First Look: Low-Cost GPS Devices Pack Plenty of Features

The ideal digital travel companion would make sure you're on the right track to your destination while also keeping you entertained, without weighing you down. Both the DigiWalker H610 from Mio Technology and Delphi's NAV200 qualify on all three counts--and they're also relatively affordable. Of the two devices, I prefer the $449 DigiWalker for its compactness and portability, even though the $380 NAV200 is a top-notch GPS at a bargain price.

I tested a preproduction version of the DigiWalker and a shipping version of the NAV200. Both products come with maps of all 50 states and Canada preloaded, as well as points-of-interest databases with millions of entries. Both also have an SD Card slot for loading audio, video, and image files.

Spot-On Navigators

The first time you use the DigiWalker's MioMap program to show your location or navigate to an address, the device establishes a GPS link in about 1 minute, and subsequently plots your position in just seconds. The NAV200 took slightly longer to grab onto its initial GPS signals, but it kept up with my driving very well afterwards. The cradle included with each product for attaching it to the car's windshield held the units in place over some pretty rough roads. The DigiWalker slips in and out of its cradle with ease, but the NAV200 requires that you reach behind the device and pinch two buttons on the cradle to insert and remove it.

Both units are small enough to fit comfortably in your pocket, but the NAV200 is noticeably larger than the DigiWalker: the former measures about 4.5 by 3.3 by 1.3 inches (with the retractable GPS antenna down); and the latter is only 3.5 by 2.3 by 0.8 inches (its GPS antenna is built in). The DigiWalker's 2.8-inch display is slightly smaller than the NAV200's 3.5-inch screen, but the driving directions are easy to spot on both (some of the other GPS information is too small to see at a glance, however). Likewise, the voice instructions from both products come in loud and clear over road and radio noise.

Basic Media Playback

Despite the convenience of letting you play MP3 and WAV audio files, and view standard image and AVI video files, neither product offers the playback and management features of a stand-alone media player. For example, the DigiWalker has no external volume control, so you have to use the touch-screen controls in its MioPlayer Pro application to adjust the volume. The DigiWalker ships with a pair of earbuds whose wire has volume controls and last-track/next-track buttons, but the NAV200 requires that you plug in your own headphones. And while the external speakers on both devices are sufficient to hear spoken driving directions, they sound like 1960s-vintage portable transistor radios when playing music.

The DigiWalker's small size makes it useful when you are navigating on foot or using other conveyance besides your car. For many people, that one feature will be worth the $120 premium over the cost of the NAV200. Still, if you're looking for an accurate and portable in-car GPS device, it'll be tough to find a better bargain than the Delphi product.