optimum solution for HP 4700? (UK+FR GPS)

[paulb]

Hi, I've have a HP 4700 already and am looking for the best GPS solution for the UK and France. The TomTom software seems to be recommended. However if I want to add the French maps then that is 215Mb (in addition to 95Mb for UK). If I want to load these maps for a UK -> France trip then I guess I need to buy a CF/SD 512Mb or 1Gb card. That means that the GPS module would need to be bluetooth as the CF/SD slot would be taken with the memory.
Also for the cradle options I see TomTom do a wired cradle that connects to the cigarette lighter and will charge the iPAQ and the bluetooth unit. Does anyone have any experience of this and are only certain GPS modules compatible with the charger?
If I bought the following would this be available as a bundle?
1. TomTom3 UK software
2. TomTom3 European maps
3. 1Gb CF or SD card
4. bluetooth GPS receiver (which one?)
5. PDA car cradle with wired charger
.
Just did a quick total of buying 1-5 above and came up with approx £400-£480.
Bearing in mind that the Tom Tom Go is £500 with 512Mb card + Euro maps then for the same money I have a dedicated solution with less components to worry about that can sit permanently in my glove compartment waiting to be used.
What will I get from GPS-ing my 4700 rather than buying a bespoke Tom Tom Go solution?

Thanks in advance for your feedback,
Paul B

[nik96]

The 4700 has both SD and CF slots, so storage card is not a problem. 1GB SD cards are £50 ish now, so go big - you'll soon fill it with music, ebooks, films, games and stuff. The TomTom Universal Cradle will hold the 4700 and is supplied with cables to charge both the 4700 and the Bluetooth receiver. (They don't (yet?) do a Car Kit for the 4700.) Subject to battery life/length of trip or how you "fix" the wires to keep 'em out the way, it is "portable" to another car. Or additional cable sets are available for "portable" systems.

The Go unit, as I understand it (someone may want to step in, here) has maps on individual SD card, so you need to buy a bigger one, or swap map info, to use it UK and France. Costs as you say will work out very similar. You pay your money and you take your choice.

Do it on the 4700 and you know it's with you and charged when you get to your destination, it's one less item to lose/forget/break/fail. Do it on the Go unit and you have something to lend partner/friend and still use your iPAQ, and you're not totally frustrated when the iPAQ breaks. (Someone's will, sooner or later; hopefully not yours or mine!)

My choice: I have the 4700/Universal holder/1GB SD card. When I share cars, I take to Receiver with me (keep it in your pocket and you won't forget it), and the 4700 is usually with me at all times anyway. Battery life has not been an issue on day-trips, and it comes with charger to recharge overnight on longer ones.