Navigon 5100 Portable GPS Device - Design
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I must say, the Navigon 5100 is one of the most attractive looking GPS units that I have seen in a long time, if not ever. I find the mirrored, chrome finish surround to look very elegant. It gives the 5100 a sophisticated and "expensive" look and feel to it. The other new Navigon GPS models are designed the same way. The included vehicle mounting arm is equally elegant, and it can be mounted on the dashboard or the windshield.
The 5100 is a very portable unit, and its small size confirms that. The device measures 4.2 x 3.3 x 0.9 inches, and weighs 6.35 ounces. So, as you can see, you would have no problem transporting this device from car to car, or using the device to navigate while on foot.
The front of the device sports the 3.5 inch touch-screen LCD display with 4:3 aspect ratio. The 3.5 inch size screen is becoming increasingly less popular among GPS manufacturers. Many GPS makers are upgrading to a 4.3 inch screen, and this will probably be an industry standard in a year or two. It is a bit disappointing to see the 5100 fitted with the smaller 3.5 inch screen, but it was refreshing to see that Navigon's 7100 models do upgrade to the 4.3 inch screen. For first time GPS owners, the smaller 3.5 inch screen probably won't be an issue.
Putting my small gripe about the small display aside, the touch-screen is very nice quality. The touch-screen sensitivity is perfect, and the on-screen buttons are large enough to navigate the menus and to input data with ease. The display also offers a day and a night setting, which come in handy. The screen is easily viewable, even in bright sunlight, which isn't always the case with portable GPS displays. Also, the screen will display information in portrait or landscape mode, so if you're on foot you can view the display in portrait mode, which gives it the look of a cell phone.
There are limited controls on the exterior of the device -- only one button, as a matter of fact. The power button is located on top of the device. I like the fact that Navigon chose to leave the body of the device relatively bare, as it gives it a cleaner look. The SD card slot is located on the right side of the device, along with the 3.5 mm headphone jack. The bottom of the device is where you will find the mini USB port. The back of the 5100 sports the built-in speaker, as well as the mounting arm connection.
The Navigon comes equipped with the following items in the box:
SD card preloaded with software and maps of US and Canada
Rechargeable 1150 mAH lithium ion battery (rated for 4.5 hours)
Integrated traffic receiver with free lifetime traffic updates
Car Charger
Car Mount
Quickstart Guide and User Manual (on CD)
Limited Warranty
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