How do I Choose a PDA based GPS System?

ashley750 · #1 (**permalink**) 17-10-2006, 01:20 PM

I am new to PDA's and GPS, but I am interested in a PDA based GPS solution. Initially for use in the car, but possibly for cycling and walking as well. I am looking for some advice as to the best solution with a budget of approx £225.

Looking at PDA's with built in receivers; the options seem to be: -

Mio P350 (400MHz, WindowsMobile 5, SiRF3 reciever) bundled with either Tomtom Navigator 5 or 6 (£225) or MioMap V2 (£215)
Mio 168, (300MHz, Windows Mobile 2003) on eBay with various route software.
Navman PiN570, ( 266MHz, Windows Mobile 2003) with SmartST (£130)
Acer N35 (266MHz, Windows Mobile 2003) with Destinator 3 (on eBay)
Garmin iQue M4 (312MHz, Windows Mobile 2003) with City Navigator (£185)

Which one of these would be best value for money, and would one of the older models (i.e. Mio 168, Navman, Acer or Garmin) be adequate for my needs? What are they like for reliability & performance?

Would a PDA and separate receiver be a better option?

Finally, what is the best navigation software? Tomtom seems to be the most popular, but how does it compare to the others such as MioMap, SmartST, City Navigator, etc?

Any help would be gratefully received – thanks for your time!

Border_Collie · #2 (**permalink**) 17-10-2006, 04:27 PM

A friend has a Navman Pin 570 and she is very happy with it.

Another friend and one of my sons has the Mio168 with TTN5, as did I until recently, whenI changed to a Mio P350 using the same TTN5 software. My other son upgraded from his 168 to a P350, also with TTN5.

Of those you listed I would say the Mio P350 would be your best choice, mainly because of the faster processor and SiRFIII chipset.

I haven't used Mio's own software but I've read reports where it is as good, and some say better, than TomTom.

With all PDA's you will find when out walking the battery will last only between one and a half and two hours. You can get battery packs which plug in and give you a couple of hours extra.

**getsurfers** · #3 (**permalink**) 17-10-2006, 08:36 PM

Also be suspicious of software if using ebay. Sat-nav software is highly pirated, and as such you get no help when it goes wrong.

ashley750 · #4 (**permalink**) 30-10-2006, 05:04 PM

Thanks for the info, looks like Mio P350 + Tomtom 6 is the way to go. Just need to save up for it now!

Question on Tomtom. Can you preprogram it to follow a certain route? I tow a caravan, and for most sites there are recommended approachs that are suitable for the car & caravan, and I would like to be able to program the navigation software to use the recommended route.

Thanks

Border_Collie · #5 (**permalink**) 30-10-2006, 08:17 PM

Yes you can set up an itinerary, page 2 of 3 of main menu. You just add waypoints/destinations. You can save the itineries for a later date. The only minor problem is you have to have a lock before setting up.

Waypoints are a bit like multipule via's, you pass through but get no voice warnings. If you set them as destinations you will get 'in XXX you have reached your destination'.

If you happen to have MS Autoroute you can pre plan your route on that and save as an .itn file which you can export to your PDA and use it in TT.

Border_Collie · #6 (**permalink**) 30-10-2006, 08:20 PM

Quote:

you pass through but get no voice warnings

Silly me. What I meant was, you won't be told as you pass a waypoint, you'll still get all normal voice instructions.

badgerdid · #7 (**permalink**) 30-10-2006, 11:38 PM

If you also use microsoft autoroute you can save your routes then convert them and add them to tomtom, its good as the maps are on the monitor and adding places etc is easier, once you save the file you convert it with ITN convert, available here

http://leforres.perso.cegetel.net/itnconv.zip

This works very well, i have used it a few times, the good thing with autoroute it can optimise your route too, so if you want to visit a few places it will sort the best route out for you, as said then save it and open it in ITN convert to change it to a tomtom .itn file, hope this is usefull

ashley750 · #8 (**permalink**) 09-01-2007, 01:59 PM

After a birthday & Christmas, I can now afford to treat myself to a GPS PDA. I was originally looking at the Mio P350 & TTN6 available for about £230, however HP have now brought out the rx5720 Travel Companion with TTN6 for abaout £260.
Would this be a better PDA than the Mio?
Am I right in thinking that Windows Mobile 5.0 contains Mobile Outlook, Word, Excel & Powerpoint?

Jon Hendry · #9 (**permalink**) 10-01-2007, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashley750

After a birthday & Christmas, I can now afford to treat myself to a GPS PDA. I was originally looking at the Mio P350 & TTN6 available for about £230, however HP have now brought out the rx5720 Travel Companion with TTN6 for abaout £260.
Would this be a better PDA than the Mio?
Am I right in thinking that Windows Mobile 5.0 contains Mobile Outlook, Word, Excel & Powerpoint?

i've messed around with the 5935 in the office, and i was pretty impressed. Its basically the same model as the 5720 but with European maps and wireless added. I'm also more of a fan of HP than i am of Mio, so i would probably recommend that you go down the HP Travel Companion route, and yes you are correct in thinking that windows has those programs, but you cant edit powerpoint presentations, only view them.

ashley750 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-01-2007, 12:37 PM

Can you confirm that the rx5720 ia a full PDA rather than just a Sat Nav unit i.e. it can be used to do the same things as any other PDA (Mio or otherwise), and that you can add extra programs to it as required?
Does it only work in landscape mode, or can it be used in portrait as well?
I assume you could add the TT6 European routes at a later date if required, by buying the DVD's.
Could wireless be added to the rx5720 at a later date by a card that goes in the expansion slot, if so how much wouls this cost?
As you can see, PDA's are new to me & your help is much appreciated.