Acore AG-600 BT GPS Reviewed by PocketPCReviews

[Pat Logsdon]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pocketpcreviews.net/' target='_blank'>http://www.pocketpcreviews.net/</a><br /><br /></div>"Mature technology means consumers have more choices. In the crowded field of Bluetooth GPS receivers you can already choose from nearly two dozen models. Let’s see what sets the Acore AG-600 Bluetooth GPS apart from the others. Is it endurance or performance? Is it features or looks? Or is it price?" <br /><br />It's certainly true that the BT GPS field is becoming crowded...take two bunnies, add some smooth Barry White tunes, and you'll get the idea. :mrgreen: Fortunately for us, PocketPCReviews has put this particular unit through the wringer for our edification.<br /><br /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logsdon_20040501_acoreBTgps.jpg" /> <br /><br />"Acore Technology in Taiwan has been producing a line of GPS mouse receivers for some time and is now bringing out their first Bluetooth model to cater for wireless GPS applications. The term “wireless” is a bit of an oxymoron as Bluetooth models still need to be charged on a regular basis, compared to a card GPS which have no dangling wires whatsoever. The AG-600 comes with a car charger as well as a wall adapter (110-240V). Plenty of 'wires'...The good news, of course, is that the time you can go without these wires is a very generous 8 or 9 hours. An honest day’s work!" <br /><br />Having had both CF and BT GPS units, I think I'll take the BT over having a big card hanging out of a slot. :) Does anyone have this unit? Thoughts?

[OSUKid7]

GPS is truely a field where bluetooth makes sense. WiFi is too much for this technology - bluetooth is just right. Glad to see the competition in this area. :)

[njb42]

Personally I went for the Haicom 303, which is like the Transformer toy of GPS receivers. It's a foldable CompactFlash receiver which can also be used:

as a "mouse" GPS by plugging in a cable, or

as a standalone Bluetooth receiver by slipping it into a sleeve.

This way I'm future-proofed. Since I currently use an iPAQ 2215, I'm using the CF card by itself. If my next PDA sacrifices the CF slot, I can use the Bluetooth. The mouse cable isn't really useful to me anymore, but at $20 I bought it for a backup.

Best of all, you can get the whole kit for less than what most of the other Bluetooth receivers cost.

So far I think the 2215 + Routis 2004 software is a great solution. I've finally retired the Garmin GPS V Deluxe that sat on my dash for years.

Here's the Haicom site (http://www.haicom.com.tw/gps303.htm) in Taiwan. I bought mine from Semsons (http://www.semsons.com).