Setup Getting the Intellinav One up and running is pleasantly simple. After inserting the supplied 1 GB SD card, the device guides you through the few steps required for basic setup: acknowledging the warnings and tapping a few dots in order to calibrate the screen. You can then mount it in your car with the sturdy windshield mounting system or adhesive dashboard mount. The supplied 12 volt charger keeps the unit powered while you are on the go. Satellite connections are made with the newer SiRF Star III technology, which is very snappy. We did find that the first connection took a few minutes. But after the initial setup we had to wait only a few seconds for the device to locate our position and begin plotting a course.
Interface Apart from the Menu and Volume controls on the front of the device, all interaction with the Intellinav is via the touchscreen. There is no stylus to lose (or to dig for under the seat of your car), as everything is set up for finger tip access. We found that even fairly large male fingers had no problems with input. An audible click (which can be deactivated) indicates each successful tap to the screen. All adjustments rely on convenient plus ( ) and minus (-) signs, meaning you don't have to try to drag a bar with your finger tip in order to adjust screen brightness, for example. The Main Menu has four icons: "MP3," "Navigation," "Photo," and "System." Submenus are intuitive and easy to negotiate. We found it a breeze to adjust all settings just by following the menu icons, allowing us to leave the user guide at home.
Navigation The heart of the Intellinav One is its navigation system, which is surprisingly rich in features for a moderately priced GPS device. A car cursor indicates your position on the map at all times, while the cursor's color tells you how many satellites your are currently reaching. More detailed satellite info is available with a few touches of the screen.
Data entry relies on an alpha-numeric keypad that appears on the touchscreen (some might find a QWERTY keyboard more intuitive, but like other GPS devices we have reviewed, letters appear in alphabetical order). As you type a list at the top of the screen begins to scroll through a list of known cities or streets. Once the location you want appears you simply have to tap it, then tap OK, and you are on your way. During data input the entire keyboard remains on the screen. We would prefer the method some similar devices use, which display only those letters corresponding to available choices, making it easier to select the next letter.
The Destination screen allows you to select a specific address, choose from a list of favorites you have selected, pick one of your recent destinations, head for a city center, choose a point of interest (POI) from a number of categories, or find an intersection. We found this last option particularly useful, as there often occasion in which the specific address is unknown, or the general vicinity is all that is required.
As for Points of Interest, we were pleased with the list of restaurants, parks, businesses, etc. Want to find the nearest McDonald's or Starbuck's? Just grab it from the drop down list and you are on your way. We found not only major chains, but local establishments as well. Once on your way, you'll find a variety of ways to view the map. You can see either a traditional or a 3D map, and orient the map so the top is either always north or your direction of travel.
Extras The Intellinav One also comes with a photo viewer and an MP3 player. You can easily use any SD card to load pictures and music, replacing the map card on the right side of the device. The MP3 player is straightforward and intuitive with basic features such as "shuffle," and "repeat" modes. The photo viewer supports both JPEG and BMP formats. The 3.6 inch screen is ideal for showing those family photos to grandma once you have made your way over the river and through the woods. Pros
