GPS Systems and Reviews

Can Delphi’s NAV200 GPS System Make a Big Splash in the Market?

It has been around a year since Delphi released the moderately successful NAV200, which was meeting with lukewarm response. Now do not get me wrong it was a nice model with some very good features, but it did not do as well as the company had hoped for. Out comes the Delphi NAV300 GPS system to hopefully put this company on the map as one of the major players in the GPS market.  Now this is very similar to its predecessor the NAV200, but also has some added features that people should find very interesting. Let us look and see if the improvements have helped make Delphi a major player yet.

One of the first things that I look for and most every consumer looks for is a device that is easy to operate. The ease of operation also means the consumer is more likely to recommend the product to a friend as well. Well if that is true than the Delphi NAV300 should be a big hit. Now the NAV200 was a good product but this new addition is so much better. First, it is easy to operate and comes with many great features that will only enhance the use of it. Some of these features include Bluetooth capabilities, text-to-speech functions; both of these were not available on the NAV200 so that is a marked improvement for Delphi. Magellan and Garmin has dominated the market with higher end products but entries like this are challenging them as with a lower price and good features they are cutting into the market share these two giant GPS companies held. One of the add-ons that are offered is the Radio Data Systems-Traffic Message Channel, which lets you direct your route around congested traffic and weather which is a big deal for travelers. It costs around 100 dollars to add, but it worth considering if you travel a lot.

Design wise it really is simple and it has minimal buttons and controls on the body. With the NAV300 simple works well and they have designed it with the consumer in mind, which is a very good idea. Most all the controls are accessed by touch control screen, which is a nice feature.  Menu button is on the left side of the face and the Bluetooth button is just below that. On the sides you will find the volume and power button controls as well. Other than that, all access is done through the touch screen with either a finger or the included stylus. Size is about the same as most portable units, but this one is a bit thinner and a tad bit longer, but nothing drastic. It is portable enough that you can use it in multiple cars or even on foot if need be.

Let’s look at some of the features which make the NAV300 stand out from the NAV200. One of the first would be the Bluetooth option, but the biggest drawback is not very many phones are compatible with it. I’m sure that time goes by though more will be added. The text-to-speech function is something that I really like and this model has that. This model also has the multimedia function, which means it is capable of playing music, videos, and displaying pictures. Of course watching movies on such a small screen is tough and would advise against it. It has a preloaded game on it, which you will also be able to play and a calculator is included, which are some nice added touches from Delphi.

Looking at how it performs I was pleasantly surprised at its performance. It has an SD memory card, which holds up to 2GB. The processor was of decent speed and it performs very well under driving conditions. Battery life is around five hours, which really is about standard before needed a recharge. Ease of operation and the new features do make this a model that you will want to consider on the entry level. It has a low entry price and has many features to compete with the big players in the game. This small and compact GPS system works very well and should do well in the marketplace. It is a nice upgrade from the NAV200 that is for sure. If your entry the GPS fray for the first time you may want to consider this one has, it is easy to operate and comes with a low cost, which makes it a winner in most people’s minds.

Tags: Added Features, Capabilities, Delphi, delphi gps, Delphi Nav300, Garmin, Good Features, Gps Companies, Gps Market, gps navigation systems, gps systems, Improvements, Lot Design, Lukewarm Response, Magellan, Market Share, New Addition, Predecessor, Radio Data Systems, Text To Speech, Traffic Message Channel, Travelers, Weather