Long Beach, Calif. – Kenwood has begun shipping is
flagship $2,000-suggested multimedia/navigation DVD receiver to authorized
dealers of its step-up Excelon series.
The double-DIN DNX9960 and a non-Excelon variation, the
$1,700-suggested DNX7160, are the aftermarket’s first in-dash navigation units
offering free lifetime Navteq Live Traffic service, which delivers traffic
information via FM sideband, Kenwood said. The free service is ad-supported and
has been offered in select Garmin portable navigation devices (PNDs).
Compared to its predecessor, the DNX9960 adds free lifetime Navteq
Live Traffic service and Garmin’s advanced 3D navigation technology, which
displays three-dimensional buildings and landmarks, many with photo-realistic
images, the company said. Other enhancements include Garmin’s Lane Assist with
Junction View and a Garmin-developed EcoRoute feature, which measures the
environmental impact of a driver’s driving habits and suggests routes that
deliver the most efficient fuel consumption.
The DNX9960 features “swipeable” WVGA 6.95-inch touchscreen with
animated 3D graphic user interface. Consumers browse album art by swiping a
finger across the display. Selectable skins and movable icons let users
customize the display.
The device comes with Kenwood’s second-generation voice-control
feature, which is promoted as offering improved accuracy and faster response
when controlling navigation, A/V, and connected iPod and USB-drive functions.
Voice control lets users enter addresses or phone numbers; choose menu options;
select points of interest, and control such A/V functions as source switching,
volume control, and music and video seek.
The DNX9960 also decodes MPEG-4 and H.264 video files from an
external USB drive, and it features built-in Parrot Bluetooth module. A
two-year warranty is provided.
