Dave's PDA Reviews Garmin's iQue M5

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.davespda.com/reviews/pda/iquem5.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.davespda.com/reviews/pda/iquem5.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"I have not been as excited about a device as I was after taking the Garmin iQue M5 out of the box. For some reason (which I will try and lay out below) the iQue M5 made me extremely excited even before I turned it on. Garmin is a name that those in the Pocket PC community may only know of if they are aware of iQue like of Palm OS devices. Garmin makes a series of GPS devices including two Palm OS based handhelds. This year, Garmin made a change and introduced a Pocket PC handheld with an embedded GPS. The iQue M5 is the first Windows Mobile device to include an embedded GPS unit with the accompanying antenna. Including GPS tracking software and downloadable map data, the Garmin iQue M5 combines the power of a full fledged GPS unit into a Windows Mobile based Pocket PC."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20050412-iQueM5.jpg" /><br /><br />Dave Conger, over at Dave's PDA, gives the Garmin iQue M5 a close look. While the pictures are a little dark for my tastes, overall the review is very well-done -- those of you who are heavy GPS users should certainly take a look.

[gorkon280]

Garmin is the first company to make PDA's with an embedded GPS and the first company to make a Windows Mobile Pocket PC device with an embedded GPS.

WRONGO! They ARE the first company to do a PDA with a GPS, but NOT the first company to do a Windows Mobile device with a GPS. That honor goes to Mitac.

I would say that they are going to be the first that doesn't totally cripple the device. 416 MHz is plenty fast plus at least it has 64 MB of memory PLUS SDIO. Plus I guarantee you that their software is going to be pretty good. I have had standalone Garmin GPS units (currently have a eMap) and they are wonderful.

[Dave Conger]

They ARE the first company to do a PDA with a GPS, but NOT the first company to do a Windows Mobile device with a GPS.

Whoops! I changed the line of text to say they are the first ones to make such a device available on US store shelves. Sorry for the error!

[Fishie]

They ARE the first company to do a PDA with a GPS, but NOT the first company to do a Windows Mobile device with a GPS.

Whoops! I changed the line of text to say they are the first ones to make such a device available on US store shelves. Sorry for the error!

Wrong again, the Mitacs and various rebrands have been available in the US for a while now.

Oh BTW the Mitac Mio 269 packs a build in hard drive as well, just a heads up for when someone else decides to do that.

[gorkon280]

Wrong again, the Mitacs and various rebrands have been available in the US for a while now.

Oh BTW the Mitac Mio 269 packs a build in hard drive as well, just a heads up for when someone else decides to do that.

Yep. The Navman PiN is the US version of the Mitac. I also think the Mitac is a rebranded version of something else. Did HTC make that device??

[Pony99CA]

The Navman PiN is the US version of the Mitac.
The PiN is a U.S. version of the Mitac, but the Mitac Mio 168 ships in English with U.S. maps, too (I've tried it). And there's also the ALK Evesham (http://www.alk.com/products/consumer/evesham_copilot_live/index.asp), which is basically the Mio running CoPilot Live software.

I also think the Mitac is a rebranded versin of something else. Did HTC make that device??
HTC may have made it, but I don't believe that HTC sells devices to consumers. If the Mio was rebranded, it would probably be from some Asian-only Pocket PC, but, as far as I know, the Mitac Mio 168 was the first Pocket PC with built-in GPS.

Steve

[Fishie]

Dave, you dissapoint us.

[Dave Conger]

Wrong again, the Mitacs and various rebrands have been available in the US for a while now.

Well damn, don't I feel dumb. However, I have never seen the Navman PiN as a local store. Thanks all for poniting that out.

[beq]

FWIW earlier this month I bought the Navman PiN when a new Fry's local store had a grand opening sale for only $299 ($50-100 cheaper than normal), but I ended up returning it unopened since I just can't justify keeping it...

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=35912#336575

[Darius Wey]

Dave, you dissapoint us.

Give him a break, Fishie. ;)

There's no need to single him out and openly express that he's a disappointment. No one can be expected to get everything right in this world, and mistakes do happen. It's human nature. What Dave has offered the mobile devices community is far from disappointing.