GpsPasSion's BT GPS Shootout

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/articles.asp?id=55' target='_blank'>http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/articles.asp?id=55</a><br /><br /></div>There's been quite a few BT GPS receivers released recently. Interested in getting one, but don't know which is the best? Check out this detailed article by the GpsPasSion folks.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20030627-GPSPassion-BTReview.jpg" />

[Enderet]

Hahaha... I think its funny that nobody posted anything in reply to this "News"

[Skitals]

I have the Socket BT GPS receiver and its AWSOME with my ipaq 5455!

achille, it isnt that bad. A $5 ultra clip vent mount works great with the ipaq and my piel frama case. Plus, when I dont have my ipaq in the car I though my cell phone on the holder (gotta love interchangable clips like that). It's easy getting started... mapopolis software is free and they have demo versions of all their maps.

I use it even for places I know how to get to. Its nice to see how far along I am on the map, eta, time and distance to go, etc.

Btw... Im 17 and have all the stuff I just mentioned (w/ my own money, thank you)... so no excuses for you rich adults :D

[CharlesWilcox]

Yeah... All you rich adults with mortgages, bills, child care... oh yeah... and 17 year old sons that eat all your food. No excuses. :roll: :roll: 8O 8O :roll: :D :D

[ctmagnus]

What's with the sandwich bags (http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/articles.asp?id=55&page=4)?

:confused totally:

[xoiph]

Sandwich bags are so much cheaper than real cases (after all the mortgages, bills, child care... oh yeah... and 17 year old sons that eat all your food :wink: ) , plus they're waterproof :mrgreen:




http://www.gpspassion.com/pics/bluetooth/test/bt_bat_1_n.jpg

[Skitals]

Yeah... All you rich adults with mortgages, bills, child care... oh yeah... and 17 year old sons that eat all your food. No excuses. :roll: :roll: 8O 8O :roll: :D :D

This is what you should do... have a little side job/hobby and only give an hour or two to it a week. Can you find that much time? All the profits you can buy whatever you want with it (just pretend you never actually had the money). This is what I do... I run an xbox site and I actually dont do much of anything for it. Anything I do do is just for fun, and I make like $1200 a month from it.

Be creative and money will find you 8)

[wizardmaster2k]

I'm 17 as well, and I use Ebay :), as well as my job. Nice setup.

[TopDog]

I just saved up for the Socket Bluetooth CF-card... next up is Socket GPS... I want it, I want it, I want it :multi:

Maybe in the winter time... first I have to rebuild my PC, it's getting too old...

[clinte]

Other co's besides Socket/Emtac who offer Bluetooth GPS Solutions are

Globalsat Technology Corporation
Mapopolis
Euric
Leica Geosystems
TomTom
Topcon Positioning Systems Inc.
Centrality
DeLorme
TechnoCom
Pretec
Navman
Fortuna
Leadtek
TeleType
LinksPoint
Trimble
Ashvattha Semiconductor

Ricaline and Holux seem to work on Bluetooth GPS Solution as well.

[beq]

Very detailed, thorough comparison for reference info, thanks.. yellow I think is it? It's nice to see the situation this mature now. May finally buy the Socket BT GPS (too bad it's the most expensive)...

[gpspassion]

Thanks!
Just got back after a long week-end and my faithful Emtac came for the ride.
Not sandwich bags, guys, deep-freeze bags to protect the receivers from the rain ;-)

clinte - nice list, but some of those you list are not available or are the same GPS under a different name (Mapopolis=Fortuna GPSmart). The idea here was to test available receivers ;-)

[beq]

I finally browsed the latest Mobile Planet catalog sitting on my desk (the 10th anniversary one -- see www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14829&start=50#136317 ). Saw the usual Socket (Emtac) for $339 bare, or $419 w/ the software bundle (minus 10% discount to $377).

Then I saw the Travroute CoPilot Live offering for Pocket PC, with identical Emtac hardware. Only $199 bare (!) but jumps to $349 w/ bundled software. I'm not up to date in the GPS loop so I don't know if this is new or not -- or if this "Live" version is a lot better than previous. But I am shopping now, so I guess it's time to bone up on gpspassion reviews and such :) And maybe start looking for places that might be cheaper... BTW didn't Palm's store used to offer the Emtac for $199 (or was it $299) w/ Palm mapping software?

Anyways I also saw Pharos's Bluetooth GPS Navigator kit (w/ their Ostia software) for $369 (minus 10% discount to $342). Their BT GPS receiver in the catalog photo looks unfamiliar -- is it a new design?

They're also selling TomTom's Navigator USA BT solution, most expensive -- $349 bare or $449 kit...

[gpspassion]

Palmstore had it dor $329 for a while when it was at $369 elsewhere. I wouldn't spend too much time on the Pharos bundle, the software just can't compare with the competition. Not to blow my own whistle but you can great prices via the GpsPasSion Club!

[beq]

^ Yeah was planning on it :) Mobile Planet's certainly great and all to track gadgets on the scene, but they're priced for professionals :mrgreen:

And like I said I need to go re-read your site and forums to see how good Socket's software is (which on the whole is more expensive than CoPilot w/ the same hardware)...

[clinte]

clinte - nice list, but some of those you list are not available or are the same GPS under a different name (Mapopolis=Fortuna GPSmart). The idea here was to test available receivers ;-)

Some of them aren't available but will be soon (i hope). Few companies on the list i showed are using Emtac BT-GPS technology. I thought the Socket's BT-GPS Solution was a rebranded Emtac product as well?

Both the GPS-Bluetooth-Receiver called Falcom Navi 1 from FALCOM GmbH and the GPS 4000 series (GPS 4400, GPS 4500) AA005400 from Navman NZ Ltd have been Bluetooth Qualified begin July 2003.

The Bluetooth GPS Receiver, BT-308 you mentioned of Globalsat Technology Corporation has been Bluetooth Qualified as well on 2003-06-25

:wink: