Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The NVU83T is a feature-rich, reasonably user-friendly GPS device that meets most of my requirements at least half-way. In addition, it offers many features that I will probably never need but it's good to know they exist. Its navigation capabilities are generally comparable with some of the more popular brands and many of its features are only found in the other vendors' higher-end offerings such us support for gesture commands. Traffic information is available via subscription with the first 3 months free.
Besides being a GPS, it can easily pair with Bluetooth-enabled phones as an audio device. A Memory Stick Duo can be inserted to allow for backups of stored information such as address books, phone book and saved routes.
The provided suction-cup mount proved to be very effective. It's been on the windshield for a couple of months already and... it's still there.
A near-complete 31 page manual is available on the disk as a .PDF. The disk also installs the 'nav-u tool' application on a PC to allow for firmware upgrades and other downloads via a USB cable.
As a GPS
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I did read the other reviews before deciding to buy this unit. I decided to go with Sony and not Garmin or Tom-Tom or Nuvi because I already own a Garmin and, while quite reliable, it's not perfect and on most of my local trips where I am familiar with the local roads it does not always take me to my destination on the optimal path. The reviews state that Sony's device too does not always recommend the best path. I can testify that this is, indeed the case. On a head-to-head comparison, Sony was as bad as Garmin on all but one turn - it actually knew about a shortcut Garmin didn't. On the other hand, Garmin knew of a shortcut that Sony didn't. So, it's almost parity.
I am happy with Sony's 4.8", wide display. The touch screen resolution is good enough to allow for a lot of detail to be displayed.
Besides the map, the normal display during navigation would show:
- current direction and speed
- current position and GPS status indication
- a compass showing the straight-line direction for the destination
- current time
- current street name
- ETA and distance to destination
- distance to next turn
- next street name
- next turn instruction
- current position
When approaching a turn you can see:
- a maginfied view of the intersection on the left half of the screen
- a bar indication of the distance to the next turn
While on highway, a display would show on which lane to stay whenever the road splits or merges. The GPS can be set to show exits on the map and to warn of upcoming merges from right or left.
This may seem to be very 'busy' but it does not look that way at all while driving.
The device can be set to display a variety of points of interest on the map, from specific types of restaurants to gas stations to actual towns. The display can also be set to adjust colors on day/night with 7 color schemes available. The map can be either 2-D or 3 different types of 3-D, set a various levels of magnification ranging from a few hundred feet to about 50 miles and so on and so forth.
Gesture commands can increase/decrease the level of magnification by simply drawing a circle clockwise or counter-clockwise on the screen.
Text to speech makes a best effort attempt to pronounce street names. For English you can pick between a female (default) or a male voice.When traffic info is used, the GPS can be set to automatically recalculate the route to avoid high-volume traffic, accidents or hazardous driving conditions.
The guidance can be set to either 'normal', 'avoid toll roads' or 'avoid toll roads (shortest)'. I can't say that I saw a big difference between the three on local trips, within 50-100 miles from my residence. Sometimes, simply making a left turn rather than a right turn can shorten a trip by many miles, which makes me believe that the stored map does not have very good information on which roads can be engaged through a left turn vs. divided highways. While I do see this something that needs to be addressed by future firmware or map upgrades, I do not consider it as a big disqualifier. I am relying on my GPS to help me find my way back when I get lost, to take me to unfamiliar places and to help me plan long trips and to find my way while away from home and this device seems to be capable of doing all of the above even though not always in the most optimal fashion.
Interestingly, the manual claims that, while driving through a tunnel or through an area of poor satellite reception, the device can sense motion and continue to display your approximate position. I am not sure if this is a unique feature and I was not able to test it myself, absent tunnels in my immediate vicinity.
Many other features and settings are available but I will have to limit the size of this review. I will try to answer any questions that I can answer to anyone who leaves as comment, as soon as I see it. As a sound device for a phone
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When paired with a phone, the NVU83T can be used a speaker for the paired phone(s), to answer incoming calls by simply touching the screen or to initiate calls, including 'calling home' by simply drawing a 'v' on the screen.
It can be paired with several phones, it can import phone books directly from the phones, stores the last 40 numbers dialed or incoming and there allows for setting the volume and the level of noise/echo cancelling. Rating
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I will rate the NVU83T as a 4-star. The sheer volume of features and capabilities and the level of customization - to which the review above is only a hint - go a long way toward making up for the sometimes imperfect guidance. I want to make it clear: never did the NVU83T send me to the wrong place or asked me to do anything dangerous - like making a U-turn on a highway. Its directions are not always the best but neither seem to be those from competing products so, relatively speaking, the NVU83T holds its own and it offers some features not always found in other models.
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Sony NVU83T 4.8'' Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Nylon Carrying Case
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