Mio P550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Other products by Mio

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5 x 2.9 x 0.7 inches ; 6.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000HI0IL6
• Item model number: 526214980033
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #25,082 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 15, 2006

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Perfect for any road trip, the Mio P550 Portable GPS Multimedia Navigation System is a versatile navigation device, providing full PDA capability, Internet access via built-in Wi-Fi, and wireless connectivity with Bluetooth. Both affordable and stylish, the Mio P550 makes it easier than ever to get where you are going, even when you aren't quite sure where that might be. And because the P550 is compatible with most Windows Mobile 5 software, you can use it for off-road navigation as well.

Since it runs on the Windows Mobile 5 operating platform, the Mio P550 can support the GPS software of your choice. This means you are not restricted as to where and when you can use GPS, nor do you need different devices depending on the activity you want to use them for, for ultimate flexibility. For the road, the manufacturer does recommend Mio Map software, which guides you to your destination with a seamless journey, and has maps of the US and 24 European countries available. However, the P550 is equally in its element if you want to go sailing, biking, or hiking, requiring you to just add the software and get going. The highly sensitive SirfStar III GPS chipset in the P550 can receive signals from up to 20 satellites for extremely accurate positioning, even in the toughest terrain. And when it comes to connecting the receiver, you don't have to worry about getting tangled up with external antenna and extra wires, because it is already built-in. Slim and sleek, the P550 has an ultra-compact design offering pocket-sized portability that's perfect whether you are traveling on foot, by bike or in your car. The Mio P550 even makes exchanging files quick and easy via reliable, high-speed Bluetooth connectivity for synchronizing your Outlook or calendar with your desktop computer.

More than a convenient navigator, the P550 can be used with SD/MMC cards to store pictures, MP3 files, videos, and eBooks, turning this unit into a multimedia entertainment center. Now you can always take a couple of eBooks, your favorite MP3s, a film or two, and your photo album along, in the convenience of a standard memory card. And since you are only limited by your number of SD/MMC cards, you can read on the train, show relatives your family snaps, or listen to music strolling around town, taking unlimited entertainment with you wherever you go. The Mio P550 also offers all the advantages a surprisingly powerful, incredibly versatile PDA running Windows Mobile. Providing access to all Microsoft Office Pocket applications, you can go through your PowerPoint presentation, edit Word documents or create an Excel spreadsheet any time you need to, so you'll always be prepared and up to speed. And when you've had enough of work, you can also use the P550 to play games to pass the time, or use the Wi-Fi to get online and surf the Internet.

The Mio Digiwalker P550 utilizes a 3.5-inch color resistive, anti-glare LCD touch-screen display with LED backlighting, 65,000 colors and 320 x 240 pixels of resolution. This unit includes 64 MB of on-board RAM, 128 MB of memory, and infinitely expandable memory via the built-in SD/MMC card slot that is SD/IO compatible. The P550 includes a USB 1.1 connector, a built-in speaker and mono microphone, a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, and an internal rechargeable 1,200 mAh lithium-ion battery. This unit utilizes Bluetooth 1.2 wireless technology, and 802.11 b and g Wi-Fi connectivity. The included cradle doesn't just hold your navigator, but will also charge the battery while you drive when connected to the power cable. Combined with the windshield mount, this cradle forms a very solid device holder, providing investment security and preventing vibrations. The Mio Digiwalker P550 portable GPS multimedia navigator weighs six ounces, measures 2.8 x 4.5 x 0.7 inches (W x H x D), and is backed by a manufacturer's one-year warranty.

What's in the Box
Mio Digiwalker P550 portable PDA and navigator, device holder, windshield mount, AC power adapter, DC in-vehicle power adapter, USB cable, CD with user's manual, getting started CD, license agreement, windshield mount guide, quick start guide, Mio club registration card and warranty card.

Product Description

The Mio P550 is one of the most versatile navigation devices available, providing full PDA capability, Internet access via built-in WiFi, and wireless connectivity with Bluetooth. And because the P550 is compatible with any Windows Mobile 5 software, you can use it for off road navigation. Just load the software you prefer - and go.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Medicore Product, January 31, 2007

By	Satcha (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

I don't recommend this item. There are a couple of pluses, but there are a number of problems:

First, the pluses--
--The price is good for a GPS unit and PDA.
--The SIRF III GPS received is responsive, receiving good reception even inside my house (except for the basement).
--The Wifi is fast.

Now the minuses:

--The battery life is poor. I ran through a fully charged battery in a little over an hour with the Wifi on.
--The screen is poor quality. There is bleeding of text and images and the resolution does not appear good. Possibly, this is because the screen is quite large for 320x240 resolution.
--The PDA functions are not integrated with the mapping and GPS functions. E.g., there does not appear to be a way to access your contacts list within the Mio Maps.
--Mio Maps is clunky software. It requires multiple taps and is not intuitive.
--There are typical Windows Mobile memory problems because applications do not shut down when closed. I guess I'll need to pursue the third party software route to address this problem.
--Internet Explorer is a dated and inconvenient browser for mobile devices. It doesn't format pages well and will not load secure sites such as Chase Banking. I downloaded Opera mobile but they want to charge $24 for a registered copy.
--The device is quite heavy. It is industrial in appearance; not attractive but not terribly ugly. It is a bit odd that the screen is so recessed.
--I was surprised that the device connects to ActiveSync via USB 1.1. This causes synchronization to be very slow.
--Skype did not work very well even though I have a very fast home Wifi network.
--Almost no software came with device (only Worldmate, Mio Mapping and the basic Windows Mobile). Outlook was not even included. This is a first, in my experience.

I haven't used the mapping software extensively. It's based on TeleAtlas.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good GPS for money, April 2, 2007

By	Z. Altman "Iwhatt" (Newtown, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I think that this is very functional and well executed device. Once you get used to the software it is accurate and easy to use. Very good car mount which allows for many configurations inside your car.
WiFi and Bluetooth both work well and fast.
Windows Mobile is not any worse or better then other hand held PC. Messaging and sinchronization work OK and this could be reasonable travel companion rather then laptop. You do need to carry a charger since battery life is short. You get couple hours if you use your energy saving mode.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engineering At its best, August 6, 2008

By	Highland Rock - See all my reviews

MIO P550 has a solid construction feel and MIO Map is EXCEPTIONAL. The smart zoom feature truely showcase user interface excellence. My 06 Jeep's factory navigation (which is made by Alpine with Navtech) does not even come close with the amount of features.

Useful features include graphical display that informs you Satelite signal, user selectable display on car speed, time, and destination distance etc. Real time one touch to change map view to birdeye view, true North or direction. You can view the entire route before doing any edit on the routing. User selectable routing methods include shortest, fastest, by car or walking. The map is so detailed, it even shows incoming lane and center island.

"My POI" feature allows user to set a large # of addresses limited only by the size of "disk" space. One can also create groups for addresses by state, city or anything one wishes. I would say give yourself 15 minutes to play thru the basic features.

Because the operation system is Microsoft. So one would expect to know the importance of performing "CTRL_ALT_DELETE" which is simplified by a reset button. The Microsoft media player, as many Microsoft products, is not exactly stable and can take up a lot of memory. When one closes a program, Windows DOES NOT close it; you have to go to system setting in order to terminate any Microsoft applications. MIO map needs 6 MB to run; so one needs to know "how to operate" the OS a little.

Mobile PowerPoint, Excel & Word are actually useless. If you need to use any of these software, Take your laptop with you. IE works fine but finding a free hotspot is getting harder. I have not tested SkyPE, so really can not say anything on phone call performance under 802.11G or B.