UK Digital Cameras Blog

The new Navman S90i portable navigation device has received a largely positive reaction from critics.

Scheduled for release in November for £299, the S90i has a 4.3 inch touch screen display and comes with maps of Europe pre-installed on the system. Navman also said it would offer “a free product lifetime subscription” to a traffic information service and built-in Bluetooth technology to enable users to make hands-free calls while driving.

Technology writers who had an advance look at the system gave the system a warm reception despite lamenting its lack of ground-breaking additions. Stuart Miles, a reviewer at technology website pocket-lint.co.uk, commented: “This is Navman making sure they stay with the lead pack rather than steaming out in front, but from our brief play, first impressions are good. “Shinyshiny.tv blog, Alex Roumbas, said a review on the site: “I’ve had some bad experienced with old, limited sat navs, but last night’s introduction to and first hands on with the Navman S Series restored my faith in GPS. Seriously. “The other three models in the new S-series, the S70, S50, and S30, are available this month.

The last year has seen an increase in demand for consumer navigation devices with interest in the technology set to grow over the next new months, a new report has claimed.

Technology intelligence firm IDC said that that the falling cost of buying a device and greater public awareness had combined to produce a boom in sales of items equipped with global positioning system (GPS) technology, with portable navigation devices representing 62 per cent of total sales.
Research manager at IDC, Diana Hwang, said: “It’s clear that services will become an increasingly important part of the navigation picture going forward as these devices compete with other consumer devices such as mobile phones.” IDC also predicted that fitness products that integrated GPS would become more popular and that sales of satellite navigation systems for vehicles would also remain strong, provided manufacturers worked with car companies to keep costs down.

In recent months, companies have launched a number of features in an effort to persuade consumers to pick their product in an increasingly crowded market, with BMW and Google partnering to allow drivers to send data from Google Maps to their in-car device and Sony launching new widescreen systems for vehicles.

TomTom has announced its latest sat-nav offering at the consumer electronics IFA 2007 show currently taking place in Berlin.

The high-end GO 920T features 4GB of internal memory and comes pre-loaded with maps of all of Europe’s 41 countries and the entire continent of North America as standard.

The unit also comes with Enhanced Positioning Technology - a device that uses movement sensors to determine the position of your vehicle should a GPS signal not be available. It also has an in-built traffic-information receiver that is capable of keeping you clear of traffic jams.

TomTom’s new unit also has voice-prompted address entry - so that you can simply say the address you want to travel to and the 920T will automatically calculate the route for you. It has a touch screen, high-quality graphics, a remote control and an FM transmitter - all enclosed in a sleek-looking metal case.

The device comes with a lithium-polymer battery, which has an operational duration of up to five hours.

The Garmin nuvi 200W satnav system has been described as “cool” and “clever”.

Coming as the latest in a long line of navigation devices from the German firm, the new gadget is easier to use than most competitors and is a slim and light design, according to TrustedReviews.

The Garmin 200W nuvi features a number of options - including one to add interesting locations as points - and features a widescreen 4.3 inch screen, according to the reviewer.

“More importantly it’s extremely easy to use and most of the significant functions are very obvious and simple to access - it’s almost worth having for that detour function alone,” stated the author.

According to the manufacturer, the Garmin nuvi 200W is also easy for motorists to slip into their pockets when outside of the vehicle. This could be important given recent police reports of a higher level of satnav thefts.

Almost two-thirds of UK motorists (63 per cent) would be lost without their satnav, research has found.According to 1,000 drivers in a survey by esure, motorists drive around 36 billion extra miles each year when they are lost, with one in six drivers not carrying a map in their car, askaprice reports.

However, some 11 million drivers were unable to read a map reference, the study found, with 68 per cent of men knowledgeable on their map skills compared to 62 per cent of women.

Ordinance Survey spokesperson Scott Sinclair commented that motorists need to overcome their reliance on technology and should take “a refresher in map reading skills”.

But satnavs can also have an environmental advantage, according to researchers in Taiwan.

When testing drivers with half using technology and half using paper maps, satnav journeys were an average of seven per cent shorter in distance, vunet reports.

Motorists have been urged to protect their satellite navigation systems (sat navs) to stop them from being stolen.Sat navs have become highly popular among motorists in recent years, as they can plan their route and direct them accordingly.

However, they have also become popular with thieves, prompting Oxfordshire police to advise people to keep the devices safe.

Chief Superintendent Shaun Morley commented: “Whether you are leaving your vehicle for just a minute, on the petrol station forecourt, or parking it up overnight, think about what you are leaving on show for the opportunist thief.”

Speaking to the Oxford Mail, he recommended that sat nav owners remove the cradle as well as the device, as seeing this could make thieves think there are expensive items inside the car.

According to a recent survey by Motorpoint, sat navs are the preferred option for almost three-quarters of drivers ahead of the traditional roadmap and atlas.

Motorists wanting to find their way and entertain their passengers en route could benefit from the new AVIC-X3 from Pioneer.

The system acts as a satellite navigation system, offering drivers accurate directions to a given destination and helping them avoid traffic jams.

Users will even be able to find local hotels, petrol stations, restaurants and even parking spaces with the device, courtesy of its multi-sensor navigator.

However, the AVIC-X3 also has other functions, doubling up as a versatile in-car entertainment system.

As well as listening to music including MP3 files, passengers in the car will be able to view DVDs, making it a great innovation for parents taking restless children on long drives.

DVDs would be viewed on optional monitors placed in front of the back seats, allowing passengers to view films while the satnav can still direct the designated driver.

The device is also compatible with other gadgets, such as iPods, camcorders and games consoles.

Many drivers prefer to use satellite navigation systems to reach their destination, according to a new poll.Research by Motorpoint found that sat navs were the preferred option for almost three-quarters of drivers ahead of the traditional roadmap and atlas.

Almost one in five respondents said the route suggested by the sat nav was slightly shorter than the one they would have followed with a map, therefore helping to reduce harmful emissions from cars.

Commenting on the findings, Motorpoint managing director David Shelton said: “We have noticed a growing number of customers who are purchasing vehicles with a satellite navigation system.”

He added that sat nav systems have become the new “must-have” accessory among motorists.

According to a recent study by Trafficmaster, five million UK motorists are still using roadmaps dating from the last century.

Firefighters in Devon are hoping to adopt satellite navigation technology to help reach their operations.

A fundraising drive has been launched in the Cullompton area to raise £800, which should allow them to buy a satnav device for one of their fire engines.

Fire crews currently rely on maps and their own local knowledge to cover a 300 sq km area, although it is hoped a satnav device could help reduce their emergency response times.

Chris Pratt, an officer at the station, told the Mid Devon Star: “The use of satellite navigation will help us to locate the site of an incident quicker.

“The time saved may enable our crews to save a life or property.”

A number of activities are set to be staged to help raise the money, including an open day at Cullompton Fire Station.

According to Trafficmaster, many motorists are currently not using satnavs and navigating from outdated roadmaps instead.

Londoners have been urged to exercise caution when it comes to their satellite navigation (sat nav) systems after new figures showed a rising number of thefts of the devices in the English capital.

A Metropolitan Police sign, intended to provide awareness about the growing numbers of sat nav thefts said that devices were proving “very desirable” at present before adding: If you leave your device in your car you will have it stolen”.

Latest figures released by the Met showed that 13,000 sat nav systems were stolen in London from vehicles in 2006 and these thefts equated to 15 per cent of the total thefts from cars.

David Evans, senior researcher at Which? magazine, remarked: “For thieves snatching these devices it is easy money; they are so valuable it is not worth hanging around to also steal other items in the car.

“It takes only seconds to smash a window, grab the device and run off. They can then be sold on fairly easily.”

According to the Daily Mail, it is believed that the total of 36 sat nav thefts from vehicles per day in London is the highest level since the sat nav boom began in 2002.