Handy Auto Guide

Craig Ellison writing over at PC Magazine has reviewed the Averatec Voya 350 "new shirt-pocket GPS navigation system". 'With a screen that's quite viewable in all lighting conditions, the Voya 350 comes preloaded with Navteq street-level data for the entire United States (all 50 states, folks) and Canada, and it includes approximately 1.6 million Points of Interest (POI). Data is stored on a 1GB SD memory card. Like many new GPS systems, the Voya 350 is equipped with a SiRF Star III GPS receiver. This advanced chipset offers excellent sensitivity and fast satellite-acquisition times. As a result, the Voya 350 performed as well as other SiRF Star III devices I've tested, and I was able to track at least six satellites from the center of my office, 10 feet away from the window. On the road, the Voya 350 never lost satellite lock except, of course, in the Holland Tunnel.'

The "shirt-pocket" Garmin nüvi 660 GPS navigation device has been reviewed over at PC Magazine 'Last fall, Garmin created the shirt-pocket GPS market with its introduction of the nüvi 350. It set the performance bar high and earned an Editors' Choice by combining a SiRF Star III GPS receiver with a 3.5-inch screen and a host of features that appealed to seasoned travelers, such as a language guide, world clock, and a currency calculator. This summer, the nüvi 350 received a refresh—the nüvi 360 which added Bluetooth speakerphone capabilities to the nüvi 350. Now, Garmin has raised the bar once again. The nüvi 660 takes all of the qualities that earned its predecessors accolades and adds a few new features—to make this nüvi Garmin's most compelling ever.'

The new HP iPaq rx5900 Travel Companion "all-in-one navigation" device has been reviewed by CNET. 'It's been a while since we were excited about any handheld device from HP; don't get us wrong, the company has produced a solid line of PDAs over the years, but they've all been pretty status quo--until now. Today, the company introduced its HP iPaq rx5900 Travel Companion--a sexy and sleek handheld that not only offers the benefits of a Windows Mobile PDA but also integrates GPS into the mix. It's more refined than some of the other PDA/GPS combos out there, such as the Asus MyPal A636; plus, the PIM functionality gives it an edge over the Garmin Nuvi 350.

A review of the Navman iCN 750 has been posted over at Laptop Magazine. ‘The Navman iCN 750 has the most unique feature of any GPS device we've tested this year: a built-in camera. Called NavPix, the 1.3-MP sensor on this gadget isn't designed to replace your digital point and shoot; the pictures you take are saved along with their geo-referenced coordinates as a destination, making it possible to navigate back to that house for sale or out-of-the way café with a tap of the screen. This feature works well, but at $799 the iCN 750 has some stiff competition in the high-end navigator arena.’

The Delphi NAV200 GPS portable comes loaded with a music and video player as well as an image viewer. 'Delphi is probably better known for its satellite radio products, but the company has also tried its hand at portable navigation systems. Though not as recognized as the big players in the industry, such as TomTom and Garmin, Delphi is hoping to change that with its latest in-car GPS device, the Delphi NAV200. Designed for the value-oriented consumer, the NAV200 comes with a fairly reasonable price tag of $399.99 (though we liked the original price of $349 better; Delphi said industry demands caused it to raise the price) and features all the basic navigation tools, with the option to add other services for more-advanced users. All in all, it's a decent navigator offering accurate directions, and you get more bang for your buck than the similarly priced TomTom One. That said, we favor the clean and simple interface and responsiveness of the TomTom One. The Delphi NAV200 is expected to ship in mid-October.'

Laptop Magazine has reviewed Verizon's VZ Navigator navigational system. ‘Verizon's VZ Navigator has much of the functionality of Garmin Mobile, but it sports a slicker interface. The clean menu system lets you enter addresses for directions, access a local search for services, and drill into a general mapping service. It lacks the weather and traffic reports Garmin provides, however.

Trusted Reviews previews the new Sony NV-U51 navigation device. 'Innovation is the main attraction point of this device since it has a screen that is neither widescreen nor particularly big (3.5in) in comparison to today’s class leaders (4.3in). Instead what it brings to the table is ‘Gesture Command’ a feature which enables users to simply sketch a line or shape on the NV-U51’s screen with a finger and the system will immediately begin to guide you to your chosen destination. Gesture Command can also be combined with common options such as ‘go home’ or ‘find the nearest petrol station’.

Magellan has launched the new Magellan Crossover GPS portable which comes preloaded with street maps and topographic contour maps and has a 3.5 in. color touch-screen display housed in a IPX-4 waterproof design. 'The Magellan CrossoverGPS creates a new category of navigation solutions with its unique flexibility to address a multitude of travel needs like no other product," said Christian Bubenheim, vice president of consumer product marketing. "The Magellan CrossoverGPS combines two products in one, operating as a dedicated vehicle navigation system and an outdoor navigation device without compromising the performance of either mode. Customers can rely on a single device to gain the confidence of knowing where they are and how to get where they're going at all times whether traveling on the road, in the wilderness or on water.'

The Navman F20 Portable GPS Navigation unit has a large 3.5” touchscreen, combines GPS navigation with SiRFstar III™ technology and includes POI import capability so you can add your own points of interest such as safety cameras, using the optional desktop connectivity kit. 'Navman's last portable navigation system, the Navman iCN 750, wowed the market with its built-in camera. Yet this type of innovation (not to mention its high price tag) is better suited to the driver-cum-gadget hound crowd. What if you just want an affordable system to get you from point A to point B? Enter the Navman F20.

The "affordable" Lowrance iWay 250C automotive GPS system has been reviewed by PC Magazine. 'At $349 (list), the iWay 250C joins the crowded "shirt-pocket" GPS market with the lowest-priced unit available. It measures 3 by 4 by 1 inch and features the same 3.5-inch screen found on the iWay 350C. As you might suspect, the device's user interface is one shared by the entire Lowrance product line. Likewise, the iWay has most, but not all, of the features of its more expensive siblings, along with a few new surprises.

The Pharos Drive GPS 140 Navigation System which combines GPS navigation with Bluetooth, MP3, photo viewing and video playing has been reviewed over at ZDNet. 'Pharos is best known for its GPS add-ons for PDAs and smart phones, but it's also making a name for itself with solid stand-alone solutions such as the Pharos EZ Road Pocket GPS Navigator. The company's latest model, the Pharos Drive GPS 140, is aimed at mobile professionals who want a sleek all-in-one portable nav system that can keep up with their road warrior tendencies.

PC Magazine have posted their review of the Averatec Voya 320 GPS Receiver. ‘Measuring 4.3 by 3.1 by 0.8 inches and weighing 6 ounces, the Voya 320 slips neatly into the shirt-pocket GPS category. It has the same 3.5-inch screen found on the Voya 350. Gone are the 350's cheesy little Chiclet-like keys and the hard-to-use four-way "jog" switch; they are replaced by four well-spaced round keys—one for power, one for the main menu, and individual volume up and down buttons.

PC Magazine have reviewed the feature-packed but pricey Garmin 680 GPS which "deploys new technology that provides a glimpse at the future of automotive navigation: location-based services". 'First introduced at the CES trade show in January 2007, the nüvi 680 retains all of the features that earned its predecessor an Editors' Choice. For example, the device has the same super-bright 4.3-inch white, backlit screen, a SiRF Star III GPS receiver, a Bluetooth speakerphone interface, and an MP3 player.