Mio is staking its claim on affordable GPS with the launch of the 268 and 269 satellite navigation devices. The Mio 268 (£299 inc. VAT) comes with TeleAtlas maps of the UK and Ireland on a 256MB SD card, while the flagship Mio 269 (£399 inc. VAT) boasts a 2.5GB hard disk containing 13.2 million kilometres of European roads and streets. Both models are equipped with a touch screen for accessing features, dedicated buttons for the most important functions and an MP3 player. A Home button automatically guides you to your house after a long journey.
To suit the needs of any traveller, there are preset modes for car, motorcycle, bike and foot, with points of interest such as petrol stations, restaurants and hotels. In contrast to the Mio 168, these models are more GPS than PDA with the controls and screen in landscape orientation. Nevertheless, PIM functionality is present in the form of the Outlook-compatible contacts and calendar. The Mio 268 has 64MB RAM for file storage, while the Mio 269 has a spacious 500MB of free disk space. Both models go on sale at UK stores and e-tailers in February.
