Review: Navigon 8100T Portable GPS Navigation Device
The Executive Portable Navigator
February 2, 2009 By Grant ClauserThat’s where Navigon’s $599 8100T model steps up. The company promotes it as an XXL nav unit due to the impressive 4.8-inch widescreen display. The extra large (or XXL) screen makes all the functions of the device easier to use, especially if your car has a large dashboard that puts the screen far from your eyes. Adding to the easy-on-the-eyes theme, the unit abandons the cheap plastic look of some nav systems and instead gives you a distinguished brushed aluminum bezel surrounding the screen. The windshield mounting device is also sleekly designed, suction-cups to the window easily and includes an integrated charger so you don’t have the charge cable dangling from the side of the nav system (this actually tripped me up first, because I plugged the charge cord into the 8100T instead of to the mount and couldn’t figure out why there was no power). The mount is very sturdy and includes a quick-release button to take the 8100T with you.
The Navigon includes several advanced features you won’t find on cheaper models. Unique to Navigon is the Panoramic 3D view. Instead of simply offering you flat maps, this unit shows you a 3D version of the world in front of you. On paper this sounds cool, but not it’s not until you try it out do you realize how useful it really is. With the 3D view you’ll know that the right turn coming up is at the top of a hill or that an intersection is at the bottom of a valley. Another feature which helps take the guesswork out of your route is Lane Assist Pro which shows a more detailed close up of turns and highway interchanges. If you’ve ever missed an exit because you didn’t know which lane to line yourself up in, this feature will guide you right.
Another feature, that comes free and activated out of the box, is real-time traffic updates. The traffic updates feature will alert you to congestion and accidents along your route and offer alternatives to save you time. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view) I encountered no traffic problems why using the unit, so I can’t report on how well this works. However, other manufacturers offer similar services for a fee.
One of my favorite features of the 8100T is the Voice Destination Entry. With this enabled, instead of poking the touch screen to enter a destination address, you just speak it out loud. There’s a quick setup step to adjust the built-in microphone, and then it’s ready to listen to your command. When you enter voice mode, the unit will ask you for the state, city, street and number, then confirm the information your gave it. It did have a little trouble understanding one street number I gave it, but other than that the feature worked very well. It also offers your clear voice prompts on your route, though pronunciation is sometimes hilarious.
Keeping on the voice them, the 8100T doubles as a Bluetooth speaker phone, which will save you from having two separate devices hooked up to your car at once. The unit’s speaker proved loud enough for highway use, and listeners on the other end of my calls were satisfied with the voice quality.
Like all nav systems, this one comes with a large points-of-interest database. Navigon’s database is larger than most at about 5 million, and includes a built-in Zagat guide in case you’re looking for restaurant reviews (I learned that Abacus in Hatfield scored a 23 for food while Philadelphia's Buddakan scored a 27).
Without consulting the instructions at all, I was able to figure my way around the system’s menus and get addresses entered pretty simply. The only hiccup I had while using it happened almost as soon as I got it out of the box. For some reason the device got stuck on the idea that it was in Nebraska and wouldn’t let me change state. Once I got over that hurdle, I didn’t have any other issues, and in fact was impressed with the speed in which it acquired a satellite signal. Turn prompts were delivered at appropriate times and the maps moved along nicely in sync with my driving. The extra large screen, coupled with the voice commands and Bluetooth makes this the most hands-free GPS on the market, which makes it a bit safer to use, as well as pleasurable.
Navigon 8100T
$599
4.8-inch widescreen display
5 million points of interest
Built-in Zagat guide
Panoramic 3D view
Lane assist
Voice control
Bluetooth phone compatible
Free traffic updates
www.navigonusa.com
