Jørgen Sundgot pokes a stick at the Windows Mobile 5.0 powered Mio A701 GPS phone from Mio Technology; finding ones way around has rarely been this easy - and lo and behold, it looks good, too.
Review summary of the Mio Technology Mio A701:
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 As a GPS phone, the Mio A701 delivers the goods with precise positioning, extensive map management functionality, a decent user interface and a bright 2.7-inch screen for hassle-free navigation. Battery life is good, the bundled 512 MB memory card alleviates any storage issues, and aside from being able to boil an egg while waiting for the GPS application to start up, performance is impeccable. While the HP iPAQ hw6915 may be a better choice for business users, the A701 has the upper, better looking and more compact hand insofar as GPS is concerned. Release: April 2006. Price: $550.
Pros: Comprehensive map management features; good performance and battery life; decent storage
Cons: Interface in need of slight improvements; beyond-GPS functionality limited
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Full Mio Technology Mio A701 Review:
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At first glance, Mio Technology's brand-new A701 looks rather innocuous as compared to other recent Windows Mobile 5.0 entries such as the Orange SPV M600, except for being a tad more robust at 107 x 57 x 19 mm and 148 g. Looks can be deceiving, however, as closer inspection swiftly reveals the attractive A701 to belong to an entirely new breed of GPS phones; a category where HP's iPAQ hw6915 currently reigns as the supreme (and sole) contender. Does it measure up?
You're holding the map upside down, you idiot
With the A701, phrases like the above are - for the most part - a thing of the past. A latest-generation SiRFstar III chipset and AGPS support offer precise positioning and quick multiple-satellite fixes without the need for an external antenna. The sleek device also benefits greatly from its bright 2.7-inch touch screen, which can be used in both portrait and landscape modes, striking a near-perfect balance between resolution and size to minimize the need for panning and zooming - the latter of which is an automated process in navigation mode. Outdoor viewing could be better, however.
Moving to actual navigation, easily distinguished hardware controls are joined by an informative interface in the Navigon Mobile Navigator 5 based Mio Map 2 software which could benefit from larger text and icons but is otherwise quite user friendly. Its horrid 20-second start-up time and a slightly anemic 3D interface aside, map detail is good, information is up-to-date, voice prompts are clea and concise, the points of interest database extensive and performance impeccable both with regard to route calculation and recalculation. Furthermore, favourites are easily stored and retrieved, while itinerary support is present and flexible.
Nice touches beyond required functionality include the ability to poll the Windows Mobile contacts database for routing, while the ability to route to and from map-selected locations (as opposed to addresses) and select profiles for pedestrian, biking and driving use are also appreciated. Speaking of driving, the A701 also comes with a windshield car mounting kit and charger. Maps of the entire European continent are delivered on a DVD; a bundled 512 MB SD Card easily holds at least one country at a time and often up to three, while the Navigon software also supports TMC data reception to allow for automatic rerouting around congested roads in countries where present.
But what else does it do?
Unfortunately, the A701 is a GPS phone not only first and foremost but also mostly. Its use of Windows Mobile 5.0 holds potential for business use, but use as such is severely limited due to the lack of necessary buttons for one-handed navigation and a thumbboard, rendering it best suited for viewing and not editing data. Furthermore, although the A701 performs well with regard to voice calls, the tri-band GSM/GPRS setup is looking distinctly dated with regard to data transfer speeds.
A dedicated button for Pocket Windows Media Player hints of music aspirations, but the lack of storage beyond the bundled 512 MB card for maps, mediocre audio quality and placing the 2.5 mm earphone jack on the side of the handset all indicate this to be a less than thought-through feature. Bluetooth 1.2 support, USB charging and the inclusion of a decent 1.3 Megapixel camera are more favourable traits, as is the SDIO capable SD/MMC card expansion slot which potentially allows for Wi-Fi connectivity - at the expense of simultaneous GPS use, mind you.
Finally, on the note of battery life, the A701 delivers in the range of three hours of GPS use, which should tide most pedestrians and bikers over for a day. Used as a business phone, it falls slightly short of 2 days with average use, which is on par with other recent entries.
Price and availability
The €550 edition of the Mio A701 sells without GPS software, while the €650 edition includes a copy of Mio Map 2.0 with complete maps for Western Europe.
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