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Sat nav manufacturers need to make a sharp U-turn
After meeting up with a number of sat nav companies over the past few days, I've stumbled upon a worrying trend: many of them seem to falling into the style over functionality trap.
Mio popped in yesterday to show off its new C620T (pictured). There's no doubt it looks great and the 3D mapping feature (where you'll see a 3D image of landmarks such as Buckingham Palace) is an interesting, if perhaps slightly gimmicky addition, but my issue is that there is just a single physical button on it (the power button).
Mio pointed out that the volume was accessible on the touch screen display during navigation, but if you've ever tried using a touch screen while driving you'll know just how fiddly and, possibly, dangerous this can be. Would a couple of buttons on the side of it really be such a fashion faux pas? With a physical button you know exactly where it is and can operate it without having to take your eyes off the road.
It may be getting increasingly hard to differentiate products from the competition, but I sincerely hope sat nav manufacturers make a sharp U-turn and avoid heading down Apple's one-button mouse route of sacrificing functionality for style.
Posted by Will Stapley on October 26, 2007 | Permalink
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Comments
Hi
I am a student in the university of Strathclyde (Glasgow) and I am doind research about SatNav companies and OBD II manufacturers.
Do you have a list of these comapies? If yes, could you send it to me please?
Thanks very much.
Regards.
Posted by: harry | 27 Apr 2008 13:44:44
