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NAVIGON 7100 Portable GPS image
 
(based on 35 ratings)
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Brand:NAVIGON
Located in:Technology, GPS & Accessories, Portable Automotive GPS, Portable Automotive GPS, NAVIGON 7100 Portable GPS
Preloaded with maps of North America (incl. Hawaii and Alaska) and Canada 4.3" full color LCD touch screen Subscription-free lifetime traffic* out of the box Hands free calling with Bluetooth technology so you can easily make and receive calls as you drive Text-to-speech provides clear driving instructions with actual street names Reality View™ provides a photo-realistic 3D view of complex highway interchanges Lane Assistant reduces confusion by directing the driver to the optimal lane for the selected route Speed Assistant displays your speed and can even warn you if you exceed the limit Millions of points of interest and ZAGAT® Survey Ratings and Reviews for complete manufacturer specifications Delivers unparalleled, premium navigation with a combination of design, an extra-wide screen, innovative technology and exclusive features. *
More information for the NAVIGON 7100 Portable GPS
Product Reviews Summary
Avg. Customer Rating:
 
3.3 stars
(based on 35 reviews)
66% of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Customers most agreed on the following attributes:

Describe Yourself:
Bad with directions(6), Gearhead(7), Technically challenged(3), Traveler(17)
Primary use:
Business(7), Personal(27)
Pros:
Acquires satellites quickly(22), Compact(14), Easy menus(17), Easy to read(23), Easy to set up(18)
Cons:
Acquires satellites slowly(6), Complicated controls(4), Difficult menus(10), Flimsy mounting(3), Inaccurate(9)
Best Uses:
Faster routes(9), Finding specific address(20), Planning trips(17)

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

 
not too happy with the device
By frequent travelerVerified Reviewer from new jersey on 8/18/2008
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
Primary use:
Business
Pros:
Easy To Read
Cons:
Acquires Satellites Slowly, Difficult Menus, Expensive device, Expensive updates, Inaccurate, Short Battery Life
Best Uses:
Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

things that aren't so great about it

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

 
Don't Buy It!
By Jazziz2Verified Purchaser from Morton, PA on 8/13/2008
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler, Gearhead
Primary use:
Personal
Cons:
Difficult Menus, Difficult to set up
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Returned product for refund

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

 
battery life needs help
By nVerified Purchaser from new jersey on 8/13/2008
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
Primary use:
Business
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Easy To Read
Cons:
Short Battery Life
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

i wish they would send along a longer life battery,as it makes it awkward to use for longer than 2hrs trips(as you must plug it into the lighter)

 
navigon 7100
By nancyVerified Purchaser from new jersey on 8/6/2008
Describe Yourself:
Technically Challenged
Primary use:
Business
Pros:
Easy To Read, Simple Controls
Cons:
Short Battery Life
Best Uses:
Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

the battery really needs to last longer than 2hrs

[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
Navigon 7100
By The TravlersVerified Purchaser from Terre Haute, Indiana on 8/6/2008
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Compact, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Simple Controls
Cons:
Acquires Satellites Slowly, Inaccurate
Best Uses:
Faster Routes, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Navigon 7100 is overall very good. Our only complant would be that when we put in our home address it show our house about 1/2 block from where it actually is. Staples let us exchange it out for the same one to see if it would change. It still did the exact same thing.

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

 
Good bang for your dollar
By John RichardVerified Purchaser from New Jersey on 7/31/2008
Describe Yourself:
Bad With Directions
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Easy Menus, Easy To Set Up, Reliable Performance
Cons:
Short Battery Life
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Personal use. Names the actual streets to turn on. Free real time traffic information. The Company gets back to you quickly regarding your questions. Very short battery life. The Company seems to be having trouble getting the new fresh map updates out on time.

[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
I would purchase another in the future.
By dominickVerified Purchaser from new york on 7/25/2008
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Compact, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Reliable Performance
Cons:
Flimsy Mounting
Best Uses:
Faster Routes, Finding Specific Address, Planning Trips, Rural Navigation, Urban Navigation
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

good product

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

 
DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER!
By MARIUMVerified Purchaser from SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY on 7/9/2008
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
Primary use:
Business
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Easy To Read
Cons:
Inaccurate, Short Battery Life, TRAFFIC SIGNAL
Best Uses:
Faster Routes, Finding Specific Address, Rural Navigation, Urban Navigation
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I PURCHASED THIS GPS WITH GREAT HOPES ON THE LIFETIME TRAFFIC FREE OUT OF THE BOX! WHAT A CON, THE FIRST ONE I PURCHASED ONE, PICKED UP THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS & THEN TOTALLY STOPPED WORKING. WHEN I RETURNED IT FOR ANOTHER OF THE SAME GPS, THAT ONE WORKED FOR 3 1/2 WEEKS & ALSO STOPPED PICKING UP THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL? I TRIED TROUBLE SHOOTING & OF COURSE WITH NO LUCK, I FINALLY RETURNED IT TOTALLY & WENT WITH A [...]BRAND & A [...]. GOT 2 FOR THE PRICE OF 1 NAVIGON 7100. [...]OFFERED 3 MONTHS FREE TRAFFIC & YEALRY SUBSCRIPTION. BETTER THAN RELYING ON A GPS THAT DOES NOT WORK, RIGHT? IN MY TYPE OF WORK, I RELY ON A GPS IN WORKING ORDER & NOT TO FAIL WHILE IN TRAVEL ON THE ROAD! I'LL THINK BEFORE I SPEND MORE MONEY ON A PRODUCT NEXT TIME, MORE MONEY DOESN'T MEAN BETTER PRODUCT!

[12 of 12 customers found this review helpful]

 
Works perfectly when the right options[...]
By dashflyerVerified Reviewer from Jacksonville, FL on 5/21/2008
Describe Yourself:
Retired pilot, traveler
How long have you owned it:
Three-to-six months
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Reliable Performance, Simple Controls
Cons:
Short Battery Life
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Purchased after using a friend's Garmin 660. The price was right for the features. I especially like the lane arrows when highways are splitting. Great in larger cities. At first I had problems mentioned in other reviews but, with a little experimenting in the 7 pages of basic settings and 2 others of options you can really customize this unit to your needs. A software update was recently offered (free) and there is another that just became available. These folks really want the user to be satisfied and listen to your complaints. I have used the unit in San Diego, a life saver in Los Angeles and scenic trips around the south east specifically, Florida. It is very effective. You can choose to use, avoid, or prohibit highways, toll roads or ferries as you desire. You can also choose between fastest, optimum, shortest or scenic routes. On a recent trip from Jacksonville Florida to northwest Alabama I looked at both the fastest and shortest routes. There was an 80 mile difference and it took 15 minutes longer. That's 3 gallons for my car and 6 for my truck. More specifically $20+ for 15 minutes. It truly was a more pleasant trip on mostly 4 lane backroads. In Los Angeles I did mapquest to compare but getting to on ramps for the myriad freeways would have been tough while reading the route. The 7100 was flawless. It does have it's drawbacks. Where there is new construction it sometimes gets lost but recalculates frequently and attempts to give you the best route. If you get off a highway too early it's exceptionally quick in rerouting you from the present position. I have not experienced that with another GPS but would assume they have the same problems with construction. Whenever you stop or turn the unit off it is very quick to pick back up on the route and talks to you immediately as the car starts moving. I am not sure how other GPS's approach this issue but when you start moving with the 7100 the screen re ranges the view from several hundred yards to ranges commensurate with the speed you are traveling allowing ample warning of turns. Now for the best part, the traffic warnings are a lifetime subscription out of the box. Do they work? Yes, and not only on your route but you can look at all of them in your area just by selecting the "traffic "warning" icon. Saw some complaint about the touch screen. I have rather large hands and have no problem but when you are setting up the unit there is a stylus in the back just for that use. I have really not had a need to use it but do at times for convenience. These units can be purchased at a fraction of the cost of other comparable makes and they are worth the price.

[3 of 11 customers found this review helpful]

 
Not user friendy...very bad
By bubu469 from dallas on 1/29/2008
Describe Yourself:
Gearhead
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Picture on ad look good
Cons:
Acquires Satellites Slowly, Bulky, Complicated Controls, Difficult Menus, Flimsy Mounting, Inaccurate, Short Battery Life, Very hard to use.
Best Uses:
None
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Very hard to use,.. touchsceen don't work well. Button too small.

Just got a Garmin 660,.. its 10x easier to use.

 
Navigon 7100....my husband loves it
By PatVerified Purchaser from Harrisburg,NC on 1/22/2008
Describe Yourself:
Never ask for directions, Technically Challenged
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Compact, Easy Menus, Easy to Mount, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Easy to use, Portable, Reliable Performance, Simple Controls
Best Uses:
Faster Routes, Finding Specific Address, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

My husband's Corvette has a Nav system so I decided to purchase one for his other car...the one we drive the most. He loves it. It doesn't contain any fancy additions like a MP3 player because we didn't need that...we just want directions to our destinations. It is easy to use, just pulled it out the box and it was ready to use. Best purchase I made for his Christmas present.

[4 of 5 customers found this review helpful]

 
Best GPS for the money !
By PeteVerified Reviewer from San Diego, CA on 1/22/2008
Describe Yourself:
Bad With Directions
How long have you owned it:
One-to-three months
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Easy To Read, Reliable Performance, Sturdy Construction, Stylish
Cons:
Acquires Satellites Slowly, Complicated Controls, Flimsy Mounting
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

PROS:It is slim, stylish and small for its 4.3 inch screen.Very sturdy construction.Comes with FREE lifetime traffic (usually about $100 extra) which is a huge help (But wish it had actual speeds rather than RED, YELLOW, GREEN).CONS:Takes about 3 minutes to link to satellites (Turn it on when you first get in the car).Being in California, I cannot attach anything to my windows so I have to attach using the disk and dangling the cord. Attachment is rather bulky, large and awkward. Traffic signal often not picked up and, in practice, speed limits only seem to work with freeways.The last update was February 2006 and, so far, missing four addresses I need (3 of them have been updated on NAVTEQ but not converted by Navigon for their GPS units.). I fear Navigon may charge for updates if an update ever comes.Some directions lack (artificial) intelligence. When I am 3 miles from home ON THE ROAD I LIVE ON, it wants me to go double the distance by freeway (since it says it is the OPTIMIZED route but I happen to know it will take double the time than simply staying on my home street). That is because it "sees" the freeway as 65 MPH and my street as 35 MPH. I know for a fact that it will take me a lot longer to change the 4 streets and 3 freeways it says to do (rather than just keeping on my home street for 3 miles). On the other hand, it sometimes wants me to cut inland on streets rather than just continue on the freeway I am already on (It does not realize that 35 MPH on the freeway is far faster than getting off the freeway and driving on side streets).Its Artificial Intelligence is still lacking in many cases.Hopefully it will be updated but right now it ALWAYS directs me to the Carpool Lane (HUGE fine if I do it!). I want to BLOCK it from doing that ("Sorry officer, my GPS told me to do it"). The GPS keeps repeatedly telling me to get in the Carpool lane and then has to recalculate my route when I "miss" it. It is illegal but fine with the GPS. Hopefully an update will solve this before I get a huge fine.FINALLY, I am happy with my choice and have not found anything better for the money... so I would recommend it to others. I got mine at Staples.com and am happy with my decision.

[1 of 5 customers found this review helpful]

 
I WOULD NOT BUY THIS AGAIN
By TYLERVerified Purchaser from SAN FRANCISCO, CA on 1/21/2008
Describe Yourself:
Bad With Directions
How long have you owned it:
One-to-three months
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Easy To Set Up
Cons:
CANT FIND INFO BY CATEGOR
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

THIS WAS A GREAT BUY, WITH LIFETIME TRAFFIC SUBSCRIPTION. BUT
I CANNOT ENTER A CATEGORY & FOR MY NAVIGON TO FIND DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. WHEN SEARCHING, YOU NEED TO KNOW THE CITY, & ADDRESS OF THAT LOCATION. IF I KNEW THAT, I WOULD NOT NEED A GPS APARATUS.

[0 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

 
Great product with room for improvements
By JohnVerified Purchaser from Orange County, CA on 1/21/2008
Describe Yourself:
Gearhead
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Awsome reality view, Compact, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Reliable Performance
Cons:
Bluetooth voice not clear, Difficult Menus
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address, Live Traffic, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

-Live traffic wouldn't work without the antenna plugged in
-Bulky windshield mount
-Hands free Bluetooth not clear
-Difficult to find addresses

[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
QUALITY ALL THE WAY !
By CECE MY GIRLVerified Purchaser from MAYS LANDING,NJ on 1/21/2008
Describe Yourself:
Bad With Directions
How long have you owned it:
One-to-three months
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up
Cons:
TOUCH PAD
Best Uses:
Faster Routes
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

THIS THE PRODUCT WAS WORTH EVER CENT. HAVE LOOK AT MANY GPS BUT SETTLED FOR THIS ONE,I DON'T REGRET THE PURCHASE. TOUCH SCREEN,YOU NEED TO USE A SMALL POINTER,NOT GOOD FOR BIG HANDS. LOVE THE 3D EFFECT. SO REAL !!!

 
complicated, but good
By edpepsiVerified Purchaser from staten island ny on 1/21/2008
Describe Yourself:
Find my way around well
How long have you owned it:
One-to-three months
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Easy To Read, Reliable Performance
Cons:
Acquires Satellites Slowly, Difficult Menus
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

I use this product to travel outside my regular neighborhood, It has great dispaly options and graphics, and we love the fact that it comes with a stylus pen that stores away on the unit. it also gives turn by turn voice directions and actually says the name of the streets to turn on instead of just saying "turn in 500 feet".slow on recalculating a route and slow when first turning on. I have the 7100 model which was a little expensive cause of the 4.3" screen but overall its a great product that just takes some time getting used to.

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

 
Best on the market!
By Busy RealtorVerified Purchaser from Rockaway, NJ on 1/21/2008
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
How long have you owned it:
One-to-three months
Primary use:
Business
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Compact, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Reliable Performance, Simple Controls
Best Uses:
Faster Routes, Finding Specific Address
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Thrilled with this purchase. It also has travel advisory in case of congested roadways and then can re-route you.

 
Over the top!
By World travelerVerified Purchaser from Watertown NY on 1/21/2008
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Compact, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Reliable Performance, Simple Controls
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

We found it wonderful.

[0 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

 
It worked for me
By miss DVerified Reviewer from philadelphia ,pa on 1/5/2008
Describe Yourself:
Bad With Directions
How long have you owned it:
One-to-three months
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Compact, Easy To Read, Secure Mounting
Cons:
Complicated Controls, Difficult Menus, Short Battery Life
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

I think it works for me . I'm always lost and calling my husband for directions. He's happy i have it. The battery life sucks but i just keep the car charger attached and that solves the problem. Yes some of the maps are out dated. I think once the maps are improved it would be good also the directions on the computer that was just awful what if you're driving and need to look at the manual real quick...over all it's better than my directions not my hubbys though.I would recommend it. I don't have a problem with the touch screen because i have long nails I love it.

[1 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
Over rated
By turnerbend from georgia on 1/2/2008
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly
Cons:
Difficult To Read, Inaccurate, Short Battery Life
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Got the 7100 unit in Dec 07. This unit is way over rated. Images to small on screen. Screen is to busy. Will give wrong turn sometimes.[...]would not recomend.

[1 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
battery life
By artistVerified Reviewer from Northern Virginia on 1/2/2008
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Compact, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Secure Mounting
Cons:
Difficult Menus, Short Battery Life
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

The battery life is at best 2 hours instead of the 5.5 hours it states is the life of the battery. Difficult to return to previous menus. Routes picked is not always the shortest. I was impressed with the ability to locate points of interest. Many features that I thought would not be available on a GPS are and free (the traffic feature for example).

[2 of 4 customers found this review helpful]

 
My navigon is GONE!
By Doug the disapointedVerified Reviewer from Akron Ohio on 12/29/2007
Describe Yourself:
49 year old male, Technically Challenged
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Looks cool on windsheild, Secure Mounting
Cons:
Inaccurate, Inpropper dirrections, Short Battery Life
Best Uses:
Use as a maplight in car
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

After reading many reviews I chose to purchase the Navigon 7100 as a christmas gift for my wife. We spent a whole evening learning all that it was capable of doing. It has all the bells and whistles, the only thing it Cannot do is give you proper dirrections! Out of approx. 30 tries it got the dirrections only one time ! We are tech. challenged so we spent the next 4 evenings going over the manual that has to be read on your computer.But this thing would still try to take you 10 miles north, 5 miles east or west and then south when you wanted to go south to start with! I am not saying it would take you a way that you would not normaly go . It would take you on a crazy trip ! From my work to home is 5 miles . The average trip my Navigon 7100 would take you on a 20 mile trip to get home.I ended up calling Navigon support because I knew I must be doing something wrong.The Navigon Tech Guy was very nice, I explained our problem to him. He gave me a few things to try. I told him I tried all of those things several times with no better results. The Navigone tech guy then told me that they have been aware of the problem for some time now that it is unfortunate but the Navigon 7100 has a problem giving local directions .I then asked him arn't all dirrection local for somebody? Navigon then told me that they were sorry for the problems we were having and in a month or so they hope to have a program you can download that SHOULD fix the problem.I told the tech guy that I couldnot believe that they would sell a GPS that they knew would not give you proper dirrectons! The Navigon tech guy recomended that I wait for the new download come out and see if it fixes it. I told him that I apreciate his honesty about the product but I would be returning to the store for a refund! Now where is my mapquest to that store??

[1 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
GPS, Traffic updates, and ZAGAT?
By TransCoast TrekkerVerified Reviewer from San Francisco, CA on 12/29/2007
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Compact, Reliable Performance
Cons:
Complicated Controls, Difficult Menus
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

I get a quick satellite signal in SF Bay Area. Basic GPS feature are very good. Touch screen required a firm, steady touch. Needs some fine tuning. Not sure if its always giving me the shortest route, but definitely not always the most intuitive. Menus and controls take getting used to at first. Really like free traffic updates... that's a no brainer; and ZAGAT keeps me from questionable meals when on the fly. Can't wait to try in Boston and other areas. Hope they team up with Berlitz, Lonely Planet, or Rough Guides. Would like option to upload/download updates for road closures and outdated POIs.

[2 of 3 customers found this review helpful]

 
Impressed so far...
By JackVerified Reviewer from Charlotte on 12/27/2007
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Compact, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Reliable Performance, Secure Mounting
Cons:
Short Battery Life
Best Uses:
Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

I bought this to replace my older Navman 520. So far it's not perfect but for what I paid for it - it's a huge improvement. I just returned from a 1200 mile trip for Christmas. The reality view was suprisingly accurate the lane assistant was very helpful. The speed monitor was nice as well. The traffic feature saved me a huge delay once as well. My only beef with the traffic monitor is that the only coverage seemed to be at the beginning and end of my trip. Hopefully more cities will be added over time. The battery life is about 3 hours. The traffic monitor is ALWAYS searching for a signal when you are out of a covered area though - this may be draining the battery faster. I'm going to turn off the auto search feature and see what kind of battery life I get. Maps were pretty accurate. There were some discrepencies but there will always be some. I called navigon about map updates and there's one scheduled to be released in Jan/Feb 08 so that's not to bad. Text to voice is pretty nice too - it mispronounces somethings but so do I sometimes. Touchscreen is a little unresponsive sometimes but it's nothing that's been a problem.

Overall I'm pleased with the unit. Free lifetime traffic subscription was a huge plus. Interface/design is great too. Also the ETA was fairly accurate too ( a nice change from my Navman). Rebate sure didnt hurt either!

[2 of 3 customers found this review helpful]

 
Disappointed with route selection
By KMVerified Reviewer from Newtown OA on 12/26/2007
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Business
Pros:
Compact, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Secure Mounting
Cons:
Acquires Satellites Slowly, Inaccurate, Short Battery Life
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

The Reality view and free traffic are great features however; Navigon needs to work on the route selection algorithm. Even a short uncomplicated route takes me out of my way and adds a few miles to my trip. After 3 weeks of using this device I am returning it today for another manufactures model.

[1 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
Excellent GPS Unit
By Copper MinerVerified Reviewer from Phoenix, AZ on 12/26/2007
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Reliable Performance, Secure Mounting
Cons:
Short Battery Life
Best Uses:
Faster Routes, Finding Specific Address, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Great mounting with easy to view screens. Easy set up and use. Good routing instructions. Overall- pleased with purchase. Only disappointment is short battery life. Not the 5.5 hours expectancy advertised, but more like 2-2.5 hrs.

[6 of 7 customers found this review helpful]

 
State of the Art GPS ...almost.
By AngelArsVerified Reviewer from Cleveland, OH on 12/25/2007
Describe Yourself:
Seasoned Veteran
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Easy Menus, Reliable Performance, Secure Mounting, Simple Controls
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

First let me start off by saying that we are not new to PND's (Personal Navigational Device). We have used pretty much every make and brand out there on the market. The 7100 is by far at the top of the list of great GPS units, but it does still have a few quirks (which Navigon is going to be addressing soon). [...]Pros:Lifetime free traffic subscription: Garmin charges [$]a year, each and every year for this subscription, so it's a BIG plus to get free traffic service.Lane Assist: A great feature to have and helps you to better judge when to make your next upcoming turn.Auto Zoom: You can set the 7100 up to zoom into the map according to your speed. A great feature for the freeway.Auto volume: This is a nice feature for when you're on the freeway. As you go faster the volume gets louder to compensate for the added traffic noise. One reviewer below said that it was hard to hear their unit, but I'm betting that they simply have this feature turned off. Voice Navigation: The voice command feature is a great plus for a personal GPS unit like this. No other company has this feature, not even Garmin. You just simply tell it where you want to go, and it will quickly display the proper map. You need to set up this feature BEFORE you use it. So if you want the 7100 to take you home each time you say "take me home" - then you need to tell the unit where home is, and from that point forward it will always navigate you home with a simple voice command. 3D view: This unit has one of the best 3D views around, plus there is also a 'crosshairs' feature if that makes navigating easier for you.Speed Warnings: This unit will warn you if you are traveling faster than the speed limit. Of course you can always turn this feature off if you wish. It also has other settings for inside and outside urban areas. Options are to never warn, or to display a warning when 5, 10, 15 or 20 MPH over the stated speed limit. No other brand of GPS unit has this feature.Separate brightness for day/night: You can adjust the screens brightness for what looks best to you for each day and night screen. Not simply a on or off feature like many other GPS units have. The added adjustments are a real plus. Speed Profiles: Select the type of transport, such as, fast or slow car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, or pedestrian. This is used for calculating routes and arrival times.Best TMC traffic screen: The 7100 boost the best traffic information screen on the market. With one glance you will easily tell how far ahead the particular traffic issue is, in which direction it is, which route number, how bad the issue is, and the type of traffic issue it is (accident, traffic jam, flood, road closed, construction, etc.). It will also show you, in map form, where the traffic issue starts and ends. You can then decide if you wish to recalculate a new route or not. You can also set the 7100 to automatically recalculate a new route when traffic issues appear.TMC Tuner Settings: The 7100 is the only GPS unit that we know of that allows you to set its tuner to search for another station if reception becomes poor. The system can also be set up to search for the same station on a different frequency if the signal becomes poor, or to not search for another station if reception becomes poor. Bluetooth that actually works: This unit has a great Bluetooth receiver. We tested several phones with it and each and everyone of them was paired quickly. Some other GPS units do not do this, for example, we were never able to use our phone with our Garmin 660 because it would never pair with the unit. The 7100 does not have this problem and pairs with each phone that we tested it with.Navigate while using the hands free feature: On some GPS units when you receive a phone call the navigation screen disappears until you hand up. With the Navigon 7100 you can still see the navigation screen while you are on the phone. A nice added plus. Logbook: You can use the Navigon 7100 to record of your vehicle mileage for tax purposes or for expense reports. No other GPS unit has this feature that we know of.Traffic Direction: The 7100 will show you (with little arrows) which direction the traffic flows on new routes. If you're new to an area this is a very nice feature.Second Maneuver Indicator: When two maneuvers need to be executed in quick succession, the small arrow field indicates the second maneuver to be executed. Speed Assistant: The 7100 displays your speed and will even warn you if you happen to exceed the limit. You can adjust it's warning in 5 MPH increments. Reality View: The 7100 provides a photo-realistic 3D view of complex highway interchanges. Automatically turns itself off once you've passed the interchange. This feature alone will shake up the GPS marketplace.Lane Assistant: This feature aids you by directing you to the optimal lane for the selected route. A great feature if you are new to the destination.Cons: Soft Case: You need to pay 20.00 extra if you want a hard case. The Garmin comes with a great hard case and there is no reason why this unit shouldn't come with one too.No MP3 Player: This unit is intended just for navigation, and it does that incredibly well, but if you want to also use it to play music you'll need to wait for the 7150 which is rumored to be for sale some time in the near future. No Auto Day/Night Screen: Some GPS units automatically adjust for day/night use. The 7100 will adjust, BUT you need to do it manually by tapping on the screen. Not a big deal but an auto feature would be a nice addition to an already great GPS.One reviewer below claims that Navigon's website doesn't readily have any updates for the device, but this isn't really so. Navigon has been working on a install patch which will correct most of the issues people have been talking about. It should be released (hopefully) in a month or so. [...] Regarding the screen not being responsive, it actually is responsive, BUT you have to know how to use it. If you bite your nails off then you won't like the Navigon screen. It's made to be used by tapping it with your fingernail. All 7100's come with a style built-in the back of the unit. The stylus works great but of course is not ideal for you're driving. For those times just tap the screen with your fingernail and you will be fine. Another benefit of the Navigon GPS units is the mount that they use. The suction cup was very big and secured the mount tightly to the windshield. We were amazed at how strong it really was. It also looks VERY stylish. For example; the Garmin mount looks OK if you use it in a truck, but in a car it looks out of place. The Navigon looks great no matter if you own a Lincoln, Cadillac, or Corvette. It is one of the nicest looking mounts on the market and blends in very well with any interior style. The 7100 is a very solidly built PND and the fit and finish on the unit is top notch. The black piano finish with the chrome details make it one of the nicest looking GPS units around. It's only drawback is that it shows fingerprints easily, so you might want to keep a small micro-cloth handy. So far we are getting around 4 hours of battery time with the unit. Charge it up and wait for the orange charging light to turn green and you're set to go. The Navigon 7100 has a few small quirks which are being addressed by Navigon soon but those aside it's a state of the art PND. We do NOT however recommend it IF this is going to be your first GPS unit. The 7100 has so many added features that it may be a bit overwhelming, however if you have used other personal GPS units then you'll certainly appreciate all of the added details found in this unit.

[1 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
extremely bad voice pronunciationand..
By DRIVE from Brooklyn, NY on 12/23/2007
Describe Yourself:
Bad With Directions, Frequent Traveler
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Compact, Easy Menus, Easy To Set Up, Simple Controls
Cons:
Extemely BAD VOICE pronun, Inaccurate
Best Uses:
Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

extremely poor voice pronunciations. "Text-to-speech provides clear driving instructions with actual street names "-- That's a lie from Navigon. Verrazano Bridge becomes Verrazanel Bridge. Forget about listening to the voice instruction when driving, keep you eyes on the screen before you making the turn won't get you lost. Think RealView is what Navigon used to back this horrible voice instructions. It took me an abandoned site which is half mile from my desination (Ramada Hotel in Atlantic City). I made a stop at gas station for directions. Tought Real-Time traffic was integrated into this unit but it depends on an external antenna. And it failed to work when i drove on BQE, Belt Parkway (Brooklyn, NY), Garden State PKWY (NJ). Eventually it takes you to your desination. It's not worth to spend [$] on this DEMO-LIKE product. I am returning this DEMO for sure

[0 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

 
Excellent GPS a great buy
By deepVerified Reviewer from Hartford, CT on 12/19/2007
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler, Gearhead
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Reliable Performance, Secure Mounting, Simple Controls
Best Uses:
Faster Routes, Finding Specific Address, Planning Trips
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

What a great buy. I can not think of anything that I could not find in any other make that really costs much more. Actually I have had Garmin which is a great product too. This one has a better feel and finish and the mount is also much better.... And the price uncomparable.

[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
Navigon 7100 GPS review December 2007
By MattVerified Reviewer from Williamsport, PA on 12/17/2007
Describe Yourself:
Gearhead
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly
Cons:
Difficult Menus, Small menu items
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I just received my Navigon 7100 2 weeks ago. I researched all TomTOM, Magellan, Garmin and Navman equivalent models. This device seemed to have the best price range and the free traffic updates are really what sold me on it as well as its 3d reality view. In reality, after having the device, here are some things I noticed: The touch screen is not always responsive to the finger. I see the button pressed, but it has a reaction like clicking on a button and moving your mouse away from the button after you clicked it (in windows) it doesn't always take the command you clicked. This may be because the buttons need to be larger. The navigation tends to prefer strange windey back-roads, even when told to take the fastest, shortest allow u-turns and allow all highways. A perfect example is a road I always take to work - it is a strait route and very fast, yet the navigon wants to take me on a windey farm road that adds about 10 minutes to the trip. Also, since there was some recent construction on a bridge here 6 months ago, it knew nothing about that.The points of interest are almost useless because they apparently contain stale data. We had a [@] pizza shop here in Williamsport, PA about 5 years ago, and it still shows as a point of interest on the database. I can't expect the device to have up to the minute map updates, but at least there should be some customer adjustable routes on their site.Navigon's website doesn't readilly have any updates for the device... There isn't really any support so to speak. Reality view is pretty cool, but after you get past the glamour of the first static image, it isn't all that it's advertised. Speech to destination has trouble if you have a noisy cabin - like I do. Also, the device crashed a few times (must be running a version of Windows CE) because it got an application error message when I booted it up a few times.Overall, the device is ok - it gets me where I want to go, but I wouldn't write home about it's performance.

Images shared by: Matt

Anyone ever seen this special Navigon screen?

Image Thumbnail

[2 of 3 customers found this review helpful]

 
buttons too small
By matt from williamsport, pa on 12/17/2007
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Easy Menus
Best Uses:
Finding Specific Address
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Needs bigger buttons and better reliablity

[1 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
First day on the job
By Mohootie from Beverly,MA. on 12/14/2007
Describe Yourself:
Gearhead
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Reliable Performance, Secure Mounting
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

So far i like the 7100...the only thing so far i dont like is that it is difficult to use without the stylus...and i was a little dissappointed that the reality view doesnt show up more often...i live just north of Boston so i expected to see more of it.
awesome looking unit otherwise!

[1 of 3 customers found this review helpful]

 
hard to operate
By hackpak from seattle , wa on 12/13/2007
Describe Yourself:
Gearhead
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Cons:
Difficult Menus, hard to find POI, Short Battery Life
Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

very short battery life less then 2 hours, hard to find POI (golf Course)

[1 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
Great GPS at a reasonble price
By DesiVerified Reviewer from Allentown, PA on 12/8/2007
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Personal
Pros:
Acquires Satellites Quickly, Compact, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Reliable Performance, Secure Mounting, Simple Controls
Cons:
Short Battery Life
Best Uses:
Faster Routes, Finding Specific Address
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Pros:

1. Subscription-free lifetime traffic* out of the box
2.Hands free calling with Bluetooth technology so you can easily make and receive calls as you drive
3. Reality View™ provides a photo-realistic 3D view of complex highway interchanges
4. Lane Assistant reduces confusion by directing the driver to the optimal lane for the selected route
5. Speed Assistant displays your speed and can even warn you if you exceed the limit

Cons:
1.No auto power turn off
2.Maps are not upto date

Nice to have features : MP3 player would have been a nice add on for road warriors.

[1 of 2 customers found this review helpful]

 
Better and worse
By playa from PA on 12/7/2007
Describe Yourself:
Frequent Traveler
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Primary use:
Business
Pros:
Compact, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Secure Mounting, Simple Controls
Cons:
Inaccurate
Best Uses:
free traffic
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

It was just time to get one and the free traffic and detailed directions looked pretty nice. And they are very nice. Its easy to get started and has some great looks. It does sometimes send you a different route than the fastest but you can reset it quickly. Sometimes it picks up the sattelites fast and sometimes its a little slower, but I drive alot and FREE TRAFFIC is a very nice benefit. It is clear and if you find it at the right price which the price does vary greatly out there, its a good deal. Maybe not the best but far from the worst.

Customer Reviews about the NAVIGON 7100 Portable GPS at Staples
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