Nextar Q4-MD 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with 1-Year MSN Direct Service Included

by Nextar

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.6 x 0.8 x 3.2 inches ; 1.7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001R4BTL2
• Item model number: Q4-MD
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,114 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description The Nextar Q4-MD GPS navigation system includes an easy-to-see 4.3-inch touch-screen display, built-in speaker, and voice-guided, turn-by-turn prompts for maps covering all 50 states as well as Canada. Nextar will feature the Q4-MD with a host of MSN Direct (www.msndirect.com) location based services free of charge for 12 months.

Built-in speaker and voice-guided directions with turn by Turn voice prompts.

With the inclusion of MSN Direct, the Q4-MD not only gets users to their destination via the quickest, easiest route, but also provides a unique resource to a wide-range of information. MSN Direct expands navigation systems by offering relevant, timely, location-specific information.

With MSN Direct, the Q4-MD provides drivers with essential, up-to-the-minute traffic reports, current and three-day weather conditions for a local area or nationally, and handy gas-price comparisons for stations near the driver. It is also a conduit to news headlines, stock quotes, and a listing of local events. For instance, MSN Direct can look up box office times for current movies playing at local theaters and get you information on the latest sports events, music concerts and more.

The Nextar Q4-MD comes with a generous 4.3-inch TFT touch-screen display that provides large, clear, colorful images of maps from all 50 US states and Canada's 10 provinces and three territories. A special automatic night mode offers additional screen lighting for even easier-on-the-eye viewing. Voice-guided directions with turn-by-turn voice prompts are clearly audible through a built-in speaker. Text-to-speech technology clearly pronounces road names. Language support is provided for the three most spoken languages in the covered area: English, French, and Spanish.

Adjustable mount for your windshield or dashboard.

Includes AC/DC Adapter, Car Adapter, USB cable, Pouch, Mounting cradle, MSN Direct Receiver, Dashboard mount disk, Mounting Bracket, SD card.

The Nextar Q4-MD provides 1.6-million points of interest, including hotels, shopping centers, gas stations, and restaurants. Instant route recalculation is provided in case a driver misses a turn. Digital map data is supplied by Tele Atlas, a leading global provider of digital maps and dynamic content that power many of the world's most essential navigation and location-based services.

Key Features Include

• Storage capability for up to 300 addresses of favorite destinations
• 2D and 3D map-viewing modes, a SD card slot for additional memory
• Capability to play MP3 files and display JPEG images
• Lightweight, built-in rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery supplies power
• Built-in speaker and voice-guided directions with turn by Turn voice prompts
• Preloaded maps of the 50 U.S. states + Canada (in 2GB SD card)
• 1.6 million points of interest
• Address book can store up to 300 addresses
• Instant route recalculation
• SD card slot for added memory
• MP3 playing & Photo viewing mode
• 2D or 3D map viewing modes with built-in compass
• Day and Night modes (Night mode features additional light on the screen for easier viewing)

What's in the Box
Nextar Q4-MD GPS navigation system, AC/DC Adapter, Car Adapter, USB cable, Pouch, Mounting cradle, MSN Direct Receiver, Dashboard mount disk, Mounting Bracket, SD card

About Nextar
Nextar in the categories it chooses to enter, the products that it develops and in the manner in which it goes to market desires and strives to be nothing short of Bold and New. Bold--the categories, products and retail avenues that are the most salient and relevant of the day. New--utilizing the newest technologies in dynamic, salient, relevant and yet affordable products and placing these products in the highest volume traditional and, as or more importantly, non-traditional consumer electronic retail.

Product Description

The Nextar Q4-MD mobile navigation system with MSN Direct (12 months free) assures that your days of getting lost are over. Finding an address or any one of 1.6 million points of interest such as the nearest gas station or restaurant is a snap anywhere in the U.S and Canada. Just enter information on the Q4-MD 4.3 inch touch screen and let the voice prompt and detailed map guide you to the destination. The Q4-MD has a built in stereo speaker, high sensitive antenna, SD card slot and MP3 and photo viewer. The Q4-MD has Text-To-Speech navigation that clearly pronounces instructions including street names(English). The MSN Direct features traffic and weather reports, news headlines, current gas prices, local events including movie times and stock quotes. First year of MSN direct is included. Subscription required for MSN Direct service after the first year. Preloaded with USA map that includes Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico on 1 GB SD card. Additional features include MP3 player and JPeg image viewer built in. Also includes AC/DC Adapter, Car Power Adapter, Suction cup, protection/carry pouch and USB cable.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The price is right, June 12, 2010

By 

D. Allin (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nextar Q4-MD 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with 1-Year MSN Direct Service Included (Electronics)

I bought this to replace my old Nextar, since it's maps were out of date and there was no way to update them. The new one is thinner, easier to read, has better spoken instructions, and has some very nice features. The MSN Direct, however, didn't work, and I found that even if it did, it would only be availabe for for a short time, as MSN was canceling the service. The problem is that you must use the bulky MSN Direct antenna between your car's power source and the GPS, creating a mess of cables. I was able to find a good power cable on eBay that bypasses the MSN Direct antenna, however, so that is no longer a problem. Since the MSN Direct services didn't really provide anything I need, and only works in selected areas, I don't really miss it. The future end of the service is probably why the unit is selling so cheaply; without the MSN Direct, the unit works well and is priced lower than comparable units from other manufacturers.
Pros:
You have your choice of five different "voices" (male and female) in three languages.
The screen keyboard is in QWERTY format
When entering an address, the only keys you see are those that are possible. For example, if you start typing Albuq, the only letter you can choose next is U.
On freeways, the screen will display the green overhead signs and highlight the one you should follow. If there are multiple lanes, it will highlight the lane you should be in.
You can choose which information you want displayed in addition to the map (i.e., distance to destination, time to destination, ETA, speed, speed limit, compass, etc.)
Cons:
The menus are not consistent in appearance or action, and it's sometimes hard to find the menu you need.
The map scale changes automatically according to speed and distance to the next turn, and sometimes it chooses a scale other than the one I would like. Manually changing it is difficult.
In one section of northwest Albuquerque it went nuts, sending me down streets that didn't exist and wanting me to turn into empty fields. Elsewhere it has been very accurate, though.
The POI were sometimes out of date, and accessing them on screen is not intuitive.
Bottom line, all GPS units have their flaws and foibles, and this one works just as well overall as any other, but at a much lower price. If you get one, be sure you understand the two separate on-off switches, which are not clearly explained in the manual. The button on top only switches the display on and off. The one on the back actually shuts the entire unit down. If you are not going to be using the unit for more than few hours, use the main power switch on the back to turn it off. Otherwise the battery will run down.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical MSN Direct!, August 12, 2009

By 

Ian Chen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nextar Q4-MD 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with 1-Year MSN Direct Service Included (Electronics)

About this GPS, the navigation system itself is just like the Q4 that I bought before, it can connect to the satellite real quick and provide accurate route guide. Because I get used to the operating system of Nextar's Q4 already, for this product, what I am concern is the function of MSN Direct.

This unit comes with 1 year free MSN Direct service. It can tell you much useful live information, such as live traffic, gas price, news headline, local weather, and even the stock quotes. At the first, I am not sure if it can provide "real" live information about everything included in its service. Surprisingly, it does bring me the newest and correct information about the gas price and the live traffic report.........these two services are what I need the most. Through it, I get to drive to the Universal Studio on Sunday without sticking with the traffic on the freeway and find a Shell gas station with the lowest price for V-power gas. To me, these two practical services create a significant value for this GPS, not to mention that it offers lots more live information as well.

And for the most important of all, comparing to its price, the value it creates has greatly exceeded my expectations!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than Garmin for the features I need, November 5, 2009

By 

Sudhakar Swaminathan - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nextar Q4-MD 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with 1-Year MSN Direct Service Included (Electronics)

Most of them is going for Garmin or TomTom or Magellen. As I have used both Garmin and Nextar I find nextar features better than Garmin for my use. Price is less and also more accessories. One problem I see is that if you want audio player and also navigation at the same time its not possible in nextar. POI is better categorized in nextar and more update to date than Garmin. Lane guidance is available. The MSN traffic is not directly integrated into your route. It will warn you and you have manually do avoid those routes from the route. Garmin does not do that right any way. Overall I like it.