Navman MY50T GPS Satellite Portable Automotive Navigator Review

Navman’s MY50T GPS automotive navigator has a large 4.7 inch (diagonal) touchscreen for easy map viewing while driving. The MY50T has an good feature set including; text-to-speech for announcing street names, Advanced Lane Guidance, Live Traffic Updates, Keyword Destination Search, Live Local Searches via Google and TrueLocal.com.au and a built-in media player.

Navman MY50T GPS

As mentioned, the Navman MY50T’s screen is larger than the common 4.3 inches however, the resolution remains at 480×272 pixels. So, although the screen is easier to see it does not provide any improvement in the level of detail.

The MY50T has a capacitive touch screen which from user comments available seems more responsive than previous resistive touch screens. A war still rages over the superiority of capacitive over resistive touchscreens or vice versa with no clear winner as yet. Women with long fingernails should note that they will have the same problem as with other capacitive touchscreens, such as the iPhone, with fingernail tips not registering. It’s also worth mentioning that glide touch is disabled by default in favour of the button scrolling system common to most portable GPS devices.

Navigating with the Navman MY50T

Smart Find Keyword Search

Keyword Destination Search is our favorite feature and it’s sure to be a much appreciated feature with other users also. It skips the multi-screen destination entry with an online search engine type single find menu providing the ability to search via entry of the full address, keywords or postcodes. Just like a search engine it will present a list of options for your selection. The speed of this process will win over many a fan.

NavPix

Navigation using NavPix is also an option. Navman call pictures that contain encoded GPS coordinates (geotagged) NavPix which can be used to navigate to the GPS location.

Navman Connect - Live Local Search

At this point it is worth mentioning that the Navman MY50T will perform live searches using Google or TrueLocal (online database of over 1.3 million businesses) utilizing a Bluetooth connection to a (compatible) mobile phone (Bluetooth not built-in). Live searching ensures you have guaranteed current information as opposed to pre-loaded POI (Points of Interest) information which is current to the time the database was last updated. Live search will be a feature which comes to dominate destination selection.

The Navman unit comes with predictive text to allow address entry with fewer key presses. As each letter of an address is entered, the Navman compares all possible combinations against the maps installed and determine which address you might intend to type.

If you wish you can preview a calculated route and make amendments if you consider it necessary.

If you happen to miss a turn the Navman will re-calculate your route and you will be redirected to the new route.

Traffic

If you regularly commute over the same roads, Traffic may be a primary reason for purchasing a GPS device. Included with the MY50T is a lifetime subscription to the Suna traffic messaging service covering Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth.

Current traffic information enables you to avoid potential delays on your route. Event messages and traffic icons are displayed as they occur and are accessed automatically using the built-in TMC receiver. The Traffic Message Channel (TMC) carries broadcasts of real-time traffic and weather information via the FM Radio Data System (RDS).

If faced with a traffic delay, the MY50T can provide an estimated delay time or time of arrival allowing you to decide to continue on route or made a deviation to avoid the problem.

Multi-stop Routing

The MY50T will allow you to enter waypoints you wish to visit on route.

3D Junction Views

3D Junction Views helps give you through complicated intersections by displaying a detailed 3D image of the approaching major intersection. Arrows guide you through the intersection.

Advanced Lane Guidance

Knowing the correct lane to be in prior to a turn can make life on the road much easier. Navman’s Advanced Lane Guidance displays onscreen arrows which combined with spoken directions provide advice on the best lane to be in when approaching a turn on or off a motorway.

Digital Logbook

The Digital Logbook allows you to record your trip details and output mileage reports, including distance, start and end locations, time of travel and fuel consumed to ensure doing your expenses and taxes are quick and easy.

Premium Safety Alerts

Premium Safety Alerts groups together speed and red light camera alerts, blackspot warnings and railway crossings.

School Zone Warnings

As one might guess, this functionality warns the driver when they are approaching reduced speed limit school zone. User feedback has been that the alerts are a bit overzealous by popping up at any time of day and not recognizing those schools on busy roads which do not have a 40km/h speed restriction.

Media Player

With the Navman MY50T Play stored audio and video files saved on internal memory of a memory card. Audio formats supported are .aac, .m4a, .mp3, .wav and .wma. Music file playback can be achieved using a variety of options includin; random, by artist, by album, play all, by playlist.

The larger 4.7 inch screen size improves the video playback experience especially as there is a full screen playback option. Video files supported are .asf, .avi, .m4v, .mp4 and .wmv video.

Live Weather Updates

Live Weather Updates provide useful information about the weather on your planned journey or at your destination so you won’t be caught unaware.

Maps

Navman have a map guarantee which allows purchasers to download a free map update if one becomes available within 30 days of first using your MY50T. Updating is simply a matter of installing Navman’s NavDesk PC software (included) and connecting your device using the included USB cable.

User feedback has revealed some concerns with map accuracy which highlights how essential it is for consumers to check for map updates soon after they purchase their GPS navigator (especially given the map guarantee) and regularly after that. Everyone seems to realize that you need the latest printed road maps but, less so with digital mapping data. Navman supply a link from their website to NAVTEQ, their digital mapping supplier, where you can report mapping inaccuracies.

The Navman MY50T comes with a reasonable 2 year warranty.