GPS v. PDA

[Paul Young]

As a GPS solution, why should I go for a bespoke system like the SPIII over something more versatile like a PDA with GPS software/receiver? Something like a Dell Axim X5 with Tomtom GPS software is significantly cheaper & more flexible so I'm struggling to understand.

 

[andy white]

Or a full coulor map

 

[andy white]

Paul,

Garmin Gps units are waterproof and are pretty tough, the PDA probably wins in a car as it won't get wet.

You dont own a convertible do you

You can get mounts for the bike for the Garmin units such as RAM or Touratech, I don't know if they make PDA ones

 

[BurnieM]

RAM make a mount for iPaqs (and probably other PDAs) but you still end up with a unit that is not waterproof or vibration resistant.

Some people have put PDAs inside a tank bag, but this is not the best viewing position. With products like OziExplorer or Fugawi you will have access to a wide range of good quality maps.

I have OziExplorerCE on an iPaq 3870 with topo and street maps but most of the time I use my GPS V with Metroguide.
I am planning to buy a GPSmap 176 and use Metroguide with it.
Even in my 4WD I find I am using Ozi less and less.

 

[Dave Hall]

I see Touratech do a waterproof case for PDA or palm. Its £46

 

[MiGSel]

The case works fine with a RAM mount:

from the back:

I have used it last June when I went to Norway. The StreetPilot doesn't have maps for Norway, and I did had some on my pda from TomTom. So I wired the serial output from the SPIII to the pda, so I had gps signal there.

It worked fine technically, but the visibility of the pda screen was not so good.

You'll also have a problem if there are cables that need to be connected on top of your pda.

Paul, another problem with pda gps is that with the current software you can't prepare a route following the roads you like on you computer. As far as I know at least.

It works fine for A to B routing. That that's quite often not what us weirdoes want is it?

Cheers,
Michel

 

[MiGSel]

Update

I tested the newer TomTom Navigator 2 yesterday. It has improved a lot compared to the old TomTom RoutePlanner I had before.

* off-route recalculation is really fast! It works like it should, not uselessly slow like the Garmin recalculation!

* great on-screen instructions for your "next turn"

* voice prompts

* fluent autozoom in/out when approaching a turn

* track logging

It makes pda gps'ing a lot more interesting...

Cheers,
Michel

 

[ozrockrat]

I have used a Palm V hooked to my Garmin GPS III. It is OK but the calculation is slow on the old Palm and it only holds 8 Meg so you need to have some way of storing routes external to it.

You could also look at one of these Palm based GPS's

Good for travelling consultants etc as it is one less piece of kit to carry but a bit rich for general use.

 

[ozrockrat]

Here is where a guy has used a Garmin IQue on a motorcycle. I don't like his idea myself!!!!!!!!!!