The iCN 720 has a photographic memory for places, aided by the 1.3megapixel
camera mounted on the front and its NavPix software.
The idea is that you can take a quick snap of any location and the device
logs its GPS coordinates. To revisit, just open the picture menu and select the
image of the location to plot your course.
It's a simple way of storing favourite locations.
Navman
hopes to build an online community of beauty spot sharers, as you can
upload
images with their coordinates embedded in the file for others to download
and navigate to.
Images can be downloaded to a PC using the supplied USB cable or a memory
card, but were of poor quality and definitely not what you'd want to print out
for posterity.
Finding locations using an address proved tricky in areas where town boundary
entries had changed, with the device insisting that some towns with London
postcodes were still in Essex. However, using full eight-digit postcode searches
proved more effective.
One of the key selling points of satellite navigation devices is their
ability to recalculate routes should the driver divert or miss a turn. We
ignored every turn instruction from the iCN 720 near a busy junction and were
impressed with the speed at which it recalculated.
Some sat-nav devices merely bark out an instruction to perform a U-turn and
adhere to its original route, but the iCN 720 worked out the next best route
within about five seconds of each wrong turn.
Spoken instructions were prompt and the screen was clear. We found it easier
to use a pen to input addresses on the landscape-orientated 4in screen rather
than use the small touch-sensitive keys. All the usual amenities and places of
interest, such as petrol stations, can be highlighted on route.
The windscreen-mounted bracket felt rickety, and we had to tighten the
screw-collar until it creaked to stop the device rattling as we drove through
bumpy streets.The suction cup presses onto the screen or dash, and seemed
insecure compared with the lever-locked suction pad of the
Tom Tom range, but the device stayed in place as we drove
over potholes.
We were a little disappointed that the iCN 720 struggled to make itself heard
against the noise of traffic and rushing wind when the car window was open.
A separate traffic pack can be downloaded from the Navman website containing
location information on speed cameras and live updates of traffic and accident
reports for £129.
The iCN 720 is a competent GPS device and will direct you within a few feet
of your destination. The NavPix feature may appeal to some, but the gimmick
could soon wear off, especially at this price.
Related
Reviews
Tom Tom One
Verdict: No camera but with good sound and a straightforward interface, the Tom
Tom One is almost everything a navigation system should be
Rating: 4/5
Price: £280
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