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 Navigon unveils mobile navigation
James Lawson
Navigon has released its Navigon MobileNavigator, an application for iPhones that turns the phone into a fully functional mobile navigation system.
"We see different use cases for the mobile application compared to PNDs," says Stephan Balte, country manager, South Africa at Navigon. He explains that the app is pitched more at the business user, who needs to use the device on short journeys around town.
"Safety is also paramount with navigational units," says Balte, who says Navigon has also released an iPhone cradle that has a consistent look and feel to the Navigon Personal Navigation Device (PND) product line. The cradle allows you to charge your iPhone.
The iPhone app is responsive, and the interface is intuitive and looks almost the same as the PND. It makes use of the iPhone accelerometer, which allows the interface to flip based on the orientation of the iPhone, allowing you to use it in either portrait or landscape mode.
The application includes all the functionality that is available on the PND units. Voice prompts guide you as you travel, including Navigon's simulated drive to a location for those times when GPS coverage isn't available. The software includes points of interest (POI), and a handy feature of being able to call POIs if they have a telephone number listed.
The device also introduces location sharing through social networking sites Twitter and Facebook. The application allows you to post your location by automatically filling out information related to your journey. This includes your current GPS location, your destination, and estimated time of arrival.
Users have total control over the information that is posted, having the option of editing the text before sending the post to either social network.
Lastly, MobileNavigator provides seamless access to your music store, allowing you to play music stored on your iPhone while still being able to access the features of the MobileNavigator, which softens the music with every voice prompt.
The application has been available on the Apple App Store since last week, at a promotional price of $59.99 (roughly R435 at the time of writing).
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