New GPS from Alpine

[tcfjr]

Today's Gizmodo reports the release of a new GPS unit from Alpine:

Alpine Electronics knows how to make a classy-looking product. With all the other portable GPS units looking kind of clunky and not easy on the eyes, the Blackbird PMD-B100 is sleek and runs on the Windows CE platform, has an integrated traffic receiver and comes with NAVTEQ map coverage for the US and Canada. It can be carried around from car to car or connect to a wired docking station, to be controlled through one of Alpine’s touchscreen-based AV head units. But what I love about this product is its other multimedia qualities, including a built-in SD/MMC slot, USB 2.0, an embedded Windows Media Player and 256MB of flash memory for listening to MP3 or WMA files. Retails for $750.
Alpine Blackbird GPS Press Release

The unit has a 4gb hard drive for map storage.

 

[Groo]

But is it waterproof?

 

[brazos parker]

I thought hard drives and motorcycles were incompatible...right or wrong?

 

[04FJR4ME]

Some information posted by Alpine is incorrect!

The Alpine blackbird is not water proof! It comes with a 4 GB HDD and it does not have text to speech.

It is using the Centerality 16 channel GPS receiver.

The unit offers turn by turn audio and visual directions but you cannot command it by voice like the hard install Alpine NVE 872A.

I comes with only 6M POI, they increased it from 2M to 6M due to complaint about not having POI info. I know Alpine post only 2M POI, but it will be 6M like most other protable GPS system. The installed NVE 872A version comes with 9M POI's and the Zaget guide.

The unit looks nice and I think it should be a good unit for over all use.

The nice thing about this unit that you can use it in your car with a larger display with a special cradle.

It comes with RDS TMC traffic reciever and FM modulator for you to use with your factory car speakers. The RDS traffic should be available in June 2006.

I hope this information helps.

I will have MP3 player and will be a very nice unit to have.

Retail price is $699