I have some very sad news, Navigon will no longer be selling their stand-alone GPS units in the US.  I am a big fan of their devices, hardware and software both.  I reviewed the 2000S two months ago.   Navigon is siting the tough economic climate and the pricing wars during the holidays in the GPS market as the reason for this decision.  They will still have an office in Chicago to support current customers with items such as map updates.  It appears the group’s new focus will be on getting their software integrated into smartphones and other cell phones.  Navigon currently has a contract with T-Mobile in Germany.  With the success of the iPhone, and the Palm Pre on the horizon, convergence is definitely a popular topic.  The question becomes, who’s next?

Via SlashGear

We have a lot going on here at JAMM.  In fact, several very nice packages arrived in the last couple of days.  Cameras, phones, netbooks, and more.  I thought it would be fun to take a time out to give you a taste of some of what we have coming.

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When I first started driving, directions involved some notes scribbled on a piece of paper that included important tidbits like: ’Turn right at McDonald’s” and “Go 3 lights, and make a left.”.  In an era before everyone had cell phones, getting lost was a very probable and frustrating situation.  Then came one of the greatest Internet sites, Mapquest.  It gave you turn by turn directions, and a little map.  Now, there could still be problems if the exit names were wrong, and there were direction errors.  However, for those of us that have a habit of getting lost, this was a step in the right direction.  Finally, the best navigation device to date arrives as GPS.  I am saving the term ‘BEST’ for when we get a car that can drive itself like Kitt from Knight Rider.  Just say ‘Take me to work”, and off you go.  Until that time, GPS is a wonderful thing.  When I look at GPS, I am not worried about fancy things like mp3 and video players, I just want to get from point A to point B.  I gave the Navigon 2000S a test drive.  Read on to see how it fares in the Midwest.

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Navigon is releasing three new GPS devices:  3300 max, 4300T max, and the 7300T.  All three devices have a brand new feature called Navigon MYRoutes.  This features gives you a new way to plan your routes.  Once a destination is entered, MYRoutes will give you 3 choices with distance and ETA calculated based on speed limits, construction, and traffic.  All choices are displayed clearly on the map (see picture to the left).  The GPS will continuously save the driver’s individual driving data in order to provide the best individual route possible and recommends a route based on the user’s driving habits, the day of week and time of travel.  I am definitely interested in seeing this latest feature in action.   I am already a fan of Lane Assistant Pro and Reality View.  As for the individual devices, 3300 max is the base model, but it is still loaded with features.  The 4300T max adds real time spoken trafic updates, Rand McNally scenic routes, bluetooth hands free, and Reality View Pro.  The Rand McNally scenic routes contain over 250 routes for weekend getaways, scenic tours, and regional trips.  They highlight the most beautiful landscapes in the US and Canada.  The 7300T adds to the 4300T max with including the following feaures:  voice address entry and control, Zagat ratings and reviews, Panorama and Landscape View 3D, and clickable POIs.  One of the biggest upsides to the 7300T is the voice entry and control.  Using different commands, you can set up your GPS completely hands-free.  That is a big bonus for someone who is always traveling.  For complete details, see both press releases after the break.

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GPS is another one of those tech categories where I’m about as knowledgeable as a blogger who doesn’t know much about GPS. Uhh, yeah. Anyway, my lack of a GPS and car navigating background doesn’t hinder my ability to appreciate shiny. The high-res shots of maps are pretty awesome. A lot of GPS units look alike to me, but this UI looks positively usable and lovable. It’s apparently their first system to use a 3D map via NASA terrain data – resulting in the wicked cool map you see below:

The unit will retail for $599 this November on online retailers.

Check out the full press release after the jump.

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