Navigating in 3D

Navi On a recent drive with a friend I had the opportunity to test out his new Navigon 2100 Max. This navigation system is the big brother of the Navigon 2100 and has more than enough extras to make it the better choice of the two. It has a great look, got us where we needed to go, and best of all, the price is very reasonable.

The 2100 comes in a very snazzy black case with one the thinner profiles out there. The overall aesthetic is very modern and the svelte case measures approximately 5 inches by 3 inches by 2/3rds of an inch. The outside of the case is fairly minimalist with only a power button, a mini-USB port, external antenna port, SD slot, a reset button, and a nice big speaker on the back. All these elements combine for a well designed and very visually appealing outer casing.

The screen on this navigation system, one of those items made just a tad better on the "Max" version, is 4.3inches rather than the 3.5 inches on the standard version. This makes for easier viewing while driving as well allowing for more detail and more content on the screen. In my experience, although 4.3 inches is where the price starts to jump up on most GPS units, it is also the minimum size that is really optimal. The smaller is a hassle to read, a hassle for those with large fingers, and looks just a little too puny sitting up on the wide open dashboard.

As mentioned above, the larger screen does allow for a larger keyboard. This is a major improvement over the standard version of this unit and makes input of addresses much simpler. As far as viewing this screen is very crisp and displays vibrant colors. The display is more than bright enough and we had no trouble with daytime washout.

Although the input of addresses is made easier by the enlarged keyboard and screen, getting to that point is not as simple as it should be. The software and menu system in the Navigon is not as intuitive as that of the ultra user friendly TomTom devices. It seemed that every time I wanted to get to any feature, I always had to press one more button than I would have had I been working with a TomTom. I should say though, that although I found that to be an annoyance on this device, my friend, who has been using the Navigon for some time, was able to navigate the menus without any trouble and did not even notice the extra steps that bothered me so much. It just goes to show that one can get used to and good at anything if one uses it enough.

The vehicle mount, as with most modern GPS units, worked very well, and has never come off since the day it was first put on (according to the owner). For my benefit, he took the attachment off of the windshield and took it apart and then put it back together and reattached it to the windshield. It was a very simple process and one he completed in a very few minutes. Once reattached, the system was firmly in place and very unlikely to fall off - even during off-road driving (tested by simulation with me shaking the unit while my friend bounced the car up and down from the outside).

As far as actual navigation, this unit has a number of nice features. The first is the Reality View feature which displays complicated intersections in 3 dimensions to make their direction-finding easier. Anyone who has driven through certain parts of NJ, or even the people friendly Boston, can attest to the difficulty associated with making turns at intersections with multiple nonparallel roads converging on one point. The Reality View system allows you to see and better understand the intersection before you get to it and get confused have to have the GPS reroute you.

Another fantastic feature of the 2100 that goes along with the Reality View is the Lane Assistant feature. While the Reality View shows you what the intersection will look like, the Lane Assistant will make a recommendation for the best lane to be in while making the intended turn. For those of us that don't have time to study the map, even the 3D interpretations of the more complicated parts of a trip, this feature makes travel easy by placing the arrow within the lane most desirable for following the intended route.

An additional feature, now more common on GPS systems, is the "Direct Help" feature. This feature is very similar to the "Where Am I?" feature on Garmin devices and, when activated, displays your exact location. To further assist the wayward traveler, this feature also displays the near emergency services as well as the contact information for these services. In our test situation, the 2100 did indeed direct us to the nearest hospital and was also able to give us the nearest police station with good accuracy.

As for my issues with the 2100 Max, my biggest is the lack of power. The unit does not quite have enough processing power and there was some noticeable lag with everything we did. Even route calculations seemed to take a little longer than they should. This might have been because of the extra processing required to render the 3-dimensional imagery. If that is the case though, Navigon should have seen fit to give the device a faster processor to accommodate its own features.

Another problem with this device was the strangely and conspicuously missing Bluetooth capability. While we have lived for years without GPS units that could dial out to the Points of Interest in their internal databases, I have gotten rather used to this feature. While not having is not a deal breaker, its addition would certainly enhance otherwise very good navigation system.

The battery life on this device, while not directly tested by me, was rated at approximately 3.5 hours by the actual owner. He has used the 2100 as a navigation device while taking walking tours during his weekend excursions and has never been disappointed by the longevity of the battery.

Overall this is a great system with a number of nice new features. While it is not the cheapest unit out there, it has a lot of capability for its price range and certainly has the screen to justify the price. It is a sleek system with slick features, will outlast any job you need it to do, and is a great buy at any price under $300.