To date, Bluetooth hasn't overwhelmed the world as a ubiquitous, short range cable replacement technology. Although many devices are Bluetooth-equipped, there's a distinct lack of compelling applications and compatibility problems still haunt many users. NavMan's GPS 4400 system, however, highlights one of the ideal uses of Bluetooth and offers an attractive navigation solution to Bluetooth-enabled PDA owners.

The GPS 4400 is a package comprising of a small battery-powered GPS receiver and NavMan's SmartST Professional street-level map software for the UK and Western Europe. It claims to work with any Bluetooth-enabled PDA, although if you're using an add-on CompactFlash Bluetooth adapter, check that you can still add extra memory (for example, via an SD/MMC card), as you'll need this if you want to load several maps on the PDA. The software package offers identical functionality to that provided with the NavMan iCN 630, although the interface is modified slightly for the Pocket PC platform. Our review used an HP iPAQ h2210 running Pocket PC 2003. We encountered no major problems with this, although turning off the PDA without disconnecting the Bluetooth link to the receiver invariably required us to soft-reset the PDA - this is a known Pocket PC 2003 bug.

The tiny GPS receiver module is designed to be carried in a pocket, on a lanyard or can even be strapped to your arm with the supplied armband. There's also a suction mount for use on a vehicle windscreen. The unit is powered by three AAA batteries, which give a claimed life of around 30 hours of continuous GPS reception. There are no external controls apart from a blue illuminated power button that flashes brightly in use. There's a DC power socket for use with the supplied 12V car adapter and an MCX socket for an external antenna.

Setting up the system is reasonably straightforward - use the PDA's Bluetooth application to discover the receiver and set up a partnership, note the assigned outgoing COM port number, then install the SmartST software via your PC with the PDA connected via ActiveSync. Pocket PC 2003 is also supported. After installation, you need to activate the software via the Internet before you can install maps - there's no phone-based alternative.

Individual maps are quite large, so you'll need extra memory in your PDA if you want to install more than one or two UK regions - southern England alone is over 20MB. Once installed, starting SmartST Pro launches a brief tutorial before displaying the current location. The user interface is simple and intuitive - you just choose a destination from a series of drop-down boxes for regions, addresses or points of interest. As with the iCN 630, though, you can't input any postcodes or use waypoints.

Once underway, you can use one of the visual turn-by-turn display options or simply listen to the clear voice guidance. How audible this is will depend on your PDA, although it's unlikely to be loud enough for unamplified car use - headphones are probably the easiest solution, but this isn't really recommended while driving. You'll also need to supply your own carmounting solution for your PDA device.

The great advantage of this product is the lack of wires and cables, making the GPS 4400 an easy product to carry around in your pocket or briefcase. The software is outstanding, but you'll need to budget for some more memory for your PDA if you're a serious traveller.

Contact: NavMan
www.navman.co.uk

Specifications: