Navigon N100 LOOX Portable GPS Navigator

If keeping your gadgets small and pocketable is important, and you need a capable GPS device that also boasts some slick media functions, then the Navigon N100 from Fujitsu-Siemens deserves a look.
The Navigon GPS Navigator is compact and strikingly elegant in design. View larger.
View Navigon software demo – View device in 3D. |
Robust 3D maps make it easy to see where you are going at a glance. |
The user interface is easy to navigate. |
Load up your music and jam out. The device supports MP3, WMA, and AAC music files. |
Have some fun with the included games. |
Design
One of the N100’s most impressive features is its size. Measuring just 3.5 x 2.4 x 0.6 inches (L x W x H), it fits easily in the palm — quite impressive when you consider how much is loaded into its diminutive package. The bright, 2.8-inch touchscreen offered great clarity indoors, but was quickly washed out in bright sunlight. A small slot on top accepts MicroSD media, and the included 2 GB card contains complete mapping and points of interest data for the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada, and Puerto Rico.
A mini-USB port on the side of the N100 does double duty for charging and data connectivity, making it simple to upload music, photos, and videos to the device from your PC. Other highlights include a removable battery that lets you carry a spare when you’re away from an outlet for extended periods, and a small (perhaps a bit too small) stylus that’s tucked away in the rear panel.
Navigation
Powered by the latest SiRFstar III chipset, which is designed to improve communication with GPS satellites for smoother, more accurate navigation, as well as a 300 MHz processor, the N100 has all the right muscle–at least on paper–to provide a great handheld GPS navigation experience. The rubber really hits the pavement, though, when you evaluate how well the hardware interacts with the software on a GPS device.
Fujitsu-Siemens has chosen to go with Navigon’s MobileNavigator 6, which has a slick, relatively easy-to-use interface, clear mapping details in 2D or 3D, and voice guidance. Our gripe with the software, though, was its rather sluggish performance on this device. Menus opened slowly, screens were slow to refresh, and some actions froze the device entirely, forcing a rather lengthy reboot process.
With a destination entered into the N100, the Navigon software does a passable job of getting you there, although it can struggle to quickly attain your direction of travel when you’re first getting started, which can lead to bad directions and missed turns. Voice aids are handy, as is the N100’s “lane advice” feature, which suggests which lane of a highway you should enter to be in the best position for the next maneuver. The N100’s points of interest system is robust, offering easily recognizable company logos for common destinations — now you can have the Golden Arches on your GPS screen, too!
Multimedia
The N100’s small size makes it a perfect multimedia companion. Fill up a MicroSD card with all the music, video, and photos it will hold and you’ve got a great little entertainment center in your pocket. The applications that power the N100’s media functions are a bit simplistic and unrefined, but they do the job. One big plus is the N100’s support for a wide range of music formats, including MP3, WMA, and AAC. Video support is less robust; only WMV-format videos are supported. A world clock and calculator are included, along with two games, Bricks and Smart Pixie. The latter is a Pac Man reproduction that is sure to please.
At the end of the day, the N100 is a well-designed device that suffers from sluggish performance and a lack of polish when it comes to integrating hardware and software. However, if size is your chief concern when looking for a fully-featured GPS device, this one might be just for you.
Pros
- Small and pocketable
- Robust points of interest database
- Good multimedia features
Cons
- Sluggish and unresponsive at times
- User interface could use some refinements
What’s in the Box
Navigon N100 Pocket LOOX handheld navigator, AC power adapter, 12-volt vehicle power adapter, USB cable, headphones, windshield and dashboard mount, changeable cover, 2 GB mini SD card, user’s manual and quick-start guide.
User Ratings and Reviews
3 Stars Looking for a map update….
Good luck trying to get an updated map for this product.
I loved my unit when I first bought it, the size, features, etc.
Now that it is 4 years old, it needs a map update.
I can’t get one anywhere, even at Navigon’s site.
5 Stars Great All Around GPS with 20 solid Channel indoor GPS RECIEVER
Best of All:
First of all the software on this unit is the same as all the other Navigon GPS’s, they do software and map updates every Quarter and actually just released one not to long ago (June 2008)
Highlights:
Here’s the Best PART – Its GPS Signal Strength: The Mighty SiRF
The Pocket LOOX uses SiRF’s high performance SiRF Star III 20-channel indoor GPS receiver. This chipset is extremely sensitive and able to maintain solid signal reception even when driving in GPS-challenging situations, such as behind tall buildings, under bridges, through canyons, etc. In fact, during my testing, I was able to get a strong signal even indoors. The signal was so strong that I had to actually go into my basement and cover the top of the Maestro with tin foil before it lost GPS signal.
The integration of SiRF’s chipsets into the latest generation of in-car navigation systems has been a watershed event for GPS navigation. Prior to SiRF, line-of-sight to the sky was required to receive GPS signals, resulting in poor GPS performance (or no signal at all) in many cases. SiRF’s chipset has ushered in a new era of GPS performance, affording fast signal acquisition and precise positioning that is solidly maintained while driving. Make sure that any new GPS you buy includes SiRF’s chipset; I’m always amazed that people buy GPS devices that are old and outdated (and sometimes cost even more than the newer devices with SiRF — even from the same manufacturer).
Throughout my testing GPS reception was outstanding. The GPS quickly recognized my location, and reception was unflappable, even when driving in midtown Manhattan. I did lose reception when driving through tunnels, but the GPS quickly re-acquired within a few seconds once I emerged from the tunnel
Here are the PROS:
Good looking hardware
Small size ideally suited for travel and handheld use
Unique turn exclusion screen allows you to select multiple roads you want to avoid with ease
Lots of routing options (including fast car, slow car, pedestrian, & scenic route)
POI brand icons displays company logos on the map instead of generic POI category icons
Music player supports MP3, AAC, and WMA audio formats
Relatively long (5 hour) battery life
Includes swappable white and black faceplates
NAVTEQ mapping data (2006 maps)
SiRF’s high performance StarIII indoor GPS receiver
Light weight (3.9 oz)
Nicely designed map screen
The CONS:
Somewhat sluggish
When entering an address, pressing the “Back” icon takes you back to the main menu rather than the previous menu, and you have to start entering the address all over again (Same on every Navigon unit because I own the 2100 max and 7100)
Couldn’t find some addresses — quirky address entry system (but gets updated all the time)
Small screen size and small text combined with general slowness makes the Pocket LOOX N100 all but impossible to use while driving (should use any GPS while driving!!!)
No Text-to-Speech (GPS doesn’t announce actual street names but it does it tell you when to Turn, there are Voice Prompts)
Other Thoughts:
When using the MP3 player while navigating, audio prompts are announced over the music, making them difficult to hear. Some other GPS units pause the music for audio navigation prompts, and then resume music playback.
No Bluetooth(Who Cares most everyone has their own these days anyway and on the ones that do have Bluetooth, its a pain to connect the phone every time you get in the car.
Conclusion:
My RATING 9/10 for its overall features that match may other GPS units, Its best for those who would like a portable unit because if you obviously want a way bigger screen size this is not for you! It’s price cannot be beat, try finding another GPS at this Price point with all the features and accessories included and then tell me this one still isn’t better, I think you’ll have a very hard time!
Thanks for Looking at my Review~!
4 Stars GPS
It is a nice little GPS for the money. It is a bit too small but gives the best verbal directions of the three GPS’s I have, Cobra, Naveman and Garman.
1 Star discontinued and updates are not supported by Navigon
I loved this product until I went to update my maps and found there were none to update. I called Navigon. Fujitsu Siemens was the maker and they discontinued it. Navigon supports the warranty but told me they do not know if there will ever be any map updates available. It’s just a wait and see. I paid well over $300 at the time of purchase only about 9 months ago. I loved it for 9 months but it sorely needs updating and probably will never have any. So far, Navigon isn’t worried about the customers. Backing up a product is 50% of the ‘business to customer relations’. I would not purchase this until the map update issue is resolved. This product will become useless if it is not resolved. I’m out a lot of money, and I’m not impressed.
2 Stars Do NOT Buy – MAP UPDATES NO LONGER AVAIL
I bought two of these units a year and a half ago for $99 each.
They do work as advertised but the map data was out of date when they were new, and no map updates are available from Navigon.
Navigon is leaving the US market completely (as of a statement in May 09) so choose your GPS product supplier carefully!
Buy/More Info