There’s also INRIX Traffic reports and content from InfoGation, along with a special Facebook interface for car use and weather updates. More apps are expected to arrive on the Next GATE as developers get to grips with it now that it’s on sale.

The 7-inch display runs at 480 x 800 resolution, so don’t expect crisp Retina Display quality photos as you might get on a new iPad, but the chunky icons are likely to be more important for use on the road. However, there’s also voice control, with a built-in microphone and speakers, and users can also take advantage of Siri.

That voice control means voice-dialing and emailing, among other things, which should help you keep your hands on the road. There’s more on the Clarion Next GATE in our full hands-on, and you can buy one from Amazon, Best Buy or Crutchfield from $249.99.

Calling the Clarion Next Gate an iPhone companion is pretty accurate. The system is pretty much inactive until it’s connected to an iPhone and then it comes to life. Once connected it uses iOS apps and programs to bring you all the entertainment you’d like — all while being safe of course. Once connected the iPhone becomes useless, as a cautionary measure, and everything is handled on the Clarion Next Gate and its smart access system.

With a 7-inch Capacitive touch display users can control everything with the touchscreen, although it’s recommended to use voice actions such as Apple’s Siri. You can launch Pandora Radio, make a call, or speak with Siri all with the touch of a button, but obviously you’ll want to use voice-actions as much as possible for your safety as well as other drivers.

The display is only 480×800 in resolution so this isn’t a retina quality display, but it does convert all your favorite iOS apps to a convenient and easy to use car-friendly user interface. Obviously Clarion doesn’t want you playing Angry Birds on the go, but the Next Gate currently has around 15 or so applications such as Pandora Radio, Odyssey Navigation, Facebook4car (FB4Car) and Vlingo. Clarion expects more to be available when the product launches in early June for $269. For now this is a windshield mounted device but Clarion has multiple in-dash devices in the pipeline coming soon — including Android options. For $269 would you get the Next Gate, or just opt to use your iPhone manually?

Although Android is the OS, the USB ports will play nicely with iOS devices and other PMP hardware, allowing owners to pipe through audio from their iPhones and other kit. A Navigon AG powered PND system complete with Garmin data is also on-board.

The company is targeting the Mirage at vehicle OEMs – in fact it claims that, while other vendors have offered Android-based head units, such as Parrot’s Asteroid, the Mirage is the first “automotive grade” option - who’ll be able to add various extras in according to buyer whims. That could include telematics data from the car, a reversing camera, extra displays such as for rear-seat passengers, more controls – such as on the steering wheel – and a DVD player.

Clarion’s last in-car tablet push, the MiND MID of 2009, was hardly a rousing success. Poor battery life and underwhelming performance saw huge price cuts and then the tablet promptly axed. The company isn’t saying how much the Mirage will cost, but has confirmed that it’s in talks with Proton, Perodua and various Nissan divisions, and expects retail availability in Q4 this year.

[via Android Community]

Considering the same model is priced at $438 at Amazon, however, there may be more users willing to overlook the meager 1.5hr battery (that’s what Clarion quote; one reviewer found the MiND managed just an hour in standby) and trusting the semi-recent software update to fix bugs and some UI issues.  More on the MiND here.

[via Pocketables]

That’s a pretty significant reduction from the $650 the Clarion MiND sells for elsewhere online (or indeed from the $699 MRSP).  Amazon had already discounted the touchscreen device down by a further $50; currently the black version retails for around $28 more.

Your money gets you an 800MHz Intel Atom processor, 4.8-inch WVGA touchscreen, 4GB SSD storage and integrated Bluetooth and WiFi.  It also, according to reviews, gets you shockingly poor battery life, a bulky casing and poor audio.

[via Pocketables]

The list is good points is woefully brief: GPS works well, perhaps unsurprising given Clarion’s history of PND products, and the 4.8-inch WVGA display is great for watching video, but pretty much everything else is a disappointment.  The MiND is over-bulky and has poor audio from the integrated speaker; the GUI is pretty slick, but can’t be customized to bring often-used apps to the foreground, and the photo viewer is slow and poorly designed.  Biggest drawbacks are the low internal memory and woeful battery life: the MiND lasted just an hour in standby.

I briefly played with the MiND at MWC earlier this week, where Intel had brought along the MID to display among their Atom device showcase.  Even there, in the briefest of hands-on, it felt outclassed among the other devices; my attention was more easily taken by the UMID M1 and the Samsung SWD-M100.  For $650, you’d have to be particularly addicted to the Clarion brand name to pick the MiND.

Check out the ClarionMiND demo video after the cut

The entry-level model has a mere 6W battery, and relies on a Bluetooth DUN hook-up to your cellphone in order to get online when mobile.  Thankfully Clarion haven’t left setting that up – and reconnecting it – to chance, and there’s a whole settings area dedicated to making it straightforward.  Meanwhile navigation is reportedly “top notch”, both fast at route calculations and with a smooth, polished GUI; it also has Google location search, plus the ability to transfer locations and routes you’ve worked out on your desktop PC, over to the ClarionMiND.

It’s the GUI that best sets the ClarionMiND apart, though.  Where other Linux-based devices, such as the aigo P8860, frustrate with their less than ideal interfaces, the MiND manages to be both consistent and intuitive.  You can buy the ClarionMiND now, from around $650.

Based on an Intel Atom CPU, the MiND runs Midinux (the same OS as the aigo MID) and comes with a Firefox-based browser, YouTube and MySpace apps, and integrated RealPlayer.  RAM is 512MB and there’re also two USB 2.0 ports.  Less impressive is the claimed 1.5hrs of battery life, which wouldn’t be such an issue in the car but does put a dampener on using the MiND as a portable MID.

The MiND is priced at $649.99 with free shipping in the US.  Clarion have previously confirmed that a 3G-enabled version of the MID will be coming in Spring 2009.  European releases for the existing model are expected in January 2009, priced at €649.99.

[via Pocketables]

The MiND uses an 800MHz Atom processor with 512MB of RAM, 4GB of SSD storage, WiFi b/g and Bluetooth 2.0.  It will include the Bluetooth DUN (Dial Up Networking) profile to connect via a wirelessly tethered cellphone.  Navigation is courtesy of a SiRFstarIII 20-channel GPS module, while battery life is rated at 2hrs from the small battery or 4hrs from the large.

A windshield/dash mount kit and car charger will be included, along with the regular AC adapter, but there will be an optional car dock that enables the MiND’s RDS-TMC traffic info system.  OS is Linux 2.6.22 while the browser is based on Firefox and supports Flash for online media and video.  More details in the press release.

[via Pocketables]

Check out the video demo of the Clarion MiND after the cut

Under the hood lurks the usual suspects: Intel’s Atom CPU (here running at just 800MHz), WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0, together with a GPS receiver, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of flash-based storage.  The touchscreen is 4.8-inches and 800 x 480 resolution.  The MiND lacks any sort of 3G or WWAN data connection, and Clarion intend users out of WiFi hotspot range to tether their cellphones (either by cable or by Bluetooth) for a connection.

Software wise, the MiND runs a Linux OS with homegrown navigation, media and document viewers.  There’s also Google Maps and Google Earth, a MySpace and YouTube viewer, and an email client.  The navigation software comes with Points of Interest, and uses the onboard amp and speaker for real-time POI and turn-by-turn directions.  Further POIs can be found online.

Clarion apparently intend to launch the MiND in the US in October; they are yet to discuss price, but previously mentioned the $700 mark.  The company has not discussed the 3G version announced at Computex.

[Release via CrunchGear; Video via UMPC Fever]

Based on Linux, the OS looks relatively finger-friendly but Clarion were still demonstrating it with a stylus.  Connectivity includes WiFi and Bluetooth.  It’s uncertain whether the hardware has changed from the previous versions, or if the only difference is in the new – and, to my eyes, less attractive – case shape.

Clarion will launch the MiND in the US later on this year, and in Europe in 2009, priced at around $700.  They also intend a “Pro” version, which will integrate 3G WWAN for mobile internet access, although that model is yet to be priced.

[via GottaBeMobile]

Both devices have a lane assistant, information about the current speed limit and a phonetically correct voice guidance for street names. However where the MAP780 has 2GB of onboard memory, the MAP680 has only 1GB. The media player can handle MP3 and WMA audio files and AVI, WMV, 3GP and MP4 video files. An SD/MMC slot can be used to add extra storage (up to 4GB).

Initially four geographical versions of the MAP680 will be offered:

The MAP780 includes mapping for 43 countries. No pricing or availability details have been announced.

[via NaviGadget]

There is an RDS-TMC tuner, 12-Channel GPS receiver, On-Board Gyroscope (so the map can automatically re-orientate itself when you turn) and Voice Recognition as well as Text-To-Speech for up to 6 European languages. No word whether you can get US maps or if its European only.

It doesn’t appear to have a screen built into it, so it looks like its on you for that, but Clarion has some pretty amazing solutions for that problem as well. One hurdle you’ll have to get over on your own though is the £795 price tag which converts to almost exactly twice that in USD.

[via UberGizmo]