About Maps con't

Fig 4. Map Search by City Name"

Unfortunately, the "zip code" search does not work for Canadian destinations, even though this is a Canadian map.

I find it easiest to point to the map section and right-click, which results in the following options:

Fig 5. Pharos Software Menu

These commands are all self-explanatory, but the "View Current Map" option deserves some further exploration.

You can view the data on each map on your PC. This allows for a handy preview of what you will see on your PocketPC. More importantly, it allows you to search through the database using address lookup, intersection and points-of-interest searches almost exactly as they would appear on the PocketPC. This is extremely useful. Sometimes the map may not be able to find certain addresses or even certain small towns. They are usually there, but the street names may be different - for example, "Highway 2" rather than "Main Street". This allows you to resolve the issue and find your destination in advance rather than be left directionless on the road. However, you cannot save location favorites or plot routes in Map Viewer.

Ostia on the PocketPC

As described earlier, the basic procedure is to allow the GPS to fix your position, load a map and then find a destination. If you wish, you can locate an origin and then a destination, but if the GPS is active it assumes the GPS position as your origin.

If your trip spans several map sections, you need to load all of them. You can load up to 10 maps but route plotting slows down the more maps you load. With only 2 map sections loaded, route plotting takes 30-45 seconds on my 312 Mhz PocketPC. However, navigation is not affected so you experience no processing delays as you drive.

Once you have a destination, Ostia will construct a route for you by either fastest, shortest or no highway options.

The following is a PocketPC screenshot of a map with a route plotted and with the GPS receiver active.

Fig 6. Map Showing Route

The display is quite intuitive - the bar at the upper left indicates the current zoom level; the length of the bar itself represents 0.5 km on the map in this case. The large red chevron is your current position and heading, but the heading is only accurate when you are moving. The route is highlighted in light blue. Minor streets are in grey, major streets are in brown and highways are in red. Park areas are in green and waterways are in blue. A compass is located at the lower right of the map. Across the bottom of the screen is the next maneuver, a right turn in this case, and the distance to the next maneuver, 0.09 km. The text across the bottom of the screen indicates the name of the road you will be entering, Wharncliffe Road S - note the alternate name, Highway 4, is cut off. To the lower right of the screen is the distance to the destination, 231 km.

The program controls are at the bottom of the screen and do not need to be accessed while driving, nor should they. The File menu loads and closes maps, the Find menu is to locate origin and destination, plot an alternative route with the same origin and destination or reverse the route. The View menu can provide text directions for the current route, see the following screenshot:

Fig 7. Text Directions

This summary shows all the plotted maneuvers and distances as well as a time estimate to the destination and provides a good "play by play" that can be reviewed in advance.