The new unit offers more interfaces, utility and a bigger screen than the x96s.
By Paul Bertorelli

Definition of a marriage made in heaven: a Garmin GPSMAP 396 or 496 snapped into an AirGizmos mount in a panel too smallor by a builder too frugalto accommodate anything else. Peek into any homebuilt at Oshkosh, and youre likely to see an x96 unit bolted in place acting as either primary or backup navigation. This was true before the 396, but especially so after, as pilots who venture out of the pattern found in-flight weather (from WxWorx through the XM link) impossible to resist.
The x96 platform (except for the 696), while good, wasnt perfect. In fact, one third of the navigators footprint is occupied by buttons and keys, at the expense of screen size. Garmins new aera line of touchscreen navigators addresses this issue, and soon AirGizmos will be close to shipping a panel mount cradle for the line, if it hasnt already. The aera represents an improvement over
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