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We have been testing the CoPilot Live iPhone application for some time now, but the big news on the ALK booth was the Google Nexus One. Within a day of the launch of the Google phone we have seen it running CoPilot.
Our video features Lutz interviewing David Quinn about the new Google Nexus software, and the CoPilot premium add-ins.
Comments
Posted by flyingfuzz on Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:54 pm
When smart phone first came out one of the advantages of them was combining PDA, phone and camera, why carry three things when you can carry one. With the latest smart phones you can now start to think of ditching your PND device. When my PND dies I for one will be looking at spending the £150 –odd on a new smart phone rather that a PND. Will this be the beginning of the end for the majority of PND models? I can see the need for a cheap no frills model but that about it especially if up to date maps/traffic and pricing/searching is downloaded each time you switch on your phone.
I really like the look of the co-pilot and teh Nexus phone.
Some of the first devices I used GPS with were mobile phones of the PDA style, in the end I moved across to using the PND and to be honest I think they offer a better solution than the SmartPhone offerings, sure the various companies offering navigation software for the SmartPhone is improving its still got some way to catch up with a decent PND.
Text To Speech, never sounds as good on the SmartPhone as it does on the PND and depending upon which phone you get, if it rings it will bin the navigation application while you answer the phone!
I still use the PDA based devices and iPhone and the PND's it all depends upon where I am going and in which car, if travelling light is needed then just the iPhone with its car kit, in my own car I might have more than one device at any one time - Mike
Posted by MikeB on Sat Jan 16, 2010 3:31 pm
A couple of years I would have agreed with you. I would be carrying 3 devices, a phone, camera and a SatNav. With the introduction of the iPhone the screen size is now acceptable for navigation, what is missing is a decent speaker, but this has been helped by the active mounts, coupled with the fact that a lot of cars are coming with aux input or BT.
This means that the PND really doesn't have it's unique advantages any more the speaker is the only real differentiator between them and the SmartPhone. With more phones with the same sized screen as the iPhone hitting the market and the SatNav companies focusing on Android, iPhone, and Windows Mobile I fully expect the PND market to be marginalised this year, with the SatNav companies turning more to software solutions and not dominating the entire value chain.
This does of course beg the question why are TomTom and Garmin not going with the flow? Garmin are sticking with the NuviPhone whilst TomTom dont seem to be interested in any market other than the iPhone.
Mike Barrett
Posted by BigPerk on Sat Jan 16, 2010 4:44 pm
Quote:
This does of course beg the question why are TomTom and Garmin not going with the flow? Garmin are sticking with the NuviPhone whilst TomTom dont seem to be interested in any market other than the iPhone.
Call me cynical if you will, but is it possible that the two biggest players are hoping that if they ignore it the market will stay with them? Especially if they control the major mapmakers as well.
I agree that the PNDs could be on the way out, but currently the iphone solutions, for instance, commit users to a 12/18 month contract at quite expensive rates, on top of an expensive phone, rather than the modest ongoing costs that Navigon, and I assume TT, levy for their Live services. The other PND advantage it seems to me, at least at the premium level, is the relatively large screen, but I guess this will be overcome with auxiliary input/output.
If/when the iphone moves more in a PAYG direction, or costs come down a bit, then I think PND IS done for. I'm certainly not rushing to replace mine with an upgrade at the mo .
David
(Navigon 70 Live, Nuvi 360)
Posted by MikeB on Sat Jan 16, 2010 4:52 pm
BigPerk Wrote:
I agree that the PNDs could be on the way out, but currently the iphone solutions, for instance, commit users to a 12/18 month contract at quite expensive rates, on top of an expensive phone, ...
I think the point that is often missed here is that a lot of people will already have a SmartPhone or aspirations to get one, or may even have a phone that they want to upgrade. This does of course have a lot more functionality than the "brick" that a good PND has. Of course with the TomTom and Garmin connected offerings you are seeing additional functionality, but you cant use it for phone calls, or twitter, just the limited applications that they want you to access.
I believe this is about choice. User choice. If enough people want it then it will happen and companies who dont follow will flounder. Look at what happened to Garmin back in 2003/4 when the PNDs really took off. It took them a couple of years to catch up.
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Hi! We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
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Posted by flyingfuzz on Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:54 pm
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