Mio is currently updating its range of Moov GPS receivers with the new Spirit Models which feature a new touchscreen user interface known as 'Slide Touch'.

The Spirit Flat is one such new model and hopes to win consumers over with an ultra-flat design and yet more new features.

Hardware: everything you need

As soon as you pick it up, it's obvious that the Spirit Flat is a light, compact GPS receiver.  Strangely enough, though--especially given the way that Mio is spinning this as a thin, flat product--it's thicker than the Spirit 500 HF Traffic, measuring 14.5 mm compared to 13.95 for the other model.

The large 4.7'' screen makes it easy to use (more details on that later).  Of course, the natural downside of that is that a larger screen leads to a larger product, but the generally compact form means that you'll always be able to find a pocket to slide it into. 


European maps are included on 2 GB of internal memory and cover 44 countries.  A MicroSD slot is available for adding extra maps.  This model doesn't have an audio output, despite the fact it can play MP3s.  However, it does have an FM transmitter, which allows you to listen to voice guidance and music over your car's speakers by tuning into out using your ratio.  If you're listening to music, then the volume is automatically turned down when there is a new spoken instruction.  You can also connect your mobile to the GPS receiver using Bluetooth to use the FM transmitter to create a handsfree kit using your car's speakers.

The suction cap is relatively small and light, but solid too.  It isn't as small as TomTom's EasyPort fixture but it does the job.  The power button hasn't change and still has three separate positions: on, off and reset.  That means you need to be careful when you switch the GPS off, because if you slide the switch too far, you'll end up reseting the GPS and lose the details of the itinerary that you're currently following.  Fortunately, it is harder to move from off to reset than it is from on to off, and saved addresses and other settings are also preserved.


Handling: room for improvement on both the screen and the interface

The Slide Touch feature is the first one we used.  Logically, it's better on the Spirit Flat than on the Spirit 500, because the touchscreen is now sensitive, meaning you can slide your finger across the screen to scroll, rather than tapping.  It made us think of the screen on the iPhone or the iPod Touch immediately, but unfortunately, that's where the similarities with Apple's hardware ends.  Although it is easier to use than on a traditional touchscreen (like the Spirit), there's a general overall lack of precision and responsiveness.  The most common source of errors is the sluggish speed, so it's better not to be in hurry.  As a result, we found it better to deactivate the Slide Touch interface and revert to using traditional physical buttons.

We also need to add a word about the glossy screen, where we didn't find the reflections too irritating.  However, we're not at all sure that it will remain easy to use on very sunny days or if you have a lot of glass in your vehicle.


Once we'd given up on the Slide Touch interface, we found the menus attractive and well-organised, and certainly in keeping with the new philosophy of the Spirit interface: simple, stripped-back interfaces.

The search engine is very powerful and allows you to find an address just by providing a few snippets on a single screen.  It's simple, easy and effective.  There are other, more traditional search modes, making it hard to miss the address you're looking for.  You can't adjust the virtual keyboard, which only works in QWERTY, but that's reasonable as it's the most commonly used mode.  However, it would have been nicer to have been able to type more quickly, which is likely to frustrate people used to firing out text messages.

Another interesting feature is that a button on the top left always allows you to return to the previous menu.  It's handy addition that makes using the Spirit Flat even easier, though we would have liked it to have been slightly larger.

The main sticking point when using the Spirit Flat is that there's no direct, easy way to access the volume control.  You can only mute the sound; to turn the volume up or down, you need to go through the menus.


Navigation: useful--but better traffic management would be better

Reception of the GPS signal is good and navigating using this GPS is efficient.  It is a deliberately simplified, stripped-down process, unlike on some other devices which aim for photo-realistic portrayals of junctions.  The wide range of features on offer, including Text-to-Speech, traffic updates, TMC Premium, lane management and signs make for a very enjoyable experience.  Of course, there are also speed camera alerts.  When we tried it out, though, we noticed that some fixed speed cameras were missing, but that's a fault that will probably be corrected with an update.  The traffic info system worked well, showing us traffic jams where there were problems.

A new 'economic' itinerary mode is available.  It plots a direct route with the fewest possible junctions, which avoids speeding up and slowing down to save you fuel.  By default, though, it doesn't avoid motorways--although that is an option you can choose--which can lead smaller cars to use more fuel than they otherwise would.  The economic option on the Garmin 1340T and 1390T always avoids motorways.

Now that more and more mobile phones are beginning to include GPS, it's not enough just to provide directions.  Mio realises that, and has included a number of extra features.  Some rely on a Bluetooth connection with your mobile phone to download data.  That includes tourist information from Wcities for three cities (Paris, London and Rome), and you can download more, a pedestrian mode that includes pedestrian-only streets.

You can also look for points of interest or addresses using Google, for which you'll need to connect your mobile using Bluetooth.  It's very useful if you find yourself in a town you don't know or need a petrol station in a hurry.