Review: Navman S50 3D

The S50 3D is the first product in the UK to bear the fruits of the recent merger of the Navman and Mio brands. But while other countries have been given a brand new range of devices under the Mio name the strategy here has been simpler: combining existing Navman S-series device with a few highlights from Mio’s software.

Externally the S50 3D is the old S50, the device launched last September and still, confusingly, on sale alongside this new version. It was never much of a looker in its day, and after a year that has seen TomTom and Navigon raise the bar in terms of the aesthetic appeal of satnav systems, the somewhat cheap looking gray plastic design has not aged well. This is a product, you feel, that will have to work hard to be plucked from the shelves when lined up alongside its classier counterparts.

And work hard it does, coming equipped with a decent mid-range feature set and a price tag that puts at least one well-known rival to shame. With Bluetooth providing both hands-free calling and local search via an internet-enabled mobile phone, plus 12-months’ worth of speed camera location updates, it is only real-time traffic information – an optional extra – that is missing from the current list of must-haves.

The Local Search feature is particularly impressive. By connecting to a local directory the system enables you to search for, and navigate to, local businesses and services while on the road. In the most basic terms it works because the online database is more up to date and more detailed than anything stored locally ever could be. But more than that it means that your searches – from petrol stations to pet shops – can be as specific as you want them to be. It’s not quite perfect: integration is not totally seamless, and we did encounter a few connection errors, but is definitely a nice feature to have.

One of the features brought over from Mio are the 3D landmarks, showing hundreds of famous buildings on screen. We’ve seen it before and while it is fun we remain unconvinced. If it covered every building on every street then there is no doubt that it would be effective at helping you find your bearings. But in its currently limited ‘landmark’ form it seems rather pointless: you don’t really need a tiny picture of Big Ben on your satnav when you can see Big Ben through your car windows, after all.

More interesting is continued support for NavPix, Navman’s system for enabling navigation through photographs embedded with GPS data. After copying photos to the device, just tap on one to plot your route rather than entering the address. It’s easy to use, and a great way of finding lesser-known locations when on holiday. As well as Navman’s own NavPix Library, images can also be used from Flickr, meaning that there are many thousands available.

And what of the S50 3D as a navigation aid? Obtaining a satellite fix was fast, the 4.3” screen was visible in bright sunlight, and the menu system fairly intuitive. The main navigation screen, while plain, was clear and uncluttered, and routing was quick, even if rerouting did have a tendency to try and return us to our original path (including the odd request for U-turns). On the downside the maps, dating from October 2007, were maybe a little older than we would have liked, and the voice commands were slightly muffled, although still audible. With the screen being recessed into the casing some of the buttons near the edges were also more difficult to press.

The S50 3D, despite some advanced features, feels like an entry-level system, and is priced at a level that should appeal to newcomers to satnav. If you are happy with the design (or aren’t fussed either way) you will find this to be a very capable device. The price, for a single region’s maps, Bluetooth and widescreen display ranks it along with the best for value, and performance is sound.

Map coverage: UK & Ireland
Price: £140
Web: www.navman.com

Performance: 7
Design: 7
Features: 8
Value: 9

Overall verdict: 7

Review originally published in Smartphone & PDA Essentials magazine. Words by Andy Betts.

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