11-12-2004, 06:00 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 559
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Navman PiN Review: Directions from Viki
Product Category: Pocket PC with built-in GPS receiver
Manufacturer Navman
Where to Buy: Pricegrabber [affiliate]
Price: $399.99 to $499.99 USD
Specifications: 400MHz Intel XScale processor, 64MB RAM, 32MB ROM, QVGA Display, SDIO slot, integrated GPS system
Pros:
- Very clear, bright screen (no yellowing);
- Awesome software;
- Device is nice and small;
- Everything is included...
Cons:
- ...except a cradle;
- GPS not as integrated as I would have liked;
- Antenna gets in the way;
- GPS fix is sometimes slow.
Summary:
The PiN is a very stable PPC/GPS solution that will flawlessly navigate you to your destination 90% of the time (and get you very close the other 10%). I set it on the female voice and she helped me so much that I gave her a name, Viki, the AI from I, Robot. 
Read on for the full review!
What's in the box
Figure 1: The box contents...Viki's accessories (Click for larger image).
Viki arrived with her suitcase of accessories:
- AC adapter;
- Car adapter;
- Windshield mount;
- USB sync cable;
- Manuals and literature;
- Microsoft Outlook and ActiveSync install CD;
- SmartST software (with 3 CDs of maps);
- 32MB MultiMedia card (this is way too small...the map of PA alone was 45 megs).
The unit ships with almost everything one could possible want. There's a really cool windshield mount for use in the car and the mount is even shaped so that the cigarette lighter adapter can plug in while the device is in the mount. Very nice. :mrgreen:
There's also a very nice leather slip case with a hard front which protects the screen. I felt very comfortable carrying the unit around in this case in my pocket.
The most notably absent item was a cradle. For a device this expensive, I expected a full cradle, but the unit ships with only a USB cable and AC adapter.
The SmartST software
The PiN ships with Navman's SmartST navigation software. It comes with two components, a desktop version and a handheld version.
Figure 2: The desktop program...Viki's database (click for larger image).
The desktop part of the program is well designed but has a few flaws. First off, it's slow starting up. This isn't a big deal because you rarely use the desktop program...just to transfer maps once in a while.
Next, the program doesn't work unless the PiN is connected via ActiveSync. Again, not a huge problem because you really only use the program to transfer maps.
Thirdly, the program requires you to insert the map CDs to function. The maps take up 3 CDs and there's no ability to install all the maps...CD swaping is required. :?
However, one of my favorite features is the ability to add maps to a memory card via a card reader and not just through the ActiveSync connection. When transfering 60MB maps, a USB 2 connection makes a HUGE difference. :wink:
Figure 3: The main menu...your wish is Viki's command.
The handheld version is where the real power is. It sometimes takes a few minutes to get a GPS fix, but once it does, Viki knows where you are. The first time I put an address in for driving directions, I was surprised that there was no From field, just where I wanted to end up. Then I realized that it used my current position as the starting point. Way cool. :mrgreen:
For general mapping purposes, SmartST displays a view from straight above with North being up:
Figure 4: The view from above...Viki's watching you.
But when you're en route, the software shows a very cool 3D map view that rotates with your movement so you're always facing your route:
Figure 5: The route view...Viki's guiding you.
When a route is in use, the device speaks directions out loud to you. There are both male and female voices. I chose the female voice and, as I said, found her so helpful that I named her Viki. The speaker on the device is very loud and very clear. Most of the time I left it at half volume and could still hear it over the engine noise.
Viki also seamlessly switched between states. Other GPS software that I've used will work fine until a state border, then it will stop and say, "Loading New Jersey" for a few seconds before going back to the map. Not so with SmartST. It treated it as if there were no break.
Figure 6: GPS status...Viki knows where you are.
As far as the actual directions go, Viki was pretty good, but she didn't know everything. Some of the more notable hiccups were: once she completely didn't know where a massive four-lane freeway was and insisted on showing my position out in the middle of a field...as soon as I got off the freeway, she picked right back up again; once she told me to take an exit that wasn't there; more than once she directed me along dirt or gravel roads that, in my opinion, shouldn't be considered roads at all :?; etc.
The device itself
The PiN is small as Pocket PCs go...but that GPS antenna on the back throws the measurements off. Here are comparison shots with an iPAQ h1945 and an i-mate PPC Phone:
Figure 7: Side-by-side comparison (click for larger image).
Figure 8: Side-by-side comparison, antenna open (click for larger image).
Figure 9: Stacked comparison (i-mate on bottom, 1945 in middle, PiN on top) (click for larger image).
Additional software
The PiN ships with three additional software programs, eBackup, eMenu, and MP3Player.
eBackup is a simple backup utility that allows backup of whatever data you want to either the device memory or a storage card:
Figure 10: eBackup...Viki cannot be erased.
eMenu is a very ellegant program launcher. It allows you to organize programs into groups, select background images, and always shows the device's vital statistics at the top of the screen:
Figure 11: eMenu...Viki is here to help.
MP3Player is, creatively enough, just that. It doesn't really function any differently than the Windows Media Player except for one important feature...it has a graphic equalizer. 8O Very nice!
Figure 12: MP3 Player...let Viki entertain you.
I Wish...
I wish the GPS was more integrated into the system. With my Phone Editing device I can just tap on a phone number to call it. I was hoping that a GPS device would allow simply taping on an address in Contacts to navigate to it. Now I realize that this would call for a major change to the core OS...like Phone Edition. The actual OS is different which is what allows phone calls to be so tightly integrated into the system. Perhaps someday there will be Pocket PC GPS Edition. That will be a good day. 8)
Conclusion
I am going to have a very hard time breaking up with Viki. She isn't the perfect companion and has her flaws just like everyone else, but she really knows what she's doing and, most of the time, will get you where you need to go. They always say not to get into a relationship with someone you know is leaving, but my heart got the better of me this time.  pclove:
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11-12-2004, 10:30 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 123
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Re: Navman PiN Review: Directions from Viki
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Originally Posted by Ryan Joseph
I wish...
I wish the GPS was more integrated into the system. With my Phone Editing device I can just tap on a phone number to call it. I was hoping that a GPS device would allow simply taping on an address in Contacts to navigate to it.
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This sounds like a request for the developers of Agenda Fusion or Pocket Informant, they have done some wonderful enhancements in the past.
Overall looks like a pretty good advice. As for the lack of a cradle, it doesn't seem too bad since they do give you a car mount and sync cable. A cradle seems designed for the home or enterprise user, and this seems like something that would spend more time in your pocket or the car cradle than on a desk.
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11-12-2004, 10:57 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 559
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Re: Navman PiN Review: Directions from Viki
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Originally Posted by dunneldeen
As for the lack of a cradle, it doesn't seem too bad since they do give you a car mount and sync cable. A cradle seems designed for the home or enterprise user, and this seems like something that would spend more time in your pocket or the car cradle than on a desk.
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True, but I like to drop my device into the cradle at night to sync emails and documents and charge the battery. The battery problem is solved with the car charger, but the USB cable isn't quite as easy to use to sync as a cradle. It's not a major downside, just something I would have liked.
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11-13-2004, 04:04 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 48
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Whats all the fuzz about?
What's all the fuzz about?
This is no more than the Mitac MIO Digiwalker 168 with a 400MHz Xscale instead of the 300MHz that the Digiwalker has.
It even has the same items in the box except (in your case) other software suited for the US.
The Mitac model sells these days for approx. 380 euros so it's not expensive either.
Regards,
Manu T
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11-13-2004, 05:30 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 18
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The best solution for a GPS is a Bluetooth unit. Here are a few reasons.
1) A PDA with a built in GPS has to be mounted to the windshield to acquire a signal. With a Bluetooth GPS you can leave the receiver on the dash not the entire PDA.
2) A PDA with a built in GPS has to do a cold start every time you turn off the PDA. This can take 40 seconds to 10 minutes. A Bluetooth GPS with constant power will take that long to cold start but it will always be on after that. You can enter your car and connect to the Bluetooth GPS in seconds that already has a lock.
3) A PDA using Bluetooth can sync with out carrying wires. All you need to carry on a trip is power for the PDA and power for the Bluetooth GPS module.
4) If your PDA has a built in GPS you have to buy a new GPS every time you upgrade your PDA. With Bluetooth you just have to make sure your next PDA has Bluetooth and most do.
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11-15-2004, 04:15 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 559
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Judgeless
The best solution for a GPS is a Bluetooth unit.
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It all depends on what you plan on using the unit for. The great thing about the PiN is that it's so versatile. I can be using it for driving directions one minute, then jump out of the car and use it for topographical geocaching hikes the next minute.
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A PDA with a built in GPS has to be mounted to the windshield to acquire a signal. With a Bluetooth GPS you can leave the receiver on the dash not the entire PDA.
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But wouldn't you want the PPC mounted to the dash? I love Viki's large screen where I can see it while driving. The only time I'd use it off the dash is if I were the passenger. :wink:
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A PDA with a built in GPS has to do a cold start every time you turn off the PDA. This can take 40 seconds to 10 minutes. A Bluetooth GPS with constant power will take that long to cold start but it will always be on after that. You can enter your car and connect to the Bluetooth GPS in seconds that already has a lock.
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For strict car navigation, a bluetooth unit might be better, but I'd be concerned with theft. Having a $300 GPS unit sitting on my dash 24/7 would worry me. I pull Viki down every time I stop and put her in the glove compartment. Better safe then sorry. I'd do the same with a bluetooth unit.
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If your PDA has a built in GPS you have to buy a new GPS every time you upgrade your PDA. With Bluetooth you just have to make sure your next PDA has Bluetooth and most do.
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Very true, but it's nice having GPS with you whenever you want. With a bluetooth unit you have to carry the PPC and the GPS. It's kind of like the age old "PPC Phone or dual devices" argument. Some people can't function with a converged device and others couldn't be without it. For me, having GPS built in is a really cool feature. But for someone else, their ideal solution might be a bluetooth unit. To each his own.
But I still love my Viki. :mrgreen:
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11-15-2004, 11:59 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 18
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ryan Joseph
topographical geocaching
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I still do not know why people do that or were they find the time to look for cheesy items because they own a new GPS.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ryan Joseph
But wouldn't you want the PPC mounted to the dash?
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With some vehicles that works great. There are a lot where that does not work. Either the dash is too deep or the windshield is at an angle that makes it hard to mount. With a Bluetooth GPS it does not matter, the PDA can be put anywhere convenient.
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Originally Posted by Ryan Joseph
Having a $300 GPS unit sitting on my dash 24/7 would worry me.
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A Bluetooth GPS is a little back box. When people see it on the dash they have no clue what it is. There is no need to put it away. Every car out there with On-Star has GPS a (little black box) mounted somewhere near the windshield.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ryan Joseph
It's kind of like the age old "PPC Phone or dual devices" argument. Some people can't function with a converged device and others couldn't be without it. For me, having GPS built in is a really cool feature.
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A GPS built into a PDA is not the same as a Phone/PDA combo. GPS�s do not work indoors, phones do. GPS�s need a clear view of the open sky to function, phones do not. A GPS�s needs 40 seconds to 10 minutes to get a signal before you can use it, phones do not. A combo GPS/PDA has more issues then benefits.
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11-27-2004, 05:35 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 116
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the same arguments come up every time my precious Navman gets mentioned. Yes I'm biased, but they really aren't that bigger deal in practice.
It takes a couple of minutes to get a signal, but most of the time it has the signal before you need to use it anyway. I don't sit in my driveway twiddleing my thumbs for 2 minutes while I wait, because I know which direction I'm going & what the main road is already.
The inbuilt antenna really isn't that inconvienient. It can actually be a rather handy part. If you are sitting at a table, it makes a great display stand if you open it 90 degrees. When you are holding the unit, you can open the antenna & it's completely out of the way. Or you can slip your fingers inbetween the unit & the antenna & it makes for a safer hold as it is 'wrapped' around your hand.
This unit is very different to the mitac, not because of the hardware, because of the software. Smart ST is the best nav software yet released. Plus, they have just released a new edition & are offering a free upgrade to any who bought/buy after October 1st (at least in Australia). The biggest improvments are that the maps are even clearer & it now supports waypoints.
I can't figure out what possessed Navman to only put 32mb cards in their US release, but it's 128mb over here, & I believe Europe is 128mb as well. The entire country is pre-loaded onto the card here.
& of course the ability to use it out of the car is very useful. Geocaching is not the best example. But the point of it is not the cheezy gift. The point of geocaching is that you go hiking to get there. I would have thought that was obvious. A better example is if you go to the CBD. You usually have to park blocks from the place you are going to & walk the rest.
There are plenty more reasons why having the GPS in built is useful. it makes travelling easy. You hop a plane, hire a car & have GPS without an extra little black box that you might forget to pack. you can still use it if you are in a friend's car. In fact, you can use it on just about any form of transport apart from a plane. Boat, bike, plane, walking. & you don't need to remember that little black box that you probably stuck to the dash with double sided tape.
The Glassmount is a fairly long goose neck too. So there wouldn't be many windscreens that you couldn't attach it to.
How often would someone need a GPS indoors?
I don't know about other units, but it's 2-3 minutes for this one, not 10.
I haven't tested this thoroughly, but a couple of times I have turned the unit off with the software still running & then turned it back on later & got a signal after about 10 seconds. I read something about my Navman somewhere (their web site or the manual I think), it was talking about warm starts for the GPS. I guess it meant that.
No this device isn't for everyone, but I think it's perfect for a lot of people. Especially since it's so easy to use, particualrly the software.On the hardware side, I've heard plenty of stories about how hard getting bluetooth to work can be. I sold one of these toys to a retired Priest who was completely computer illiterate. The only thing I had to do was show him how to load the program & how to get to the menu.
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