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Aftermarket navigation systems are not cheap, though neither are the nav units that come bundled in your car. Aftermarket units can start in the $500 range but easily skyrocket up to $2,000 depending on how many features you demand. Delphi's consumer electronics division has just announced a new hand held nav system called the NAV200 that packs most of those popular features in a small form factor at an easily digestible price of $349.

The NAV200 is about the size of a PDA (who uses those anymore) and can be controlled via a stylus or your own grubby fingers via a 3.5" touchscreen. Unlike many aftermarket nav systems, you aren't forced to load maps into it via a CD through your computer. Rather, Delphi includes complete maps of the US and Canada from NAVTEQ on a 1.5gb SD card that slots right in. You can also insert an SD card with MP3 files, photos and videos and use the NAV200 as a portable media player, however the battery only lasts 3 hours when not plugged into the cigarette lighter. Still, it could replace an iPod for some.

Other features that the modern nav user demands are also present, like the option for real-time traffic info that the unit can use to reroute your path (available with an adapter antenna and subscription fee). Bluetooth, however, is one missing feature we feel the NAV200 is missing, as pumping cell phone calls through such devices is becoming quite popular, especially in states where you're not allowed to hold a cell phone while driving anymore. But the NAV200 makes a compelling case for itself at $349.

[Source: Delphi]