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Paraphenalia
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MapmyIndia,
would you please? |
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You can land at any airport in most parts of the developed world, and be completely mobile and independent in a matter of minutes. You simply need to rent a car with a built-in GPS navigation system. Following this, you just key in where you want to go and you’re on your way – it’s like having your own tour guide all the time.
Since cars in India, thus far, haven’t been equipped with navigation systems, it’s a little more complicated on our shores. MapmyIndia, however, claim to have the perfect solution. They sell a range of handheld navigation devices that cover over 200 cities in India. The Delphi NAV200, which is the device we tested, is a very easy to use navigation device that comes with a car mount, which is equally easy to install and uninstall – so you can take the device from car to car if need be. It’s even small enough to conceivably keep in your pocket.
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The MapmyIndia device and software are very much like navigation systems you’d find elsewhere in the world. The maps themselves are good quality, as are the voice directions (you can choose the type of accent you prefer). On occasion, however, the actual directions themselves were a little skewed. For instance, I was able to find the Gymkhana Club in Delhi as a point of interest (POI), and map to that location. But the device insisted that I continue past the club to the next roundabout. You can’t really blame it however – after all, it’s hard enough for humans to fathom the fuzzy logic that defines our city streets, so you can excuse an electronic device for faltering on occasion. On the whole, though, the directions were largely accurate. On some occasions, I would choose a different route to the one suggested, but the map would always recalculate automatically. It also has a simulation option that allows you to go through the route beforehand, which is useful.
The one major drawback at the moment is that you can’t key in specific addresses. You can put in the name of the colony or industrial estate but not the specific street address. The map does, however, have a repository of 450,000 points of interest (such as petrol pumps, ATMs, hotels, hospitals, clubs, etc.) from across the country. So you could inquire about which landmarks are closest to where you want to go, and map to the nearest one. It’s not ideal however, and the company aims to have the facility to key in specific addresses during the first quarter of next year. All you have to do, once the maps are updated, is download them onto your device through the web.. |
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As it stands, the MapmyIndia device is very useful if you travel a lot by road. It’s also very useful if you’re in a new city, and are unfamiliar with the routes – or, for that matter, if you’re just bad with directions. Plus, the Delphi device may have just 32MB of internal memory, but it does have an additional SD card slot. You could buy a 2GB card, which would allow you to load music and movies on the device, and thereafter switch between entertainment and maps on a long drive. The device is also Bluetooth enabled. We got the Delphi NAV200 from one of the leading MapmyIndia distributors and resellers. They claim they’ll pick up the device within 24 hours to get it repaired if something goes wrong. Plus, their associates will even spend time with your driver in an effort to teach him how to use the device if need be. So, customer service and support shouldn’t be an issue. |
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Recently, Nokia have begun offering maps on their mobiles. So you could say that don’t really need a dedicated navigation device, but there are some key differences. For instance, the MapmyIndia device provides voice activated directions. Plus, what happens if you need to talk on the phone and navigate at the same time. Also, a cell phone signal is a lot more unreliable than a GPS one.
MapmyIndia have taken a bold step in the Indian market. There is room for improvement however – both with the interface, which could be easier to operate, as well as the maps. But it’s a great start nonetheless. The maps will certainly become more functional and accurate with time, which you can take advantage of since updates can be downloaded on your device at no additional cost. Early adopters of new technology should jump at this opportunity. Navigation devices are definitely something that will become mainstream in India over time. Mapmyindia should be applauded for taking the first real step in attempting to fulfill, what in the West at least, is a fairly basic need.
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Device:
Cost:
Contact:
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MapmyIndia Navigator
Delphi NAV200
Rs. 20,990/-
Mega Enterprises
C-422, Sector-10
Noida - 201301
0120-4357622, 9811924000
info@mega-group.in |
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