As you know, Pioneer is a company specialized in making powerful entertainment-related gadgets such as speakers, sat-nav systems, TVs, etc. Now, when they designed the newly introduced AVIC-Z120BT GPS device I think they said exactly this: “Hey, why don't we make it as entertaining as our other gimmicks?” The result is a high-end device, which comes packed with features. In fact, there are so many of them that you might even forget that it is a PND.

“In 1994, Pioneer was the first company to bring in-car GPS to the U.S. market, and today we are continuing to advance the navigation category with the launch of our highly intuitive, flagship AVIC-Z120BT. Our team of designers and engineers devised this model to not only deliver reliable route guidance and high quality audio and video, but also to enable users to easily adapt their personal devices to their cars. And, now with its capability to deliver Pandora’s popular Internet music service, Pioneer again redefines the navigation category,” said Ted Cardenas, director of marketing for the car electronics department, sales and marketing division of Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.

The AVIC-Z120BT sat-nav system comes with a lot of cool, music playing, “let's-have-fun-while-driving” technologies but I would like to first tell you about its Eco-Routing feature, one that targets the environmentally responsible drivers out there. This software allows for these drivers to measure the fuel consumption, while the Eco-Graph will use previously provided information to monitor your driving behavior and give you an overall Eco Score after each trip. This way, you will know how much you contribute to the planet's slow death.

Pioneer has introduced a new proprietary music listening technology called MusicSphere on the AVIC-Z120BT with a 3D interface, which will assure the maximum experience, especially if playing music from an iPod and iPhone. Actually, all the maps and most of the other gimmicks can be rendered through 3D interfaces on this new GPS and there is also the whole plethora of solutions for HD Radio playback such as Pandora or Sirius XM on the 7-inch AVIC-Z120BT. One hick-up found in the detailed features list is the lack of support for MTP and DRM devices, through its USB port. Mass storage drives are accepted.

You are probably wondering when it will be available, so that you can get your hands on it as fast as you can, but don't rush until you hear the price. Pioneer AVIC-Z120BT will retail from June with an MSRP of $1,599.


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