Harman/Kardon 810-GPS Review (GPSmagazine.com)

Verdict: Not Bad. Not Great. Plays Videos.

Harman/Kardon is a company widely known for their fantastic audio equipment, and recently jumped into the growing GPS market with two units, the Harman/Kardon 300 and the 500. These units weren't generally received well, so HK went back to the drawing board, did some re-designing, and has released the much improved 310, 510 and 810 models, targeting the entry level, mid-range and high-end, respectively.

The Harman/Kardon 810 looks like a normal GPS unit, but it combines the power of its Drive + Play system to add a twist (literally). With a suggested retail price of $599, the 810 faces stiff competition from Garmin, Magellan and TomTom. The question is, can the 810 handle the heat? Read on.

1. Specifications

GPS receiver: SiRF StarIII
Preloaded with maps of the United States and Canada (Tele Atlas)
4.3" WQVGA touchscreen display
Operating system: Microsoft Windows CE Net 5.0
CPU: Centrality Atlas II Dual Core
Power supply: Rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
Battery life: Up to 4 hours
Interface: USB
Wireless technology: Bluetooth
Traffic receiver: Integrated
Dimensions: 4.8 x 2.9 x 0.7 inches (W x H x D)
Weight: 8 ounces
System requirements: Windows 2000/ME/XP; CD-ROM drive; available USB port; SD/MMC card reader recommended
External memory: SD card (4 GB)

2. Features

Listen to music while navigating
High-speed 2D/3D navigation
Turn-by-turn maps and spoken directions in your choice of 17 languages
Text-to-Speech (TTS) announces road and highway names (English only)
Traffic Message Channel (TMC) provides real-time traffic information (antenna and built-in receiver included; subscription required for service - 90-day, free trial included)
Specify shortest, fastest, highway or non-toll routes
Navigation prompts appear as needed during music playback
Fast route recalculation in the event of detours or wrong turns
Preloaded maps of the U.S. and Canada (additional maps can be purchased at www.guideandplay.com)
Plays MP3/AAC/WMA audio formats
Image viewer displays JPEG, BMP and GIF formats up to 4096 x 3072 pixels
SD/SDHC card slot (card not included)
Windows Media® DRM 10 decoding for compatibility with music and video subscription services
Browse by artist, album, genre, song or playlist
Displays ID3 tags for artist, title and album
Displays album artwork
Dual microphones and noise-canceling system
Displays phone call information on map screen while navigating

3. Harman/Kardon's Product Line: Meet the 310, 510, and 810

Harman/Kardon Feature Matrix

	310	510	810
Screen Size	4.3"	4.3"	4.3"
Map coverage	US (lower 48 states)	North America (excluding Mexico)	North America (excluding Mexico)
POIs	12 million	12 million	12 million
Text to Speech	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	No	No	Yes
Wireless Remote	No	No	Yes
Retail Price	$299	$399	$599

It's a nice touch from HK that the entire product line has text-to-speech and a whopping 12-million POIs. While the 310 and 510 are practically the same unit with some feature differences, the 810 is in its own realm. The 810 adds a lot more features, has a different form factor and includes the wireless remote.