GlobalTop HD100 GPS Speed Meter HUD scores first review

The GlobalTop HD100 GPS heads-up display is pulling a formal review over at DigitalReviews. This is the same Bluetooth GPS receiver with speed alerts that we went hands-on with in March. This highly portable navigation stick packs a MediaTek chip capable of a 1 second hot start acquisition time or 36 seconds cold. Although they have yet to take the device on the open road, they've already found the bright and constantly blinking LEDs (even after GPS and Bluetooth device acquisition) to be rather annoying and likely distracting during nighttime use. The device also requires that you stick a reflective film to your windshield before getting your HUD on. Fortunately, the two included film strips are much smaller than the early prototype we saw at CeBIT. The worst news? We'll have to wait a few more weeks before they get around to testing the device on the open road. Worth the wait to see just how well the device hooks into the navigation software on Bluetooth-equipped phones and PDAs.

[Thanks, Anton]

[Mike @ May 15th 2007 8:10AM]

Defi has done this minus the gps.

http://www.nippon-seiki.co.jp/defishop/product/vsd/vsd_top.html

[Lou @ May 15th 2007 10:35AM]

The display colors chosen are horrible. There should not be a defined background color, it should be clear. The only info that should be color, should be the information you want to read. And it should be a subtle color - like the HUD on a corvette. Even the vette HUD takes time to get used to... a HUD like the one pictured would forever be a distraction!

[daaper @ May 15th 2007 11:36AM]

My HUD is one my favorite things about the car. However, I would not want this. It has to be clear to be useful -so you can look through the display and just change your focus depth. The way this thing is set up, you still have to look down.

[Boynamedsue @ May 15th 2007 11:41AM]

thank you science!

if i had to angle my gaze several more degrees downward just one more time...