GPS Sat Nav Systems

Navigon AG is one of the leading manufacturers of high quality navigation systems. Each of their products are characterised by its innovative technologies and exciting designs. In the following review, we will be seeing about Navigon’s one of the latest and successful portable navigation system, the 4310 Max which is not just attractive to look at, but an intelligent one too. Navigon took shortcut to launch its new range of personal navigation devices, unvieiling them at Cebit a day before the giant trade show opens. The company also demonstrated a couple of new voice features that it says will make driving safer and easier.

All the satellite navigation systems will take you to any destination, but “How?” is the word that makes the big differences. The Navigon 4310 Max Plus Sat Nav takes into account the time of the day and traffic status; whether you will be able to actually save some time with this function and what else can this device do? Read further.

Design:

An elegant device:
Elegance is what is expected out of navigation devices and even some of the cheap models stand out and feel luxurious. There is nothing new with the design as it looks just like most of the other GPS systems in the market. However, it does not look bad and boxy like a few. The dimensions of the device is (H x W x D) 20.9 x 11.9 x 7.6cm weighing just 170 grams. At the top of the device is the on/off button  and the bottom part  includes a LED, Reset button and mini USB socket for USB cable or car charger cable. In the sides, you will find a microphone along with a slot for micro SD card.

Display:
The Navigon 4310 Max Plus Portable navigation system possesses an attractive 16:9 display that gives a clear view of lots of features that makes the navigation a whole lot more enjoyable. The 4.3” touch screen has a resolution of 480 x 272 pixels. The display adjusts to day light and night and at both times, it is just gorgeous. The Reality View Pro gives an excellent overview of the motorway junctions and exits. The Clever Parking feature also offers with a useful overview while looking for parking spaces.

Assembly:
The bracket offered is quite good with a big cup and also two leads for adjusting the angle. Assembly of the cradle is simple too. To secure the cradle, keep both the suction cup and the windscreen clean and dry. Open the lever on the suction cup as far as possible. Place the cradle suction cup against the windscreen and place the lever towards the windscreen. The snap lock makes the process of installation and removing very easy. On the rear side of the device, you will find a circle with two recesses. Hang the4310 Max Plus sat nav unit by the upper recess on the upper lug of the cradle and just press it towards the cradle so that it latches in place. Removing too is very simple; just pull the clip towards yourself so that the device is released from the clip and then just lift up the device out of the cradle.

Initial installation:
The initial installation of the device is simple. Once switched on, you will be asked to make a few preferences like the preferred language for using the software, unit length for distances and time format. The integrated GPS receiver is not initialised for the first time until the navigation application is started for the first time. It can take up to 20 minutes to initialise the GPS receiver for the first time. Each time you switch on the navigation device after this, GPS reception will start within a short time. If the navigation device has not been switched on for more than a week, it can take up to 10 minutes to re-initialise the receiver. In the top right hand corner of the display, you will see the GPS symbol. As soon as data from at least three satellites is received, the icon will change to GPS ready.

Stand-By mode:
To put the device in stand-by mode, tap in the Navigation window of the Navigon software and then on the button that has power symbol and then on standby. The sat nav can also be configured so that the navigation of the device is automatically switched to stand-by mode in the settings menu.

Maps:

Navigon Fresh Maps:
The Navigon Fresh Maps feature is really a neat and nice software to keep the navigator up to date. The Navigon 4310 Max sports maps of 40 European countries that includes maps of UK, ROI & Full Europe. The maps are free only for one month, after which you will have to subscribe. What is more important is that these maps are fairly accurate. From the software, you can also subscribe to map updates for two years or even buy individual maps. The maps are updated on a quarterly basis.

Clear maps:
We found that the map screen is the clearest of all navigators that we have tested. Everything from angles to the symbols on the map are just perfect. We would say that Navigon is one of the first sat navs to feature realistic images of junctions, and even the road signs look exactly like the real life ones. It provides realistic 3D images of the roads and traffic signs. The maps are the most detailed of the models that we have tested and they also show clear points of interest along the way. It is detailed without being cluttered. If you want to know detailed directions for the route, click on turn by turn list. The map is always in Destination search mode, when a pair of cross hairs is seen. Indicated in the address box are the coordinates and, where applicable, the name of the street under the cross hairs. When you are driving, the map does not change. It is always orientated with north at the top.

Memory:
While it is not mandatory to have a memory card to operate the device as all the data is already stored in its internal memory, the MicroSD slot offers the most wanted additional storage space. You will be able to purchase and add some additional navigation maps in the memory cars. The 4310 Max will be able to refer navigation maps from both the memories.

User Interface:

The user interface of Navigon 4310 Max Plus Touch Screen Sat Nav is very simple without any complications. It will not be exaggeration if we said that it is a revolutionary navigator offers effective navigation and makes your operations quite simple. All the information is presented clearly in the display and offers a very clear view on what to choose.

Keyboard:
The address input is very smooth with a large keyboard and the smart interface makes sure that you only have to make minimal entries. Often you will be able to select an entry from a list and as soon as you enter the first letter, the largest city in the given country that begins with the letter appears. Once you enter more letters, after each entry the first city which begins with these letters will appear. After the correct location appears, tap on the OK button to complete the entry. It is a pity that you will not be able set the keyboard to QWERTY mode, which will result in inconvenience for people who are used to that mode.

Password Lock feature:
The Password Lock feature allows you to protect the navigation system from unauthorised use by creating a password. To activate password protection go to options in settings menu and select password lock. And a New Password window opens in which you can enter your password, confirm it again and tap on Activate. To change the password, follow the route till Password Lock and enter the currently valid password in the enter password box and tap on change password and once the new password window opens, repeat the same process of creating password. To cancel the password protection, just tap on deactivate after entering the valid password.

In-built Manual:
In case you have any doubt in using the device, it is not necessary to go in search of the manual pages as the device itself has an excerpt of the manual describing some of the most important functions of the navigation software is saved in the device itself.

Navigation:

Address Input:
To enter your destination address, tap on the Navigation Window followed by New Destination and Enter an Address. The Address Window will open and you can enter the name and postal code of the destination town, Destination Street and the house number if necessary. Tap on Start Navigation in order to navigate to the stipulated address. In this window itself you will be able to tap over Parking in order to search for a car park near your destination. You will also be able to enter the geographic coordinates of your destination. The map opens in Preview mode and the destination is indicated on the map. You may select a destination directly on the map. This is a quick way to select towns, streets and POI.

New address:
Coming to the part of entering new destination, under the new destination tab, you can either enter the destination’s address or coordinates, select a Point Of Interest, or select a destination with the Direct Access function. Under My Destinations the Navigon 4310 Max Plus Satellite Navigation System provides a list of destinations and addresses for you to select from. In Favorites, you will find all destinations that you have entered in the sat nav and then saved. In Last Destinations, as the name indicates, the list has all the destinations to which you have navigated recently. Under the Imported Addressed list, you will find two further lists to choose from. The first one is From Outlook which has all destinations which you have imported from Microsoft Outlook and the second is From the Phone Book that contains addresses from a mobile phone which is connected via Bluetooth.

Favourites list:
Destinations to which you want to travel often can be saved in the Favourites list. In the favourites list you can save up to 500 destinations. The Favourites tab can be found under My Destinations window.

Navigon MyRoutes:
The map is open in Preview mode and the navigation destination is depicted by a small flag. As most of the portable satellite navigation systems in the market, the Navigon 4310 Max Plus Car Sat Nav too offers the driver with some solid choices. Route is calculated based on a Route Profile and the current settings of the same are indicated by symbols on the button at the top right edge of the map.  Navigon MyRoutes recommends the best route adapted to your personal driving style. Each of the three routes are shown on the map in different colours of orange, green and blue along with a number. For each route, there is a button with the same number and a symbol in the same colour. When calculating the time of arrival or the trip time, the navigation system takes account of additional factors such as day of the week and time of day. The route which corresponds best to the selected route profile is marked with “MyRoute”.

Three Routes:
While one of the routes is recommended by the device, with the two other options you can decide whether to take the recommended route or not.  It also recommends some alternative routes during rush hours except for say, Sundays. During tests, these features actually did save some time. Once the destination to be reached is entered, the device offers three different routes to the destination along with the distance and travel time for each of those routes. With the help of the TMC, the Navigon 4310 Max warns you before traffic jams; now, that is really handy. The device also warns you of speeding and speed cameras; however this service is not free and requires subscription. It is even approved for the Destia traffic services.

Multi-leg Routes:
It is possible to plan routes without GPS reception in the comfort of your home. Planned routes can be saved for later use. This allows you to plan as many routes as you like for your holidays. The starting point of a route is optional and the route points of a route are the destinations that you want to navigate to. The flow number for each route point is indicated on a button in front of it. Route points can be deleted from a route and the order of the route points can be changed as you wish.

Point of Interest:

Points of Interest are useful addresses that are catalogued according to particular criteria. POIs on the Navigon 4310 Max Plus include ports, airports, restaurants, hotels, petrol stations, public buildings, doctor’s surgeries, hospitals, shopping centres, etc. Points of interest can be displayed on the map by means of a symbol. In the Navigation window tap on Options > Settings > Map Display > Categories Shown in order to select the categories you want to appear on the map.

POI Nearby: POIs nearby are POIs located within a certain radius of your current location. This means you can always find the nearest petrol station irrespective of where you are.

POI of nationwide significance: POIs of nationwide significance are airports, sights, national monuments, large ports etc. This way you can find well-known places of interest even if you do not know the name of their location.

POI in a particular location: POIs in a particular location can be useful when navigating in an unfamiliar town.

Direct access to POI: The direct access area contains 3 categories of POI. Destinations in your vicinity that correspond to one of these categories can be viewed here quickly and without further entry.

Not only do you get to reach the destinations of POI, for many of destinations that you specify, there will be further information available on the destination stored in the navigation system’s database. For instance, you will find phone numbers of various restaurants so that you can call and make reservations. Tap on Show Map button to see the destination on the map.

Features:

Voice Command:
The voice instructions and street name announcements are just excellent. The voice of the device is very clear and pleasant.

Clever Parking Feature:
Parking has been made extremely easy with Navigon’s Clever Parking feature. Shortly before arriving to your destination, 4310 Max Plus displays the nearby parking options. As most of the sat navs, the 4310 Max Plus can be charged by connecting the car charger cable to the vehicle’s cigarette lighter and to the mini USB socket of the navigation device.

TMC:
The Navigon 4310 Max has an integrated TMC receiver in the car charger cable. Once the car charger cable is connected, the device can receive the current traffic messages. This is the a feature that allows the device to change your routes dynamically in case of traffic jams. The Traffic Information box opens if a reported traffic obstruction affects your route. If a distance is indicated in the Traffic Information box, no detour route was calculated yet for the traffic obstruction in question. Tap on the Traffic Information box in order to open the Preview TMC window. It shows a map view with the route section affected by the message and a possible detour. If no distance is indicated, all the obstructions which are reported for your route and would lead to a loss of time will be avoided.

Additional Features:
You can choose to look for points of interest or choose fast buttons for gas stations, parking and home address. With Fuel Efficient Routing you can cut short your fuel consumption and reach your destinations quicker. Lane Guidance is yet another advanced feature included in this device. Other options such as Text To Speech and Traffic Re-routing are appreciable.

Extras:

We have to let you know the fact that additional features in the 4310 Max are limited. The device does not stand out from the crowd with additional features, no slideshows or movies, but it does take you to the destination in an efficient way. However, you will be able to connect to the phone, but it is not enough to make any long conversation. You can always purchase some of the additional features and services depending on the model.

Direct Help: Opens a window in which you can find in quick and uncomplicated manner the addresses and phone numbers of offices in your direct vicinity that can be useful in emergencies.

Simulation: Simulates a navigation on the route indicated. This simulation can be performed without GPS reception. On multi-leg routes, only the first leg is simulated.

Skip Route Point: Tap this button to omit the next route point. This button is active only when at least 2 route points still lie ahead of you.

Speed:

The start up time of the Navigon 4310 Max Plus is quite quick with the Atlas IV processor running at 500Mhz. The device got powered up in just and found GPS signals in just 50 seconds. The calculation was also made very fast as it managed to calculate the quickest route in just 9 seconds and the fastest in 11, which is the fastest of the GPS systems that we have tested. If you deviate from the route that was chosen, the device takes just 7 seconds to come up with the alternate route calculation.

Battery:

Once powered, the 4310 Max Plus’s 1300mAh lithium battery offers two hours of battery life.  The LED on the bottom of the navigation device lights up orange during charging and once the battery is fully charged, the LED lights up green. The sat nav takes about three to four hours to charge.

Warranty:

Navigon 4310 Max Plus Sat Nav system comes with one year limited warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

Impressive looks, superior technology and affordable cost make the Navigon 4310 Max Plus GPS Sat Nav system the most distinctive among the rest of the navigation systems. The user friendly interface and easy to use controls give you the complete freedom over the device.

If you can do with just the navigation and do not care for any of the additional bells and whistles, then you will be quite happy with the Navigon 4310 Max Plus GPS. Though this is a budget model, it is equipped with Bluetooth hands free and integrated TMC antenna in the charging cable. We have been always a fan of the real looking images of map and all navigational aids in the Navgon devices. However, in those models, the price was on the higher side. Now that it comes with a cheap price tag, and not saved up on some of the important features, you have to capitalise the situation. It is clearly one of the most affordable Sat Nav devices in the market and it will not hurt to go for it for its attractiveness and ease of use.

Read reviews, compare specs, ratings of TomTom Sat Nav Systems, Magellan GPS Systems in this website.

Navigon 4310 Max Plus Sat Nav – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Navigon
Model Name	Navigon 4310 Max Plus GPS
GPS Application	Car
Dimensions (W x H x D)	118.8 x 75.5 x 21.5 mm
Weight	170 grams
Display	LCD colour display with resistive touch-panel
Display screen size	4.3″ Landscape, transmissive
Display resolution	480 x 272 pixel (WQVGA)
Navigation views	2D and 3D
Memory	64MB
Memory slots	microSD card socket 2GB Max
MP3 Player	No
Maps included	Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Vatican City. The map coverage also includes the connecting roads of Albania, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Moldavia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine and the Russian Federation
Voice	Navigation instructions Voice command recognition
Connectivity	USB 2.0
Audio	Optimised integrated microphone and speaker
Compatibility	Windows and Mac OS X 10.3 and above
GPS Module	SiRF Star III+
Chipset	SiRF Star III, SiRf InstantFix II
GPS Receiver	Built-in antenna
Features to reduce driver’s stress	Latest maps Advanced Lane Guidance Realistic map views
Features to save time	Traffic assistance Navigon MyRoute Route Safety Alerts Reality View Pro
Enhanced safety features	Emergency menu Safety preferences
Included GPS Software	NAVTEQ
Battery type	Internal lithium ion 1300 mAh
Battery life	Two hours
Guarantee	One year