GpsPasSion Reviews the MyGuide/Holux G60

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/articles.asp?id=167' target='_blank'>http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/articles.asp?id=167</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The first PDA with a built-in GPS was the Mio 168, released in late 2003 with a SiRFstarII module (originally with the ST firmware and then the Xtrac v2 firmware) and a flip-out antenna. It met with a lot of success, particularly in Europe. Not a lot of activity on the PDA GPS front until this summer with the arrival of the Yakumo Delta X and of course of the HP hw6515 reviewed in detail here. This is where the MyGuide Holux GPSmile G60 manufactured by Compal comes in with its SiRFstarIII module and self-contained antenna. While it lacks bluetooth or WiFi connectivity and runs WM2003SE unlike the Loox N520 or ASUS A636, it's an interesting device and it's available, so let's see how it performs, bundled with OcN, as a PDA and a GPS."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/westfall-20051130-my.jpg" /><br /><br />I particularly like the horizontal format of this unit - making it a clear competitor to GPS units that only do GPS. With all the money Garmin &amp; Tom Tom are putting into marketing this holiday season (At least in the US), one wonders why anyone would go for a GPS only unit when they could have so much more in a PPC?

[PDANEWBIE]

one wonders why anyone would go for a GPS only unit when they could have so much more in a PPC?

Just cost breakdown alone you come out ahead...

Decient PPC with bluetooth- 300+ (going on my spec's not top of the line of course)
Memory card - 1 gb for install and MAP storage - 59+
Bluetooth GPS reciever - 99.00
Tom Tom software - 149.95
Accessories for hookup - 100.00 (car chager for the pda/mount/and possible DC splitter if car does not have 2 cig lighters)

All of this comes in to 707.95 and their all in one units are coming in at over 1K.

personally I'ld rather have something I can then detatch and listen to some MP3's and help organize my day and even surf the web in the right areas.

Now my mobile device does not sport SE so I can't screen flip natively but isn't that essentially all this landscape part is?

[jimwilliams]

I have an Ipaq and use CoPilot GPS software. Really great software - can land on the numbers without looking up. However, I usually fly with my Lowrance AirMap 500 GPS. The CoPilot actually has a much better interface and more useful functions. So why do I fly more with my AirMap? Simple - The AirMap's screen is much more readable in the day/sun light. I really hope that PDA's screens will become more readable outside some day. BTW, my Ipaq is a HP2215. - Jim Williams

[gpspassion]

True, but the irony is that THE first PocketPC, i.e. the 36xx had a reflective screen that WAS readable in the sun (still have one by the way), however it looked washed out indoors and that's where PDAs get bought...so its successors got equipped with transflective screens that look much nicer indoors but are unreadable in the sun...as of today I only know of 3 car GPS systems with screens readable in the sun, the Garmin i3, Lowrance 500c and Medion PNA300 out od the dozens out there !

The Holux GPSmile has a decent screen that will benefit from some shade ;-)

[Jon Westfall]

Just a note, this is apparently shipping now, check out http://www.ps-gps.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=15 for more details!