When connected to USB, Sony offers a downloadable NAV-U tool that allows for backing up and updating map and voice data, as well as editing destinations stored in the address book, but it's nowhere near as robust as the software that comes with the Tom Tom devices. The process is as slow as cold molasses, so if you plan on using it, set aside about half an hour for the initial backup.
As mentioned earlier, the Applications menu features a button for Traffic Information, but the feature is not active on the device. Because the traffic antenna doesn't reside in the device, Navteq TMC traffic can be added with the purchase of an upgraded mounting bracket (similar to the one used on the NV-U94T) and a subscription to the Navteq traffic service. The mounting bracket costs $69, making the prospect of adding traffic to the NV-U84 more expensive than just buying the NV-U94T for $50 more.
Performance
The NV-U84 includes a feature called Position Plus, which uses accelerometers and a barometer to enhance the GPS system's accuracy in tracking vehicle location. Even if the satellite signal is completely lost, as in the case of driving through a long tunnel, the device can continue to track the vehicle's position and speed. When the system is using Position Plus, the position arrow on the map turns orange, notifying the user that they're operating without satellite assistance.
Satellite acquisition was quick, taking about 5 minutes for the first start with a clear view of the sky and less than a minute for subsequent starts. Once a destination is chosen, the NV-U84 very quickly routes the journey and does a good job of maintaining satellite contact, even amidst the tall buildings of downtown San Francisco.
The destination entry screen features a large QWERTY virtual keypad with big, easy-to-hit buttons. Sony has added an autocomplete function that pops up suggestions for street and city names to this generation of its GPS devices. The auto-complete function is a bit jumpy, popping over to a completely different screen to display results without warning. This screen change can be jarring when you're trying to quickly enter an address and the letter you were reaching for suddenly becomes the wrong street name. The system actually slowed down the destination entry, as we became more cautious of the search's erratic nature. It would be better if the autocomplete occurred within the search bar instead of on a new screen.
The POI database features brand icons for well-known brands like Quiznos Sub shops or Shell gas stations, which can be displayed on the map for easy location. If that's too cluttered for your liking, then the icons for some or all of the POIs can be turned off in a menu.
Text-to-speech functionality reads aloud street names, aiding in keeping eyes on the road when looking for a turn. If a turn is missed, the NV-U84 very quickly reroutes, but it can take it a few moments to realize that the turn has been missed. At times we were able to get as far as a full city block off course before the device started recalculating. We'd think that the Position Plus feature would help to reduce this lag. The recalculation process itself usually only takes a few seconds.
In sum
The NV-U84's price puts the $349 device in interesting company. For the same amount of money, you could have the Garmin Nuvi 265WT, which includes free lifetime traffic and hands-free Bluetooth. Faced with this sort of competition, the only compelling reason to choose the Sony is its slightly larger screen. Unless you have some sort of hard-core aversion to Bluetooth and traffic info, you'll have to step up to the NV-U94T or down to the NV-U74T to get a good value for your dollar in the Sony lineup.
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