Navman Launch S-Series PND's

Darren · Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 6:33 pm Post subject: Navman Launch S-Series PND's

Navman have been very quiet since they were acquired by Mitac earlier this year and now we know why. They have obviously been very busy in the as they have just announced their latest PND range, the S-Series. This consists of four models, the S30, S50, S70 and the flagship S90.

Claiming to be the thinnest PND's on the market all except the S30 offer a 4.3" widescreen display and PIN coding for protection against theft. New to Navman are handsfree bluetooth, text to speech voice functionality and integrated TMC on the S90.

The S30 is the entry level device with 3.5" screen and single country map, The s50 adds the larger screen, the s70 has European mapping and the S90 adds a camera used in conjunction with Navpix, Navman's unique photo POI solution. All four units use SiRFstarIII GPS chipsets and use the new SmartS 2008 navigation software with improved address search.

A features breakdown is show below:

S30: 3.5" Touch Screen, 256mb internal memory, SD card slot, regional mapping.

S50: 4.3" Wide Touch Screen, 256mb internal memory, SD card slot, TMC via optional cradle, NavPix (no camera), Bluetooth hands free calling, Navman Desktop Manager (Mileage Reporter, NavPix album), regional mapping.

S70: Same as S50 but 2gb internal memory and Western European mapping.

S90i: Same as S70 plus: Text-to-Speech, Integrated 2 megapixel NavPix camera, built-in traffic receiver with free updates for life.

Prices are around £150 (S30), £180 (S50), £200 (S70) and £300 (S90i).
_________________
Darren Griffin

paybak · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 25, 2007 Posts: 23

I have been given an S30 as a birthday present.
Fantastic little satnav.

Would love to know how to update the POIs, and how to access WinCE 5.0 to add more applications.

It would also be nice to add celebrity voices too.

Any suggestions please.......

paybak · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 25, 2007 Posts: 23

If anyone is interested, i have written some software that will convert the Navman s30's .log files (enabled in Navman's preferences) to Google Earth Kml files.
You just have to navigate to My Documents on your Navman Device.

You can download the software here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/60445963/Nav2GE_setup.exe.html

any feedback or suggestions are welcomed.
Tested and works for UK.

xtraseller · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:29 pm Post subject: Navman S Series

paybak - any comments on the new Navman s30 unit, its build, its navigation and mapping features, etc...?

Would be great to hear from a user

Thinking of a Navman s90i for me and a s30 for a family member

paybak · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 25, 2007 Posts: 23

The navman s30 is a gorgeous unit.
Build quality is great, if just a little plastic to the touch.
Navigation is simple to use, incorporating some really neat features such as:

You can pan the map by dragging your finger.
Tap anywhere on the map and you can:

Show details of that address.
List nearest POI's
Choose to avoid area (great for roadworks etc.)
Add to trip.
Detour (1, 2, 5, 10 or 20 miles)

The mapping is the most up to date, visually pleasing i have seen on any unit.
With the choice of 3d, 2d, route overview, or turn by turn.
with options on the screen to zoom in or out.
You can also display:
E.T.A.
Time
Distance to Go
Time to Go
Compass bearing.
Battery status.
GPS status.

The menus are simple, and very pleasing to the eye.
With features like:

FUEL. (Showing the nearest fuel stations)
PARKING. (Nearest parking)
SOS. (I like this one. Wherever you are it'll show you the nearest hospital, or police station etc. Handy if you have kids on holiday)
TOURIST. (Showing all the tourist hot spots.)
FOOD. (Nearest places to eat.)

I understand that the s series, has one of the largest POI databases available, with over 500'000 POI's pre-installed.
You can search POI's by City/Area, POI Name or Search Nearby.

ACCORDING TO NAVMAN'S TECHNICAL SUPPORT.
CUSTOM POI'S ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON THE S30, BUT ARE AVAILABLE ON ALL OTHER MODELS.!

Voice guidance is clear and accurate. with directions like. "At the end of the road turn right", or "In 250 yards at the roundabout take the third exit onto the M4."
Much clearer than my previous satnav (Garmin I3).

I found it very quick at locating satellites on first start up, and using EGNOS gps mode have found the trace to be as accurate as to 1.2m (I work for a survey company).

Overall i think that the S series is direct competition for the TOM TOM's and Garmins out there, for a great price.

xtraseller · Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:34 am Post subject: Navman s30 s90

Thanks Payback for that detailed response! Much appreciated

Think I will get myself a Navman s90 (hope they are still due for release on the 15th October) and an s30

Have a Navigon 7110 at the moment, but find the mount very large and shakey, and while when its working it really is a great piece of kit, it fails far too often for my liking

xtraseller · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 6:33 pm Post subject: Google Maps

Hi (again) PayBack

My Navman s90i is due with me Monday (it's been dispatched!) - could you update me on what your Google Map Converter does please?

Sounds interesting...!

Cheers

Andy

paybak · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 25, 2007 Posts: 23

Still working on it at the moment. The version i have uploaded works. But has not been tested for outside the UK.

On the navman S series satnav's, in the route options, there is an option to enable GPS data logging.

This basically means that every time you plan a journey and follow it, it records your route as a .log file, into your "My Documents" folder on your your navman device.

My software reads these .log files (which, by the way are GPS NMEA data files) and generates a google earth .kml file recreating the route or routes.

I am currently working on calculating the speed for any point in your journey, or at any time. This is NOT a feature in the version i have uploaded, but when i iron out all the wrinkles, i will upload a new version.
I thought it would be a nice idea to be able to prove what speed you were doing at any given time. (In dispute of speed cameras maybe.)

This is an amateur project, when i have time or there is enough interest i will post updates.

paybak · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 25, 2007 Posts: 23

Here is the new version of my software.
It will create a .mph file that tells you how fast you were going at any time.

The time format is UTC.

http://rapidshare.com/files/62730145/navman2GE.zip.html

xtraseller · Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:16 pm Post subject: Navman S Series Slow to Respond?

Hi Payback - how are you getting on with your Navman S Series unit?

My s90i can be very slow to respond at times, freezing for seconds, minutes or for good until reset

Have you found this problem?

paybak · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 25, 2007 Posts: 23

Hi xtraseller;

Sorry to hear your having trouble with your s90i.

I have had zero problems with my unit. No freezing at all.
If i were you i would think of sending it back as faulty.
I hope it is a fault, and not a model issue.

The only thing i have found with mine, is errors in the mapping. (Tried to send me onto an off ramp of the motorway.) but this is only a minor quibble, and i am still satisfied with it.

Let me know how you get on.!

xtraseller · Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:13 am Post subject: Issues

Thanks Paybak, thats reassuring anyway

I can live with mapping errors, as they are common through all units using the same maps, and when you think what is inside these little units, it is suprising there isn't more!

Will keep pestering Navman this week to see if they can get it resolved, before returning my unit - which is a last resort and otherwise really like it. Just it's currently not usable!

paybak · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 25, 2007 Posts: 23

Navman Log Reader Software Update:

View Screenshots:
(Click for bigger Picture!)

Download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/66461151/navman2ge.zip.html

Feedback Welcomed. this is only an amateur effort.!!

paybak · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 25, 2007 Posts: 23

I SEEM TO HAVE FOUND A PROBLEM WITH MY S30.

WHEN YOU CLICK ON THE SCREEN TO BRING UP YOUR ROUTE OPTIONS, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH "ADD TO TRIP" OPTION.

EVERY TIME I CHOOSE THIS OPTION MY SATNAV RESETS ITSELF, AS IF ITS BEEN TURNED OFF THEN ON AGAIN, LOSING MY CURRENT ROUTE.

ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.?

jtsdata · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 24, 2007 Posts: 1

Initially was OK, but now (only 5 days later) I can't take pictures with my Navman S90i anymore - the viewfinder screen is black. Taking a shot after pressing the capture button takes ages and produces blank pictures, but with successfully embedded coordinates. Also occasionally the device reboots after I press the snapshot button. Any ideas how I can fix this (seems to be software problem to me)?
Thanks!

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