New and improved is what can be said about the Motorola MotoNav TN765t. Motorola returned to the drawing board and made substantial changes from prior models that suffered some criticism. The new model is well worth a serious look.
The Motorola MotoNav TN765t doesn’t look like every other GPS device on the market. This personal navigation device (PND) widens the cinematic display screen so the driver can view a wider roadway area. The LCD color wide-screen displays doesn’t hold to the traditional 16:9 aspect ratio of most other wide GPS navigation devices. The MotoNav TN765t’s aspect ratio of 2.39:1 means a larger screen lengthwise. Because the focus is on width rather than height, the unit doesn’t obstruct the view of the highway ahead as much as other 5-inch navigation units.
Many GPS navigation devices use few actual controls on the unit itself, preferring to design the controls on the viewing screen. The MotoNav TN765t chose to go another direction. The frame of the navigation device sports the main controls for the MotoNav TN765t unit. The back of the navigation unit shows two rows with six control keys along the sides of the device. The keys include mute, down and up volume controls on the left side, with in and out zoom keys along with a customizable key to create shortcuts on the right. Volume and zoom controls can be switched at the preference of the owner. The loud speaker is found square in the center on the back of the Motorola MotoNav TN765t GPS.
Moving to the bottom edge of the device frame, the owner finds the reset button, which is safely recessed, a Micro-USB port and a microSD card slot in which a card can be inserted to provide more storage. Along this edge is also found the proprietary multipin connector used to attach the device to the car dock.
Most good GPS devices are packaged with all that is needed to mount the unit in the car. The MotoNav TN765t is no exception. The unit arrives with the 12-volt power cable for connecting the device to the car dock, the Micro-USB cable, a user’s guide translated into multiple languages and a mounting adhesive disc.
Positives: An FM-traffic data receiver is integrated into the whole car mounting set up. Furthermore, the unit’s cradle, unlike most PND systems, draws power from the internal battery. This allows it to be used without always using a 12-volt power connection, meaning owners can pocket the device and take it with them to another vehicle and run it on short drives without bringing along a cord. The price runs in the $124.00 to $149.99 range.
Negatives: The unit has difficulty staying on track in urban areas with a lot of high rise buildings. The device has to be manually refreshed when the MotoExtras data service isn’t on, as sometimes it is not. The MotoNav TN765t integrates a Bluetooth connection Motorola calls MotoExtras, but after a trial period, this service requires a subscription.
The Motorola MotoNav TN765t has a clear, wide screen interface, handles well and a good price point.