NaviGadget

Cobra 7700 PRO

Aug 20, 2009 cobra, gps navigation 3 Comments

Cobra has been very quiet recently – but that doesn’t mean they forgot about the professional drivers out there. They just recently announced 7700 PRO, a GPS navigation and routing tool specifically designed to the needs of the professional driver. It utilizes a lot of truck-specific data that helps them optimize routes and arrive at destinations in the most efficient and economical way possible.

The 7700 PRO has a huge 7″ touch screen in 16:9 aspect ratio, and features text-to-speech guidance with loud turn-by-turn direction. Your purchase will include 3 months of unlimited downloads from Cobra’s AURA Camera & Driving Hazard Database, which alerts drivers to the locations of fixed speed and red-light cameras, dangerous intersections and known speed traps. An extra smart feature is you can always switch the Cobra 7700 to run in “car” mode – so drivers can take it with them in their personal vehicles. Read More …

Cobra SL3 GPS radar detector

Jun 15, 2009 cobra, gps navigation, radar detector 5 Comments

The new Cobra SL3 is a standalone GPS enabled radar detector that warns drivers about thousands of driving threats that include red lights, speed cameras and caution areas.

For the location of these threats Cobra SL3 relies on the AURA database, and uses various colored LEDs and beeps and tones to nag the driver about that speed camera on your way to work. It is smart enough to time the warning based on your speed so you always have enough time to react whether it is to slow down, cover your face, or eject from your seat.

The purchase will you rights to access the AURA database 24/7 so you can always get the latest locations stored on your Cobra SL3.

Another cool feature with this GPS enabled radar detector is that you can also add up to 1000 locations as a threat (such as common hideout place for cops) to ‘customize’ the SL3 to your needs.

Current introductory price for Cobra SL3 is $100. That’s less than the price of one single traffic citation.

new Cobra GPS Radar Detectors with Aura database

Jan 7, 2009 CES 2009, cobra, gps navigation, radar detector 3 Comments

Cobra today introduced their new Advanced Universal Road Alert (AURA) database that stores GPS coordinates of speed and red-light cameras and driving hazards. The most annoying thing about these devices are of course false positives and here is how Cobra makes sure their alerts are accurate:

…by communicating directly with municipal police departments, traffic bureaus, state transportation agencies and proprietary data partners to guarantee that every single alert is accurate

There are already six AURA-ready devices offered by Cobra. Two of those are the high-end radar detectors XRS 9960G and XRS R10G. XRS 9960G and XRS R10G will cost $389 and $439 respectively and a lifetime AURA database subscription is included in that price. And if you want to add it on to your already existing, AURA-ready radar detector you can expect to pay somewhere between $209 to $339. To check their full selection go here.

new Cobra radar detectors with GPS

Nov 5, 2008 cobra, gps navigation, radar detector 3 Comments

Cobra has a few brand new radar detectors out there that can work with the additional help from GPS receivers. One of them is Cobra XRS 9960G which offers detection of 12 radar/laser bands and comes with Cobra’s full-color ExtremeBright DataGrafix Display II, an 8-point electronic compass, Voice Alert, and car battery voltage display/low car battery warning.

Like we mentioned the GPS locator is optional but if you decide to go for it you’ll also get fixed speed & red light camera locations for the entire U.S. & Canada.

The other new models that can work with the additional GPS module include XRS 9955, R10G, and R8. We’ll stop by their booth at CES 2009.

Cobra GPSM 5000

Nov 27, 2007 gps navigation 4 Comments

Cobra’s latest and greatest GPS navigation system is the Cobra GPSM 5000 which boasts a 5″ ultra-bright, OptiView touchscreen as well as a POI database that contains close 8 million entries.

Cobra GPSM 5000 comes with maps of all 50 states in the U.S. plus Canada preloaded and ready to use and it can guide (voice or text) in English, French, or Spanish. On-board software can provide an alternate route and then let you visually compare 2 routes on your map screen and choose the one you prefer.

Other smart features include the ‘SmartPower’ which turns off the sat nav system when the ignition is turned off and the ‘my favorite brands’ which lets you choose over 600 brands and show them as icons on your route.

Manufacturer’s suggested price is $510 but it seems to be out of stock for now.

Cobra Nav One 2100

Jan 18, 2007 CES 2007, cobra, gps navigation 17 Comments

Cobra revealed their new and more affordable GPS navigation system Nav One 2100 last week at CES 2007. The new Nav One 2100 was announced a few days before the show but we had no image back then.

The unit comes with a 3.5-inch screen with optional traffic reports, and is expected to be priced at $350. The 2100 will also offer an SD memory card expansion slot and millions of points of interests.

The Nav One 2100 will be available in stores in May of 2007. The optional real-time traffic feature is $100 with an annual traffic service subscription fee of $60 a year.

Cobra 1080DLX GPS

Oct 23, 2006 cobra, gps navigation Leave a comment

Cobra is usually only known for its huge Nav 4500 GPS navigation system. But trust us, they do make other things as well. Take the Cobra 1080DLX GPS receiver. The Cobra 1080DLX measuring only 6.1″ x 2.8″ x 1.3″ is not a navigation system but it comes pre-programmed with U.S. Highways, U.S. and Canadian state/province borders, and major cities worldwide. So if somebody drops you off in the middle of nowhere you can at least figure out which direction to walk. It is mostly designed for hikers and other who spend a lot of time in the wilderness. It lets you create up to 50 routes with up to 20 points each and it can store up to 500 waypoints with names and symbols it even automatically tracks your travel with up to 2,000 log points.

The onboard memory is only 4MB but you also get an 32MB SD card expansion through which you can download street level maps onto your 1080DLX.

In addition to telling you where you are Cobra GPS 1080DLX also features an altimeter, compass and a clock.

You can purchase the 1080 DLX through Amazon for about $300 when it becomes available again.

Cobra NavOne 4500 Real Time Traffic and Traffic Cameras Reviewed

Jun 27, 2006 cobra, gps navigation, reviews Leave a comment

Today we are looking at one of the high-end all-in-one GPS units. The Cobra 4000 and 4500 are the same units, but the 4500, which is being reviewed here, has real time traffic. Common street prices are $599/$799 (4000/45000).

The 4500 is a large unit that has a full 5 inch touchscreen. To give you some idea of its size here is a shot of the unit next to my Cingular 8125 phone. The unit uses a SiRF chipset, but not SiRFIII. I found reception good, but it did loose lock several times in New York City and I would recommend an external or reradiating antenna if you are in a difficult reception situation. It comes with TeleAtlas maps of the United States and Canada and 7.6 million Points of Interest. It is a 12 volt unit and, unfortunately, does not have a battery. An AC power adapter is available as an optional accessory. It should be included, in my opinion, especially at this price. Also available as accessories are a carrying case and an external antenna. The unit comes with a suction cup mount which is strong and has withstood winter cold and spring heat. The traffic receiver is an extra piece and is velcroed onto the mount. Not a very neat installation, unfortunately. Cobra could have done better here. The traffic receiver also comes with an external antenna which is really two wires and suction cups that attach to the front windshield. You can see the receiver and extra antenna in the shot above. In my area of New Jersey the extra antenna is necessary, but it might not be for you. The unit does not do pictures or play mp3s.
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GPS devices add extras, but meaning may be lost

May 22, 2006 gps navigation Leave a comment

Cobra NavOne 4500 vs Tom Tom Go 910

Here’s a Father’s Day idea for the dad in your house who doesn’t like to admit he gets lost. And to make the blow to his pride easier, point out that he can put MP3 files and pictures of the kids on the device.

I’ve been testing two global positioning system car navigation kits, and both are good choices for getting from point A to point B. But one unit does a lot more and has a nicer, more compact design. The Tom Tom Go 910 comes with so many extras that it is practically a portable media center.

Chicago’s Cobra Electronics offers the bulkier NavOne 4500, and it works well with less style.

There are many choices in this category besides the two units I tested, including models from Garmin, Magellan and even mobile phones.

Why would you want one? Maybe you make a lot of sales calls. Perhaps you’re new to a city or like to take road trips. Both the Tom Tom and Cobra units are portable, so you can take them with you if you fly somewhere and rent a car.

Sales of navigation devices are increasing, but there is one issue that could keep these very useful products from reaching a broader audience: price. Both models I tested sell for roughly $800, depending on the retailer.

Why so much? Well, these are pretty complex machines.

“They need to have maps built in and need a graphical user interface with a touch screen,” said Jocelyn Vigreux, Tom Tom’s president. They also need a power source, a speaker and a GPS receiver to access satellites.

Both models work right of the box. You simply attach the device to a windshield mount and then plug into what used to be called the cigarette lighter. After a brief on-screen tutorial, you’re ready to go.

Using the Tom Tom, I selected a woman’s voice with a British accent to guide me.
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Cobra NavOne 2750 Portable Mobile Navigation System

May 1, 2006 cobra, gps navigation 9 Comments

Speaking of Cobra NavOne series, another product that is recent from Cobra is the NavOne 2750. Doing a side-by-side comparison you see that it costs $100 more than the NavOne 2500 because the screen is 5.2″ compared to the 3.5″ on the 2500. The smaller of the two is the 2500 and even features memory expansion slot and 3D maps.

* Portable Vehicle Navigation System: Take from vehicle to vehicle; just plug in and go
* Automatic Route Navigation: With turn by turn directions and clear voice guidance to an address or Points-of-Interest.
* Over 2 million Points-of-Interest: Includes banks, hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and many more. P.O.I. search using business phone numbers.
* Automatic Re-routing: If gone off course or detouring.
* iA.S.A.P.™ (Intelligent Accelerated Satellite Acquisition Protocol) Technology: Technology for faster acquisition and uninterrupted satellite signal reception in urban canyons and dense foliage, using state-of-the-art GPS Engine.
* North American Street Level Detail Map: Complete mapping for the United States and Canada on board the automotive grade Hard Disk Drive – all unlocked and ready to use.
* Easy Map Access: No need to load CDs or download map from PCs.
* 5.2 Inch High Resolution, Ultra Bright Colour Display: For easy view, night and day
* Automatic Brightness Control: Using Photo Sensor, adjusts the display for easy viewing – day or night.
* Backlit, Intuitive Functional Soft Keys: For easy access to specific functions in any given mode.
* Trip Data: Includes odometers, trip timers, speedometers and more.
* Trip Planner: Allows you to pre-program up to 10 destinations in each plan. (5 total plans)
* Trail Mode: Allows you to go off-roading and mark your favorite waypoints for future return.
* SmartPower™: Shuts off power to the unit when the ignition is turned off.
* Compass: Shows 8 cardinal points.
* Navigation Text/Voice Language in Unit: English, Spanish, and French
* Acquisition Time: Approximately 8 sec. (hot), Approximately 38 sec. (warm), Approximately 45 sec. (cold)
* Update Rate: 1/sec
* Velocity Accuracy: 0.1 meter/sec
* Dynamics: Performs to specifications to 4 g’s
* Antenna: Built-in patch antenna
* Temperature Range: Operating: 32f to 146f (0c to 80c)
* Storing: -40f to 176f (-40c to 80c)
* Warranty: 1 year limited warranty