Navigon 2100 max 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-to-Speech, Lifetime Traffic, and 2 Years of FreshMaps (Special Bundle)

by Navigon

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.8 x 0.7 x 3 inches ; 10.7 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001GQ35LI
• Item model number: 10000308
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (123 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,293 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Manufacturer's Description--May 3, 2008
This special bundle includes traffic (for the lifetime of the device) and FreshMaps. Ultra-slim and with a stunning 4.3-inch touchscreen display, the Navigon 2100 Max earns its name with a long list of advanced features. Spoken driving direction in real street names via text-to-speech capability let you keep your eyes on the road. Exclusive Reality View provides extra 3D guidance when you need it most. Lane Assistant alerts you to oncoming lane changes. DirectHelp helps you find emergency and roadside services—and helps them find you. Includes NAVIGON FreshMaps for up to 8 regular, trusted map updates over two years. Other accessories include ZAGAT® Ratings and Reviews.

Navigon has long been a major provider of navigation software to automotive manufacturers for in-dash gps navigation devices, but only last year did they introduce portable navigation devices under their own name (learn more about Navigon). What they offer up, however, demonstrates immediately that this is a company that knows navigation inside and out. Navigon focuses features that directly empower navigation and on sleek form factors.

Key Features

• Reality View: 3D images of highway interchanges with actual road sign text so you’ll never miss your exit again. (Learn more)
• Lane Assistant:. Icons alert you to the optimal lane to be in.(Learn more)
  
• Widescreen: See the big picture with a stunning, easy-to-read, 4.3-inch widescreen format.
  
• Spoken Directions with Text-to-Speech: keep your eyes on the road with spoken turn-by-turn directions and real street names. 
• Points Of Interest: Reach gas stations, hotels, restaurants, transportation hubs, and more with millions of points of interest that will help you find your way.
  
• Branded icons: places are so easy to find that everywhere will feel like home.
• DirectHelp: At-a-glance information helps you find emergency and roadside services—and helps them find you. Just push a button and get instant directions and phone numbers to the nearest hospitals, police stations, roadside assistance companies and pharmacies.

Easy Add-Ons

Navigon offers some unique services that are easy to add to your Navigator with a simple activation code.

• ZAGAT Ratings and Reviews Service gives you over 21,000 ZAGAT ratings and reviews covering more than 70 cities in the U.S. and Canada (included free on the 5100 and 7100 models).

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Learn More

Superior Software and Hardware

The features and functions of the Navigon's portable GPS navigators are controlled via intuitive, easy-to-use animated menus that use predictive text input to quickly and easily select your city, state and address. Maps and menus appear on elegant, high-contrast, full-color touch-screen displays. Navigon portable GPS navigators run on a powerful Samsung 400 MHz processor, a fully integrated SiRF Star III GPS chip, 64 MBs of both RAM and ROM built in, and a rechargeable 1,200 mAh lithium ion battery that is rated for 4.5 hours of continuous use. All this is housed in an ultra-thin, sleek housing.

Reality View

Reality View™ provides 3D images and actual road sign text when approaching complex interchanges — so you’ll never miss your exit again.

Lane Assist

No more wondering what lane you need to be in to stay on course. Your NAVIGON will guide you with simple to follow lane guidance with arrows so you can make your turn and stay on track.

Zagat Ratings (Requires Purchase of Activation Code)

Now you can enjoy the world's most comprehensive restaurant and entertainment guide — right on your NAVIGON GPS device. With ZAGAT's trusted Ratings and Reviews, you will know exactly where to stay and play during your travels and, with NAVIGON's guidance you will know exactly how to get there. The guide includes over 21,000 entries covering a variety of categories, including restaurants, hotels, golf courses, nightclubs and attractions in over 70 cities in the U.S. and Canada. ZAGAT SURVEY Ratings and Reviews is a standard feature on both the 7100 and 5100 models. An additional accessory purchase is required to activate the service on the 2100 model.

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What's in the Box

• NAVIGON 2100 max GPS Navigator
• SD card preloaded with software and maps of the continental US
• Rechargeable 1150 mAH lithium ion battery (rated for up to 4.5 hours)
• Car Charger
• Car Mount
• Quickstart Guide
• Limited Warranty

Note: All Navigon GPS Navigators run on the Microsoft Windows CD Net 5.0 operating system. A PC is required to use additional map data, and in such cases users require Windows 2000, ME, XP or higher, as well as a CD ROM drive and a USB port. An SD/MMC card reader is recommended as the 7100 not only uses SD cards, but also comes with a 2 GB SD card in the package.

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About Navigon

NAVIGON has been a leader of GPS navigation since 1991, and has a long history of industry innovations. NAVIGON created the world's first dynamic personal GPS product in 1996, launched the industry's first navigation software for the Pocket PC in 2000, and unveiled the first Traffic Message Channel-based (TMC) avoidance feature on mobile navigation product in 2002.

NAVIGON has helped revolutionize how consumers get from place to place with software products for practically any navigation-ready hardware. Personal navigation devices (PND), smartphones, and in-dash navigation systems directed by NAVIGON's award-winning MobileNavigator (MN) software delivers reliable information on millions of destinations in an intuitive, easy to use format. NAVIGON is a valued partner to the automotive industry, and in 2006 strengthened its category competency by acquiring NAVTEQ's navigation software business.

NAVIGON is a privately-held software company based in Hamburg, Germany, with NAVIGON USA headquarters in Chicago, IL.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Navigon 2100 Max (compare to Garmin Nuvi 755T), December 28, 2008

By 

Young Professional (Silver Spring, MD United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Navigon 2100 max 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-to-Speech, Lifetime Traffic, and 2 Years of FreshMaps (Special Bundle) (Electronics)

Background: I had always rented vehicles with a GPS until recently my frequency of travel to unfamiliar cities had reached a point where it made sense to purchase my own. I was not looking for a GPS to play MP3s, make phone calls, take photos, or fill out my taxes. I simply care about its ability to navigate from point A to B and to get around an unfamiliar place, and so I'll limit this review to those features. I tried two devices: the Garmin nuvi 755T (same as the 765T minus the Bluetooth) and the much cheaper Navigon 2100 max with the bundle that included lifetime traffic.


Garmin Nuvi 755T

Pros:

-Could use all the features right out of the box
-Always got me from Point A to Point B
-Map very pleasing to my eyes
-The lane guidance is useful, but not as useful as I thought it would be (I find that keep right/left voice commands can stand alone).
-Considerable more Points of Interest than Navigon 2100 Max. Also many more Points of Interest categories and the ability to simply enter a category if it's not listed and still get good results (e.g., Salons or Dance Studios were not categories, but I entered them and the device retrieved many nearby options [you can also search in a different city]).
-Really good recalculation, it doesn't waste time just trying to get you back to the original route if a different route from your current location is better. It also recalculates at blazing speeds (I had a new route before I made it to the end of a 800 foot block).
-Text to Voice is really good (far more useful than I would have guessed). This really allows you to keep your eyes on the road and gives you peace of mind that you're turning in the right place.
-Very useful visual layout indicating direction of the turn and the street onto which you should turn (but the voice prompts, especially with Text to Voice, are so good you never need to look at the display).
-Local speed limit always posted with your current speed nearby (more useful than I imagined)
-Good volume and easy to change volume while in use.
-Easy to turn on or off with an external power switch.
-The traffic feature was extremely useful and the information was easy to access during use. The much discussed ads will not be an issue for you, trust me.
-The 3D navigation created a nice view, but honestly, even in strange areas with tall buildings, I didn't find this feature to be of any additional value.

Okay, But Could Be Better:

-The screen could be more sensitive, but it's a lot better than the Navigon 2100 Max.
-The device did not always properly locate me (this can be avoided by turning it on and setting the route about 45 seconds before actually leaving).
-The power source plugs directly into the mounting cradle, but it's still such a chore to remove the device from the cradle (pressing a button on the bottom on the cradle, which is mounted on a moving ball, while tilting the device forward) that the time advantage of a direct cradle plug in is lost.

Cons:

-The turn warning distance is way too short (only 0.2 miles)
-There's no ability to exclude particular streets from a route (you can set it to avoid highways, tolls, etc. though).
-Initial estimate of arrival time was a complete farce in every single test. It estimated a standard 45 minute trip to be only 25 minutes and pushed back the estimated arrival time nearly every minute never reflecting the accurate arrival time until I was at the final destination. Easily bested in this category by the much cheaper Navigon 2100 Max.


Navigon 2100 Max

Pros :

-Always got me from Point A to Point B without deep confusion
-Always correctly located me
-As in the Garmin Nuvi 755T, the lane guidance is useful, but not as useful as I thought it would be (I find that keep right/left voice commands can stand alone).
-Good turn warning distance (0.5 miles)
-The recalculating is quick, but not as quick as the Garmin Nuvi 755T
-Ability to exclude particular streets from route (a hidden feature: after the route is initially calculated, open the turn by turn and simply x out the streets you don't want to use).
- As in the Garmin Nuvi 755T, the Text to Voice is really good (far more useful than I would have guessed). This really allows you to keep your eyes on the road and gives you peace of mind that you're turning in the right place.
-Very useful visual layout indicating direction of the turn and the street onto which you should turn (but the voice prompts, especially with Text to Voice, are so good you never need to look at the display).
-Warnings when speeding (And the ability to set how far above the speed limit [separately for city streets and highways] triggers the warning)
-Ability to have local speed limit either shown constantly or when a speed warning is triggered
-Good volume and easy to change volume while in use
-Initial estimate of arrival time very reliable. Estimated a standard 45 minute trip to within 1 minute and pushed back estimated arrival time only once (adding a minute).
-Easy to turn on or off with an external power switch.
-The traffic feature was extremely useful and the information was easy to access during use.

Okay, But Could Be Better:

-Screen sensitivity
-It sometimes took a couple of minutes to initially locate me, but was always spot on when it did.
-The power supply is plugged into the device which is mounted on a cradle, but the cradle provides such limited range of motion that it's difficult to get the device in the most desired position and I was forced to accept it slanting slightly during every use.

Cons:

-Thin Points of Interests (more important than I thought) and no ability to search categories not already listed (a real problem). You also must select a city each time you search; it doesn't just automatically pull up nearby locations like the Garmin Nuvi 755T.
-It's hard to see ALL of the display icons including information on speed and your current speed
-The dull, mostly gray, maps with an orange route indicator are hard on eyes.
-The keyboard takes up only half the screen making it chore to type in anything. This is especially problematic when trying to switch states or from letters to numbers (or vice versa) as these display buttons are extremely narrow and it was difficult to select them without long fingernails.
-The recalculation kept trying to send me back to the original route even if it was no longer the best. For example, it took the device 15 minutes to stop trying to reroute me to 16th St. (in DC) after I had purposely driven up Connecticut Ave. Had I taken its recommended rerouting (thus backtracking), my trip would have taken 20 minutes longer.
-You can't use all the features out of the box. I was forced to register the device and thus provide an email address in order to use lifetime traffic and fresh maps features (but, in all fairness, you can opt out of spam, and I've yet to receive an unwanted email).

Conclusion:

The Garmin Nuvi 755T was about $350 versus the $160 for the Navigon 2100 Max with lifetime traffic included. I think both devices performed solidly, but the edge can only be given on personal preference. All said, the Navigon 2100 Max is probably the better value for the buck, but such a statement is relative to what's important to you. I personally went with the Garmin Nuvi 755T because: 1) the map coloring and icon size was easy on the eyes, 2) it was much easier to type on the Garmin Nuvi 755T, 3) the number of Points of Interest, and the ability to type in your own category, are of particular importance to me, and 4) I personally find not losing time on rerouting to be worth the additional costs. Hope this helps.

49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best GPS Ever!, December 2, 2008

By 

Nick Nguyen (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Navigon 2100 max 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-to-Speech, Lifetime Traffic, and 2 Years of FreshMaps (Special Bundle) (Electronics)

I just got this Navigon for my wife because the Tom Tom one she had broke down. So I wanted something new that has a nice look and work efficiently.
Well this Navigon 2100max does it all. The glossy and thin look will make you think you got something very expensive when I actually paid for a very low price! The LCD screen is big enough, the map graphics and colors are excellent! Very smooth and fast! You won't have to wait for 1 min or 2 for a GPS signal! It even shows you the name of the restaurants as you are driving down the road, it shows real fast food and gas station logos. The turn to turn direction is 100% accurate unlike other GPS telling you to turn when you aren't even there yet. This machine will show you the speed limit on any road and will warn you when you go way over the speed limit, will even tell you about upcoming traffic jam and change route for you. I don't even want to mention about Exit guide! This thing can tell you what kind of restaurant or gas station or if there is a rest area in the next exit when you are on the freeway! What else can you ask! Get your money's worth with the Navigon 2100max. You will also get free update maps for 2 or 3 years! I just got another one for my sister in law and about to buy a 3rd one! Also one more thing for business people, this Navigon can log your business trip mileage! Very good for taxes purpose! I have said enough ! There are a lot more to it but I will let you guys discover it!

Nick ;)

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good value, has some drawbacks, December 29, 2008

By 

bravos - See all my reviews

This review is from: Navigon 2100 max 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-to-Speech, Lifetime Traffic, and 2 Years of FreshMaps (Special Bundle) (Electronics)

So I've compared this item head to head with a Garmin 350, and here are the differences that I see:

Advantage for Navigon:
1. Wider screen without paying an arm and a leg.
2. Virtual 3D shows which lane you actually should be in, and freezes the picture to show you ahead of time. Very nice. (Look at image above for this).
3. Voice is very loud - I actually only had to put it at about 1/2 the volume when traveling 65 mph. (Garmin's was at the maximum voice level).
4. Lifetime map updates.

Disadvantage for Navigon:
1. Buttons are hard to press. I have somewhat large fingers and it is just about impossible for me to type on it. Other men may have the same problem. I had to use my fingernail, and even then it took me retyping everything twice to get it.
2. Slower to respond in route recalculations. The Garmin caught a missed turn quickly, and was able to have me turn at the next street. The Navigon had me turn at the next street, but the recalculation was slow enough that by the time it posted the directions, I was already past the next turn. It did this four times, for each of the next four blocks while I was driving straight at 35 mph. It didn't update fast enough, so it really never told me to turn before the next street. At the end it just told me to turn around.
3. POI, POI, POI! I wanted to drive to a nearby Howard Johnson's. I couldn't just put in Howard Johnson's, it first wanted to know what type of business it was. And then what city it was in. The HoJo was about 5 miles away, but it wasn't listed on 'Nearby'. Fine because I knew what city it was in, but if you didn't know what city your desire was in, you really lose effectiveness. If I got off the interstate and searched for the nearest Ramada Inn, and the Ramada was 6 miles away, it won't be finding that one.


So distinct differences between the two. The inability to find nearby business and the difficult in typing really limit its effectiveness though. After using one for a bit, I feel the nearby locations is a main feature of the GPS. I didn't feel this way before - I looked at it just to find directions from point A to point B. But those POI offer you the freedom to detour, and stop along the way at the types and locations you love. I would like to know that my favorite sandwich stop is at the next exit down the road, and I'm afraid the Navigon won't find that one.