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Jerry Seregni Eyewitness Morning News Technology Analyst

ASUS is best known for motherboards and laptops, particularly the small form-factor Eee PC 4G shown on the Eyewitness Morning News a few weeks ago. The company makes all sorts of devices, however, and among them is the R300 PND (Personal Navigation Device).

The R300 has a 3.5-inch, TFT touchscreen that auto-adjusts for lighting conditions. At 3.2 (w) x 4 (h) x 0.5 (d) inches, it's one of the thinnest GPS navigation devices around, perfect to toss in your travel bag or stash in your pocket or purse. There's even an optional mount to clamp it to the handlebars of a motorcycle or bicycle (see image, below.)

The heart of the system is a Samsung 400-MHz processor and SiRFstar III receiver. ASUS reportedly uses Nav N Go's iGO 8 software, which provides extensive language support, a 1.3-million-entry points-of-interest (POI) database, Tele Atlas maps for the United States and Canada, and 3D visualization, so you can actually see buildings and landmarks along your route.

Unlike the Garmin Nuvi 350 we tested a year ago, the R300 doesn't support text-to-speech, which is the one of the few high-end features it lacks.

The unit offers six vehicle profiles and four route preferences. Besides providing directions, the device also functions as a no-frills digital photo viewer, video player, and music player.

Other features include Bluetooth, so you can make cellular calls without reaching for your handset, and a built-in FM transmitter, so you can use your car stereo to listen to MP3s playing on the R300.

The maps, 3D objects, and POI database are stored on a 2GB microsSD memory card (included). You can save your routes (including destinations and route preferences), along with music, video, and image files, on the same card, but there's less than 400 MB to spare. For extra storage, the unit accepts cards up to 4GB.

The R300 is available in a choice of colors and comes gift-boxed with an automotive power cord, suction cup mounting bracket, USB cable, SD-to-microSD card adapter and software CD.

For an entry-level offering, the ASUS R300 has many features you wouldn't expect, given an MSRP of only $169 (street price: $153 - $159). If you're in the market for an affordable, highly-portable GPS navigator, it is definitely worth a look.

The ASUS R300 PND is available from online retailers, such as Amazon.com, Buy.com and Newegg.com, and area ASUS retailers, such as Best Buy.

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ASUS R300

Last Updated: July 17, 2008

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