GPS is all the rage these days; this time around, Anthony Newman has installed the 3400 Voice GPS iPAQ sleeve solution from Navman and - literally - taken it for a spin.
The Navman is an iPAQ sleeve-based GPS solution for both car and handheld use, and as such it competes with other solutions like the awesome TomTom Navigator, recently reviewed here at infoSync.
 | The software provides turn-by-turn directions if you're in favor of that rather than a graphical map
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Inside the sleek, small box is the unit itself, an installation CD and a vehicle mounting kit, which consists of a car power adaptor and a small mounting point on a suction cup. The power supply is for the 3600 series; if you have a 3800 or later, you’ll need to remember your charger adaptor to use it, as one isn’t supplied. On the CD are drivers and, in my case, a UK and Ireland map - the packaging is distinguished by a picture of a London taxi. Although the kit is not as comprehensive as the Navigator, the Navman has the advantage of non-car usage, and its expansion pack form-factor makes it the sleeker solution. It works with all iPAQs, although the 3600 series appears to need a ROM update, which is included on the CD.
The unit itself is a fat sleeve, a little thicker than the Compaq CF-card jacket. It has two rails on the back for car mounting (these provide a very solid hold on the sleeve), a CF (II) slot in the side for memory expansion, and a large cylindrical aerial protruding from the top. The CF slot is a useful addition, but the plastic slug that protects the slot is enormously difficult to remove; so much so that tools are required to get it out! In addition, MicroDrive usage is possible, but it’s not guaranteed to work - so solid-state only, really. The sleeve does not include a battery, so another form of power will be necessary to get any decent usage time while hiking or cycling. The GPS unit itself has fairly standard specs - nothing extraordinary, but perfectly adequate for in-car or handheld usage.
Installation of the software is a regrettably complicated procedure. Following the latest software trends, the Navman software must be activated online before maps can be installed, which is more than a little annoying if you’re attempting installation from a PC that isn’t connected to the internet. Also, the software attempts to gather a wide range of personal information, some of which is required to complete the registration. Map installation is performed by selecting regions on a map; a cumulative total for required space is shown, so it’s perfectly possible to install maps on a system without a memory card. Northern Ireland, for example, is only 1.3 MB. The total map size is around 96 MB for the UK, which is on a par with the TomTom Navigator previously reviewed.
Thankfully, it’s possible to detect and modify the current map installation, and select different locations - although a folder on your desktop HDD is not an option. When your ActiveSync connection is as flaky as mine, and can’t handle copying large files, it’s great to have a feature that allows the user to copy files manually. It’s also faster to copy to a CF card in the PCMCIA slot of your laptop than to move the same files over USB, so Navman take note! If you’re preparing for a visit to an unknown country, the map installation can find a city for you, and select the appropriate region. For those installing their own country, however, this probably won’t be a very useful feature! Incidentally, the map data is provided by Navtech, and from my testing, it appears recent and accurate.
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