Customer Reviews

Garmin iQue M4 GPS-Enabled Pocket PC

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I seem to have a GPS for every kind of activity I do and everyone of them excel, and also have weaknesses in one way or another.
I recently parted ways with my BMW 330 that had a build-in Navigational system that was an excellent product once you got past the user interface. My new car doesn't have a Nav system, and I didn't want to mount a laptop like I did previously, so I checked into the offerings described at http://gpsinformation.net/. The NuVi looked great and I was all set to buy that one, but it had features, like the MP3 player that I didn't need. Then I discovered the M4, and after a few days of contemplation, that's the one I picked.

Now that I've had it for a few weeks, I have to say that I'm quite happy with it. Like any new product, the user interface takes some practice to get used to, but after awhile, you can run through the interface quite rapidly.

I went with the M4 over the M5, even though it's a slower processor because of the SiRF chipset. This is indeed a superior chipset to my Garmin Rino for example. *Most* of the time it picks up satellites almost immediately, however, there are times when it does take a few minutes. I usually experience this when I turn it on when I'm already on the move.

I really love how Garmin inverts the map colors at night time. This way you can still have the display set to bright, yet it doesn't distract you from night time driving. Handy since there is no auto-dim of the screen based on the ambient lighting.

However, this is not the best screen for full-on day use if the sun is beaming right on it. Compared to the built-in screen on my ex-BMW, there is no comparison. The sun pretty much washes out the screen and makes it difficult to read. It's readable, but certainly not the best-in-class.

Having said all of that, the only thing that is really annoying is that if you deviate from the plotted course (route), the Garmin will recalculate a new course. Hey, that's great, but why make the map disappear while that's happening? With a complex route (or even not so complex really) it can take quite a bit of time to recalculate. An example: There is road construction in downtown Portland that causes me to travel a few blocks out of my way to get home. As I make my first deviation, the M4 recalculates, perhaps to make a turn at the next block. The problem is, I have to pass the next block too, and I pass that block either before, or when the M4 finishes its recalculation. Now it has to recalculate again, and again and again for every block I pass and never catches up. While I travel these 6, 8 or 10 blocks or so, all I see is the "Recalculating Route" dialog, and not the map. Fortunately , I know my way home, but in a new and strange city I can cover quite a distance and perhaps become lost or be needlessly far out of my way by the time I get the map back. I suspect this isn't specific to the M4, but others as well, like the NuVi. This is the "feature" that keeps me from giving the M4 5 stars.

Otherwise, it's a Pocket PC device that allows me to run typical Windows CE applications. It can take the Outlook address book and use the addresses as destination for the GPS, that way you don't have to type in all those addresses again. It's also easy to put your own addresses in via the M4's interface. In otherwords, you're not required to enter data in the PC and transfer it. It's much more useful to me as a day-to-day tool than the NuVi would have been. BTW, as far as I know, it only imports addresses (contacts, to-do's, calendars, etc, from Office/Outlook, not Outlook Express) A voucher is included that allows you to purchase Outlook 2003 for $29.99 though. If you're using Outlook Express, this is a recommended purchase anyway, because Outlook is indeed a superior product.

The windshield mount is superior. You can angle the M4 to any orientation you like and the M4 is very easy to slide in and out of.

The sync cable that comes with the M4 charges the M4 while it's connected to the PC, but with a separate powersupply - connected into a "Y". If, like me, you purchase another "travel kit" for the office, you don't get the same thing - you get a powersupply that plugs in to the M4 and a sync cable that plugs into the M4, but you can't do both at the same time (no "Y"). In otherwords, when the M4 is plugged in to the PC with the travel kit, it is not charging. When it's plugged in to charge, you don't have an extra sync port to connect to the pc. I hope that made sense :-) Why can't the M4 charge only off of the USB connection? I dunno :-)

I'm also using a 1 GB SD card with no problem in the expansion slot for extra storage. Weirdly enough, this seems to have slowed down the overall performance somewhat. I don't see the connection. Hmm...

I also lost the stylus already :-( and the closest replacement I found (while I'm waiting for my OEM replacements) is the Tungsten T5 stylus. It's not a perfect fit, but will fit without falling out. Mostly it's a little short and you need a thumbnail to get it out of its slot.

If I had to do it all over, I would certainly buy the M4 again. I love it and I use it daily.

Pros
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1.) You can import favorites from your other Garmin GPS straight into the M4 using MapSource software. Very time saving.
2.) Mp3 player quality was outstanding.
3.) Tablet text recognition was outstanding.
4.) Transferring files greater than 50 megs worked unlike the doc described.
5.) WMV and other video formats was playing at a quality far better than I would expect. Fullscreen too.
6.) Voice recorder was real handy.
7.) Your nails will work as good as your stylus pen. Screen sensitivity is fluid and responsive to both.

Cons
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1.) Satellite reception is enough to get by. I have had to wait 5 minutes to connect at times. And that's not under the bridge etc.
2.) Compare with Garmin 2720, the interface is just not friendly. Way too many clicks and screens.
3.) Compare with Garmin 2720, route recalc seemed far slower. Far far slower.
4.) Does not come with any case, the freebie screen cover just doesn't cut it.
5.) Does not come with any SD card. Though some may see it as a pro.
6.) No replacable battery option. Hope you are near a car or wall socket after 5 hours.
7.) File transfer is downright slow.
8.) Does not come with a scientific calculator.
9.) Questionable as to whether this device will properly handle SD cards greater than 2GB.

First, the SiRF III is incredable. I am in my garrage with garrage door close, the unit still has 10-to-11 satelites lock on it--imazing.
Pros:
Antenna strength.
Built in map.
Sensetive and bright screen.
Simple to use.
Tons of user-customizables.
Portable. Fits in almost any pocket.
Recalculating time is fair.
Cons:
No Text-to-Speech. Big draws back.
No Blue tooth.
Window Mobile 3...only 312MHz
Only 64MB of Memory...fair.

Everythings else are good enough

The garmin products have a serious design flaw because they don't have a user replaceble battery.

Many users will find that they need to replace their batteries in about 15 months. Each time you charge or plug in your garmin, the battery gradually loses it's ability to store power. Even if you rarely use a unit, lithum batteries will gradually lose their ability to charge over time. If you have leave a unit in a hot car, this can degrade the battery life sooner.

Garmin will replace the battery. They charge around $50 for that service on newer units. You have to send the unit in to Garmin and you likely pay around $20 in insurance and shipping to get it to Garmin. Then you will be without your GPS unit for around 10 to 14 days while you are waiting to have the battery replaced and the unit returned.

It's frustrating to have to spend a total of $70 and go without a unit for 2 weeks simply to have the battery replaced. And that is the cost for a fairly new unit. Some user posts say that on older GPS units Garmin charges up to $275 to replace the battery. (see http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=56803)

Not having a user replaceable battery is also a problem when you are using the unit while away from an electrical outlet. Garmin will say that units will run 8 hours on battery power. That is overly optimistic. On a brand new battery, if I am using the GPS a lot, I might get 2 or 3 hours of usage on it before the battery goes dead (and that is accomplished by using a lot of power saving options such as having the screen turning off quickly, lower brightness on the screen, etc). If you run out of battery power you are lost because you can't put a new battery in to keep the unit going.

Even if you never use your unit outside of the car, not having a user replaceable battery can affect the usefulness of the unit. Some users report that when the battery is low on charge the GPS has longer delays in locking in on satellites. In some forums users have reported having to wait up to 30 minutes for a unit with a bad battery to find satellites when the unit is plugged in.

I tried figuring out how to replace the battery myself and eventually gave up. You have to pull the unit apart, lift up circuit boards, and wires, lift up the LCD screen, avoid damaging wires or circuits. When you eventually get to the battery, it appears to be glued in somehow and is hard to remove. I called Garmin about changing the battery myself and they told me if I did that I might damage the circuits and then it would cost around $175 to fix the unit if something goes wrong when a user tries to change the battery and problems occur. It's shouldn't be so difficult to replace batteries.

I really like garmin's software (I have purchased 2 units) but I don't think I'll buy another unit if Garmin doesn't make it easier to change batteries. This is a common need everyone will have if they plan to use their GPS more than a year. Perhaps if enough people contact Garmin and voice concern about not being able to replace the batteries they will make future GPS units have user replaceable batteries.

If you buy a Garmin GPS that doesn't have a replaceble battery, then just plan on being without your unit for about 2 weeks, every 15 months and spending around $70 to take care of battery replacements.

The preloaded maps work great. I have had terrible problems with the plug and play street maps however. Avoid them.

Also, customer service won't help you unless you have registered your device. Do it online as soon as you get the device.

I bought this product for 2 weeks and I enjoy using it.
The GPS function is great except that it takes about 30 seconds to search for signals at the beginning of each trip. The PDA function is satisfactory. The only weakness is that the built-in memory is slightly small. But I guess it is the standard. The things to improve this product are
1. it should come with a carrying case,
2. it should have a "built-in" wireless internet card, and
3. it should support Skype.

Overall. the product is good and deserves the price.

This is my second iQueM4. I lost the first one in an accident and, years after the discontinuity of this product I desperately searched for the same product. It is a concept that has dissapeared in the market. But I love the idea: a Pocket PC integrated with a GPS. Market has moved to GPS in mobile phones, like iPhone or HTC, but the idea to have Office and Internet pages in the same gadget as the GPS is great. We have iQueM5, also discontinued, but this last device has no 3D maps. Alejandro Goldfeder.

Most flexible GPS I could find, can do road, nautical or topo maps plus it's a pocket pc. Found it easy to use, accurate, and it's portable. This is the second unit I've purchased.

These product was a good job for me. Was nice to shop

Used it for cross-USA NY-CA, so learned a-lot about it. It performed very well, probably saved me at least 1/2 an hour every day looking at maps, and still getting lost.
As most GPS products, it does Not have "text-to-speech", i.e. it tells you turn right/left, take exit etc., but the name of street to turn on, or number of exit is only displayed - you have to look to see it.
So far, I only used it as GPS, not as pocket PC.