Navigator
Latest
Medion GoPal E3215 Glamour Edition comes in pink and pink
Chances are, you didn't really need another option for a pink travel guide, but if that rosy nüvi just isn't as sparkly as it once was, Medion's lookin' out for you. The outfit has just released its GoPal E3215 Glamour Edition, which reportedly features a perfectly average 3.5-inch color touchscreen, 1.7-centimeter thick frame, speed camera database and maps of Western Europe. Of course, a pink GPS wouldn't be a pink GPS without a matching carry case, but all things considered, we still can't see spending £149.99 ($296) on a cute-but-ho hum piece such as this.[Via TechGadgets, thanks Yossi]
Clarion intros MAP680 and MAP780 navigators for Europe
Check it, Europeans -- Clarion has just dumped a new duo of PNDs on the market, and they're both geared up to route you all over your humble lands. It appears that the only major difference between the MAP680 and MAP780 are the actual maps loaded in; the former is available in four regional versions, while the latter features a full 43 European countries. Specs wise, we're lookin' at a 4.3-inch widescreen display, text-to-speech, built-in TMC tuner, 3D display of buildings / POIs, lane assistant, Bluetooth (with phone book transfer and audio streaming), a 400MHz CPU, multimedia player and 2GB (MAP780) / 1GB (MAP680) of internal memory. No word on a price or any of that good stuff just yet, but feel free to get more acquainted with the pair in the gallery below.[Via NaviGadget] %Gallery-22307%
TWC gets official with Navigator rollout in Raleigh, NC: hands-on
Our hopes fears are true: Time Warner Cable is indeed initiating a rollout of its new Navigator interface -- at least in the greater Raleigh / Durham, North Carolina region, anyway. According to a note sent out to select subscribers in the area, it's only a matter of time before their set-top-box also becomes overcome with the Navigator. As beautiful as it may look, however, the UI is quite dreadful in actual use. Screen changes are noticeably slower, unmodifiable fade effects are utterly annoying and the black flash that occurs each time you activate / deactivate the menu screen could certainly stand to be omitted. Of course, there are a few additional Parental Control features, but really, we're finding a lot more negatives than positives in the upgrade. How do you see things, dear TWC customers? Are you digging the new Navigator? Do you despise it? Chime in below! [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks, krithren] %Gallery-21917%
Time Warner Cable starts rolling out new Navigator, more HD soon?
Remember when the Mystro Digital Navigator landed in New York / New Jersey, only to find that a plethora of HD channels were right behind? Hopefully, the trend will continue nationwide. We've received reports from the Dayton / Cincinnati, Ohio and Raleigh / Durham, North Carolina regions that TWC has indeed started to roll out the freshened-up Navigator. Granted, there's still some bugs in there to be worked out, but hopeful souls are looking at the change as one that'll precede a smattering of new high-def material. We can't say for certain that the new EPG signifies that more material is on the way, but do chime in below if your Navigator has suddenly morphed into one eerily similar to that shown above. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family] [Thanks, Dayton Guy]
Navigon's 2100 Max and 2120 Max GPS units now shipping
Aw yeah, Navigon's latest widescreen navigators are finally being assigned tracking numbers, meaning that you can get your roadtrip on for just $299 (US-based 2100 Max) or $329 CAD (Canada-only 2120 Max). For those needing a refresher, you can look forward to 4.3-inches of turn-by-turn guidance, optional FreshMaps service, branded icons, a speed assistant, 2D / 3D imagery and an integrated logbook to keep tabs on your joyrides. Take a peek at the read link for more detailed specifications, and head on down to your favorite retailer if it suits you just fine.[Via I4U News]
Motorola's Z9 with GPS goes for a ride on AT&T
Just like we heard, AT&T is now offering Motorola's MOTO Z9. $150 (after $50 on-line discount and 2-yr contract) nabs the new slider with GPS for AT&T's rebranded TeleNav service -- now called AT&T Navigator. It's also stuffed with microSD expansion, stereo Bluetooth, and quad-band GSM with WCDMA 850/1900 supporting 3.6Mbps HSDPA data. Surprisingly, the 2 megapixel camera we saw in the early prototype last year has been whittled back to 1.3 megapixels. Come on Moto, what's 0.7 megapixels between friends? [Thanks, Mark and Orhan C.]Update: AT&T's bad! The camera's still a full 2 megapixels after all -- we just confirmed it.
The Nokia 6210 Navigator
The Nokia Navigator is back, and this time around, it's got enough 3G to satisfy pretty much everyone. Succeeding the 6110, the 6210 Navigator slider obviously puts an emphasis on providing directions to your destination, and a few nifty features help it excel at the task. First up, it features the just-announced Nokia Maps 2.0 app, which provides pedestrian in addition to the typical auto navigation -- a logical feature, considering this thing spends much of its life in your pants, not mounted to your windshield; secondly, it sports an integrated accelerometer that can keep the map updated at a reasonable rate while you're trolling about on foot ; third, the car mount is standard fare in the retail box, along with a 1GB microSD card. The S60 Third Edition handset also features an FM radio, Bluetooth 2.0, 3.2 megapixel camera, 120MB of internal storage, and -- get this -- can be used for navigation without a SIM card. Imagine that! It'll come in no fewer than four versions -- one with EDGE only and three with various flavors of HSDPA for different corners of the world -- in the third quarter for €300 (about $435).
Maxian's E900T PMP / GPS navigator offers near-endless possibilities
At a glance, it's easy to mistake the Maxian E900T for other members of the Maxian family, such as the E900DIC or D900 Neo. Let's face it -- this company has some fundamental problems when it comes to differentiating between models. The latest entry into the lineup comes in the form of a wild, do-it-all PMP -- one which incorporates audio and video playback, a DMB receiver, GPS navigation, and an always-handy dictionary into one delicious package. The Windows CE-based system boasts an 800 x 480 4.3-inch touchscreen, a 30GB or 60GB hard drive, support for WMV, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DiVX / XviD, H.264, WMA, AAC, MP3, and OGG formats (amongst others), plus the aforementioned DMB compatibility. The E900T is capable of outputting 720p HD video, sports Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound, and includes Burr-Brown audio circuitry which it outputs via S/PDIF. When you slap this thing into its carmount, it also becomes a full featured GPS navigator, taking advantage of the GPS receiver in the cradle to provide turn-by-turn directions and other navigation functions you know and love, like locating Wendy's (in Korea, at least). No word on when, or if, this will be available in the States, but it couldn't hurt to write some letters of encouragement.[Via Navigadget]
Renault teams up with Nokia for Twingo Nokia special edition
How appropriate that a car not much bigger than a cellphone (okay, that's an exaggeration, but this thing's pretty tiny) would get slapped with Nokia branding, right? Sadly, the integration between the automotive and cellular worlds isn't particularly tight here; Renault hooks up proud new owners of Twingo Nokia special editions with Nokia 6110 Navigators -- perfect for use with the integrated Bluetooth -- but that's about it. There's some sort of "Nokia tech-themed" decal stuck on the Twingo's B-pillar, too, but we're pretty sure that thing would have to get removed right quick if we found ourselves with one of these in the garage. Sorry, Nokia; don't get us wrong, we're happy to take a 6110 off your hands, but no free advertising for you. Especially when it doesn't look badass.
Hands-on / roadtest with the TomTom GO 720
Before we tell you about the TomTom GO 720, let us impart one piece of advice which we're pretty sure most GPS enthusiasts know already: if you're going through the Lincoln Tunnel into Midtown Manhattan late at night with your GPS fired up and ready for action, make sure you know by heart what to do when you come out the other side -- because GPS simply ain't happening in New York City. That said, TomTom's slickly designed and elegantly executed 720 is a seriously welcome addition to our navigational world, and frankly, we'll be sad to see the little guy go.
Hands-on with Panasonic's Strada CN-GP50N
We finally wrangled some Panasonic reps around midday, then promptly convinced them to let us take the Strada CN-GP50N GPS navigator for a spin... in our hands. At a glance, the device comes off vaguely like a TomTom high-end model, or similarly-classed device, though we take a little issue with the kinda-sorta fugly UI, which produced violent 1997 flashbacks in the staff. Also, the interface seemed a bit slower than it should, with brief but noticeable pauses every now and again. Our word to Panasonic? Fix it up! Check out the gallery to see what we're lamentin'.%Gallery-6750%
Hatchback GD06 GPS touts integrated camera
While there's a myriad of all-in-one devices out there that can manage a turn or two of directional guidance, Group Sense PDA's forthcoming navigator makes routing its number one priority, but dons something that most standalone GPS units lack: a camera. The Hatchback GD06, as shown off in an elusive set of FCC documents, will boast a touchscreen LCD, RDS-TMS support, headphone output, a calculator function, an integrated digital camera (pictured after the break), and utilize TurboDog navigational software. Additionally, users will find MP3 playback and photo viewing functions built-in, and the SD card slot will allow your excess files to come on board. The camera can purportedly be used to "take photos and save them as a geographical location," which should perk the ears of the geo-tagging faithful at least. No word just yet on future pricing or availability, but it shouldn't be too long before this passes right on through the FCC and onto overseas shelves.[Via NaviGadget]
Nokia 6110 Navigator gets its FCC wings
Now don't get too excited -- we suspect the 6110 still doesn't have any US-friendly HSDPA that was hurriedly added since its introduction at 3GSM, but we can still take comfort in knowing that Nokia's thinking of us on this one. Heck, we might even end up seeing it at a flagship store or two. As a refresher, the 6110 Navigator is a S60-based slider with integrated GPS, quadband GSM (hence the FCC nod, we reckon) and 3G data all the way up to HSDPA speeds; other features include a 2 megapixel cam, 40MB of onboard storage, and microSD expansion. No word on just when we might get our paws on a sample, but FCC approval is a solid first step.
Palm GPS Navigator 3 in the works?
Evidence is piling that Palm is cookin' up a fresh cut of its GPS Navigator setup for tweaking Treos into serviceable navigation systems. Of course, seeing how the current retail version is incompatible with the 680, a freshened kit seems like a foregone conclusion, but we're talking real evidence here -- an online retailer is now showing a "GPS NAVIGATOR SMARTPHONE ED 3" on backorder for a mere $284.42. Notice that "3" there on the end? You can take that to the bank, folks. But wait, it gets better: Palm's latest price sheet also shows a GPS Navigator 3, rocking compatibility for the 680 and official support (finally) for the 700wx. Needless to say, it seems like owners of said devices should be able to scoop one of these up in the next few weeks. If they can manage to go that long without becoming hopelessly and irretrievably lost, that is.[Via Palm Infocenter]
Clifford Scout 420 navigation unit / PMP to land at CES
It looks like Directed Electronics has switched more than a CFO in the past couple weeks, as its once self-branded NAV420 conglomerate has apparently been shifted to the Clifford brand, which typically holds down the remote start / security system side of the multifaceted company. Currently, all we truly know is that the Scout 420 has received a nod as a top honoree at next week's CES, that the website is currently nothing more than a JPEG teaser, and that it bears a striking resemblance to Sony's PSP. If we're to believe that nothing except the labeling has changed, however, it will purportedly include a 20GB hard drive, built-in GPS / navigation functionality, and music / video playback; judging solely by the control layout, we have to wonder if we'll see some sort of gaming / homebrew abilities bundled in as well, as the oddball (albeit very welcome) feature is its reported ability to tune into Sirius satellite radio broadcasts while navigating your routes. Sadly, there's no word on pricing just yet, but hopefully we'll get a clearer understanding of just what this do-it-all device is about in a few days.[Via GPSLodge]
Fortuna NaView GPS-610B gets thumbs-up from FCC
With all these foreign-based GPS units suddenly making their way stateside, we're thrilled to see yet another Taiwanese navigation device get that coveted FCC seal of approval. The latest to pave its way to North American soil is Fortuna's NaView GPS-610B, and while we only truly know that it'll sport an SD / MMC slot, built-in stereo speakers for MP3 playback / turn-by-turn guidance, rechargeable battery pack, external antenna connector, car mounting kit, mini-USB support, integrated microphone for handsfree use, an audio out jack, and a four-inch touchscreen LCD, we suspect it'll resemble the GPS-600 pretty much to a T. If it does, you'll find a SiRF Star III receiver, 64MB of onboard NAND memory, 64MB of SDRAM, a Samsung CPU, and an optional Bluetooth transceiver. Per usual, those FCC documents aren't spilling any beans regarding pricing or availability, but it shouldn't be too long until the GPS-610B can enjoy the American air (and mile-long traffic jams).[Via NaviGadget]
V7 offers up budget-minded Navigator 1000 GPS unit
V7's making sure you know exactly what its target market is by announcing a budget-minded GPS unit to accompany that $349 LCD panel it just tossed out. Entering a fairly saturated entry-level GPS market, the Navigator 1000 features a 3.5-inch touchscreen monitor, 320 x 240 resolution, turn-by-turn directions in 23 robotically-spoken languages, an SD slot, SiRF Star III GPS receiver, photo viewer, rechargeable Li-ion battery pack, MP3 / AVI / MPEG4 playback, and even mounting hardware to rig it up in your ride. Distributed by Ingram Micro, this unit is pre-loaded with maps of the US and Canada, sports "1.8 million POIs," and comes with a stylus pen to keep those fingerprints from taking over your screen. Although you won't find Bluetooth / handsfree functionality here, the Navigator 1000 should prove to be a fairly solid GPS unit for around $340.
Pharos announces GPS 135 and 140 navigators, bumps specs on GPS 525
Pharos just busted out two new little wonders onto the world with their Drive GPS 135 and 140 while giving their GPS 525 a spec bump in the process. The Drive GPS 135 come pre-loaded with maps of the US and Canada on a 2GB SD card along with Pharos OSTIA navigation software, 3.5-inch touch screen, and SiRFstar III chipset for an entry-level $350. The $550 Drive GPS 140 aims to entertain by upping the touch-screen to 4-inches for unspecified picture and video playback, adding Bluetooth for hands-free calling, and slipping in support for MP3 audio. While the 135 and 140 are powered by Windows CE 4.2 and 5.0, respectively, their rebadged HTC Galaxy, now dubbed the Traveler GPS 525+, goes Windows Mobile 5.0 like the GPS 525 it replaces only now with those US and Canadian maps preloaded on to a bigger 2GB SD card. Expect the GPS 525+ to pull an MSRP of $550 with the whole shebang arriving for retail near the end of the month.
Palm's homegrown nav solution for Treos
It looks like Palm was inspired by Garmin's Mobile 20 Bluetooth GPS-sportin' cradle for Treos, releasing its own variation on the theme this week. Their "GPS Navigator Smartphone Edition" includes the cradle itself along with TomTom's NAVIGATOR 6 software and US / Canadian basemaps loaded onto a 1GB SD card. Happily, the cradle is SiRFstarIII-based, giving us some confidence that the cradle is worth at least a good chunk of its $299 asking price. The kit is available immediately and should hook up pretty effortlessly with all 650 and 700-model Treos.[Via Geekzone]
