Navman recently released the S100, a stylish portable GPS measuring 13.5mm thick. It has a 4.3 inch widescreen LCD touchscreen with a tap-and-slide navigation system. Very much reminiscent of an iPhone touchscreen, the tap-and-slide allows the scrolling of the navigation keys, flipping foreward and back to the GPS screen. For a handheld GPS device, the screen is large relative to the form factor.
Thinner than most smart phones, the smallish unit is not no lightweight when it comes to features. The touchscreen handset allows taps for the menu items as well as scrolling for the maps. The unit also includes several software to round out an impressive package:
- uses Navman’s ClearView maps;
- SiRF’s InstantFix II technology for attaining fast satellite locks;
- multimedia playback;
- NavPix photo navigation to access geo-tagged pictures to help as landmarks of where you are;
- routing based on fuel economy;
- Mio’s famed 3D landmarks display;
- 3D Junction Views with real signpost data;
- text-to-speech (spoken next turn road names);
- pre-loaded safety camera data free for the first 12 months; and
- Infobel Local Search, for information on exactly what you’re looking for from sightseeing, shops, hotels, restaurants and much more.
This is a very compact unit which can be used for both vehicular use and for pedestrian mode. You can walk around the area in this, and be stylishly lost. At least most people would think that you have an iPod Touch or iPhone instead of a GPS with all the touchscreen navigating going on.
The Navman S100 will be launched in November with for abotu £199 in the UK and Ireland.
