PDA - Internet browsing and Sat Nav

itgirlinuk

Hi,

I am looking for a PDA with internet browsing and Sat Nav. I have read enough posts on this website to pick TomTom as my GPS software.

But what about the PDA? Are there any specific features I am supposed to look for? I want wi-fi on it. Thats possible right?

And can someone please tell me what else I need as features or other things I need to buy to browse the internet.

Thanks in advance

hechizero

Look for PDA's that bundle the TomTom software. That "normally" guarantees they are GPS equipped. Specifically ask about WiFi as some units will have GPS and no WiFi and vice versa.

http://www.pdamods.com/products.asp?cat=95 This is just an example of the type of bundles you can get. Click more info and you get the PDA specs as well, there you can see if the device has WiFi and GPS. I have never used this site, so it is not a recommendation.

I have an iPAQ hw6500, it is a good all-round device, but doesn't have inbuilt WiFi, so I had to get a seperate WiFi SD card. Have used it with TomTom and the results are good. The next model up (hw6900) has WiFi included and also run Windows Mobile 5. So if you have the budget definately get a WM5 device.

theCapt

You want it you have WiFi and Bluetooth. Seperate GPS system usually interface with PDAs by bluetooth, but most PDAs that offer WiFi will also support Bluetooth as well.

Try to get a PDA or Pocket PC with WiFi built in, SD WiFi are alright but it uses up the SD Slot. I have a iPAQ rx3715 which is a great model and has a camera built in(which I never use), it would be ideal for your needs but sadly HP have discontinued it.

HP have a refurbished stock shop on ebay if you are looking for a cheapish model and they all have 1 year warrentys. If you are looking for a brand new model Dell have the most powerfulist models on the planet at the moment and have really cornered the market for the moment and the forseable future.

itgirlinuk

Thanks very much for this.

Do I have to get air minutes / data minutes from a mobile company to browse the internet right? Does that mean PDAs have a sim card slot or does it go through wi fi?

alanobrien

Also try and get one with a VGA screen and the fastest processor you can. Both these wil help with satnav.

theCapt

itgirlinuk wrote:

Thanks very much for this.

Do I have to get air minutes / data minutes from a mobile company to browse the internet right? Does that mean PDAs have a sim card slot or does it go through wi fi?

some do for Internet access on the move, but this is not important as a mobile can be used as a modem via a bluetooth link for Internet access.

garothb

Have you thought about a pocketpc/pda mobile phone? The O2 XDA mini s (for example, there are others) is not much bigger than a regular mobile, has a slideout qwerty keyboard, a nice screen screen, wifi, and enough CPU power to run tomtom (I use it for that purpose). Just need a bluetooth gps module (about £25-£40) and you're good to go. I think the total cost of purchase (including a years bills on the cheapest tariff) is about £270. And O2 do £32 cashback via quidco...

itgirlinuk

garothb wrote:

Have you thought about a pocketpc/pda mobile phone?

I thought get a PDA mobile with GPS is very expensive. As I dont need to make phone calls, I thought a PDS with GPS would do.

garothb wrote:

I think the total cost of purchase (including a years bills on the cheapest tariff) is about £270. And O2 do £32 cashback via quidco...

Does this include free data minutes to browse? And can I browse during the day too?

garothb

itgirlinuk wrote:

I thought get a PDA mobile with GPS is very expensive. As I dont need to make phone calls, I thought a PDS with GPS would do.


Does this include free data minutes to browse? And can I browse during the day too?

Well, you pay £49 for the phone/pda, and then £19 a month for the duration of the 12 month contract; that includes 50 anytime minutes and 200 texts (there are, of course, more expensive tariffs available!), so the total outlay is £277 (minus your quidco cashback if you go down that route!)

I'm sure you can get a dedicated pda/gps device for less than that (and you still have to buy your bluetooth gps module (say £30?)), but if you have a mobile as well and your contract is up for renewal you may well find it cheaper to go the combined route. Works quite well for me, but the phone isn't as slim as many so it probably wouldn't suit everyone.

wiraone

I have HX4700 and it has VGA screen, love every minutes I spent on it especially when browsing the net compared to my friend's XDA/MDA.. HP has stop producing HX4700, so you best bet to get a PDA with VGA screen is to go with Dell X51V.. Dell usually updated its promotion every Thursday night .. sometime you could get the X51V at 20% off the current price.

odowdchr

itgirlinuk wrote:

I thought get a PDA mobile with GPS is very expensive. As I dont need to make phone calls, I thought a PDS with GPS would do.

You can use the GPRS on a phone connection for internet access when you're away from a wi-fi connection, so you can just stick a pay as you go simcard in.
The Ipaq 69xx, as hechizero states, has built in GPS and comes with TomTom5 free. It's stonkingly good, but about £400.