Interesting GPS option - updated

[backwoods]

I know the iWay and Garmins are popular, but if you already carry a Treo 650 cellphone, this looks like an interesting option. I haven't used it, but for $199, including national maps, and traffic downloads, looks pretty tempting.

GPS connects by Bluetooth and runs for 17 hours on battery, so no wiring required for day trips.

http://store.palm.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2041928&cp=2196581&cid=SE_20060202&parentPage=family

http://palm.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p2094677dt.jpg

Anyone tried it?

[x-beast]

I've got the Treo (which I love) but I would take the $200 bills and put it toward a real GPS. No touchscreen + small display = not very useful. Plus you'd have to stop, and take your gloves off to use it (the keyboard on the Treo is tiny). Alternatively the iWay 500c is readable and functional while riding with gloves on! :D

[NMead]

I've got the Treo (which I love) but I would take the $200 bills and put it toward a real GPS. No touchscreen + small display = not very useful. Plus you'd have to stop, and take your gloves off to use it (the keyboard on the Treo is tiny). Alternatively the iWay 500c is readable and functional while riding with gloves on! :D

Yeah, I've got the 650 and I don't think its got a fast enough processor to handle route recalculations. I had the GPS with my iPaq (Xscale 400Mhz CPU) and it would take a long time to recalc route. So long in fact that you had already missed the turn it was going to tell you to take and start recalcing again. It would then just loop until you pulled over, let it finish the routing and started the new route.

I bought the Garmin 2610 and am more than happy with it.


Nate

[Mohawk]

Have you tried this one:
http://www.tomtom.com/lib/img/rollover_img/large/rider03.jpg
http://www.tomtom.com/products/product.php?ID=207&Language=4&TT=s8ab4jntcq8grm12m0lnpv8i82[/img]

[x-beast]

The Tom Tom seems to be a superior unit but the $1200 price was above my threshold for pain.

[backwoods]

Thanks for the feedback.

So, here's what I'm thinking. The TomTom Rider above is the absolute top of the line. If someone gave me $1199.95 and said I HAD to spend it on one GPS, I'd definitely get the TomTom Rider. :)

However, the GPS Navigator:
- uses TomTom software, including the live traffic downloads.
- includes the mount, power cables,...etc.
- very easy to detach and put in your POCKET once you reach your destination (Big issue for me)
- easy to play with routes, enter destinations, ..etc. anytime, wherever you are since you always have it with you.
- puts your phone out where you can see if you have an inbound call
- has a bright color touch screen
(but yes, the screen is smaller than iWay or TomTom Rider, so you have a point about gloved operation)

- it's $1000 CHEAPER. That’s 1 with THREE 0's. That's a lot of chrome!

Of course, buying something that doesn't work obviously isn't saving money (not that I speak from personal experience).

So, just asking to see whether anyone has tried it.

[dos equis]

when your lost and dont have any cell service,who ya going to call? tom tom

[Gary in Indiana]

I have the Garmin 2610 also and really like it. I also have the Treo 650 and love it. I don't use the Garmin touch screen while I'm riding so I don't see the big deal there but I do think the screen on the Treo would be a little too small to be readable while you're riding, but then again, I'm over fifty with bifocals.

I'd be real happy to hear how it works out for you if you get it. Heck, for a couple hundred bucks it'd be worth having just to keep on the phone and use if I need to when I don't put the Garmin on the bike. :)

[Gary in Indiana]

when your lost and dont have any cell service,who ya going to call? tom tom

From what I've read, the GPS on the Treo 650 isn't dependent upon cell phone service at all.

[backwoods]

From what I've read, the GPS on the Treo 650 isn't dependent upon cell phone service at all.

True. In fact it says if a call comes in while the gps software is running, the gps software ends and you have to restart it manually after the call (press the screen icon). Not real smooth...

[backwoods]

Well, I decided to give it a try. After 100 miles or so I'm loving it. It works just as advertised. Flip on the GPS, launch the software and hit the road. Don't even need to plug anything in if you don't want to.

There are lots of reviews of the TomTom software on the web, so I'll just mention a few items.

- The Treo screen isn't as big as the iWay or Garmin, but it's plenty big for what I use it for (telling me where the next turn is)

- You should never play with a GPS while underway, but gloved operation is possible for setting a route home or to recent finds. Other features require a sharper finger.

- Real time traffic is COOL. When you set a route, the software goes online and downloads current traffic conditions along your route. Incidents show up as little icons. Clicking these will bring up information about the incident. It's possible to re-route around them. Updates are pulled at programmable intervals (I'm using 15 minutes). I haven't used it long enough to know whether the traffic information source is up-to-date or correct.

- mounting is VERY simple (1 minute), but the phone is just held by friction, and doesn't seem secure enough. I added a tie wrap and some Velcro to make sure the phone doesn't pop out on a bad bump.

- when you get where you're going, just pop the phone out and take it with you.


http://home.att.net/~averyfam/IMGP1128small.jpg


- Even though you can run on battery, I added a DC plug to charge my phone and GPS while underway. I mounted the plug to the shield, but put a quick disconnect on the wires, so the shield can still be easily removed. When the shield is removed, the wire can be tucked into the headlight.

http://home.att.net/~averyfam/IMGP1130small.jpg

[NMead]

How quickly does it reroute if you miss a turn?

Nate

[c0wa]

I have an HP IPAQ 4150. I just ordered this puppy....

http://www.buygpsnow.com/oncourse-sirf-star-iii-bluetooth-gps-receiver-waas-enabled-w-microsoft-street-trips-2006-usa-free-arkon-vent-mount-485.html

For the price you also get MS Street and Trips 2006 which comes with the Pocket PC version for my IPAQ.
Since my IPAQ and my laptop has built in blue tooth this should work just fine for me. BTW it has a 17hr battery life before recharging.

(According to Fedx's web site It's due to arrive on Friday :pepper1: )
Can anyone give me any hints on how to mount this to the VTX?

[backwoods]

It detects in about 15 secs and then re-routes in just a few more, depending on how long the route is.

[NMead]

I have an HP IPAQ 4150. I just ordered this puppy....

http://www.buygpsnow.com/oncourse-sirf-star-iii-bluetooth-gps-receiver-waas-enabled-w-microsoft-street-trips-2006-usa-free-arkon-vent-mount-485.html

For the price you also get MS Street and Trips 2006 which comes with the Pocket PC version for my IPAQ.
Since my IPAQ and my laptop has built in blue tooth this should work just fine for me. BTW it has a 17hr battery life before recharging.

(According to Fedx's web site It's due to arrive on Friday :pepper1: )
Can anyone give me any hints on how to mount this to the VTX?

One word:
RAMMounts


http://www.ram-mount.com/products/pocketpcs.htm

Nate

[NMead]

It detects in about 15 secs and then re-routes in just a few more, depending on how long the route is.


Thats pretty good. My iPaq was like 90+ seconds. Far too long on a highway. My Garmin routes me from my house in NH to a random address in CO in under that...

[c0wa]

One word:
RAMMounts


http://www.ram-mount.com/products/pocketpcs.htm

Nate

Thanks Nate

[Gary in Indiana]

I have an HP IPAQ 4150. I just ordered this puppy....

http://www.buygpsnow.com/oncourse-sirf-star-iii-bluetooth-gps-receiver-waas-enabled-w-microsoft-street-trips-2006-usa-free-arkon-vent-mount-485.html

For the price you also get MS Street and Trips 2006 which comes with the Pocket PC version for my IPAQ.
Since my IPAQ and my laptop has built in blue tooth this should work just fine for me. BTW it has a 17hr battery life before recharging.

(According to Fedx's web site It's due to arrive on Friday :pepper1: )
Can anyone give me any hints on how to mount this to the VTX?

Contact the incredibly friendly and helpful folks at www.cyclegadgets.com (http://www.cyclegadgets.com) for all of your mounting and wiring needs for all of your... uh... cycle gadgets... :D

[utahguyiam]

I have a dell axim X51v pda with the GPS software... I haven't used it on my bike, but in my car, it's fantastic.. it definitely holds it's own with my friends garmin and magellan units. I'm debating hookingit up on my bike, but it has 2 downfalls... #1, it needs 12v power (easily solvable) and #2, it has kind of long wires and the GPS receiver unit is magnetized.. may not be easy to mount somewhere..

However, assuming I can solve those two problems, this is my preference for GPS. My entire setup cost me less than most decent GPS units, and that includes a 1GB memory card, so I keep the entire western US and canada's maps loaded at all times.