Nokia's 330 Auto Navigation: their first dedicated GPS device

Ah, there you are sweet, sweet Nokia GPS navigator, official at last. Dubbed the Nokia 330 Auto Navigation by the cats in Espoo, this device marks Nokia's first entry into the dedicated GPS satnav market. It features a 3.5-inch touch-screen with ROUTE 66 Navigate 7 application and European NAVTEQ map data pre-installed on a bundled 2GB memory card of unspecified origins. The 330 is also able to playback unspecified audio and video formats with MP3 and DivX rumored to be in the mix. The press release is so light on specs that we're unable to confirm if it is in fact rockin' SiRFStar III let alone provide any details regarding internal storage, battery capabilities, or whether it includes Bluetooth for hands-free linkup with your cellphone. We do know to expect it to hit Europe sometime in Q4 for an estimated retail price of €360/$458 sans taxes. So yeah, they're looking at you TomTom and Garmin. See the 330 in its car mount after the break.

[etteh @ Oct 30th 2006 6:26AM]

Looks like i can finally get a sub 500 gps, now it it doe scome withthe rumored dvix playback. then Nokia has stolen the show.

[Intrepid @ Oct 30th 2006 7:24AM]

Very cool. Is it just me, or are Microsoft and (mainly) their partners not paying enough attention to Nokia? I mean, Nokia sells a lot of phones, and now that they are doing 'tablets' and 'GPS' - that's got to be a sign that the competition is one the move.

[PEZ @ Oct 30th 2006 9:00AM]

It would defeat the purpose for cellphone to come up with a GPS unless that GPS could somehow connect to one of their cellphones... Im begging BT is in there --- someplace.

[solar @ Oct 30th 2006 9:16AM]

The N80 has a GPS receiver accessory that connects via bluetooth. Instead of having a unit by itself with a screen like the 330, the information is shown on the N80's screen.

Here is the link of accessories from Nokia, the 2nd one is the wireless GPS.

http://www.nokiausa.com/phones/N80/0,7747,acc:1|accCategory:70,00.html

[Gene Schenberg @ Oct 30th 2006 2:45PM]

This is a very sweet device but you can do the same thing with your cellphone or PocketPC. Go to www.66.com and you can add this same software to your cell phone or PocketPC.

[Eli @ Oct 30th 2006 8:49PM]

Unfortunately I see a Route 66 logo on there. Route 66 makes the worst GPS software I've ever had the displeasure to use - its interface is horrible and its maps are inaccurate.

Tomtom, though ridiculously expensive, it the best thing I've ever used, and although I have no doubt that Nokia can compete based on their name, in the long run I doubt this will pan out.

[Eli @ Oct 30th 2006 8:49PM]

Also if you want a GPS unit like this without the stupid price, go buy a 2-3 year old PDA for $150, a wired or unwired GPS for $50-100, and get the software...ahem...second-hand from somewhere.

[micah @ Oct 31st 2006 4:57AM]

Nice try. Actually 360 Euro is not $458 as you so carelessly clamed. It is rather $456.7496, this is of course assuming the Oct 31 exchange rate of 1.2687. Do better research next time.

[Thomas Ricker @ Oct 31st 2006 7:10AM]

AHahahahhahah, thanks for that micah, made my morn.

Thomas

[Serge @ Jan 11th 2007 5:48PM]

Sorery guys, this post will probably be removed.
Nokia 330 is a crap !!!!
It's the most buggy GPS device I ever seen. First of all, it exposes USB identier 0xFFFF with name 'DEBUG PLEASE CHANGE FOR RELEASE' (attach it to the pc, and look at driver description of the device in device manager). Only for that if I was Nokia CEO I would brutally kill the manager who approwed this product with my hands. It also identified it self 'Nokia phone' to the PC. Nokia really lost a lot of image in my eyes (actually it never had too much trust anyway)
Whole device feels like they assembled it from completely different parts in the garage (I know they bough some company that does those GPS, so they definately have that garage standing somewhere). It does not want to remember the settings, it does not play videos behalve crappy M$ WMV (and you also have to find that WMV that is playble) and for such amount of money, they evben do not provide 220V charger !!!!! Common, it costs $5 for the company, but not, that probably will sell it for EUR40 in shops. I think it's a robbery. If someone buys this, he is either completely stupid or the salesman is the best from all :)

[noor @ May 12th 2007 7:03AM]

noor

[gsmfaker @ Jun 24th 2007 7:03AM]

Someone please tel me the name and the location on sd card of the route66 executable...i really need this, i lost my sd card and i don't have the backup dvd.

[angelo @ Aug 16th 2007 7:31PM]

I bought the Nokia 330 with Route 66 Navigate 7. I would like to purchase North American maps? Any advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Henning Frisak @ Aug 17th 2007 1:09AM]

Bought Nokia 330 Auto Navigation in July 2007. Experience that software Route66 is all but updated. Route66 offer updates to most device but Nokia (!?). Should have been a warning if software cannot be updated.

[AGA GAFFAR @ Nov 1st 2007 8:58AM]

Why is Nokia 6300 is getting so hot. Even the Nokia agent is unable to provide solution.

AGA Gaffar
Sri Lanka