Talk About Nseries

Along with the Nokia N78 we have managed to get our hands on, we have another exciting ‘accessory’ to take a look at - the Nokia 500 Auto Nav!

I had seen images on the internet of a Nokia Sat Nav device, but have never seen or used one ever before. I was curious to find out how good this device really was, and whether it can be a true competitor with the likes of TomTom and Garmin etc…

Inside the box you can expect to find:

• Nokia 500 Auto Nav
• Car Mount
• Nokia DC-1001 microUSB Car Charger
• SD with Europe Maps (varies by country)
• Soft Carry Pouch
• A CD containing backups of the maps and a digital version of the user guide

The device itself looks very smart. The front is dominated by a large 4.3″ touch screen. This is very bright and crisp. I also found the screen to be great in bright sunlight and the display remained visible which is useful when driving/walking in a sunny area. Underneath this large screen are three hardware buttons. The one on the left turns the volume of the speaker down, the middle acts as a shortcut to the menu and the one on the right turns the volume of the speaker up. These keys are illuminated when it is dark by a clear white light.

To the right of the device is the SD card slot, and on the back is a large loudspeaker so you can hear commands that are given and can also be used as a speaker when paired with a phone. On the left is what I assume to be the microphone for when you want to use the device with your phone handsfree.

On the top you have a power key in the centre, and on the left hand side is the cover for the optional external GPS antenna port. On the right hand side is the cover for the stereo audio out connector. This is a 3.5mm audio jack for if you are walking or want to listen to your music through this device.

On the bottom you can find the main power key, miniUSB port/charger connector and the reset key. The main power key will completely shut off the device and disables the top power key so it cannot be switched on by accident. It is quite hard to access with just your finger!!! I can understand it being recessed from the surface, but i think it could have been made a little easier for you to change.

Thankfully, Tash managed to switch it on for me with her smaller fingers and I have since left it and just switch the device on and off by the button at the top and havn’t found this to be a major issue!!!

The car mount (allthough quite big in my opinion) is very sturdy and holds the 500 Auto Nav very securely in place. When in the mount, the device can be positioned in many different ways. It can be raised/lowered as well as turned in the left and right directions very easily by using loosening the screws on the joints you want to move.

In addition to being a dedicated satellite navigation unit, the device can also be used as a music player (and also has a built-in FM transmitter - like the new Nokia N78). It can also be used as a handsfree unit with other bluetooth enabled phones with the ability to access your phone contacts and make/picking up voice calls. Voice dialling is also supported with a compatible phone.

I have taken the Nokia 500 Auto Nav on quite a few journeys with me and so far I am very impressed with it and its UI is very easy to use. Instructions given are clear and easy to understand (and you have the option of using a male/female voice, as well as choosing different accents (like French and German etc.) if you like!!! As you would expect, you can also change the language of the device completely.

I will keep you updated with my experience and thoughts about this device, as well as some more pictures in the next part!!!