Could I Get Some Recommendations, Please? - General Topics

Hi all,
I'd like a little advice on choosing a PDA, if possible. I need to satisfy a few criteria, as I am going to be creating a piece of software for use by a potentially large group of people.
The criteria:
Must have WiFi
Ideally will have an internal GPS receiver
Should be quite robust, and the app is mainly for outdoor use
Large colour screen, so smartphones are generally out
Cheap(ish) - as in low cost, but not rubbish!
Should be widely available
Any help would be appreciated!

Tough combination to find.
There is HP Ipaq 6900, which has GPS, WiFi, BT, but it has a square screen (200x200). Not sure about the cost.
Now, there are several phones with GPS like Mio 701/700 or Eten G500, but non of them have WiFi, and they have the 2.8 inch screen like my Jamin (Prophet) or Wizard which have WiFi but no GPS (can be added via BT).
And finally there is the Exec/Universal which has a big(er) screen, but still no GPS and certainly not cheap.
Oh, here is one that is cheap (because its old) PDA2K / Qtek 9090 / XDA IIs. Big screen, WiFi, but no GPS and a lot of people here say that its a crappy device in general.
Whell, that wasn't exactly a reccomindation but mabe it will give you some ideas.

That's fantastic levenum - exactly what I am looking for!
The GPS issue may be resolvable by using an external bluetooth receiver rather than requiring an internal module, so that item on the criteria list could be treated as an ideal rather than an absolute.
I'd still be interested in more recommendations along the lines of large screen, color, WiFi and bluetooth.
Thanks!

Oh, I just re-read your post, and noticed that the device doesn't actually have to be a phone. (I just assumed cause this is mainly a phone forum)
Check out HP iPaq 4700. It has WiFi, BT, and most importantly the biggest scree a PDA ever had (its also VGA). Also it has both CF and SD slots so there are more ways to add expansions to it.

Related

In car Navigation Software

:?: Do I need a seperate device (i.e. gps reciever?) to run Navigation software such as Tom Tom Navigator or Route 66 on my XDAII? If I need a gps transmitter reciever, where can I get one from and can I buy one that I can permenantly install in my car?
:?
You will allways need a GPS receiver with (almost) any PocketPC based navigation solution.
From personal experience I would recommend a Bluetooth receiver. Make sure you have a 1.72 ROM version for good Bluetooth operation. There are many threads on that on the forum.
You will also need a power supply (to XDAII and to Bluetooth GPS for uninterrupted operation and quick GPS fixes)
And you would need a car cradle or 'real' carkit in oder to be able to have a good view on the screen
If you dont like to be bother by the limited storage amount a SD memory card is ver advisable, beware of the bad performing ones
Good software is TomTom Navigator 3
Like I said: This forum has lots of threads on this subject. Alternatively check out www.pocketgpsworld.co.uk
Thanx for the advice I'm still a newbe to this phone I haven't even had it a week yet. but already it looks like lots of fun 8)
Check this out:
http://www.totalpda.com/Holux-Powered-GPS-PDA-Mount-for-XDA-Series-I-Mate-Q-Tec-2020.aspx
It's a Car cradle / GPS / powered / loud speaker etc etc....all you need next is Tomtom or simular.
My mate has one and it's great. Removes the need for a seperate GPS receiver, which would need power itself. Don't know if you can get in Canada but probably.
HPJ
heck this out:
http://www.totalpda.com/Holux-Powered-GPS-PDA-Mount-for-XDA-Series-I-Mate-Q-Tec-2020.aspx
It's a Car cradle / GPS / powered / loud speaker etc etc....all you need next is Tomtom or simular.
My mate has one and it's great. Removes the need for a seperate GPS receiver, which would need power itself. Don't know if you can get in Canada but probably.
HPJ
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks looks like a Phatt product. Unfortuntely I've already bought the cradle and gps seperate.
Beware: The product looks nice BUT: It's probably useless when your car has a heat-resistant windscreen.
These windscreens have a metal-like foil in it which does not let radio (GPS are radio signals) signals thru. These windscreen however always have 1 or 2 spots (most likely next to the mirror) where the foil is absent. Meant for toll cards, but also useable to stick a GPS mouse to it. For that you do need a GPS that can be placed (I glueed a plastic box with double-sided tape to the windscreen foil-free spot in which my BT (permanently powered) GPS is sitting).
Works like a charm.
Edsud - wow, seems logical. Guess many have bought the product and spent ages trying to get it to work, without any luck. Thanks for the warning.
How good are the Bluetooth receivers? ie does the Bluetooth stay 'well connected'? What about if you want to use a BT headset as well, can you run 2 BT devices at the same time?
Cheers
HPJ
I have found BT to be VERY stable (using the 1.72 rom & standard Bt stack), also when I use both GPS & Headset at the same time.
I have fitted the BT GPS with a constant 12V wire resulting in continuous power. Which results in a permanent fix (BT GPS's seem to keep working even when there is no device connected). When I start TomTom I never have to wait for a fix, it;s there when I start TomTom.
When you do not do this you will notice a delay to get a first fix. This delay is relatively short when the GPS has not realy moved since it was last switched on. The delay also depends on the type of GPS. I know of a Holux CF GPS (wichs gets switched off when you take it out of the PocketPC) on a Dell Axim that takes about 1 minute to get its first fix again. Imagine how long that takes when you have to wait for it . . .
im using the same as ed and it runs like a dream scary i know
I use Tom Tom 3 BT with XDA II. Works great.
No BT headset yet byt it's coming soon.
Rgds
Andrew
I have installed it on 2 different XDA2's and it works brialliantly.

WM5 on MDA - Speed/Compatibility Question

Hi out there.
I read a lot about updates to WM5 for the Himalaya, but I found almost nothing about speed, compatibility etc. As I made an official (!!!) update for my hx4700 which turned out to render the device almost useless because of some serious speed issues (cleanup process took too much time, the device became slow, so navigation was annoying - it sometimes told me about 100 meters AFTER the junction what to do!), I would like to ask the following questions before trying to upgrade my MDAII:
1. My main reason for thinking about an upgrade is bluetooth. Does bluetooth work more stable with a headset, GPS receiver and Active Sync? Especially the head set causes problems with WM2003.
2. What about speed compared to WM2003? This would be an essential question for using the MDAII as a navigation tool. I am currently using Destinator 6 with GNS TMC receiver (serial port) or Royaltek RTG1001 (bluetooth). Does this work with WM5 as it is my most important application?
3. The HP became a little unstable. What about the MDAII (power switch, memory clean up / flash reorganisation etc)? The flash reorganisation sometimes froze the hp for almost a minute (nice when getting a phone call or using the device for navigation). Any experience here?
4. What about the german language pack for WM5 nocert? Does that work or is it possible to get a german WM5 somewhere - I read the thread but there seems to be no answer on where to get it from. I just got my MDAII from a friend and was to late for downloading it before M$ made xda developers remove all the rom files. Any help or any idea?
I hope this is not too much for now. Thanks for reading this and I hope there will be some answers as well.
Best regards,
Uwe

External GPS device (please advise)

Hi,
I hate the build in GPS system. I allways have a lag and very often, it thinks I am in a different street or it thinks I am driving off road.
I am thinking of buying an external bluetooth GPS device, but do not know what is the best available.
I have heard the Qstarz BT-Q818x is one of the best.
Any other advice?
Thanks Rob
GPS mouse
Hello Rob,
if you can still obtain it: iBT-GPS 747 data logger. With MTK 32 channel chip. I've used it for 2 years now, never let me down, very strong and fast fix. I've used it from the Netherlands until far in Croatia/Spain with my old Touch-phone. Pairs also easy to my Diamond and i use it as a back-up for the built-in GPS which occasionally lets me down (no/bad fix in Vienna recently) or stops working at all after some time (on the road in Germany).
Succes

Clarification: Does the x7500/7510 work as a phone?

I am looking for an upgrade from the Universal. These two devices are looking about the closest (or the touch pro 2).
I use the universal without earphones or bluetooth, as a phone, is that possible with the 75x0? Or must you have an attachment?
(the universal had two dedicated speakers for mono 'phone' mode, and two others for stereo speakerphone).
you need attachment, you can't just use it as a phone (ie hold it to your ear) it gets real annoying for me.
To be honest, practically it can work as a phone even w/o any attachment. It has two stereo louder speakers and one microphone on its front panel. But the thing is that it does not have the speaker like in the regular phone - only louder speaking mode is available, therefore, everybody will hear you during your phone conversations. Or you should find out your "secret" place for talking with people.
BT or cord attachment can solve this problem and let you use this brick as a phone, but, believe me, you will forget about regular use...
This is real "another brick in the wall..."
Now I'm just trying to test this relation 7510 + cord headset replacing my Nokia E71 (just to test). Finally, I'm sure that I will return to Nokia soon - it's absolutely impossible to use 7510 as a regular working phone for everyday use.
I'm using the X7500 and now X7510 since 3 years as phone and Im happy with. OK, you need a BT headset or BT carkit - but no other phone in the world can offer the features a X75xx has.
Dieter
dieterpapa said:
I'm using the X7500 and now X7510 since 3 years as phone and Im happy with. OK, you need a BT headset or BT carkit - but no other phone in the world can offer the features a X75xx has.
Dieter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting that someone would love to use the x75x0 as a regular phone. The more recent WM phones (Touch HD2, Toshiba TG01) being hailed have screens almost as big as the x75x0. When I read their users' wish list for these modern phones, they seem to be describing something like the x75x0. Something tells me that a re-release of the x7510 with some tweaks could be a winner! Desired improvements: 1GHz processor, WVGA (800x480) resolution, skin cover for the main device (without hardware keyboard).
rsawoseyin said:
Interesting that someone would love to use the x75x0 as a regular phone. The more recent WM phones (Touch HD2, Toshiba TG01)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
People think these screens are as big?
I have the universal, which is a 4" screen, and when I look at any phone in a shop at the moment, the size of the screen is much smaller.
I use my X7510 as a phone (and internet browser, agenda, tomtom and mp3 player)
The WM 6.5.3 interface is a huge improvement in the phone usefulness and that makes Windows mobile slowly getting to become a proper phone-software.
The contact images (the faces of your contacts) are of course still microscopic.
I live in one of the no cellphone while driving w/o a headset states, so I take my blueant z9i headset wherever I go anyway, so if youre the same then I'd say yes, it works perfectly and reliably as a phone, as well as an internet tablet, a messenger device, a audio-video player, an ebook reader, a GPS Navigator, an SNES emulator, (haven't tried the playstation emulator yet), as well as whatever else of the boatload of uses you can find for it.

Dedicated GPS Navigation tablet / Moble Audio - Hardware/Apps?

Not sure if this is the best section to ask this in...
I need suggestions/advice picking out Hardware(tablet+accessories) and Software/Firmware.
I need a tablet or large screen phone to act as my Motorcycle's Navigation and MP3 player.
I don't know if there is a product already out there that can do all I want reliable, or if something could be made to work with custom firmware?
Past experiences:
I have an original Nvidia Shield and a Lenovo mixx 2 8 (windows pro tablet). Both with on board GPS, but the mixx is very buggy for gps, and I can't find very good gps software ether. The shield is not bad for GPS, but clearly not meant for my application.
Basic Features:
-6-8" screen (not including chassis)
-stereo out (headphone jack or rca or something)
-Can be configured to Navigate and play MP3s easily at the same time.
-Fast turn off/sleep/etc
-Unassisted GPS, built in or usb /etc
-Can charge while in use.
-Easy to use, reliable, smooth to operate.
-Memory card slot or 16gb+ storage for music.
-I'm in Canada, and sometimes ride to the USA, so if that's a factor I'm making note of it.
Looking for suggestions for what tablet/device options I might want to get, and also what apps or firmware would complement it for my purposes.
Thank you very much for your help and time.

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