+Rocky Balboa Posted October 6, 2002 Share Posted October 6, 2002 I have finally wised upto the Pocket Pc navigation thing so many people have talked about (I apologise for never paying real attention before ) Can someone please advise me as to which Pocet PC is best and which navigation software can be run on them. I am looking for something quite new for about £500 or thereabouts. in reguard to software i am looking for something that speaks directions. Webpages would be warmly apreciated too. thanx and sorry again for not paying attention before. Dan Wilson - www.Buckscaching.co.uk Quote Link to comment
el10t Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 Hi Dan I used to use a Casio Cassiopeia E115. This was an excellent machine at the time, but suffered from the fact that the PC synchronisation was serial cable (or IR) only. No USB so things were pretty slow at installing, and putting an album of MP3 files on was an overnight job. Also only had 32Mb built in - additional memory (using CF card) was a must. So I upgraded about a month ago to a Fujitsu Siemens Pocket Loox. This comes with 64Mb memory, the fastest processor currently available for Pocket PCs, USB link to PC, and integrated bluetooth which is great when out-and-about in the field. I can log onto the internet using this and my T68i mobile phone (which also has integrated bluetooth) without even having to take the phone out of my pocket. As for software: - you need the mobipocket stuff to read the pocket queries which is a free download. - I was also looking for some OS maps (see another thread I started somewhere for peoples advice for this). - Web pages are viewed using the IE that comes on the machine. - I haven't yet linked it to the GPSr, but will try pretty soon, probably just using the pocket Maps you get free with Autoroute 2002. Feel free to email me if you want any more info. Rich mobilis in mobili Quote Link to comment
+jeremyp Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 It did occur to us with the right software we could emulate the device used in the Geocaching Fox Hunt. You'd have your GPS and your phone connected to the PocketPC and some software that would read text messages from the phone, query the GPS for its current coordinates and reply to the text message. The low tech answer would be for people to ring the phone and a human being to read the GPS for the coordinates. ------- jeremyp The second ten million caches were the worst too. http://www.jeremyp.net/geocaching Quote Link to comment
Ben Pid Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 Hello there Badger. Where I work sell pocket PC's, personally I think the O2 XDA is the dogs nuts of a pocket PC. My boss has it and it is so user friendly, and easy to use. check the write up from the website below. The O2 xda The xda is our new integrated phone and PDA (personal digital assistant), and will be the first combined Pocket PC and GPRS (general packet radio service) device on the consumer market with a colour screen. GPRS support means that the phone connection is "always on" for web browsing or email applications, while the Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 operating system gives you familiar Microsoft Office like-functionality on a truly portable device. As a PDA the xda offers all the benefits of Microsoft Pocket PC 2002, including suitably adapted versions of Outlook, Excel, Word, Internet Explorer, and other familiar Windows® applications including Microsoft's latest media player. You can also install any of the wide range of third party applications developed for the operating system. More than this, you can use these applications at the same time as the phone functionality - so you can make and receive calls whilst surfing the web without having to keep reconnecting. Pid Ben Piddington http://www.buckscaching.co.uk Quote Link to comment
el10t Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 I looked at the O2 XDA before I upgraded and was quite keen at first, but then I rejected it on the basis of: - it only had 32Mb memory - I had only just upgraded my mobile phone so didn't want to replace it yet. - I was worried that a lost or broken XDA means a lost or broken PocketPC AND phone. - the tarrifs were huge amounts of cash if you want a decent data quota per month. I think it was £25 for the voice tariff then about £50 on top of that for data. Seemed like a lot to me. - it doesn't have inbuilt bluetooth Rich mobilis in mobili Quote Link to comment
+Rocky Balboa Posted October 7, 2002 Author Share Posted October 7, 2002 Cheers for all the good info! Probably me just being stupid again (infact a certainty!) but i had another thought. Do these pocket PC's have satalite links like a GPS? if not how do the navagation programs work? This would be my reason for investing and would make it near pointless if they dont work that way. Dan Wilson - www.Buckscaching.co.uk Quote Link to comment
el10t Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Team D&P:Do these pocket PC's have satalite links like a GPS? if not how do the navagation programs work? Not as standard. There is a GPSr jacket for the Ipaq, but if you buy this and the Ipaq together I think you are looking at about 900 quid. Or you can connect your existing GPSr to a serial port CF card on the Pocket PC. Rich mobilis in mobili Quote Link to comment
Ben Pid Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 I know what Dan is talking about now. You want to invest in a seriously funky GPs basically, which talks to you and has the roads built in, basically. But why ask about Pocket PC's if that wasnt what you wanted badger..... Pid Ben Piddington http://www.buckscaching.co.uk Quote Link to comment
+Rocky Balboa Posted October 7, 2002 Author Share Posted October 7, 2002 What i want is a Pocket PC which runs voice navigation software to use in my car. But at the same time i wanted something to connect to the internet with so while i was caching if i needed to check something out i could go online. Unfortunatly the big man at dixons told me that to have all this would cost me £1100 so i am gonna have to stick to navagating with my etrex arrow nevermind! Thanx for the advise anyway guys, and before anyone says buy one second hand unfortunatly i cant afford a bulk amount only something on finance darn it! Dan Wilson - www.Buckscaching.co.uk Quote Link to comment
+Icenians Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 Nobody seems to be answering your question related to the sat nav bit. I use an iPaq with bluetooth, the 3870 model, which can be bought for around 450. The navman sleeve can be bought for around 200 and comes with sat nav software and I believe the new version does the speech and re-routing for you. However, if you already have a gps you could hook it up to the iPaq and buy the software seperatly. software can be found at www.tomtom.com. The Dixons option is a very overpriced system with a cheaper ipaq thrown in. I've used them all! Statistics show that those with the most birthdays live longest. Quote Link to comment
+Richard & Beth Posted October 8, 2002 Share Posted October 8, 2002 The guy from Dixons is being a little pessimistic with his prices! I'm still running with a Psion 5mx and the Epoc versions of TomTom's software. However at a recent geocacher get together there were several people running Pocket PC's with the TomTom Navigator software hooked up to existing GPS units (can hook straight up to an eTrex if the PocketPC has a serial connection). For certain PocketPC's TomTom will also sell you a complete in car navigation kit, with GPS receiver that goes on the roof of the car, and the software with voice navigation for €429, of course you'll need to add in the cost of the PocketPC. Take a look at http://www.palmtop.nl/ce/navigator.html. Richard Quote Link to comment
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