New Furuno NavNet TZtouch screen

Furuno announces the launch of NavNet TZtouch, the latest innovation in integrated marine electronics.

"This is the most significant advance we have seen from Furuno in the last five years,” says Calvin Clements, of Electronic Navigation Ltd, the New Zealand distributor for Furuno.

“This new generation of Furuno products from the FCV 587 through to NavNet TZtouch are setting a new benchmark.”

Firstly, the new NavNet TZtouch platform takes Furuno’s award winning TimeZero technology and injects it into the industry’s first Multi-Touch MFD, bringing pinch-to zoom capability, two-finger course rotation and other multi- and single-touch gestures for the most intuitive user-interface on the market today.

“The technology jump has stunned the marine electronics industry and generated global comment on how easy and intuitive this new NavNet system is to use. The NavNet TZtouch is the industries first Multi-Touch MFD bringing pinch - to zoom capability, that is at a level advanced tablet and touch-phone users will love.”

“You name it, this system can do it.”

NavNet TZtouch integrates a high-sensitivity, edge-to-edge glass multi-touch screen, allowing the user to zoom and pan around the chart and a variety of other screens all with the touch of their fingertips. As soon as fingers touch the display, taps, pinches and swipes are instantly transformed into useful actions and commands.

To make operation even easier while underway, Furuno has incorporated its intuitive RotoKey rotary knob, which allows you to make adjustments, such as range and gain, or make menu selections, using either the touch screen or the RotoKey.

This new navigation suite is a component-based system that utilizes Furuno’s award winning network products. The brains of the NavNet TZtouch system are based in its Multi-Function Display (MFD) units that feature the latest high-performance, Intel Sandy Bridge Dual-Core processors. A 9-inch WVGA or 14.1-inch WXGA multi-touch display is available depending on vessel size and need, from there a variety of components can be added.

“NavNet TZtouch allows users to get more connected than ever before by opening the door to cutting-edge WiFi features. Create or connect to an existing WiFi network with your TZtouch to access tablet and smartphone apps, as well as free NavCenter Weather Forecasting for up to 16 days in advance.”

A new, powerful feature is the ability to remotely view and control TZtouch with apps designed for your smartphone and tablet. You can download the FREE NavNet Viewer App and the NavNet Remote App from the Apple App Store.

The Viewer App allows users to conveniently view fishing, sailing, ship, navigation, environment and engine data wirelessly on your Apple mobile products. Users can even create custom data screens with the information that is most important to you. The NavNet Remote App lets the users to take full control of their NavNet TZtouch by allowing them to remotely operate their TZtouch with their Apple mobile device over WiFi, when connected to the network (other mobile platforms to be supported in the future).

A variety of charts can be viewed in 2D or 3D on the fly, with seamless and instantaneous chart redraw. In addition to the charts, Furuno also offers high-resolution satellite photography that can be fused with the raster or vector charts, using their patented Satellite PhotoFusion.

All of Furuno’s award-winning network components work with NavNet TZtouch. Along with up to six displays, you can add real time, dual-range UHD Radar, Digital Fish Finders, AIS, Weather Fax, IP Cameras, as well as NMEA2000 and Furuno CAN bus devices. If users have NMEA0183 devices they want to connect, Furuno offers an NMEA0183 to CAN bus converter.

Furuno TZtouch will be on show to the public at the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show in May, and available through authorised New Zealand distributor ENL.