IPAQ Conversion to Sat Nav

exel1966

I currently have an IPAQ RX3715 (bluetooth) which i would like to be able to use as a Sat-Nav as well as a PDA.
Can anyone out there please offer me any advice as to what additional items I need to purchase and point me in the right direction of a good retailer. I'm looking for a provider with 3d/vertical map views of the UK/Europe/USA. I assume I will need to upgrade with a memory card to enable this. Which particular type do I need ?

Thanks all.

mondayuk

Firstly you'll need a GPS receiver. I picked mine up from ebay. You could go for a Bluetooth one but I always remind people that both devices will need to be charged. The last thing you want is your battery cutting out at a crucial turn, so consider getting a wired receiver instead.

Then you'll need a memory card to store your maps on.

And finally you'll need the software. I use TomTom Navigator 5, and the UK maps take up just above 100Mb so I recommend at least 256Mb memory card to future proof yourself.

mondayuk

And importantly dont forget a holder for the PDA to avoid getting stopped by the police. And even more importantly dont position the holder right in the middle of your windscreen for the same reason.

inmypocketnottheirs

I use an Ipaq 5450 with Tom Tom Navigator 5. Started with TT2, then 3 and then upgraded to 5 last year. I travel around 40,000 miles p.a. around the UK and Europe and I find it invaluable. Just returned from 2 weeks in the US, I downloaded the relevant map before leaving and it worked a treat.

For the GPS function, I decided against a bluetooth device as this will prevent you using the Tom Tom Traffic service, a gprs based traffic information facility. I use a Road Angel Classic, which then gives me speed camera and accident blackspot warnings.

As above, strongly recommend a PDA mount to make it easier to use. You can buy an amplified mount that has a volume control to hear the spoken directions more clearly. I had one for a while but it went faulty and now I prefer to use the screen based directions than having another woman telling me where to go!!!

Hope the above helps.

scotty

I use Prymenav with a bluetooth IPAQ. This gives maps of much of Europe. A version is also available for the States.

Try http://www.expansys.com/

http://www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk/

http://www.totalpda.co.uk/