Product Description

DualElect 3.5 NavAtlas Auto Navigation Unit. XNAV3550 GPS navigation system features the left and right turn signal LEDs on each side of the device. The XNAV 3550 brings you everything that a 3.5 inch navigation system would bring. You got your touch screen TFT LCD screen, integrated speakers, turn by turn voice guidance, rechargeable integrated battery, and an MP3 player. The maps are pre loaded onto the 1GB SD card, also loaded with millions of POI. The maps cover the entire USA.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #53963 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Dual
• Model: XNAV3550
• Dimensions: 4.20" h x 4.20" w x 1.10" l, 4.00 pounds
• Display size: 3.5

Features

• Portable vehicle navigation system with MP3 music player
• Voice directions provide turn-by-turn guidance to your destination
• 3.5-inch digital TFT LCD touch-screen display with crystal-clear resolution
• Complete maps of the entire US with millions of pre-loaded POIs
• Weighs 2.1 pounds, measures 4.2 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches (W x H x D), comes with a 1-year warranty

Amazon.com Product Description
The Dual Electronics NavAtlas XNAV3550 Portable Auto Navigation System is a wide-screen GPS navigator with multimedia playback capabilities. The NavAtlas XNAV3550 comes with complete maps of the entire US that can be easily upgraded, with millions of points-of-interest (POIs) pre-loaded on a one gigabyte SD card, and can also run MP3 music files loaded to the unit via the SD card slot.

The XNAV3550 features an easy-to-read, 3.5-inch digital TFT LCD touch-screen display with crystal-clear resolution. Utilizing an easy-to-operate graphic interface, this unit not only quickly guides you through its operations, but uses voice directions for turn-by-turn guidance to your destination, and includes handy left and right visual LED indicators. Depending upon your needs, you can start your guidance search with options such as address, intersection, POIs, locations from your address book and previous destination.

The navigation functions on the XNAV3550 offer plenty of convenience features, such as a 9-level selectable zoom, both 2D and 3D map views depending upon your preference, day and night views selectable based upon your lighting situation, and a GPS status indicator that lets you know signal strength and availability. And as previously mentioned, this handy unit not only is a complete navigation system, but it also provides you with on-the-go entertainment, allowing you to play both your favorite music files in MP3 format, all in one completely portable device. Designed to be compact so it can follow you from vehicle to vehicle wherever you go, the NavAtlas mounts quickly and simply via an included, on-glass suction-style mount.

The NavAtlas 3550 utilizes a 400MHz processor with 64MB of RAM and a 12-channel GPS receiver providing both plenty of power and accuracy, and runs on the Windows CE.Net 4.2 operating system. This unit has an internal speaker for its voice guidance system, but also includes a 3.5-millimeter audio output for connecting it to your automobile's sound system. The Dual Electronics NavAtlas XNAV3550 runs on an internal 1100 mAh rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, weighs 2.1 pounds, measures 4.2 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches (W x H x D), and is backed by a manufacturer's 1-year warranty.

What's in the Box
XNAV3550 GPS unit, 1GB SD card, 12-V DC adapter, stylus, windshield mount, carry bag, map database DVD-ROM, and quick start guide.

Customer Reviews

I Can Get Anywhere Now (I Think!)
An unexpected pre-Christmas surprise: This DUAL portable GPS navigation system. Something I might never have bought myself - but a marvelous piece of technology - both a useful device to have, especially when traveling in unfamiliar areas - as well as a toy to play with, experiment with all the things it will do and to enjoy in the months and, I hope, years to come. Never having had a GPS before, the only things I have to compare it with are 1) a man's admittedly limited intuition for directions, 2) road maps - I never seem to be able to find the one I need when I need it, or 3) stopping to ask directions which tend to be about as unreliable as #'s 1 and 2!

The device itself is about 5" long by 3" tall by 1" wide. The visual screen is a 3.5" (measured diagonally, of course) LCD. Small speakers are mounted on each side and there is a jack for headphones. While driving, it is plugged into the 12v plug on the dash and when used as a portable unit, it runs off a rechargeable 830mA Li-polymer battery that recharges whenever the unit is plugged in. One structural oversight seems to be the complete lack of an AC recharging option for when you are at home - and in the house - and need the thing charged.

In the first several days of playing with it, I have found it relatively easy to program and use - at least as far as it's navigational features. You can program in your own home address so it can always guide you home! It gets it's information from a network of 28 satellite processed by the on board GPS computer and a national map, that comes preloaded on a 1GB Secure Media card. Other cards can be used to carry additional regional/worldwide information or to provide the material you would need to use it's several other possible functions which include: Playing MP3 files and movies, viewing photos or gaming. The audio output jack is a 3.5mm. I have not tried it yet. It also contains a worldwide clock and multi-function calculator. My intended use is purely for it's navigation function so I will focus there and leave review of it's other capacities to those who are more apt to make use of them.

An antennae unfolds from the rear of the unit and connects with the GPS signals within a minute or so after the unit is powered on. Selecting the Navigation function from the initial menu, allows choices that include the two basic ones of 1) programming in an address you want to get to - whereby the device maps your most direct directions per the most current information available to the satellite network (like having MapQuest in the car!), 2) Indicating you preprogrammed home address from wherever you happen to be, yielding your way home without having to find crumbs you dropped on the path along the way. The feedback on the screen is a little distracting and takes some getting used to. An arrow indicates your car: streets (and stores) that you are passing or approaching all show up and, when a turn is coming up that the directions think you should take, left or right directional lights flash on the unit along with, should you choose to program it this way, a verbal cue that a left or right turn is coming up. 2 or 3 dimensional view are both available as optional settings and day/night viewing is controlled, automatically, according to a build-in clock that you program for your own locations. Any or all of these customizable presets can be quickly over-ridden when circumstances require it! (A dark day, or driving through a dark tunnel, etc.) The screen options/selections are touch controlled - either with fingers or, for smaller items - like entering an address via the screen type board, a small stylus is included and has a home in the device itself. The screen offers 9 degrees of zooming in and out.

I tried fooling around with it. I deliberately went a different way than it suggested. Immediately, the GPS compensated for my action and reprogrammed the directions for the remainder of that drive having taken my spontaneous turn(s) into account. It IS a reasonably complex piece of equipment and I expect my learning curve will develop with it over time. I already called support one time to find out if the unit needed to be powered on or off while charging the battery. I have yet to receive a reply - but it IS just after Christmas!

The unit comes with a windshield suction mount device, a soft carry case, the necessary 12VDC adapter and the 1GB SD memory card ... which I hunted through the box for before discovering that it was already placed in the slot it resides in.

My experience with technological things that appear quite wondrous at the outset is that, with time and experience, they seem a bit less wondrous and more apparently imperfect. In this instance, this DUAL portable GPS navigation system and I are off to a very good start!

I'm not sure what 'artificial intelligence' is - but this might come close!

A Good Friend.....
Bought this on Thanks Giving and set the course from Chicago to NY. Sailed, flew on the 800 miles voyage as if I have been trucking on these routes all my life.

What does it do for me?

A. Enhances Safety. B. Better Driving. C. Saves Effort. D. Gives Knowledge. E. Allows me to listen to music on car system. F. Acts like a radar display /infrared vision goggles at night. G. Makes me see the road, bends, contours for 2 to 3 miles ahead. F. Has LED turn indicators.

Main Lesson. It takes about 1 week to learn to listen and be friends with the machine. Where I have local knowledge, I tend to show off to the machine & quarrel with it, when I do not know, I follow the machine. In the beginning, I tended to look too much at the display, now I look outside in front, only listen, glance at the display and obey. It helps. I have stopped mixing of the routes i.e. my knowledge + machine knowledge. If I know, I drive my way, if I don't, I follow the machine. This is peaceful safe driving for me.

1. Directions A to B. If I take a wrong turn because of my mistake, it puts me back on route. The routes that need a Left U Turn mid way on road if permitted and away from traffic lights, amaze me most, as I always hug right most lane.
2. Advisories. 2 miles to a maneuver, an announcement as well maneuver indicator arrives at the left bottom corner. Same is repeated at 1 mil, 1500 feet to go. right till 30 feet with executive "order" to turn.
3. So one is ready, looking out for the exits.
4. Maneuver Progress Meter. At 600 feet to go, the Left or Right LED starts blinking BLUE, the progress meter stars filling up vertically.
5. Executive Command. At 300 feet to go, LED starts blinking RED (from Blue Color). At 30 fet to go the voice prompts the maneuver. Example "Turn Right". One gets notice at 2 miles, 1 mile, 600 ft, 300 ft, at 30 feet an executive prompt. I can not make an error!
6. Accuracy. Plus Minus 10 meters but amazing. For example as the Progress Meter is showing an approaching Y shaped Exit Right, the execute voice command, filling up of the Maneuver Meter, all synchronized as one just touched the throat of the Y.
7. Voice Prompts. All major roads, turns, bearing right/left, sharp left/right ( if more than 90 degrees are announced at 2 miles to go, which give 2 mins notice to adjust speed, change lanes, start looking out for the exits,
8. Maneuver Pictures. At the same time at left bottom corner the maneuver is shown graphically i.e. 45/90/145/180 turn right/left.
9. Multi Maneuvers. If there are more than maneuvers, they are shown sequence in the left bottom corner.
10. Voice Quality. Crisp and humanly. I call the machine prompts "Natasha's voice". Very good voice compared to other machines,
11. Main Benefit. One can see a route up to 2 miles ahead. All bends, contours, woods, rivers, lakes, exits, bends, minors roads adjacent but not visible to eyes, townships are on the screen. The driver is well orientated. 2 miles notice is very good to plan the maneuver. All this makes driving relaxed, safe. The scale of display changes automatically. When cruising along, no immediate maneuver, I can see map for about 3 miles, all curves, intersections, rail lines, woods, lakes, rivers, exits, Points of interest ( Food, Gas, etc). As the maneuver approaches, the scale expands and after the turn/exit, reverts back to cruise mode.
12. Night View. The mode is good, looks like "Infrared" picture, with loops of exits, highways, and heaps of info that is not visible to eyes.
13. Points of Interests. Yes, well defined, help full for travel, airports, shopping, foods, leisure, and emergency. Detailed sub categories. One can seek them around 1, 3,5,10 miles.
14. Recent Destinations. One enters the address, or selects previously chosen destinations. Stores very large number of destinations. Helps a lot.
15. Go to Home. Hit "Home" to run home.
16. Routes: Mostly match with Google maps, since it has NAVTEQ on board. Where it differs, is still OK.
17. I have not used the MP3 or Video options, because I did not buy it for these.
18. I recommend DUAL Elect 3.5 NavAtlas personal GPS to my friends.

Pleasant Suprise
I got this unit at Sears while shopping for a Garmin. This (seemed) to be an entry level unit compared to the more expensive garmin and magellan choices. One of the salespeople urged me to try it because it was a great value and he had used it before. I expected the unit to be a flop because ive never heard of dual....on the contrary....two 300 mile trips later and i was really impressed. Some of the things i think are great: It redirects you if you change course, the led turn signals on the side blink one color as you get close to the turn, then another color when its time to turn, night mode highlights the route and darkens the background so its easier to see and doesnt shower the interior with bright white light at night so passengers can sleep without being distracted. Nice Voice. Im glad the salesperson was honest, i really like the dual.