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CoPilot Live Pocket PC 4 User Review for Australia
Review Date: 10 June 2004
Reviewed by: Kean F Ng
Please send all review comments to: kfng@internode.on.net
Updates: 27 Jan 2005 include version 4.5
Review Objective
The primary objective of this review is to share my experience with the decision process and with the GPS software in the Australian context. In addition, I hope that more Australians will find it easier to adopt GPS after reading the review. With more awareness and adoption, I hope that GPS and software prices will drop as demand increases.
Note that this review does not attempt to make comparisons between other GPS software, other than describing the decision to make to the final purchase. It does not review the Live functionality, as I do not have a GPRS phone and service.
Disclaimer
I have no relationship with any of the vendors listed below and again stress that this review is for the benefit of others who could be in the same situation as myself. The opinions are entirely mine and I bear no responsibility for these opinions. I declare that I am a newbie in GPS systems and this is my first try at writing a review. I do not claim to be an expert with my limited knowledge of GPS hardware, software and its functions.
Start
If you don't want to read about how I made a decision to purchase CoPilot, go straight to Review section.
Otherwise, read on...
Introduction
As a newbie trying to buy a GPS for street routing purpose, I really had a difficult time trying to decide which GPS and software to buy. I would want a product that was within budget and performed up to expectation, which has the options for future expansion. There are so many GPS and software sold in the market, and tons of reviews to read about.
• Which review can one trust?
• Which site is the defacto site for reviews?
• Are the reviews applicable in the Australian context?
• Can the hardware work with the software you are putting together?
• Should I get a Handheld GPS or a PDA with Compact Flash GPS?
• Does the software allow me to do street routing or is it only topographical?
• Is it safe to have to look at the GPS/PDA while driving or will voice prompt with street names spoken be safer?
• Should I buy from other countries at a cheaper price but incur shipping and handing charges, and having to wait for delivery (unless you are willing to pay extra for quicker delivery)?
Initially, the consideration was, of course, price. I budgeted A$400 - A$500 for the entire purchase. As I searched the web, I realised that my budget was unrealistic. (However, it does not mean that I agree I should be paying a fortune for the software.)
Just when I had determined that I would get that software after reading the many reviews, I realised that while good software is one aspect, it must also support maps for the particular country you need to use it in. So map support for Australia became the primary consideration.
After selecting appropriate software, I needed to figure out what kind of GPS I want. Some software vendors want you to buy their hardware, so you are left without the flexibility of choosing a particular GPS. As I found out more, I realised that one GPS is better than the other, has more features or is cheaper. Back to drawing board, again!
If you start your selection based on hardware, know that some hardware vendors will only work with their own software. Now, this also leads to the accuracy of the map database that the vendor provides, an important factor in decision making.
Decision Process
What GPS Hardware should I buy?
Choices include Handheld units, PDA solutions, Notebook solution, and In-Car Navigation units. In-Car navigation units are usually only for street routing purpose.
• For Handheld, additional options include those with and those without mapping capability and sound prompts, and those with and without memory expansion options.
• For Notebook and PDA, additional options include using Compact Flash vs Mouse vs Handheld units.
• For In-Car Navigation systems, additional options include fixed vs removable, full vs limited voice prompts, and those with and without memory expansion options.
What GPS Software should I buy to go with my GPS Hardware?
Choices include street routing, topographical, aviation and marine.
• For PDA and notebook, additional option include those software available for use on PDA only or both PDA and Notebook
• For Handheld hardware, additional option include interface options for PC connectivity
• For In-Car Navigation hardware, no options as software usually bundled together with the hardware.
In order of importance, what are the factors influencing my decision?
1. Availability of maps for Australia
2. Accuracy of map database, especially true for street routing.
3. Product reviews
4. Price
5. Interoperability of products and the connectivity options.
6. I already own a DELL PDA (translates to lower cost for PDA solution)
My requirement?
1. Street routing with voice direction of street names.
2. Routing capabilities must be sufficiently quick.
3. GPS acquisition must be significantly fast and sensitive.
4. GPS can also be used out of the car.
5. Hardware must not be tied to particular software and vice versa.
Selection Reasons
Why did I choose CoPilot Live for Pocket PC 4?
These are the competition’s Street Routing software that provide maps for Australia:
• Destinator 3 from PowerLoc,
• World Navigator from Teletype, and
• Mapsource City Navigator 5 from Garmin
1. World Navigator was ruled out because there was no email response from Teletype Distributor (MapData Sciences) in Australia regarding pricing. Teletype did not want to deal with me directly. There is also a requirement that only a Teletype CF GPS can be used in a CF slot of a PDA. I prefer software that allows the option to use other products that comply with GPS standards. Note that GPS serial devices (non-CF GPS) can be from any manufacturer.
2. Destinator 3 was ruled out because it looked like there was a problem with the routing algorithm. In a review, I read about the slowness in route recalculation response when a turn was missed. I asked PowerLoc about this matter and this was their reply: “The other point with regards to route recalculation there is a need to not recalculate so soon as an inherent flaw with GPS data and its inaccuracy at times. The software must have confidence that the driver has gone off course before recalculating the route’. I was not convinced about this reply since I read 2 reviews that highlighted this problem. I consider route recalculation an important factor especially when you are lost and in dire need of quick instructions.
3. City Navigator was ruled out because it works only with Garmin products.
4. Price for the software was cheaper than the competition.
5. There is a local distributor and local resellers in Australia.
6. The map data is from Sensis, which has products such as WhereIs, Yellow Pages under its name. I figured that its map data would be more accurate than the other street routing software, which obtained its map data from somewhere else. According to the Sensis website, OEM Manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, etc, make use of their map data.
Why did I choose a PDA-Compact Flash solution?
1. I ruled out the PDA-Handheld GPS solution as I figured that I wouldn’t do much tracking any way. A Handheld GPS would look awkward on my vehicle’s dashboard. In addition, it would cost slightly more for a better model handheld. A basic model GPS would equal the cost of a good CF GPS. The cabling to connect the handheld to my PDA meant it would be more cumbersome.
2. I ruled out the in-car navigation system due the cost. It would cost at least A$1300 to buy one system. Those sold by the car dealers cost even more. And I believe the software/map updates would cost more than other solutions.
3. I ruled out a Notebook and CF combination as I felt that it would be too clumsy and troublesome to bring a notebook into the car due to space and mounting constraints, and possibility of theft if I left the notebook in the car. A PDA was smaller in the car and I could bring it with me for tracking if I ever needed to.
4. I choose the PDA solution as I already had my PDA. All I needed was the software and the GPS. I could go for a Compact Flash GPS since my PDA had both CF and SD slots. The SD is used to hold the map data.
Why did I chose the Haicom 303 MMF CF GPS?
1. Frankly, I didn’t do much research on the other brands.
2. I couldn’t find the distributor for the Holux CF GPS in Australia.
3. I read in the reviews that this product had decent performance.
4. The GPS could be folded. This means that I do not need to lay the PDA flat. I translate this to better reception.
5. It can be attached to a Blue tooth slipper for wireless connectivity, which gives me the flexibility when I want to upgrade to a new PDA without a CF slot.
6. It can be detached from the PDA and be used in standalone mode, with the correct cables.
7. The company has been in the market for a number of years.
8. There were local resellers for this product.
9. I couldn’t wait for shipping if I had to purchase it from other countries.
Review
Cost of GPS set up
I purchased the software from Johnny Appleseed GPS at a cost of A$560. I also ordered the Haicom GPS and external antenna through them at A$319. The Arkon PDA mount was purchased from Bit Distribution at A$99.95. I am reusing my DELL PDA, purchased 1 year ago at S$469. No need to buy the SD Card since it came with the software.
Hardware:
DELL Axim X5 Basic (Intel PXA255 300Mhz CPU, 32MB RAM, A03 ROM)
64 MB SanDisk Secure Digital Card
Haicom 303MMF GPS (Compact Flash model) with external antenna from Haicom
Arkon Powered Multimedia PDA Mount Model CM596 with 14" flexible neck.
IBM T40 Notebook (Pentium M 1.3 Ghz CPU, 512 MB RAM)
Software:
PDA
Pocket PC 2002 V3.0.11171 (Build 11178)
CoPilot Pocket PC 4 V4.04.106.
Pocket Plus 2.0
Notebook
Windows XP Pro
Outlook 2000
CoPilot Pocket PC 4 V4.04.106.
PDA Settings:
Processor speed set to normal (300Mhz) instead of Auto.
CoPilot software
The software came in a standard DVD casing. You can see that it is the Australia version as it has the Australia flag printed on the top left of the casing. The contents of include:
• CoPilot Live Pocket PC 4 CDROM,
• SanDisk 64MB SD Card (The SD Card is packaged in its own little clear plastic case),
• Quick start guide,
• Product Warranty/Disclaimer form.
Haicom Hardware
Because I ordered the Haicom without the accessories, only the GPS, manual and software came in the box. The GPS can be folded down into half and when fully stretched, it protruded about 8cm from the PDA but 3 cm when folded down. The GPS was easy to fold into half, but tight enough to retain its position at what ever angle it was folded. My PDA felt heavier with the GPS attached but this should not be a concern if it is mainly used in the car.
The external antenna can be attached to the side of the GPS easily. The cable is thin but strong. The connecting head to the GPS has a very thin center pin. Care must be taken to ensure the connecting head is pulled out straight to prevent any damage to the pin. The magnetic head holds very tightly onto the metal surface. There is no danger of it flying off and the waterproof material is good for wet weather travel.
Installation
I followed the quick start instructions and managed to get the software working in 7 steps:
1. Inserted the SD card into the PDA. The PDA detected the SD Card and automatically ran the CoPilot install program.
2. Agreed to the License conditions and entered the Installation Key Code. The system generated a Licence Number.
3. Visited ALK website to get the Activation Code. Enter both the Installation Key Code and License Number to get the Activation Code.
4. Placed the CF GPS into the CF slot, configured it to Com 5, and walked out to an area where I had a clear view of the sky.
5. Keyed in the Activation Code on the PDA, and CoPilot asked where I was for a quicker satellite acquisition time.
6. Entered Sydney for the current location.
7. It took about 5 minutes for CoPilot to determine its position and was ready for use. If the GPS had been used in Australia before, it would have taken a shorter time to determine its position.
User Interface
I was anxious to start testing the GPS so I did not bother to read the usual manual. When the first screen came up, there were 6 icons on the top of the screen: a house, a briefcase, a heart, a bunch of folders, a pin, and a steering wheel with an arrow on the top right. The bottom of the screen had a menu for tools, gps and mode. The map screen occupied the remaining ¾ of the screen. The last known position will be displayed in the map screen.
When you use your CoPilot for the second time, it will provide 5 options to choose where you want to be directed. A not so obvious sub step for picking a saved trip is via Favourites. This is also the only way you will be able to access the Map database to plan your trip without having to go through additional steps.
Routing
Short Distance Routing
From Hornsby to Castle Hill
There are 2 ways to tell CoPilot where I wanted to go. When you first start up CoPilot, it will provide 5 options for you to tell it where you want to go. You can either select the destination at the start up screen or go to favourites to create/load a trip.
• Destination method
Using this method I would have already entered my home and office address in CoPilot prior to starting the trip. When I first start CoPilot, I would simply select Office icon. CoPilot would plot the way from current location to office. I notice that the option for shortest or fastest did not change the routing directions. Maybe suggested route is already the fastest and shortest way to get there, while avoiding the small streets.
While driving to work, I intentionally turned into different streets to test the auto route function. In most cases, the response from CoPilot was within one to two seconds. It would always try to re route to the nearest major roadway. But as a seasoned traveller on those roads, I knew they would be heavy with traffic and avoided the recommended route. Occasionally, it would take a while longer to recompute the route, by the time which I would have encountered another junction requiring a decision to turn or not, or go straight. There are options to tweak the usage of smaller roads but I have not ventured there yet.
• Trip method
This method allows you to specify the Starting point and the Destination, as well as set waypoints along the way. I found that this is the only way to tell CoPilot the alternate path to the office using my preferred path. It also allows you to preview the entire route from start to destination.
Long Distance Routing
From Sydney to Melbourne to Tasmania
The instructions got me from Sydney to Melbourne without trouble. It was accurate all the time. While travelling to Tasmania via boar, you could see yourself moving on water!
From Hobart back to the ferry terminal, one of the path it took me was a dirt road! It would be good if I was able to let CoPliot know that I would prefer skip dirt road.
Detouring
I haven’t had a chance to use this button as it would be dangerous trying to select a button on the screen while driving. Instead, I just turned off where I thought would be a good place to avoid traffic and allowed CoPilot to recalculate the route.
Stability
I had encountered some issues with the software but I believe its the Operating System rather than the software. I switch off the PDA while Co-Pilot is running and switched it back on after half an hour. CoPilot had hung and required a soft reset of the PDA.
If you do not use CoPilot for a few weeks, you will find that it will take forever to acquire a lock on the satellites. You will be required to reset the GPS, that is, tell it where you are right now.
Pros
• Routing is quick, sometimes within a few meters after a missed turn.
Cons
• The software does not allow usage on a laptop. A separate version must be purchased.
• Text-to-speech is not as clear as Pre-recorded messages, and need getting used to. Pre-recorded messages will not read out street names.
• The way of plotting waypoints on the PDA is cumbersome. If you have more than 2 waypoints, you will need to rearrange their order in order to get a correct route. It should only be logical that if I want to get from point A to B and I have a few waypoints along the way, it should plot the course according to the sequence of way points entered. Instead, I had to manually rearrange the way points in the sequence of I would travel. Imagine having to rearrange 10 different waypoints. It did not help that the window for the displaying the waypoints was just 3 lines high; having to scroll to rearrange the waypoints was simply cumbersome.
• Immediately after starting CoPilot, you will be presented with 5 options for selecting your destination: Home, Work, Favourite List, Address and Point of Interest. It does not allow you to open a trip directly, you have to select Favourite List and then open a trip from the menu. Although it is just one more step, nevertheless, it is still one step too many for me, especially when you need to get somewhere in a hurry.
• The ability to reinstall the software from SD is a great feature but the activation process needs to change, as it won’t be possible to get an activation code on the road. It’s not practical to assume that all users will have GPRS and Internet connectivity. [Version 4.5 allows you to use the software for a few days]
• The outlook integration with the CoPilot desktop software does not work. I could not get CoPilot to add a destination based on an Outlook contact address. It kept on displaying an error message indicating it could not find the city name. I tried different city names but it still did not manage to register. However, the exact outlook contact on the PDA works.
• No female voice in this version. [Version 4.5 has female voice for Australia]
• Few options to customise.
• The software did not avoid toll road despite applying the setting to avoid toll roads. For example, I plotted a source as Chatswood and Destination as Sydney (Pitt Street), the route would bring me past the toll at the Harbour Bridge.
• Map data is not always accurate. Sometimes, the route instruction would ask me to turn left when I know I should be turning right. Sometimes, routing is not optimal. Leaving office from the entrance, I know that it would shorter/faster to turn right. Instead, CoPilot would ask me to turn left. Its just a matter of another few hundred meters but it could mean something to someone.
• Street Names sometime appear as garbled characters. But it gets fixed after moving off to another path.
Wish list for future releases
• To have a warning prompt that I have gone over the speed limit for the area or an option to customise a prompt when a speed limit was breached. Good for those without this feature in their car.
• Drop the live feature or position it as an add-on. I don’t need more interfaces to my already interfaced packed PDA. This feature maybe great for live traffic feed, but unless the cost of constantly getting connected to a GRPS service drops, I won’t be using that feature at all.
• Ability to enter the XY coordinates as a start/destination point.
• Ability to prompt approaching speed camera locations. I believe all drivers will find this really usefully if they don’t want to get caught speeding, especially with increasing number of speed cameras littered throughout Australia.
• To be able to use this software as if it were a compass.
Email Support
Pre-Sales
Email queries were answered by the next working day.
Post Sales
The support is not up to standard. I had emailed 2 queries regarding problems I had with the product on 12 May and 13 May respectively, there was no reply from support@travroute.com.au whether it had received or was working on my queries. Maybe I would have better luck with the UK site.
Conclusion
Despite having more cons than pros, it is not an indication of a product that is not up to scratch. On the contrary, I am very pleased with the response from the auto route function. Something I consider very important in a Street Routing product. Most of the other cons highlighted are cosmetic or user interface issues. But paying A$500 for the software is simply too costly. On the other hand, if you can’t find your way around and don’t want to stop on the road to open the map every now and then, this is a valuable Co Pilot. And this could be your marriage saver too
Web Sites
CoPilot Australia Distributor:
http://www.travroute.com.au/
Reseller of GPS software/hardware:
http://www.ja-gps.com.au/
http://www.gpsoz.com.au/
Distributor of Arkon PDA Mount:
http://www.bitdistribution.com.au/
Other reviews of CoPilot:
http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/tips/GPS/GPS_copilot.htm
http://www.garlic.com/~svvg/reviews/cop ... Live4.html
http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/CoPilot_Li ... 70880.html
http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/copilot4na.php
http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/copilot4.php
Other websites reviewing Arkon PDA mount : http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=po ... ews&id=279
http://www.davespda.com/mobile/reviews/arkon.htm
http://www.mtekk.com.au/browse/page623.html
Other websites reviewing the Haicom 303 MMF GPS
http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/haicom303mmf.php
http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/tips/GPS/haicom.htm
Copyright
The content in this review are copyright of the author. No part of this content may be reproduced without the approval of the author.
