Automotive GPS at GPS Gazette

Maxtek MNT-7T is one of the most affordable (if not the cheapest) 7″ car GPS System that I have come across. Since the most noteworthy feature is its price let’s start from that, it currently retails at $364.99 from TigerDirect. As we mentioned it features a 7″ Wide LCD TFT screen and some of its other features include, 512 MB of internal NAND Flash memory, turn-by-turn voice guidance available in multiple languages, automatic re-routing, 2D and 3D maps, audio player (MP3, WMA and WAV), photo viewer and an A/V input port that allows users to use the screen as a in-car display to watch you DVDs or play your favorite games. Finally, the Maxtek MNT-7T comes with a DVD that contains US maps. For the price it looks like a really good deal, however I wasn’t able to find any reviews of the unit.

VDO Dayton PN 3000 is a new portable automotive GPS System by Siemens VDO that can also be integrated into the vehicle like a permanently installed system. It features a 4.3″ Touch Screen Display (TFT LCD), 300 MHz CPU, 64 MB Flash ROM and 64 MB SD RAM and a 20-Channel GPS Receiver. Of course like every new GPS System that respects itself, it offers more than just navigation. It sports an MP3 Player and two games Sudoku and Blockbuster.

Other features include:

• European Maps
• Voice Guidance
• Automatic Display Brightness Control
• Stereo Headphone Out
• SD Card Slot
• IR Receiver for Remote Control
• 2D/3D Map view
• Lithium-Ion Battery 2500 mAh for 4h navigation
• Dimensions: 125 mm x 83 mm x 24 mm
• Weight: 259 g
• Freely customizable infobar

Finally the written menus are available in 21 written languages (20 if you consider English UK and US the same :)) and it can also guide you using 24 different voices 24 voices (English UK, English US (3x), Spanish (2x), French (2x), German (2x), Italian (3x), Brasil, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slowenian, Swedish, Turkish).

The PN 3000 comes in three versions the basic model, a model with with TMC, and a model with TMC and bluetooth.

The price is not listed on the site but it appears that the retail prices for the three models are 470, 500 and 550 Euros respectively.

Product Page

Holux will be presenting yet another new device at the 2007 CeBIT, the Holux GPSmile55. Very few information is currently available and the only image that I could find is the tiny image on the left. Something that a lot of people are probably going to like is the fact that it has a larger screen compared to the other Holux GPS Systems. The GPSmile55 will have a 4.3″ with with ultra-wide viewing angle and in addition to that it will also feature an automatic light sensor technology that will adjust the screen depending on the ambient light. From what I can see from the picture above Holux is definetely moving in the right direction as far as design is concerned.

Holux GPSmile54?

This is a bit of speculation but I wouldn’t be surprised if Holux also releases another device called GPSmile54. The reasons that I believe this is a possibility are two. First of all I don’t see the reason why after the GPSmile53 that was announced last month they would jump to 55 and the second reason is the picture on the left that I found on Holux’s website, of GPS unit that doesn’t seem to be any of the known Holux’s GPS systems (at least from what I can tell from the tiny image. I guess we will have to wait until the CeBIT to find out.

Source

Altina A680 is a new GPS navigator by the Taiwanese manufacturer Altina (Union Rich Development). (Everyday, when I search for new devices I constantly stumble upon new 3.5″ SiRFStar III, TomTom lookalike devices, so it’s nice when I find devices that at least have something to differentiate them from the pack). Altina A680 has a really solid set of specifications and features and although it’s definitely not the first, it is one of the few GPS units that have an integrated digital camera (2MP). Photographs taken with the on board camera are geotagged. Some of the other features of the 4″ A680 include an mp3 and mp4 player and an FM transmitter that allows you to hear the navigation directions or your music through your car stereo. There is optional support for a rear parking camera and for DVBT.

Specifications

• Display: 4″ Color LCD (480 x 272)
• GPS Module: SirFStar III
• Memory: 64MB NAND RAM/128MB SDRAM
• CPU: Samsung 2440, 400MHz
• SD Card Slot
• Battery: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery, 1350 mAh
• Dimensions: 132mm(Length), 78mm(Width), 23mm(Height)
• Weight: 250gr

There is currently no information about if or when it will reach the USA and European markets and obviously no information about the pricing. However, since some of Altina’s lower end models are currently sold in the US my guess is that the A680 will be distributed in the US as well.

Aving reports that Dae Kyung is about to release a new 7″ DMB navigation unit called XPIN CX700. The highlight of this device is that it features a technology called NIP(Navi in Picture). NIP allows users to split the screen and use the device both as a DMB and for navigation simultaneously. The 7″ screen with a resolution of 800×480 pixels should provide enough real estate for that as you can see in the screenshot (click to enlarge). Other features of the device include AV in/out, rear monitor camera connection, FM transmitter, and SD&CF card slot. Pricing has not been announced yet.

More pictures and information at Aving

It appears that German company Typhoon that produces the MyGuide GPS devices has launched a new unit, the MyGuide 3100. You can see images of the device on the left and at the bottom of the post (click to enlarge). The unit has a rather minimal classic look with no control buttons and therefore all the controls appear to be performed with its 3.5’’ Touch screen. The 3100 is TMC ready but requires that you spend a bit of extra money to buy the optional TMC receiver. It comes with version 6.0 of the MyGuide navigation software that covers most of the European countries as well as the USA and can provide directions in 24 different languages. Some of the technical specifications include:

• Processor: Centrality 300 MHz
• O/S: Microsoft WinCE.Net Version 5.0
• Memory: 64MB Flash / 64MB RAM
• Storage Capacity SD: up to 2 GB
• GPS: Centrality, 20 channels, integrated antenna
• Battery: rechargable lithium-ion battery / 1100 mAh
• Speaker: 1,5 Watt
• Dimensions: (L x H x T): 130 x 76 x 30 mm
• Weight: 190 g
• Operating time on batteries (GPS activated): approx. 3 hours

MyGuide 3100 Images

Via Mobinaute

The Blaupunkt TravelPilot Lucca 5.2 is yet another GPS unit that was showcased at the 2007 CES. According to Blaupunkt it’s a

Precise Navigation and Entertainment System in One

but who doesn’t refer to automotive GPS systems like this nowadays? Nonetheless I really like the design and side sliders for volume and zoom that have an iPod like functionality seem like a nice touch. I guess we will have to wait for some reviews to better judge this new entry.

Features and Specifications

• High contrast 4″ Touch-screen
• Centrality GPS – Atlas 2 Dual Core Prozessor (ARM9 µP @ 300 MHz and DSP Coprozessor @ 200 MHz)
• Internal 2 GB Flash Memory
• 2D and 3D map view
• Integrated TMC receiver for dynamic route calculation
• MMC/SD card slot (256 MB-4 GB)
• Playback of MP3/WMA and of WMV video
• Picture viewer
• Video-In (possibility to connect DVD-player, reversing camera and game console) DVB-T-Tuner via Connect Cradle
• Battery life: 5 hours
• Weight 234g
• Dimensions (WxHxD) 12 x 94 x 30 mm

Pricing and Availablity

I haven’t found any official information about it’s pricing and availability but according to a post by GPS Magazine it is expected late Q3 2007 with a retail price of $699

Yuer is a Chinese GPS manufacturer that has been criticised in the past for the*cough* not so original *cough* design and functions of their units. They have recently released a new GPS unit, the P710 that you can see in the image above. It has a 7″ touchscreen, 64MB NAND flash ROM, 64MB SDRAM and is powered by the Samsung 400MHz S3C2440A processor. Other features include:

• 20-channel GPS module with high sensitivity
• Dual-mode for map viewing and interactive POIs
• Dynamic route calculation and voice guidance
• Audio/video player
• Photo and E-book viewing function
• AV-IN supported
• OS: Microsoft WinCE 4.2 Core version
• Accuracy: within 10 meters, CEP without SA
• Cold start: less than 42sec
• Hot start: less than one sec
• Battery: Li-ion 1,200 mAh
• Work time: five hours
• Speaker: 1W
• Expansion slot: SD card
• USB connection for active Sync

Let’s see if any distributor decides to bring it to Europe and the USA or rebrand it.

Another new entry at this year’s CES was the Harman Kardon Guide + Play(TM) GPS-500. I may be a bit biased over this since Harman Kardon is one of my favorite brands but this looks like a strong entry in the GPS market. Obviously the Guide + Play as the name suggests is not just a plain GPS unit but also has multimedia capabilities (like almost all the latest GPS units). According to the announcement the GPS-500 will integrate seamlessly these two functions (Navigation and Multimedia) so that the user will be able to hear important navigational instructions even when the device plays music. The interface as you can see (click the thumbnail for a larger view) is touchscreen driven. The unit features a 4-inch widescreen WQVGA LCD with a resolution of 480 x 272-pixels. Other features of the GPS-500 include, support for multiple multimedia formats including MP3, MP4, WMA, ASF, WAV and OGG, 2GB of internal flash memory, up to 4GB optional external SD card flash memory, and a USB 2.0 high-speed interface. It is expected to start shipping this March with a suggested price of $499.95.

Press Release

According to a press release by MSI (Micro Star International), they were showcasing at the CES a new GPS device with a 4″ inch display. This new unit will have an integrated TMC receiver that will be picking up real-time traffic information. Like almost all of the latest GPS units it will be able to reproduce music (MP3/WMA songs) and will also feature an image viewer. Finally the two last bits of information currently available are that it has SD/MMC card expansion slots and a USB port. (Not much I know). I guess we will have to wait for more information. Overall the design looks nice (and a bit familiar but I can’t remember which device it reminds me).

MSI Press Center