Navigon's 8110 PND coming in March?

For all you PND fans (and we know you're out there) hanging around waiting for a hot new piece of navigational gear, you might want to turn your attention to Navigon's 8000 series. Specifically, focus your laser beams on the 8110, a high-end portable GPS unit that boasts a slew of nasty features like a gigantic (by nav standards) 4.8-inch WQVGA screen, a 533MHz CPU (with a graphics accelerator), 128MB RAM, 512MB ROM, Bluetooth, an RDS/TMC receiver (for traffic information), and an FM transmitter. The unit will sport the company's new MobileNavigator 7 software, which features a more realistic, enhanced 3D road view, as well as new "lane assist" functions. The 8110 is rumored to be available around March in Europe (in time for CeBIT), and will be hitting shelves with a €499 price tag.

[Via Navigadget]

[saycheese @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:06PM]

Navigon PNDs are pretty slick for their price with their free traffic alerts, Zagat rated reviews of select POIs, LaneAssist and RealityView features, but until they update their POI database to match that of Garmin or Magellan, they will continue to play second fiddle to the big boys.

I can't wait to see what the 8000 series can bring to the table.

Sincerely,
A Navigon 5100 owner

[applefreak @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:20PM]

those buttons along the bottom look like the ones on the samsung P2

[Jeff @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:39PM]

Looks nice, nice graphics, too damn expensive.

How can any company justify a price like that when a $150 PND will get you where you want to go just as well?

This is not like some products where the more features you have or the more speed you have, the better. These things only need to do one thing and do it well.

The bottom is gonna fall out of this product category at some point. PND's will become a commodity, or they'll disappear altogether, morphing into all-in-one devices along with a phone and media player. (But they won't take the PND form factor, they'll take more of an iPhone form factor if that happens.)

I can't see how anyone can justify paying 500 euros for a PND unless they literally have money coming out the wazoo.

[saycheese @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:53PM]

If you think all GPSs or PNDs are made equal, irrespective of the price, then you either clearly have not used many GPS or you have low expectations from the products.

[Dan @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:53PM]

PND stands for 'Personal Navigation Device'. Thanks Engadget.

[Craig @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:55PM]

There's no way the image on that screen is only 480x272 pixels. Either it's a fake image, or the screen resolution is really much higher than WQVGA. I suspect the former is true.

[Craig @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:01PM]

OK I take that back, the image of the screen as displayed on my monitor is only 408 px wide, so I guess it is believable that they could achieve that level of image quality on a WQVGA screen.

[PEZ @ Jan 22nd 2008 2:30PM]

Every review I have read for Navigon products have been crazy. 1, everybody seems to like the look and slickness; 2, everyone hates how it either dosnt work out of the box, or just is a piece of crap altogether with navigation. In either event, I like the ZAGAT ratings integrated. Hopefully this series will prove better than the 7100, ect.

[james @ Jan 22nd 2008 2:05PM]

Too bad half of the screen is wasted on a meaningless horizon. What's the point? Big screens with wasted space.

[Anthony @ Jan 22nd 2008 4:30PM]

It almost looks like it's made of brushed metal. Now if they could get DIVX & dual SD card support I would say by to my PMP dreams.

[S.P. Gass @ Jan 22nd 2008 6:39PM]

Does anyone know how come it's illegal to have fuzzy dice hanging from your rearview mirror, but it's okay to have a PND screen partially obstructing the front windshield?

Anyway, I'm still not planning on buying one mainly because of the cost:
http://lowtechtimes.com/2008/01/16/three-problems-with-gps-navigation-systems/

[StephenD @ Jan 23rd 2008 1:53AM]

The Navigon maps are easier to use at-a-glance than any other mapping image I have used before - and clarity is so important when driving. Who wants to be squinting at a jagged-edged map like you get with so many other devices.

My only grip is that they are EXTREMELY slow at releasing updated maps here in the UK. I know of several new major roads in my region that have been open for ages, and yet as far as Navigon are concerned, I am driving through a field.

And yes, their POI (i.e. speed camera) database is sh1t. To end on a positive note they do give the speed limit on almost all roads - including minor ones. Shame it doesn't warn you audibly untill you are breaking the limit by at least 5mph, and have already been given a ticket!