NAVIGON 7200T
Navigon continues to impress me. While I don’t think they will break into the number two spot in North America anytime soon, they are becoming a big force in their space. The Navigon 7200t builds on the older NAVIGON 7100, gets rid of a few annoyances we had with that device, and adds a few more goodies. After spending a few hundred miles letting the 7200 T guide us around, here is what we have to report.
Screen, Design
Out of the box I was expecting to see something similar to the look of the older 7100, but there were some nice cosmetic upgrades that were a surprise. First is that the entire front of the display is flush, the widescreen is not recessed into the housing as with most devices. The black finish is also less reflective making the screen a tiny bit easier to see.
On the top is the power button, which is so flush with the housing that it can be difficult to find by feel. So until you get used to the small flush button you might have to look at what you are doing. On the bottom is where the microSD card lives which contains the maps and application, as well as the USB/power port and the headphone jack. I’ve always disliked ports on the bottom as it restricts how low on the dash you can mount the GPS. To make matters worse they didn’t use a 90° (elbow) type power connector which could have eliminated the problem. Instead the inflexible part of the USB cable sticks out over an inch further increasing how high the GPS must be mounted over the dash.
The mount itself is quite solid though. The two joints can be used to set the device at just the right angle yet it can be easily adjusted with one hand. The suction cup lock was sturdy and kept a tight grip on the windshield. On the back of the device you will find the speaker as well as an external antenna port for the GPS chip– something you won’t need unless you have an athermic windshield.
Speaker, Voice, Battery
The speaker seems just loud enough to be used at highway speeds with the radio on, however I would like to see a speed linked volume setting. My preferred setting at highway speeds wasn’t the same as it was on city streets. The voice was clear, although the text-to-speech voice (speaks street names) does seem to have a tiny bit of an NYC accent which caused a few laughs. I was able to get about 2:40 out of the battery.
Windows CE
I don’t typically mention the operating system, however I’ll note that the Navigon devices are built on Windows CE. Unfortunately when I first turned on the device I was greeted by a Fatal Application Error. Not a very warm welcome. It crashed one other time across a few hundred miles of navigation.
Address Entry
Using the typical keyboard entry system for address entry, we found a few things that were a definite improvement over earlier Navigon models, and a few things that tripped us up. First is that despite using the same NAVTEQ mapping database as other popular GPS brands, the Navigon seemed to have trouble with many locations that were certainly in the database. For example I went to enter in a destination on ‘W Olympic Blvd’ in Los Angeles. After entering California as the state and LA as the city, I had a difficult time getting the street. I tried “W O” but at that point the predictive keyboard wouldn’t let me enter the “l”. I then backed up and typed “West O” but at that point it suggested I was looking for the POI “Best Western of Long Beach”. Finally entering just “Olympic” the device suggested E Olympic Blvd in LA, W Olympic Blvd in LA, or Olympic Blvd in Santa Monica. So I was able to find my destination after a bit of trouble. I also found it confusing that POIs would appear in the search results after I had selected the option for address entry and not POI entry.
I’m happy to report though that two of my biggest grips from the older Navigon models have been fixed in the Navigon 7200t. First, they on screen keyboard keys are large enough that you don’t need a microscope to find them. 
Second, the responsiveness of the touch screen is dramatically improved with almost no taps that went unnoticed. Those two factors made the older models quite frustrating, but these newer Navigon models are less likely to cause anger and frustration.
My only issue with address entry now is a lack of a QWERTY keyboard option.
Voice Entry
Additionally, the Navigon 7200t comes with voice entry of addresses. Most of the time it did a great job at recognizing what I was saying, and it even worked with the car radio on at a soft level. Corrections are fairly easily made, although if your destination is in a different state than your previous destination you often need to tap out the new state name.
Personally, even on GPS devices where voice entry works perfectly well I find little value in the feature. Certainly not everyone will agree with me. I’ll use the feature to test it out, but I can type out the addresses faster with my finger. I also find it very distracting to conduct voice entry while driving, so I don’t utilize it for that purpose either. I’ll always pull over to enter a new destination.
We did come across a couple of snags with it, there were a couple of times that no mater how we tried to pronounce a city name it just wouldn’t match on that name, nor even list it as one of the four similar sounding possibilities. While I could enter the address just fine through the keyboard method, I almost wonder if there is a mismatch between city names and zip codes in the database. The town name I was trying to speak shares a zip code with another nearby town. Using the keyboard method I could find the correct address using either town name (which it shouldn’t) but I could only use one of the town names (the incorrect one) to find that street.
Certainly weird, but it didn’t happen the majority of the time I used the voice entry system it worked well. It also handles incorrect guesses well (minus the exception in the previous paragraph). It will walk you through the correction process identifying which part it got wrong and offering suggestions to pick from.
If you don’t say anything when the GPS is expecting a response, or if it just doesn’t have a clue what you are saying it will ask “Pardon me?” in a pretty funny tone.
Points of Interest
There are three options for picking POIs, nearby, in a city, or statewide. I was headed out to an airport to catch a cross country flight. The airport is only about 20 miles away so I tried the ‘Nearby’ option. Turns out this was a mistake. But what made it difficult to identify the mistake was that I couldn’t find an appropriate category to look in. I could find the normal things like Lodging, Shopping, Bus Stations, and Marinas… but no airports. I fumbled around for quite some time before I realized is that if there are no matches for a particular category based on the location you are searching, those categories will not be displayed. The airport 20 miles away was not considered ‘nearby’ so the airport category didn’t appear.
Going on a tangent for a second, but this brings up an interesting issue about our concept of “nearby”. I consider the airport 20 miles away “nearby” but I wouldn’t consider a gas station 20 miles away “nearby” unless it was the closest station. So it seems our definition of “nearby” can change based on the frequency we expect to find something. However this difficulty to find the POI might cause a few people to think that the airport (or airports in general) don’t exist in the POI database.
In addition to the typical fleet of POIs you also get Zagat information and reviews. Looking up nearby hotels for example will show you the number of rooms, average cost, a review narrative, type of food available at the hotel, etc. As is the case with the other POIs, if a phone number is available for the POI and you have paired up with a compatible Bluetooth phone you can initiate a call to the POI directly from the GPS.
Many POI icons are branded with their logo and will appear on the map as you drive by.
Navigation Map
Map clutter has been addressed a little bit over prior models as well, but there are still too many buttons available on the main map for my taste. Don’t get me wrong… having quick access to so many functions is appreciated when you need them, but most of them are rarely used. I’d rather the map utilize a little bit more of the available display. Still, you do get quite a bit of good situational awareness.
On the top are small icons showing if you have a paired mobile phone, battery status, traffic status, and GPS reception status. On the bottom are a row of buttons to exit navigation, access route options, perform phone operations, change the volume, and pan/zoom for the map.
A second row of buttons on the bottom provides a very nice, and very huge next turn icon. Tapping on this button will repeat the last voice prompt. The icon also uses a “thermometer” or almost a vertical progress bar to show you just how close you are to the intersection– really helpful for those people who don’t always accurately judge just how far ahead 500 feet is. (Just don’t stare at the screen for too long.) Also really handy is that when you have two tight maneuvers back to back you will get two arrows… the bottom showing the first turn and the upper showing the second turn.
Near the lower center are two lines with street names. The bottom shows the name of the street you are on, and the higher line shows the name of the next street you will turn to. Finally another field on the right shows the distance to the destination as well as the time to the destination. You can tap this to toggle the field and it will show the ETA and which side of the road the destination is on. The voice will also speak the side of the road your destination is on, however often it wouldn’t give us this verbal heads up until we were actually at the destination. For the information to be useful it needs to be given further ahead on the road, not as you are actually arriving at the spot.
Additionally, speed limit data is also included, and the current speed limit will be shown on roads where the limit is known. In my testing, as with similar devices, this data was available for almost every road, but there were certainly times when we saw the displayed limit didn’t match what was actually on the road. But most of the time it was quite accurate.
There were a few times when entering city intersections where the map view needed to zoom in even more on the intersection as you approach it. With multiple roads in on place, medians, etc there were times when I really needed a view that was more zoomed in than what was presented by default.
Reality View
Navigon was one of the first with a feature they call Reality View, now a household term. While it took me a little while to warm up to the feature, I now really appreciate just how valuable it is. Knowing which lane you need to be in can be a significant help when traversing complex highway interchanges. I can’t wait until the day this view is available for more complex smaller intersections as well. Don’t be fooled… the Navigon 7200t (and the same goes for any GPS with a similar feature) cannot tell you which lane you are currently in, but rather it shows which group of lanes you are coming from, how many lanes there are ahead, and which lane(s) you need to be in. GPS just isn’t sensitive enough and the maps not accurate enough (yet) to determine which lane you are currently in.
3D Landmarks
If you happen to be in one of the bigger cities, many buildings and landmarks will now appear in 3D. While mostly an eye candy type feature, it does provide limited navigation cues– turn left after that big, round, blue building on the corner.
Traffic
The way Navigon implemented traffic on this device is better than just about anybody else in the market. You don’t need to sign up for a subscription, it is activated in the box. The service is “lifetime” so there is no need to renew every year, nor pay for renewals. And even though the traffic service is included, the service is not advertising supported like a few other “free” traffic models.
As a bonus, there is no external traffic receiver either with the antenna built into the GPS. While it didn’t do as good of job connecting to the traffic service in fringe areas as devices that use an external antenna, it still worked reasonably well and the price is right.
The traffic system can be configured for automatic rerouting if a faster route is found, or to prompt you for input.
Route Quality
One of the biggest complaints I hear from users about the Navigon devices is that the routes picked are sometimes less than ideal. So much personal preference goes into picking the best route that it is difficult to weed out route preference biases. People always insist they know the best route and any route picked by someone else is just wrong. Still, while most of the routes picked by the Navigon 7200T were solid, we did come across some odd routes. Consider this example, here is a segment of a long route, as was generated by the 7200t.
Lots of zig-zags there. So I added a single via point to hopefully force a more logical route. Instead I wound up with this route, which was even worse.
Here is the route I was hoping to get:
So common sense applies here and you will want to preview the routes ahead of time, just as you should with any GPS. But it does tend to stray away from picking reasonable routes from time to time.
Routes, Multi Destination Routing
A common way to deal with issues where the route isn’t what you wanted is to utilize multi destination routing. The Navigon 7200T does offer that function, in a couple of ways. First, after creating a route you can tap on the screen, select ‘Interim Destination’, then add an address, POI, or other saved location. This will insert a via point to the route.
A second way is to actually start by using the route planner. For this, go to ‘Options’ from the main menu and select ‘Route Planning’. Here you can specify a starting location, all of your route points, and a final destination. You can save and recall these lists of locations as well. However you cannot optimize the order of those stops as you can with other devices on the market such as the Nuvi 700 series.
Once nice feature is that on the primary map display you will see both the distance and time to the next stop, as well as the distance and time to complete the entire route– a more elegant way than competitive devices handle multiple stops where you can typically see either the stats to the next via point or the stats to the final destination but not often both.
Route Avoidances
Multi Destination Routing is what I would call a “positive” method of route customization because you are “adding” points to the route you want to force it to go through. The opposite is also possible by excluding certain points, which is something else the Navigon 7200t can do as well.
You can bring up a list of maneuvers, and exclude individual turns from your trip. If you want to avoid a specific road segment you can exclude the maneuver that puts you on that road. Additionally a standard “detour” function is available that allows you to exclude the next “x” miles of the trip.
Logbook
Want to log all of your mileage for IRS business/tax purposes? The Navigon is one of the few devices out there that allows you that function directly on the GPS. You can set a preference that at the start of each route it will ask you for the purpose of the trip, a name for the trip, and an optional entry for the starting mileage on your vehicle. These stats are logged into an Excel spreadsheet you can later retrieve via USB hookup to your computer. It doesn’t prompt you to “close” the log. Also keep in mind that the format method of the internal drive isn’t Mac compatible so accessing that information from a Mac could be problematic.
The Final Fix
When I started watching Navigon more closely a little over a year ago they looked like they certainly had what it took to make it in the North American market. A year later many players have exited the market, and Navigon remains– even stronger. Last year they seemed to take the spaghetti approach… fill it with every feature in the book and see what sticks. They produced devices that feature for feature outmatched everything else out there, but at the expense of a complicated device that had quite a few quirks in execution.
Fast forward a year and a few of the negative aspects are gone… touch screen issues and incredibly tiny button issues have been addressed. Feature for feature they are still almost impossible to match, and the interface has become more logical and easy to use. The complexity will still turn away a few people, but overall the devices are sliding towards more mainstream appeal. Navigon led the way with Reality View, and is continuing that innovation with free traffic that isn’t bundled with advertisements, no external traffic antenna, reviews in certain POI categories, and voice assisted address entry. Don’t forget too that you can add NAVIGON FreshMaps and get three years of map updates for $79.
If you want a feature packed device at a price the bigger names can’t quite match, and are willing to dig around a little bit to discover some of the more powerful features, the Navigon 7200t provides a bundle of features and is tough to match.
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Hi Tim,
Can you make a comparision between Navigon 7200, Tomtom Go 930 and Nuvi 850. That would be interesting as those three models are the top of the line to the respective companies.
Thanks
I haven’t used the NAVIGON 7200t yet– so there isn’t much I can say quite yet.
Tim,
I’m in the process of reviewing the newest products from Garmin, TT, Navi. This will be my first PND and happy I waited but wish Navigon could be purchased before the Oct date. IS their release date set in stone?
FWIW, I thoroughly enjoy your reviews and find them VERY helpful.
Dom
Dom - Release dates are not set in stone– but they are almost never early, and often late.
when anyone gets their hands on this thing, and also knows it’s predecessor the 7100, could you enlighten us with the interface. Blog/reviews on the 7100 panned the input/touchscreen as well as the interface as being slow and clumsy, with significant and annoying lagtimes. Wonder if this problem has been alleviated in this model..
Navigon does seem like it has interesting features. Do you know if there is any ability to upload topo maps to their units? (I am still looking for a Nuvi 500 type unit, but better.)
There is no official way to add topo maps, and no unofficial ways that I’ve heard of.
Any idea why no one has any reviews of the 7200t yet? I’m not blaming you, Tim - it seems NO ONE in the electronics world has more than the stock press release, yet I know of some regular folks who have purchased it.
Probably just because it isn’t widely available yet and isn’t one of the bigger names. I think mine is due to arrive tomorrow or Friday.
Has there been any improvement to the routing capabilities? I bought a 7100 last year but returned it in favor of a TomTom One XL I also bought for comparison. The trip routing of the Navigon was rather dimented in my testing experiences.
Joe, while it isn’t perfect, I’ve found the touch screen to be more sensitive and reliable, many of the buttons are now bigger than before. I have seen a little bit of lag on a couple of screens, but a big improvement over the 7100 in those functions.
On the Navigon 7200t, are the maps saved on the device or are they saved on an microSD card. I was wondering because I don’t think this device comes with a microSD card like the others. Is it necessary to buy a card?
The device does come with a MicroSD card slot, and a 2GB card does come with the device which contains the maps.
Tim: I am waiting for the review of Navigon 7200T, and I would appreciate when you review it to gime us an opinion on its voice sound. I had a old Garmin Street Pilot C330, and the voice directions were very clear. Recently, I donated it to my sister-in-law and I upgraded to the Garnin 255W. The voice directions were just garbling -all voice options- and I returend at a 10% restocking fee. I am banking on the Navigon to have a clear voice, but I [and I am sure others] would appreciate an opinion before we head for the store. Lesson learn + I want to warn
other readers here to check return policy before they buy.
Tim: Other than price, im wondering if you can tell me some of the differences betwen the 8100t and the 7200t, and which one of those you recommend.
thanks.
Tim, from your review of the 7200T, can you tell whether it offers true “route optimization” (ala Magellan and the Garmin Nuvi 7xx series)? Thanks.
I’ve just started working with the 7200 and will have a full review published in a few days. I haven’t gotten into the route optimization features yet but will try to make sure to include that in the review.
Tim,
Looking to buy a gps. I want good graphics, accurate navigation, and free lifetime traffic. Should I look @ the Navigon 7200T or wait for the 8100T. Will the 8100T be as fast as the 7200T with the 533MHZ processor with more memory? Also will the 8100T have the Instantfix II chip like the 7200T. If both of these do not stack up to another Brand and model what would you recommend.
Thanks
Mark, I’ve just started working with the 7200 and will have a full review published in a few days.
I am in search of a new GPS.
I am a biker, 30,000 + miles across the US & Canada a year. Is the 7200 waterproof and can you build your own routes. Fun way, not the Freeway.
You can build your own routes, but it is not waterproof nor water-resistant. Consider one of these instead.
Tim, just came across your website. I am looking at purchasing a new Garmin 765T but just came across this Navigon 7200T. I can get the 765T for about $50 more. Which is the better GPS?
I have the 7200t and I am loving it. [snip] With such a low price and some many awesome functions, you just can’t beat it.
Comparing the Navigon 7200t to the Garmin, is the garmin 765T that much better? [snip, see comment policy]
Tim, When can we expect a review on this product? It really seems like there’s a lot of interest in it’s performance.
Ron, see comments #17 & 19.
Sorry Tim, I need to slow down my speed reading. I went right over them.
No worries, it should be out by the end of the week.
My son steered me to the Navigon 7200T for my first gps - in favor of entry level Garmins. Good buy? or should I try comparing the seemingly 40+ models in this price range? Thanks,
Jim, Please see comments #17 & 19.
:)
Gotta love comments #17 & 19….
(Patiently waiting for “the end of the week.”)
I’ve got a few more driving tests left to complete. I got a bit delayed with the release of the TeleNav Shotgun. I’ll be heading out in the next half hour or so to complete the last four or five hours of driving tests, so I am still on schedule to finish this up by the end of this week.
Tim, I’m sure I speak for many who follow this board in thanking you for your efforts. I’m hoping the 7200T will be THE one for me, as I’ve purchased and shortly thereafter returned the Garmin Nuvi 760 (outdated maps, fee-based traffic updates after 3 month trial, unsatisfactory customer support) and Tom Tom 930 (excessive screen glare, poor bluetooth connectivity, no automatic multi-destination optimization).
I hear the the POI database and search options are absolutely awful on this unit
Looking forward to your review.
Great site so looking forward to Navigon 7200T review. I am looking at the Garmin 765T but saw this one. Thanks Tim
End of week = Sunday evening?
Yes, had a few unexpected life things come up in the past couple of days, but I’m finishing the copy right now, editing a few images, and it should be up by the end of the day.
Okay, sorry for the delays, but the review is now posted. I may need to make a few last minute edits or tweaks, but the fundamentals of the review, pictures, etc are now available on this page.
Appreciate the full review of the 7200T, Tim. While I regret to learn it does not offer true “route optimization,” and that battery life has only improved slightly over the 7100, the unit still impresses on many other levels. Looking forward to handling one at a local bricks and mortar store and determining whether its features meet my needs. Thanks again.
Hi Tim,
A common complaint is that while this is a fine unit, the POI database is light and it difficult/impossible to add to it. Is this true?
Other than that, it seems very competitive.
infama, I found the POI database to be fairly complete in the areas I’ve been testing in. If you check back up in the review where I was talking about difficulty in finding an airport in the POI database, I wonder if perhaps sometimes it is a problem with searching rather than the particular POI just not being in there. Or it could be that it was just better covered in my area.
I haven’t looked for a way to add custom POIs so I don’t know if that is possible or feasible. The format of the drive isn’t very Mac friendly (just like the HP iPAQ 310) so I haven’t explored into mods much.
Hi Tim,
Thanks for the great review. Can you tell me more about the Traffic updates on this GPS? I mean how accurate or how responsive is it in real life? And compare this device to the Garmin 205WT or 760 which one is a better value?
Thanks
The Nuvi 700 series and the Navigon both use the same traffic service provider, so they will be nearly identical in responsiveness and accuracy.
Hi Tim,
Between Navigon 7200 and Nuvi 760 or 205WT, which one would you say has a better value? or which one I should purchase?
Thanks for your time and help.
Greetings Tim,
I’ve read a few of your reviews and as you heard they are very informative and helpful. I do intend to puchase a 7200T mainly for work. You’ve probably heard of Fios w/Verizon, I live in FL, will be going to California for a few months to work. My question is, can I find a location by latitude and longitude w/7200T ? Reason being is Verizon also use latitude/longitude for locations of their HUB.
Corey, some of the more advanced Navigon users might know a trick, but I don’t see a way to add lat/long values as destinations in my poking around.
Owen, You can check out my Garmin Nuvi 760 to contrast with this device.
Tim,
Thanx for the reply.
Is there a web based or Outlook based address “send to” function for the 7100T
Hi Tim,
i have a navigon 2100 and looking for an upgrade,my main problem with the 2100 is the routing,but most user reviews say it’s better than before.my other complain is the POI search.it was impossible to find retail stores like staples,target,best buy etc by name or category.you review didnt address that problem for.can you please try that on the 7200t for me so i know if navigon fixed that?thank you very much in advance.
Yaw - GPS manufacturers don’t put every known POI in their databases, unlike what they try to do with the road network. Most GPS devices only include about 5%-20% of all known POIs. So you can expect to not find many POIs you know about in the database. With retail stores near me I found some, but not all, as would be expected.
Thank you Tim,this is good news since there is no way to find a walmart or bestbuy on my 2100.i can now look into the 7200t.
Yaw, if you can’t find them on your 2100 then there is a fair chance you won’t be able to find them on the 7200t either…
thanks again Tim.Navigon website says the 7200t has millions of POI but it does not give a specific number,which can be tricky,because 2million or 4 million is still millions.i think i’ll just use my 2100 for the reality view which im addicted to and buy a garmin or megallen for times i search for POI.
Hi Tim
Regarding the Navigon 7200T, quilt shops are important to me. Can you determine if they are in the POI database?
Thanks
Tim, it seems that the Navagon 7200T and the Garmin 265WT are in the same league. I’m putting the Garmin 760 on the backburner and looking as a 1st time GSP newbie to include free traffic as an feature on my 1st GPS. Is the ads on the Garmin 265WT a deal beater compared to the Navagon 7200T? As a first time user, is there any feature(s) or problem(s) that you think either has that should seal the deal for me? I’m still tempted to just go get the Garmin 760 to start out with but the few times I run into traffic, I have really got myself all screwed up trying to avoid or get out of it and so am very tempted by the free traffic feature of the Navagon 7200T and Garmin’s 265WT. I’m so conficted with wanting something good like the Garmin 760 and wanting to go to the next level to also have the free traffic feature. If you had a good friend in my position and had basically got his choices down to the Garmin 760, Navagon 7200T or Garmin 265WT, which would you advise him to start off with? thanks, Rodger p.s. thanks for you advice on the Garmin 760 board, I have eliminated the Navagon 7100 but now have added the Garmin 265WT.
I purchased this unit a couple of days ago. It started off beautifully and even paired with my BlackBerry Pearl (something that I have not been able to do with ANY other GPS). It has been downhill since then. The phone and GPS wouldn’t talk to each other anymore.
There is a feature by which you can transfer the Outlook contact book to the GPS, but that transfer isn’t happening. I am so want to like this unit, but now I am losing it.
Carole - It doesn’t really work like that. Just because one type of store or one chain is included in one location doesn’t mean it will be included everywhere. I might find a local quilt shop in my neighborhood but it might not include one in another town.
Warming up to this Navigon 7200t, my first GPS, after a few days of brief local trials. Wish the map display street name fonts were bigger. Speaker volume is satisfactory and female voice directions have good clarity. Quickly recalculates your route when you miss a turn. Or asks you to please make a u-turn if possible at the next intersection. Touch screen has good sensitivity. Menus are intuitive and keyboard is adequate size. Haven’t yet tried other features like voice destination entry. Unit is very easy to attach and remove from mounting arm. Only concern is a fatal application error message twice in the first couple of days. Hope it doesn’t happen again. Reset button is recessed at the bottom of the unit. My overall impression of the Navigon 7200t is favorable.
Tim
You typed quit shop. Maybe you thought I am looking for Quik shops. No. - quilt shops - as in a quilt for a bed. They are not chains.
So, is there a general catagory of quilt shops on the 7200T database?
A friend has a TomTom and was able to get quilt shops downloaded from the TomTom website.
But I am more interested in the 7200T — if I can quilt shops on the POI. Thanks
Tim-
What other devices on the market have LOGGING capabilites? The main feature I am looking for is the ability to genereate IRS mileage reports.
Ken, The Navigon is the only device I know of that really does a Navigation log designed for that purpose. There are other devices that essentially have trip odometers– but they wouldn’t provide much of any advantage over the one in your car.
Rodger, did you decide on which GPS to go with yet? I am in the same spot you are comparing same units?
Thanks in advance. Let us know your process for final decision.
Steve-I think the Nuvi 265T compares with the Navigon 2200T, NOT the 7200T. The Nuvi 265WT is the wide version of the 265T, but that’s the only comparison with the 7200T. The 7200T has voice recognition unlike the 265T, and other great features. It takes a little learning to master the Navigons, but it’s worth it. The Garmins are easier if you never want to reference the manual.
Steve, I went with the Garmin 265WT after two Navagon users (I think they had the 2100 and 7100 models) both said I should go with the Garmin. Lucky is correct that the 7200T has more features which are nice but I opted for the ease of the Garmin which is currently rated a Consumer Reports best buy. I will note that my thinking is that I might even later “trade up” to the Navagon 7200T if I don’t like the ads on the Garmin 265WT or if the reviews become really favorable to the Navagon 7200T which are still rather luke warm. Personally, if I didn’t factor in my wife into the decision, I’d probably have gone with the Navagon 7200T but simpler is better if she is going to use it later and with two Navagon users in my office both almost in unison telling me to take the Garmin — that made the decision a no-brainer. I even toyed with the idea to get both the Navagon 7200T and the Garmin 265WT and do a month or so comparison and sell off the one I liked least or whichever my wife liked less. I have not lost my interest in the Navagon 7200T, just took the Garmin easy detour for the immediate future.
cheers, Rodger
anyone bougt one yet?i want to read more opinions about the POI
Hee’s my 2 cents worth… I’ve had a Garmin Streetpilot C550 for over a year and was quite happy with it. I’d been using Sprint Navigation on my phone before that. Unfortunitely, my car was broken into and my Garmin was stolen, well, after reading several reviews, I decided to try the 7200T. I drive 800 to 1000 miles a week for my job and I HATE this thing! It locks up one or two times a day and I have to pull off, hit the RESET button, wait for it to reset, then reprogram the address in. Sometimes I have to hit the touch screen sveral times. Also, it’s slow upon hitting the screen and you get this tttt effect when it finally registers the touches. There are several features that I REALLY like about it, but it needs to be much more reliable with the basics. I’d be afraid to use this and only this for a long excursion… I’d definitely bring a map and possbly be ready to use my phone for backup.
Tim,
I’m in the same boat as many of your readers in that I am a sheep in need of a shepherd. basically, I want you to tell me what to buy and I’ll live with the decision. Just think, you get to spend my money for me! : ) I am looking at the Garmin 760 and The Navigon 7200T. I’ve read both reviews and you seem to be optimistic about both. Do you favor one over the other?
I just got the 7200T. It worked out of the box..w/o reading any directions (they have to be downloaded anyway) within 2 minutes I was using the device to get me home from a place I had never been to over 45 miles away. It got me home in shortest time, good warnings like: “Now..in .2 of a mile you will turn left on xyz street”..then when I get close it says: “Now, turn left on xyz street”. It also displays a firm “warning” voice if you go over the posted speed limit by about 8 miles per hour…it accurately changes current speed limit as soon as I go by a new speed limit sign! I have not used POI yet. but will later this week. I also signed in and registered the product and signed up for “freshmaps” to get updated maps quarterly. I still need to try out the traffic alerts to see how it re-routes me if road problems. Screen is very clear/bright (adjustable too). So far, glad I got it! OH…still need to try voice recognition…have yet to try that and will report back soon. Get the plug in wall charger and Freshmaps if you order the 7200T and you will be set…it also comes with a soft pouch to store. The Operating system worked fine for me on a 2 hour trip, however I did notice the unit does get warm, but I had it on the brightest setting, so that may be part of it being warm. Voices: You have 2 choices…the womans voice is clear and pleasant…and only speaks if I get close to having to be ready to turn/navigate.
Steve
So I have since read the “ethics” section and now realize that Tim cannot comment on which unit I should buy. I have begun to look through the forums but have not seen any that specifically address the 7200T and the Garmin 760. Needless to say, I’m on features overload. Can ANYONE please enlighten me or point me to a post in the forums where Tim speaks to this? Many Thanks!!!
Jeremy, it isn’t that I can’t comment on which unit you should buy. Rather I won’t comment on which unit I would buy. I’m all about helping you make the right pick for you, not about which one best serves my needs.
Tim, I like the Navigon 7200T. The bluetooth is giving me fits though. I am trying to pair it with the Blackberry Curve 8330. If I start fresh, it will eventually pair after 3 attempts. If the Navigon goes dormant,it breaks the connection and I have to delete it from the BB and start over. I have checked all of the settings and they are right. Any help?
Tommy, I’m not sure– might want to try Navigon support for that one.
Thanks Tim. I tried Navigon support earlier in the day. The tech I spoke with was stumped and said that they do not have a mechanism for elevating the question to a higher level of support(?). I think, basically, he didn’t know either and tended to blame it on the BB 8330 even though the 8300 is on their list of compatible devices.
Well, I just received my 7200T today. It crashed on first startup with a Fatal Application Error, then crashed twice more before coming to the startup screen and locking up. Wow, not a good first experience. After another reset I was able to get into the device. It didn’t pickup the satellites indoors so I went outside, 22F, and waited for 5 minutes. Nothing. I hit the reset button again. It got the satellites in less than 2 minutes that time. Oh, when this thing turns on from a reset the start up music is full volume and loud. Even after I had adjusted the volume to its lowest setting. The response to my finger taps is painfully slow at times, often not registering my tap. I attempted to recalibrate the touch screen, but the cross hairs moved very slow and jerky and I never was able to finish the process because the unit kept blanking the screen (standby I think). After only about 20 minutes the battery warning pops up, despite the main screen display of an almost full charge on the little battery icon. So, back to charging on my computer via USB even after I had charged it for two hours. This is one of the worst device experiences so far. I was impressed by the great looks and feature set, free traffic for life, free 2 years of fresh maps, and free Zagat POI’s. However, my initial impression is tainted by dismal performance and the damn thing constantly crashing with a Fatal Application Error or just plain locking up. Luckily the retailer has a good return policy. The GPS and software on my mobile phone has worked great and this was supposed to be a gift for the spouse. So far it’s junk.
Well, I was wrong to assume that the device would acquire satellites within 5 minutes after turning on. The manual says that it could take up to 20 minutes for and initial satellite acquisition and 10 minutes after a reset from a full shutdown. Even my 2002 GPS gets an acquisition in less than 2 minutes. I must’ve got a bum device. Anyway, it’s still charging. I’ll call Navigon support and see what they can do for me.
And another thing, the device came with a cloth storage bag with a draw string closure. But the bag is sized for a smaller unit! The 7200T has 4.3″ screen and sticks out the end of the bag. Man, where did quality control go? Another feature is an included plastic film anti-glare screen protector that sticks onto the main screen. I haven’t applied it yet because I’m afraid that it will only further degrade the terrible touch screen sensitivity.
Just got my unit today. It works as well as my 2100Max (updated with FreshMaps). The startup time is a bit longer than the 2100 I guess due to the BT which has been working well with my RAZR. I like the BT feature which works a lot better than the BT on my Acura TL. Too bad the BT is not voice command. I hope they upgrade the voice command to allow going to saved favorites like “take me home”… My 2100MAX which I’m giving to my daughter has servered me well in the last 3 months of use.
Considering Garmin or Navigon like many of you, but leaning towards Navigon since it’s priced at $250 and comes with free traffic and other features. But, I read that many of the Garmins can transmit the voice commands through your radio, which is an interest of mine since I drive a convertible and I’m concerned about being able to hear everything with the top down. Does anyone know if the Navigon 7200t offers this feature? If not, is the Navigon 7200t volume loud (enough for a convertible)?
Thanks!
Craig
Navigon speaks only through the unit’s speaker, which is plenty loud! I don’t know which Garmin you are looking at, but the Navigon 7200T tops all of them below the 800 level. If you read reviews of the new 7×5 Nuvis, people have found problems not found in prior Garmins.
Has anyone else been having issues maintaining the BT pairing? Once paired, it works great until I turn of the unit. Once powered back on, often it looses its pairing.
If you are in the same boat as mine where your phone is not fully compatible with the 7200, turn off the BT feature on the unit. Leaving it on seems to eat up the CPU causing sluggish response on the unit and delayed startup. Unfortunately, until Navigon supports the Verizon RAZR V3m, I can’t use the BT feature unless I want to pair the unit everytime I turn on the unit :-(.
Navigon does not publish a list of fully compatible BT phones. You have to call support everytime you are considering a particular phone model. How dumb is that!
Hi Tim,
Any idea when you will review the 8100T?
Does the Navigon 7200 have maps for Canada or Puerto Rico?
Mark, it will probably be 2-3 weeks. It won’t likely be a “full” review but rather a “delta” review to just talk about the features and functionality that are different from the 7200t, and any performance differences we find.
It is good to see that I am not insane and that others have had the same problems with the 7200T. I have spent more time staring at a locked keyboard, resetting, restarting, Fatal Application Errors, 451 routing errors, etc then using the darn thing in the car. Numerous calls to Navigon bring very nice (American) reps. The last time one of them said it was clear that the 7200T was not “communicating” with its software, so they are sending a new MicroSD. But it’s not clear why that would make a difference in contrast to simply redownloading from the backup on the Navigon site. It’s clear to me that Navigon software and approach is not ready for prime time. Also, Navigon NEVER responds to emails although they say they will within 24 hours. If they can’t get their act together, they can look forward to going out of business fast.
I went through about 5-6 different 7200t, simply because they kept dropping the price of it by $50 every week, and I was able to exchange them. None of them had any locking or error problems you are describing. A couple of them had a bright pixel, but as far as software, all of them worked top notch. E-mail questions are responded within 72 hours, I would say, which is acceptable time frame.
Well, I can’t comment on your flipping
through 5 or 6 units — I’ve never heard
of anyone doing that. But I will say that
any GPS manufacturer that has software that
suffers from the kind of fatal application
and other errors and lockups that are reported
frequently with Navigon better do some
re-engineering. As for their Email replies,
I have emailed them three times and never
received a single response.
Checked your spam folder?
I am only interested in getting the lowest price for this unit, and may start flipping the 8100T also. Pretty soon I’ll be looking to work at IHOP to flip pancakes.
Anyone have a problem setting the traffic feature and having it stay on “Current route only”? When I set it and leave, then go back, it shows “All traffic”, not just the ones on route. I have a 2100T and it did save it correctly.
Can someone list the procedue after setting the traffic to “Current route only”? Maybe I am exiting incorrectly so as not to save it? Thanks !! I love the unit and have had no freeze ups. It did speak in German one time I turned it on even though the option setting was English, so I just hit the option and “reset” it to English, and it was fixed.
I am responding to the people losing their bluetooth connection on their Blackberry Curve. I haven’t used the 7200T but the problem is likely the Blackberry. I have the same problem with almost any non-headset Bluetooth connection from the Curve. After a few minutes of inactivity the Curve seems to decide I don’t need the connection even though the Bluetooth radio is still on.
I applied update 7.3.4 to my 7200 using Navigon Fresh. The maps were not updated! It still shows Q3 2008. I hope we get the Q1 2009 this month as promised!
The notes indicate that the bluetooth firmware is updated with this release to support more phones. My experience with the BT on this unit is that it normally does not pair right away after the unit has been turned off. Hopefully this update fixes this issue. I have a Blackberry Curve.
I am downloading Q1 right now. It did not want to load when I was using another SD card, gave me server errors. After I copied the original software on the original SD card, it fired right up.
Vadim - How did you download the Q1 maps? Did you use the Navigon Fresh application or did you downloaded the zip file from their website? Can you please verify that the maps are indeed Q1 2009.
It is through FreshMaps application, still on 40%. It says Q1, so I take their word for it. Before this release I couldn’t download anything.
I re-ran Freshmaps and it did install Q1 2009 maps. I verified that the map version on the GPS and it is Q1 2009. It was nice to see that the highway 4 bypass (Antioch, CA) is now on the new map. It was not there on the Q3 08 map.
I found out what the deal with the fatal error that pops up is (although I haven’t had this issue personally). According to the support part of Navigon’s website, the error is caused by the unit not being fully powered down on the assembly line after the operating system is added. I have not contacted Navigon personally to confirm this information, but it sounds at least somewhat plausible. I purchased this unit after buying, using and subsequently returning both the 265WT and the 765T from Garmin. I was on the fence when I first purchased my GPS and I found that I was really dissatisfied with Garmin, especially the 765T. The touch screen on the latter of the units was all messed up and would activate the opposite side of the screen from where I was touching (despite 5 re-calibrations). After having used this unit I have to say that I love it!
Well — I have heard this argument too
from Navigon — that it’s a power issue.
When I pointed out to them that most folks
run it (or should) with the DC cord (which
also enables traffic reception), they didn’t
have an answer as to why a company would put
out a product so sensitive to power/voltage
issues. Think of it — every GPS I have
seen has an issue with BATTERY power from
the internal LION batt. But why should a
Navigon, when powered by DC in the car,
repeatedly crash with fatal app erros? This
is just no excuse. . .
Please share any experience you have with pairing the Navigon 7200T with a Treo 650.
Thanks!
If you have your own experience pairing those devices, you can report it on our GPS Bluetooth compatibility chart.
Gary - the latest software update improves BT compatibility. I do not have a Treo but a Blackberry. Prior to the software upgrade, the pairing never survived after turning off the unit.
I have had the same problem getting my Blackberry Curve to maintain a connection. It will do it initially when i pair it but after the connection is broken, I cannot get it back without re-pairing it. Where do I get the software update that will correct the problem? Thanks. Tom
Thanks for your comments and suggestions. After many, many attempts at pairing the Navigon 7200T with a Treo 650 (Sprint) using all possible combinations of steps, procedures, passwords; turn on the phone first, turn on the GPS first and so on. My frustration with the process is increasing, especially after getting absolutely no assistance from Navigon. They do not return emails and the “tech” on the phone reads right from the user manual. What do I do now?
Your phone might just not be compatible. The Treo 650 had several known Bluetooth issues on different carriers, so there might not be anything you can do about it. Many phone/GPS combinations are just not compatible.
Is this blog about the 7200T going to only be about which phone someone can or can’t pair with their unit ? I thought it was to be about the unit/software and many features, not ONLY about his or her Bluetooth problems.
People can discuss whatever they would like on this page provided it closely relates to the 7200T and isn’t about illegal activities or otherwise violate the terms here.
I think the fatal note when you first turn on the unit is due to a low battery problem. If you let it charge for five minutes before turning on you should be ok. I saw that @ the Nav web page. But, I also think if they turn off (or unplug the unit while still running) at the assambly line could make that come out.
Here is the latest chapter of my sorrows with Navigon. I sent my 7200T back to them — had to wait several weeks for them to replace it via RMA. It finally got here — WITHOUT the SD card, which no one had told me NOT to include. I had previously been sent a new 2G card so I used that. When I first hooked up the unit and started FRESH, it told me there was an update, but then would display an “INVALID ARGUMENT”. I phoned Navigon yet again — they told me to go to “FRESH UPDATES” on the Navigon site and download. I did, without success. They then told me to use the MAC/OTHER OS link rather than the Windows/VISTA/XP link (?????) which I did — the download contains ALL of the necessary software not just the latest 09 maps — which of course isn’t clear anywhere on the site. Then you have to copy/replace the new software to the microSD in the 7200T.
I have said it before, but Navigon has to get its act together. Their software is confusing. I have yet to try my “new” 7200T. I’m charging it fully in an attempt to see if their excuse about an under-charged battery causing Fatal App errors is true — I expect not. Until they start changing the basic software of these units, I think all of us are screwed.
This is a follow up report to my many attempts to master the 7200T and pair it with a Treo 650. Aside from not being able to pair the devices and keep them paired, the 7200T has been inaccurate and unreliable. I am not a quitter and would normally beat this dead horse until the day I die or it died. Fortunately, the latter happened first: it was caught in the electric seat track of my car and met its timely demise. I will resurrect my old Mio 200 with no regrets.
Following up on my latest 7200T comments. I have now had a new unit sent to me by Navigon (after a delay of 3 weeks) and have been using it fairly constantly. After finally figuring out the updates for the Fresh software, and downloading the Q1 2009 Freshmaps, I have the following results:
STABILITY: I have had no \fatal application errors\ which were frequent with my previous unit — not sure what Navigon may have done in their software update.
SATELLITES: Satellite acquisition also appears to have improved. I notice on my wife’s Tom Tom 930 that Tom Tom suppliled a \GPS Quick\ fix apparently aimed at speeding up the already very fast acquisition of the 930, which remains superior to the 7200T.
MAPS: The NAVTEQ update has corrected a couple of problems in my local MD/DC vicinity.
OBSERVATIONS: One has to continue to wonder, and I have my fingers crossed that I don’t run into any more Fatal App Errors, what Navigon is thinking when it comes to updating the base operating software. The many problems reported by others, which track my own, indicate that Navigon should pay much closer attention to actual user experience — surely Navigon managers must be using these units and see some of the same difficulties. Also — it takes just too darn long to obtain RMA replacements. Since obtaining my 7200T late last year, I have been WITHOUT it far longer than I have been WITH it.
After several weeks using my replacement unit,
I can report the following:
– Hopes for elimination of the feared “fatal application errors” have faded — this has happened a few times even with this new 7200T, usually when attempting quick actions on the screen.
– Satellite acquisition remains painfully slow — on start up in the morning as long as 3 minutes — just shameful in comparison with Tom Tom and others.
– Continuing “451″ errors involving the route profile — again, this should NOT be happening — are you listening NAVIGON???
– Finally — very strange route directions. Here in Maryland, driving on a direct almost straight route into DC, the 7200T will tell me to make U turns or right turns into VA or into DC, rather than simply charting the straight and more direct course I’m already on. Puzzling to say the least…..
Disappointed but I’ll be keeping the 7200T hoping that Navigon finally wakes up. Among steps they need to take — software and algorithm re-writes, more work on satellite triangulation and acquisition. . .
I’ve been thinking of getting this model as my next GPS but I’m hesitant since I am a Mac user. How does using a Mac effect this product? Will I still be able to get map updates or any additional updates?
You can download updates directly from Navigon website and then unzip them to GPS. No problems what so ever.
I am very interested in the 7300t that is coming. Is it is pretty much the same as the 7200t but just with some added features? I have the Nuvi 755t now but not sure I like it enough to keep it, would I be stupid to sell the 755t and get the 7300t instead? I know it may be hard to know until the 7300t comes out.
Navigon just announced May 5, 2009 that they are leaving the US market as it’s too competitive and they can’t sell high end GPS units here. They will continue to support existing customers though.
Too bad, I really enjoy my 7200T and was looking forward to the 7300T.
WOW! Does that mean no more map updates just software updates? The unit itself is pretty much international. I have a 7200T and a 2100Max. Both have freshmaps for 2 more years.
They say they will support Freshmaps out for length of current obligations
They have said they will continue to offer map updates for people who have subscribed to their map update product.
Based on my experiences, detailed earlier in this discussion, with the 7200T, Navigon’s move was probably predictable. I have not checked their web site yet, but I have received no communication, as a user of one of their GPS units, about the withdrawal from the U.S. market. No clarification via email about software updates, either to the existing 7200T system software or FreshMaps. Though it is May, only the 1st Q 2009 maps update has been made available. A sorry situation. If Navigon REALLY cared about those who placed their initial buying decision and trust in them, they would offer folks a time window to return their units for a refund.
Navigon was destined to fail. The 7200T did not perform up to their claims, support was almost non-existent, and is no better than a sub $100 Pep Boys Special. Good riddance to an inferior product and company.
My thoughts exactly — it should not, but does
still amaze me, that companies can get away with
the equivalent of murder with customers who
adopt their products but are then left in the
dust when they pull out.
This is from their site:
“NAVIGON stands for innovative, well designed and high quality products that are relevant to the consumer and unmatched in the market today. Our navigation features are industry-leading and we are constantly optimizing their quality.
NAVIGON has proven to have an eye for future market demands and our competitors are still trying to catch up. While others continue to compete on price at the expense of the user experience, NAVIGON is dedicated to delivering superior features and superior value across the portfolio.
Any device can get you from point A to point B, but the real challenge is delivering an experience that helps our customers overcome the challenges they face every day on the road. NAVIGON will continue to improve the navigation experience and lead the industry with cutting-edge features that wow the market.”
As for “innovative, well designed and high quality products” — I’m on my 3rd 7200T. Today, driving from suburban MD to DC, it froze 3 times when retrieving LAST DESTINATIONS.
As for “constantly optimizing their quality” other than UPDATE 1 issued for the 7200T (that’s what, more than a year after the unit came out?) there has been NOTHING — and as noted earlier, it’s May and we’re still on 1st Quarter 2009 of the maps.
As for “competitors are still trying to catch up” — well, that’s completely false of course. Navigon’s claimed revolutionary graphics can be had from other companies, and those units actually work!
None of this matter — unless some pissed off Navigon users can get together and sue them somehow (for what would have to be determined) we’re stuck with paperweights.
I don’t know man, mine works pretty well. This new 7.4 software update is not bad at all either. And the 1st update you mentioned came 3-4 months after GPS was released, not a year. If you’re going to bad mouth something, at least use facts, not illusions.
Well, my unit was purchased in December 2008 (the first unit that is) and did NOT have “Update 1″ which Navigon tech help folks only advised about as I was waiting for my 3rd 7200T.
It remains to be seen whether Navigon will attempt to correct ongoing problems by issuing Update 2, Update 3, etc and as I pointed out I have YET to see any email advisory or comment on their web site anywhere that the next update of the Freshmaps software is or will be available.
A sorry story. You can fully expect to see prices plummet for remaining Navigon stock at U.S. sellers, including the 8100T, which while looking nice, appears to have exactly the same software implementation as the 7200T.
I’m new to this site and I want to say that I appreciate all the insight and comments. Regarding unit performance, I have an 8100t (see my review at Amazon, where I purchased it) and I’ve been thoroughly satisfied. I’ve had no reset issues whatsoever, and the unit works flawlessly. All of my friends and coworkers who ride with me (I’m in outside sales) comment on what a sweet looking unit it is, including the integrated mount.
I’m real sorry to see Navigon go, and like the rest of you, I’m awaiting my Q2 2009 FreshMap update, but besides that, I’ve had no issues to speak of.
One thing to note, I bought an 8GB SDHC card and restored my latest backup to it. This actually speeded up the route calcs a bit (but I never felt they were slow anyway).
Also, I originally started with a 7200t and did have a minor touch screen issue. It was then that I returned it to Amazon and purchased the 8100t instead.
One quick question - does POI Warner work with the 8100t? will it add more POI functionality? The website has purchases in Euro’s. Any American purchase sites?