Routeplanners: SatNav & GPS News

ViaMichelin has added a new flagship GPS to its range. The X-980T looks to be a radical advancement on the company�€™s previously top of the range, the X-950XT, and it brings a raft of new features.

Key most among them is the new 4.3in panoramic screen (as big as anything on the market) which has a real party trick up its sleeve: dual navigation. This means you can see both 2D and 3D maps simultaneously which should be an excellent way to clear up any ambiguities over which turn to take or roundabout exit to follow.

Also pleasing will be a second major asset: hands-free Bluetooth phone support. This technology has long been on the market, but by pairing with your handset and routing calls through the device�€™s speaker you�€™re essentially getting two pieces of equipment for the price of one.

Of course, the killer function of the ViaMichelin range is its built in Michelin Guide and naturally enough the X-980T has the latest 2006 edition complete with over 51,000 hotel and restaurant listings and 19,000 tourist sights with detailed descriptions accompanying each and �€“ where appropriate �€“ stored phone numbers, menu lists, parking and even website addresses.

Content can also be updated via the web (including that all important list of fixed speed cameras), maps for 20 different European countries are bundled and pedestrian and bicycle routes are catered for. The X-980T goes on sale immediately for £449 including VAT.

Navicore has unveiled what it claims to be the world’s smallest Bluetooth GPS receiver. The little device weighs just 30g, which makes it equally useful for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

It works by calculating and storing your exact position using signals from 20 GPS satellites circling the Earth then communicating this information to GPS software on your mobile phone or PDA. This provides a full navigation system that includes most public roads and thousands of points-of-interest such as restaurants, hotels, petrol stations and local tourist venues. The receiver offers up to eight hours of battery life in continuous use and can be charged easily by connecting it to a laptop, PC, or a cigarette lighter outlet.

The tiny device is due out in November for a price yet to be confirmed.

Garmin has announced the release of Garmap software on memory cards (SD or MMC format), which aims to make hassle-free navigation faster and easier.

According to Garmin, customers will no longer have to activate the maps in their GPS units over the Web, as the in-car navigation products will be supplied with Garmap maps-on-a-chip, aiming to give users the benefit of immediate full use of the device.

“Just plug in the memory card, let the unit acquire satellites, and you are ready to navigate,” the company says.

The products that will have the memory card-based map sets are the Street Pilot i3, Street Pilot 510 /550, IQ M4, Nuvi 300/310/350/360 and Street Pilot 7200.

MEDION has extended its GoPal GPS range with three new widescreen models.

All three models are based on the same form, and measure 130 x 90 x 20mm, and weigh 200g. The 4.3-inch widescreen can display a choice of arrow, 2D or 3D onscreen directions, as well as a compass, distance to destination, estimated time remaining, and previews of major road signs. Based on NAVTEQ mapping, the SatNavs also incorporate Berlitz City Guides, which provide travel information to top ten restaurants, the best shopping areas, visitor attractions, and more to 50 major cities in Europe. All three models also have speed camera locations saved to the memory card.

The entry-level model is the GoPal PNA 460, which comes with UK and Ireland maps on a 256MB memory card, features an MP3 player and photo viewer, and retails for £200. European maps cost another £80.

Next up is the PNA 465, which adds an integrated Traffic Message Channel receiver to the list of features, as well as preinstalled European maps; this model will cost £260.

And finally, the flagship PNA470 offers the highest standard of specs, with integrated Bluetooth so that drivers can make and receive calls while driving. This model also includes European mapping and costs £300.