Customer Reviews

Pharos Bluetooth Dock for Microsoft and Pharos GPS-500 (PXT22)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Up in running in a few minutes. Works with my laptop and Verizon Blackberry 8830 World phone. Looks cool too. Fits right in your pocket. Comes with a car charger.

This seemed like a good idea. Wireless dock for the sensor I already owned. The product literature even referenced my version of Streets and Trips, and the specific GPS-500 sensor. Should work seamlessly right? It was/is a nightmare. The problem is aligning the com ports of your laptop to the dock, and to Streets and Trips. It is a nightmare.
Before you buy this, search "troubleshoot Pharos GPS-500 Microsoft Streets and Trips", or some variation of that. You'll see people on blogs and forums have all kinds of problems with this issue, and there is no simple answer(s). Pharos Support is of little help. They'll email you boilerplate directions with links to X-Port and GPS Gate, utilities that apparently are supposed to fix the problem. They don't work either. I have had my docking station up and running - only to lose it after a restart. If researching troubleshooting suggestions, sitting on tech support hold, downloading drivers and fixes, connecting and reinstalling Bluetooth settings, endless rebooting, and having your success somehow disconnected the next time you turn your computer on sounds like a good time then this is the product for you.

I used this with my BB 8700 and dell D800. Worked great with both. The BB pairing went off without a hick and with BB maps would take you where you need to go. With the D800 it was a little harder (thus due mainly to user error most likely and a cheap dongle)

I own the Samsung i760 PDA with 320*240 screen and use this GPS to send GPS data to Google Maps and MS Live Search mobile (both are free). I the can view the real-time aerial/satellite "up ahead" just like the government has been doing in the movies. I use a combined power and data/sync cable from Pocket Connections, an air vent PDA car mount. PDANet software lets me tether the Samsung to my laptops USB connection using MS Active sync.
It took a while to come up to speed but this is the killer configuration which everyone who I show it to wants. It's all great fun especially talking to Live Search through Windows Mobile 6 asking for "Starbucks" nearby and then having their locations and address appear on the PDA. Samsung i760 Black Phone (Verizon Wireless)

I was pretty sure this should connect to my blackberry pearl using bluetooth, which it did, but nothing good happened after that. Just gave me this error - Signal too weak to pinpoint location. I tried my best to get it to work from a variety of places during different times of the day- but it's a useless piece of plastic now.

My GPS device is from MS Streets and Trips 2007.

Update: It started working after Google Maps were updated. Still has trouble occassionally with syncing BT, but overall I am ready to give it 4 stars.

I have spent 2-3 hours trying to getting this unit to function. The internal light comes on, the computer says there is a device out there, but can't get it to work. Probably my lack of understanding, but the printed guideance leaves something to be desired. I'm going to try it on another computer.

The Bluetooth dock has plenty of power and works great in my car. It is small and unobtrusive. I use it with my laptop and my PDA.

I bought this because it was recommend by microsoft for use with Streets and Trips. As already mentioned it does not work with Streets and trips on Vista. It does however work well with Garmin PC. A few things I'm not happy about. The blue led is to bright when you have the unit on your dash at night and it does not work while you are charging it... very annoying.

Update: The unit does not work while charging until the battery has been charged for 15 minutes after being fully discharged.

Works great with Blackberry 8700. Also works great with Google Maps With GPS Tracker 13.0 (Shareware software). Doesn't work at all with Microsoft Streets and Trips 2008 running on Windows Vista - Apparently Streets & Trips 2008 has problems with half-duplex bluetooth serial port communications... Shame on you Microsoft.

I recommend the Pharos BT dock IF you don't plan to use it with Streets and Trips on Vista.

Cheers,

Mike

I bought this to use with my PDA and laptob. It works great, easy to setup, long battery life. Has a blue connect light, flashes to show it is on, turns soild when linked. Recharges quickly, small, great design, no wires to fight with. Great product, highly recommend. Would buy it again for any price, well worth investment. Can't think of a way to make it any better, no complaints.