While the holidays may feel like they are months away, product manufacturers and retailers are racing to prepare their latest wares to entice gift-buying shoppers. In the GPS navigator world, several companies have new devices coming, with many boasting new features. To get an early look at the fresh products for the upcoming holiday season, the Consumer Reports GPS team recently attended a New York City media event where electronics companies showcased their latest wares.

Among the many gizmos on hand…

Delorme showcased its upcoming Earthmate PN-40 hand-held device. On sale in mid-October, this $399 unit has some intriguing features for outdoors enthusiasts. Notably, it will include topographic maps that can be layered on satellite imagery, giving a detailed view of the area. A $30 annual subscription is necessary to download aerial imagery, USGS quad maps, NOAA nautical charts, urban images for 133 major cities, and more. The downside is that the screen itself is on the small side, and the graphical interface is less elegant than some competing devices. The PN-40 has a mode for geocaching, and it is expected the photo imagery could prove helpful for recreational treasure hunting. For $499, the Delorme PN-40se will include 8 gigs of memory, versus one on the PN-40, enabling more imagery to be saved within the device.

Navigon made an impression with fresh models for its line up, starting with the Navigon 2000S. This $200 basic navigator will include reality view and spoken street names. For $30 more, the Navigon 2200T will include a traffic receiver and free real-time traffic.  The company promises improved speed, and we experienced easier address entry and more refined graphics during our brief time with the product. The top-level Navigon 7200T has a 4.3-inch screen and adds voice-recognition for address entry, Bluetooth connectivity, and ZAGAT ratings. Traffic is fast becoming a battleground feature, and the dedication to providing it free on value-priced models will be a key differentiator. (Garmin’s "free" traffic information will be advertisement supported, and we’ll report on that soon.)

Pioneer had the 5.8-inch AVIC-F500BT portable with the ability to integrate with factory audio systems. An intriguing concept, this $600 device requires a $150 amplifier and an approximately $400 professional install to take advantage of its features, such as ability to mute the stereo and pipe audio through the car’s speakers.

TomTom displayed the previously tested One 130 and 330 devices, explaining new devices would be shown at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January.

Garmin and Mio were noticeably absent, and Sony did not have new Nav-U devices at the show. However, we will continue to monitor the market to ensure we purchase, test, and report on the most significant GPS units for the upcoming holiday season… And yes, that includes hand-held hiking devices. In fact, we’ll purchase the DeLorme and Navigons shortly. Stay tuned…

—Jeff Bartlett

For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums.