Raising the Ante - the Pharos GPS Phone 600 Reviewed [Archive]

Doug Raeburn

05-16-2007, 04:00 PM

<img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-00.jpg" /> Product Category: Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE Pocket PC Phone w/ GPS Manufacturer: <a href="http://www.pharosgps.com">Pharos</a> Where to Buy: <a href="http://www.mobileplanet.com/p.aspx?i=145105">MobilePlanet</a> Price: $699.00 USD Specifications: <a href="http://www.pharosgps.com/products/all-in-one/PTL600.htm">Pharos site</a> Pros: <li>Sleek design;<li>Narrower than most Pocket PCs;<li>Sharp, bright screen;<li>Compatible with phone standards across the world;<li>Great phone functionality;<li>Sensitive GPS;<li>Both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi;<li>Built-in FM tuner and applet work very well;<li>Lots of bundled software, including Ostia Navigation and Live Search. Cons: <li>Smallish screen;<li>Telescoping stylus hard to remove;<li>Ostia navigation software's design lags a bit behind the best of its competitors;<li>Camera is no match for a dedicated digital camera;<li>Pricey. The era of PDA/phone combinations is clearly upon us, with new devices such as Windows Smartphones, Pocket PC Phones, and Blackberrys being introduced every day. Now Pharos has just raised the ante... "I'll see your PDA/Phone, and raise you a PDA/Phone/GPS." The Pharos GPS Phone 600 adds a GPS and navigation system to the ubiquitous PDA/Phone. Throw in a 2 MP digital camera with flash and an FM radio, and you've got one of the most fully featured devices out there. Is this the convergence device for you? Let's take a look... <!><PAGEBREAK> Is This the New Ultimate Device? Just a few weeks ago, I published a review of the Samsung Blackjack, with an eye on how well a Smartphone served as a convergence device. At that time, I didn't address the other type of Windows Mobile convergence device, the Pocket PC Phone, largely because of the fact that I didn't have one to compare. Well, since my throngs of loyal fans (how ya doin', Mom?) have been dying to hear my take on a Pocket PC Phone, I'm happy to report that I now have a Pocket PC Phone in my hot little hands. I'm about to take a look at the Pharos GPS Phone 600. Since it comes from Pharos and has the term GPS in its name, you may have assumed that there's more to this unit than just a Pocket PC and a phone. And you'd be right. The 600 has a built-in SiRF Star III GPS and bundled Pharos Ostia software. So this unit carries the concept of the convergence device one step further than most of its competitors. For the record, I don't plan to make this review a full comparison between the 600 and the devices it's designed to replace, as I did with the Blackjack. Just reporting on the plethora of features included with this device will be a huge article in itself. I will make a few comments about such comparisons to try to satisfy those of you who might be interested. Looking at the 600 as a Pocket PC <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-01.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-01 thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 1: The Pharos GPS Phone 600 - is it nirvana for the convergence device fan? Click on any image with the magnifying glass to see a larger version. Regular readers of PPCT may feel a sense of déjà vu when looking at the 600. This is because the 600 is based on the same unit as the <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,53297">E-TEN Glofiish X500,</a> which was reviewed recently in typical fine fashion by Darius Wey. Pharos has distribution rights for this design within the US, while E-TEN has the rights for Europe. Aside from the badging, the units are identical in appearance. The 600 reviewed here is the version that includes the bundled Pharos Ostia software. There is also a 600e that lists for $100 less and comes with no bundled navigation software, for those of you who have a different preference. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-02.jpg" /> Figure 2: Pretty svelte for a Pocket PC... <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-03.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-03 Thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 3: Fits nicely between a Blackjack and an N560, sizewise... First, let's look at the Pocket PC characteristics. The 600 is based on Windows Mobile 5, and has the 128MB ROM and 64MB RAM common to these devices. Its Samsung SC32442 400 MHz processor provides snappy performance. The 600 is certainly one of the most compact Pocket PCs that I've seen, at least in width. As you can see in the chart above, the 600's width is nearly ½ in (or nearly 12 mm) narrower than the reference Loox N560, which is one of the more compact "traditional" Pocket PCs. The tradeoff for a narrow design is a smaller screen. Although all 3 units are comparable in length, the 600's QVGA screen (320 x 240) measures 2.8 in as compared to 3.5 in for the VGA screen on the N560. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-04.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-04 Thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 4: It needs to drop a few before being as thin and light as the Blackjack, however. In other dimensions, the 600 is more like other Pocket PCs. While length is quite comparable, it's actually thicker than the N560 by .06 in. or 1.5 mm. As for weight, the 600 is only slightly lighter than the N560, by .5 oz. or 13 g. I guess that the added functionality of a phone and a camera (the N560 has a built-in GPS like the 600) has its costs. <PAGEBREAK> Looking at the 600 as a Phone The 600 is a very contemporary phone, with its Quad band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz design and GPRS/EDGE wireless communications. It comes unlocked, so it will work with a compatible SIM card from any carrier with a GSM network. I plugged in my Cingular SIM card, checked a checkbox on a single screen and the 600 was ready to go. The Quad band design makes it much more likely that the phone will work when travelling, as the GSM frequencies vary in different parts of the world. My only real issue with the phone features is that the 600 doesn't provide support for Cingular's 3G network, so you're limited to their slower EDGE network in the US. My Blackjack's ability to use the faster 3G has certainly spoiled me. That being said, web browsing was acceptably fast, so this is certainly not a show stopper. I'll draw some comparisons between the 600 and the Blackjack, which as a Windows Mobile Smartphone utilizes the other Microsoft platform for convergence devices. As you can see in the chart in Figure 2, the 600's width is just above that of the Blackjack. Since it has to allow for the space to accommodate its QWERTY keyboard, the Blackjack's screen size is smaller than that of the 600. The Blackjack's QVGA screen measures 2.3 in. as compared to the 600's 28 in. In other dimensions, the size difference between the 600 and the Blackjack is much greater. Again, length is nearly a wash. However, the 600 is .11 in (2.5 mm) thicker than the Blackjack, or approximately 20% thicker. As for weight, the 600 is heavier by 1.6 oz or 47 g, a 47% difference. I like to carry my phone in my front pocket most of the time, and with its greater thickness and weight, I look much happier to see people when I'm carrying the 600 than when I carry my Blackjack. A Visual Tour In Figure 1, the 600 shows its sophisticated lines, with an appearance that I call an executive look. The buttons have very striking color combinations for their backlighting, adding a bit of bling to its businesslike design. The button configuration is more akin to that of Smartphones than traditional Pocket PCs. There are 4 buttons surrounding the directional pad, but they're used for different functions than pulling up the calendar or contacts. The leftmost and rightmost buttons are for send/end, while the buttons just adjacent to the directional pad are dedicated soft keys. This feature is more common to Smartphones, since they don't have touch screens. With the 600, you can activate the current soft keys with either the hardware or the onscreen buttons. Like the Blackjack, the soft keys are butted up against the directional pad, making accidental pressing of a soft key while using the pad a not infrequent experience. You adjust to it and begin to compensate as you get used to the device. The top buttons consist of a GPS button on the left and the Home button on the right. A light on the left side serves multiple purposes, flashing different colors or sequences to indicate that Bluetooth, WI-FI or the GPS receiver are active. The light on the right serves dual purposes as the charging light and the phone active light. The earpiece for the phone is in the middle. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-05.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-05 Thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 5: A look at the left. The keys on the left side consist of volume up/down and a key for changing screen orientation. The former can control both system volume and ringer volume. The latter can be convenient when navigating. A 2.5mm headphone jack is on this side towards the bottom of the unit. All of the headphones that I own use the more common 3.5mm jack, so this is a concession to the small size of the unit. A set of bud style earphones with a volume control and a microphone is included and has the required jack. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-06.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-06 Thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 6: Lots of stuff on the bottom. The bottom includes the MicroSD slot and a standard mini USB port which is used both for charging and for synchronizing. Of the comparison units, both the Blackjack and the N560 use proprietary port designs for charging and synchronizing, so this is an advantage for the 600. Toward the right you find the stylus. It's a telescoping design that fits very snugly in the holder. The upside of this snug fit is that it won't fall out and it helps to automatically extend the stylus to its full length. The downside is that it can be a bit tough to remove. I reviewed a Pocket PC GPS a couple of years ago with a similar stylus design and the feedback from readers about that feature was mostly negative. They didn't like the telescoping stylus, the difficulty removing it and the location at the bottom of the unit. As for me, it's not my favorite design, but it wouldn't stop me from buying a unit that I like otherwise. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-07.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-07 Thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 7: The view from the right. The right side contains the camera button and the power button. The camera button activates the camera when pressed and serves as the shutter button. The soft reset button is between the other two. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-08.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-08 Thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 8: The back, with the camera and grippy rubber-like coating. The rear contains the camera lens, an LED "flash", a self portrait mirror and the external speaker. The top of the unit has no controls, slots or ports. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-09.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-09 Thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 9: Power users should be pretty happy with the battery life. The battery compartment is accessed by removing the cover on the rear. As shown, the SIM card slides into a slot under the battery. <PAGEBREAK> Using the Pocket PC The 600's primary appeal is based on its convergence device aspects so, as a Pocket PC, it's pretty much status quo as Windows Mobile 5 devices go. As stated before, you do pay a bit of a price for the unit's svelte size… if you're accustomed to the 3.5" or greater screen sizes of most non-Phone Edition Pocket PCs, the 600's 2.8" screen will strike you as a bit small. But they pack a lot of quality in that smaller screen… it's bright, sharp and displays vibrant and accurate colors. Performance is excellent overall. Program launching and screen input is very responsive. The 600's 1,530mAh battery does a good job of keeping the phone running. Darius Wey stated that he got 2-3 days of standard usage with the comparable Glofiish X500, and my experience with the 600 seems to bear that out. The 600 supplies the standard set of WM5 software. This includes: <li>Word Mobile;<li>Excel Mobile;<li>Outlook Mobile;<li>PowerPoint Mobile;<li>A basic calculator;<li>Solitaire and Bubble Breaker games;<li>File Explorer;<li>Internet Explorer. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-10.gif" /> Figure 10: SPB Mobile Shell's take on the Today Page. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-11.gif" /> Figure 11: MobileMenu is easier to navigate than the Programs page. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-16.gif" /> Figure 12: The Now screen displays when you power up. SPB Mobile Shell is included as a Today Page supplement and launcher. Judie Hughes' excellent review of this product can be found <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,53731">here</a>. SPB's Full Screen Keyboard is also part of the bundled applications. As you'd expect with any mobile phone these days, the 600 is Bluetooth 2.0 enabled. However, unlike most mobile phones, the 600 is also Wi-Fi enabled (802.11 b/g). So even if you decide to pass on your carrier's data plan (or go with a less expensive and more limited plan), you can take advantage of Wi-Fi hotspots. Using the Phone <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-17.gif" /> Figure 13: Using the built in WM5 dialer. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-18.gif" /> Figure 14: And selecting your number from the Contacts list. The 600 offers the standard Pocket PC Phone dialing interface. You can dial a number directly or select a contact from a list. This screen gives you access to speed dial entries and call history, and allows callers to be added to your contacts list. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-19.gif" /> Figure 15: EZdial searches your contacts quickly and efficiently. An enhancement to the dialing interface called EZdial is bundled with the 600. It uses predictive text entry to look up contacts on the fly as you use the numeric keypad. The most likely matches are displayed as buttons near the top of the screen. If a photo is available for the contact, it's displayed as well. This gives you the ability to retrieve entries from your contacts without having to pull up the contacts and use a stylus. Phone operation was excellent from all perspectives. Signal strength was at 5 bars nearly constantly and rarely fell below 4 bars. Sound quality through the earpiece was very good, although some calls had a slightly hollow sound. People who I called reported that sound was very good on their end as well. <PAGEBREAK> Navigating with the 600 <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-21.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-21 thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 16: Pharos bundles a nicely designed windshield mount. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-22.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-22 thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 17: Another view of the mount. The built-in GPS and bundled navigation software are the things that really distinguish the 600 from other Pocket PC Phones. Let's take a look at how it fares as a navigation tool. Since the 600 is designed as a navigation device from the get-go, Pharos has included the accessories necessary for it to best fill that role. First and foremost is a high quality windshield mount. It attaches via a suction cup that has tenacious grip and the mount is rigid enough to minimize shaking of the 600 while traveling. The mount pivots both horizontally and vertically so that the 600 can be positioned to your preference, and both pivot points can be firmly locked to retain your settings. The mount has a power connector for the 600 built in to simplify connecting it to a power source. A car adaptor with a USB port is also included, along with the necessary cables. Pharos includes a 2 GB microSD card with a complete set of maps for the US and Canada with this model. No desktop client is necessary, since you don't have to designate which maps to include. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-24.gif" /> Figure 18: Ostia's GPS status screen. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-25.gif" /> Figure 19: The default view. Ostia can be run by pressing the dedicated GPS key above the 600's screen. It starts up quickly and displays the screen through which you promise to not use the unit to plan a cross country tour while you're driving to work during rush hour. After the legalese, the first screen displayed is your current location (assuming that the GPS has a fix). The GPS receiver is quick to get a fix once the cold start initialization phase is complete... 30 seconds or less in most cases. And it does a great job of holding on to the signal. <PAGEBREAK> Setting Up a Route <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-27.gif" /> Figure 20: Use the Basic menus... Ostia features several ways to set up a route. The most commonly used methods can be accessed by tapping on the Go button on the navigation screen. This brings up the basic menus, with large buttons that can be easily read and accessed while the 600 is mounted on a windshield. Of course, a driver should not do this unless the car is at a full stop. More choices are available by specifying the Power User menus, which you can do from the basic menus. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-26.gif" /> Figure 21: ...or pull up the Power User menus if you prefer. These are some of the available choices to enter destinations. The navigation choices on the basic menu include Address, Point of Interest, Saved Place and Home. Address allows you to input the specific address of your destination, starting with state, then city, street and number. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-28.gif" /> Figure 22: Typing in a city name. Only valid "next letters" are displayed. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-29.gif" /> Figure 23: The filtered list of cities. As you move along in the process, input is restricted to items within previous selections. For example, if you specified California as the state, only cities in California can be selected. As you enter a city name, only keys for valid entries remain available… the balance is greyed out. Another choice for address-based navigation is by intersection. You specify a city and 2 street names and a route to the intersection of those 2 streets will be determined. The program again constrains your choices to meaningful ones… after you've entered the first street name, the second street name is restricted to streets that actually intersect with the first one. Navigation to an intersection is available only from the Power User menus. <PAGEBREAK> POIs <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-30.gif" /> Figure 24: The 4 "fully featured" POI categories. As you'd expect, navigation to Points of Interest (POIs) is available as well. When you select Points of Interest from the basic menu, the 4 most commonly chosen categories are displayed: Cash, Food, Fuel and Hotel. From there, you can move to a screen where more categories are available. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-31.gif" /> Figure 25: POIs near your current location. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-32.gif" /> Figure 26: Details about a chosen POI. From the list of available POIs, you can select one to get more information. Options include navigating to the location and, since this GPS is also a phone, calling the location. Both of these options can be very helpful when on the road. Those conveniences aside, I found the POI implementation in Ostia to be somewhat lacking. While the primary categories of POIs are well represented, other categories offer very limited selections. For example, I selected the Hospital or Polyclinic category and specified no filter so that Ostia would display all available choices. I was rather dismayed to see that the 2 major hospitals closest to my home (both under 4 miles) were NOT displayed. The closest hospital that was displayed was almost 14 miles away. A comparison check with my copy of TomTom Navigator 6 (TTN6) on my Loox N560 showed both nearby hospitals. Now I understand that if someone is faced with a life-threatening medical situation, you should be calling 911 instead of using a navigation program to find a hospital. But that led me to check other categories and I found that the same situation existed. For example, I chose shopping centers and a major outlet mall about 25 miles from my home was not displayed, while minor strip malls and more distant major malls were. Pharos offers a bundle of subscription services called SmartNavigator (more on this later), and the POI Finder service did find both hospitals and the mall referenced above. But you wouldn't find those POIs without the service, and TTN6 finds them in the POIs that it includes at no extra charge. Also, Ostia has the ability to display POIs on the map. However, it will only do in a very limited fashion for POIs in categories other than the 4 major categories (a maximum of 1 POI displayed per category), with the exception of POIS that have been downloaded from their POI Finder subscription service. By comparison, I checked TomTom and it has no such restrictions. Further, the choice of POI categories in Ostia is comparatively limited. Categories available in TomTom that aren't available in Ostia include Places of Worship, Pharmacies, Car Dealerships and Movie Theatres, among others. Finally, some of the POI options are rather clunky in their implementation. Both Ostia and TTN6 allow options such as finding a POI near a destination, but Ostia requires that you set up scenarios to allow it to infer what you're looking for. For example, if you have a GPS lock, you can only find POIs near you. If you want to find POIs near waypoints or destinations on a route, the route must be created but you can't have a GPS lock. Finally, if you have no route created and no GPS lock but want to find a POI somewhere other than using the center of the screen as the point of reference, you have to get out of the POI interface, move the map so that the city or area in question is at the map's center and then go back into the POI interface to search. By contrast, TTN6 has selectable options for POI near you, POI in city, POI near home, POI along route and POI near destination. That's much simpler and more direct, and doesn't require that you remember sets of conditions that allow certain types of searches, as with Ostia. <PAGEBREAK> On the Road with the 600 <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-33.gif" /> Figure 27: The Standard Map view in 3D. Things improved somewhat when following a route. The 600 gave clear voice instructions and ample warning when a turn was coming up. Ostia defaults to a 3D map, but also offers a 2D map. Figure 27 shows a 3D view while traveling on a highway. Your position is indicated by the red arrow w/circle. The screen setting is for Smart Setting Up, which essentially means that the top of the screen is the direction of travel. As a result, the red arrow with the "N" points to North. At the bottom left of the map, you see the Go and GPS buttons. At the bottom right of the map, the scale is shown. The boxes at the bottom of the screen show the distance to and direction of the next turn, a text description of the turn and the distance to the destination. Unlike other programs such as TTN6, Ostia doesn't give you a lot of options as to what is displayed on the screen. In addition to the information that Ostia displays, TTN6 can display time of arrival at destination, remaining time to destination, current time and speed. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-34.gif" /> Figure 28: The Standard Map view in 2D. This figure shows the same route and location as the previous figure, but in 2D. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-35.gif" /> Figure 29: A turn in 2D. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-36.gif" /> Figure 30: And one in 3D. Figure 29 shows a turn in 2D, while a 3D turn is shown in Figure 30. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-37.gif" /> Figure 31: The Simplified Arrow view. Figure 30 is the Standard Map view, while the Simplified Arrow view is shown in Figure 31. This view shows just instructions and turns, as opposed to the map. <PAGEBREAK> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-38.gif" /> Figure 32: The Split Map and Arrow view. This is the Split Map and Arrow view. It combines the simplicity of the previous view with a glimpse of the map. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-39.gif" /> Figure 33: Text based instructions. Figure 33 shows the text list of instructions. You can tap on each of the instructions to display a graphical version of the turn below. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-40.gif" /> Figure 34: The Options menu is streamlined... or sparse, depending on your viewpoint. System options are displayed in Figure 34. Among the options that can be set here are route preferences and Daylight vs. Night View. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-41.gif" /> Figure 35: The dark side of Ostia (AKA the Night View) Figure 35 shows the Standard Map view using the Night View option. Information provided while you're on the move is similar to that of other navigation programs. One difference from other programs is that Ostia gives you a warning such as "left turn ahead" and then sounds a single loud ring at the point of actually making the turn. Competitors such as TTN6 give you a similar advance warning and at the point of the turn, give another voice instruction such as "now turn left". The bell certainly gets your attention, but if you were distracted when the previous warning was stated, the bell may go off and you won't know what to do without looking at the screen. Not a big deal, but I prefer the final instruction over the bell. Generally, Ostia's routing seems to be capable. However, the first time I used it, I ran into an unexpected problem. Just to get a feel for the program, I set it up to navigate to a local restaurant, a route with which I'm very familiar. As we were driving there, I saw an upcoming turn for a road with which I'm not familiar. It turns out that this road is a dirt road leading into a quarry, blocked by a locked fence. There's no street sign on the road and it doesn't even show up in TTN6. I've lived in this area for 8 years and, to my knowledge, there was never a publicly accessible road there. I didn't have any similar issues during the rest of my testing, but it was certainly an unusual glitch. Smart Navigator As stated earlier, Pharos offers a subscription service called Smart Navigator. It includes Real-time Traffic and POI Finder, and goes for $7 per month, $18 for 3 months or $66 for 1 year (all USD). When you register Ostia, you can sign up for a 3-month free trial of this service. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-46.gif" /> Figure 36: Looks like there are a few trouble spots on the Milwaukee freeway system... Real-time traffic can be useful for commuters. For selected cities with real-time traffic information available, the service displays colored icons next to highways on its standard maps which describe the current traffic flow. I found no legend for the colors, but I believe green means normal speed traffic, yellow means a minor slowdown and so on to red and black. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-47.gif" /> Figure 37: Most of the displayed trouble spots are due to "the fourth season"... you know, Spring, Fall, Winter and Construction. The traffic service will also display warning icons for incidents, such as closed roads, accidents, etc. Tap and hold one of the icons and details about the incident will be displayed. The POI Finder has lots more categories and POIs than the rather meager list included with the software. But I did some spot checking and there were no POIs included in the POI Finder that were not part of the TTN6 standard list of POIs, so the value provided for this part of the service seems limited. Assuming that the list for the POI Finder service is frequently updated, it could be helpful in finding new restaurants, stores, etc. Other services offered include Maps on Demand and Follow Me. My understanding is that these 2 services are free to registered owners of Ostia. Maps on Demand allows you to download maps from outside of your standard map set, which could be useful when traveling abroad. Follow Me allows owners of units such as the 600 to track other owners who join a group for this purpose. After joining, when a group member is using the GPS and has an internet connection, other members can track him or her using their own Pharos unit or a Pharos website for this purpose. The 600 as Navigation Tool - Conclusions The 600 has all of the basics down… a sensitive GPS receiver that acquires a fix quickly and holds on to it, a nice bright screen and a high quality windshield mount included at no extra charge. But I was underwhelmed by the latest version of Ostia, especially compared to <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,53289">TomTom Navigator 6,</a> which I recently reviewed. Navigation basics are fine, but Ostia has some issues with the details. The limited selection of available POIs, with major gaps in the information, along with the rather clunky implementation of some aspects of POI search, puts Ostia more than just a little behind TTN6 in this key area. Limited options in information displayed on the navigation screen are another minus. The navigation glitch that would have taken me onto a non-existent road was hardly confidence inspiring. Finally, after experiencing the polished interface of TTN6, Ostia's menus and icons look somewhat dated and rudimentary by comparison. <PAGEBREAK> Live Search <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-48.gif" /> Figure 38: Live from Milwaukee... it's POIs Galore! Pharos has bundled Microsoft's Live Search application with the 600, and it seems to be a useful add-on to the navigation software. It provides a rich set of categories and POIs with the ability to give directions and display maps. This is similar to online map services, but with the added advantage of being able to give you real-time directions by using the GPS. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-49.gif" /> Figure 39: I knew there was a hospital closer than 14 miles away! I was pleased to see that Live Search could find both of my missing hospitals and my missing mall. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-50.gif" /> Figure 40: Lots of places for sporting activities in Mad-town. When you pull up a category for even a medium-sized city, the list of POIs seems extensive. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-51.gif" /> Figure 41: Nice maps, especially for a free service... Directions can be displayed in either a list of instructions or a map. The routing in Live Search seemed to be quite competent. But it works more like a mobile version of MapQuest rather than a full-fledged navigation program such as Ostia. You use the list to go from instruction to instruction, rather than the program tracking you as you travel. There are no moving maps, voice prompts, auto-rerouting and other features that are offered in most navigation programs. The GPS connection allows the routing to create a route from your current position and it also permits listing nearby POIs. Since the POI list in Live Search is so robust, it compensates somewhat for the relatively weak POI functionality in Ostia. One thing to keep in mind is that Live Search doesn't store any maps on your device... it downloads maps using your data connection as they're needed. The up side to this is that you don't really have to worry about map updates... you always have the latest version available. The down side is that there is sometimes a lag in downloading the maps, which can be a bit of a problem especially when you're reviewing a route, which may require downloading a number of maps. Also, you'll have no map to refer to in "reception free" or low reception areas, although the instructions will remain. So, although Live Search's routing function won't replace a program like Ostia, it's good for simple routes, and the POI functionality is great. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-52.gif" /> Figure 42: Both systems agree... there's some traffic jams in Beer City. Live Search also provides traffic condition reports, similar to those in Smart Navigator. While it is live, it isn't linked to the GPS, it's not as detailed as the Smart Navigator display, and it doesn't have the incident feature. But since the Live Search service is free, the thicker wallet it leaves you with compared to the subscription service may make up for those shortcomings, depending on your viewpoint. <PAGEBREAK> The 600 as a Camera As a photographer, I'd probably be classified as an advanced amateur or "prosumer". I own a couple of pretty decent cameras (one being an SLR) and I understand such terms as depth of field and white balance and how to use them. As such, I've been unimpressed with the quality of the output of the cameras built in to some cell phones and Pocket PCs. Since the 600's camera has some of the better specifications for this type of device, I was hopeful that the output quality had improved. Let's take a look. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-42.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-42 Thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 43: An indoor shot with the 600. It's not bad for a PDA camera... <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-43.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-43 Thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 44: ...but a shot with a digital camera has much better quality. The two photos above are the same flash photo, one taken with the 600 and one taken with my Canon SD800 IS compact camera. Note the significantly better contrast and color fidelity of the Canon photo vs. the Pharos photo. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-44.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-44 Thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 45: An outdoor shot with the 600. Again, not too bad... <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-45.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-45 Thumb.jpg" /></a> Figure 46: ...but the digital camera is still the way to go if you want a high quality photo. This is a similar comparison with an outside scene and no flash. The Canon photo has much better focus and the color is far more accurate (based on my knowledge of the lighting of the scene… you'll have to take my word on the color part). Since both cameras were set for automatic white balance, it's possible that I could have gotten more accurate color with the 600 if I had chosen a fixed setting, such as sunshine. However, I feel that such a camera is targeted mostly at amateurs, many of whom wouldn't know the first thing about white balance. So I feel that this comparison accurately represents the results that an amateur photographer is likely to achieve with the two cameras. Clearly, the Canon's automatic white balance does a better job than the 600's, which is an important advantage for use by such a photographer. My conclusion is that nothing much has changed. The 600 is probably the best camera among cell phone/PDA cameras that I've reviewed. Based on my opinion overall of such cameras, one might be accurate in saying that I'm damning the 600's camera with faint praise. I'd say that choosing the 600's camera as the best among cell phone/PDA cameras is roughly the equivalent of choosing one of the American Pie movies as the most profound of the series. At any rate, consider the 600's camera to be useful if you absolutely must have a camera and no "real" camera is available. On the other hand, if you have even the most basic expectations of photo quality in your pictures, a moderately priced digital camera is an excellent investment. The 600 as an FM Radio <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/raeburn-may07-Pharos600-54.gif" /> Figure 47: "No static at a-aaaallllllll..."; well, maybe just a little... The 600 comes with a built-in FM tuner along with an FM Tuner applet. Since I live in a suburb of a large metropolitan area, radio signals are strong out here and the 600's reception was very good. It's comparable to the reception that I get with the FM tuner built in to my Sansa mp3 player. Both use the headphones as an antenna and both encounter occasional minor static when they're not in the optimal orientation for the signal, but the 600's performance here is very competitive with other portable FM receivers. The FM Tuner app is fun and useful. You can enter a station's frequency directly on a keypad, or you can use the VCR-style keys to search for the next station. As befits a device like the 600 that's ready for action just about anywhere in the world, it supports multiple FM bands, such as for the US and Europe. It also picks up station information embedded in the signal and displays the station's call letters and any messages that the station deems appropriate to include. Finally, you can enter station presets (called Favorites here). All in all, the FM tuner part of the 600 is well designed and very functional. I have been asked if the FM tuner can be used by software designed to pick up traffic info embedded in FM signals. Unfortunately, I don't have any software with that capability, so I can't test it. Conclusions The Pharos GPS Phone 600 packs a lot of power in a small package. The combination of a fully featured Pocket PC, a capable and flexible phone and built-in GPS makes it a great unit for home, office and as a companion on a trip. My only real issue with the 600 as packaged is I find that the bundled Ostia navigation software falls a bit short in features and design when compared to the best of its competitors. Ostia will probably satisfy most people, however, so overall I recommend the 600 for its powerful hardware and great design. It takes the concept of the convergence device to the next level. Doug Raeburn is a data architect specializing in data warehouse design. He lives in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

martin_ayton

05-16-2007, 07:30 PM

Great review, Doug: Thanks. One of your comments confused me though: I have just returned from a trip where I successfully used Live Search *and* a (bluetooth) GPS unit to navigate. Live Search (and, for that matter, Google Maps) worked flawlessly with the GPS, showing current position and moving and updating maps as necessary. Did you just not enable this feature, or have Pharos locked down the GPS so it only works with purchased software like Ostia or TTN6?

Also, early in the review you mentioned an FM radio. Would you care to comment on reception quality or on whether software like TTN6 can pick up the traffic info encoded in FM broadcasts?

Thanks,

Martin.

SVX

05-16-2007, 08:28 PM

Great review. Glad to see a fellow Wisconsonite! I just moved up here to Lake Mills, WI from Raleigh, NC back in late Feb and have been having one helluva time trying to find a good PPC GPS device/solution. I am constantly traveling the state for my job and having a good solution is the key to getting to my client meetings on time.

I have tried the Blackjack + Telenav; Cingular 2125 with TomTom 6 (buggy); Blackberry 8800 with BB Maps and Telenav; and, the Orange SPV-M3100 (HTC Hermes) with TomTom 6. I really liked Telenav on the BB8800 with the 3D view and access to such items as gas prices and business search, but hated paying $9.99/mo. Telenav on the Blackjack just sucked - no 3D view. I have settled on TomTom 6 on my SPV.

I was curious too on the Live Search. I am using Mobile 6 and would love to use that feature with my GPS but don't know how.

Jason Dunn

05-16-2007, 10:11 PM

Nice review Doug - great detail and excellent photos!

Doug Raeburn

05-17-2007, 01:28 AM

Great review, Doug: Thanks. One of your comments confused me though: I have just returned from a trip where I successfully used Live Search *and* a (bluetooth) GPS unit to navigate. Live Search (and, for that matter, Google Maps) worked flawlessly with the GPS, showing current position and moving and updating maps as necessary. Did you just not enable this feature, or have Pharos locked down the GPS so it only works with purchased software like Ostia or TTN6?

You caught me... I had been lead to understand that Live Search didn't utilize the GPS. I don't believe that Pharos has locked out the GPS, though. I've been having some problems getting the built-in GPS working with Live Search so far... I'll keep working on it and I'll get back to you.

Also, early in the review you mentioned an FM radio. Would you care to comment on reception quality or on whether software like TTN6 can pick up the traffic info encoded in FM broadcasts?

Thanks,

Martin.

I knew I forgot one feature... I'll include some information in my upcoming update.

Doug Raeburn

05-17-2007, 01:33 AM

Great review. Glad to see a fellow Wisconsonite! I just moved up here to Lake Mills, WI from Raleigh, NC back in late Feb and have been having one helluva time trying to find a good PPC GPS device/solution. I am constantly traveling the state for my job and having a good solution is the key to getting to my client meetings on time.

I have tried the Blackjack + Telenav; Cingular 2125 with TomTom 6 (buggy); Blackberry 8800 with BB Maps and Telenav; and, the Orange SPV-M3100 (HTC Hermes) with TomTom 6. I really liked Telenav on the BB8800 with the 3D view and access to such items as gas prices and business search, but hated paying $9.99/mo. Telenav on the Blackjack just sucked - no 3D view. I have settled on TomTom 6 on my SPV.

I was curious too on the Live Search. I am using Mobile 6 and would love to use that feature with my GPS but don't know how.

I've only been to Lake Mills once, but I go to Madison frequently, so I'm very familiar with your neck of the woods... :D

At this point, TTN6 is my nav product of choice. I'd try it on the GPS Phone if getting it activated wasn't such a nightmare.

As I said in my previous reply, I'll try to get Live Search to work with the built-in GPS and get back to you.

Thanks to both of you for your kind words about the review!

Doug Raeburn

05-17-2007, 01:34 AM

Nice review Doug - great detail and excellent photos!

Thanks, Boss! Glad you liked it... :D

Darius Wey

05-17-2007, 05:58 AM

Great review, Doug. Isn't it great having GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth all in a slim device? ;)

Darius Wey

05-17-2007, 06:09 AM

I was curious too on the Live Search. I am using Mobile 6 and would love to use that feature with my GPS but don't know how.

If you navigate to Start > Settings > System, you may see an External GPS applet. Open it and note the GPS program port (COM2 is a popular default). Next, open Live Search, hit Menu > Settings, ensure that the port mentioned in the first field matches up, and then select Done to save the changes. From there, you should be able to open a map and use the Menu > Center on GPS option (it may take a while to acquire a fix if a cold boot is required).

I've configured it this way on five devices (two running Windows Mobile 6, three running Windows Mobile 5.0) and it works flawlessly each time. Hopefully, it will for you too. :)

virain

05-17-2007, 08:46 AM

I would go with original E-Ten, Ostia maps have more errors than a stray dog fleas

martin_ayton

05-17-2007, 09:42 AM

... you may see an External GPS applet. ...

And if you *don't* see the applet, your service provider has hidden it, but it isn't all that hard to expose it again, providing you don't mind a little registry editing, viz

- Navigate to \HKLM\ControlPanel\GPS Settings\
- Delete the "Hide=1" key
- Add a DWORD value: Group=2
- Soft reset your PPC

Now, the next time you look where Darius suggested, the GPS applet should be visible and usable. I had to do this before I could make Live Search use the GPS. (I'm really sorry that I can't give credit to whoever came up with this hack - it certainly wasn't me! - but whoever you are, if you're reading this, I appreciate your efforts).

FWIW on my Hermes, I have the following settings in that GPS applet:
- GPS program port: COM0
- GPS hardware port: COM4
- Baud rate: 9600
- Manage GPS automatically (recommended) box is checked

When you are using Live Search, if you click on the Map icon and get a map displayed, the right hand softkey should be 'Menu.' Click on that and one of the options is 'Center on GPS.' Google Maps is similar: Get a map displayed, click on the right (menu) softkey and one of the options will be 'Track Location (GPS)'.

Note of caution: When using Live Search or Google Maps to navigate, you *must* have cell tower coverage to provide the maps. I know that sounds obvious, but I'm not used to the US system of 'imposed wilderness' in your national parks and it freaked me a little that I ran out of navigation only a few hundred yards into the Smoky Mountains national park...

Doug Raeburn

05-17-2007, 11:48 AM

Great review, Doug. Isn't it great having GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth all in a slim device? ;)

Thanks, Darius! Yes, this is one device that really has it all...

Doug Raeburn

05-17-2007, 12:01 PM

I would go with original E-Ten, Ostia maps have more errors than a stray dog fleas

As I said in the review, I had the one problem with the quarry road, but the Ostia maps seemed accurate aside from that.

Keep in mind that you can get the enterprise version of the 600 as an alternative to the reviewed version... that way you can get all of this great hardware and pick whatever nav program you prefer.

virain

05-18-2007, 08:22 AM

I would go with original E-Ten, Ostia maps have more errors than a stray dog fleas

As I said in the review, I had the one problem with the quarry road, but the Ostia maps seemed accurate aside from that.

Keep in mind that you can get the enterprise version of the 600 as an alternative to the reviewed version... that way you can get all of this great hardware and pick whatever nav program you prefer.

Try to navigate in New York with this Ostia, NYC specialy :devilboy:

Doug Raeburn

05-19-2007, 03:35 PM

Try to navigate in New York with this Ostia, NYC specialy :devilboy:

Well, I'm not going to be out there anytime soon, so I'll take your word for it... :wink:

Doug Raeburn

05-19-2007, 03:43 PM

OK, regarding the FM tuner... reception is quite good in my area. It gets a little static from time to time when moving, but I encounter the same thing with my mp3 player that has an FM tuner... I think it's just comes with the design that uses the headphones as an antenna. Sound is very good through the supplied ear buds... clear highs and good bass for a portable setup like this.

The 600 doesn't come with any software that I can use to check embedded traffic info, so I can't help you with that one.

I'll add a little blurb to the review regarding the FM tuner, along with a screen shot.

Regarding using the GPS with Live Search... I've spent a couple of hours trying all sorts of settings, but I haven't been successful in getting Live Search to recognize the GPS. I've sent an e-mail to the support folks asking them to give me the settings to use. I'll follow up one way or the other when I hear something.

Doug Raeburn

05-19-2007, 07:11 PM

I got a response from Kady D., the representative for Pharos who has so graciously provided the 600 for my review, along with plenty of help whenever I needed it. When my test unit was manufactured, Pharos was still in the process of finalizing the deal with Microsoft to install Live Search for use on the 600. They didn't add the version of Live Search set up for the 600 until the deal was complete. So even though my 600 had an early version of Live Search installed, it wasn't set up for the 600. According to Kady, Live Search will be set up and ready to run on the 600 right out of the box for buyers, with none of the configuration issues that I had with my pre-retail unit.

She also sent me an installable version of Live Search configured for the 600. I hope to be able to test it later today and I'll post my results.

Finally, my reference to the 600 being a "rebadged" version of the Glofiish X500 was incorrect. More accurately, Pharos acquired the license to distribute the unit that became the 600 in the US under the Pharos brand name. E-TEN licensed the same unit to distribute as the X500 in Europe. It may seem like a subtle difference, but my original statement suggested a relationship between Pharos and E-TEN that doesn't actually exist. I've updated that portion of the review with the corrected information, and I'm posting it here to provide an update for those of you who have already read the review.

Doug Raeburn

05-20-2007, 10:54 AM

The version of Live Search that Kady provided worked like a charm. It installed an intermediate driver that allows the GPS to interface with both Live Search and Ostia. With that driver in place, Live Search becomes a fully functional routing tool. It doesn't have all of the features of a full-fledged tool like Ostia, but it does have all of the basics in place, along with a great set of POIs and real-time traffic information.

And remember that Live Search will be pre-installed and pre-configured on units purchased by consumers.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.

Darius Wey

05-21-2007, 07:16 AM

It may seem like a subtle difference, but my original statement suggested a relationship between Pharos and E-TEN that doesn't actually exist.

Doug, I'm a little confused. If E-TEN is the manufacturer of this unit, but a relationship between Pharos and E-TEN does not exist, then who did Pharos acquire the distribution license from?

Doug Raeburn

05-21-2007, 02:09 PM

It may seem like a subtle difference, but my original statement suggested a relationship between Pharos and E-TEN that doesn't actually exist.

Doug, I'm a little confused. If E-TEN is the manufacturer of this unit, but a relationship between Pharos and E-TEN does not exist, then who did Pharos acquire the distribution license from?

Unless I misunderstood her, according to the rep from Pharos, both E-TEN and Pharos obtained their licenses from the same source. She didn't mention the source, but it sounded like she was saying that E-TEN isn't the manufacturer of the X500. I'm not all that up on who manufactures what, so I didn't question her statement. I know that HTC manufactures PDAs for a variety of different companies, such as FSC, so I thought there was some kind of 3rd party relationship like that for both Pharos and E-TEN.

After your reply, I did a little research and found that E-TEN does indeed manufacture the X500. So it seems like the Pharos rep may have been mistaken, or I misunderstood her.

Codename_Evan

05-30-2007, 02:40 PM

Hi all,

I'm trying to do some development for the Pharos 600 that involves accessing the GPS receiver. So far though, the only program that I can get to get interact with the receiver in any way is the built in one, Ostia. As a way to make sure it's configured properly before trying to make any programs on my own, I've been trying to get both Live Search and a sample GPS program that comes with the Windows Mobile 5.0 SDK to access the GPS receiver to no avail.

From reading this thread and others, it seems like my problem is I don't know What Program and Hardware port the GPS settings need to be set to and I don't know what baud rate I should select. Does anyone know what the settings for these should be on the Pharos 600? Also, does anyone know of any other reason why Live Search (or any arbitrary GPS program) might not be able to access the information off the receiver? Thanks a lot.

Doug Raeburn

05-31-2007, 02:06 AM

Evan...

As I said uptopic, I also had problems getting the version of Live Search that was installed on my review unit to work. Turns out that it didn't have the final software installation that a consumer would get. The Pharos rep provided an updated version of Live Search that included an intermediate driver that allowed Live Search (and presumably other GPS-aware software) to utilize the 600's built-in GPS receiver. I suggest that you contact Pharos to get this updated software, because I think you'll need it to be successful at what you're trying to do.

Doug