CeBIT 2003
4. Standalone GPS Solutions


Intro
Navman iCN 630
Garmin iQue 3600
 

 

Intro 

I've been using GPS receivers for more than 10 years now, and I was excited when the first connections to computers became available in the late 90s to leverage the mapping power of computers. Unfortunately, neither my Palm IIIx/Quo Vadis software combo or a laptop/Delorme Street Atlas combo were very compelling solutions, either because of poor screen legibility in daylight or inconvenient form factors, not to mention inadequate software solutions...That's why the PocketPC solution has been so compelling over the past year: excellent screen legibility in daylight conditions, convenient form factor, decent processing power and improved software solutions. The slight problem though is that PocketPCs remain computers at heart (software installation, instability, risk of conflicts, required resets, etc...) and thus can't be reasonably recommended to some people who are after an out-of-the box "tv-like" experience for portable navigation.

That's where the systems shown on this page come into play. It's not a new concept with Garmin paving the way with its Street Pilot III and GPS V solutions. But these either had limited memory or proprietary memory extension and the screen display wasn't necessarily very good. The two solutions below will no doubt take this appealing concept further and will appeal to people who want an out-of-the-box solution even if it will be less flexible than a solution built around a PocketPC.

 

Navman iCN 630:

The Navman iCN 630 was first shown at CES in Las Vegas in January 2003 and was shown here in what appears to be its final shape and software. It uses the latest SiRF IIe/LP chipset with possible inclusion of SiRF's Xtrac high-sensitivity software first seen on the Holux GM-270 Ultra and it should be released in the US and Europe in the coming weeks. It uses the same overall interface as SmartST Pro first seen on the PocketPC GPS 3400/3420 navigation kit and those who have tried it know it uses a pleasant and effective UI. Maps can be loaded in RAM or on a standard SD card.

Unlike a PocketPC, the Navman iCN 630 relies on a large keypad and not a touch screen and will not run on batteries, although third party power packs can be connected to the standard DC plug. Also unlike a PocketPC it does not have to "go through" the PocketPC/WinCE3.0 operating system and can therefore offer faster and more stable overall operation. I wish they had used this extra available power to add a "via/waypoint" feature. This extra convenience and speed comes at a cost though with tentative pricing being set at approximately 1,400 euros.

You will find detailed specs and screenshots on the Navman site here.

 

        
The iCN 630 comes with a flip antenna, an external antenna connector, a DC plug, a large loudspeaker and a large keypad...
as well as for now mysterious IR port...

 

 

Garmin iQue 3600:

The Garmin iQue 3600 represents in my opinion nothing less than a revolution on the fading PalmOS platform, where new functionalities of interest have been scarce since...1997. Garmin have managed to come up with what looks like a very compelling solution.


The tiny Geko                                   A glimpse of the Rhino that won't make
                                                       it to Europe for statutory reasons   


A very neat design!

The Garmin iQue 3600 is a full featured PalmOS PDA with a full 320x480 screen and a UI that reminds me of the UI seen on the Sony NX-70/90, maybe because of the similar screen real estate. It now uses a Motorola Dragonball CPU at 200mhz (instead of the initially announced 150mhz), which in spite of its familiar name is indeed an ARM CPU (thanks for pointing this out Dale). Other items of interest include:

You will find detailed specs and screenshots on the iQue 3600 site here.

 

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