Navman S30Review

Just like the history of Microsoft, Navman started in a garage, this one in Auckland New Zealand. Kiwis are well known for their desires for travel and so it is no surprise to find this company at the forefront of technology when it comes to satellite navigation.

The Navman S30 has to be one of the easiest, straight out of the box usable GPS systems on the market today. Whether you are driving from Devon to Doncaster or just navigating your way on foot through the city centre, this lightweight unit has a whole lot going for it. It weighs only 161 grams and is only 112 mm wide and 78 mm high.

The 3.5 inch screen (measured diagonally) is the industry standard for Sat Navs in this price range and of course has touchscreen capability but also an intelligent night/day display. The graphics are clear and arguably better looking than the Garmin or TomTom units however the refresh time is a little slow which can result in flickering as the map moves across the screen.

Directions are given clearly by voice and the unit will specify the actual location rather than just a generic track. For example, the device will stipulate "exit the M1 at junction 6" rather than "turn off at the next exit". This is a nice feature especially in unfamiliar surroundings as it is much easier for clarity of information.

The Lithium-ion battery has a recharged life of only 4.3 hours, so not as much as some other models in this budget range. Regional maps are preloaded and safety/speed camera information is also preloaded but only on a trial basis - you will need to subscribe for updates on this. As with other models the unit's audible pitch will change if you are approaching a camera at speeds in excess of the specified limit.

The software used is the SmartS™ 2008 and the data is from Tele Atlas version 2007.4. The powerful SiRF star III chip is used in the GPS receiver to give timely and accurate fixes. 3D and 2D views are supported and 8-digit postcode search makes finding your destination very simple.

The Navman S30 has received many good reviews already; its simplicity of use was really its best selling point in the view of many consumers. For users new to the Sat Nav era, the ability to be guided to your chosen destination without being a technocrat was a huge plus. If there is a negative comment to be made on this product it would be the rather flimsy mounting cradle and gloomy voice instructions. Why manufactures insist on using either a science fiction robot or a severely depressed human to record their voice messages is a mystery.

Although there are not the fancy features of voice recognition, MP3 player and the like, the Navman S30 is so reasonably priced as to still make it high on the list of must haves.