Novogo S700 BT In-Depth Review (GPSmagazine.com)

Verdict: Very hard to use

Novogo S700 BT

Taiwanese based Novogo is better known in Europe than here in the United States, but that will no doubt change, as the company tries to penetrate the lucrative US GPS market. This week I tested the S700 BT, Novogo's top-of-the-line navigation system. I put the Novogo S700 BT through GPSmagazine's rigorous testing criteria, and found out just how this unit stacks up against the increasingly competitive GPS market.

1. Features

TeleAtlas map data.
- US version: US and Canada
- Western European version: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, monaco, Germany, Great Britain (UK), Ireland, Italy, Vatican, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain,Gibraltar, Sweden, Switzerland, Liechtenstein.
- Eastern European version: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Major Roads of Western Europe.
- Australian version: Australia map
- Other map coverage: Russia, Greece, Turkey, UAE( United Arabic Emirates ), Singapore, Malaysia
10 million Points of Interest (POI) database
Optimized multi-destination routing (enter multiple stops and have the GPS order them in the most efficient way)
Text-to-speech
Optional RDS/TMC receiver to access real time free RDS/TMC information
Dynamic voice volume (automatically increases volume as the vehicle speed increases)
3D map view
Automatic day/night view (night mode is based on the time of day, not the ambient light)
Offroad navigation (record your trip with tracklogs)
Speed limit warning (unit can be set to alert you if you're exceeding the speed limit on a given road)
Ability to search for an address by postal zip code
Avoid a specific maneuver or road (route exclusion)
Customize your own POI graphic icons
Supports 19 different languages
10 map color schemes

2. Technical Specifications

Dimensions: 4.5 x 3.2 x 1.3 inches (115 x 81 x 34mm)
Weight: 8.5 oz (240 grams)
CPU: Intel 400MHz
3.5" (240x320) super high brightness, anti-glare touch screen TFT LCD
SiRF Star III 20 channel GPS receiver
Built-in Bluetooth hands-free calling
64MB SDRAM
Supports SD memory cards up to 2GB
Removable, rechargeable1800 mAH Li-on battery
Language support: English UK, English US, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Flemish, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Suomi (Finland), Hungarian, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Russian
Operating temperature: 32°F - 122°F (0° C - 5 0°C)
Storage temperature: 14°F - 140°F (-10° C - 60°C)