Oooohh, I've turned Blue!! Do I win a packet of Smarties??
Oooohh, I've turned Blue!! Do I win a packet of Smarties??
Member since:19.04.2007
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REASON FOR PURCHASE ******************************* I have for a long time been considering investing in a satnav unit, but had been constantly put off by the price. However, in February whilst trawling Ebay I came across the Acer N35 advertised as a PDA / Satnav combined. The concept of a combined unit appealed somewhat as I could also use the device as a pocket diary.
PRICE ********* The recommended price for these is around the £200 mark. However, Ebay usually being good for a bargain, I bought a factory reconditioned unit for under £80.
WHAT YOU GET ******************* Basically a PDA (pocket PC) and a satellite navigation system all rolled into one. Whilst the PDA is not by any means a substitute for a PC or laptop, it does allow you to use general office applications. Bundled with the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system are basic MS office functions such as Word, Excel, outlook and also a pdf reader. On the Satnav side you get
a unit with a built in GPS receiver which makes it compact and easy to use without any trailing cables. The package consists of the PDA unit, mains charger, in-car battery charger, and also a windscreen cradle for mounting and using the satnav system.
LIMITATIONS **************** Anyone looking at purchasing one of these should not really look at it as a mobile PC or laptop as it is most definitely not. Although it does have the ability to run Word files etc. the PDA is more of a viewing or editing device rather than actual creating. Text input is achieved by tapping a keypad on screen with the supplied stylus. Consequently inputing text is time consuming and can be a bit fiddly. The CPU speed and internal memory is not great compared to newer systems. The processor speed is a mere 266Mhz with 64mb of RAM. Having said that I personally have yet to find the unit to have any problems running software including the satellite navigation. On board memory again is limited to 32Mb so a decent sized SD memory card is a must! Internet is available with the PDA by using an optional SD Wifi card, the only drawback to this is that it uses the same slot as the memory card instantly reducing the PDA's memory capacity to the meagre on board 32Mb.
IMPORTANT POINT TO NOTE!! ************************************ Although these are advertised as a satnav unit, potential buyers should be made aware of what is included in the price. The software supplied with the N35 as standard is a programme called Destinator. If you think you are going to get a FULL street navigation system, you will be very disappointed. The Destinator programme is supplied in its basic form which only allows navigation to major towns or roads. It will NOT allow you to navigate to a specific address or postcode, for example 38 High Street. In order to do this, you have to upgrade the software licence which involves additional cost (a point that is conveniently omitted in the sales blurb).
ALTERNATIVE SOFTWARE ******************************* I was fortunate in that a Friend of mine installed Tomtom Navigator 6 software onto my PDA for me. The reason for mentioning this is that on ebay these units are available with Tomtom pre-installed and sell for around £10 - 15 more than the basic package. The extra purchase cost for this is well worth the investment. In essence this means that you can purchase the N35 for under £100 which will give you both a PDA device and a first class performance Satnav system. I must add that although the N35 is somewhat lower in spec than others, it does handle the Tomtom system with ease and to date have not had a single problem.
USEFUL BENEFITS ************************ As stated above, as a PDA you have the benefit of using basic PC functions on a device that is a fraction of the size of a laptop. What is useful is the notepad function. If you need to make quick notes to yourself, you can literally use the stylus to hand-write messages and save them just as if you were scribbling on a piece of paper. Satnav theft has recently become a major problem relating to vehicle crime. A big advantage with this system is that it is small enough to take with you and literally fit into your pocket. The big advantage of the N35 having its own built in GPS receiver means that as a navigation device, it is not just limited to vehicle use. With its portability, the N35 can also be used for finding your way on foot around an unfamiliar town, trying to find the nearest cash point or theatre etc.
OVERALL OPINION ********************** To me personally this is one of the best investments I have made. Firstly it has and will save me a fortune in buying paper A to Z's and even more important takes up less space. The PDA itself is a handy tool for keeping track of appointments via the built in calender. It is not by any means an all singing all dancing piece of equipment and does have its limitations, however, it does everything I need it to do and does it well. The screen is a good size and remains nice and bright. Sound quality is also surprisingly good and clear when using the navigation software. The unit feels solidly made and seems robust enough to take the inevitable drops and knocks. Yes there are better models out there that do a lot more and have higher spec but then so is the purchase price. If you shop around, for under £100 the Acer N35 gives you firstly a decent enough PDA, but more importantly a truly portable first class Satnav system for half the normal price.
SPECIFICATIONS ********************** Below are listed just the basic specifications. The full specifications can be found at the following address: http://www.ciao.co.uk/Acer_N35_GPS__6877174
Dimensions: Width : 7.2 cm Depth: 2 cm Height: 12 cm Weight: 165 g
Handheld - 64 MB RAM - Screen: 3.5 in inch - Display: TFT active matrix - CPU: S3C2410 - Bluetooth, Infrared - Microsoft Windows Mobile for Pocket PC 2003 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows Mobile for Pocket PC 2003 Premium
Handheld - 128 MB RAM - Screen: 4 in inch - Display: TFT active matrix - CPU: XScale PXA310 - Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi - Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0, Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 Classic
Active amplifier GPS Antenna High Gain MMCX Connector GPS Antenna WHY DO YOU NEED ... more
THIS ? If you have: (1) Poor reception (2) Loose reception frequently (3) Have a heat reflective windscreen (4) You want to speed up the start up time of your GPS when first locking on to satellites Then this is the perfect product for you, this will increase the reception significantly removing any problems you may currently have with GPS reception . Ensures optimal GPS reception for your TomTom . Some specialised windscreens can block GPS signal reception inside the car. This magnetic, waterproof GPS External Antenna will overcome this limitation and ensure an optimal GPS reception. The waterproof antenna can be placed inside your car, next to your windscreen or at the back of your car. It also attaches magnetically to the outside of the car. Connect your GPS to the External Antenna and you're ready! 5 meter cable. Can boost signal by up to 400%
Postage & Packaging:£4.50 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days......
Active amplifier GPS Antenna High Gain MMCX Connector GPS Antenna WHY DO YOU NEED ... more
THIS ? If you have: (1) Poor reception (2) Loose reception frequently (3) Have a heat reflective windscreen (4) You want to speed up the start up time of your GPS when first locking on to satellites Then this is the perfect product for you, this will increase the reception significantly removing any problems you may currently have with GPS reception . Ensures optimal GPS reception for your TomTom . Some specialised windscreens can block GPS signal reception inside the car. This magnetic, waterproof GPS External Antenna will overcome this limitation and ensure an optimal GPS reception. The waterproof antenna can be placed inside your car, next to your windscreen or at the back of your car. It also attaches magnetically to the outside of the car. Connect your GPS to the External Antenna and you're ready! 5 meter cable. Can boost signal by up to 400%
Postage & Packaging:£4.50 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: directs you to your destination smoothly, great if you are on your own, no more trying to map read and drive, makes your journey safer Disadvantages: sometimes gets the speed limit wrong, severe weather can make it slow by interferring with the satallite reception.
arnoldhenryrufus 13.10.2005 (13.10.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional
Review of Acer N35 GPS
Advantages: Excellent sat-nav package at low price, well-spec'd handheld computer Disadvantages: Advertising unclear: hidden costs of full European package
wmspillett 21.04.2005 (21.04.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Acer N35 GPS
Advantages: directs you to your destination smoothly, great if you are on your own, no more trying to map read and drive, makes your journey safer Disadvantages: sometimes gets the speed limit wrong, severe weather can make it slow by interferring with the satallite reception.
arnoldhenryrufus 13.10.2005 (13.10.2005)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional
Review of Acer N35 GPS
Apr 22nd, 2008
exceptional by (20%):
very helpful by (80%):
