NaviGadget

HTC P3300 – before you buy

Jan 27, 2007 gps navigation, phones Leave a comment

The GPS integrated HTC P3300 has proven to be a success so we thought we’d tell you about some of the features, point you to some good quality reviews, give you an idea how much it’ll cost you, and help you find where to get one.

Oh and in case you are a newbie and you want a one sentence description: The HTC P3300 is a PDA / cell phone that can do GPS navigation. And the rest of the key features are:

• Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 with Direct Push email
• TomTom NAVIGATOR 6
• Quad-Band EDGE/GPRS
• ROM 128MB, RAM 64MB
• 2.8 inch TFT LCD display
• 2.0 mega-pixel camera
• FM Radio
• Bluetooth 2.0
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
• MicroSD

If you live in North America keep in mind that no service provider is offering this phone as of now (late Jan 2007). However you can still buy an unlocked version online and use it with T-Mobile or AT&T (that includes Cingular). Sprint, Verizon, etc. do not support unlocked phones.

If you live in Europe you’ll have many options since all the service providers are GSM. We’ll list a few online stores below.

The HTC P3300 comes pre-loaded with TomTom Navigator 6 software. However before you commit to buying one you need to decide which version you want. There are two:

• HTC P3300 with TomTom Navigator Taster Pack
• HTC P3300 with TomTom Navigator Premium Pack

The Taster pack gives you 1 free download for a city of your choice. However the premium pack comes with full Western Europe maps, a DVD with other applications and extras, 512MB microSD card, a car charger, car cradle, and an external GPS antenna. We’ll talk about the price difference and availability of maps later.

As far as reviews we’ve selected the following:

• HTC P3300 review (originally in French)
• Review of navigation communicator HTC P3300 (Artemis)
• HTC P3300 Artemis Pocket PC Phone
• Big review of HTC P3300 (code name Artemis)

OK before we go into pricing, the price difference between the Taster and the Premium versions is usually about £70. And say you want to buy it later from TomTom, then the price is £90. So you maybe better off getting the premium version (if in Europe). And what good is a GPS navigation system if you only have one city. But then again, not a lot of places offer the premium version.

Where to Buy – US (all Taster version)

• htcphonestore – $649
• importgsm – $609
• egadgetdepot – $589

Where to Buy – UK

• clove – £370 (premium) voucher code:NGHTC07
• clove – £315 (taster) voucher code:NGHTC07
• expansys – £315 (taster)
• globalpositioningsystems £382.94 (premium)
• supertrader – £318.72 (taster)

OK, enough with the pricing. You get the idea. And there’s always eBay too. About the maps – it looks like it doesn’t make sense to buy the premium version for U.S. You’ll have to buy Taster version and then get the maps from TomTom ($150).

E-TEN glofiish X500 review

Nov 16, 2006 gps navigation, phones 3 Comments

E-Ten Glofiish X500 just got reviewed. The 3 page review includes lots of pictures and remarks… Here is some of the most important bits…

The E-TEN glofiish X500 is a quad-band GSM phone with EDGE, including a Samsung S3C2440 400MHz processor, 128MB ROM and 64MB RAM, a 2.8″ QVGA touchscreen, Bluetooth 2.0, WiFi (both 802.11b and g), a 2MP camera with flash, integrated SiRFStar III GPS chipset, a microSD slot, and even an FM radio tuner! Wow, that’s quite a feature list. The manufacturer claims that talk time is around 7 hours, while standby time comes in at 200 hours. Not bad.

This phone would be my daily driver if it had 3G. It’s got just about everything a geek could want (perhaps minus a keyboard), and it’s still running slow EDGE. My guess is that if E-TEN finds the glofish brand to be a success, they’ll start producing a device with 3G.

This device includes the fantastic SiRFStar III GPS chipset which features quick satellite acquisition times and low power usage. But where’s the mapping software? I’m not ready to spend another $100+ after having bought a new device. The HTC Artemis P3300, a similar device that has built in GPS, comes with TomTom6 navigation software, why can’t the X500?

T-Mobile MDA Compact III with GPS

Nov 7, 2006 gps navigation 4 Comments

The T-Mobile MDA Compact III is what T-Mobile’s releasing to compete with the HTC P3300 Windows smartphone with GPS Satellite Navigation.

T-Mobile MDA Compact III is functionally almost identical to the P3300. It comes with a 2.8″ 240×320 touch-screen display, GPRS and EDGE data (but no 3G), a 2 megapixel camera, expandable memory, a multimedia player and FM radio. And since T-Mobile MDA Compact III is a Windows Mobile 5.0 smartphone, it comes with a capable web browser, email client and it can also work with Microsoft Office documents.

As with the HTC version, the T-Mobile MDA Compact III comes with an integrated GPS receiver with satellite navigation software.

The publicity pictures show the T-Mobile MDA Compact III running both TomTom software and the T-Mobile NaviGate system. NaviGate factors in things like traffic jams and currently costs €0.99 per route, or €9.95 per month for T-Mobile subscribers in Germany. T-Mobile say that “memory cards or CDs containing digital street maps are not necessary” for NaviGate, although HTC said that basic TomTom maps of Western Europe are preloaded for the HTC P3300. T-Mobile’s press publicity shows both systems, but we can find no mention of the TomTom software in any official communication from T-Mobile.. so, check when ordering.

The HTC version of this handset has WiFi, and indeed the version of the T-Mobile MDA Compact III advertised in the Netherlands and Austria specifically says that the MDA Compact III has WiFi, yet in Germany none of the material mentions WiFi support. Have T-Mobile Germany crippled the MDA Compact III? We don’t know.. so, check when ordering.

What’s actually in the T-Mobile MDA Compact III is a bit of a mystery. T-Mobile’s publicity is either confusing or misleading. Does the MDA Compact III have WiFi? Does it have TomTom? If it does, then it’s an attractive handset, and it’s several months ahead of the somewhat similar Nokia N95. If not.. then T-Mobile have needlessly created a crippled version of the HTC P3300 for no good reason. As we said, if you’re interested in the T-Mobile MDA Compact III, then check what you are actually getting carefully before ordering.

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Cingular to offer HP iPAQ hw6920

Oct 26, 2006 gps navigation, phones 2 Comments

HP and Cingular today announced Cingular will be the first carrier in the United States to offer a new HP iPAQ hw6920 handheld device with five wireless communications technologies just like the HTC P3300.

With the HP iPAQ hw6920, you can use Cingular’s nationwide GSM/GPRS/EDGE wireless data network, Wi-Fi, GPS, infrared and Bluetooth to keep in touch.

The GPS chip is built-in however you are going to have to purchase a navigator software to make use of it. Cingular is willing to make money out of that deal too of course. Cingular’s launch of the TeleNav driving directions service, available on the hw6920/5, iPAQ hw6515, Cingular 8125, and Palm Treo 650 will cost $5.99/month for 10 trip requests or $9.99/month for unlimited use, on top of your data and voice plans.

Availability:

The iPAQ hw6920 series is available from Cingular Wireless for as low as $359.99 for business customers with a two-year contract and qualifying voice and data plans. The iPAQ hw6920 series also is available through hp.com and select HP channel partners.

To bring clarity to the numbering of the HP devices: The hw6920/5, is identical to the iPAQ hw6940/5, which HP has been selling on their Web site for $600. Both sets of devices are quad-band Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC handhelds with full QWERTY keyboards below 3-inch, 65k-color, 240-by-240 square screens. They run on 416 Mhz Intel PXA270 processors, have EDGE and Bluetooth, a mini-SD memory card slot, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 64MB of RAM. With both sets of iPAQs, the model ending in “5″ has a 1.3-megapixel camera and the model ending in “0″ has no camera.

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HTC P3300 review

Oct 17, 2006 gps navigation, reviews 1 Comment

The French site GPSandCo did a very extended review of the HTC P3300 and we translated it for you.

Introduction

HTC is the number one on the market of PDAphones with its own Qtek brand similar to great names like HP and Orange in particular.

HTC had already launched a PDA with integrated receiver GPS, G100 but which was not marketed officially in France and which very was not successful in terms of sensitivity GPS. And HTC also manufactures PDAphones GPS iPAQ hw6515 and hw6915 for HP.

With P3300, HTC launches its first highly anticipated PDAphone GPS under its own brand.

Let us see what this P3300 is worth, especially on the level of sensitivity GPS and its performances for which it is awaited the turning, Qtek 9100 having a similar processor having disappointed on the level of its performances, even if it met success.

Design features

• Processor: TI OMAP 850 at 201 MHz
• Display: Touch screen TFT LCD 2.8 inches with 65536 colors and 320×240 pixels resolution (QVGA)
• Cellular module: Quad-bands GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), GPRS and EDGE
• GPS: Integrated GPS SiRF III instantSiRFfix (A-GPS) receiver
• External antenna port: Yes
• ROM memory: 128 MB
• RAM memory: 64 MB
• USB:1.1
• Infra-red: No
• Bluetooth: 2.0
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g
• Integrated camera: 2 Megapixels (1600 x1200) with x2 zoom,no flash
• Video: MPEG4 format with 128 x 96 or 176 x 144 pixels resolution
• Ports: MicroSD
• Battery: 1200 removable mAh
• Operating system: Mobile Windows 5.0 (AKU 2)
• Dimensions: 11 x 5.8 x 1.7 cm
• Weight:127 G

ASUS presents its first PDA phone GPS, P535

Sep 18, 2006 asus, gps navigation, phones 27 Comments

For those of you who are waiting for more options before spending a lot of money on a GPS integrated PDA phone, check out ASUS’s first PDA GPS phone: P535.

The GPS PDA phone made an appearance in Europe last week showcased at some sort of Navteq event. What we know at this point is that the P535 will feature an integrated GPS SiRF Star III chip (thus it is on Navigadget), and unlike the P525 it will no longer have a keypad (see the image).

Main features of the Asus P535 are:

• Receiver GPS integrated with chip GPS SiRF III and integrated antenna
• Tribande GSM & GPRS
• Processor INTEL Xscale Given rhythm To 520 MHz
• 2.8 inch TFT LCD screen with 65,000 colors and 320 X 240 pixel resolution
• 256 MB of ROM and 64 MB of RAM
• Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
• Wi-Fi 802.11g
• MiniSD port
• 1300 mAh Battery Lithium
• 2 Megapixels digital camera
• Weight : 150g
• Windows Mobile 5
• Navigation software: Destinator 6

Unlike its competitor HTC P3300, ASUS P535 will not have EDGE capability.

P535 is expected to be available in December for 599 € ($760).

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Artemis is now HTC P3300 (5 antennas!)

Sep 7, 2006 bluetooth, gps navigation, phones Leave a comment

Project code named Artemis is now officially HTC P3300. HTC just announced 4 new PDAs today one of which finally reveals the Artemis mystery we’ve been talking about.

The new HTC P3300 has an integrated SiRF Star III GPS receiver and comes bundled with TomTom 6 Navigation software. The screen is nice and big at 2.8″ and it runs on a Windows Mobile 5.0 Operating System. Other than the GPS the HTCP3300 obviously has GSM/GPRS/EDGE capabilities at 850, 900, 1800, 1900 bands and comes with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Another extra feature they threw in there is the FM radio. So thinking about it; the device has at least 5 antennas: GPS, GPRS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM. Knowing how much power these antennas drain P3300 better have a long lasting battery.

HTC Artemis to feature GPS and FM radio

Aug 3, 2006 bluetooth, gps navigation, phones 11 Comments

Taiwanese phone / PDA manufacturer HTC made clear the other day what specs they are planning to put on their new gadget, named Artemis. Artemis is expected to released in third quarter of this year. They are also planning on to release a few other gadgets in the same time frame.

Here the features:

• Microsoft Windows Mobile 5 PPC CE
• 2.8 inch QVGA TFT LCD touch screen
• 128MB ROM, 64 MB RAM
• TI OMAP 850 at 200 MHz
• Wireless WAN
• EDGE / GPRS / GSM
• Quad-band 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
• Bluetooth
• Wireless LAN 802.11 b/g
• 2 MP digital camera
• FM Radio
• GPS
• 1250 mAh battery
• Mini USB 1.1
• Micro SD expansion slot

No word on pricing yet.

HTC Trinity with integrated GPS

Jun 2, 2006 gps navigation, phones Leave a comment

HTC, making sure that the enjoyment of our fresh Star Trek is kept to an absolute minimum, looks to be preparing a spectrum of lustworthy new devices. This information is entirely unconfirmed, and we don’t know much about what we’re about to tell you — some of these code names are as new to us as they are to you — but we can tell you it comes from a reliable source.

First up, the Muse has been mercifully renamed the “Melody,” and the Triolgy has become “Monet.” The Hermes, which is just starting to drop across Europe, has been upped to 400MHz for full-scale production; you might recall we recently reported that O2 was bringing a 400MHz Hermes to the table, and it now appears this will be standard fare for launches going forward. Trinity (pictured) specs are coming into focus, and we should expect this beast to throw down HSDPA, WiFi, and integrated GPS. There have been some rumblings of an “Artemis” recently, and that device still appears to be on the map, bringing integrated GPS and a trackball (wha?) but topping out with EDGE data. The “Herald” sounds positively gorgeous, similar in concept and functionality to the Hermes but measuring just 17mm thick. The Foreseer and Monet will be joined by the “Oxygen” in HTC’s mobile TV lineup, though we don’t know which standard it’ll be packing. Looking to steal some of the Q’s thunder, the “Excalibur” will be getting its QWERTY on and running Smartphone. Finally, look for “Vera” as a possible successor to the Star Trek, packing HSDPA and a front-facing camera for video calling.

That’s a lot of unconfirmed data to digest, we know, and we’re still trying to make sense of it all ourselves. No word on release windows for most of these — if we could divine you a Vera tomorrow, we would — but as always, we’ll be burning the midnight oil in our quest for deets.

all info from Engadget via their undisclosed resources