Navigon sneaks text-to-speech, iPod controls and location sharing into MobileNavigator app

TomTom's much-ballyhooed iPhone GPS app best step its game up, else it'll get left in the dust by none other than Navigon. The lesser-known nav company today introduced the second major update for its MobileNavigator iPhone app (our impressions are here), and the feature additions aren't anything to scoff at. For starters, the program has become the first on-board navigation app for the iPhone to gain text-to-speech functionality, and just in case hearing street names belted out through a robotic voice ain't good enough for your high standards, the inclusion of iPod control should win you over. At long last, drivers can access the full range of iPod functionalities with a single click from map access, and it even recognizes the shuffle feature to keep you guessing. Finally, a location sharing function has been added to make stalking your pals that much easier; to close, Navigon has knocked $10 off the purchase price, bringing it down to a nearly-palatable $89.99 -- and yes, those who already own it can download the update gratis.

[Via HotHardware]

[lsufan861 Posted Sep 10th 2009 11:58AM]

Give us the scoop and your experience with co pilot.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 10th 2009 2:31PM]

I've already written this once, but it didn't appear - so here goes again..
I've been very pleased with Co-Pilot. It's been around on winmo and Palm for a few years so it's a mature product. It has a couple annoyances but I've got a Tom Tom unit and I've ditched that now in favour of my iPhone with Co Pilot. It has better graphics than the Tom Tom, the screen is more responsive (obviously) and it has decent features like live weather, fuel prices, and traffic (which I think you have to subscribe to). It also has a built in messegaing system whereby you can enter friends email addresses and send them messages, and they can watch your progress on a map on the computer at home, which is cool! The message reply system on the iPhone seems to be full of bugs at the moment, and you can't control the ipod from within Co pilot - but they say that is on the way. The maps are all stored on the phone so you don't need a connection, only if you're using the live services. For 25 quid you can't go wrong - unfortunately it's buried right down in the app store so takes a bit of finding.

[liuping Posted Sep 10th 2009 4:33PM]

Co-Pilot could not find 1/2 the street address I tried.

I was really surprised because ever other nav system I've tried (but standalone and iphone based) had no problems with any of the addresses.

I delete co-pilot after 1 day...

[geo1378 Posted Sep 10th 2009 11:53AM]

This app kills tomtom right now. all the hype was over tomtom and everyone expected it to be the best end all gps app and it isnt clearly. The Navigon is worlds better than any of them right now. Id be pissed if i paid $100 for the tomtom and they dont have half the features navigon does right now.

[lsufan861 Posted Sep 10th 2009 11:54AM]

Does the TomTom cradle work with Navigon? Is there a nice iphone cradle out there that doesn't look like crap in your car. I like the ones that have the suction and stick to the wind shield.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 11th 2009 7:34AM]

I think you'll have to wait until next month and the release of the TomTom cradle before your question can be answered with any degree of certainty. My bet is that it'll take a while longer before the other GPS applications add support for it since I don't see TomTom sharing the technology prior to release in order to maintain a competitive advantage.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 10th 2009 12:20PM]

That the way to my house haha

[iandean Posted Sep 11th 2009 3:06AM]

You know, id put my bucks down straight away if they actually did full 7 digit UK postcodes

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 11th 2009 7:38AM]

"Bucks"? "UK Post Codes"? Is it me or does anyone else see the problem here? Are you lost?

[peterjohndean Posted Sep 10th 2009 12:39PM]

Is this an update for the US only? It hasn't appeared in my European apps.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 10th 2009 12:49PM]

Navigon made its debut on the app store at $69.99....they recently raised it to $89.99 just before this update.

[hawknj Posted Sep 10th 2009 12:50PM]

I have this phone that plays all my itunes songs and music video's and has a great list of games. it has bluetooth but no gps so I have a gps receiving cube very small and I have both google maps and a standard mapping package. I can take a call and keep my gps running all of this and phone only cost me $134.00. It is called a WM HTC Touch great phone and smaller then a iphone or and touch....

Oh and no 2 year contract and yes I even have voice control on it like ford has in their car the sync system.....

Some day Apple will figure it all out

[Squid7085 Posted Sep 10th 2009 1:28PM]

Apple figured out what all the other companies can't do, how to make a shit load of money with a product that only has half of what the competition has. Every cell phone maker for years has tried to do that. With that said, you kinda kicked yourself in the foot by saying that it doesn't have GPS, but you have a little wart on it to give you that.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 11th 2009 7:36AM]

That's very exciting!

* Tumbleweed blows by *

[Gorilla800lbs Posted Sep 10th 2009 12:54PM]

"Functionalities"? Similar to "traffics informations?" Has this been penned in Engadget China?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 10th 2009 4:10PM]

I downloaded this update and it has problems. It takes a LONG time to lock onto GPS (way long than previous version) and while driving, it constantly loses GPS lock (this didn't happen with previous version).

FYI

[liuping Posted Sep 10th 2009 4:35PM]

I actually think it takes my 3GS less time to GPS lock than with the last versions and I did not loose GPS lock once on the way to work today (that's all I've ben able to test so far)

I even got lock in my house a couple of times, which it never did before.

I guess YMMV...

[dewkee Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:21AM]

Here's the deal people...
I just experienced Navigon for the first time this Thanks Giving holiday. I was utterly amazed at the difference between this app and TomTom. Text-to-speech was wonderful! Not only does it tell you where and when to turn, but also says the name of the street. Vs. Yardage. Much more controls and features. It also shows the correct speed limit of the area you're in while also verbally and physically letting you know if you're exceeding the speed limit. I give navigation app to Navigon vs. TomTom HANDS DOWN!!! Oh yeah, for those of you complaining about multi-apping, it's time to grow some and jailbreak your phone. I traveled while running Navigon, Trapster, and Pandora at the same time. (while making/receiving phone and text messages at the same time using Backgrounder)  Its time to step up to the plate and relieve yourself from AT&t's parental control from the phone which "YOU" purchased and belongs to you!!!

Consider that!!! Enjoy!