Sat-nav’s tourist guide

the latest navigation unit from Geosat not only tells you how to get to your destination, but will give you the weather forecast and list the best places to eat when you’re there, too.

When hooked up to the Internet, the new 6 TV can also let you know the local petrol prices, point you to free parking and list what’s going on in the area. The unit has mapping for 34 European countries, text-to-speech announcements and advanced route planning.

A 4.8-inch touchscreen shows the route in 2D or 3D, and in portrait or landscape modes. There’s also a serial port to allow the use of a Traffic Message Channel feature, plus quick commands for ‘drive me home’ or ‘where am I’. The unit incorporates MP3 and video players, while a digital tuner lets passengers watch the latest TV shows. It also has a built-in tri-band GSM phone, so you can chat on the move.

The metal case is said to offer better GPS reception than a standard aerial, and while the battery gives four hours’ use, the magnetic holder powers the unit direct from the 12V socket.