New MobileNavigator Version Turns Android Tablets and Smartphones into Navigation Devices; Helps Drivers to Overcome Unexpected Road Challenges

HAMBURG, Germany — (BUSINESS WIRE) — May 13, 2011 — NAVIGON AG, a leading provider of mobile phone on-board navigation, today announced a major free update for its Android navigation app, MobileNavigator. The app is now compatible with Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), turning smartphones and tablets into premium navigation devices comparable to standalone units. The latest version has several new features designed to help drivers throughout their entire trip, such as live weather information and a new function which can assist in finding parking spaces at the upcoming destination. In addition to its existing USA version, NAVIGON also launches a North America version, which contains maps for both the U.S. and Canada, in conjunction with this update. MobileNavigator on the Android platform is the most feature-rich Android navigation app available and boasts premium functions such as on-board NAVTEQ^® maps, Traffic Live, Lane Assistant, among others.

NAVIGON MobileNavigator is now compatible with Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), turning smartphones and tablets into premium navigation devices comparable to standalone units. (Graphic: Business Wire)

“Drivers face a number of unexpected challenges when they take to the road, such as knowing what points of interest are near the destination, dealing with inclement weather or finding a place to park in an unfamiliar location,” said Gerhard Mayr, NAVIGON vice-president worldwide mobile phones business. “The newest version of MobileNavigator Android includes several new navigation features that help minimize these challenges for drivers and makes getting to their destination more enjoyable than ever before.”

These new features include:

• Android Tablet Support: MobileNavigator now supports tablets running Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), turning them into premium navigation devices comparable to standalone units. The app is optimized to the higher display resolution of many popular tablets, providing clear and crisp map views.
• Clever Parking: This feature takes the guesswork out of finding a parking space, so drivers can spend less time looking for parking and more time enjoying their destination. When approaching a destination, a “P” icon appears in the app’s map view. Drivers can tap this icon to see a list of available nearby parking options, complete with distance information, determining where to park before arriving at the location.
• Weather Live: MobileNavigator’s Weather Live feature displays real-time weather updates—including temperature and weather conditions. Having this information immediately available helps drivers anticipate any weather conditions, such as rain or snow, and better prepare for weather conditions at the destination. Drivers can also access a three-day forecast using a tap of the finger.
• Destination Information Screen: Using this feature, drivers can easily see a summary of important destination information, which can help with easy decision making on-the-go on where to eat, stay, purchase gas or shop before arriving at their destination. This display can also provide parking and weather information. Since it is customizable, drivers can select only the details they want to see and disregard irrelevant information.
• Route Planning: The new route-planning feature allows to plan out a trip ahead of time. Users can enter up to 50 destinations for a route and save routes for later use.

MobileNavigator 3.6 also includes enhancements such as manual map zoom, which allows drivers to zoom in and out of maps using a two-finger pinch; display of street names in 3D mode; App2SD, which allows users to store approx. 50 percent of the app’s memory to an SD card, saving device memory and freeing up space for more apps; Auto-off GPS, which turns off the GPS feature when the app is running in the background, saving power and battery life; and a direct web link to NAVIGON’s Android FAQ site so drivers can quickly find answers to common questions.

MobileNavigator transforms Android devices into a comprehensive navigation device, comparable to standalone units. The app helps drivers to arrive stress-free and on time with spoken directions and a unique combination of advanced driving guidance. MobileNavigator relies on the devices’ GPS receiver as well as the pre-loaded NAVTEQ^® maps, providing full function navigation capabilities when a cell signal is not available. Off-board navigation, in comparison, is dependent on a cell phone connection to download map and routing data. Therefore, no cell signal renders navigation useless or interrupted until a connection is re-established. Additional features include lane assistance, traffic rerouting, parking options, safety camera alerts, weather information and much more.

Pricing and Availability
MobileNavigator USA is available in the Android Market. The prices below include a Traffic Live service and high quality maps of leading provider NAVTEQ®. The latest update is available free for existing MobileNavigator Android users. NAVIGON’s Android applications are *$20 off until May 26, 2011.