I am about to purchase the Dell 624mhz handheld PC....and wanted to know everyone's opinion...from experience or word of mouth....

What is the BEST navigation software??

*Most points of interest
*most up to date maps
*most info

etc.

 

check out the resource at PocketPC.com, that's a good starting point.

Having a HP H5555 myself, I think it'll be hard to see the LCD screen of a handheld in a S2000 with the top down. I can never read my appointments. I can't imagine navigation software would be better.

Also, make sure you get a car adapter, because accesories are good at draining battery life.

I know, not much of a help. Sorry.

 

Mapopolis - www.mapopolis.com - they use Navtech data, you can try it out for free, they update the software for free - you only pay for new maps if you want them AND they tell you which areas were updated by Navtech so you are not buying an update that doesn't help you out. EVERY other software package makes you upgrade for both the software and maps, is slower to recalculate a route and is more of a resource hog AND they cost more. The only downside is that the current version 4.42 has a voice system that is not spectacular. I prefer 4.36, which they still have a hidden link to on their site. with 4.36 you can create your own voice files for navigation.

Some features of mapopolis:
*save / recall routes
*auto zoom (zooms in / out with speed change)
*auto rotate, auto scroll
*points of interest - upgradeable and you can add your own
*gps trail and gps log - know where you went, how fast, download to PC
*clear route compatible - with subscription download current traffic conditions and reroute automatically
*16 levels of zoom (from 100 ft to 1000 miles)
*interstate maps for all states and maps by county
*North American data includes Canada
*Pocket PC, Palm and Smartphone versions available

Mapopolis is compatible with blue tooth GPS units; as well as mouse, SDIO and compact flash, but the new X30 only has SDIO. My recommendation would be blue tooth or mouse based and keep the SD slot open for map memory.

www.aximsite.com has a good GPS forum, also www.gpspassion.com

DO NOT GO with the Dell GPS software - PHAROS is by FAR the worst package out there, they just have the best marketing department...

click here for my setup
click here to progam mapopolis

 

Ok....I will def go with your advice.

I was looking at the Dell...this one in particular....
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/p...s=19&l=en&s=dhs

Will this work???

If yes....

what else do I need to make it run??

Links would be great.

Also....mapopolis cannot provide maps of the whole US like a DVD can right?

 

Get the Alpine

 

That will work, you just need a blue tooth or mouse GPS unit. Don't go SDIO or you used up your only available slot that you could use for extra memory (store the maps).

Mapopolis lets you download the whole US and Canada from their site, takes less than an hour with cable or DSL. You can download all of the major roads for the US, but there is a population limit to the number of addresses the program can load, so you are more limited in the Eastern US as to how many maps you can load, regardless of your device. I went on a trip to Nevada and CA and loaded the three states onto my SD card. I could have all of the maps on the SD card, but couldn't load Northern and Southern California at the same time - just the major roads and either/or.

 

Ok.....so....

What is a good Bluetooth GPS antenna that I can get, and where.....

How does it get powered if its wireless? Batteries?

Also, what is the best card to get? The biggest one, from dell?

Also.....do these pocket PCs not have internal memory? If so, how big are they....1 gig?

Also....when you have a minute....please explain to me how this "loading maps" works. I am used to the Alpine DVD type navis that have all the info on one disc that you never touch, and it takes care of everything.....

Explain to me two instances.

I live in NYC. So, for everyday driving, and maybe a 200 mile road trip on occasion....what would I do.

And another instance....supposed I need to go gtom NYC to Los Angeles.....how would I do that???

I really appriciate your time. Thanks!

 

Couple things to note - the Dell you are looking at is only good for in-car GPS, if you want to hike and walk around, the X5 is the better option since you can use a compact flash GPS and still have a SD slot for more memory.

The devices (X30 you are looking at and the X5) have 64MB of RAM, that's storage AND for running programs - you want to keep your Pocket PC RAM at its max and use external memory cards for as many programs as possible. I load all of my programs on my SD card.

As for blue tooth GPS units and power:
http://www.semsons.com/gpshardware.html - shows all the options - you'll want to look at blue tooth receivers

You can get car power to the unit, battery power or power through a cradle - it just means more wires. That's why I like the X5 for my needs since the CF GPS just plugs in and I only need the one cable and cradle.

As for the maps, you can load as many maps as you can onto your SD card - I recommend a 256MB or better. You can load about 1/5 of the US on a 256MB card. You would load NYC and any areas around you want. When you open Mapopolis you can click on TOOLS menu - CHOOSE MAP and you can either multi-select the maps you want or select one and click on OPEN ALL CONTIGUOUS MAPS (which loads everything touching the map you selected). If you go over the 20 million addresses (or whatever the limit is now - that was the limit a year ago) you need to close some maps. If you go on a road trip and you plan to take major roads, just load the major road maps for the state, they have the main roads, just not much off of them (side streets). If I am going somewhere I load the major road maps onto the card and the county I will be traveling to and from for the specifics.

The cool part about Mapopolis is that you can download the software AND any of the maps you want to try out and play with it for a couple days.

It is not like the Alpine or other GPS in-car units in that you don't have a DVD and the devices don't have enough memory to store a DVD - but it is usable on a day-to-day basis and takes about 30 minutes of planning at most if you are going on a major trip.

 

i copied walkabt's system

the Bluetooth GPS is much like a cell phone it has a battery and can be charged either from home or you can plug it into your cigeratte lighter. then that will send the information to your PDA with-out wires as long as your pda has bluetooth (you can buy a BT card for your pda for about a hundred bucks for an sd BT card)

you can store as many maps in your system as your memory will hold - i ordered a 512 CF card for mine and i can pretty much store the whole east coast

as for the cards i am using a CF card because it was a little less expensive than a sd card - they are pretty much all the same - check fatwallet.com for deals on memory cards my 512 was 99 after a 30 dollar rebate

Yes the pocket pcs have an interal memory (honestly i forget what mine has i think 128)

from NYC TO LA you would load the detailed NYC map then all the major roadways between NY and LA and then you would load the detailed LA map

I can show you the setup during the electrionic's meet that you and john are setting up - total cost was about $750.00

 

Ok....first...

Who makes the X5 unit you speak of? Ive been looking, but unable to locate it.


Next.....im looking at this blue tooth antenna ....

http://www.semsons.com/sysbluetgpsr.html

This one will do right????

Just trying to piece this thing together.....thanks for bearing with me.