Eco Graph

By Chelsey P. – Product Specialist

Deciding on a in-dash GPS navigation unit can be difficult since there are many different factors you have to account for which choosing the right one. Road trips and business trip are becoming more difficult each year due to the amount of new street and businesses across the country.  Many of these new roads may not yet be available on the internet map databases yet, which makes it harder to create travel plans to these new locations. Navigation receivers, however, have a large amount of points-of-interest that will surely include the destination you are looking for. This is why a navigation head unit is necessary if you travel to different cities or states, or if you are directionally challenged when visiting new areas. A few head units to look out for in 2010 are the following:

1. JVC KW-NT3HDT

The much anticipated JVC KW-NT3HDT is a Double DIN 6.1” Touchscreen CD/DVD Player.  The Navteq database features full map-coverage of the United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and Puerto Rico. So no matter where you may travel to, you will always find your way around. This unit has text-to-speech that will audible playback street names, driving directions, etc. It has built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling with the ability to transfer your phonebook and stream audio wirelessly through the head unit. And along with Bluetooth is the built-in HD Radio tuner for clean and clear radio reception.

2. Kenwood eXcelon DNX9960

The Kenwood eXcelon DNX9960 is 6.95” Touchscreen receiver with a color LCD Display. The navigation database in this unit is slightly different than the one above. It has a Garmin navigation system with the NAVTEQ Traffic receiver. Navigation by Garmin offers a basic way to get you to your destination.  The interface is simple to use, easy to read, and extremely efficient. The navigation has voice guidance, lane assist, as well as text-to-speech abilities.  The built-in Parrot Bluetooth allows for hands-free conversations and supports wireless music streaming. As for customizable options, there are three display skins to choose from to match your vehicle’s interior.

3. Pioneer AVIC-X920BT

Pioneer also has a brand-new head unit out this yea. The AVIC-X920BT features the TeleAtlas map database with over 12 millions points-of-interest to choose from. Map coverage includes the United States and Canada. Although this unit does not have the wide map coverage as some of the other units, it does have more POI’s than the aforementioned navigations systems. It also features advanced Eco Graph technology that help get to your destination quickly, while leaving as little impact on the environment as possible.  As for expandability, it has built-in Bluetooth technology for hands-free conversation and audio streaming. This unit has a 6.1” LCD Color display with a menu that can be customized to your preference.

As you can see from above that there are many different GPS navigation units on the market. They all feature different map databases including NAVTEQ, Garmin and TeleAtlas. Each of these databases will provide different navigation options, and will even determine the speed system boot up. Not only should you take into account the navigation options, but also look at what the system has a whole has to offer you, including the expandability options such as Bluetooth.