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This years must have item seems to be Satellite navigation. Of course over the last few years these little in car devices seem to have been growing popularity but this years run up to Christmas has really seen an explosion in the advertising and purchase of them. So being into my gadgets and not having one I decided with the offers about it was time to invest, especially as I spend a lot of my working week in the car going from one place to another. I did a bit of research on which one to go for and in the end went into Halfords and asked the assistant.
I expected the hard sale and to be pushed towards some top of the range model that was miles out of my price range. Instead it was recommended that I go for the Navman F20, one of the cheapest on the market at the moment. In fact at £149 it was Halfords cheapest GPS navigation system. There were a couple of things I was looking for from my Sat Nav system as it had to be able to keep me informed about Speed Cameras and I wanted something that would provide traffic alerts and alternate routes,
but I'll get onto all that shortly.
The F20 is one of the more sleek designs on the market and doesn't really seem as bulky as the two TomTom models I had a look at. Instead with it's touch sensitive 3.5" screen it has the width but with a lot less bulk behind it makes it a system that is easier to carry with you when you park the car. The thinner design definitely put a tick in the box and meant that it was simply a case of deciding which Navman model to go for. Of course the other models all had more features but at almost double the cost I thought I would be best sticking with this one, especially as it was £50 cheaper than the TomTom equivalent.
The Navman met my need for Traffic Cameras; I mean come on who could really deny how handy that feature can be. The locations all come pre installed on the handset, but to get any updates it does cost extra. With the price set at £49.95 for a years worth of updates it seems a little steep and something that may only be worth doing every couple of years rather than on a yearly basis. Of course in comparison the cost is about the same as the other GPS navigation systems on the market. As well as Cameras the F20 comes complete with a number of local amenities including cash points, restaurants and cinemas. Unlike other models out there it also comes complete with the locations of the nearest petrol stations and car parks at the simple touch of a button, something that again seemed like a handy extra to have.
The only attachment the F20 didn't have that I was looking for was the traffic alerts. In order to get these Navman have cunningly brought out another piece of kit, called the T1. This gives you the Traffic alerts service without the subscription fee the other companies are charging, but it will cost you a one off payment of £120 quid if bought from Halfords. Instead I managed to get mine for just over £50 from Amazon meaning I have paid the same as the TomTom equivalent but I don't have to pay a monthly fee to receive the traffic alerts.
My first and only real complaint came as soon as I opened up the box. The F20 doesn't come with an AC adapter, only an in car charger, meaning until you can get hold of one you can only charge the system in your car. The AC adapters can be obtained from the Navman website for £13.50 but I really felt this should have been included in the standard pack. The battery does have a two hour life span, so it doesn't have to be constantly hooked up to the cigarette lighter, but I'd much rather be able to charge it in the house occasionally. Likewise the PC connection cables are another extra, but that isn't really as important at the current time as I don't intend to buy the Traffic camera updates.
Installation of the device is incredibly simple. It comes complete with a cradle that simply attaches to your windscreen using a suction pad and a lever that locks it in place. You can choose any point on your windscreen and attach it with ease. I was offered a service where by Halfords, for just £39.99, would fit the F20 for me but with the installation as easy as it is, it really didn't seem to be worth it.
Once you switch machine on it comes with a little bit of charge. The menu and preferences are incredibly easy to setup and the tutorial leaves very few questions. Once you've set your home location it makes using the F20 a very easy process. Likewise entering your destination is incredibly easy as the F20 can look up street names, Postcodes and town names to try and get you to where you are wanting to go. After setting all that up the navigation is even easier. There are 4 different views from the straight forward directions to a moving map that shows any adjoining roads and any Points of interest you've selected in your preference menu.
As you drive along the F20 can give you vocal directions as well as onscreen and this can be quite handy as you don't have to constantly look at the screen. The display is very easy to read and with quite a simplistic look makes it easy to follow. The display has the options to see your current speed, estimate time of arrival and even the battery left on your F20. The only draw back will be for anyone with a heat reflective windscreen as for the F20 to work in these cars you will need an external aerial to pick up the GPS signal.
Overall for a reasonably priced Sat Nav system the Navman F20 is certainly a highly recommendable product. It's incredibly easy to use and makes for an ideal system if you have no experience with them at all. They do seem to sting you with hidden costs and extras but when you look deeper into all the systems on the market even the top of the range systems have a lot of similar hidden charges and necessary extras. The F20 is very good value for money and if you shop around the extras can be picked up for a lot less, meaning the Navman is still the best value product on the market, especially if your looking for something on a low budget. So if like me you're a big kid at heart and love to have the latest gadgets I can thoroughly recommend the Navman F20.
Halfords: £149.99 Amazon.co.uk: £149.99 AC adapter: £13.99 T1 Traffic system: £53.99 from amazon.
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The choice for you who want to have your device within easy reach, attached onto a ProClip ... more
instead of on the windshield suction mount. Active holder with a cig-plug. Connects to the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket. 12 Volt. Fits devices with a TMC module. (TMC module not included).You can easily take the device with you when leaving the vehicle. The holder is equipped with a tilt swivel so it can be adjusted in order to avoid light reflection on the screen. Attach onto ProClip Mounting Platform.
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The choice for you who want to have your device within easy reach, attached onto a ProClip ... more
instead of on the windshield suction mount. Active holder for fixed installation. Gives a neat installation without loose cables. Install over a 2 A fuse inside the dashboard. Professional installation recommended. 12/24 Volt.You can easily take the device with you when leaving the vehicle. The holder is equipped with a tilt swivel so it can be adjusted in order to avoid light reflection on the screen. Attach onto ProClip Mounting Platform.
Postage & Packaging:£4.99 Availability:Usually dispatched within 6-10 business days...
The active holder charges your battery when it is in the holder. The charging device ... more
connects to the device automatically when you put the PNA in the holder. The holder is attached onto a tilt swivel and can be adjusted in order to avoid light reflection. Connects to the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket, 12 Volt. Attach onto a ProClip Mounting Platform.
Postage & Packaging:£4.99 Availability:Usually dispatched within 6-10 business days...
The choice for you who want to have your device within easy reach, attached onto a ProClip ... more
instead of on the windshield suction mount. Active holder for fixed installation. Gives a neat installation without loose cables. Install over a 2 A fuse inside the dashboard. Professional installation recommended. 12/24 Volt.You can easily take the device with you when leaving the vehicle. The holder is equipped with a tilt swivel so it can be adjusted in order to avoid light reflection on the screen. Attach onto ProClip Mounting Platform.
Postage & Packaging:£4.99 Availability:Usually dispatched within 6-10 business days...
Advantages: Cheap, portable, back on track function, nearest parking and petrol buttons Disadvantages: some of the mapping dater is a little small touch screen buttons
jsk1977 06.03.2007 (07.03.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Navman F20
Advantages: Cheap, portable, back on track function, nearest parking and petrol buttons Disadvantages: some of the mapping dater is a little small touch screen buttons
jsk1977 06.03.2007 (07.03.2007)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Navman F20
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