Customer Reviews

Pharos PK038 Pocket GPS Navigator Kit for Dell Axim

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

 

 

Yes, it's inexpensive when compared to some alternatives, but the devil is in the details. These suppliers all differentiate themselves on the software and feature set since the underlying chips tend to be common, so this is where you will want to focus when comparing.

Things I like about this system:

1. The hardware is well done, though the cable to the receiver could be a little longer.
2. The option to view satellite positions in their software is really neat.
3. Integration with contacts for route planning is nice.

However, I just returned my Pharos system for the following reasons:

1. It crashes my Dell Axim X5 PDA, and this is apparently a known issue. On investigation, the vendor's web site has a FAQ on what to do in this situation. Unfortunately this is not a rare occurrence, and it is clearly a software bug.

2. Another bug in the navigation software showed my distance (as a bird flies) increasing to the destination while I was actually headed towards it on the interstate prescribed by the routing software. After about 45 minutes of this, it abruptly fixed itself as if nothing had ever gone wrong.

3. The route calculation is so slow as to be unusable, and this is on a 400MHz Dell Axim X5 with a ton of memory- a very highest performance device.

4. Map inaccuracies are such that it occasionally indicates the user is off-route while on a major highway or the interstate. I think that this is a case where map position coordinates for the roadway are at least 50 to 100 feet in error.

5. Maps have to be manually loaded from region to region. Even if present in the memory, the user has to instruct the software to use it. This is a big hassle, and one that is not tolerable while driving.

6. Generated routes are terrible in town and out, and I found myself using a paper map for the sake of efficiency instead of this system. As an example of how ridiculous things can be, the device instructed me to exit Interstate 20 in the middle of nowhere then immediately get back on the highway. This was not related to a map inaccuracy; the exit ramp, stop sign, and entrance ramp were exactly where they were indicated to be but the instructions made no sense.

There are also a number of product features and tweaks that should be addressed (in my opinion):

1. A route builder tool is needed where the user is presented with route options, or can constrain the routing engine to use a certain highway or road set. Without real time traffic information, school zone locations, etc, this would be necessary even if the routing engine were good. And wile not a panacea, this would also speed the calculations up as a side effect.

2. The display should auto center when one zooms. Drawing a zoom box on the screen only instructs the unit what scale you wish to see rather than zooming in on a specific region.

3. The map view tool is weak, making the process of transferring maps to your PC and Pocket PC slow and tedious.

4. There should be an option to adjust the amount of detail shown on the map: low, medium, high. I saw situations at both extremes that I would have liked to adjust (actually needed to in one case).

5. It would also be nice to have basic trip computer features like ETA at destination as well as waypoints or road changes, average speed, a speed profile, etc.

6. The unit should be able to store and upload actual detailed routes to Pharos' web site for analysis. This would allow them to tweak their routing engine to a point of usability, and perhaps generate rules or algorithms that would allow it to finish calculating before you arrive.

Conclusion: At its current stage of development, this is a toy at best. I don't what alternative to suggest yet, but would like to hear from you if you have a good one.

Best Regards,
Roy

I just recieved my PK038 navigator GPS for my Axim. I put the installation CD in, and with one click the installation started for my Axim. Very easy to install. I installed a map of the San Jose area within a few minutes. I hooked it up in my car. Very simple hooking up the cables. I got a signal very quickly and I was on my way. Speed on the GPS is accurate within 1 mile per hour. The navigation is awesome and voice directions are very cool. Re-route works well. The maps look really clear and are easy to view. It is pretty fun to use. It could not have been any easier.

The Pharos is easy to install & use, and has great satellite response. However, the maps are not as detailed or up-to-date as Garmin's MapSource Maps. I found the directions were sometimes strange and circuitous, leaving me to wonder where I went wrong. If you already know where you're going, the Pharos can help you plan the route. On the other hand, if you need real-time navigation help, try the Garmin cfQue instead. With over 5 million integrated points of interest, it's the best deal going.

I'll keep this short.

The Pharos hardware is great; fast, accurate, flexible (CF, Bluetooth, cabled), compact.

The Ostia software is great; easy to use (love the "Home" and "Auto Re-route" features), fast, intuitive (after reading the manual to understand the icons).

The Map data... well that is a different story. It is old and inaccurate (missing highways and major streets that have been in place for 5+ years; and yes, I did download their "latest" maps via "Smart Maps").

Bottom line, I do not trust their maps to get me to where I want to go in a city I do not know. I'll just use the Pharos hardware with Pocket Streets & Trips or Mapopolis.

So my advice is to just by their hardware w/o Ostia and get another Navigation Application with reliable map data.

I bought my Axim X5 PDA a couple of years ago and haven't used it much since. I never quite found it useful - besides, I'm a Mac user. Well, now I think that GPS is the KILLER APP for PDAs. For a reasonable price this has breathed new life in the device. Truly useful and portable. I ended picking up the compact flash adapter as well.

My only problem with the system is the software. The sensor seems to be very good but the Ostia software I find to be very slow. As well, it includes almost no points of interest. I ended up buying Mapopolis maps and they work perfectly with the Pharos sensor

I travel a lot, mostly flying into an area and renting a car, and this add-on to my Axim x50 has been a fantastic tool. It's easy to use, there are 3 different display options while you're driving, and it's small and very light, easy to pack.

I agree that the limitation of not automatically being able to load an adjacent area map when you're driving long distances is a bit of a pain, but I don't do that often, and the free map updates and highway maps (register your product at their website for the downlaods) is more than sufficient for what I need. If I'm driving for hours at a time, chances are I'm on a highway so the highway map is fine for me.

I just returned the PHAROS gps for PDA's. I have had a Garmin for 2 years and wanted an upgrade. I chose this because it was a little cheaper than the Garmin GPS-10. Wow, was I wrong. Having used 3 personal GPS units over the past few years I do know a little about what to expect. I am in sales and need the information for places I am typically not too familiar with. Here is a list of Pros and Cons on this model:

PROs:
1. Price: It is 30-50$ less
2. 3D View: The OSTIA software does have a neat (but not necessary)3D effect

CON's:
1. Slow updating (I was passing Hwy exits before the GPS knew it)
2. Hardly any options on the PC for planning a trip with stops
3. Voice Prompts are not very helpful (only has 10 phrases)
4. OUT OF DATE MAPS!! My neighborhood has been around for 5+ years and it is not listed (along with many others around DFW). The GPS (garmin) I bought 2 years ago had more up to date maps.
5. You have to pay 5$ a month for PointOfInterest access (you can't look up a Chili's near you, or ANY RESTAURANT AT ALL)
6. Poor Customer service (40 mins on hold trying to get help)

5.

I received my Pharos last night and took it out for a test run around town. This is thing is amazing!!!Although map might need a little updating (when a street turns into another without a turn), this thing worked as it was advertised!!!It was extremely easy and inttuitive. The satellite acquisition was fast with no problems. For the price, against the comparable units, cannot be beat. Although other units might be a little more convenient when dealing with the uploads, I cannot justify a 400-800 price diff for that.

Even though the manual didn't have all the troubleshooting available to help me configure my X5, I *DID* find what I needed in the FAQs at [manufacturer's web site] - I fly all ovet the country for my job and haven't been lost since I bought it. The voice is pleasant and loud enough to hear, even on the Axim's speaker. The display is bright and easy to see.

This was DEFINITELY worth it's price, and rivals units at 10 TIMES to price. Easily comparable to the Magellan, which costs $1,700.00.

If you allways get lost in the car, this is a Great Navigation Tool for the money! Specially if you allready own an Axim. If money is less than a problem, Garmin makes a PDA with navigation built in that is really great.