Customer Reviews

Pharos Traveler 525 2.27-Inches Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Bought the Pharos 525 2 weeks ago. It's a very neat device, and is one of the first to include all three wifi, bluetooth and gps in the one unit. It is smaller than most PDA's, but has the same amount of pixels as other QVGA Pocket pcs (320x240) in its smaller screen, giving it a very sharp and readable appearance. Its big enough. Battery life is great - I accidentally left the GPS running one morning on arriving at the office, it was still going when I next looked at the device 8 hours later! My old Garmin Ique would've been dead after about 45 minutes without power with the GPS running. The GPS receiver is also super sensitive, and does not require a flip out antenna, meaning you can often leave the device in its pleather case while operating the GPS, and not in your car window if you don't want either, a nice nod to convenience.

I can't agree with the other reviewer comment "Nice job Pharos". The device is basically a rebadged HTC Galaxy, aka Qtek G100, aka Dopod P100, aka I-mate PDA-N. Pharos has done nothing to the unit apart from added their splash screen at start up. The only thing Pharos has done is include their Ostia software, which is, quite frankly, absolutely terrible and without doubt the worst GPS software I've ever used. Hopelessly old fashioned and non-intuitive, the worst thing of all is that its routing algorhythms are way off and the routes it chooses are shockingly terrible. I'd have no confidence to travel somewhere unfamiliar with this software - you will get to your destination, but it'll probably take you a while, on the scenic route - this is what those rip off New York style cabbies must use!

Thankfully, you can bin this terrible software and install something else. I'm currently running Mapopolis, which is an excellent inexpensive program, not the best looking (blows Pharos's terrible effort away, mind you) but the routing, directions and features included are excellent, and the mapping is bang on. You can even try before you buy off their website. Other good ones are TomTom 5, Copilot 6 and Iguidance.

All in all, very happy with the device now - just be sure you budget in some extra to change the navigation software - even if you've never used GPS before, and think the supplied Pharos Ostia is OK, you owe it to yourself to at least have a look at one of the other programs - you'll change your mind very fast!

I was looking at the Garmin iQue PDA's and was not convinced. I happened upon the Pharos GPS 525 by chance, and thought I would give it a try.

This thing is impressive. GPS, BlueTooth v1.2, 802.11(b), and Windows Mobile 5.0. 64MB RAM, 128MB flash. Garmin can't touch that. And they include everything under the sun in the box: case, windsheild mount, car charger, home charger, usb cable, earbuds, extra stylus, USB SD card reader for your PC... and even a 512MB flash SD card! And the quality of the device seems excellent, from the removable battery with solid battery cover, to the finish of the device. Not a cheapo unit at all.

Not the speediest at 300MHz, but probably a good tradeoff for battery life. I have no performance complaints.

Important to note, this is a small form-factor PDA. I was surpised by this, but it's perfect for me. 109.7mm x 59.4mm x 17.6mm. This is a much more usesable size but some might find it hard to read the smaller screen.

I give it 4 instead of 5 stars because although they include turn-by-turn nav software, I'm not sure it's the best. But then, I don't have experience with other software. I have heard that it's a pretty standard deal that most people buy a GPS PDA and then buy TomTom Navigator 5 a la cart. I'll likely do that soon.

I'm the type of person who is rarly 100% satisfied with a product, but it was nice to see that they didn't hold back on this one. Only room I see for improvement would be bundle of TomTom s/w, add a digital camera, a slimmer carrying case, stereo speakers, 2nd SD slot, and 802.11(g) (which I haven't seen in a PDA to date).

Nice job Pharos, I'm impressed.

I just bought this unit 3 days ago. Was originally thinking of buying a new Dell Axim with the GPS CF Card but when I saw the price + all the features this unit was offering "I had to have it!" I'm a computer consultant in NY City and am not too familiar with the area and thought this would be awesome because of my 99% lost rate, but unfortunately, in NY City, it has never achieved a GPS Lock, ever. I even downloaded their Jump Start app that is suppose to give the GPS on the unit a lil kick in the arse to help it achieve a lock but it doesn't work. So if your Manhattan bound, better just program your route ahead of time and manually use the mapping portion because the GPS is useless there.

Also, the web sites advertise FREE Scype calls. Unfortunately the web sites are wrong and it's not part of the package so you still have to pay 2 cents a minute to call land lines from the unit over wireless.

After reading Doug'e review, I decided to give Pharos 525 a try because I like the wi-fi and gps combination. At the beginining, the device could not find my home location, after downloading the new map from the company's website, it showed up. I used the GPS for two local trips and both times, pharos showed me the best routes. I am not generalizing this based on only two local trials but I do not think the software is that terrible.

The customer service is a pleasure to work with. I emailed them questions and they got back to me with detailed information promptly.

I'm pretty much in line with what Doug said. I bought it when it was announced and my expectations were based on a friend's Garmin handheld (no Pocket PC functionality) as well as my experience with OEM units. The unit acquires the GPS signal pretty quickly and has been exceedingly reliable for tracking my progress while driving.

The neatest part of this unit is that it's seamlessly integrated. I can sync my contacts from Outlook on my computer (Mac users will have to wait for Mac Pocket to release their new Windows Mobile 5 compatible update) and those contacts are selectable through the navigation software as origins/destinations. I can then access real-time traffic info via my bluetooth phone to re-route around problem areas. The map info is fairly current (had a new development in the Chicago area that's just over a year old and it was on the map -- a newer one, 6 months old, was not).

It also has a feature that will allow you to locate the active unit via the Internet, although I haven't tried that yet.

The phone connection service is free for 3 months and about $5/month thereafter. It also includes a Yellow Pages type service to locate businesses or other points of interest in the vicinity of the GPS.

Overall, I'm quite satisfied.

Wonderful replacement for my Palm TX. Wi-fi, Bluetooth and GPS in one surprisingly small pocket pc. I had serious software compatibility issues with the Palm; no problems thus far with the Pharos. No problems with wi-fi. Skype works great; the only thing that's disapointing is that it doesn't seem possible to use a Bluetooth earpiece with Skype (there is a wired set of earphones and mic included).

I read all the negative reviews of the Ostia mapping software so I bought the 525E which comes without mapping software (the included Streets & Trips is only for a laptop). It's about a hundred dollars cheaper so I figured I could buy whatever program I wanted. I tried several before deciding since they had free trial downloads: PocketMap City Guide was the cheapest but would not work with the Pharos.Delorme Street Atlas 2007 is about the same price and includes a program for the pocket pc but unless you want to spend time working out installation and the interface I'd suggest spending a little more and getting something more user friendly. Mapapolis worked fairly well. I wasn't wild about it's interface but it seems to have a number of features that some users might really find useful. Odyssey had the nicest interface and practically no learning curve. It was also the easiest to enter destination addresses into. It's slightly cheaper than Mapapolis but look around and you will find deeply discounted downloads. I should point out the screen on the Pharos is tiny and you will likely rely on voice directions.

Since the Pharos is also known as HTC Galaxy Qtek G100, Dopod P100, I-mate PDA-N you can check Ebay for those models and get batteries, chargers, cases, screen protectors and car holders cheaply. They all seem to ship from Hong Kong, but I was surprised to find I got my order in 9 days.

This unit is smaller than I thought it would be, which is a good thing. My friend said he wished it had a bigger screen, but with a bigger screen comes bigger size, so I'm happy the way it is. It includes a nice leather case that makes it bulkier, but protects it from scratches.

The GPS unit is good. I can actually pick up signals indoors many times with three to five satellites, where a Garmin Quest can only pick up one satellite at most (I think you need three to get a lock). It comes with a suction cup and clamp to put on your windshield, but it is illegal in California to do so (stupid law), but I've found I don't need it! I simply put the device in my cupholder, and it gets the signal just fine. That saves me from having more junk in my car.

The unit runs Windows Mobile 5.0/2005, which seems to be a very good, useable OS. I've never run a PDA before, so I really have nothing to compare to. Yes, the Ostia software is lacking, but a third party software package like Tomtom Navigation will do wonders for this unit.

The SD card add-on is also good. Be careful about updating your PDA from the Pharos website though. Do not use the ostia.exe file; instead, download the cab file meant specifically for this unit and install it from an SD card. The ostia.exe seems to have trouble communicating with the GPS in this unit, but they don't seem to list that on their site (but I did talk to their tech support, which was hassle-free). Even if you use it, it's very easy to uninstall and reinstall the other build, so no problems.

I did have some trouble with the battery charging feature (and may still have problems) in the car. It heated up so much the first time I plugged it in, but I realized I plugged it in before I turned on the car (I don't know if that is why it heated up). There is a note telling you not to do that. Instead, plug it in after the car is turned on. I hope I did not ruin anything.

Still, the unit is great, and I would recommend it very much. I pick up WiFi signals all over the place, so checking e-mail isn't very difficult to do on the road.

As I type this I am currently listening to my MP3s using the built in speaker and the 1 gb SD card I bought for $30.00.

I originally bought the device for its GPS capabilities. I looked at the Garmin PDA products, but as soon as the 525 was released I did a little research and ended purchasing it. The fact that it came installed with Bluetooth, GPS, and WIFI was a great selling point.

The Ostia mapping system has worked fine. From a cold start the GPS usually finds a signal in from 2 - 3 minutes. From a hot start, it will find a signal in seconds. When giving directions it has generally been pretty accurate. One time it got me to the right street but told me to turn left instead of right. (I have a Lexus with a built in Nav system, and it too has made errors.)

I tried Mapopolis but it had some glitches and didn't seem to offer that much of a difference from Ostia. (You actually can run pretty much any mapping program made for Windows Mobile 5.)

I loaded many different calendar, launcher, utility programs on the device with no problems whatever.

Finally the package comes with a 512 MB SD card loaded with the current version of the Ostia mapping program and 50 state maps. There still is a lot of room on the card for other apps and files.

The case, car mount, adapters, and USB SD card reader for the PC make this a great deal.

Q U A L I T Y - Unit is built very nicely, has dark gray and black finish, and fits conveniently in you hands or pocket.

F E A T U R E S - WiFi and Bluetooth are great, you can find a connection almost anywhere there is a signal. It has 802.11b, just find a "Hotspot" and you are connected to the internet and surfing. Great having a GPS and PPC all in one unit. Also can use SKYPE, for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Just connect and you are able to chat/talk with your other SKYPE users. Lastly, it has a Voice Recorder feature to let you record messages or notes.

S U P P O R T - Good support when calling their Tech Support, wish they had more updated downloadable maps. There are several new developments that were completed during the start of the year and not on the provided maps.

V A L U E - Very good, the Pharos 525 comes with every accessory you can imagine.... case; a/c adaptor; car cord; sd card reader; windshield suction cup; etc. Multi-functional unit, not an expense electronic map that is stuck on your vehicle's dash or in the glove compartment.

D U R A B I L I T Y - Okay, as with any electronics, you would want to be careful not to drop the 525. Be sure to use the included case for protection and get some screen protectors.

P O R T A B I L I T Y - Excellent, if you like gadgets that are small and tiny, then this is the one for you. The actual unit itself is great for its small size. I'm able to slide it into my pocket and take it everyplace I go. It's an amazing little GPS!!

E A S E O F U S E - Because of the 525 size, it is harder to use while in the car. I often need to use the stylus to navigate on the GPS. Outside of the vehicle, its the best little device out there.

NOTE: The included Ostia GPS software is lacking in features. No auto backlight setting; speed monitor; approach turn bar or indicator; ETA (time) to destination; options for setting navigation are minimal. It works, but would only rate Ostia software 3 stars. I have been using iGuidance as my main GPS application (What a BIG difference!); have also tried Odyssey, Mapopolis, and NoniGPSPlot (a cool Freeware for camping, hiking, and other things). Overall, I have been very pleased and happy with this device. I would highly recommend the 525 over just a regular handheld GPS, because it is very multi-functional and practical.


UPDATE: 7/25/2007
I have had the 525 for just under a year now, and just updated the navi software to iGuidance v4 (Has Voice to Text), so it tells me "in 500 feet make a right turn ON TIMOTHY COURT". I use this device everyday and would be lost with out it when traveling to unfamiliar locations. My kids love playing with the games, MP3s, and videos I have loaded on it. The unit would be 4.5 stars, but the Ostia needs to be improved. I guess that's why Pharos puts out the 525E (less GPS software, so you can get your own). Good luck!

This was my first PDA and GPS device and I must say I was and still am very impressed with this little device. It is just the right size and the WiFi capability is absolutely awesome. The battery life is good. GPS loads quickly and is very accurate.

The only down sides of it is the crappy Ostia software that is included. The maps are not very accurate. The voice navigation is simply a joke, the voice navigation warns you of highway exits which are not there and stays silent on turns and exits which are highlighted in calculated route. Not to mention that the software has many bugs and WILL freeze on you every now and then requiring you to hard reboot the entire device. Luckily you can simply uninstall the ostia software and install something better. I recomand Destinator 6, not only it works better but has more accurate maps (Eastern Europe anyone?).

Recently Pharos announced newer devise which adds a cell phone, 2mpx camera and FM toner. Knowing my self I'll probably be selling my 525 and purchasing the new one. However for under 400 bucks I must say this is definitely one impressive device. Change of navigation software is a must.

I hope this review helps a little. Good luck to all.