I've been thinking about a PDA navigation system for a while. With my 5000 mile European Tour just around the corner I thought I would take a more serious look at the market.

I've had a play with my Uncles system today, it was an iPaq 5550 running the latest bluetooth NavMan system. I was impressed, although it's a little out of my budget.

I've been looking at a HP iPaq 2210 and TomTom Nav 3 software, does anyone have any feelings on this combination, is the NavMan stuff better??? I want CF support as standard so the extra money for the 5550 is wasted on me.

I don't want to spend more than £600, including all the car mouting brackets (I want a fixed cradle in the car) are there any other decent options in this price range?

Cheers

Cris.

I have a Garmin 3600 with a Nav. kit and just love it!

More info....

http://www.garmin.com/products/iQue3600/

http://www.pdastreet.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=a3e6fed6f68d91b37fe6c39d056c72dc&forumid=108

Software:
Routis (www.deluo.com)
Destinator (www.destinator1.com)

TomTom also looks good. Destinator is at the front of the game in my opinion though. Highest quality maps coupled with good looking software.

Using the iPAQ 2210 or 2215 you can use your CF for map data while using a bluetooth or wired GPS unit. If you're not concerned about portability of the GPS unit, my suggestion goes for the wired-to-vehicle Bluetooth module sold on the Routis site. Otherwise there are a number of BT GPS devices available that will fit in a pocket.

Bruno

What tour is this Cristian? Come on, spill the beans.

I've got an iPaq 1945 which only has an SD slot. I've already got a Garmin ETrex which I would rather use than waste my money buying another GPS unit.

Destinator seems to have a lot of good press, I noticed a lot of people on mp3car.com singing its praises.

Sorry I should have explained myself, this one.

It's about a 5000 mile round trip, going to take a month to do (with lots of stops along the way), staying in youth hostles mainly and currently I'll be doing it alone.

I have already got a Garmin eTrex Legend, but that's going to go on eBay to help towards the cost of the new system, I did start looking into using that with a PDA but it was too messy. Having a bluetooth system will alow me to move it between car, van and hiking uses easily.

I am leaning towards the NavMan 4410 system, but I notice that Destinator covers a much wider area.

Any advice when it comes to a PDA. Is the iPaq 2210 a good choice? Anybody got one?

Cheers

Cris.

Bloody hell, you did you manage to get the time off to do that? I only get 25 days a year. A whole month would leave me with 5 days to last the next 12 months!

I suppose this means you won't need a lift to Amersfoort this year.

I'm taking 21 days off in total (took monday after the meet to give me plenty of time to get back home etc...) I get 26 days off a year, I've saved 5 days leave from last year and BT have let me have it this year as I booked it about 9 months ago. So I have 10 days left for the rest of te year

The beauty of working with a bunch of guys who all have kids is that nobody books leave just before the school holidays, so I can have a month off without causing any major problems and still catch a bit of sun myself. My manger is pretty cool also.

So I won't need a lift, sorry about that the plans may get scaled down when I get a bit closer, but I'll still be going and ending up at the meet.

I really can't decide which software to go for, NavMan's stuff was very impressive, and is the only one I've seen in the flesh, although I may have been fooled by how pretty it is, the others may work better.

Cheers

Cris.

I'd still cast my vote for Destinator. Navman don't show many details on their software. And it seems to me that their top priority is a kit sale. Destinator's top priority is their software. The GPS receiver you get from Navman will just be OEM'd from someone else anyway. And regardless of what pieces of plastic you get with a package, if the navigation software stinks you'll be very disappointed.

Another good looking piece of software I found was TeleType's: http://www.teletype.com/pages/gps.html

I'm still thinking about trying this all out, so I'll probably give some of the software a test run on the desktop and on the PPC without GPS as a start. I also have an eTrex and would love to use it to further test the software before getting a more mobile receiver. I may have to find a cable somewhere - though I haven't seen anything for less than US$50.

Bruno