Kenwood has begun shipping is flagship $2,000-suggested multimedia/navigation DVD receiver to authorized dealers of its step-up Excelon series.
The double-DIN DNX9960 and a non-Excelon variation, the $1,700-suggested DNX7160, are the aftermarket’s first in-dash navigation units offering free lifetime Navteq Live Traffic service, which delivers traffic information via FM sideband, Kenwood said. The free service is ad-supported and has been offered in select Garmin portable navigation devices (PNDs).
Compared to its predecessor, the DNX9960 adds free lifetime Navteq Live Traffic service and Garmin’s advanced 3D navigation technology, which displays three-dimensional buildings and landmarks, many with photo-realistic images, the company said. Other enhancements include Garmin’s Lane Assist with Junction View and a Garmin-developed EcoRoute feature, which measures the environmental impact of a driver’s driving habits and suggests routes that deliver the most efficient fuel consumption.
The DNX9960 features “swipeable” WVGA 6.95-inch touchscreen with animated 3D graphic user interface. Consumers browse album art by swiping a finger across the display. Selectable skins and movable icons let users customize the display.
The device comes with Kenwood’s second-generation voice-control feature, which is promoted as offering improved accuracy and faster response when controlling navigation, A/V, and connected iPod and USB-drive functions. Voice control lets users enter addresses or phone numbers; choose menu options; select points of interest, and control such A/V functions as source switching, volume control, and music and video seek.
The DNX9960 also decodes MPEG-4 and H.264 video files from an external USB drive, and it features built-in Parrot Bluetooth module. A two-year warranty is provided.
