Round-up of Reviews on the Garmin iQue M5

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

<i>"I had the pleasure to get my hands on the latest PDA/GPS device from Garmin, this time in the Pocket PC flavor. The iQue M5 is Garmin's first device that utilizes the Windows Mobile operating system. They've previously released two Palm based devices (iQue 3200 and iQue 3600) that were considered very solid offerings. They've continued the success with the M5, if you're willing to spend the $630-710 (street)."</i> - from <a href="http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=2431">BargainPDA.com's Garmin iQue M5 Review</a><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/050223_krakow_vmed)11a.vmedium.jpg" /> <br /><br />In addition to the very thorough and very image-happy <a href="http://www.bargainpda.com/default.asp?newsID=2431">BargainPDA review</a>, there's an <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7018344">MSNBC review</a> in which columnist Gary Krakow proclaims that the change from PalmOS to Windows Mobile has enabled the M5 to become a <i>"super PDA"</i>. I hope he's right, because this doesn't come cheap (official list price of $750) considering the QVGA screen resolution and lack of WiFi. So if you're in the market for an all-in-one GPS/PDA solution, give these two articles a read and let us know what you think! Anyone with first-hand accounts out there?

[Matilda444]

I've just put my new iQueM5 in service this week. So far, so good. Socket WiFi card works great.

[davea0511]

It seems amazing that they went with QVGA when they should be using the best display technology out there for GPS. Go here to view what GPS looks like on a VGA screen: http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=37147&amp;start=14

Admittedly, while in the car you'll be only glancing at the screen for 1 or 2 pieces of large text, (and not even that - you'll be going by voice Que's mostly - thus the name "iQue") but for those times when you are on foot the ability to see 4X more of the map is very handy, or at least see the same amount of the map at much clearer resolution (easy to read text). Even medium sized text on an angle on QVGA can be a pain to read. That's one place where having a VGA screen really makes a huge difference.

No, sadly it appears that the iQue comes up short on this very important feature.

[bljarv]

We did a review of this device "on the air" on the tinypodcast available here: http://www.tinyscreenfuls.com/2005/02/tinypodcast-2005-02-01.html