LAS VEGAS--The trend is toward cheaper and cheaper portable navigation devices, with some good units moving toward the $250 price point. But not all of them. Sony is going mid-price with another round of its Nav-U line, which features "a design similar to Sony's Bravia LCD TV" (see why, below), a super-sticky mounting cup that won't come off the windshield or dash, dead reckoning, and brand icons for points of interest. The NV-U73T, $350, has a 4.3-inch touchscreen; the NV-U83T (photo), $500, has a 4.8-inch touchscreen.

The screens have a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is how Sony gets away with the Bravia comparison. The base of the suction cup is a soft gel that really does appear to stick extra-well, although some Armor All-treated dashboards could still be problematic.

Sony also trumpets Position Plus, its version of dead reckoning that includes an electronic gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a pressure sensor (barometric pressure) to help you not to miss a turn when you're coming out of a GPS dead zone, such as a tunnel. Sony's also proud of including brand icons on its points of interests, so you can see if the next interchange has a McDonald's or Burger King. Sony says it obtained rights to use the logos, as if BK wouldn't want the free advertising. My guess: Sony's figuring out whether this could be a pay-to-play market in a couple years, where restaurants and gas stations pays for placement, as is done now by companies that own movie studios.

The high-end NV-U83T also includes Bluetooth for cellphone connections. The devices will be available in February and can be preordered through Sony.