Amazing iQue PDA GPS
The new iQue 3600 from Garmin is truly amazing. For a very attractive price, you get a powerful Palm OS 5-based PDA that sports a screaming 200 MHz Motorola DragonBall MXL ARM 9 processor, 32MB of memory (some of which is reserved for system operations), and a nice 320x480 high-color screen, the highest resolution I've seen on a palmtop. The iQue 3600 weighs in at a little over 5 ounces with the built-in LiIon battery, and it's only slightly bigger than a Zire 71, and feels good in either hand.
So you can use it as a fast Palm PDA, but the true beauty of the iQue is its built-in GPS function. When you are out in the open -- GPS won't work indoors or in a dense forest since the satellite signal can't get to you -- the iQue picks up both GPS and WAAS signals (WAAS is a system that supplements GPS, the way I understand it) and, in less than a minute, tell you your early coordinates. Coupled with a mapping program (a very basic one is included), the iQue will tell you where on earth you are, accurate to about 10 feet! For a first-time GPS user like me, the result simply blows me away. Obviously if you don't travel a lot, or live in a big city like New York, GPS is of very little use. But for the road warrior as well as fancy gadget lover (I'm the latter), this is a must-have.
Both the GPS and the bright, large color screen suck battery juice like a puppy in Houston, so battery is weak on the iQue, about the only gripe one would have about this wonderfully implemented product. With GPS on continuously and screen set to mid-level brightness and running a mapping program off the secure digital card, you'll run out in about an hour! That's not a typo or exaggeration. If you can do without sophisticated map software and turn off backlight, you can probably manage for about 3-4 hours. If you don't use GPS -- but you got this really for the GPS, didn't you? -- using the Palm part for an hour a day will last you about 3 days with backlight on. Which is not totally bad compared to Pocket PCs, hehehe...
In short, the iQue does exceptionally well what it was designed to do. Granted GPS as a whole can be improved, but Garmin has done an admirable job with a well designed, well made product and the price should tempt every GPS user out there.
So you can use it as a fast Palm PDA, but the true beauty of the iQue is its built-in GPS function. When you are out in the open -- GPS won't work indoors or in a dense forest since the satellite signal can't get to you -- the iQue picks up both GPS and WAAS signals (WAAS is a system that supplements GPS, the way I understand it) and, in less than a minute, tell you your early coordinates. Coupled with a mapping program (a very basic one is included), the iQue will tell you where on earth you are, accurate to about 10 feet! For a first-time GPS user like me, the result simply blows me away. Obviously if you don't travel a lot, or live in a big city like New York, GPS is of very little use. But for the road warrior as well as fancy gadget lover (I'm the latter), this is a must-have.
Both the GPS and the bright, large color screen suck battery juice like a puppy in Houston, so battery is weak on the iQue, about the only gripe one would have about this wonderfully implemented product. With GPS on continuously and screen set to mid-level brightness and running a mapping program off the secure digital card, you'll run out in about an hour! That's not a typo or exaggeration. If you can do without sophisticated map software and turn off backlight, you can probably manage for about 3-4 hours. If you don't use GPS -- but you got this really for the GPS, didn't you? -- using the Palm part for an hour a day will last you about 3 days with backlight on. Which is not totally bad compared to Pocket PCs, hehehe...
In short, the iQue does exceptionally well what it was designed to do. Granted GPS as a whole can be improved, but Garmin has done an admirable job with a well designed, well made product and the price should tempt every GPS user out there.
New York User
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