPhone 4, and is so easy to use. I love it!
Garmin Nuvi 3790T everything I expected and more
Received the Garmin 3790T four days ago. I upgraded from a from a Garmin Nuvi 760. My first comment is Wow! The size and physical design of this beauty is amazing. That’s the same word that comes out of most people mouth’s when I show them my new toy. Physical beauty aside this new unit really is a huge step up from my 760.
The 800 x 480 pixel glass screen is incredibly clear and a huge enhance over my old unit. The multi-point screen works great. Everything about the 3970 is an improvement from the old 760.
One interesting point is the 3790 picks slightly different routes than the 760 used to. I assume this is the nuRoute/trafficTrends in action.
Hands down my favorite feature on the 3790 is Voice Command. When I originally bought this item I had concerns about how well this feature would work. Let me tell you it works great. I can navigate to some place, add stops or phone someone without ever having to pull over or take my hands off the wheel. What a huge safety improvement.
Another seemingly small item they improved that I really like is the zooming. The map zooms in as you slow down and out as you speed up. It does it very smoothly and provides the perfect amount of data for my tastes.
The traffic data is also very useful in urban areas and well presented. However this area contains my only complaint about the product. Using the traffic feature causes small little adds to occasionally pop up on the screen. They are unobtrusive and don’t happen very often so far but I would prefer to find a way to turn them off.
All in all I love my new Nuvi. It is one of the best purchases I’ve made in years.
Doesn’t support ecoRoute HD, doesn’t export routes via Mapsource
You would think that the newest and supposedly top-of-the-line product would support the most interesting feature that Garmin recently introduced, the ecoRoute HD, but nooo, because Garmin wants you to buy 3760 for that. Garmin continues to play games, spreading features all over the product line hoping that you would buy a few different units for the features you like. Also missing is support for exporting routes from Mapsource… This device, although well-designed hardware-wise was rushed to the market and not ready for the prime time until they make it right by fixing its firmware.
COMPLETE JUNK STAY FAR AWAY
THE NUVI 3790T IS A $[...] PIECE OF JUNK! STAY FAR AWAY. MY EXCHANGE THROUGH GARMIN HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. I HAVE SO MANY ISSUES WITH THE NUVI 855 THAT THEY EVEN EXCHANGED IT FOR THE 3790T AND THEY THREW MORE JUNK MY WAY.
THE 3790T HAS BUGS GALORE. STARTS OFF WITH VOICE COMMAND IF YOU SAY “GO” or “GO WALK” IT WILL BRING UP A MENU THAT IS FULL OF BUGS.(THERE IS NOT EVEN A COMMAND FOR GO BUT BY SAYIING GO HOME IT INTERPERTED MY VOICE AS SAYING “GO” IT WILL GIVE AN OPTION TO DRIVE OR WALK WHICH IS WEIRD. AS SOON AS YOUR IN THAT MENU AND CHOOSE WALK YOU’LL NOTICE THE “NEAR” AND UP” COMMAND ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN ARE STAMPED OVER EACH OTHER. AND YOU CANNOT ESCAPE THE VOICE COMAMND MODE. THE ONLY WAY I FIGURED OUT WAS TO SAY “VOICE COMMAND” AND THEN SAY ” VIEW MAPS”.
THEN I PUT THE UNIT INTO SLEEP MODE AND BOY IT WENT INTO A PERMANENT COMA! IT WILL NOT WAKE UP AND UNLIKE THE 855 YOU CANNOT TAKE OUT THE BATTERY TO RESET IT. IT HAS ALREADY REBOOTED ON ME A FEW TIMES ONE BEING WHEN I CHARGED IT. GARMIN WILL GET MY EARFUL THIS MORNING.
I SPOKE TO A SUPPORT REP AND THEY HAD ME PLUG THE UNIT INTO THE COMPUTER AND ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING HAPPENED. NOW, THE UNIT DOES NOT POWER ON AND IT IS WARM TO THE TOUCH. MAYBE IT WILL EVENTUALLY OVERHEAT, CATCH FIRE AND
DISINTEGRATE THEN I CAN GET ON WITH MY LIFE!
I posted a You Tube Video of when it was powering on. You can clearly see how Garmin messed up on their voice commands. This is what you pay $[...] for????????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7839PBxJvbM