10-04-2004, 12:00 AM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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Massive Growth in Mobile GPS Navigation Unit Shipments
"� EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) mobile GPS navigation solution shipments reached 843,000 units in H1 2004
� 720,000 of these were shipped with, or for use on, handhelds
� The majority of solutions shipped were bundled with a mobile device
� Dedicated, transferable GPS navigation devices accounted for just under 80,000 units
� Smart phone solutions will grow, but represent only around 3% of the market today."
The figures above are taken from a Canalys report about mobile GPS Navigation units (as opposed to the non-Mobile GPS units :wink The short version is that shipments of GPS units to Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) have been rising fast. The research also shows that around 75% of navigation solutions for handhelds were sold as bundles combining a PDA, software, GPS module and associated car kit etc. TomTom has 26% of the market, Navigon has 20%, ViaMichelin has 12% and the others have 42%. These figures tie in with what PC Pro magazine are saying about PDA shipments and why they are increasing:
"Now those of us in the business know where all this growth is coming from - satellite navigation. Add-on GPS (global positioning systems) from the likes of TomTom, Navman, Navigon and Via Michelin are driving sales of both Pocket PC and Palm OS handheld computers. Retailers are bundling PDAs and GPS modules together, which are being bought by both experienced PDA users and by new users, who don't care much about what operating system they're buying, so long as it gets them from Bexleyheath to Birmingham without getting lost. The price arguments for buying a GPS system in this way are compelling - specifying a GPS system for your new car can set you back well over �1,000, whereas a TomTom Go costs �499 all in."
I have to say that I'm tempted to add a Bluetooth GPS unit to my Pocket PC and I don't think I'm the only one. How important is GPS to you and the folks around you that are interested in Pocket PCs? Are you finding a lot of interest in bundled GPS solutions as the report suggest, or is GPS still a nice-to-have toy?
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10-04-2004, 12:47 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 3
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One of the main reasons for getting a pocket pc :)
GPS was the main reason I first got a pocketpc. It's just so cheap. Why anybody would NOT pay a couple of hundred pounds (including PDA) for the privilege of never having to worry about navigation hassles is beyond me. The only downside is I have no excuse to argue with my GF in the car any more about directions 
Xtrac2 bluetooth GPS mice are just becoming available and by the looks of it, a satellite fix can now be had even while going through some tunnels and satellite acquisition times are down to a few seconds while lag is becoming a thing of the past.
For the record I'm currently running :-
Dell X30H
Fortuna Clip-On GPS
TomTom Navigator
For those in the UK who might want to know more about it, www.pocketgps.co.uk is a great resource.
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10-04-2004, 12:49 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 598
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GPS navigation is my showcase app - I love whipping out my iPaq and running a demo route for people with TomTom. Without fail it has stunned everybody.
Not to mention keeping me heading in the right direction in 3 different countries on a regular basis, in my own car, hire cars...on foot.
And for me, it completely validates Bluetooth on the Pocket PC. No wires means no hassle.
It's much more than a toy...
Also using a Fortuna Clip-On, it's small, great (replaceable, uses Nokia mobile phone batteries) battery life, SiRF Xtrac 2, great perfomance.
By the way, there are basically few better mounts for PDA navigation that RAM for everything from motorbikes to cars.
J'bm
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10-04-2004, 12:51 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 318
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I love GPS. 
I brought TomTom and a Haicom Slipper system about five months ago and love it. I dont travel much for work but when I do its a lifesaver. Just the ability to add POI�s to tomtom makes it worth the money. The UK's awful road system/infrastructure makes on the fly route generations a vital part. I�ll never be without it now. I'm thinking of buying co pilot for my smartphone now. For those times I leave the ipaq at home
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10-04-2004, 01:06 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 598
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carphead, you now have TomTom Mobile for Smartphones, which works extremely well by all accounts...
And being in the UK you should definitely use the Pocket GPS UK Safety Camera Database for your...safety.
J'bm
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10-04-2004, 03:06 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 80
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I used Mapopolis with Bluetooth GPS receiver. It's like Pocket PC is made for GPS navigation. And I can also tell you that Smartphone GPS navigation is a pain because of smaller screen.
I also feel that Pocket PC GPS navigation solution is a much better solution than in-car navigation system because I can take it into the house and do the trip planning first.
I am getting a VGA Pocket PC soon. Hopefully that will be the ultimate combination.
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10-04-2004, 03:56 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 779
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I'm also using Mapopolis with a bluetooth GPS receiver (an older Fortuna model). I already had the PPC, and just bought the GPS stuff because I thought it would be a fun toy. Now I can't imagine being without it. I think ffrom a driver perspective, a larger screen, like a laptop, might be better, but in our case, we mostly use it with my husband driving and me navigating, and it works fine. I used to have my head buried in maps tracking our route; now it's all automatic, and I love it. I don't have any desire for a packaged solution; I like to keep buying later and greater PPCs and with separate pieces I don't have to upgrade everything at once.
Unfortunately, I read that Mapopolis isn't currently working well with the iPAQ 4700, which makes me a little hesitant of rushing into getting the 4700.
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10-04-2004, 05:47 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 191
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I got a belkin bluetooth gps (same as fortuna) off of dell.com and it has been a life saver... just moved to LA a couple weeks ago and it is seriously my most precious item... i'm directionaly declined but this thing coupled w/ my iPaq 2215 makes me feel like I know where everything in LA is. Couple this with $5 internet access from T-Mobile which I use to access addresses and I'm always able to find my way... Simply awesome...
If you are not good with directions, or you travel alot, or if you are new to a city then you've got to get one of these. You'll be using your AAA maps to make wearable hats in no time... ok I was bored.
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10-04-2004, 07:40 AM
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Mystic
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,734
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Yes, who would have thought the killer app for pocketpc's would be GPS?
It does make sense however. GPS maps benefit from colour screens, adding storage and fast processors. Unfortunately, unless these GPS users go on to the other uses of GPS, dedicated GPS units, like tomtom GO, which is basically a pocketpc not running an OS, may take over the market again. Ive seen them advertised on billboards in London, which can only mean GPS is mainstream now.
Surur
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10-04-2004, 09:02 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 318
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jereboam
carphead, you now have TomTom Mobile for Smartphones, which works extremely well by all accounts... |
Two issues with TTMobile.
1 - It's a complete kit and ties you into the TT GPS unit. Co Pilot doesn't
2 - It doesn't work with my C500
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jereboam
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I do and it's helped make me "Safe" several times.
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Linear Mode
