TeleNav Shotgun Review (GPSmagazine.com)

Verdict: Has Some Neat Business Traveler Friendly Features, But Falls Short On Basic GPS Functionality and Ease of Use. Costly Subscription Fees.

TeleNav is already an established leader in cell phone based GPS navigation software, and now the company is releasing its first standalone GPS, the Shotgun. Aimed squarely at business travelers, the Shotgun offers up Internet-connected features aimed at making life on the road a little less rough.

The Shotgun delivers some features sure to please those whose travels usually end with an expense report. But the device's relatively expensive subscription costs, and lackluster basic GPS navigation performance might leave buyer's questioning the Shotgun's overall value, and opting for a non-connected GPS instead.

1. Features

TeleNav's Shotgun GPS can connect to the Internet, providing some unique functionality not found on most other GPS devices. Namely:

Internet-connected Search - In addition to the massive preloaded POI database that contains 11 million entries, the Shotgun can search an almost unlimited database of businesses online
Online Preplanning - lets you send addresses from the Web to the GPS
Real-Time Traffic Alerts & One-Touch Rerouting - Traffic updates, which include both incident and flow information, are downloaded every five minutes via the network
Fuel Finder - View prices at the pump, and sort by price to find the cheapest gas
Map updates delivered over-the-air to the GPS
Restaurant Reviews
Mileage Capture - record the miles you drive for easy expense reimbursement

TeleNav also reports that the following feature updates are under development and will be added to the connected service:

Address Sharing - Share addresses or your current location with friends
Weather
Commute Alerts - Receive alerts about traffic conditions on your daily commute

2. Technical Specifications

Feature	Description
Dimensions	4.9L x 3.1W x 0.75H inches 12.5L x 8W x 1.9H cm
Weight	0.27 pounds (124 grams)
Screen Size	4.3in (10.9cm) diagonal, 16:9 aspect ratio
Display Resolution	480 x 272 pixels
Display Type	TFT LCD touch screen
Speaker	Built-in, high-quality speaker, 1 W
Headphone	3.5mm jack
Battery Life	Up to 2.5 hours of normal use (5 days in suspend mode)
Battery Type	Rechargeable lithium-ion
GPS Chip	Atlas III
Network Access	TeleNav Connected Service uses cellular (GPRS)
Car Charger	12v car charger Input: DC +12V Output: +5V, 3A, via USB
Wall Charger	AC wall charger Input: AC 110~240V DC +5V, 3A via USB
LED Indicators	Red LED indicates that device is charging Green LED indicates that device is fully-charged Blue LED indicates device is using TeleNav Connected Service

3. What's in the Box / Unboxing

Figure 1: TeleNav Shotgun Retail Box

Figure 2: What's Included

The TeleNav Shotgun ships with the following items included in the box:

TeleNav Shotgun GPS Unit
Car Charger
USB Cable
Wall Charger
Mounting Bracket
Suction Cup Windshield Mount

Figure 3: TeleNav Shotgun, Front

TeleNav's Shotgun sports a basic, minimalist hardware design that looks similar to Garmin's newer nüvi models. The black plastic case is coated with a rubber-like material that's easy to grip and doesn't pickup fingerprints too easily.

Except for the power button on the top of the Shotgun (and a reset button on the rear), there are no physical controls on the GPS. All functions are performed via the 4.3-inch color touchscreen display.

The 4.3-inch display is the same resolution as similar sized GPS units from Garmin, TomTom, or Magellan (480 x 272 pixels).

Figure 4: TeleNav Shotgun, Rear

A reset button is located on the rear of the device. The reset button can be used in case the Shotgun crashes, or becomes unresponsive.

Figure 5: TeleNav Shotgun, Top

The power button is located on the top of the Shotgun.

Figure 6: TeleNav Shotgun, Left Side

A standard 3.5" headphone jack and USB/charging port are located on the left side of the GPS.

Figure 7: SIM Card Slot

A SIM card slot and microSD memory card slot are located on the right side of the GPS. Both slots are protected by a plastic flap. The SIM card comes installed in the unit, and provides Internet connectivity for the Shotgun's connected services.

Note that the Shotgun includes 3-months of service for free, after which you can either continue using the Shotgun as a standalone GPS, or sign up with TeleNav for a service plan.

You cannot use your own SIM card, such as a SIM card from a cell phone.

Figure 8: microSD Memory Card Slot

Maps of the 50 U.S. States, Canada, and Puerto Rico are pre-installed on a 4 GB microSD memory card.

Figure 9: microSD Card, Removed

Figure 10: Suction Cup Windshield Mount

The windshield mount consist of two pieces: the suction cup, shown above, and the mounting bracket, shown below.

Figure 11: Mounting Bracket

Figure 12: Windshield Mount with Mounting Bracket Attached

The mounting bracket snaps onto the tip of the suction cup, forming a quick-release dock for the GPS.

GPS Docket in the Windshield Mount
Figure 13: GPS Docked in the Windshield Mount

Once assembled, the windshield mount has three controls:

Release tab - this tab holds the GPS in place. Push this tab to release the GPS from the mounting bracket.
Tightening Knob - Turning this wheel loosens or tightens the windshield mount's arm, allow you to move the GPS into the desired viewing angle.
Locking Lever - Push this lever towards the windshield glass to secure the suction cup to the glass. Open the lever to remove the mount from the glass.

Figure 14: GPS Docked in the Windshield Mount