GPS pocket map navagator

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

Does anyone own the Pocket Map Navagator GPS system? Ive been looking at GPS systems and it looks like this has a very nice software package.
What other brands are you using with your Axim? And what success have you had with yours?

http://www.pocketmapstore.com/pocnavcomkit.html

[FredMurphy]

TomTom Navigator is a nice software package (and v2.0 out soon). Works well with my Socket Bluetooth GPS.

[dreampages]

Pharos has 2 units made specifically for the Dell Axim. They work pretty well.

http://www.dpcomputerstore.com/dept.asp?dept_id=22-020-002&aff=pocketpcthoughts

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

Well, I broke down and ordered it.
It should arrive on Monday the 7th.
I'll try to post some finding after I play around with it for a bit. I'm going on a week of vacation the 20th with the wife. I should get to mess around with it quite a bit that week. :D

[mavx5]

I've done extensive research, and this is the first time I've heard of this product (so much for my "extensive research")! I hope is good, and I do look forward to hearing how well this unit performs. Because I am in the market as well! 8)

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

You may want to check out this.
http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/default.asp?Snitz00HideCat6=N

It is the offical forum for Pocket Maps. scroll down the page and youll see pocket maps.

It is also a web site called GPSpassion. Lots of good info :D

[ClieTT]

I bought Holux CF GPS and Mapopolis Navigator from www.semsons.com. Very happy with my choice.

Currently, they have a promotion. You get a Arkon PDA mount with any GPS hardware purchase.

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

Well I got my GPS yesterday and I must say I am very pleased with it. By the way... the PMN-270 gps unit is a Holux GM-270. 8)
I really like the software that came with the unit, but I understand that it has a few issues out of the box. So after reading several forums that were talking about how much better the beta's were, I signed up for the Beta program and am running RC1. Seems that Pocket Maps took care of most of the issues that people where having with it.

[mavx5]

Excellent! Thanks for the short but sweet first take on the pocketmap. I am definitely interested in this unit as well, and after checking out the gpspassion webpage, it looks like a real winner. I'll definitely order this unit by months end. :)

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

Well, I have had my unit for about 4 days now and I can tell you … its sweet! The real test will come on the 24th. The wife and I are going to Kansas City and although I’ve been there a few times, I certainly don’t know my way around. So that will be the real test!

I can tell you that the software has some really neat features. The voice prompts are great. It will say things like “In two point zero miles turn right on one hundred forty first street.” It will repeat it as you get closer and when you get to the turn it will chime. The speaker in the Dell is kind of quiet so I bought one of those cassette tape adapters that plug into the headphone jack of a portable CD player. I picked it up at Wal-Mart for about twelve bucks.

The first time you hook up the GPS unit to the pocket pc it will take up to 15 minutes for it to lock on to the satellites and start reporting. After that it will take well under a minute to get a lock. I guess all the units are like that, but at first I was a little concerned that something was wrong… then I opened the directions. LOL

One thing to bear in mind is the size of maps. You can down load the east coast or west coast highway system. Each one is about 15 Mb. I downloaded both so there is 30 Mb. If you want to see street level detail you need to download county maps for the county in question. Since I live in Iowa and my wife likes to travel around for horse events (Yea… she likes the damn things… Horses) I downloaded all of the counties for Iowa and it took about 59 Mb of space. One thing to remember is you don’t need all of the counties… just the ones you want street level detail.

So if you’re traveling from say… Omaha Nebraska to Minneapolis Minnesota… you would download the counties that Omaha is in and the ones that Minneapolis is in. The rest is just highway information. If you wanted to stop somewhere along the way you could include that county also.

They also recommend up to 32 Mb of program memory be available. So you may need to get rid of some junk... and your definitely going to need a SD storage card for the high way and county maps. :mrgreen:

[mavx5]

Very cool! I have a couple more questions if you don't mind.

1. I plan on taking a road trip sometime this summer (say from Baltimore to Atlanta), can the software be set to automatically download all the highway and street level maps from "there" to "here"? Or do I have to individually select each county that the major highway passes? I'd like to do this so incase I wanted to get off the highway and explore around, the map would be available.

2. It looks like the kit comes with a cigarette lighter power supply. So does that mean it powers up the PDA and GPS or just the GPS receiver, and the PDA runs off batteries?

Thanks a bunch!

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

Mavx5wrote:1. I plan on taking a road trip sometime this summer (say from Baltimore to Atlanta), can the software be set to automatically download all the highway and street level maps from "there" to "here"? Or do I have to individually select each county that the major highway passes? I'd like to do this so incase I wanted to get off the highway and explore around, the map would be available.


Well, answer to your first question is no. But… here is how it works. You open the route program on your desktop computer and select an origin and destination by address. You can then put up to 5 way points along the way. You then get to choose what you download. You get to choose a radius around each one of your way points, origin, and destination that will download any counties that land inside that radius. You can choose up to a 50 mile radius and each point is independent of each other so you could only choose a 1 mile radius on your origin since you should know where you are but then choose a 30 mile radius on your first way point. You also get to choose if you want to download points of intrest for each one.
If that is not enough for you bear in mind that you could break up a trip into several routes. IE... St Louis to Des Moines, Des Moines to Minneapolis. Instead of St Louis to Minneapolis... and then have up to 5 way points on each one of those and simply load the one you want for that part of the trip.

Mavx5wrote
2. It looks like the kit comes with a cigarette lighter power supply. So does that mean it powers up the PDA and GPS or just the GPS receiver, and the PDA runs off batteries?


The charger hooks to the pda. I haven't had it into the unit long enough to see if it actually charges the unit or if it is just a wash between the power the gps is using and the power your putting into the PDA. It will charge the unit if the gps is not hooked up. That much I do know.

Hope this helps

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

Mavx5 wrote:2. It looks like the kit comes with a cigarette lighter power supply. So does that mean it powers up the PDA and GPS or just the GPS receiver, and the PDA runs off batteries?


Hey, FYI today I was using my GPS and when I started my battery was at 58%. However, when I got to the place I was going to, I unplugged the unit and it was at 79%... so yes it does charge the unit. It is not a "Wash" as previously stated. :way to go:

[mavx5]

Excellent! Well, I caved in and today decided to place my order for the pocketmap navigator kit for the axim x5 for $279. It'll probably take a couple weeks at most for it to come in. Once it does, I'll try to post my opinions on it as well. Can't wait! :D

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

Congrats! :clap: Im sure you'll enjoy it!

I did break down and buy a different mount for the car. The one that comes with it works but it made me a little nervous every time I tried to take it off and put it in my other car. Thought I was going to break my car vents...
I got the Arkon (http://www.arkon.com/pdamount.html) windshield pda mount. It works great!!! I bought it on ebay for $18.99! :beer:

When I ordered my gps unit it showed up in less than a week! I thought for sure it would take a few weeks but it didn't. Pocket Maps really go out of their way to take care of their customers. They are Great!!! :werenotworthy:

[mavx5]

Finally got it!

But got a (stupid) problem...

Where can I find the serial # for the software? I see the product key on the back of the jewel case, but no serial #? ARGH

Any help would be appreciated, and hopefully by tomorrow since i'm taking a road trip and would love to use this thing! :(

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

There is no serial number used. Only on their "Downloaded" products.

From their web site
Other Common Questions

Q: Do I need a registration code and set up a log in for PocketMap Navigator?

A: No. The registration code is only for the DOWNLOADABLE PocketMap products. PocketMap Navigator does not require registration code.

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

make sure you go online and download the latest patch. It will make a big difference.

http://pocketmap.com/appupdates.html

Are you having problems with the program? your question about the serial number made me wonder.

[mavx5]

Thanks for the speedy reply!

Well, in all my frantic fury, I was able to locate the serial #, which is on the side of the box! :roll:

So I was able to successfully install the software and test it out around the neighborhood, even going as far as doing an "origin" as my house and "destination" to the local supermarket. It routed and gave excellent directions! I am very impressed.

I used the comptuer routing tool to make a route for my road trip tomorrow (Maryland to Georgia). I was able to load it onto the PDA and it seems to kick off without a hitch!

Can't wait to test it out tomorrow. And when I get back, I'll definitely write a detailed review on everything I notice (features, quirks, etc.).

Thanks again KT! :D

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

be sure to play with the four buttons and the nav button on the front of your ppc when you are in Navagation mode. It will zoom in and out, switch to Day/Night mode, Turn on and off auto reroute, take you back to the main page, and switch between North Up mode and Heading Up mode. 8)

[KiLLiN-TiMe]

Thanks for the speedy reply!

Well, in all my frantic fury, I was able to locate the serial #, which is on the side of the box! :roll:

You must have a newer version than mine because my install didn't require a Reg code. :?