Pocket PC GPS – A Closer Look
A personal digital assistant or PDA is often referred to as pocket PC GPS because it combines a Microsoft software for PDA and a GPS device. Pocket PC GPS tracking systems are considered superior to Palm units in terms of functionality but a Palm is easier to use and comes with a larger range of accessories. There are several elements that define a Pocket PC GPS starting from the Bluetooth and the compact flash and ending with integrated features and the GPS cabling if necessary. Let’s have a look at some of these items and see how they influence the efficiency of the combined devices.
A compact flash is required by the GPS device and it has the inconvenience that within the Pocket PC GPS system, it can consume most of the battery power. Moreover, the GPS compact flash required for PDA usage could make the system a bit clumsier than you’d expect. There follows the Bluetooth technology that, if incorporated, saves the problem of cables. Through a wireless system, a GPS receiver located in a backpack could be linked to a hand-held PDA. From this perspective, the Pocket PC GPS definitely proves flexible particularly for car usage where the view of the sky is a necessity.
Since the Bluetooth technology increases the usage flexibility, its adaptation to the Pocket PC GPS solution is a bit more expensive. Even so, many people consider the investment worth making. The Pocket PC could also be linked to a car-powered GPS device by cables. Such GPS receivers are classified as mouse-type and they are a lot cheaper than self standing GPS units. It has another advantage too, that of saving the battery power of the Pocket PC by the possibility to be directly powered from the car battery. The problem with such a combination of Pocket PC GPS comes from its limitation to in-car usage alone.
For varied GPS usage select a hand-held system of navigation that can be linked with the Pocket PC with a cable. This Pocket PC GPS combination is working great for outdoor usage. The hand-held receiver can be used separately or in combination with the PDA for map display. Having two gadgets could be annoying and uncomfortable particularly since they are wired, but unless you can afford a more sophisticated solution, you can very well do with it. Other than this handling difficulty, the Pocket PC with the included GPS device provide both good hardware options, Windows Mobile software and lots of mapping possibilities. The Pocket PC GPS unit of the future will share all these features in one unit alone.
