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IRL: HTC One S, Columbia GPS Pal and the Eton Rukus Solar
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. This week in IRL, Jon Fingas takes what could be an unpopular stance, making a case for the HTC One S over the bigger, more lavishly specced One X. Meanwhile, Darren and Dan test some summer-appropriate tech, including a GPS app for outdoor sports and a solar-powered speaker dock.
Navigon boosts iPhone app to version 2.1, discounts purchases through July 16th
Navigon's hitting those holiday roads a day early, releasing version 2.1 of its iPhone app. The free update adds Google Street View, which pops up as you approach a destination, along with a Cockpit display, which includes G-force, speed and compass information for an additional $6. There's also a new Manual Route Blocking feature, enabling you to force the app to offer an alternate path after identifying a section of road that you'd prefer to skip, along with improved start-up and map rendering performance, and Retina iPad compatibility. The USA version of the app is available for $30 (a $20 discount), while the North America version is also 20 bucks off, at $40, and regional flavors will be available for $20 ($10 off). In-app purchases are also discounted, including FreshMaps USA for $15 (normally $40), FreshMaps North America for $10 (down from $20), FreshMaps MyRegion for $20 (instead of $50) and the aforementioned Cockpit for $4 (regularly $6). All of the discounts run through July 16th, so hit up the App Store and get your download on now.
Navigation app sales and Verizon friendliness
There's a flurry of GPS related news today, so let's get right on with it. First, one of our favorite nav apps, Navigon, is having a pretty big sale to celebrate its milestone of 2 million sales worldwide. If you've been lusting after a Navigon app, there's a 4-day, 50% off sale beginning today. Regional versions for the US are $14.99. The US-Canada app is $29.99. The USA-only version is $24.99. Current users can take advantage of the promotion as well, with prices for in-app purchases of Traffic Live, Panorama View 3D and Zagat Survey for MobileNavigator iPhone at 25 percent off. On the TomTom front, that excellent nav solution is on sale for $34.99 for the US version. The US-Canada app is $39.99. The sale has no end date. TomTom also notes that new iPhone users on Verizon will be seeing a "connect to GPS" warning when they start up. TomTom advises users to just hit continue, and all will be well. The glitch doesn't affect your navigation and will be fixed ASAP.
