PNDs Debut From Cobra, Lowrance

By Amy Gilroy -- TWICE, 10/2/2007

Chicago — Two new navigation devices debuted recently from Cobra and Lowrance, including one of the first personal navigation devices (PND) with a 5-inch screen, the largest on the market.

The Cobra Nav One 5000 has a 5-inch touchscreen that claims to display 20 percent more of upcoming roadways than traditional widescreen PNDs.

The Nav One 5000 includes speed- and red-light-camera-location alerts. It is traffic-ready with an optional receiver, and it allows users to choose from two different route options to reroute around traffic. Other features include Bluetooth and street name pronunciation for upcoming turns and lithium-ion battery.

The unit is starting to ship now at a suggested retail of $449. The optional traffic receiver is $149 including 15 months of service.

Lowrance said its new XOG is the lowest priced “multiuse” PND on the market. Out of the box it operates as a PND with built-in maps of the United States and Canada. It may be used for fishing and hiking through an SD slot that accepts marine and other topographical maps. The XOG has a 3.5-inch screen and is splash-proof. It includes an MP3 player and photo viewer and has 3.5 million points of interest.

The XOG ships at the end of the month at a street price of $299. SD card maps are $99.95 each.