Of course, for my trip, I accidentally left my USB cable for the iPod at home and would not have been able to recharge it without the powerXtender. The general availability of AA batteries makes the charger valuable.
Operation is simple. Pop in a pair of batteries. Plug in the device. Turn on the power switch and wait.
UMPC On The Go
Microsoft's Streets and Trips 2008 is a mapping application initially designed for PCs and laptops. It includes a USB GPS adapter that enables navigation. It actually works better when used with a portable PC like the Samsung Q1B UMPC.
The PC "roots" of Streets and Trips is quite apparent, making for distinct advantages and disadvantages on a UMPC. On the plus side, the functionality of the system is far greater than a stand-alone GPS navigation system. Route planning can get much more sophisticated, assuming it's done before you drive. On the downside, you can't use the mouse/menu interface while driving. The real-time interface is more finger/touch screen friendly, but it is not yet in the same class as standalone GPS navigation systems.
The program is available in a number of versions. The top-of-the-line version supports real-time information updates including traffic and gas prices. The system can already handle location of nearby services and areas of interest. The FM receiver (Fig. 8) for this service can be part of the GPS adapter. Actually, the GPS adapter plugs into the center of the receiver, so you only need one USB cable. The top-end version of Streets and Trips includes a one-year subscription to this service. It's only available in some areas based on the FM transmissions, but I found it handy.
I am going to concentrate on UMPC integration of Streets and Trips. I will say that the program works quite well with a PC and it is really designed for a large screen that is normally found on a laptop or PC. Those using the current version on a UMPC will need a little patience but that's already a requirement of using Windows applications on a UMPC.
The biggest problem with using this application on a UMPC its the dependence on the mouse as well as the user interface that assumes menus are easy to read and access. This is not the case, even with a pen when sitting in a car trying to figure out where you want to go. It is much easier when using the system in a hotel room with the Stowaway keyboard and a USB mouse. Still, having preplanned routes makes it significantly easier to use on the road.
The interactive GPS navigation mode (Fig. 9) is what will be used on the road. This has a finger-friendly interface (top of the screen) and an easily readable status area (bottom) but the map area and general interface are where any standalone GPS system beats Streets and Trips. The Streets and Maps interface is essentially limited to recalculating the route and switching the day/night view mode. Repeating audio directions is just a two-touch process but zooming or changing routes is not available in this version. Support for these kinds of actions is simply a matter of programming, so hopefully that will be different in future versions.
Driving directions are based on routes. Routes can be created on the road, but you need to pull over and pull out the stylus because this part of the program (as with most of it) is mouse- or menu-based. Fingers do not work. Selecting a predefined route is a few stylus touches away, as is starting the GPS and driving direction support.
As I noted, the system requires some patience, but the results are good once into the driving interface. The audio directions are a must. This is where the system is on par with standalone GPS systems. Directions are given prior to turns, and a status line indicates the relative distance to the next transition.
Once I had to get used to was the view. The map area showed a zoomed-out view compared to the more conventional, 3D perspective lane view popular on many standalone navigation systems. The inability to zoom or hide the directions even temporarily is a deficiency I would like to see removed. Unfortunately, the zoom control requires the stylus and moving back to the conventional Windows interface.
As a UMPC user, I have no problem using Streets and Trips as a GPS system, but I might think twice in passing it along to the less tech-savvy. Anyone who successfully utilizes a Windows-based UMPC will likely have the expertise and patience to make good use of the program. I will definitely be using it to find my way around.
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