Mapping Out New In-Car Navigation Systems

Whether you're driving to work, to the store or hitting the road with your family, new types of smart in-car navigation systems can help make your next trip go a little smoother. Smart navigation systems now help consumers get from point A to point B while also serving as hubs for favorite wired and wireless technologies. The 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show spotlighted a number of these new types of navigational systems-many of which included seamless integration of the hottest mobile technologies. For instance, Pioneer's newest intelligent in-car navigation system, the AVIC-Z1, lets people connect portable music devices, satellite radio and Bluetooth-enabled cell phones while simultaneously providing detailed navigation information. Here's a closer look: Communicate Bluetooth technology is growing in popularity because it offers the convenience of hands-free operation in the car. Pioneer's new navigation system lets users sync their Bluetooth mobile phones and carry out cellular conversation through the speakers in the car. When calls are made or received, the music stops and the call can be answered or made through the touch-screen display. One of the fastest multifeature Bluetooth mobile phones on the market is the Samsung t809. The fashionable, ultra-slim device features EDGE High-Speed Technology, as well as a host of multimedia capabilities. The phone packs an MP3 player with dual speakers, a video media player and a 1.3-megapixel camera and camcorder into a 3.3-ounce device. This phone (along with other Bluetooth-enabled cell phones) is highly compatible with Pioneer's in-car navigation system. Entertain With more than 42 million sold, the Apple iPod® continues to be one of the hottest items for '06. While car adapters make it possible for owners to listen to the device in their vehicles, they don't always offer a high level of user control or audio quality. Pioneer's navigation system can be combined with Pioneer's iPod adapter to let users control an iPod through the seven-inch touch screen. The screen displays the same information as the device does, including artist name, song title and album. It also offers higher-quality sound. Pioneer's AVIC-Z1 also offers a complete entertainment experience in the form of CD and DVD playback with additional plug-in attachments for XM™ and Sirius™ Satellite Radio. Learn Unlike many of its competitors, Pioneer's new navigation system offers dynamic route guidance and considers speed limits and street signs for the most efficient route to a destination. An optional navigation traffic tuner provides up-to-the-minute traffic information and reroutes to avoid traffic incidents through XM's NavTraffic service, with subscription required. The system also "learns" frequently traveled routes and can understand conversational commands through advanced voice recognition. That means getting to a destination can be as simple as saying "go to.…" Enjoy The Ride Analysts say these new types of all-in-one navigation systems may help change the way many people drive. The technology can help motorists stay on the right path to their destination, stay in touch with loved ones, and stay entertained on the road. New types of in-car navigational systems now serve as hubs for favorite technologies, such as cell phones and MP3 players.

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