Panasonic Strada Pocket Points Japanese Travelers in the Right Direction

I didn’t really partake in Boxing Day shopping last month, but I did manage to snag a pretty good deal on a Garmin nuvi 250. It’s definitely an entry-level portable GPS device, but I’ve been perfectly happy with its ease of use and accuracy. If you want a little more functionality in your GPS navigator, however, you may want to consider the Strada Pocket (CN-MP50D) from the people at Panasonic.

As with so many other portable GPS devices, the Strada Pocket comes equipped with an SD card expansion slot. It seems that Panasonic is bundling a 2GB card in with the device, granting users access to “essential map information and phone numbers.” Brightness isn’t an issue because the LCD display is LED backlit. Other specs include a 1.5 watt speaker and 1Seg entertainment.

The bad news is that this particular model appears destined for the Japanese market only. Expectations call for a February 12th launch and a 70,000 JPY price point.