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Most of the global positioning systems (GPSs) we review in PCW are aimed at drivers, but they're also great tools for anyone who wants to go off-road, whether hiking, orienteering or in a 4 x 4. Navman's GPS 3300 Terrain is aimed at just those people. It comprises a PC application on which you can manually plot a route, then download it to an Ipaq, and a GPS jacket that provides information as you travel. The quality of the jacket is as you'd expect from Navman - responsive, quick to start up and with a Compact Flash (CF) slot for extra memory.
The software can show you how much you're off-track, which way to get back on your route, average speed and ETA. And if you have, for example, an aerial photo and a map of the same area downloaded to the Ipaq, you can switch between the two views, with the same route appearing on both, which is great for getting your bearings. There are some niggles, though; the manual is close to useless, leaving you to rely on a fairly sparse help file for important information, such as where to get maps.
That point is particularly important because, although the CD includes maps for Europe boasting 25 countries, they're at 1:1,000,000 scale - not the 1:50,000 or 1:25,000 walkers will be accustomed to from OS Landranger and similar maps. In other words, they lack the detail to show footpaths, bridleways and even roads within cities. You can buy compatible electronic maps, but at £40 for an OS region of between two and eight National Grid squares, anyone who travels a lot will be laying out lots more cash. You can scan in and calibrate maps of your own, but if all you have is an A4 scanner that won't be much fun.
Contact: Navman 01293 449 882
www.navman-europe.com
System Requirements:
HP/Compaq Ipaq Pocket PC.
See also:
This navigation system could be the key to finding your destination with ease. 18 Nov 2003
The Navman GPS 3400 and Travroute Copilot get put through their paces. 21 Jan 2003All Gadgets
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