Review: Budget GPS System Steers You Right About Half The Time
Posted by: admin in Online And Tech NewsReview: Budget GPS System Steers You Right About Half The Time
V7 NAV730 GPS I love getting lost. Maybe not Judgment Night lost — but wayward enough to give a GPS system a good workout. V7 had us stray travelers in mind with the NAV730, a budget GPS unit fit for…
V7 NAV730 GPS
I love getting lost. Maybe not Judgment Night lost — but wayward enough to give a GPS system a good workout. V7 had us stray travelers in mind with the NAV730, a budget GPS unit fit for Magellan-sized wanderlust.
Let’s get one thing straight first — “quick and dirty” is the theme for the NAV730. The no-frills unit rocks a bright 3.5-inch QVGA screen encased in a black plastic chassis, and weighs less than half a pound. Although it operates via touch screen navigation, buttons for power and volume control are located on the side, along with a headset jack and USB port. In short, we’ve seen mud encrusted fences that are better looking, although the utilitarian design does actually suit the unit well. Naturally, the accessories get the same Spartan treatment. On top of all the normal manuals, the NAV730 includes a car charger, mounting bracket, 1GB SD card containing U.S. maps, USB charging cable, and a DVD containing backup maps.
The WinCE-based OS was fast enough when navigating the menus, but the user interface was a bit of a downer. Don’t get me wrong — if I needed this unit to chart a course away from certain doom — like an exploding fireworks factory — I could make due. Regular, non-apocalyptic use though? This unit’s interface is awkward at best.
Acquisitions were also a bit of a mixed bag. I was able to get a 28-second lock while outdoors on a relatively clear day. Meanwhile, attempting the same feat indoors took two minutes, 32 seconds. These aren’t necessarily bad times, but other GPS units we’ve tested
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