Pharos PKCAN041 GPS Kit for Dell Axim X3/X3i/X30

Miles · 07-01-2005, 11:19 PM

Reviewer: Mark "Fraoch" Lanctot

Excerpt: "The Pharos PKCAN041 is a kit designed to turn a Dell Axim X3/X3i/X30 PocketPC into a car GPS navigator. It includes all the necessary hardware and software." "The GPS receiver is a neat little device about 2" square. For the techheads out there like me, the GPS chipset is a SiRFstarIIe/LP. A fairly long cable attaches to it. This cable is terminated on the other end with a PocketPC power/synch connection. In the middle of this cable is a power connector for the cigarette lighter adapter."

Feel free to post your comments and questions here!

Link To Review

Miles · 07-02-2005, 02:05 AM

Whether you like the product or not, it's well worth the read, Mark did and excellent job of putting this review together...one of the best I've read

*Fraoch* · 07-02-2005, 04:58 PM

Thank you Paragon!

I hope to be able to review the Dell Axim X30 on its own in the near future.

grsamf · 07-02-2005, 07:22 PM

Interesting product and interesting review. Nicely done.

Griff · 07-02-2005, 10:06 PM

Very nice little gadget. Good review.

*Fraoch* · 08-15-2006, 09:53 AM

Just a follow-up: the software I reviewed was 6.0.

Pharos offers the latest software and maps at a very good price - $59.95 for new software + maps of the USA and Canada. Compare this to ~$100 for Garmin maps of just Canada.

Since I have a business trip to the U.S. coming up, I decided to go for it if only to get the U.S. maps.

Well I'm glad I didn't get it for just the new software, 7.60. It's mostly a UI cleanup. Nice things:

- much improved graphics

- auto-open maps based on GPS location

- Canada highway map (you open this if you're planning on going from region to region without getting off the highway so you don't have to load or open local map sections)

- BIG buttons for most functions as opposed to small menu items. This makes operating without a stylus much easier as I lost the stylus 6 months ago.

- a "Home" favorite

- 3D view

- improved voice messages, instead of "right turn ahead" it's "right turn 1.5 kilometres". Unfortunately if you want kilometres you get a voice with a South African accent (?)

- new simplified turn-by-turn views

- Ostia link right on the desktop, referred to as the "today" page for a PocketPC

So nothing revolutionary as I'm not much for eye candy, but at that price I thought it was a good business investment.

Here's a killer feature I'd like: many GPS units, in particular Garmin, have an almanac where they can calculate exact sunrise/sunset times. I believe this is calculated based on position and date. What would be nice is if the map colour scheme automatically switched to night mode after sunset.

izibo · 08-15-2006, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fraoch

What would be nice is if the map colour scheme automatically switched to night mode after sunset.

iGuidance (which I think I've been urging you to switch to for quite some time now

) has done this for a while. You get a to pick the two schemes you use for day and night, although I pick the more traditional white background during the day and black background during the night.

*Fraoch* · 08-15-2006, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by izibo

iGuidance (which I think I've been urging you to switch to for quite some time now

) has done this for a while. You get a to pick the two schemes you use for day and night, although I pick the more traditional white background during the day and black background during the night.

Cool!

I've continued to use Ostia because it works for me and I'm used to it. And now I have all the maps I need - it's the maps that can get pricey.

There was only one time where I had major difficulties. Something crashed in the PocketPC, I think it was Windows Media Player, and it slowed everything to a crawl. It persisted after some soft resets too. Seemed to clear up all on its own.

Yesterday I had some trouble installing Ostia 7.6. I didn't have my GPS receiver connected when I first started it up. I tried to close the program but it crashed and froze the PPC up. After a few soft resets it stopped booting altogether. So I had to do a hard reset (wipes all programs) and I took the opportunity to update the OS on the PPC. Fortunately I have a backup on my main PC which I restored from, including all my contacts.

I lost all my Ostia favorites in the upgrade but the contacts still work fine.

toyo · 01-13-2007, 10:55 AM

Thank you for this very informative review.

ttoothh_abx · 01-14-2007, 05:45 PM

I test the internet connection
to moderatos: please remove this topic. Sorry for your time.

07-01-2005, 11:19 PM	#1
Miles Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: South Carolina Posts: 5,558	Pharos PKCAN041 GPS Kit for Dell Axim X3/X3i/X30 Reviewer: Mark "Fraoch" Lanctot Excerpt: "The Pharos PKCAN041 is a kit designed to turn a Dell Axim X3/X3i/X30 PocketPC into a car GPS navigator. It includes all the necessary hardware and software." "The GPS receiver is a neat little device about 2" square. For the techheads out there like me, the GPS chipset is a SiRFstarIIe/LP. A fairly long cable attaches to it. This cable is terminated on the other end with a PocketPC power/synch connection. In the middle of this cable is a power connector for the cigarette lighter adapter." Feel free to post your comments and questions here! Link To Review __________________ Regards, Miles ________________________________ Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 w/ Enzotech Ultra \| ASUS Blitz Formula SE \| 2 x 2Gb Mushkin XP2-6400 DDR-2 \| XFX 8800 GTX XXX\| 2 - Seagate 750GB Barracuda ES \| PCP&C 1KWSR \| Lian Li G70 \| Windows Vista 64-bit Ultimate \| Dell 2407 FPW Monitor Last edited by Miles : 07-02-2005 at 02:57 PM.
(Offline)

07-02-2005, 02:05 AM	#2
Miles Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: South Carolina Posts: 5,558	Whether you like the product or not, it's well worth the read, Mark did and excellent job of putting this review together...one of the best I've read __________________ Regards, Miles ________________________________ Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 w/ Enzotech Ultra \| ASUS Blitz Formula SE \| 2 x 2Gb Mushkin XP2-6400 DDR-2 \| XFX 8800 GTX XXX\| 2 - Seagate 750GB Barracuda ES \| PCP&C 1KWSR \| Lian Li G70 \| Windows Vista 64-bit Ultimate \| Dell 2407 FPW Monitor
(Offline)

07-02-2005, 04:58 PM	#3
Fraoch Resident ABX Wizard Join Date: May 2003 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 8,814	Thank you Paragon! I hope to be able to review the Dell Axim X30 on its own in the near future.
(Offline)

07-02-2005, 07:22 PM	#4
grsamf Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 3,739	Interesting product and interesting review. Nicely done.
(Offline)

07-02-2005, 10:06 PM	#5
Griff OLD FART Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Smithers BC, Canada Posts: 3,529	Very nice little gadget. Good review. __________________ Jerry Folding for the betterment of man kind.
(Offline)

08-15-2006, 09:53 AM	#6
Fraoch Resident ABX Wizard Join Date: May 2003 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 8,814	Just a follow-up: the software I reviewed was 6.0. Pharos offers the latest software and maps at a very good price - $59.95 for new software + maps of the USA and Canada. Compare this to ~$100 for Garmin maps of just Canada. Since I have a business trip to the U.S. coming up, I decided to go for it if only to get the U.S. maps. Well I'm glad I didn't get it for just the new software, 7.60. It's mostly a UI cleanup. Nice things: - much improved graphics - auto-open maps based on GPS location - Canada highway map (you open this if you're planning on going from region to region without getting off the highway so you don't have to load or open local map sections) - BIG buttons for most functions as opposed to small menu items. This makes operating without a stylus much easier as I lost the stylus 6 months ago. - a "Home" favorite - 3D view - improved voice messages, instead of "right turn ahead" it's "right turn 1.5 kilometres". Unfortunately if you want kilometres you get a voice with a South African accent (?) - new simplified turn-by-turn views - Ostia link right on the desktop, referred to as the "today" page for a PocketPC So nothing revolutionary as I'm not much for eye candy, but at that price I thought it was a good business investment. Here's a killer feature I'd like: many GPS units, in particular Garmin, have an almanac where they can calculate exact sunrise/sunset times. I believe this is calculated based on position and date. What would be nice is if the map colour scheme automatically switched to night mode after sunset.
(Offline)

01-13-2007, 10:55 AM	#9
toyo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 6	Thank you for this very informative review.
(Offline)

01-14-2007, 05:45 PM	#10
ttoothh_abx Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1	Teesst topic(remove it) I test the internet connection to moderatos: please remove this topic. Sorry for your time.
(Offline)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode