GPS PDA

Cnet recently posted a PDAs With GPS feature that accurately documents the fact that the most useful and handy GPS comes integrated in a device that you’re already using to keep yourself organized—namely, your PDA. Unfortunately, many of the devices they chose to feature aren’t that impressive in the first place. Combing the article—taking GPS capabilities and usability, price, and wireless features into account—our bet for the best GPS-equipped PDA is the Garmin IQUE M5 Pocket PC. The device offers native support for Windows applications via Windows Mobile 2003 (2nd ed.), and offers a measly 30.5MB of RAM for extra programming—so look into a memory card. It features a decent-sized 3.5� 320x240-pixel transflective screen (64,000 colors), easily manageable for navigating on the road. A foldable GPS antenna closes flush inside the case for safety, and the device also offers a useful vibrating-alarm feature—a nice extra on business trips. “Though it may be a fairly ordinary PDA,� says Cnet, “the M5 is an extraordinary GPS device,� and we’re in agreement. Like most Garmin GPS devices, the M5 comes equipped Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) functionality for precision GPS navigation. The device's central Que system (QueMap, QueTrip, QueFind, QueRoutes, and QueTurns) offers intuitive placement on a map display. Routing of points of interest or destinations via an address lookup (think restaurants or theaters) function that searches by name or proximity to current location or route destination, is no problem. The M5 even reroutes when you miss a turn, all via voice-prompted turn-by-turn instructions. If lost, a “Where Am I� function offers your current latitude/longitude, nearest addresses, or nearby major intersections. The only thing it won't do for you is drive your car. | Via Cnet |

By: robert o'neill