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March 17, 2009 2:28 PM PDT

Alpine PND-K3msn hits the road with MSN Direct

by Bonnie Cha
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Alpine PND-K3msn

(Credit: Alpine Electronics)

On Tuesday, Alpine Electronics announced that it is now shipping its latest in-car GPS, the Alpine PND-K3msn. The device offers a lot of the same navigation features as the Alpine PND-K3, including text-to-speech functionality, integrated Bluetooth, and highway junction view. The main difference between the two models is the addition of MSN Direct services.

MSN Direct brings real-time information to the PND-K3msn, such as real-time traffic, weather forecasts, gas prices, and movie times. There's also a "Send to GPS" feature that lets you find addresses and businesses from your PC on Live Search maps and then send them wirelessly to your GPS.

With the purchase of the PND-K3msn ($299.95), you get a three-month complimentary subscription to the MSN Direct services, but after that you will have to pay $49.95 per year or a one-time fee of $129.95. Also, be sure to check out the coverage map to make sure you can get the services in your area.

February 25, 2009 11:16 AM PST

Alpine slashes price on its PND-K3 GPS

by Bonnie Cha
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Alpine PND-K3 (Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

Perhaps seeing the error of its ways or facing slow sales, Alpine Electronics announced on Wednesday that it has reduced the price of its Alpine PND-K3 GPS from $349.95 to $199.95.

"When we first introduced the PND-K3, the pricing was competitive for the market and for the device's robust feature offering. As the marketplace has changed in the last few months, we are adjusting the price to meet consumer demand for a full-featured product at a better value," said Stephen Witt, vice president of marketing.

Frankly, we thought the price of the PND-K3 was too high from the get-go, but either way, we're glad to see the price drop. The portable navigation device includes features such as text-to-speech functionality, advanced lane guidance, and integrated Bluetooth. You can find out all the details in our full review of the Alpine PND-K3.

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About Miss Direction

Bonnie Cha is a senior editor at CNET.com, covering PDAs, smart phones, and GPS. Though she didn't grow up in an era where GPS was widely used or readily available, she really wishes she had. Perhaps then she wouldn't have gone through the horrifying experience of her dad putting the car in reverse on busy I-95 just to make the exit for Disney World. In Miss Direction, Cha answers your questions about GPS, discusses the latest industry news and trends, and shares her tales from the road.

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