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Pharos Traveler GPS 535v - Handheld - Windows Mobile - PXA270 624 MHz - RAM: 64 MB - ROM: 128 MB - 3.5" color TFT ( 480 x 640 ) - IrDA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi - GPS |  | Brand: Pharos
Category: CE
List Price: $429.95
Buy New: $250.00
as of 9/6/2010 09:16 HKT details
You Save: $179.95 (42%)
New (1) Used (2) from $250.00
Seller: blx73
Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 81722
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Mobile
Modem: None
Display Size: 3.5
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 3.7 x 9.5 x 6.3
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: PTL535V
Model: 535v
UPC: 818948002846
EAN: 0818948002846
ASIN: B0018FKNK8
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Sold Individually | | • | Latest Technical Development. |
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Product Description
The Pharos Traveler GPS 535v is expressly designed with mobility and productivity in mind. Powered by a fast 624 MHz CPU the 535v PDA packs a large 3.5? easy-to-read transflective VGA screen GPS Wi-Fi Bluetooth and IrDA into a compact package. It also comes with Windows Mobile Office Outlook Media Player and Live Search. You can access your emails surf the Internet work on your Office documents while on the go. With free live traffic gas prices weather movie information map and driving directions at hand you will travel at ease.
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| Customer Reviews:
 The BEST PDA I have ever owned! March 4, 2009
jdog
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have owned many different PDA's and this is by far the best one I have encountered. If you like your phone and PDA to be the same this is not your PDA, but if you like a good solid PDA with blue tooth, wireless, and my favorite feature of all GPS capability then you will love this small compact PDA. I previously owned a Navagation PDA's from a different manufacturer and was not impressed because the button set up was different than that of a standard PDA, so games were impossible to use because of the button configuration; however, this PDA has a standard PDA button set up that is back lit with a speaker on the front unlike my other PDA's. I like using the GPS as a GPS not for navigation, but you could certainly use this for navigation with software purchase or you could buy the model with navigation built in as well. Some higher resolution PDA's like this one may not run games that are only set up for lower resolution PDA's, but this runs most everything and you can usually find a patch or a fix for that issue if it's a game or program you just can't live without. I finally found a great PDA with built in GPS that still works like a standard PDA.
***Update*** This is my fourth PDA and I have had great luck with this unit as a GPS unit both in my car and outside, but it has to be set on 'COM4' both under the GPS setting and in the GPS program you're using. In addition, the infrared beaming under setting/connections/beam must be unchecked so you can't receive incoming beams while using the GPS since they both use COM4. It does take longer to get a connection while moving in a car, but if remaining stopped with the unit in the dash or suctioned to the front windshield mine will find a signal in 1 minute or less assuming you have it set up correctly. Once you aquire a signal it does well and often works in my house but usually never inside a building and I don't have the attenna you can plug into the back either. My previous unit actually took longer to get a signal and it had Navigation built in. While I do agree that a regular GPS or car navigation may be quicker at getting a signal and may have a longer battery life...just know they don't do much else! I use this at work for medical information, the Gym for music, at home as a TV remote, to play games, sync with my calendar, email, contacts or search the internet on my wireless network, and even print wirelessly with it. Occasionally I have even used it for bible study at church. I travel quite a bit and have used it to mark routes and calculate distances, elevations along with speeds(I discovered the new larger tires on my car made my odometer read 3-5mph slower than I was actually travelling-can you say speeding ticket?), but I have not used it for geocaching yet. An unnamed free map program also works great as long as you have a wireless connection. I usually use it to plan my travel route and then save the directions to WORD before I leave as a reference while I'm in transit. This free map program also works great to find stores, hotels or restaurants and it allows you to put them directly into your contacts if you like. My house also looks pretty cool zoomed in on the satellite view using the same program. Finally, if you can't live without all your old palm programs since I owned one of those at one time as well there is a great unnamed program(emulator) that allows you to use most of the OS programs on your PDA if you can't find an equivalent program for the PDA platform. I live in a small town and it seems to work great for me at home or on the road. If you want everything but phone and camera, this is the one to get.
 Buy A GPS Unit instead October 30, 2008
B. Babb (Virginia Beach, VA United States)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I purchased this to replace an aging Garmin M5 unit.
Both have built-in GPS antennas eliminating the need for add-on devices for GPS functionality.
However, this unit takes over 10 minutes to connect to GPS satellites. I live in a very rural area and that time to connect is standing in the middle of a harvested cornfield. Absolutely zero obstructions to the sky over and around me. The unit shut off twice on the timer set at its highest setting of 5 minutes to shut off if the screen is not touched in that time.)
Over ten minutes to connect to satellites is too long. The screen shows 11 satellites around me. Troubleshooting for the GPS in the manuals included is non-existent. The only 'helpful' hint you get is if it takes too long to connect to 'move to another location with an unobstructed view to the sky.' The middle of a cornfield, how much more unobstructed does it need to be.
It has a port to connect an external antenna (for another $30) that mounts on the outside of your car much like a satellite radio antenna. Did not find that info in the documents provided, I found it on their website. I don't know if that will help it get better reception.
The processor is 624 MHz with 128 MB RAM which is better than the M5. Windows Mobile 5 is also an improvement over the M5.
The unit is noticeably lighter but that is due more to the substitution to plastic casing over the metal casing of the M5.
I purchased the package deal that contained the car mount, the unit, cords, etc for almost $600. To not have the main portion of the device function correctly is a big let down. The M5 is several years old and can connect to satellites quickly and remains connected - only lost signal with that when traveling through tunnels.
In addition, if you intend to use the GPS, get it functioning before you do anything else to the unit. The only other tidbit of troubleshooting is to perform a hard reset (found on the manufacturer's website - not in the manuals) if it won't connect. A hard reset puts the device back to "as-shipped/received" configuration. Anything you installed, any changes, etc will be lost doing this.
This unit also did not ship with a cradle, it is cords only - USB to computer can charge, adapter plug to be able to plug into house outlet, and cord for house power.
It can charge from USB, however it will take longer to charge because it is charging at a lower voltage.
The map software, OSTIA, comes on an SD card. When the card is inserted, it installs the software and asks the installation destination. Installing it on the device (not the SD card) also installs the maps there. However, the device will not allow you to access those maps installed on the device itself. If the software is installed on the device, why can't the SD card be removed so another card can be used to backup, etc while still having the GPS functional? The map SD card has to be installed to use the device. (I would recommend copying the files to a CD from the card) then delete those files you no longer need after installation to prevent the software from attempting to reinstall each time it is inserted.) The backup CD (do not share copies of this software) can put files back on the card if you need a deleted map, etc.
The SD card does not include software for the desktop PC to allow for transferring of maps to the device through Syncing (I have used older versions of Ostia software) and route planning would have to be done on the device itself.
I have had the device just over 24 hours and have performed two hard resets, 3 soft resets, and uninstalled/reinstalled the Ostia software a minimum of 6 times.
The manual does not mention the preferred COM port settings for the GPS antenna so it can be changed back if it is accidentally changed.
In addition, to connect to a wireless network, such as your home system, you have to downgrade the security of your home system from WEP to PSK which is less secure or the device will not stay connected. This means that in downgrading you also have to change the settings on every computer that accesses your wireless network to match the changes.
Nowhere is this covered in the manuals, either.
A positive feature is the ability to connect to your house network and receive Hotmail and Windows Messenger on the unit.
The touch screen is nice-sized. The image is clear and sharp, very colorful.
The low rating is because this device has built-in GPS functionality, that was the main reason I purchased it, yet the GPS does not function well. Those times I could get it to connect, standing still in the open, it would still lose the signal and then reacquire it. I can only hope it does better when driving.
Have not used the Bluetooth nor the IRDA aspect of the device yet. Will be testing the Windows Mobile side soon and may update this with more information if warranted.
Bottom line, if you are wanting a GPS unit, buy a GPS unit. If you are wanting a PPC, get one. Do not waste your money on this device if you want to use both.
UPDATE:
After having this device for over a month, it has not improved my opinion of it. I attempted to use the GPS in my vehicle (using the Garmin as primary and this one as backup), it took many miles and approximately 20 minutes or more before this device finally found the satellites.
The battery that came with the unit does not last. Even sitting idle, unused, the battery seems to quickly die even though I have turned off all power-hungry features to help conserve the battery (bluetooth, etc are off).
For example, it was fully charged overnight. Without nothing else running, I used it for about 30 minutes while shopping (backlight on lowest visible setting) and the unit is now less than 50% of the charge remaining.
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