PDA with GPS

Jeez Rich - you know how to open a can of worms! You've just started another Toyota/Nissan debate :-)

The choice is really yours. Most newer style PDA's with a bluetooth function will do what you want. Just check a few sites ie Oziexplorer and a voice navigation site to make sure the make/model you choose is compatible.

I got a second-hand Dell X51v Axim from ebay - there's a lot of PDA's being sold due to a lot of people going over to Blackberry/Phone-PDA's etc.

I run Ozi with Natmaps and Rooftop maps on my PDA. I have recently scanned and calibrated more maps to use which work very well in Ozi.

As far as voice-navigation goes. I also use Destinator 6 - I had to get an upgrade as the first version had a few glitches - but a phone call later and a disc arrived in the mail at no cost.

As I said - the choice is yours - there is heaps to choose from.

Good luck!


Tim.

Richard

Try this one

.

How about a ipac 112 PDA, and then buy a sirf111bluetooth GPSr, you can run Tom Tom and Ozi, surf the net, use it to record your notes, store many HTML files.
When not using the PDA you can use the Blue tooth receiver on the laptop

Hi Rich,

I have had several PDA's over the years that I have used as phone & navigation. The cheapest way to go would be to buy a secondhand O2 XDA II or similar from ebay and carkit/PDA holder from same or Expansys and setup in the car with either a bluetooth GPS or serial GPS mouse. This is what I currently run in the patrol.

http://www.mcs.net.au/~grungle/navcom.html

There is a wide range of programs you can buy (or download a trial and if happy buy the licence) but the most popular mapping one is OziExplorer and most popular street navigator is Destinator for PDA's. With Ozi you will need maps to load onto a sizable memory card and the best would be the Auslig and Hema range but you could load any map once it has been callibrated and converted - all of which you can do once you get started. Destinator has had a few releases over the years but the maps are pretty good and continually updated to include new streets and changes to roads and traffic rules. I haven't used any others as I have found Destinator great.

What I have also done is when it came time to upgrade all our work phones to Next G, I got 10 x Imate JasJam PDA's for free on a 24 month contract. We are in Telecommunications so navigating to remote repeaters is a requirement and I wanted to kill 2 birds with one stone ie have phone contact through Next G as well as navigation via installed programs and maps through a bluetooth GPS connection. You can also get a good carkit for the JasJam in the form of a Bury kit.

Even though I still have the O2 XDA II in the Patrol as a permanent navigation tool, I carry the Imate JasJam and Qstarz bluetooth GPS with me for both work and pleasure. The Qstarz GPS is the size of a matchbox and is a 32 channel, 32 Hours of use SIRF GPS that has worked exceptionally well. Works well through the windscreen of the car as well as carrying around in shirt pocket. The JasJam has proved to be a reliable device but the screen is a bit on the small side for navigation - saying that however, placement is the key and you can always zoom.

Anyway, thats what I run and have never had a problem. As others have said there is a lot of devices out there so it is a matter of reading reviews and deciding on what you want the device to do.

Before you decide on anything though, I would suggest you make sure the device can handle the program you intend on running (ie newer versions of destinator will not run on older devices because it checks processor type first before running) and you can get a good solid mount or carkit for the PDA to either hold, charge, talk or interface a GPS through - depending on your requirements.

Regards
David

Rich,

If you are not "familiar" with PDA/GPS hardware, I would strongly recommend you buy a PDA with a built-in GPS unit.

Configuring a GPS to link to the PDA via bluetooth is not as straightforward as you may think.

Apart from that, Oziexplorer and NAPMAP Premium will give you moving map functionality throughout Australia and Navigator 6 (TomTom) or CoPilot 6 will give you voice guidance in the cities.

You comments re record keeping/data management conjures up an interesting vision. Entry via the PDA is via an on screen keyboard and is not that quick to perform.

Maybe you would be better off with that Laptop, which can still run all the other navigation software and a bluetooth GPS is much more user friendly than a PDA link. (at least with my Dell axim PDA)

Bill.

If your eyesight is not perfect , a PDA screen is too small . Also it gives you only a very small part of the map so you have trouble seeing enough of any map to give you an idea of where you sit within a larger area .
Willie .

Thanks for all the info and suggestions - there were some amazingly well thought out and prepared replies that will help a lot more people than just me. I'm going to have to mull over all the options and I may end up sticking with a laptop for the house project and wait for Santa to bring me a GPS... but we'll see!!

Cheers and beers
Rich

Richard
I have a PDA, pocket pc with gps running navman. given to me with a new jeep i brought several years ago.
a couple of months ago the software disappeared & i got a new magellan.
the navman maps are on a sd card.
as the pocket pc is just sitting here u are welcome to it, if u want.
u will have to ask the boys out there what software & maps u can load into it. let me know.
cheers Tom

Rich



Look at the HP 312. It is not expensive and will run OziExplorer CE as well as the street mapping software that it comes with.

Has bluetooth for handsfree mobile.

Will play MP3s and DIVX.

There is a trick to getting OziExplorer on it but it is not too difficult.




Tjilpi