5 comments about Pharos PF022 Pocket GPS Portable Navigator Kit with CompactFlash GPS Receiver works with Most Pocket PCs.

1. This little attachment is fantastic. Plug it in and load the software, you're done. As long as you have an open sky with no dense cover, it'll take a minute and you're on your way. I'd rate the GPS CF card 5 stars.

   Only reason I gave this 3 stars and not 5 is the software it comes with is very primative. On the PDA it's fine and simple enough to use, but I don't like the user interface with the map software on the PC. In order to use the maps on the iPAQ you have to sync it from the 2-bit graphic interface software on the desk top. If you plan on using the software for cross country road trips, think again. the map software only alows you to plan regional trips within small areas, and you can only plot points from your PDA not your PC. 2 Stars for the software.




2. After I downloaded the newest version of Ostia and the most up-to-date maps, everything started to come together! Had a little trouble while searching for sepecific addresses with the old version. Maps for Canada, (I bought the Ostia NAV01, the US version) are kinda pricy, but there're ways to get around it ^.~ Over all, it's a great gadget to have for your PDAs. it turned my e740 from a email server to something much more useful!!



3. I use the Pharos module for the Siemens (ATT) PocketPC phone. For the most part this device is limited because it uses a handheld to display the information. (limited by resolution and screen size, beyond the scope of this review) It will never approach a printed map for clarity, readability or comprehensive data. I have used this device quite a bit.

   That said this device does things that a printed map could never do. It will show you exactly where you are, and give you directions to where you want to go - quite accurately. I think the software for the PDA is quite straight forward and intuitive, but the PC side is clunky - and needs further refinement.

   The maps are regional only - for example if you are driving in the San Francisco Bay area - you will need to load three separate maps on to your PDA. (I have a 256MB SD/MMC card that has allows me to load the entire state of CA on the PDA).

   Don't expect to have the entire US at your fingertips - unless you plan on bringing a laptop with you to synch and load new maps as you travel. I recently drove from San Francisco to Ft Lauderdale - I didn't use the device. It would be good though if you were going to fly somewhere and loaded maps of that area before you left.

   My chief complaint is that it will not load neighboring regional maps as you move into new territory - even if they exist on your memory card.

   Bottom line: (1) Not a replacement for you atlas or map(s), but a useful aid/enhancement to both. (2) Not a device for non-technophiles. (3) Well-designed software (at least the PDA side). (4) Very accurate.




4. Bottom line: Huge improvements needed but gets a 4 because it's the most comprehensive of what's available for PDAs.

   I am a financial consultant and am on the road everyday to new residences and businesses, giving me in-depth knowledge about this particular product. Because many good reviews are listed, I will focus more the drawbacks. Read on for the nitty-gritty details.

   The Maps:
   The maps can be huge, ranging from a couple megabytes to 15 megabytes. You'll need plenty of memory and a fast PDA. What a map covers depends on how dense the city is. Los Angeles requires about 4 maps while Riverside county is covered in two maps. You can only load 3 maps at a time, so if you're travelling long distances, your destination may have to be somewhere along the highway. Once you get there, load a different set of maps. Loading more maps, though, will reset your start/end points as well as your route. So you'll need to renter the information. Also, the more maps are open, the slower it is to pan across the map.

   Finding yourself:
   Unlike a static map, the GPS can track your location or you can search by contacts, address, intersection, or major points of interest. Unfortunately, it only lists major venues (e.g. stadiums, major shopping centers) and not places like gas stations (a major drawback). Searching for an intersection without knowing the city can be quite tedious. You first enter a street name, then the city, then the next street name. So if the city is unknown and the first street appears in several cities, you have to try each city until you find the second street.

   The GPS:
   If you use the system in your car, as I do, the GPS is a mixed blessing. When first starting the system, it may take a LONG time before getting a fix - if you're stopped. If you try to get a fix while moving, that drastically reduces your chances of getting a fix at all. After that, however, it is quick at requisition after going under tunnels and such. Because being in a car weakens the signal, it has a hard time following you after making turns. You may have made a left, but it still shows you as going straight. This is especially frustrating when you cannot stop and wait for it to tell you which way to turn, as in a highway exit with a green light. If you know this will happen, you best look at the directions and memorize the turns. Also, because of the weakened signal, the voice might keep saying, "you are off-route," either because it hasn't yet taken into account that you made a turn or simply because it can't quite pin-point where you are and has you located as driving off-road through blocks of houses. Expect this to happen frequently in mountainous areas or in downtown areas with tall buildings.

   Routing:
   Routing is a mixed blessing as well. You can route by fastest, shortest, or no highway, and you have a voice telling you where to go. It is fairly quick at routing when you only have one map open. If you're travelling across three maps, it might take a while. Also, it is supposed to reroute you when you have gone off-course, but it rarely ever does that, meaning you have to take your eyes off the road and manually tell it to find a new route. Perhaps the biggest drawback is the amount of time it gives itself before telling you that a turn is coming up. On streets, it makes announcements 0.1 miles before street turns and 0.5 miles before highway exits, meaning you better keep an eye on how far away you are from your next turn. Also, the maps do not use highway-exit names. For example, the Santa Monica exit off the 405 North in California puts you on a street called Cotner Ave, which in actuality is just an off-ramp with a street name. The directions will tell you to exit onto Cotner Ave, meaning you will miss it because you will never see a Cotner Ave. exit on the highway signs. And if the off-ramp does not have a name or does not immediately exit onto a street, it will simply say to exit onto the off-ramp. Along those lines, you better remember your destination address because it doesn't show it to you in the text directions. I always have to switch back to my Outlook Contacts to look at the address because the map will get you to the block, not the specific address (probably to save memory). By the way, the voice simply tells you a turn is coming up - it doesn't actually say the name. But that is forgivable in order to save memory. The map always displays in large font what is coming up and the distance left to make the next turn as well as the distance remaining to your destination.

   Battery Life and Memory:
   This product drains your batteries and the maps take up a lot of memory, so it would be prudent to get a car adapter and at least a 256MB flash memory module. Do NOT get compactflash because that slot will be taken by the GPS unit.

   Bottom Line:
   Obvously, there is MUCH room for improvement. I tried many competing products and this one was, by far, the most comprehensive. There are products that list restaurants and gas stations, but use TINY maps of which you can only load one at a time and have limited search, routing, and GPS features. Others have better GPS sensitivity but are much more expensive. Others can show a cross-country route from start to finish on a single map but again, lack in other features.




5. Wish there had been some mention of this before I got it. The antenna on the 5400 and 5500 series of iPaqs makes it physically impossible to plug this in using a standard CF sleeve. Supposedly it can work if you use a dual CF sleeve.

No comments about Humminbird 7600201 AD 926 Transducer Adapter Cable.

1 comments about Covertec Universal GPS Nylon and Neoprene case - Size 1.

1. works good for the the 260 unit, but that's all. nothing else will go in there even the cord won't fit. so unless you are just looking for the screen unit to be covered you might want to look else ware.

No comments about Garmin Flush Mounting Kit for GPSMap 172 (010-10447-02).

No comments about Garmin to HP iPAQ GPS Data Connectivity Cable (Round Connector).

5 comments about TOPO! National Geographic USGS Topographic Maps, Minnesota and Iowa.

1. After spending $250 on a GPS, $40 on a memory card, and $100 on this software (all at the advice of REI (yeah, I bought it from REI, not Amazon)), I saw that the fine print of the software says you can't download the maps to your GPS.
   
   What's the point of having maps sitting on your computer hard drive that you can't download to your GPS? My computer hard drive isn't going hiking. My computer hard drive isn't hunting for difficult-to-find street. My computer hard drive isn't doing a search and rescue mission. Oh, but if your computer hard drive ever DOES want to go hiking, it won't get lost. You, on the other hand, will be lost and out $80-$100 if you buy this software.
   
   If you thought National Geographic was a reputable organization, they're not! (And I guess the same is true of REI.) And does Amazon warn you about this -- not that I've found so far.



2. I bought this software based on the belief it would show trail maps for hiking. Trail maps are only available via a download (not a big deal), but trail maps for PA and NJ don't exist!!!
   
   If you want maps that show existing trail maps for hiking in PA, do not purchase this software.



3. This product is very hard to use, especially if you are trying to download it to a Magellan Triton 500. Not user friendly or intuitive at all.



4. All information is in USGS 1:100,000 scale for road and very good hiking mapping and navigation. Its all very, very easy to learn and includes cool features to customize your maps like adding notes, showing your trails and routes, elevation profiles for hiking mountains and a 3D feature. This allows you to actually view your route as your travel in simulation at varying angles. The `Search' feature is very handy in locating just about anything you are looking for in that section/region of the map. You can zoom into five different levels of detail and print out any portion of that map. If your GPS allows you to import information, you can upload your personalized map to it. You can also import most GPS information into your computer onto the topographic maps, such as .gpx files and geocache information. TOPO! National Geographic is the best in mapping information for GPS or everyday route or hiking planning.
   
   I had a Magellan Triton that claims you could download the maps to your Triton handheld, but that software is flawed and I had to return the Triton four times. Now that I have a Garmin, I can download info to my PC and use the National Geographic TOPO! information, but I still cannot import maps into my Garmin (just geocache information).



5. I have been using Topo! since it was a Wildflower product back in the early 1990's. The interface does take some getting used to as mentioned before, but like all powerful software programs (vi/emacs) eventually, it becomes second nature.
   
   I mostly use TOPO! to annotate my previous trips, plan future trips, share travel guides with family, and create georeferenced raster maps for handheld GPS devices.
   
   My trips primarily used to be hiking and backpacking trips, which I would dutifully record using an old Garmin Etrex GPS receiver. The tracks and waypoints would be uploaded to the desktop and saved as separate .tpo files. Back in the day, I was plenty happy just to see waypoint times and elevation gains as documentation of my backcountry trips. I would also use TOPO to create waypoint routes (up to 30) to be uploaded to the GPS receiver so that I could plan/program my future hikes into the Etrex.
   
   Since those early primitive days, both TOPO! and I have changed a lot! TOPO! has improved significantly in its featurea. Now that I have two kids and more money, my outdoor travels consist mostly of Jeeping, dry car camping, and ancient rock art hunting.
   
   Now, with the newer versions of TOPO, it is possible to add pictures and notes. In turn, these more detailed maps can be useful as travelogues not only for nostalgia, but also as travel guides for family members and friends who are using TOPO! as well.
   
   While similar functionality could be obtained by using Google Earth or Maps, this map sharing is dependent on "cloud computing". This may be feasible when sitting in a coffee shop in a metropolis or even at home, but out in the desert without cellphone access this is not a viable option. Further, Google Map data is only protected by obscurity. Any person who knows the URL to your map data can view it.
   
   Since I don't have to carry gear on my back anymore, I primarily use TOPO in the field on a laptop with an external GPS receiver. Though bulky, it is a much more useful combination than simply a tiny handheld receiver alone due to the larger size of the laptop screen and the ability to search for waypoints using the standard keyboard. My family uses a similar setup and they too find it reassuring to know that they have a clearly mapped GPS route available to them in the wild.
   
   Finally, the most useful aspect of TOPO! is unfortunately no longer available, unless you can beg, borrow, or steal a boxed Xport Pro package. NatGeoMaps recently and quite quietly killed off its entire TopoPro line (including for ArcGIS). Xport Pro (formerly $199) allows the user to export high quality USGS maps in the georeferenced GeoTiff format. These GeoTiffs could then be used in shareware GPS programs like OziExplorer for Windows computers or OziWince or NoniGPSplot for WinCE GPS devices (many personal navigation devices can be cracked to run these apps in addition to the installed street mapping software). It used to be that you could call in a credit card number to NatGeoMaps customer service and for $99 get the functionality activated through a PIN, but no longer :( .
   
   Admittedly, GeoTiff, mrsid, and many other georeferenced maps can be downloaded from state governments (usually from depts of ag or wildlife management), but having it all in one software package on CD's is pretty sweet.

1 comments about Invisibleshield Nuvi 660.

1. Well, after struggling with the install for literally 20 minutes I have to say the best that I can rate this is a 3 out of 5.
   
   Let's get the pros out of the way since they are marginal:
   
   1. Strong and resistant to scratches. Part of the reason this is is that the product is rather flexible. It's has kind of has a strong latex rubber feel to it.
   
   2. Good fit. It was cut extremely within the tolerances of the screen it was intended to fit.
   
   Now the cons:
   
   1. The fact that it is flexible made it difficult to fit to screen. At times it was a perfect fit without any tension, but as soon as you squeegee it it stretches beyond the boundary of fit.
   
   2. The adhesive adheres way too quickly. Even when wet it sticks. I was hoping it would slide rather easy for a bit to position it and then allow for squeegee-ing....but no way. Due to the sticking it took me about ten minutes to finally get a resonable fit.
   
   3. The biggest issue is that this requires you spray the water/liquid it comes with. First of all the sprayer is horrible quality and doesn't put a mist out to evenly place moisture. Also in order to place it you have to wet your fingertips, the adhesive side of the sheet and the non-adhesive side of the sheet. In the end you get water everywhere and while my particular device didn't seem to be affected, I would suspect that other electronic devices may not be so accomodating. Also the wet application makes it difficult to see what is air or water below the surface until all the water bubbles on top of the surface are removed and then guess what....by then it's too late to get the bubble up. Then you have to remove the invsible shied, which REALLY sticks to the LCD screen even before it is really dry.
   
   4. The invisbleshield doesn't absord reflection and glare very well. My Garmin screen seemed to have an anti-glare surface that increased in reflection once the InvisibleShield was installed.
   
   In the end I ended up with a good fitting protection for my Garmin with only about two small bubbles and a speck of dust/dirt underneath it. This was my compromise for good protection for the screen. Now I do feel good about using it in my truck no matter what I use to touch the screen.
   
   Here are some recommendations for others. Given that I've used other typical clear 'plastic type' protections, I must say this gives a superior form of protection, but when you install it the best places are on perfectly flat surfaces where you can easily squeegee to the edge. This will also prevent water from entering inside the chassis of the unit. Can anyone say iPod is the best here? Also use A LOT of the water solution and wet the living daylights out of your fingertips, the non-adhesive side and especially the adhesive side. In hindsight I believe that if there was enough water under the film then it would have 'floated' a bit better and slid in place without the frustration. Also start the fit in the corner.....not the middle....not a side....in the corner. Lay it down and let the sides align it in. If you see a gap developing in a side then stop, pull back and continue. Remember that it is flexible, so always allow it to stretch back to the original shape before laying it down again or it will exceed the screen area.
   
   Good luck on your purchase and install.

No comments about RAM Mounting Systems Flat Surface Mount for Garmin Rino 110, 120 and 130.

1 comments about Magellan 730381 Roadmate USB Cable.

1. I do own this cable;it came with the Magellan Roadmate that I bought a couple of years ago.
   
   The cable would be used to connect the Roadmate to your computer in order to download a newer version of the built in maps from the Magellan website; unfortunately, Magellan has never updated the original supplied version and apparently has no intention of doing so since newer versions of the Roadmate have been produced by Magellan.
   
   That makes this cable virtually worthless. Good idea-bad implementation.

2 comments about Garmin BlueChart g2 Vision SD Card, St John to Cape Cod.

1. I ordered this item in Feb 2007. The product that I recieved was last year's release of Mar 2006. After varifying with Garmin the latest version is Jan 2007 I returned it for credit. Amazon can't tell you what they have in stock so you just have to wait until they run out of last year's stock or settle for informatin that is a year old.



2. The Garmin BlueChart Vision SD Card I recently purchased was exactly what I expected. The card was received on time as promised and operates great. No problems encountered with this product