Hasta La Gadget!

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

From pitch pipes to voice recorders, the list of standalone devices that an unadorned smartphone can substitute for runs long. But the portable electronics products that smartphones have had the most impact on have been digital cameras / camcorders, portable media players and portable navigation devices (PNDs, although the Europeans did a better naming job with “sat navs”).

The future of PNDs looked rosier in the days when cellphone navigation services required a monthly fee. Google Navigation changed all that and much of the market was relegated to sub-$100, Black Friday-bought glove compartment hermits. But even as they’ve released smartphone navigation apps, companies such as Garmin and Magellan keep plugging away at the PND, trying to differentiate from the smartphone apps while cooperating with them.

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS

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[CES 2013] Garmin has just announced their 2013 nüvi range of Personal Navigation Devices at CES 2013, and you would be spoiled for choice for sure. Granted, most of us rely on the GPS chipset in our smartphones and tablets these days to get around, so is there still room for a dedicated personal navigation device for the year 2013? Read on to find out.

Garmin’s latest range of PNDs are said to make navigation easier than ever before, especially when it comes to following directions and staying on route without getting lost. Garmin Real Directions will not rely on street names alone, but rather, will guide drivers similar to how a buddy would tell them to turn at recognizable landmarks, and these are aplenty such as buildings, stop signs and traffic lights. In order to make sure that you are on the right lane before making that turn, the new Active Lane Guidance features voice prompts and a visual lane animated indicator. Not only that, Garmin hopes to help you save time with the real-time traffic function that delivers information on traffic incidents by voice. All 2013 nüvi models with voice command will let you speak a response to select a faster route.

The high end Garmin nüvi 3597 LMTHD even comes with a new powered magnetic mount to make it a snap to hook the device and ensure it is all juiced up for the trip ahead. Thanks to its elegant styling and ultra-slim profile, the nüvi 3597 LMTHD ought to find a welcome place in any ride. A five-inch multi-touch glass screen display encased in a brushed-metal housing adds to the overall look of elegance, and you will benefit from lifetime map updates, Garmin’s most advanced traffic service called HD Digital Traffic, 3D buildings and terrain and voice command.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: INRIX Parking app helps you locate parking spots, Garmin Oregon shoots photographs and keeps you on the path,