New Mio C710 and Mio C310

Mio has been releasing GPS devices all last year with lots of interest, and now they have announced two more devices. The Mio C710 is a high end device with Bluetooth connectivity, media player functionality for photo and video playback, and if you are lucky enough to be in a traffic feed served market - you get to use the lifetime live traffic feed service. The Mio C310 lacks the Bluetooth and the traffic feeds.

See our Review of the Mio C310 - Read Review

The Mio C710:
The C710 is a GPS device with loaded functionality -- the personal navigator is designed to be mounted in a car and easily transported to another vehicle or wherever you need it. It features a large 3.5" screen for easy readability and has the ability to play MP3 files as you navigate. The C710 offers high-end features like wireless Bluetooth connectivity and embedded, lifetime traffic monitoring functionality. The Bluetooth connectivity allows users to easily link the device with their Bluetooth-enabled peripherals, computers or cell phones. Traffic monitoring embedded in the device allows you to easily navigate around or avoid traffic problems. The C710 is adept at helping users avoid problems like road construction zones and toll roads. The device features a fully functional media player allowing users to view photos and play video files.

It has a robust 2 GB of flash ROM and comes preloaded with maps of both the US and Canada. The C710 features an integrated text-to- speech function, so that in navigation mode users are able to hear specific street and road names while they are being guided. The device includes an SD/MMC reader for flexible memory options. Requiring no setup fee or a monthly charge, the Mio C710 is a perfect after market alternative to today's expensive built-in automotive GPS systems or the reoccurring costs of cell phone systems. The device comes preloaded with millions of points of interests (POIs) allowing users to easily navigate to everything from restaurants to police stations to theme parks. Powered by a 300 MHz CPU, in a stylish black chassis, the unit provides both visual and verbal directions to the user's destination using an extra-sensitive GPS receiver and maps stored on the device's internal memory. By simply selecting programmable locations such as the office, home or customer, the user can get directions to any destination by touching a screen. Continuing on its promise for ease of use, users' play lists and songs can be quickly loaded via the USB port.

Mio C310:
The Mio C310 has a bold white chassis and features nearly all the functionality of the Mio C710, with the exception of the BlueTooth wireless and embedded traffic monitoring. The C310 comes in either a US or Canadian version and is loaded with the appropriate US or Canadian maps and 1 GB or 512 MB of flash ROM, respectively. An optional external traffic monitoring package is available. Features common to both the C310 and C710 include a fully integrated SiRFstarIII(TM) 20 channel GPS antenna, rechargeable lithium ion battery that allows up to 4.5 hours of untethered operation on a single charge, 64 MB SDRAM, touch screen keyboard, built-in 1" loudspeaker, headphone jack, and mounting hardware for automobiles. Both devices feature a compact size -- 5 1/2" long, 3" wide and 1" thick -- allowing them to fit into the user's pocket. They weigh just six ounces. Included accessories are earphones for the MP3 player, car mounting kit, universal AC and car adapters with changeable plugs and USB cable.
Whether on foot, in a car or on a bicycle, getting around in unfamiliar areas or finding alternative routes due to changing circumstances or conditions couldn't be easier. The user simply selects the town, road and address, and the C310 & C710 do the rest. They can also be used to plan longer trips with multiple stops in advance. Maps are displayed in landscape view on the 3.5" TFT touch screen LCD and in 2D or 3D. In the 3D view, users have a better grasp of what lies ahead, including landmarks, road conditions and POIs compared to a 2-dimensional map. If the user misses a turn, exit or cannot make a transition in time, the device automatically recalculates the route and delivers new directions in real-time. A pretty standard feature on most car GPS units.

The MSRP for the Mio C710 is $899 and the Mio C310 is $599. In the United States and Canada, the Mio devices will be available during Q1 2006.

Shop them versus the Garmin Nuvi 350, which is a premium price versus the Mio C310. The Nuvi 350 is selling at a blowout price versus where it lists ($900), as it appears they are making room to bring in the new Garmin Nuvi 360.

January 5, 2006

New Mio C710 and Mio C310