There are two schools of tech thought — one that insists that there be special devices for specific tasks (what we call “a-phone-is-a-phone-is-a-phone” brigade), and another that insists that a really good device would be able to do a number of tasks (the convergence pundits). Well, MapmyIndia’s latest device, the CarPad 5, would have the latter cheering, as it attempts to bridge the gap between a personal navigation device (PND), smartphone and tablet.

Mind you, it does not quite strike you that way when you first set eyes on it. For the CarPad 5 comes with classic PND looks, it is thick, with a design that borders on the industrial, with a large five-inch display, and is not exactly lightweight. It is when you cast eyes on its sides that you notice the three touch buttons — Home, Menu and Back — that are the hallmark of many Android devices. Yes, the CarPad 5 is powered by Android, unlike most PNDs these days which still hark back to the Windows CE era.