Attractive on - screen display, re - routing ability, simple to install
Disadvantages:
Doesn't always pick quickest route, needs a decent - sized screen for best results
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Tom Tom is probably the market leader in terms of satellite navigation, and putting the software on a mobile phone or PDA seems the logical solution - after all, who wants to have their windscreen/dashboard cluttered with several electronic devices? Navigator 5 is not the newest version, but it is still a fantastic choice if you have a PDA running Windows Mobile 5. The software and maps arrive on an SD or miniSD card, and while this only has a capacity of 64MB (that is what mine had, at least), it is very simple to transfer it to a larger capacity card. I have put mine on a 2GB card, meaning that I have plenty space for music and photos alongside it. Installing is very simple and intuitive - insert the SD card in your PDA, and follow a very simple and clear set of instructions. Once its installed, it should appear on your desktop, meaning that starting the application is simple, even en route. The software combines with TomTom's own GPS receiver, which connects to your PDA via bluetooth, but if you have your own receiver, it will allow you to use that instead. Since TomTom's device does such a good job, finding the satellite very rapidly in my experience, I would suggest that it is the best one to use. Entering a destination is simple - you have a choice of using a postcode, address, point on a map, pre-installed points of interest (such as petrol stations, hotels, etc) or your own saved favourites. For regularly used destinations, you can also navigate to a Recent Destination, and your own home can be saved for one-touch recall. The points of interest can be updated via TomTom's website, and you can also add, for a small fee, the location of all of the UK's speed cameras! If your licence is in any sort of danger at all, or if you often find yourself braking sharply at camera sites, this is invaluable! Another advantage of the points of interest system is that they can be set to appear on your screen as a little icon when you pass them, meaning you can be alerted to the proximity of a petrol station or ATM en route. The software is very good at re-routing to take account of deviations from its original route, allowing you to follow your own 'shortcuts' easily. However, it does have a habit of leading you along the main roads, meaning that in rush-hour or other busy periods, it may lead you into bad traffic. A traffic warning system is available by subscription, but it does not always solve the problem. Instructions are given both visually and verbally. The voice can be changed to a variety of languages and accents of either gender, and amusing novelty voices are also available for a very small fee. The sound can be switched off altogether, and will silence itself if a phonecall is in progress on your device (this is only relevant to smartphones really). The maps can be displayed in a variety of colours, and can be switched from 2D to 3D - 3D is far superior and most people would have no reason to change from it. All in all, this is a very worthwhile investment, and being fairly reasonably priced now, having SatNav doesn't need to be a major purchase any more!
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