Pocket Navigator PN-169: GPS-navigation "from a different point of view&quot

Modern PDA market is not a young man. All processes have stabilized, camo space is divided among the major producers, competition is pretty stiff. And in these conditions more difficult to come up with something special to draw attention of buyers to your product. Not so long ago the company Mitac, which released at the time a lot of interesting handheld computers, has moved from the production of "standard" to specialized handheld. Model Mitac Mio 168, as well as its sequel, Mio 168RS, with integrated GPS-receiver, as shown, were successful niche solutions that are perfect for use in automotive navigation systems, for example, the kit Pocket Navigator PN-168/PN- 168RS. And now, Mitac is the further development of the idea of ​​navigation - Mio 169. New PDAs, like its predecessor, is also intended for use as a GPS-navigator, but differs from the latest stylish colors, as well as horizontal orientation of the screen and as a consequence of highly non-standard layout of controls. In addition, this model will be delivered to the Russian market in the final navigation system for motorists - Pocket Navigator PN-169, which includes in addition to PDA and navigation system PocketGPS Pro Moscow. About this decision and we'll talk today.

Supplied

Like its predecessor, with your Pocket Navigator PN-169 is a turnkey solution for installation in a car:
• Navigation System for Pocket PC - PocketGPS Pro Moscow on SD-card 128 MB
• charger
• USB cable for PC synchronization
• Car Charger
• Car Holder
• program of Russification
• User

PN-169, mounted in a holder on the windshield of car

Specifications:
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition
• Processor: Intel PXA255 400 MHz
• Memory: 64 MB RAM (63 MB user available), and 32 MB Flash ROM
• Screen: 3.5 "(89 mm) transflective TFT, 240x320, 65536 colors
• Memory Expansion: SD / Multimedia Card / SDIOM
• Wireless: Infrared
• GPS: built-in, SiRF Star III
• Battery: Built-in lithium-ion
• Audio: microphone, speaker, 3.5-mm connector for stereo headphones
• Dimensions and weight: 125 x 79 x 24 mm and 172 g

Compare the main component of the navigation system Pocket Navigator - Pocket PC Mio 169 with its predecessor Mio 168RS, as well as the nearest competitor Acer n35 can use the "Compare devices" in the "Catalogue of the CPC on HPCru.

Mio 169, Acer n 35 and Mio 168RS

But now, anticipating the head of the navigation kit in your car, tell us more about the CCP.

Appearance

The first impression of the new handheld rather pleasant. Despite the considerable size, the machine still fits in your hand. The body is made of black plastic. Front panel - the same plastic that is relevant to the gray-metallic color. All elements of the tight-fitting, performance - quality. Design - in the traditionally austere style. PDA is very similar to other models from the same manufacturer. But the layout of controls PN-169 - a very non-standard. Despite the fact that any modern PDA is possible to rotate the screen 90 degrees, but our hero is intended for use in this mode by default. This implies the unusual design of the unit control buttons placed on the right of the screen. The keys - small, made of transparent plastic, have a pretty big move and a clear tactile feedback. Three buttons - standard (Calendar, Contacts and Tasks), and another three are responsible for running an application Notes, for turning on and off screen. Frankly, power button looks in a common block is rather strange, it ought to bear away from the neighbors. However, to this location quite quickly get used to it. Under the buttons is the joystick. It is no different from what was in previous models - round, with a clearly differing pressures of "right-left" and "top-down". We'll have some time to practice to learn how to manage it. Arrow joystick and the buttons are not bright blue backlight. It is not very relevant if you wear a PDA with him, but the car will have very useful - you'll be spared the need to look for the touch buttons for night driving. Thanks to designers, to pay attention to this important detail in terms of ergonomics. Under the joystick is the outlet dynamics, prolonged stylish metal grid. This location is quite convenient for use in the car. Over the buttons placed inlet microphone. To the left of the screen placed two LEDs. One is responsible for the charge / reminder, the other - to work GPS-module. The left side is a slot for cards SD / MMC / SDIO button and start the voice. On the right side is a headphone jack, a silo and a very important element of governance - the scroll wheel are responsible in this case for adjusting the sound. The stylus is a standard machine for Mitac, - telescopic, with a sharp plastic tip, which is convenient to press the reset button. At the bottom of the case as usual - the power connectors and synchronization. Incidentally, it should be noted that the cable sync in 169 th is now standard, mini-USB, so if you lose it, nothing terrible will happen, the replacement can be purchased at any computer store. At the top end placed infrared window and reset the PC. At the rear of the attached antenna GPS-receiver. In the idle state, she folded and pressed to the body in the position - stands on top of the screen. That's really all about looks. In conclusion we can say that the CCP has made quite soundly. Design of machines is very decent, nicer than its predecessor. All controls are "sharpened" to maximize the use of PDAs in-car navigator. Now let us see that the filling is hidden in this non-standard housing.

Processor and memory

In the Pocket Navigator PN-169 is installed is quite old, but still quite relevant processor - Intel PXA 255 400 MHz. Decision is quite understandable, given the specialization of the CCP. The user can select several modes of operation of the processor: Low, Hi and Super performance. Looking ahead, we say that the last two modes are no different. Performance of the CPC and clocked them absolutely identical. Perhaps the developers had in mind some features of the chipset, GPS. In general, as it were, in further tests are mentioned only two modes: Low and Hi Performance. RAM - 64 MB standard, of which 63 MB available for user data and applications. Volume ROM - the minimum needed to operate the system - 32 MB.As is the case with previous models, the developers have not been pampered with free user-volatile memory, so we advise immediately attend to the purchase of flash cards, at least to be able to make copies of critical data.

Screen

In principle, on the screen could never speak. Absolutely standard transflektiv. Size - 3.5 "(89 mm). Quality of execution - is excellent. No artifacts (stripes, jitter), and color distortions were noticed. Highlighting quite bright, has 10 levels of adjustment. Minimum level is still too bright, however, this shortcoming is found in virtually every modern device. In general, the screen no claims. It is quite suitable for use in the car.

Battery

Mitac stubbornly ignores market realities, while continuing to equip their PDAs non-replaceable batteries. However, given the specialization of the device, it is quite forgivable. Since the PN-169 is clearly designed for use in the car, where there is always food, then the battery capacity for it is not so critical as for other machines. Nevertheless, test the battery is still worth it, especially because it is more capacious than its predecessor - 1350 mAh vs. 900 mAh.

Testing was performed with a full charge before the warning Main battery low (approximately 20% of the remaining charge) in several modes:
1. Stress test. Processor mode Super Performance, brightness and volume maximized PDA lost in the cycle "hard" video. Opening hours - 2 hours 20 minutes.
2. Normal operation. Processor Mode Auto, the speaker volume was set to half the maximum brightness - in the first division of the minimum. PDA lost in a cycle of regular video. Hours - 4 hours 40 min.
3. Reading e-books. Processor Mode Low Performance, lighting - in the first division of the minimum reading program produced Haali Reader mode avtoskrolla. Hours - 8 hours 40 min.
4. Play audio. Processor Mode Low Performance, screen - off. Play was conducted by Koss Porta Pro headphones at maximum volume. Used the program GS Player, files with a bitrate of 192-256 KBps played out from a memory card SD Card. Hours - 10 hours 20 min.

Well, the results are quite satisfactory. Here our hero is not inferior to other PDAs from top manufacturers.

Sound

Co sound for Pocket Navigator PN-169 is pretty ordinary. He certainly does not lack the transparency that separates hi-nd machine, but he is still quite decent. The only drawback - a small background noise that is audible only when no signal in the headphones. Actually, listening to music, he can not hurt. Recorder - a standard, decent conversation buddy wrote in quiet activity room at a distance of up to 2 m. Adjust the volume available, so that the fans want to experiment with EQ advised to attend to the search software from third-party vendors, whose abound.Sound, which gives full-time speaker, very prudently placed by developers in the front, including control buttons - a loud, normal quality, so that voice support, which boasts PocketGPS Pro, will be on the level.

GPS receiver and navigation system

Feature of Pocket Navigator PN-169 - built-in GPS receiver, made on the chipset SiRF Star III. To date, this is one of the best integrable solutions for navigation on the mobile handset market. The receiver combines excellent sensitivity with very low power consumption, so that we can expect about four to five hours of battery life with included GPS. In addition, the receiver will start pretty quickly - as in "cold" (first time) and "hot" mode. This is achieved due to two factors: the 20 channels of satellite reception against 12 of the more common GPS-solutions, and 200 thousand korellyatorov to help you quickly establish a connection with satellites. Thus, the receiver on the new chip is capable of receiving echoes in the room, a city under dense foliage in the woods, and other adverse conditions, when its counterparts are no longer able to pull the signal. Reception sensitivity signal (-159 dBm) makes GPS receivers based on SiRF Star III with unique navigation solutions. To test the receiver, we use the free utility VisualGPSce. When a cold start in the narrow streets of Moscow in clear weather after four minutes of the receiver found 7 satellites and "hooked" 5 of them. This is sufficient for normal 3D-navigation. In the process of further testing PDA was placed in a regular holder under the car windshield. When driving through the city receiver behaved perfectly. He confidently "held" the satellites, even in difficult circumstances (narrow streets), denying only where he laid - under bridges and in tunnels. Nice to see that its primary task of PN-169 managed to "excellent". By the way, VisualGPSce worthy behaved in unusual situations - when rotated 90 degrees to the screen. True, the interface in this case looked pretty strange, but nevertheless, everything is fine read. Now tell us more about the navigation software, which will be delivered Pocket Navigator PN-169.As mentioned above, the handheld computer will be installed navigation system - PocketGPS Pro, a well-known Russian users. However, those who are not familiar with this software product, for example, that PocketGPS includes a detailed map of the city of Moscow and Moscow region with house numbers, street names, subway stations and other useful and important information. This map is constantly updated, as well as improving the program itself with the wishes of users. System works with PDA and communicators running Windows Mobile.

Ranked Among the main features of the navigation system:
• creation of routes, taking into account all the allowed rotations and driveways
• voice guidance on routes in Russian and English
• database of reference-type objects in the city and region, which includes more than 20,000 objects (system POI)
• Make your own bookmarks on the map (waypoints) and maintain their base in special files (convenient and simple mechanism for transition to bookmarks allows you to quickly see on the map objects that interest you)
• the ability to download traffic information from the company CMILink
• master routing and address search to help users quickly master the program
• on a detailed map of the city and the region suffered scheme junctions and crossroads.

Get to know more about PocketGPS Pro, please visit - www.pocketgps.ru. The developers have adapted the interface of the program under a landscape mode screen PN-169. As can be seen in the screenshot, the main icons are now located on the sides of the display at the top - line the street, and in the middle, in fact, the map. PocketGPS Pro version with support for landscape display will then be numbered 2.4.x series. Thus, Pocket Navigator PN-169 ctanet only solution with support for landscape screen mode on the Russian market, analogues to which does not exist yet. However, according to The word of developers, support for landscape mode screen will appear after some time and in the basic version of the system. True, the timing of this release is now difficult to identify. In general, a set of Pocket Navigator PN-169 has demonstrated sustained and rapid work, so that this solution can be recommended as an on-board GPS-Systems drivers concerned. Moreover, that this news has several obvious advantages over the usual bunch of "Pocket PC and PocketGPS Pro". First, the navigation system is preloaded on the PDA so that you are not require mandatory registration program. Immediately after purchasing you can install PN-169 in the interior of the car, turn on, make the necessary adjustment and go. Secondly, the developers provided a slight recovery program with a memory expansion card on which it is delivered, in case if there was a malfunction of a handheld computer. Thirdly, the owners of PN-169 can take the opportunity to download information about traffic jams on board computer through on-line system CMILink. You can do this in two ways: via the infrared port on your mobile phone with support GPRS, also equipped with an infrared port or by the usual synchronization via ActiveSync.In the latter case, however, data on the jam will have to get before leaving work or at home: First, download the information about them, and then, with its view of a route. However, in this case, you will be unable to update information about traffic jams in the on-line.

Software

On a PDA operating system Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 SE, built-in applications that are standard and long known to everyone. However, to the user goes and additional software. Firstly, the 169 th has a program to back up user data eBackup. Secondly, the image viewer for Picture Viewer. And closes the list utility for configuring the processor speed and some system parameters.

Price

In the stores' computer in the palm of "Pocket Navigator PN-169 will appear as soon as possible. However, exact data on the costs of this decision we do not have. Roughly the cost will be slightly higher than the price for Pocket Navigator PN-168.

Conclusions

Pocket PC Mio 169, on which to create Pocket Navigator PN-169, can be called a rather bold experiment.In the case of this model, specialization, first timidly declared itself in units of the predecessor established definitively. PDA explicitly addressed to the same goal - use as a car navigation system, besides more and "from a different point of view - with the screen rotated 90 degrees. In general, those looking for an inexpensive solution to an all-in-one solution for installation in the car, and, it is with landscape display orientation, the new PDA will definitely fit. All the more so with the PN-169 and you get one of the best navigation systems of domestic production - PocketGPS Pro. In general, navigation integrated Pocket Navigator, as mentioned above, has a number of advantages over the usual bunch of PDA + navigation system. The main advantages of this Included Parts is that you get a completely ready-to-use solution for installation in a car at an affordable price. The authors, translation:

Eugene Bundina