NaviGadget

Pharos Traveler 137 now available

Jun 6, 2009 gps navigation, phones 2 Comments

Pharos Traveler 137 which we first announced back in January of this year is now finally available. Traveler 137, is a Windows phone that gives you 3G connection speeds on both T-Mobile and AT&T networks. However you won’t even need any of those networks for your GPS navigation software which is capable of voice-prompted navigation. Pharos Traveler 137 will be offered unlocked so you can plug in any SIM card local to your region to avoid roaming charges.

The Traveler 137 is supposed to be already available on amazon and newegg but we didn’t find them there just yet. Your other options are Dell.com, eXpansys.com. Pharos Traveler will go for $600 but if you sign a two year contract you can get one for $250.

The Traveler 137’s ultra-sensitive aGPS gives users the ability to navigate quickly; its high speed 3G capability brings a world of information to users’ fingertips; its touch-and-sweep interface on a crisp WVGA screen makes using the powerful Windows phone fun and easy

Here are the full specs for Traveler:

• MS Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro, updateable to 6.5
• 528MHz processor
• 256MB DDR SDRAM, 512MB Flash ROM
• unlocked GSM quad band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, EDGE / GPRS
• Tri-band 3G, 1700/1900/2100 MHz, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA
• 3.5″ TFT LCD with touch panel, 480 x 800 Wide-VGA with 65K colors
• GPS aGPS compatible, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR , FM tuner
• 3MP camera for picture or video, 0.3MP front camera video conference
• USB 2.0, micro SD slot support SDHC, stereo audio jack
• 1380 mAh Li-Ion, rechargeable/replaceable battery
• Size: 4.60in (L) x 2.40in (W) x 0.51in (H)
• Weight: 4.9 ounces

Pharos Traveler 117 review

Mar 17, 2009 gps navigation, phones, reviews Leave a comment

Remember the Pharos Traveler 117 which we announced back in November 2008? People at PocketPCThoughts got their hands on one and published a lengthy review.

Here the pros and cons:
Pros:

• Beautiful, crisp, clear VGA screen
• Great battery life
• Standard 2.5mm headphone jack, which also doubles as TVOut

Cons:

• Stylus is too small to be usable
• Trackball needs to be more precise/consistent in action
• SD card access is difficult and cover could break with use
• 2 megapixel, fixed focus camera is not up to current expectations.

Pharos Traveler 137

Jan 6, 2009 CES 2009, phones 1 Comment

Pharos just extended its Traveler series with the new Pharos Traveler 137. Like the previous models (Pharos Traveler 117, Pharos Traveler 127) Traveler 137 is a Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone with embedded GPS receiver. It is designed with the idea in mind that you’ll give up your standalone GPS navigation system after using this. It has a 3.5″ touch-screen WVGA display and utilizes 3.5G communications capability based on a tri-band UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA and a quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks.

If that’s not enough you’ve got two cameras; a 3 MP one for pictures and video, and a 0.3 MP one for video conferencing.

Pharos Traveler 137 comes with navigation software – Smart Navigator – but to use it you’ll have to pay up. And not just a one time fee.

• $2 per day
• $5 per week
• $7 per month, or finally
• $50 per year

The Traveler 137 will come with preinstalled maps of the USA but that will probably expire after the trial period. Also in addition you’ll be able to purchase maps for Canada, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.

In the near future they also plan to add Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, China, and Russia to that list.

And if you don’t feel like paying – provided you have Wi-Fi or high speed networks around – you can use Windows Live Search to help you get to where you’re going.

MSRP for Pharos Traveler 137 is $600.

Pharos Traveler 117

Nov 19, 2008 gps navigation, phones 2 Comments

We just mentioned Pharos Traveler 127, but there’s also the Pharos Traveler 117 which also got announced at the same time. Different than 127, Pharos Traveler 117 has a bigger touchscreen measuring 2.8″ but no physical keyboard.

The rest of the features for Pharos Traveler 117 are identical to 127 which include 3.5G connections, Wi-Fi, bluetooth, integrated GPS receiver, dual digital cameras, and a powerful 1410mAh Li-Ion battery.

Traveler 117 also cost $530 and comes unlocked, ready to be used on any GSM network.

Pharos Traveler 127

Nov 19, 2008 gps navigation, phones 3 Comments

Pharos this week introduced Pharos Traveler 127, a GPS smartphone with both QWERTY keyboard and 2.5″ touch-screen. Pharos Traveler 127 is filled with features but that’s normal since you can expect to pay about $530 for this unlocked phone which will be ready to be used on any GSM network.

Pharos Traveler 127 runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 and features 3.5G networks on a tri-band UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA and a quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE cellular modems. It comes with two digital cameras. One of them is 2MP for pictures and videos, and the other is 0.3MP for video conferencing.

Pharos Traveler 127 includes a GPS receiver and comes with Pharos’ Smart Navigator software and can provide server-based travel information and navigation service. Also it is pre-loaded with Microsoft Live Search, providing free information about traffic, gas prices, movie times and weather.

Other features include Wi-Fi, and bluetooth. With a single charge it should provide about 7.5 hours of GSM and 5 hours of WCDMA talk time.

dell to offer GPS enabled smartphones

Oct 29, 2008 gps navigation 2 Comments

Dell apparently leaked some info on their website yesterday and revealed their plans to enter GPS enabled smartphone market with to Pharos branded models called Traveller 117 and Traveller 127.

Here is some of what we know so far:

• manufactured by Inventec
• 7.2Mbps HSDPA network
• A-GPS receiver
• Windows Mobile 6.1
• 2MP camera
• 0.3MP front camera

Soon after all the information was retracted so we don’t know when this will be available or for how much… Read More …

Pharos 535 at CES 2008

Jan 7, 2008 CES 2008, gps navigation, phones Leave a comment

Pharos was displaying their relatively new GPS enabled PDA at CES 2008: Pharos 535. They have two different versions of this model: 535e and 535+. The only difference is that Pharos 535+ comes with navigation software already installed:

Featuring Ostia, Pharos’ award-winning GPS software and location-based services and preloaded with the entire U.S. and Canadian street maps. The Traveler GPS 535+ uses GPS satellites and digital street maps to show you where you are, locate points of interest such as hotels, banks, restaurants or WiFi hotspots, or locate an address in your Outlook Contacts. Select your destination, and Pharos Traveler GPS 535+ will calculate the most efficient route and provide clear guidance with voice, text and graphic prompts.

Pharos 535+ is $434, and Pharos 535e is $310 on Amazon.

Pharos Trips & Pics

Jan 6, 2008 gps navigation, software, tracking Leave a comment

Pharos recently announced a geo-logger that lets you keep track of locations of photos and display them on a map: Pharos Trips & Pics. The bundled software works with Google Earth or MS Streets and Trips.

Apparently the device works with any digital camera meaning it’ll rely on the timestamp of your photos to match them with the location info stored on the device. The receiver in the bundle is iGPS-500 and it is hooked up to a small battery (1100mAh).

The whole package which includes the iGPS-500+battery, software, and the USB cable will cost you $90.

Pharos Drive GPS 250

Nov 9, 2007 gps navigation 3 Comments

Pharos just yesterday introduced a new GPS navigation system called Drive GPS 250. Priced at $300, the new Drive GPS 250 features a large 4.3″ touch screen and a rechargeable Li-Ion battery that can last upto 7 hours on a single charge. One other feature to justify the $300 price tag is the text-to-speech function that pronounces street names.

The maps on Pharos Drive GPS 250 comes from Navteq covering entire U.S. and Canada with 1.2 million POI’s all fit into a 1GB SD card.

Pharos Drive GPS 250 will be available at major retailers in a couple of weeks… pic from ubergizmo.

Pharos 600 and 600e now on T-Mobile

Aug 15, 2007 gps navigation, phones Leave a comment

You may now get Pharos GPS phones (namely 600 and 600e) on the T-Mobile network at a discounted price provided you are a new customer and sign a contract. Before you ask, Pharos 600e is the exact same thing as Pharos 600 in terms of hardware but 600e excludes the navigation software provided by Ostia. So if you do sign a contract you will be able to get the 600 for $500 and 600e for $400.

Pharos 600, in addition to GPS navigation provides entertainment and mobile office features on an unlocked world phone. 600 features a touch screen keyboard and mobile versions of Microsoft Office Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. You also get a 2MP digital camera, FM radio, Windows Media Player Mobile on the Pharos 600 and 600e GPS phones.