Swear you won't watch TV while driving? Garmin doesn't believe you.
The Garmin nuvi 1490TV's most unique feature is a DVB-T digital terrestrial TV and radio. In Europe, where the device is being released this April, it'll allow access to television and radio in 14 countries. In the United Kingdom, there are 50 digital TV channels including the BBC, ITV and SKY, plus 24 radio stations, all for free.
Here's the catch: The nuvi 1490TV automatically disables the television and switches to navigation when your car's in motion. It's obviously meant to prevent driver distraction, but it also precludes passengers from enjoying the device's coolest feature. Garmin doesn't say in its press release whether there's a way to override this security measure, so any hopes of entertaining the kids in the back seat with the nuvi 1490TV may be dashed.
Otherwise, the nuvi 1490TV seems like a solid GPS device. It's got a 5-inch touch screen, free premium traffic updates, safety camera warnings and video input for cars that have external reversing cameras. The device can also sync up with Bluetooth phones to show call information and to dial numbers.
As car tech becomes more feature-rich, manufacturers are being forced to rethink safety. Ford's Sync platform, for example, lets users control features on their cell phones by voice, and upcoming cars equipped with the auto maker's MyFord Touch interface include controls directly on the steering wheel and color-coded buttons for easy reading.
But there's a difference between making technology less distracting to use and literally preventing people from using certain features of the technology they own. If people don't realize that they should drive free of distractions, they'll find a way to put themselves and others in danger even if Garmin tries to stop them.
