It’s amazing to think that GPS products are relatively new and yet they’re already going the way of the dinosaur. It wasn’t that long ago that everyone wanted one of the big three PNDS, from Garmin, Magellan and TomTom. In a few years time, commoditization is already affecting the portable nav market. Meanwhile smart phones are gaining in popularity and taking on more and more tasks for their owners. Even in a down economy people continue to buy iPhones and Blackberrys. The smart phone has become the all-in-one device, more desired than say a netbook or a laptop. The latter still have their place, but you almost have to wonder for how long!
The first comment I got when I used the TeleNav on the Blackberry Curve 8310 was that it was too small. Too small for what? To see the details of the map—sure. To see where you’re going? No problem. Besides, with the long adjustable arm on the mounting device you can position the phone for the best possible viewing, within reason. Of course in California it’s illegal to mount anything on your windshield, so you’ll have to find another option there. I did use TeleNav with the Blackberry in the front passenger seat and was able to get where I needed to go, following the voice prompts instead of checking the map. While not recommended, you can get by in a pinch.
TeleNav pretty much offers all the features you get on a PND. Turn-by-turn driving directions, automatic re-routing of course, a directory (of POI database) of over 10 million businesses and you can even get real-time traffic info. I didn’t find that part of it all that useful as it wasn’t all that current, but there is a handy feature with TeleNav that you can’t get from other nav solutions. Instead of typing in an address you can call it in.. Basically you can input your destination by voice to an automated system that will deliver your address of POI. Connect your phone via Bluetooth to your car’s audio system and then instead of messing around with the keys, call hands-free and tell TeleNav where you’re going. Also, by using an Internet browser plugin you can save addresses from any Web page to your phone. It’s almost like a concierge service like you might find with GM’s OnStar or Lexus’ new Enform program. Well, not quite, but it’s certainly a step above your typical portable nav.
Getting back to the screen size. Yes, it is small, but the graphics are incredibly colorful and easy to decipher. All the indicators are very legible. The voice prompts are loud enough even in a car with relatively high road noise. I found that inputting addresses, or finding destinations in the directory was easy enough, but the phone can take a while to load the directions. But then again, this is an issue anyone that’s used a PND has experienced, especially if the person hasn’t used the portable nav in a while. Satellite acquisitioning is always slow on those devices. The wait time was similar here. Once you have locked though, the system is really effective.
I have a few PNDs as well as some in-dash navigation systems in my cars, and while TeleNav is not going to take over the latter, it certainly can be a great substitute for the former. It’s perfect for someone who travels, rents cars for business or for people that would like the convenience of a PND (for use say in a friend’s vehicle or what have you) but save the inconvenience of carrying around a separate device. You’ll always have your phone, so if you have TeleNav, you’ll also have GPS. Best of all, TeleNav is also available for you iPhone fanatics. It certainly works better than my iPhone map app. Whether or not the subscription fee is worth it will depend on your frequency of use, but in terms of product quality or what you get for subscribing, it’s definitely a terrific option, one that makes your PND, well, obsolete.
To get info on supported devices, sub costs and other details go to the TeleNav website here. And if you want a chance to win a free subscription go to this page on our site.
