navigation

A few years ago, we tested a Suzuki SX4 that was equipped with a Garmin navigation system. Of course, that system consisted of a Garmin Nuvi portable navigation device that integrated with the Suzuki's stereo via a specialized cradle. That hacked-together solution was one of our first overt experiences with Garmin as an OEM automotive navigation supplier, so it's fitting that Garmin's next step is taken again with Suzuki with the announcement that the navigation provider will be supplying its first fully integrated, factory-installed infotainment system for the automaker's 2013 model year vehicles.

This is no … Read more

The Feds want to ban navigation systems, a preview of the New York auto show, we take a ride in not one, but two very fast cars, and finally we say goodbye to Car Tech Live.

• Fed driver distraction guidelines make navigation unusable

• Piece the 2013 Nissan Altima together from this trio of teasers

• BMW X1 in New York heralds U.S. introduction

• Toyota new sedan

• New Acura Flagship to Debut at the New York International Auto Show

Google Maps for Android (download) got a nice face-lift and new features today, as it jumped to version 6.5.

The first thing worth noting is that maps are now quite a bit crisper. While many users may not notice this, anyone with a high-pixel-density screen like that on the Galaxy Nexus or Droid Razr get to see much more clearly defined roads and higher color contrast on their maps. Also, Google rearranged map labels and reduced their size to create a less cluttered map view overall.

If you have an Android device running Ice Cream Sandwich, then you'll … Read more

Google isn't playing around with Google Play.

A little more than two weeks after introducing the new source for movies, apps, music, and e-books, the Web giant has added Google Play to its black navigation bar, prominently sandwiching it between Maps and YouTube. And to make sure the new addition doesn't escape users' attention, Google has highlighted the new button with a bright red "NEW" tag alongside.

The new store, essentially a rebranded Android Market combined with Google Music and Google eBookstore, was unveiled earlier this month. Perhaps a tacit admission that Google's approach to … Read more

You'd be in good company if you read that headline and immediately thought that using a big ol' tablet like the new Apple iPad for in-car navigation is a bit silly--I think it's a bit silly, too. However, in a world where new cars are rolling out with dashboard touch screens measuring 8 inches and larger and portable navigation devices are touching the 7-inch mark, perhaps the iPad isn't as out of place on the road as you may think.

There are all sorts of advantages to using a large-screened device in the car. The big display is easier to view with your peripheral vision and the larger interface elements can be more quickly recognized and processed at a glance, both of which translate into more time spent staring at the road ahead and less time scrutinizing a tiny screen for the next turn. Additionally, the larger screen is easier to accurately touch from an arm's length, so you may find that you make fewer mistakes when inputting destinations.

Of course, only the new iPad 4G and the 3G-connected variant of the previous-generation iPad 2 are equipped with an Assisted GPS receiver, so you'll want to make sure you have the correct model before investing in a navigation application. Also, because the iPad is significantly larger than the iPhone 4S, you won't want to obstruct half of your windshield with its 10-inch display. Get your hands on a dashboard mount--or get creative and fabricate your own!

Once your iPad is set up for safe use behind the wheel, check out one of the apps listed below to add turn-by-turn directions and other navigation-centric services, such as traffic data and speed trap info, to your motoring mix. Just be sure to resist the urge to fire up the YouTube app on your commute home! … Read more

Introduced last summer, the Nokia Maps mobile site, m.maps.nokia.com, has pretty much been the Google Maps knockoff that nobody knew about. It has given mobile users the ability to search for places, get directions, and share items with friends--all fairly standard stuff. But starting today, the Nokia Maps mobile site may have differentiated itself, as it now offers voice-guided, turn-by-turn walking navigation for all, something that Google's mobile site doesn't provide.

In order to use the navigation, all you have to do is go to m.maps.nokia.com, give it permission to access your … Read more

When you're in a hurry to snap a pic with your iPhone, there's nothing like a quick double-jab on the home button to get into the camera app right away. But if you have a second or two to spare, you'd be better served by using an alternative camera app, specifically the new and free Camera Awesome, by SmugMug.

Camera Awesome has the requisite goofball filters that you can over-apply to destroy the color balance of your images after you take them. There are several filters included in the free app; others are available in packs for … Read more

Navigation apps for iPhone and Android are becoming a dime a dozen, and most people find Android's own Google Maps navigation more than adequate. But these apps rely on a data connection, downloading map data as you go. ALK Technologies will be offering a new, free edition of its CoPilot Live navigation app with maps downloaded to the phone.

Although most people use navigation in urban areas where there is a data connection, the advantage of maps stored on the phone is less wait time for your current location to show up on the screen. And if you do … Read more

Let's get one thing straight: this is not a dictatorship. You may have noticed that just below every bright red CNET editors' rating is a cool blue user rating. And just below every review is a place where you, dear user, can make yourself heard by writing a short, sweet user review! Sometimes the editors and the users agree, sometimes we butt heads, but both views are important to the big picture.

Nowhere are user reviews more important than in the GPS category. The core function of the device and the accuracy of its map data relies heavily on the geography and topography of the area where it's operated. A GPS navigator that performs perfectly near the CNET offices in San Francisco may not be as accurate in another city with more tall buildings blocking the sky. On the other hand, maps that aren't 100 percent accurate for our testing area may be perfect near you. That's why it's so important that we hear from our readers.

With that in mind, I've rounded up a selection of the portable navigation devices with the highest average user ratings. If you've got a favorite GPS navigator, pop over to our GPS reviews list and leave a rating! … Read more