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Hyundai Provia A7+ GPS unit adds multimedia playback, looks irresistible
It's no secret that some of our US editors have been feeling a bit of tech-envy toward our cousins from the far East, who consider 7-inch PNDs commonplace. Doing nothing to allay those emotions, Hyundai has announced the Provia A7+, which is -- you guessed it -- a 7-inch GPS-slash-PMP soon to be available in South Korea. The device comes with an integrated TV tuner (DMB), 800 x 480 resolution, video and audio playback, Navi-in-Picture functionality, and USB and SD connectivity to expand its abilities to match your imagination. If this thing's routing abilities are even half decent, it should sell like hot cakes in the middle of a particularly cold winter.[Via Navigadget]
Magellan Maestro 4700 available for pre-order, hits the street July 15
We know you all have been eagerly awaiting the good word on that new Magellan GPS ever since it came to our attention (via some cat's diligent FCC carousing) at the end of May. According to an announcement dropped this morning, the Maestro 4700 should be making the scene on July 15 for an MSRP of $299. Among the features sure to thrill and titillate one who is lucky enough to purchase this guy: OneTouch favorites, hands-free Bluetooth calling (with your compatible cellphone), a predictive traffic mode that analyzes past traffic patterns and suggests alternate routes, both standard POI and AAA TourBook databases, "Find Your Car" with pedestrian mode, 3D Landmarks while driving, and our personal favorite -- QuickSpell with Smart City Search. Including a windshield mount and cradle, power adapter, USB cable, and a carrying case, this guy is available for pre-order now. Full PR after the break.
DeLorme kicks out waterproof Earthmate PN-30 GPS device
It was pretty much a year ago to the day when DeLorme released its Earthmate PN-40, and now the outfit is busting out a lower-end unit that could easily be mistaken for the PN-40 from 2008. Indeed, the PN-30 doesn't deviate from its roots, boasting a peanut-shaped waterproof chassis, a 32-channel Cartesio chipset, a daylight readable LCD and maps of the US, Canada and Mexico. It's also sporting a rubberized housing around the edges to keep it safe from minor bumps and bruises; nothing too fancy here, but it ought to bring a smile to the face of all the argonauts in attendance. You can get one headed your way next month for $299.95, and the full release is after the break.
Mio debuts Freeview-tuning Navman Spirit TV V505 and V735 PNDs
We already knew that Mio was planning a few PNDs for the European market with integrated Freeview tuners, and now the outfit has come clean with the official launch of the Navman Spirit TV V505 and V735. Just as expected, the TV tuning satnav units boast 4.7- and 7-inch displays (respectively), with each also packing an EPG, two available antennas and support for video, photo and music playback. There's also a new slidetouch UI, 3D maps, built-in traffic support (with a lifetime subscription), an FM transmitter and a selection of Travel Books that provide in-depth listings of the best local stops. The new devices should hit UK shelves next month for £229 ($372) and £299 ($487) in order of mention, though we get the feeling a US version may not be in the cards.
Video: dmedia M0 gets the hands-on treatment
This little devil here's been bouncing around in some form or another for nearly a year, and now it looks like dmedia's M0 might actually see the light of day sometime soon. The video shows the 4.3-inch touchscreen device running Windows CE and sporting the specs that we'd been clued into many months ago, including: Samsung 533-800MHz CPU, 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen, and a 5-megapixel camera. No word yet on a price or Stateside release, but we'll be keeping our eyes peeled. Video after the break. [Via SlashGear]
Magellan intros 4.7-inch RoadMate 1475T PND for $299
Magellan's been on somewhat of a hiatus since being taken away by MiTAC, and while an unassuming FCC find has shown that it's still alive and well, we're thrilled to see the company's second actual product announcement in over half a year. The RoadMate 1475T is, for all intents and purposes, a refreshed RoadMate 1470 with a traffic receiver, though said traffic receiver works without any monthly fees. It features a 4.7-inch WQVGA anti-glare display, AAA TourBook listings, six million POIs, spoken street name guidance, highway lane assist, QuickSpell and NAVTEQ maps of the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. Not too shabby for just $299, wouldn't you say?
iriver's M7 NV Classic navigates the road and your media
Mmm mm m, iriver, you sure know a thing or two about industrial design. Meet the M7 or NV Classic if you prefer, an update to the original iRiver NV only without the massive jogwheel wart. As a navigator, this 181 x 120 x 21.5 device features SiRF GRF3i+ GPS, an SDHC slot for maps, a pair of 1.5-watt speakers for turn-by-turn audio, and a biggie 7-inch 800x480 touchscreen TFT LCD to show you the way. As a media device we're looking at DMB digital television, support for MPEG1, MPEG4, WMV9, and XVID video, MP3, WMA, OGG, and WAV audio, JPEG and BMP images, and a bundled 4GB SDHC card for storage. Priced for Korea at KRW329,000 which would be right around $248 if it ever came to the US, which it won't, at least not in this configuration.[Via Slashgear and Generation MP3]
Sony building Android-based Walkman and PND for 2010 launch?
We'll admit it, we expected to be knee-deep in Android gear by now. However, it seems like the consumer electronics industry wanted to build more mature products around versions 1.5 and 2.0 of Google's open source OS instead. Regardless, we're in the thick of it now having just witnessed a deluge of Android-based smartbooks / netbooks (expected before October) at Computex and Google's own announcement that at least 18 new Android handsets will launch this year. Building upon Sony Ericsson's plan to launch its first handset based on Android 2.0, we're now hearing that Android will play a prominent role across Sony's portable devices starting with an Android-based Walkman and personal navigation device (PND) launching sometime in 2010. Engadget Japanese says that Sony's affection for Android is an "open secret" in Japan. In fact, an analyst speaking to Japan's Nikkan simply states the development of an Android Walkman and PND as fact. Not that we're too surprised by this; as demonstrated by its XMB interface now extended to a variety of devices other than the PS3, Sony is clearly trying to unify the user experience across its consumer electronics portfolio. And opting for open-source software across the board should keep costs low while increasing speed to market. Oh Android, is there anything you can't do...in Google fanboy theory?Read -- Android Walkman (Nikkan)Read -- Android Walkman (Impress)
Maestro 4700 slips by FCC, proves Magellan still has a pulse
We know things may not be all hunky-dory in the world of PNDs, but seriously Magellan, you owe us an explanation here. After MiTAC snapped up the outfit's consumer products division way back in December of last year (yeah, half a year ago), we've heard absolutely zilch since. Until today, naturally. If documentation found in the always-telling FCC database is to be believed, it looks as if the long standing Maestro line is about to grow another member. The Maestro 4700 user handbook explains that the unit will boast support for voice commands, a OneTouch user interface, Bluetooth, traffic alerts and a presumed 4.7-inch display. We'd expect the company to come clean with an official price and release date in short order. [Warning: PDF read link][Via GPSTracklog, thanks Rich]
TomTom brings costly connected services to mid-range XL LIVE
In theory, we've no qualms with TomTom's LIVE services. Sure, they're over-hyped, overpriced and generally slow to react, but they're definitely nice extras on an otherwise vanilla PND. That said, we simply can't (and won't, ever) justify the crazy monthly rates for having access to basic information that even a dumb smartphone could find. Nevertheless, TomTom's doing its darnedest to push those very services to the masses by trickling 'em down from the GO 740 LIVE to its popular XL model. Folks across the pond can pick one up next month for €219 ($301) or €249 ($342) depending on whether you need a regional model or one with 42 European nations, but you'll still be asked to shell out €9.95 ($14) per month if you want those LIVE services.
Mio Spirit TV spotted in the wild doling out routes, serving soap operas
While we Yanks are stuck with overpriced PNDs that suck down weather forecasts and pretend to alert us of upcoming traffic problems, folks overseas are using their navigators to watch fresh episodes of Top Gear. Navman, better known these days as Mio, has just outed two new satnav devices across the pond, both of which sport a built-in Freeview TV tuner, Bluetooth, Google search, walking mode and loads of POIs. The Spirit TV will arrive in both 4.7- and 7-inch flavors, with expected pricing hovering in the £200 ($306) to £300 ($459) range. For obvious reasons, we aren't expecting this one to head Stateside anytime soon, but those camping out in a Freeview territory should feel free to hit the read link for more hands-on shots.Update: Slashgear got some hands-on video with the device, and considering that the TV tuner is modular, we could feasibly see a US-friendly one installed and shipped here. Yes, please. Thanks, Chris!
Mio's Moov S501 and S401 finally go legit
After Mio basically non-confirmed / confirmed these to us in April, letting us know the pricing was off, but saying nothing else about the leak, it was really just a matter of time until the two navigators broke into the realm of officialdom. The Moov S401 and S501 bring 4.3-inch and 4.7-inch displays, respectively, along with a new "Spirit" interface and some new functionality like Google Send-to-GPS, NavPix for pulling location from geo-tagged photos, text-to-speech for spoken street names and MioMore 2 PC software for calculating mileage and fuel economy. The S501 is Mio's thinnest PND ever at 0.64-inches, and includes 12 million POIs, while the S401 is inexplicably thicker at 0.71-inches, with 4 million POIs. They go for $200 and $180, respectively, and will go on sale in June.
TomTom GO 740 LIVE impressions
Way back at CES, TomTom proudly announced that its GO 740 LIVE personal navigation device would be its very first "connected GPS" to hit the United States of America. Just last month, the company announced that said unit was finally shipping to anxious consumers. Hardware wise, there's nothing here outside of the ordinary, but it's the little extras that make all the difference in the world here -- or, at least that's what TomTom wants you to think. Is this $400 navigator worth the up front costs, let alone the monthly fee to keep it connected? Head on past the break for our take.
Navigon withdraws from GPS business in North America
Man, talk about coming straight out of left field. After blowing it out at CeBIT just two months ago, Navigon has just announced its intentions to pull out of the navigation business here in North America. According to CEO Egon Minar: "Due to the difficult economic environment and the aggressive pricing we have decided to withdraw from the PND business in North America for the time being. We are however not closing down our Chicago office which will continue to serve our automotive and mobile phone businesses in North America." He did assert that the company would "continue to fulfill all obligations to its existing PND customers in terms of map updates, etc.," but nothing else on the subject was said. So long, Navigon -- we'll miss your "uber-premium" wares.[Via SlashGear]
Ask Engadget: Best 4.3-inch GPS unit?
We know, it's a little late here on the east coast to be "thinking clearly," but we (and David) are pleading with you to pull it together in order to contribute. Afterwards, you and your freshened mind can shoot us a question to ask at engadget dawt com. "I know, it's a really boring question, but the last time this was asked was 2 years ago. I'm looking for a 4.3-inch GPS unit with decent battery life (so I can walk around with it as well as use it in my car), Bluetooth for making wireless calls, and good voice-recognition. Traffic updates would be a plus, too. I don't care too much about multimedia functions. Is there anything out there that fits the bill? I hope to hear some advice from the community!" As do we David, as do we. So, what's the verdict here, folks? Are connected units worth the monthly surcharge? Sound off below!
Garmin intros super sleek 5-inch nüvi 1490T navigator
Just a month ago, Garmin came clean with the nüvi 1390T as part of its 1300 lineup, and today we're being formally introduced to the numerical successor. The nüvi 1490T sports a chassis that's some 25 percent slimmer than most nüvi models and an expansive 5-inch touchscreen. As with other new Garmins, this one also arrives with free lifetime traffic alerts and lane assist with junction view. Other expected amenities are also included, namely multiple-point routing, automatic time zone transition and a speed limit indicator that displays speed limits for most major roads. As insinuated, an integrated traffic receiver comes standard, and there's even an ecoRoute feature that suggests the most fuel efficient path. Finally, prospective buyers can count on Bluetooth technology for making and receiving handsfree calls, and the support for optional CityXplorer maps makes this suitable for the pedestrian in you, too. Expect it on store shelves everywhere this July for $499.99.[Via GPS Tracklog]
GBalpha announces Ranger GPS unit for Nintendo DS
There hasn't exactly been a rush to flood the market with Nintendo DS-based GPS mods over the years -- and when we have seen them, they've been largely DIY affairs. Looking to fill a niche that most reasonable folks assume does not exist, GBalpha has announced the upcoming release of Ranger, its new touchscreen solution for those of you wishing to saddle your handheld with navigation duties. If you're curious, this bad boy sports a u-blox GPS module, 32MB extended memory, Google Earth map integration, and optional Mandarin and Cantonese voice prompts. Are you stoked? What if we gave you a price and a way to order it? Well, we can't do that for you. Sadly, large swaths of the product website are mum on those details.[Via Max Console]
Motorola looking to produce a connected GPS unit?
Motorola's navigation line certainly isn't the firms most notable, but the Garmins and TomToms of the world are probably taking notice after an intriguing quote from product line manager Blake Bullock. According to TWICE, Mr. Bullock stated that Moto was "absolutely making a bigger play" in the PND arena. Specifically, he mentioned that it could "bring something new to the table with Motorola's vast experience in wireless connectivity," noting that it has "aspirations to combine the best aspects of 3G smartphones with PNDs [to] create optimized experiences for consumers." 'Course, we've no clue as to when, where and how the company will get its hands dirty with a web-savvy GPS unit, but considering its current state of affairs, we'd say yesterday would be a great time to get things rolling.[Via GPS Tracklog, thanks Rich]
Mio's C523 V2 navigator aims to route motorcyclists
Not that it's impossible to find a GPS for motorcyclists or anything, but your options are certainly limited. Mitac's Mio branch is looking to give hog and crotch rocket riders one more alternative with the 4.3-inch C523 V2, a somewhat varied version of the 2007 original. The included "rider mode" supposedly enables motorcycle riders to not spend as much time glancing at the screen, though we suppose the tweaked interface could still work for folks in traditional motorcars. Crazily enough, the unit also supports 1seg digital TV tuning in Japan, though we wouldn't recommend checking out your favorite programming whilst dodging those much, much larger automobiles whirring around you. Pricing is set for ¥44,800 ($446), but there's no indication of when (or if, even) this will head stateside.[Via NaviGadget]
Gorilla: Sanyo's acceleration tracking, camera packing, hominid-themed PND
It's been a while since we heard anything from Sanyo on the Gorilla tip, but according to the company the venerable PND will see three new models hit the scene on April 24. These bad boys will feature two gyro (velocity) sensors and an acceleration sensor, allowing the device to keep an accurate account of your location -- even when GPS reception poor. If that isn't enough for you, the new Gorillas sport an 8GB SSD (twice that of their predecessors) and an optional rear view camera for your vehicle. Prices have yet to be set in stone, but it's believed that the NV-SD730DT, featuring a 7-inch LCD display will fetch ¥90,000 ($899), while the NV-SB540DT (5.2-inch display, plus tuner for real-time traffic updates) and NV-SB530DT (the 5.2-inch model, sans tuner) will run for ¥70,000 ($700) and ¥65,000 ($650) respectively. No word yet on a Stateside release.
