Autonavigator Becker Z100 (PND) review

Becker Z100 - specially for travelers

Description Becker Z100.

Automobile navigator Becker Z 100 Crocodile is developed specially for travelers. This device has the 4,3-inch touch screen without patches of light. There is such function, as 3D city and 3D district. A plenty of additional functions: games, the world hours and many other things. It admires with the opportunities drivers of automobiles, motorcycles, lorries. Appearance of this device reminds a skin of the crocodile. With such beautiful device you will be always ready to any adventures. Open for itself the charming display of device Becker Z100 with the image 3D city.

Parameters of the device

"Heart" - the processor: architecture CISC, 400 MHz, as at the advanced devices of the last year. The processor suffices and on the decision of tasks of navigation, and on voice support on a route, and at a leisure and on reproduction of audio or video-films. Moreover, it suffices on formation of a qualitative picture with record for navigator’s amount of colors.

"Ears" - GPS-unit: the receiver with 20-channel chipset SIRF Star III. An optimum choice for present conditions. For successful navigation it is enough to receive a signal from four satellites. But if there is a choice, and above a head of them it is more, the chipset chooses those from them which send the best signal. But above one point of the ground to see 20 satellites it is simultaneously impossible. 20 channels mean enough.

« Speech » - loudspeaker: monophonic loudspeaker capacity 2 Wt, is on a back wall of the navigator. The sound very good, will be audible even if to hold a window of the automobile open. It is difficult to tell, there is enough of it for a motorcycle, whether or not.

« Sight » - the screen: the touch TFT-display with a diagonal 4,3 “ (109 mm). On the bright sun it gleams - "glare" a little, but brightness suffices to read the information on the screen. And 16 777 216 - very good result - to find the person, capable to distinguish more colors it is impossible. But the part of resources of the processor should be spent for formation of a qualitative picture. And the navigator adequately with it consults.

"Endurance" - accumulators: the capacity of accumulators on a site of the manufacturer is not specified, and in the description to be spoken only about how them correctly to utilize. In the documentation to be spoken about no more than four hours. Really without external additional charging the device continuous work has sufficed at 2.5 o'clock. However, the manufacturer has not deceived - 2.5 really no more than 4.

« The musculoskeletal system » - an arm: the Arm not massive, but strong. The special mechanism of fastening to "little table" has three contacts and a latch for reliable fixing the navigator. On an arm there is a socket mini-USB for connection of an external power from cigarette lighter so enough to take off Becker Z100 from a fixing table to take away with itself. It is not necessary to potter with cords. The fixture is so convenient, that with it to consult even the child, any efforts, all extremely is thought over and is ergonomic.

Into the complete set of delivery enters:

• navigator Becker Z100;
• the instruction with the detailed description of the device;
• a disk with the description and the program for data exchange with the navigator;
• TMC - the aerial;
• an arm for fastening the device in interior of the automobile;
• charger device from cigarette lighter;
• charger the device from a network 220;
• interface wire USB - mini-USB


Appearance
“ Becker Z100 Crocodile was created for adventures ”.
The manufacturer has chosen such slogan for this unusual device. Firstly it seems, that registration as Crocodile skin is only a marketing course. Actually the original environment is intended for protection of the device against external influences - waters, a moisture and a dust and small impacts. And though to immerse in water or to drop from the big height Becker Z100 categorically it is not recommended, to get to drops of a rain inside of the device not so easy. All sockets have demountable protective cowls.

The screen occupies the basic part of a face-to-face surface. It is size is 4,3 inches. Small red "firm" button with a trade mark of the company has settled down at the left below from it. It is used for device power control, and at the active device short-term pressing on it returns you to the previous menu.

There are reset button on the top part of the navigator, in a small deepening (you can use it in case of the Becker Z100 will hang).

There are nothing at the left sight of the device at a first sight. But socket for micro-SD, an audio-socket and the interface socket mini-USB are under the plastic cover. protective overlay protects all this from casual hit of a moisture and a dust. The navigator automatically passes to a mode of USB-connection and is perceived by a computer as the external source of memory at connection of the interface cord through mini-USB a socket to a personal computer. It is impossible to use any programs of the device in this mode until connection will not be broken off.

Copper contacts are located under three deepenings at the bottom and they are used for fixing the device on an arm in the automobile and for accumulator charging in case of connection to cigarette lighter. TMC-DATA (Traffic Message Channel) loaded to the device throw this contacts also.

On a back cover under which there are accumulators, apertures powerful dynamics (2w) and the socket protected by an overlay for external aerial have settled down. Such aerial allows to improve reception of a GPS-signal in a case if glasses of the automobile are with special a covering. It is delivered as an option. But TMC-aerial included to the complete set.

The arm is made very conveniently and stylishly and does not spoil with itself interior of the automobile. all reminds that here is established Becker even at the removed navigator. Despite of the small sizes, it reliably holds heavy enough device on weight. It is not necessary to speak about what either jolting or inconvenience of adjustments. This is very easy to install or remove navigator to the arm.

Mini-USB socket is present on the arm through which charging Becker Z100 from the automobile. There is an audio-socket of 3.5 mm through which to an arm bring TMC-antenna in the same place.

Program environment and the navigating program.
To turn on the navigator, it is necessary to press some seconds the red button to the left of the screen. Short click will be distributed and the screen with the offer to observe a rule of traffic will appear.

The basic menu contains six buttons, the choice of the necessary mode is easily carried out by a finger even in a glove.

Options in Becker Z100 are divided into two groups - options of the navigation and system options.

Navigating options are options of the navigating program - how to show the information on a terminal point, the information on lanes, indexes, 2D-or a 3D-kind of a map, etc.,

If you decide to go back to previous level menu, it is necessary to take advantage of the red button, but not on the screen as it is made in traditional navigators, and on the case of the device.

On the device which screen is capable to reproduce 16777216 colors, viewing of photos becomes not such and useless employment. Certainly the sanction 480x272 pixels will not allow to make out fine details, but the color scale will be transferred in full. It is interesting, that before viewing of photos, Becker Z100 politely reminds, what to use this function at movement dangerously.

The picture album allows to look through photos separately, or to arrange slide-show from photos in formats JPEG and BMP.

Films concern to function which Becker Z100 does not recommend using at driving also. Viewing of film on the screen of the navigator on distance of the extended hand is similar to viewing of film on the screen of plasma in an apartment. Only that there were no twitching, the staff of film in formats OGG or MP4, it is better to adjust before viewing towards the size 480x272. Film goes in full screen mode - pleasant care of the spectator to which should look it on the small display.

At reproduction of music at MP3 there is a button allowing quickly passing to navigation

Set of additional programs which can be caused, having chosen the button of basic menu "more". Includes even the engineering calculator, hours, and even the special assistant to the traveler. It is a special set of small programs and directories which will allow to quickly transfer foots to meters, to find out a telephone code of one of 180 states, to receive the information on features of high-speed modes on roads of 45 countries, to understand features of the sizes of various kinds of clothes and footwear. In general it is the valuable directory for any traveler.

There are three main buttons on top of the device for navigating. At a choice of command "show map" the navigator switches for a mode of display of a map.

At formation of a route it is possible to choose one of four variants, the fastest for example. In city on a map the information on lanes, indexes of turn, and another useful is deduced at movement on roads the information.

The window for a choice of a terminal point of a route is conveniently made also. There is enough only two pressing of commands to choose road to the house. The buffer for last routes, will be convenient in case the navigator was necessary to switch off, and then to include and continue movement to the chosen point of a route. In the buffer of routes it will be at once under the button with the Home address.

Becker Z100 opportunities are extensive. All is mounting in the uniform integrated complex, programs are interconnected and made out in uniform firm style.