Clarion, a manufacturer of consumer electronics for use in automobiles, recently unveiled a new navigation device in the Japanese market that is designed for motorcycle riders.

 

The DrivTrax P-5 combines guidance technology with an intuitive user interface. It uses a comprehensive databases to provide in-vehicle navigation functionality. The database contains roughly 11 million searchable addresses, eight million phone numbers and 39,462 intersection lane and route signboard locations.

 

Clarion used its patented in-vehicle technology for DTR P-5 in order to blend mobility (small form factor) with both music and information delivery. An SD card interface lets users connect their MP3/WMA music players and photo viewing devices while keeping the USB port free for other uses.

 

Built into the DTR P-5 is a 4.3-inch touch-screen panel for accessing Microsoft (News - Alert) Windows CE 5.0 OS features. The device supports up to 2 gigabytes of flash memory. Voice guidance is available in addition to visual display of navigation info.

 

DTR P-5 operates for about 4.5 hours on a single charge of its lithium-ion battery, and can be recharged using either an AC adapter or USB cable. The device weighs 198g and has a very small form factor—32mmX90.5mmX22mm. This makes it small enough to be carried in a pocket or handbag.

Rahul Prabhakar is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To see more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.