MiTAC Mio 168 GPS-Integrated Pocket PC Reviewed

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pocketpcmag.com/jul04/mio168.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pocketpcmag.com/jul04/mio168.asp</a><br /><br /></div>"Today's next big thing is GPS. Global Positioning System receivers tell you where you are and, coupled with mapping software, show you how to get where you want to go. While GPS has been commonplace in aircraft, boats, and luxury cars for a little while now, it hasn’t really made it as a popular consumer device. There have been GPS solutions for Pocket PCs, but to date users have had to put up with expensive and bulky adapters. The Mio Digiwalker 168 might change all that!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20040412-Mio168Review.jpg" /><br /><br />Anthony Caruana, one of our own from the PPCT Review Team, has written up a thorough review of the Mio 168 for Pocket PC Magazine. If you've been interested in this device, make sure to take a look at this detailed review, complete with screenshots of the GPS application.

[SeanH]

The MiTAC Mio 168 with Built-in GPS By Anthony Caruana
Mounted in a car in an spot reasonably clear of obstructions, the GPS receiver was able to acquire the necessary number of satellites and get a positional fix (latitude, longitude and altitude) in less than two minutes. This was done without using the optional external antenna.
I do not understand why companies put the antenna for the GPS on the PDA. Most people that use a GPS use it in a car. A GPS does not work well with out good visibility of the sky. That means it has to sit on the dash. When it is on the dash it is very hard to read. The other problem with a GPS built into a PDA is that it gets powered down when the PDA goes into standby. Then it takes 2 minutes to lock again. This is way to long. The best GPS out there is a Bluetooth unit that is hardwired to the car for power. You are able to turn on your PDA any where in the car, truck or van and find your location in less then one second.

Sean

[Janak Parekh]

I do not understand why companies put the antenna for the GPS on the PDA. Most people that use a GPS use it in a car.
Well, how about those using it while sailing or walking around? The PDA antenna is very compact. You're right, though, that BT solutions are probably best for the heavily-used car setups, although I think you can attach an external antenna to this unit as well.

--janak

[Anthony Caruana]

Just to repsond to a couple of the queries here

1 - You can attach an external antenna. I have use this with and without the antenna and it made no difference. The GPS woked well when mounted to the widscreen of my car

2- As Janak says, this device is not just for in the car. If you want a dedicated GPS for the car then get one that is built of the car. This device is a portable GPS solution.

A final comment. Many mobile devices are a compromise between form and function. In fact, I would argue that all PDAs representa compromise. For example, many applications would benfit from a larger screen at higher resolution. But, given the form factor and cost, we settle for QVGA on a 3.5" screen.

The 168 is a compromise. It's OK for the car but not perfect. It's a reasonable PDA but does not have earth schattering performance. However, as a portable GPS solution it is "good enough".

[SeanH]

I would like to see a survey on how many people use there PPC GPS in the car compared to camping mountain biking or walking around. This is what I predict.

97% of the people use there GPS in the car. Most higher end cars charge $2000 for a GPS option. $2000 will buy a lot of PPC stuff
1% uses it on some sort of boat. Most boats over 16’ have built in GPS Navigation systems.
1% try to use it to walk around in a big city but find out real quick that all the large building cause a lot of issues.
1% use it for camping for mountain biking. That unit would work great for this application.

Routis, Pharos, Teletype, TomTom are great apps for the car. Are there apps for PPC for camping or navigating a boat?

Sean

[huangzhinong]

I would like to see a survey on how many people use there PPC GPS in the car compared to camping mountain biking or walking around. This is what I predict.

97% of the people use there GPS in the car. Most higher end cars charge $2000 for a GPS option. $2000 will buy a lot of PPC stuff
1% uses it on some sort of boat. Most boats over 16’ have built in GPS Navigation systems.
1% try to use it to walk around in a big city but find out real quick that all the large building cause a lot of issues.
1% use it for camping for mountain biking. That unit would work great for this application.

Routis, Pharos, Teletype, TomTom are great apps for the car. Are there apps for PPC for camping or navigating a boat?

Sean

Your survey doesn't make any sense. Even there is only 0.1% people use PPC GPS during hiking, sailing, there is profit there. Most of people use GPS in the car, so that there are many company providing the car GPS solution. Competition decide the profit here.

[SeanH]

We all see devices every day that think they have a niche. The CF VGA adapter for your PPC was one of those ideas. A device like that does not make sense because you would use a laptop for that application and I believe 99.9% of the people use a laptop for Power Point presentations. I would hate to be the company that created that item for the .1% share they got.

This product is very similar. Its does not work well in a car unless you mount it to the windshield or you use an external antenna. Start up time will always be 2 minutes because to does a cold start. That’s way to long. I do not think there are any apps for hiking or boating for PPC so this product has as much value as the VGA CF card.

Sean

[Anthony Caruana]

We all see devices every day that think they have a niche. The CF VGA adapter for your PPC was one of those ideas. A device like that does not make sense because you would use a laptop for that application and I believe 99.9% of the people use a laptop for Power Point presentations. I would hate to be the company that created that item for the .1% share they got.

Not sure I agree. But then again maybe I'm in the .1% as I use a CF VGA card regulalry. I can carry everything i need to give a presentation in my pocket. It takes me about 60 seconds to get up and running and it means I don't have to lug a couple pounds of laptop and other stuff to present something. Between that and my external keyboard I don't need a laptop at all anymore.

This product is very similar. Its does not work well in a car unless you mount it to the windshield or you use an external antenna. Start up time will always be 2 minutes because to does a cold start. That’s way to long. I do not think there are any apps for hiking or boating for PPC so this product has as much value as the VGA CF card.Sean

Given, it does need to be mounted to the windscreen. However, this device, like many PPCs is a compromise. It's not perfect. However, it makes GPS affordable and it works.

As for the lack of apps, surely if there is a market for it someone will develop the applications. Even somehthing like Vito Navigator would be worth using as it porovides you with a compass, latitude, longtitude and elevation.

[uzetaab]

Just thought I would mention this since I have been doing some research since I'm gunna buy a PIN Pocket. Which is the mitac bundled with s/w from Navman.

There are indeed software titles available for this device while boating. Several in fact. I read one users review who bought it specifically to replace an old green screen LCD marine GPS.

As for using it while hiking/bush walking, I haven't gone looking for any such s/w yet, but with the Navman s/w it would at least be useful enough to get you to a road if you got lost. Come to think of it, all you would need is an old fashioned paper map & the PIN could replace your compass with accurate Long/Lat co-ordinates as well as compass directions. Like I said I haven't gone looking for bush walking s/w, but consider this. I came across a golfing program that has courses mapped! things like distance to Tee are no longer a guessing game. If you can get those programs (I found 2) then you can surely get camping programs. Also I have seen programs that allow you to import maps, so you only have to find a compatable map of the area. I imagine that wouldn't be to hard to find for major areas like national parks near cities.

As for the start up time, nobody seems to have mentioned yet that this device features 3 start speeds, not 2. The 2 that you know about are cold & hot. Cold is when you turn the machine on, get a new fix (2 min). Hot being, you just lost the signal because of a tunnel etc(a few secs). The other is Warm start. I don't know what this is like because I haven't bought one yet, but running on battery, the unit goes into standby, apparently. but it's still running (somewhere in between, about a min I assume).

Really, the only thing I think this device should have is inbuilt GSM so you don't need to carry a mobile & a PDA. Still I can at least replace my books with this. I wonder if you can get infra-red locks...Then I wouldn't need keys.

[Darius Wey]

I've seen this device advertised in catalogues here in Australia for a while now, but now is the perfect opportunity for me to make a comment on its form factor: :pukeface2:

Is it just me or do you think it looks a little ugly as well?