Road Trippin’

 

 

 

This may not be the perfect summer for a road trip. But if you’re one of the many Americans still willing to brave the traffic, unending choruses of “Are we there yet?,” and record-breaking gas prices we have some handy GPS devices to help you on your road cruise.

The HP iPaq 310 Travel Companion is packed with so many tools and fun toys, you might never want to leave the road. In addition to GPS functionality, the Companion lets you create an itinerary, plan well-needed restaurant (and rest) stops, and take along your music and videos (via an SD card slot), and play pre-installed games. The Companion features an easy-to-use interface and a 4.3-inch color TFT with antiglare 800 x 480 pixel touch screen for easy navigation.

The adjustable backlight meant that the screen remained beautifully clear, even in broad daylight sun. Running on Windows CE 5.0, with 128MB of SD RAM and 2GB flash memory, the Companion renders buildings in 3D, which is helpful when navigating unfamiliar city areas (plus, it’s just plain cool). It also has an online trip-planning feature.

You can plan your trip via your PC, plotting stops and detours, share it with friends and family, then download it onto the Companion and go. We tested the device in a small Virginia town (or, as the locals call it, a “seven-minute town”) and got accurate directions from simple points A to B. However, we did run into problems when we plotted a route from one friend’s home to another’s in a one-year-old housing development: when we missed the turn, the Companion instructed us to turn around, rather than recalculate an alternative route, which was available. The continual “turn around” was annoying. Further, upon arriving at our destination, and parking, the Companion insisted that we still had another 400 feet or so to go. The device connected to our Bluetooth-enabled phone (Blackberry Pearl on T-Mobile EDGE network) and worked well, given the EDGE’s speed issues.

While the multimedia features were OK, they weren’t great, and the voice directions were a bit unclear (think loud whisper rather than strident directives). Overall, the iPaq 310 Travel Companion is a good choice for the family group, but the $449 price tag is hefty if you’re being budget-conscious.

Price: $449, www.hp.com

Key features: Super-sharp screen, 3-D navigation, friendly user interface.

Road blocks: Pricey; weak route recalculation

“Sleek” might be the most overused word in the tech-reviewer’s lexicon, but frankly, it fits Navigon’s 2100 Max to a T. The device has a 4.3-inch touch screen, giving you 2-D and photorealistic 3-D navigation images. On the road, you get verbal and visual notification when you exceed the speed limit, and with its Reality View feature, you get clear road sign text.

Optional features include FreshMaps ($79.99, which gives you up to 12 quarterly map updates over 3 years) and ZAGAT Survey Ratings and Reviews. The Navigon has lots going for it, in addition to its great looks. It features a really smart interface that lets you locate nearby points of interest such as gas stations and restaurants. We discovered two new dining spots that we typically missed on a daily GPS-less route; the device also comes with the DirectHelp feature, which instantly locates and directs you to emergency assistance (police, hospitals, pharmacies, etc.).

The 2100 Max’s text-to-speech directions were crystal clear, even with the stereo blasting or speeding along the highway (within the law, of course). Additionally, predictive input means that we simply typed in a couple of letters before we were presented with location options. Although we wished for a QWERTY keyboard for input, the predictive text feature worked well.

Like the phone-based GPS’s we tested, the Navigon 2100 Max feels light in the hands and the sleek surface made it much easier to handle (though it’s obviously not as light as, say, the Blackberry Pearl running Verizon’s VZ Navigator–see below for review). We plotted the same routes as we did on the iPaq Companion, missing the same turns. The Max recalculated quickly; however, unlike the Companion, it did not differentiate between a “veer” and a “turn” (they were all turns to the Max).

And the Max put us about 700 feet off our final destination, advising us to turn left in a one-car garage. And while this isn’t a huge deal given the device’s capabilities, it’s slightly annoying. Despite our penchant for going off course, the Max easily kept pace. You can also plan you trip before you leave, although the iPaq Companion does a better job and is more user-friendly.

Key Features: Automatic speed warnings, nice add-ons

Road block: Expensive add-ons Road block: Small phone screen

EDITOR’S CHOICE:

Verizon’s VZ Navigator Verizon’s VZ Navigator loads onto mobile handsets and turns you phone into a high-end GPS navigator. If you don’t mind the small screen (B.E. tested the service on a Blackberry Pearl 8130), you get clear visual and voice directions in a compact package. These days, size has its advantages, particularly if you want to ditch the car and a bulky GPS system (if not pre-installed) for, say, a biking tour or a city walk. Verizon’s VZ Navigator tops our list of GPS products tested for a number of reasons; and given the Apple iPhone’s recent 3G iteration, which features GPS in a smaller, lighter form factor than current devices, we think this is where the GPS market’s headed. Taking advantage of Verizon’s impressive and widespread network, the Navigator provides clear and audible turn-by-turn directions, and is really easy to use.

 

 

 

Despite its small size, the Pearl 8130’s screen was sharp and bright. The GPS located us in a matter of a few seconds and we easily plotted our course using the predictive text. As usual, we missed our turns, but Navigator got us back on track, with no funky route recalculations. Additionally, it put us at our destination within a matter of a few feet (rather than a few hundred feet, as with other devices). Because it’s integrated onto our phone, Verizon’s GPS service meant we could simply sync it with our Bluetooth-enabled auto (a 2007 Nissan Sentra) for hands-free phoning. You can also use the service to text your location to family members or travel buddies.

Price: $9.99/month or $2.99/day, phone prices and additional charges vary; www.verizonwireless.com

Key features: Clear, audible directions; great maps

Road block: Small phone screen

Using a software-hardware combination, Microsoft’s Streets and Trips 2008 with Connected Services application and its Streets and Trips 2008 GPS locator offer a host of features you’ll also find in high-end GPS devices, such as voice directions, automatic re-routing, multiple-destination plans, and points of interest (POI).

You can further customize your trip by building in rest times and sight seeing, which makes this the perfect device for family trips. Though we loved the price point and the tiny but powerful GPS receiver, the main drawback is, of course, the fact that you need your laptop (our test unit was a Dell Latitude). We also found that we frequently needed the help of a co-pilot (or an equally capable back-seat driver) to help navigate. This is fine if you can’t afford the investment of a GPS device, although at this price point, you’re pretty close to a decent entry-level one.

 

 

 

Of course, you are locked into a laptop running a Microsoft OS. To compensate, Microsoft has included some pretty neat features, such as a free one-year subscription to MSN Direct, local gas price updates, and a perspective map that gives you a “windshield view” from the laptop. To be frank, although Streets and Trips is a neat device and service for the family set, we prefer a phone-based GPS like Verizon’s. It’s practical and just makes sense.

Still, if you don’t want to make a heavy investment in GPS and want to get going quickly, Microsoft provides a good option. Key feature: Free one-year subscription to MSN Direct traffic and gas updates

Road block: Requires laptop to use

Quick Tips

If you’re baffled by GPS technology or unsure about which one is best for you, here is a quick primer.

What is GPS?

GPS is short for global positioning system (also called GPD, global positioning device). Without going into

complicated details, GPS, originally developed by the U.S. military, works by using a system of satellites orbiting the Earth to aid in navigation, mapping, and “geotagging,” for example. The device you purchase is a receiver, which picks up information from orbiting satellites in its “view” to help guide you as you drive.

How do I use it?

Most GPS devices are relatively easy to use. Out-of-box solutions such as Navigon’s let you simply plan and go. Most have a “find me” feature that lets the device find your current location; you can then create a starting point or a “favorite” from there. Like your satellite TV system, the devices require a “clear, unobstructed view” of the sky for optimal performance.

What should I look for?

As a consumer, you have a host of options, which can make selecting a device daunting. If you spend a great deal of time in your vehicle, an installed system such as TomTom’s or Navigon’s is perfect (you can also mount it on your dashboard). If you plan to use your device for family trips, HP’s iPaq Companion might be a better option. Despite the high price, the multimedia features make it an attractive option for long road trips. For those who value mobility and flexibility, Verizon’s VZ navigator on a handheld is a great option, as is the 3G iPhone from Apple. Where can I get it? We recommend you hit the stores such as Best Buy and Circuit City, and put t he devices to the test.

Play with the devices in the store to get a feel of how they work and check out the quirks to determine what you like and don’t like. Verizon lets you try out Navigator before you commit. Head back home and hit the virtual pavement, checking out stores online (they frequently have Internet-only specials) as well as sites such as Buy.com, Buydig.com, and Amazon.com, to name just a few.