Quick review: Route 66 Mobile 8

Route 66 Mobile 8 comes supplied on disk with both its navigation and Route 66 Sync software.

The latter is an alternative method of installing new features to your device using your PC and broadband connection, such as maps, traffic, free lonely planet guides and safety cameras, the majority of which can also be accessed via the phones Extras Option.

Whilst the sync software is useful it can be temperamental at times, with certain updates failing to automatically download or install, but then working again second time of asking. We also needed to manually download an update in order to get our N85 to work and then set our phone to Mass storage mode, otherwise the program wouldn’t detect our device properly.

Once Mobile 8 is running on your phone a quick press of the option menu will reveal a hybrid text/graphical based system that is generally quick to navigate through – made even faster thanks to the handy keypad shortcuts. Our only observation was that the search and navigate options seem to perform the same task.

However entering destinations was easily the best in the group thanks to its excellent fuzzy search system, which allows you to type in parts of an address or POI, for example ‘bold road’ and it will display the logical results.

The above was also joined by the ability to enter gps co-ordinates directly, navigate using your stored contacts, save routes from the map, send position/map image using SMS and add routes to the supplied planner/simulator.

You’ll even find a pedestrian profile, which is useful, but not to the same standard as the Nokia or Navigon solutions.

Sadly the main features such as weather, safety cameras and traffic are all chargeable services, however with their “latest map guaranteed” policy in place and a base price of £40 the software is still a great budget option.

During navigation initial route calculation speeds were fast and this was echoed by its re-route calculation performance which seemed almost instant at times.

Voice directions were loud and clear, but still basic in nature.

Finally in terms of the map view this took advantage of our smaller screen to great effect, as well as the 2D/3D and guide views (which switch automatically between day/night mode), you could set a transparency level that allows you to add multiple directional aides whilst still seeing the map view underneath.

Price (as reviewed): £40
Web: www.66.com
Map coverage: UK & Ireland

Verdict: 8

Review originally appeared in Smartphone & PDA Essentials magazine. Words by Brett James.

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