Review: NDrive Touch XL Real Navigation
NDrive’s latest navigation device arrives, possessing the unique mapping technology called Real Navigation which allows you to view your surroundings on the screen in a top down satellite fashion similar to Google Maps
NDrive’s latest navigation device arrives, possessing the unique mapping technology called Real Navigation which allows you to view your surroundings on the screen in a top down satellite fashion similar to Google Maps. Does this help the device compete with the TomToms and Garmins that dominate the market?
Our first impressions were not positive. The first unit we received developed a hardware faaut and our ocnfidence in its replacement dwindled further when we noticed backlight interference at the top of the screen and then had to perform a quick reset at the start to sort out a software glitch.
From a cosmetic point of view the XL retains the same robust build quality of its predecessor with a nice rubberised coating for protection and the profile is certainly a lot slimmer, which we liked.
Pity we couldn’t say the same as the car cradle which we question its long term effectiveness and its ability to keep the unit stuck firmly to the windscreen.
Before you set off on your first journey NDrive does recommend that you charge up the device for at least 5 hours before use to ensure the battery is fully optimised, whilst this sounds fair enough it’s frustrating that you only get a USB cable in the box and not a mains charger.
Upon start-up you get a neat iPhone-inspired touch interface, but it was not as responsive as we would like, especially when typing on the keyboard and we did need to resort to a software update and run through several on-screen calibrations to improve matters.
Scrolling through the various menu options also reveals the omission of an itinerary planner and its ability to add ‘via’ waypoints, instead you get a selection of multimedia programs and utilities which we feel could have been removed to make way for features that matter.
One positive is that your favourites do show up on the map and for the slashed price that Halfords are selling the unit at (currently £130) you can’t really complain about the omission of Bluetooth, text-to-speech support or TMC, especially if you are itching to try out the Photo mapping technology.
Something we first witnessed in action on the earlier G800, we were keen to see what advancements have been made and were a touch disappointed to find that the technology still only kicks in just outside major cities again and graphically it looks identical, however with the product supporting 32GB cards there’s potential for future expansion we are sure.
Once again we did find the display more distracting when we were driving around as you do get excited about trying to recognise the buildings you pass.
This was made slightly harder in brighter conditions as the antiglare coating is compensating for the glare, but pulling over or using the software outside the car does have a fun/practical element to it if you need to visualise where you want to go.
There is also a new 3D landmark database in place which allows you to select certain landmarks and scroll around them in a 360 degree viewer, but graphically this looks a bit sparse.
We did find that it’s best to turn off the GPS receiver if you are looking to find or browse through photo mapped destinations as the software does have a tendency to pull you back to your current position after a set time. You also need to turn off the GPS receiver to run route simulations as well, so this could have been more intuitive.
In terms of the remaining tests we found the Atlas receiver fairs better outdoors (after a software update), but once the software gets going its initial calculations and route-re calculations were respectable.
The default map view contains a minimalist but practical approach with a handy road speed warning system in place complimenting additional directional aides, however its accuracy was out in certain places and the safety camera database – that was supposed to be present – was not picking up any cameras on our routes at all.
The Touch XL is an adequate performer with a few nice features that might have been exploited more, while the issues we encountered with the device hit our confidence in its all-round reliability.
The High Street pricing offers far better value than the RRP, but it is a crowded part of the market and there are plenty of alternatives to look at.
Price (RRP): £199
Maps: UK & Ireland
Overall verdict: 5/10
Popularity: 1% [?]
for all the latest smartphone news, reviews and previews.
Your review is unfair and inaccurate. You need to dwitch on the speedcameras in the menu for them to work (default is switched off because it is illegal to use them in some countries). Ndrive (and TomTom) is the most accurate I have tested out of 8 defferent satnavs. I don’t agree with your findings.
I bought a brand new NDrive Touch XL SE on Ebay and tried to update the unit from Version 9 to 10. NDrive recommended I do this update prior to buying & installing any new map as it might not work properly with an older version of its running system. It took over 3.5 hours to download and install the version 10 update… only for it to fail. The unit stated on the screen while booting the ‘voice files are faulty’ and refused to work anymore. NDrive did try to help by emailing updates and software in zip files for me to install myself, for that I thank them, but the thing just got worse and worse the more I tried.
I ended up mailing it back to them at great expense (the cost would’ve easily paid for the map) and from then-on I’ve had to keep asking for any kind of update, etc, from their Support team, with only the briefest of information coming back and nothing concrete to let me know what’s actually happening. Will I get a replacement? Will it be repaired? WILL IT BE RETURNED? At this time it doesn’t look like it!
I’ll now have to buy a Tom-Tom or a Garmin, which I now realise is something I should’ve done before – but never ever another NDrive. I bought one and don’t even have it anymore. It’s in Portugal at the manufacturer’s and perhaps lying dead and in bits on a bench for all I know! It looks as if I’ll have to right this sat-nav off and put this entire saga down to experience. All very sad, I’m afraid – so take heed all yea sat-nav seekers. I write this to let everyone know what a bad deal I’ve had from NDrive in the hope you can avoid one. As a footnote – I’ve just been onto their web site and it looks as if they have now stopped selling auto-sat-nav units. I wonder why? Not!! I have to say I haven’t come across a firm that has treated me like this before and if I’ve had it, how many others past, present and future?