After I was finally able to download the installer, I was pleasantly surprised by the new features. I decided to install it on my netbook before actually installing it in my car – just in case some things may go wrong. Set up was fairly easy, mainly because it hasn’t changed much from the previous version. The new features make the interface much easier to use. These include the ability to open up the interface to the currently playing media from anywhere within Centrafuse, as well as a much less cluttered interface – which definitely helps hitting the button you meant to press.

One thing that just makes the interface – and your CarPC as a result – is the iPhone like animations. While it would be good to be able to swipe across the screen – like the iPhone – to change pages at the main screen, they still did a good job. All places where you would normally press scroll up and down buttons can be scrolled kinetically with a finger just like most modern touch phones.

One thing I’m disappointed at is the fact that it still doesn’t get the RDS data from the radio stream when you are using a HD Radio. Here in Australia, we can’t get HD Radio signals. I just bought the HD Radio because it was fairly cheap and can get analog signals as well – which has RDS data on most FM stations, it was also the only one I could find that does AM radio as well.

Overall, the update is very welcome and definitely makes the interface much easier to use. Also, because I have bought the application myself, I am able to give out a discount code that will take 10% off your total purchase, just enter the referral code: UEXUOEDAI when ordering.

If you’ve ever used Tomtom before, you’ll know the familiar interface, the information all in the blue bar at the bottom with the map in the center. This is the same interface Sygic has, and it works well. However, Navigon has a completely different, and in my opinion, useless interface. The problem is that there really isn’t enough information on the screen at any one time, and this can’t be changed. While it does try to look like any other iPhone application, it does this in a way that is counter-intuitive for a navigation application. Someone who is driving wants the pertinent information on the screen whenever they need to glance over at it, something this app just doesn’t display.

The interface aside, onto the app itself. Sygic offers a boatload of configuration options. Navigon? almost none. I couldn’t even figure out how to enter my home address, the only way I was able to enter it was to tell it to take me home then it asked me to enter it. What happens when I move? Do I need to reinstall the app?

Now onto navigating. Sygic does have some quirks here, such as telling you to go through a carpark instead of staying on the road. However, Navigon has way worse ones. In my testing, the worst one (there were a few) would have to be the voice instructions. The problem is when it notifies you of an upcoming turn. It does this by saying for example “Turn left… in 400 metres.” The main problem with that is the pause in there between the “Turn left” and the “in 400 metres.” Many people will think it is telling them to turn left now, then once they are already in the process, it says “in 400 metres.” Pretty stupid idea if you ask me.

There were also a few errors with the map data itself. In the small time I was testing Navigon, it managed to have 2 errors. The first error, it didn’t allow me to select the number for my house, it allowed me to select next door (either side) and across the road, but not my number. The second error was when I was on a street called “Stoneham St”, Navigon said I was on “Stoneman St”. This was just a short time testing so I hate to see what else is wrong. Sygic has had perfect data accuracy in all tests so far.

My advice is to not buy Navigon if you want a decent iPhone navigation service, Sygic is currently the best one available for Australians. Of course, Tomtom is also on the way so if you want to wait for that, it is highly anticipated to be the best navigation app on the iPhone.

Roundabouts are one of my biggest pet peeves with driving in Perth. People just don’t understand them, even though they are extremely simple to understand. I’ll start by explaining what the person did wrong. Upon entering the roundabout, he indicated right. He then proceeded to go straight, keeping his right indicator on until after he exited. Seriously, how the hell does anyone think indicating right when going straight is the right thing to do?

Here are the VERY simple steps for navigating a roundabout in Western Australia:

1. When approaching the roundabout, indicate your intentions (just like any other intersection):
   • If turning left, indicate left.
   • If going straight, do NOT indicate.
   • If turning right, indicate right.
   • If there are more than 4 exits, if exiting after the second exit, indicate right.
2. Give way to anyone coming from the right of where you are, including vehicles approaching the roundabout or vehicles already in it.
3. Proceed through the roundabout, if a multilane roundabout, stay in your lane – no matter what.
4. When exiting, indicate left.

And there we have it, the EXTREMELY simple rules for navigating a roundabout, yet so many people get it wrong. You’d be amazed at how many times I go through a multilane roundabout just to be nearly hit because some idiot changed lanes as well.

• Roundabouts
• Merging
• Car parks
• So-called “safe” drivers (a.k.a. really slow drivers)
• People who complain at you when they do the wrong thing

Those are the main problems I have with drivers on the road. From what I’ve heard, most of the problems with merging and roundabouts are isolated to the city I live in (Perth, Western Australia). I have no idea why they’re isolated here, people just seem to be idiots here.

So stay tuned for the next in my Driving series.