Electricpig » Satnav & GPS

Motorola Atrix 4G Android phone: So powerful, it has its own laptop

Ben Sillis — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:37:20 +0000

The Motorola Atrix 4G isn’t just one of the brand new breed of turbo Android phones unveiled at CEs today. It’s the beefiest one of them all, with frankly insane specs. Oh, and its own laptop you can dock it in.

Samsung, LG and HTC have all unveiled beast Android phones today, with 4-inch plus screens and more than 1GHz clock speeds. But the Motorola Atrix 4G is so powerful, it’s almost absurd.

For one, the Android 2.2 Motorola Atrix 4G has not only a 1GHz dual (count’em) core processor, but a whopping 1GB of RAM – twice that of the iPad and what we make a record in a phone. A microSD slot meanwhile gives you up to 48GB of storage space when combined with the 16GB of onboard memory, there’s a front facing camera and the battery has an enormous 1930mAh capacity – which frankly, it sounds like it’ll need.

Not only that, but the Motorola Atrix 4G can plug into a special laptop dock to give you a bigger screen and full physical keyboard to go with your HSPA+ turbo fast connection when the phone ships in the US on AT&T in the first three months of the year.

Will we see it in the UK? With Motorola, it’s always hard to tell. We certainly hope so, and have contacted the company for clarification. Fingers crossed.

Out TBC | £TBC | Motorola

Sony Xplod Satnav: Sony car stereos with TomTom inside

James Holland — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:13:05 +0000

Sony satnav stereos just got a TomTom makeover, with the two firms partnering to launch Sony Xplod navigators: Slick satnav units built into car stereos, with TomTom navigation inside to boot.

The new Xplod AV Navigation Systems consist of a Sony “AV head unit”, or a car stereo to most drivers, with a pop-out screen measuring 6.1 or 7 inches. The set-up pairs with a wireless TomTom Navigation Module, which sits on the dashboard to receive GPS signals, and even housing a SIM card to access the web.

It’s a set-up which delivers the best of both worlds for drivers wanting fuss-free in-car navigation and entertainment: The joys of TomTom software, and integration with a top of the line Sony car stereo. TomTom Live services, including HD Traffic, Local Search with Google and Safety Alerts are the icing on a very tasty cake.

All Sony Xplod AV Navigation units come with maps for 45 European countries, while TomTom IQ Routes and MapShare mean guidance for the fastest routes is done on more than mere speed limits, and maps are always up to date.

Sony brings it’s AV supremacy to the party too, with Centre Speaker Organiser, a feature which recreates 5.1 channel surround sound by placing an additional ‘virtual’ speaker right in the middle of the dash board. There’s also Intelligent Time Alignment, which considers the driver’s off-centre position and adjusts audio to make sure stereo sound is still heard in perfect sync

There’s tech from the Sony Walkman family inside too, with ZAPPIN and SensMe letting you choose tunes to match your mood. As you’d expect, the Xplod satnav stereos will accept music from Walkman MP3 players, iPods, iPhones and USB memory drives too, as well as boasting Bluetooth for audio streaming. The range will hit UK shelves in October 2010.

Out October 2010 | TBC | Sony, TomTom

Smart fourtwo electric car test driven!

Jennifer Allan — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:47:32 +0000

This morning Electricpig had a pootle around London in Smart’s electric vehicle, the Fortwo. The car hasn’t been launched yet, but there’s a handful being trialled out on the roads. After Driving a G-Wiz last year, I must say, I wasn’t that excited. The G-wiz felt like driving round in a crap trainer. Thankfully, Smart’s take is much more like driving a normal car. Quentin Wilson, car journo and compere for today’s test drives, said as much, stating: “Nobody has done as much damage to the EV cause”. In this case then, he’d be right.

The Smart EV feels very much like a normal Smart car, except for that imposing silence. It drives like an automatic, with a gearstick with four stops. Happily, the accellerator was much less jumpy than I found the G-wiz, and driving was smooth, and responsive, once you get used to stifling the impulse to floor the pedal when there’s no revs to hear.

The costs are where the real questions are, and generally, in this market, numbers are bandied around here there and everywhere. The basic proposition is that electric cars are much more expensive than their petrol equivalents, but you’re paying up front for your fuel. It’s a bit like asking someone to spend an extra £50 on a pair of shoes that they won’t have to have re-soled.

These cars will be rolled out in 2012, and its estimated that each charge costs £1.50, or £170 per year, whereas a petrol equivalent costs £1500 in fuel a year. When you add these to the environmental factors it’s persuasive, but even with the government incentives, it’s unlikely that one will set you back less than £14,000.

TomTom Start2 budget satnav outed: see the photos!

Ben Sillis — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:30:09 +0000

The TomTom Start2 has just been made official. Like the TomTom Start before it, it boasts a simple UI and low pricetag, but this time, the Dutch GPS guru has bunged in some souped up software skills at no extra charge. Read on for the details and photos.

TomTom’s not tinkered with the hardware much on the TomTom Start2 (Not that there was anything wrong the first time round), but instead loaded it up with a few features whose absence made the original inferior to the TomTom One. The TomTom Start2 now comes with advanced lane guidance, so you’ll know just where to be on motorways and roundabouts to make your junction.

The TomTom Start2 also comes with RDS-TMC Traffic support. You’ll need a separate receiver to use it, but if you’ve got one, you can pump live traffic info to the TomTom Start2 and plan your route around it without the need for a TomTom Live subscription. Spoken streets names also make their debut, so you can keep your eyes on the road while trying to find that address, and IQ Routes is present as before, giving the TomTom Start2 masses of data on the best routes to pick at different times of day.

Read our TomTom Start review now

The TomTom Start2 is out from April, priced at £119 for a UK only version, and £139 for Europe maps. You’ll still be able to use StartSkin colourful cases on it, but at £14.99 each, we wouldn’t recommend it.

Out April | £119 | TomTom

Garmin 1690 satnav hands-on photos!

Ben Sillis — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:00:44 +0000

The Garmin nuvi 1690 is the TomTom arch-rival’s first crack at a connected satnav with local search, just like LIVE, and we’ve just seen the nuLink web-friendly GPS taken for a spin. Can it drive the TomTom Go 950 LIVE off the road? Check our photos and see for yourself.

When it comes to standalone satnavs, Garmin reverses over TomTom repeatedly. Its mapping and software are clear and snappy compared to what the Dutch have to offer. But TomTom’s leapt ahead with LIVE, local Google search and up to date traffic details.

The Garmin nuvi 1690 is an attempt to play catch-up: mapping wise, it’s identical to the 1490T, but it’s got 3G skills to bring you Google, fuel prices, weather forecasts and even international directory lookup if you don’t have your contact’s phone number to hand.

Read our Garmin nuvi 860T review now

What services the slim, 4.3-inch Garmin nuvi 1690 offers via its net connection are well made: they’re fast, cheaper than LIVE (free for a year, then £69.99 a year after that) and will work in 15 countries across Europe for continental roadies.

But, and it’s a big but, the Garmin nuvi 1690 is missing the triffic HD traffic skills of TomTom LIVE satnavs, by far the most useful feature TomTom gives you for £7.99 a month.

Have a look at what the Garmin nuvi 1690 can do though in our gallery, and watch out for it to hit shop shelves next month.

Out November | £TBC | Garmin

TomTom Start: hands-on photofest!

Ben Sillis — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:28:37 +0000

The TomTom Start, TomTom’s cheap and cheery satnav for the masses got outed earlier today, but now we’ve just had some face and finger time with the touchscreen PND. Are the colours worth going crazy over? Read on and see.

The TomTom Start is the Dutch GPS god’s latest entry level satnav which still manages to pack in some useful features, like IQ Routes for time-sensitive guidance inside its 3.5-inch screen and £120 pricetag.

TomTom Start budget satnav unveiled

On the software front it handles just like a TomTom One, with the same layout we’ve come to expect. That’s no bad thing for under £120 of course, but we’re not won over by the cases: how badly do you need your satnav to be lime green? The TomTom Start also looks pug ugly without a shell, so you wouldn’t want to take this out of the car to traverse on foot with.

We’ll be back with more on the TomTom Start once we take one for a spin on the roads, but for now, settle yourself with these close-up snaps in our gallery.

Out Now | £from 119.99 | TomTom

TomTom iPhone car kit: hands-on photos!

Ben Sillis — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:02:24 +0000

The TomTom iPhone car kit is almost upon us, and to prove it, we’ve got the little dashboard doodah in our own sweaty paws. See it up close right here in our hands-on gallery!

The TomTom iPhone app is already out, but the accompanying TomTom iPhone car kit with GPS skills of its own is now nearing release, and we’ve had a quick hands-on with a prototype. We weren’t able to test it in a car, but we can testify to the TomTom iPhone car kit’s small build and the genius of the screw sucker TomTom is known for.

TomTom iPhone car kit priced up!

We’re not sure yet whether it’s worth the full £100, on top of £60 for the actual app, but we’ll be taking it for a proper spin so stay tuned, and in the meantime, have a look at the photos of the TomTom iPhone car kit up close right here.

Out October | £99.99 | TomTom

TomTom Start budget satnav official

Ben Sillis — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:00:08 +0000

The TomTom Start, the Dutch satnav seller’s latest low price PND, has just been unveiled. Want to know what it does for just 119 smackers? We’ve got the word so read on.

Like the TomTom One, the 3.5-inch TomTom Start is a satnav aimed at bringing less hardcore motorists on board with a low pricetag: the TomTom Start costs just £119 for UK maps, and £139 for Europe-wide.

Read our TomTom XL LIVE IQ Routes review here

You won’t find LIVE connectivity for local Googling and realtime traffic updates, but the TomTom Start will give you IQ Routes to tell you the best route at a certain time, and a range of different coloured cases (StartSkins) at £14.99 a pop. We’d have thought bright coloured satnavs would lead to much more theft, but if that’s what you’re into, there are six colours to choose from, along with the base black and white options.

The TomTom Start is on sale at TomTom’s website right now, and for would-be owners, there’s a TomTom press event going down tonight, so you can expect more sharpish.

Out Now | £from 119 | TomTom

Magellan Maestro 4700 satnav launches

Ben Sillis — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:30:55 +0000

The Magellan Maestro 4700, a satnav that crams in just about every feature you could ever need while behind the wheel, has just been unveiled. Come meet and greet this great new GPS for your motor in our official photo gallery!

The 4.7-inch Magellan Maestro 4700 won’t jump online for up the minute petrol prices like a TomTom LIVE satnav, but it handles just about everything else, and with no subscription charges pocketing you every month either. Want to Bluetooth while you tootle? It’ll do that. Want to know the traffic hotspots at different times of day? It’ll do that too, with predictive traffic. There’s even a Find Your Car mode onboard the Magellan Maestro 4700 to help you remember where you parked in a shopping centre carpark-plex.

As you can see too in the gallery, the 3D landmarks on the Magellan Maestro 4700 almost look like almost iPhone game quality, so there’s really no excuse for getting lost anymore.

While the Magellan Maestro 4700 ships stateside from July 15 for $299 (£185), Magellan says there are no plans for European release just yet, but if the device revives the brand in a big way, don’t rule it out.

Out TBC | £TBC | Magellan