Garmin Nuvi 1490LMT Review – Great GPS Device with Lifetime Maps

Every single Garmin Nuvi GPS has its own charm and appeal and this 1490LMT is no different, especially considering how low the price is. Garmin are the world leader when it comes to GPS devices, and it’s easy to see why when you look at this new unit. It manages to combines some very powerful features with superb routing accuracy and a sleek modern-looking design that sets it apart from the competition.
The Nuvi 1490LMT is even more compelling as a purchase when you see how easy the user interface is to use. Read the full Garmin Nuvi 1490LMT review below, as well as details on how you can save money with a Garmin Discount Code for 2012.

Great Touch Screen with Fine Detail

One of the most appealing aspects to this device is the 5 inch touch screen display. It is large enough to let you see the maps in great detail, plus interact with all the functions using your finger. You can zoom in to see more should you want more detail, but generally a 5 inch display should suit most drivers unless you have a very deep dashboard.

Free Garmin Map Updates 4 Times a Year

In terms of using this Garmin Nuvi there are “Where” and “View Map” buttons which help you easily get started so you can plan your route. If you touch the “View Map” icon then it will display a map on the anti-glare screen. The maps are easy to understand, and you can actually get free Garmin map updates up to four times a year if you buy this device which is a fantastic bonus.
The Garmin Nuvi 1490LMT comes pre-loaded with maps of the United States, Canada and Mexico as well as millions of preloaded points of interest files. If you want different countries or regions then you will need to pay for them separately.

Advanced Route Planning and Lane Guidance

The Garmin Nuvi 1490LMT is filled with additional navigation functions due to the advanced route planning capability. This lets you enter up to 10 routes in advance which can then be saved for longer drives such as vacations. When you are driving on highways, the Garmin truly comes into its own because it shows the junctions and lanes that you should be in using graphics that are almost photo like in their appearance. It helps you to ensure you exit at the right point and don’t have to do any last minute dangerous lane changes and switches.

Bluetooth Lets You Make Hands Free Phone Calls

There are also some nice little extras included with this GPS. For example you can make hands-free phone calls using the Bluetooth functionality – which lets you connect a smartphone or iPhone straight into the device. As long as your phone is connected to the Garmin, you can receive phone calls as well as make hands-free conversations whilst on the move.

Garmin Discount Code 2012 – Save Money on Your Purchase

If you decide to purchase the Garmin Nuvi 1490LMT after reading this review then you can actually save money on your final check-out price by using this Garmin Discount 2012. The voucher code should give you a saving of at least 10% or possibly free shipping depending on what the time of year is.

How to Create and Submit Your Blogger Sitemap to Google

It is very important to generate and submit blogger sitemap to Google, Yahoo and Bing. But here a question arises that what is a sitemap? A sitemap is a digital map of all your contents on a blog or website. It is important to create such a sitemap which can be easily understand by search engines.

If you have added your sitemap to Google Webmaster Tools then all your contents will be indexed by Google and they may appear in search results very frequently. There are various types of sitemaps like rss.xml sitemaps, atom.xml sitemaps, video sitemaps, etc. But here I will tell only atom.xml sitemap, because it is very easy to generate and submit. Follow the below steps to start.

1. To submit your sitemap to Google sign in to Google Webmaster Tools. I am assuming that you have verified your blog ownership.

2. Select your blog and on the left side click Site Configuration >> Sitemap and click the red button on the right side which says Add/Test Sitemap.

3. Copy/Paste the below sitemap in the box.

• atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500

Click submit and you've done. It will take time to index all your posts. Once it is verified you will see your submitted and indexed webpages in blue and red colors as seen in the above image.

Now a very important thing you should keep in mind. The above sitemap generated is only for 500 posts. After every 500 post you have to submit a new sitemap. See below examples.

• Sitemap for less than 500 posts.

• atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500

• Sitemap for more than 500 posts but less than 1000 posts.

atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=501&max-results=500

• Sitemap for more than 1000 posts but less than 1500 posts.

atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1001&max-results=500

From above example you can see that after every 500 post you have to submit a new sitemap in addition to old sitemaps so that all your post should get indexed by Google.

3 Reasons Your Broadband Connection Isn’t Fast Enough and How to Troubleshoot

A slow broadband connection is a common problem and there can be any number of reasons behind it. Some of which you can’t do anything about, such as the weather, or the distance from your home to the nearest exchange.
However, very often the problem with your internet speed can be addressed and it’s simply a matter of discovering the problem and then fixing it.

Is Your ISP Coming Clean?

Firstly, call up your ISP and ask them to tell you the actual speeds you are getting from them; this will help you to determine where the fault lies, with them or you. However, be aware that this can be frustrating and convoluted as ISPs tend to insist you’re getting those speeds, even when you’re experiencing a slow connection.
A common problem is that some broadband internet providers advertise ‘speeds up to …’ which may not be available in your area. Before committing to a contract, you should do your homework and find out about other people’s experiences, either in your area or by doing some homework online – which is the ISP most complained about for this problem? The information can all be found online.
Ofcom can help here; the way that internet speeds are advertised is now being more rigorously enforced by the telecoms ombudsman and ISPs are required to follow a code of conduct to ensure consumers are not misled.

Is the Internal Wiring in Your Home Up to the Job?

Before you call your ISP, arm yourself with as much information as possible; starting with your router. By plugging your router directly into the phone socket where the line comes into the house, you can establish whether the speed is roughly the same as if you plug it in elsewhere. If you find that the speed is vastly improved then it suggests degradation via the internal wiring in your home; if this is the case then your ISP will charge you should you call them out to investigate.
Ideally you will keep your router plugged directly into the phone socket. If this is not a viable option then you may want to consider rewiring, so that the line from the phone socket to the router is as short as possible.

Bandwidth – Times and Other Users

Bandwidth can seriously affect your broadband speed and this is often due to the time of day that you access the internet. Outside of office hours are very busy times and so if you can avoid these, your speed should increase.
Other considerations to bear in mind here are whether there are a lot of connected devices in the home. Are your teenagers upstairs streaming YouTube content, or is your other half watching iPlayer in the next room – all of this will affect bandwidth and slow down your connection.
Consider making an agreement with the rest of the family on streaming content and ensure that all of your device’s security software is up-to-date – sometimes a malware infection can use a considerable amount of bandwidth as it communicates with outside servers.
Of course there are other reasons, but these are the most common and it’s wise to check these out before calling out an engineer, which could result in making you poorer.

Top 5 Ways to Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal

Broadband is a service that, at times, can cause much frustration; sometimes it can seem like a provider will only take you part of the way towards a fast connection, leaving it to the user to make adjustments to get the most out of what they are paying for.
Simply signing up to the best deal that you see advertised and taking no further action will assure you do not receive a provider’s full network potential, so here are the top five tips for maximizing your broadband by ‘boosting’ your Wi-Fi signal.

5. Stick to the Same Vendor

There are many different companies that offer a wide range of broadband products, and so it’s easy to get bombarded with choice. While not an officially recognized as a sure fire way of boosting Wi-Fi connection, sticking to the same brand of hardware does have a few advantages.
Many expert opinions suggest that same brand pieces of hardware harmonize with each other more efficiently than those of two different vendors.
Sticking to one brand can really pay off when it comes to customer support; there’s nothing more annoying than having to phone each separate company when something goes wrong- consulting one name will help you find the cause of the issue faster.
Whether it’s an attempt by the hardware companies to create customer loyalty or genuine cross-brand communication breakdown, sticking to one company’s range of Wi-Fi products is worth trying if you have the choice.

4) Buy a Signal Booster

A signal booster is one of the most simple (and oldest) ways of improving a Wi-Fi signal. There are many official branded signal boosters that operate via USB to deliver a much stronger connection. These boosters have been quoted as capable of increasing Wi-Fi signal by up to six hundred percent.

The average cost of branded USB aerial boosters is around one hundred pounds, but it’s no secret that a basic amplifier can be constructed from household objects like tin cans and even paper. Of course, these makeshift devices will not increase a signal’s strength like a proper aerial booster will, but they may go some way toward ‘aiming’ the signal towards computers, tablets and other Wi-Fi compatible products, establishing an improved connection.

3) Replace Your Antenna

The standard aerial that comes with most routers will be ‘omnidirectional’. These send the signal in every direction away from the router as a broad, unspecific method of transmission. This broad transmission could mean that if the router is positioned next to a wall, half of the ‘sphere’ of signal could be outside of your home. With a custom aerial, you can choose a different transmission pattern and also aim toward your devices.

2) Reduce Interference

A router’s signal can be effected or even disrupted by devices such as garage door controllers and baby monitors. Fortunately, wireless routers can broadcast using many different channels to these devices. It is a wise idea to alter it’s channel in order to prevent interference , this will give a more focused signal. You can change the channel of your router by logging into the accompanying software and following the instructions listed. Alternatively, you can contact your broadband supplier, who can talk you through the process.

1) Consider Your Router’s Location

The positioning of the router is arguably the most important thing to consider when trying to maximize signal strength. A simple thing to remember is that a signal can be blocked by obstacles around the house or office. The less obstacles the signal has to pass through, the the stronger it will be. Some experts recommend positioning the router in the centre of a building to give even coverage. Positioning a router too close to walls or even metal objects can severely effect signal strength.
It’s clear that many things need to be considered in order to truly make the most of your wireless broadband. These small steps will go a long way towards maximising this increasingly important factor of daily life.
This is a guest post on behalf of Broadband Choices, a leading UK broadband advice & comparison website.