Slim, rounded edges, anti-glare widescreen displays, and Bluetooth connectivity are only just a few of the improvements that Navman incorporated into its new GPS “S-Series.” The company is said to have sat on the development of the S-Series, closely taking into consideration the comments and suggestions of its customers.
The results is a GPS product line that has “more than 200 enhancement” from the old Navman series. Navman launched the S30, S50, S70 and S90i as a direct competitor of the high-end models from leaders like Garmin, and TomTom.
The new portable navigation device (PND) is slimmer than the previous Navman F series, plus the S90i is 20% slimmer than any product in its class. The S50, S70 and S90i also boasts a 4.3-inch wide-screen format, while the S30 has a 3.5-inch screen. With the exception of the S90i, the rest of the S-Series use a SiRFstarIII chipset.
One of the new and unique features of the S90i is that it speaks directions and street names as well. This is a feature that, at present, is only provided by a select few PNDs. Also, the S90i features a 2-megapixel digital camera.
The series also incorporates other improvements in the industry PND line like an “SOS” button which lists local emergency services that shows information about local hospitals, garages, dentists, police stations, etc. It was TomTom with its “Help Me” button who pioneered the use of such a feature in PNDs.
The S50, S70 and the S90 has Bluetooth wireless connectivity and can actually be used as mobile phones providing hands-free calling while driving. This is another new for Navman. The three units are also capable of receiving real-time traffic data in over 14 countries is now provided in the S-Series. The number of country coverage was twice as many as in previous Navman models.
Moreover, the S-Series contains maps from Tele Atlas. Specifically, the S30 and S50 will feature pre-installed regional maps. Meanwhile, the S70 and S90i will come with standard pre-installed European maps which covers 21 countries including the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Andorra, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco and Vatican City.
Among the four S-Series model, the S30 serves as the economic model which features only a 3.5-inch LCD and does not have Bluetooth connectivity or optional traffic information. The S-Series would be out in October and would have tag prices of $305 (£149.99) for the S30, $366 (£179.99) for the S50, $406 (£199.99) for the S70, and $610 (£299.99) for the S90i.
