Navman iCN 750

Portable navigation systems have come a long way in terms of functionality. They can talk to you, alert you to traffic, and even entertain you. However, the Navman iCN 750 goes where no GPS device has gone before by incorporating a 1.3-megapixel camera into the unit. Designed for more than quick snapshots, the camera allows you to create and save image-based locations, so you can easily get directions the next time you visit the destination. It's a neat feature and works great; plus, it's an accurate navigator overall.

However, it's not without its faults. The Navman is sluggish to perform tasks and is a bit pricey at $800. Still, you won't find another GPS device like this out there right now, and if you like to see the world through images, the Navman iCN 750 is definitely worth a look.

Outfitted in a stylish black-and-charcoal gray color scheme, the Navman iCN 750 will look good inside any car. At 5.4 by 3.0 by 1.2 inches, it's easily transportable for multivehicle use, but it's a bit heavier (10.6 ounces) than other systems we've tested lately, so it's not ideal for use on foot.

The center of attraction is the iCN 750's 4-inch diagonal touch screen. It boasts 480-by-272-pixel resolution, so text and map images are vibrant and sharp. The touch screen is responsive, but we had some difficulties viewing the screen in bright sunlight and noticed it had a tendency to collect a lot of smudges. Luckily, Navman includes a screen shammy as part of the package. To the right of the screen are five shortcut keys: gas (displays gas stations nearest your current location), parking (highlights nearest parking garages), main menu page, go-to menu page, and a button that cycles through the 3D map, 2D map, next turn, and turn-list screens.

While the controls are easy to master, the Navman's interface isn't always intuitive. The main menus are straightforward, but navigating the submenus takes some trial and error. For example, when searching for various points-of-interest (POI), we weren't sure how to scroll through the list; none of the external controls worked, and it was only after a couple of minutes that we noticed the virtual scroll wheel on the right-hand side of the screen. We found the onscreen keyboard to be a little cramped, and we often hit the wrong button. The silver lining is that the system will autopopulate a field with possible addresses or locations after you've entered the first couple of letters of a word.

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