530 and 7xx software differences?

jonandmarkuk · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 9:12 am Post subject: 530 and 7xx software differences?

Before I brought my 530 I read a review on a website which said that the 530 and the 720 were ‘basically’ the same but with the addition of Navpix.
Having brought the 530 I feel a little duped by that review as the 530 is very much ‘text’ based on it’s interface where-as the 720 has a really nice graphical interface.
I don’t get the reasoning behind this and why Navman can’t just produce the same interface on the ‘new’ devices as I have to say sometimes the menus on the 530 look a little ‘thrown’ together. In particular the ‘Traffic’ menus.
Can someone cast any light on if there is a ‘technical’ reason that the 720 has a different interface when they were released at the same time and share the same T1 add on device?
Confused

Tim Buxton · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:42 am Post subject:

I'm not sure if there's a technical reason or not but perhaps the interface was left in the older style on the 530 to keep continuity with the previous 5xx models. With the 7xx being new, it has nothing to keep continuity with.
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Tim

jonandmarkuk · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:46 am Post subject:

Would be nice if they did update it. I do think that if people were to play with the 530 and a rival device of the same type which had a graphic interface people are FAR much likely to buy the one with the graphical interface. It's just the way we are?
Just don't think Navman are doing themselves any favours in keeping the text based interface.
Maybe it's to tempt people with the 7xx models, but if a rival has the same interface at a similar price Rolling Eyes

TheM · Frequent Visitor Joined: Mar 21, 2005 Posts: 277

530 and 7xx have the same navigation engine and maps, only GUI is different – and navigation is what matters, right? Check out new N20/N40i that replace 530 – they have the new GUI.

jonandmarkuk · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:19 pm Post subject:

What Navman have replaced the 530 model so soon?????? Now I feel cheated

ulrichM · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 11, 2006 Posts: 4

What means 'soon' in the consumer field Rolling Eyes

?

/Ulrich

Unhban · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 07, 2006 Posts: 33

jonandmarkuk · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:17 pm Post subject:

I'm really SO annoyed. Navman have released newer models only a few months after the 530 was released? WHY??
Just seems odd, and certainly designed to make everyone who brought a 530 wish they had waited.
Navman can at least provide a decent software upgrade for the 530 to give it the same nice GUI.

robertn · Frequent Visitor Joined: Feb 06, 2005 Posts: 564

What you have experiainced is not unique to Navman. Welcome to the world of bleeding edge techno gadgets. If you don't like it, your only choice is stay off the bandwagon, unfortunately you are already on it.

The 'problem' here is that the navigation technology is immature. The manufacturers are rushing products out the door in the scramble to maintain market share and the obscene margins thay make on these devices. Therefore they have to have a new product into the market 2 or 3 times a year. Each product is rushed, generally a bit better than the previous one, but still not particularly reliable - In fact reading these forums carefully I beleive the reliabilty is decreasing as the rate of new product introduction increases.

Therefore I recommend either buy a unit with the expectation that it is what it is, and something better will turn up tomorrow, or wait 12 - 24 months until the market settles down and the technology improves.

Whats going to happen - there will be a number of players disappear or exit this market over that time. When they margins (NOT markups) drop from 50+% to 20% you will see who's board of directors really cares about the customers. The ones that show they consistently produce good product at good value for money will survive. Theres room for maybe 3-5 big players, the others will scramble over rats and mice or become specilised in vertical 'niche' markets.

Obviously all this is my personal opionion based on my experiance in similar consumer technology "grabs" (cell phone and gaming consoles). Maybe I am wrong, only time will tell.

As for your particular situation - I hope Navman does see fit to provide a S/W update. The 530 is a nice product and it would be a shame for it not to reach it's full potential. I doubt you will get the new graphics etc as a free update though.

jonandmarkuk · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:53 am Post subject:

From what I can tell a software update could give the 530 the same funcationality of the N20 as although that has Navpix it doesn't have a built in camera. So I see that as the 530 replacement

jonandmarkuk · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:56 am Post subject:

Also, anyone care to guess what the 'Advanced Motorway navigation' does on these new models.
Do they finally tell you which lane to get in correctly instead of just 'keep left' or 'keep right'...
Just guessing at what Navman could mean with this, unless it's just the annoucing of the junctions.

Tim Buxton · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:06 am Post subject:

Advanced Motorway Navigation means that when you are exiting a motorway you are told the number of the road you are going onto. For instance "Exit onto the A264".
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Tim

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