Road Angel Navigator 7000 Review

Road Angel GPS is a trading name of Intranetics Ltd which has been in business for over ten years. They offer several levels of GPS but the overall verdict seems to be that they are expensive for what you get. The biggest problem comes from the difficult and complicated instructions for use. This is not the best option for someone starting out on the Sat Nav road.

Having said that, the Navigator 7000 has been voted best sat-nav/speed camera locator by Auto Express. Road Angel have put a whole lot more emphasis on the speed camera issue whilst their competitors have had the safety camera alerts only as an additional function and not a raison d'etre. Nothing comes for free, however, and a monthly fee is required to keep the safety camera database up to date although Road Angel does give you the first six months free.

For navigation the system is powered by Smart2Go™ and maps are by Tele Atlas. UK maps come as standard and European are optional. The chipset is the now standard SiRF star III GPS receiver and a fast 400 mhz processor helps the system to speedy fixing. Turn-by-turn directions are given by voice and visually on the display, but the voice instructions proved confusing suggesting you turn left when it is only a sharp bend and not a junction.

The display is a full colour 3.5 inch touchscreen and can be mounted on the windscreen or as an additional option on a vent - whichever view is easier to handle. The cradle is advertised as vibration proof and we would not dispute that. As this unit is suitable for mounting on motorcycles the system is also advertised as waterproof.

Probably the biggest plus for this unit is its long battery life. According to their specs, the battery holds a charge for as long as 8 hours - this is way above the competition and very useful if you are taking it away from the car. The system comes out of the box with a 12/24V cigarette socket cable, a PC USB cable and a mains power adapter.

Additional features include Bluetooth connectivity so that updates can be received via you phone, plus an MP3 player and a picture viewer as standard. TMC for traffic and weather updates on congestion and accidents is not supported however.

As mentioned before, the speed camera alerts are emphasized as hugely important in this unit. Audible warnings are given when approaching cameras as well as accident hotspots, primary schools and congestion zones. The audible tone or whistle can be very intrusive but on the other hand that is the purpose of the system, to bring you back on track with better driving habits.

If your primary reason for buying this unit is to keep your drivers licence intact then this will be a rewarding purchase. If however you actually want to navigate, then best choose another option. Bluetooth , MP3 and picture viewer are no substitute for getting lost.