The folks over at CNET have taken a run at Sony’s NV-U44 and found that it’s a solid entry-level device, and a great buy for those looking for nothing buy basic navigational features. This isn’t a device for multimedia freaks. In fact, all’s it has is a Photo Viewer that allows viewing of JPEG photos.
So let’s start with the bad. First off, the predictive text entry feature is predictably unpredictable. At times, the predictive search results in a sudden jump to a new page, resulting in accidentally picking the wrong prediction at the last moment. The best bet here is to type slow. Secondly, while gesture control is a cool feature, it isn’t well documented in either the instruction booklet or on Sony’s website. Nor are gestures such as an inverted ‘V’ for returning to the home page particularly intuitive.
The list of good features is quite a bit longer. For an entry level device priced at an MSRP of $249 (but often priced less online), the NV-U44 offers the text-to-speech feature of its main competitors, TomTom’s ONE 130S and Garmin’s nuvi 255W. However, Sony’s 3.5-inch navigator offers dual view with lane guidance easing the process of moving through complicated junctions and intersections. Combined with text-to-speech, the NV-U44 actually allows you to keep your eyes on the road more than its competitors. In my opinion, that’s invaluable not only to the device’s usability, but also to the safety of those on the road.
All in all Sony’s NV-U44 is probably one of the best entry-level devices on the market right now.
Sony NV-U44-$199.99 at Amazon
via cnet