Navigon 8100T PND: Rolling Hills & Zagat Listings On 4.8-Inch Widescreen

Navigon have announced their latest GPS device, the 8100T, which the company is calling an "uber-premium" design offering "unmatched" functionality.  Centered around a 4.8-inch widescreen touch-sensitive display, and with a brushed-metal casing, the 8100T includes rolling 3D hills based on NASA terrain height data, free lifetime traffic updates and Bluetooth hands-free functionality.

To support the new 3D mapping Navigon have included a graphics accelerator, making the 8100T probably one of the most visually-capable (or, depending on how you look at it, most extreme examples of PND overkill) units on the market.  Addresses can be entered via spoken prompts or on-screen keyboards with autocorrection.  While driving, meanwhile, there's photo-realistic junction signs and intersection detail, Lane Assistant Pro for road positioning and text-to-speech.

Of course, all this comes at a price.  The Navigon 8100T will have an MRSP of $599 when it goes on sale later this month.  It's also available to buy with the Navigon FreshMaps package, which for $79.99 offers up to twelve map updates over three years.

Press Release:

A new dimension in navigation, NAVIGON 8100T revolutionizes map view with

an extra-wide 4.8" display and stunning Panorama View 3D

CHICAGO, Nov. 10 NAVIGON, the leading innovator in the

navigation market, today announced the launch of its new flagship product,

the NAVIGON 8100T.

With a handsome, brushed-metal housing and an expansive 4.8" display,

the NAVIGON 8100T is an uber-premium GPS navigator offering an unmatched

feature set for those looking for the best navigation experience available

– a perfect hybrid of style, substance, performance and precision. It is

the first GPS navigator on the market with NAVIGON's revolutionary Panorama

View 3D. This new feature brings a true 3D experience to the map using NASA

terrain height data to provide geographic guidance complete with rolling

hills and digital elevations. The unit's extra-large 4.8" widescreen serves

as the perfect frame for the panoramic 3D views.

The NAVIGON 8100T offers Free Real-Time Traffic Updates for Life –

automatically alerting drivers about traffic issues ahead and rerouting

with the touch of a button. Features like Voice Destination Entry, Reality

View(TM) Pro and Bluetooth(R) Hands-Free make navigating roads easier and

less stressful. Employing NAVIGON's next-generation software, the 8100T is

a top performer, requiring very few clicks to enter a destination.

"The NAVIGON 8100T raises the bar on innovation and design in the PND

category," said Michael Roach, NAVIGON's president for the Americas. "Once

again, NAVIGON is at the forefront of market innovation by introducing real

3D environment views to the market with Panorama View 3D."

The NAVIGON 8100T sells for $599 (MSRP). It hits online retailers in

November 2008 and is available with NAVIGON's breakthrough optional

FreshMaps, which provides up to 12 map updates over three years for $79.99

(MSRP).

The NAVIGON 8100T features include:

– Panorama View 3D. True 3D environment views come to the navigation

experience. The road ahead is displayed with surrounding landscapes

and digital elevations. This detailed geographic guidance helps

drivers see what lies ahead. The impressive views are supported by a

built-in graphics accelerator.

– Free Real-Time Traffic Updates for Life. Real-time traffic updates

allow routing around congestion by including traffic flow, incidents

and alternate routes and works for the lifetime of the product right

out of the box without any registration processes, fees or

additional hardware. Across 95 markets in the U.S. and Canada, the

NAVIGON 8100T will alert drivers of traffic troubles and provide

alternate routes.

– Voice Destination Entry. Advanced voice recognition allows drivers

to specify their destination by simply speaking the address.

NAVIGON's distinctive iconic interface guides the users through the

process.

– Uncompromising Design. The 8100T takes NAVIGON's love for design to

a new level. The silver brushed-metal housing serves as the ideal

frame for an extra-large 4.8" widescreen display. The complementary

premium car mount echoes the design of the 8100T, plus it has

additional functionality too. The charger is built-in, users simply

dock the device on the mount and it automatically stays charged.

– Reality View(TM) Pro. Never miss an exit again with the next

generation of Reality View -providing more coverage in more places.

Reality View Pro displays photo-realistic 3D views with actual road

signs and lane guidance for virtually every highway interchange and

exit that drivers will encounter.

– Lane Assistant Pro. Helps drivers prepare to make an upcoming exit

or turn by providing clear visual lane guidance. NAVIGON's second

generation of Lane Assistant provides a lane map complete with

arrows and actual road geometry.

– Fast Destination Entry. The latest generation of NAVIGON software

makes entering and finding information fast and simple with fewer

clicks. NAVIGON's SmartSpeller feature helps guiding through the

entry process.

– Bluetooth(R) Hands-Free. The integrated Bluetooth(R) feature helps

keeping both hands on the wheel while still staying connected. The

NAVIGON 8100T acts like a Bluetooth speakerphone to hold

conversations without all the distractions. As an added feature,

Microsoft(R) Outlook contacts can be imported to the NAVIGON 8100T

with NAVIGON Sync.

– Advanced Text-to-speech. Spoken Directions with Street Names lets

drivers keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road with

advanced phonetic text-to-speech technology to ensure proper

pronunciation of streets.

– Zagat(R) Ratings and Reviews. Only NAVIGON can show where to wine,

dine, and unwind with a built-in exclusive ZAGAT guide that includes

over 27,000 listings across the U.S. and Canada spanning hotels,

nightclubs, attractions and golf courses. With millions of standard

points-of-interest and branded icons onboard users always have a gas

station, restaurant or golf course at their finger tips.

– Exit Guide. NAVIGON's Highway Exit Guide enables users to search

upcoming exits for one of six POI categories — food, gas, lodging,

rest areas, auto service or shopping. And, with one click, the

NAVIGON 8100T navigates there.

– DirectHelp(SM). Help is a click away with this DirectHelp, providing

instant driving directions to and contact information for nearby

hospitals, police stations, roadside assistance, and pharmacies.

– Top-Notch Performance. NAVIGON's new software gets to the right

route in less time. NAVIGON's new software platform delivers our

most responsive interface to date and supports incredibly fast route

calculation times.

Also with:

– Speed Assistant

– Multi-Destination Trip Planning

– Automatic Standby Feature

– Favorites as POI