The choice between all-in-one sat nav or PDA add-ons

Compared to a few years ago, there are lot more GPS solutions on the market; one of the reasons for that is the number of packages that are available for Windows Mobile/Pocket PC.

Some of the units tested in this group test are, essentially, just a Pocket PC in a box with different buttons and navigation software. And in some cases it shows.

There is more to creating a workable GPS unit than adding dedicated buttons to a portable computer, and one of the biggest failings we found was that many of the systems simply weren’t loud enough to hear in a moving car.

When you’re buying software to run on an existing PDA, you don’t mind buying an amplified cradle. But these are supposed to be all-in-one devices, complete with in-car mounts and you shouldn’t have to spend more money to make them audible.

It was, broadly speaking, the established GPS manufacturers such as Garmin and Magellan that got this right.

Unless you have a whisper-quiet top-of-the-range executive saloon – which may well have built-in GPS anyway – and never listen to the car audio system, this is a silly shortcoming that will make using many of these units frustrating, and shows a lack of real navigation experience and a box-shifting mentality on the part of the makers.

Sound may seem a trivial issue, but it’s vitally important if you’re going to rely on a GPS to get you somewhere safely.

The screen is useful, but really only something to glance at when you’re not sure about a junction; without audible sound, you’ll look at the screen more often and pay less attention to the road; hardly a recipe for safer motoring.

So, are these all-in-one units reasonable solutions? Or should you choose the software you like and run it on a PDA with an amplified cradle, or pick a smartphone package?

Ultimately, we can’t give you a definitive answer; the performance of systems from established navigation firms such as Magellan is good, and they provide a decent all-in-one solution.

Beyond some dedicated buttons, which are not always well implemented, many of the solutions that are based on Windows Mobile don’t offer anything you won’t get from running the same software on a full-blown PDA.

Token inclusion of things like mp3 players and photo viewers might add a tick box to the feature list, but it doesn’t do anything to alter our conclusion that, with a couple of exceptions, these are built down to a price by people who’ve never driven a car cheaper or noisier than a Mercedes.

A well-designed dedicated GPS system will provide a simple and reliable solution, especially for the less techno-literate, and the established navigation firms still know what they’re doing when it comes to that sort of equipment.

You really can just plug and go, without the fiddling with cradles that a PDA solution naturally involves.

However, unless that ease of use is paramount, or you don’t have any suitable hardware, many readers will be better off considering adding the software to their PDA or opting for smartphone software such as Navicore.

This will work through your car’s hands-free phone system and effectively let your mobile network subsidise the cost of the hardware for you.

This article is part of a group test of satellite navigation systems. Others are:
Intro and Editor's choice
Blue Media BM6380GPS
Evesham Nav-Cam 7000
Garmin Street Pilot i3
Magellan Roadmate 300
Medion Go Pal PNA350
Mio 268+
Navman ICN520
Novogo A30
Tom Tom One
Viamichelin X930
Top-of-the-range options
The choice between all-in-ones or PDA add-ons
Europe's GPS constellation