2010 CES: New ways to accessorize your GPS navigator

Jan 8, 2010 4:55 PM

The Consumer Reports GPS team has been eagerly waiting to see what the Consumer Electornics Show (CES) would have to offer the GPS market for 2010. Most manufacturers have opted not to announce new portable navigation devices (PNDs), but promise new releases in the coming months. Although there was not an abundance of new models, innovative features were on display, with a theme of accessorizing the devices.

TomTom is one of the few manufacturers to announce a new PND, and they rolled out the new TomTom EASE. (Read: “TomTom EASE GPS entry-level PND that changes colors.”) The EASE is aimed to simplify the overall GPS experience while retaining TomTom’s core functionality. TomTom has always offered a bit of customization allowing users to install a variety of celebrity and novelty voices for navigational instructions. The EASE takes personalizing a bit further by offering the unit in either a black or white casing, but more exciting is the possibility of obtaining changeable covers offered in a variety of colors; similar to those available for the TomTom Start (an model exclusive to the European market).

Cydle is a newcomer to the PND market, and the were showcased the T43H. Expected to retail for $249, the T43H has a 4.3-inch wide screen, video player, MP3player, and picture viewer. It also claims to be the first navigation system with built-in HD Radio that includes HD Radio Traffic. This real-time data is reportedly 10 times faster than the FM-based services we have seen on most traffic-capable PNDs. The radio and traffic services require no subscription fees.

Keeping in line with the accessory theme, Cydle offers a unique add-on in the form of a “Black Box” known as the BX-1. The BX-1 is expected to retail for $149 and is equipped with a camera and a shock sensor. It continually updates every 30 seconds keeping a running video of events while driving. It can detect a crash with the use of the shock sensor, retaining data 15 seconds before and after the impact. (Footage is saved to an SD card.) An accessory like this can prove useful when dealing with insurance companies and possibly when disputing traffic violations.

Not to be outdone, Garmin has also introduced some accessories at CES. A playful addition to a Nuvi is the ability to add voice directions from family and friends with Garmin’s new Voice Studio. The Voice Studio application is installed on a user’s PC, and it leads the user through a series of phrases that can be edited and reviewed in the application. (The app is for PCs running Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later operating system.) Garmin Voice Studio does not provide text-to-speech recordings. Check out the compatible Nuvi models.

More exciting than the Voice Studio is Garmin’s announcement of the new EcoRoute HD; which turns some of their portable Nuvi navigators into an automotive diagnostic tool and can double as a fuel saving device. This device plugs into a vehicle’s onboard diagnostics (OBD II) port found on vehicles made since 1996, and it wirelessly transmits performance information to the PND, including engine rpm, fuel flow, and emissions. Performance information can be displayed on the nuvi in different customizable screens; but more importantly helps drivers accurately monitor how efficiently they are driving. (Read “Garmin EcoRoute HD turns PNDs into a diagnostic tool.”)

We look forward to putting new models and innovative accessories through the paces in the coming months.

—Frank Spinelli