Not that we haven't seen navigator manufacturers partner up with travel companies before, but it's still pretty rare to hear of a PND maker looking out for the travelers and not just the completely lost crowd. Here at CES, Navigon has just announced a partnership with Rand McNally (the first of its kind, we hear), which will result in Scenic Routers and City Guides from the aforesaid firm being available on Navigon devices. The guides will provide over 250 scenic routers and pre-planned trips across all 50 states (we're guessing the Road To Hana made the cut?) and Canada, and there's also information on the best attractions and landmarks in more than 1,400 US / Canadian cities. The new data packs will be available on select Navigon units as well as in retail outlets and Navigon.com this Spring for $19.99 each.

Sure, your navigation unit might sport a 7-inch LCD, support Bluetooth calling, or track your roaming pet around the neighborhood, but can it make vacation planning decisions for you? Rand McNally's latest GPS handheld boasts "door-to-door" routing in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, but the 26 preloaded "best of the road" trip itineraries steal the show. These top-notch American road trips were selected by the company's own award-winning editorial staff, and include tourist-friendly attractions, eateries, and fuel stations to stop at along the way. Aside from prepackaged journeys, the nav sports a 3.5-inch QVGA color touchscreen, 20-channel SiRF Star III receiver, MP3 player, obligatory robotic voice prompts, multistop route planning / mileage calculator, and a (self-explanatory) "Go Home" button. If you've got a full tank of gas and nowhere to be -- or you'd rather not spend half your vacation figuring out where to go -- the $499.99 GPS Navigator can queue up your next fun-filled excursion with the simple press of a button.

[Via GPSLodge]