GPS Receivers Coming for m500 and V Series

Posted By: Ed Wednesday, November 28, 2001 10:01:25 AM

Navman has announced two new GPS receivers that will be out in the next few weeks. The GPS 500 uses Palm's Universal Connector and will work with the m505, m505, and m125. It runs off the handheld's own battery and will be available in January. The GPS350 works with the Palm V and III series. It has its own Lithium Polymer rechargeable battery that is good for over three hours of continuous use. It should be out in mid-December. Each of these will cost $200.

The GPS350 comes with an adapter that allows it to work with the Palm V and III series, which are different sizes.

Both models will come with the Rand McNally StreetFinder Deluxe mapping software.

These will also be available in Europe. The GPS 500 will cost £230 (inc VAT) or €370 and will be available there in mid-December. The GPS 350 is £200 (inc VAT) or €330 and is available now. In Europe, they will come with SmartPath City, a mapping application from Navman.

Article Comments

 (38 comments)

The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. PalmInfocenter is not responsible for them in any way.
Please Login or register here to add your comments.

Comments Closed Comments Closed
This article is no longer accepting new comments.

Down

Power Draw for the m50#

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 10:35:35 AM #
What's the power draw for the m50# version? It seems to me it would make sense to have the "universal port" available on the botton of the GPS to be able to power the unit. I imagine that the GPS would draw a decent amount of power coupled with the application running on the m50#.

RE: Power Draw for the m50#
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 10:49:32 AM #
Please disregard - a 12v power cable comes with the unit.

RE: Power Draw for the m50#
Altema @ 11/28/2001 3:11:34 PM #
I wonder if the power for the GPS would also feed a little to the Palm? That would be the ideal setup, and would also eliminate the need to remove the GPS for recharging your Palm on long trips. Of course, I've never had a car that could go for 10 to 15 hours without a fuel stop...

RE: Power Draw for the m50#
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/29/2001 4:05:42 PM #
The NAVMAN GPS 500 does charge the Palm handheld when you plug it its 12V cigarette power cable into your vehicle power supply. It also comes with an in-vehicle mounting bracket as standard. A complete solution!

RE: Power Draw for the m50#
topgold @ 4/14/2002 12:30:13 PM #
On my m505, I get much less than 3 hours between charges when the green status light remains steadily illuminated. The car's cigarette lighter does recharge the m505 while the Navman is clipped onto its back.

Palmed since 1998

sounds good

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 10:37:44 AM #
I'm just waiting for the real sd add-ons to come. Bluetooth sounds nice now that its almost here. Should have been christmas instead...
PDANature - http://pdan.has.it - PDA News refreshed per hour! With discussions, polls, and whatnot!

RE: sounds good
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 11:31:53 AM #
Nice thing about this one is that it is not an SD card. Use the Universal connector for GPS and add your own SD memory card to store your maps on.


Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 11:46:00 AM #
Are you kidding me? As if I didn't already have enough reasons to keep my clie, a product like this comes out.

Granted, the GPS module is not availible in the US (yet), but come on, That thing looks huge...

Hey, for a Palm v, m500 user, I guess that's what you have to live with.

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 12:10:39 PM #
The announced Sony GPS:
1. Who knows when/if it'll be available in the US.
2. Takes up your only memory slot, so there's no place to store maps.
3. Probably doesn't allow for any software, but what is provided, to work with it.
4. Drains the Sony's battery rather quickly.


RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 1:16:35 PM #
I think we all know that everytime someone says something stupid like "That's not possible" or, "not in the United States", they get burned.

Be Honest:

1. This module will probably come out in the U.S. , and we all know it.
2. In case you didn't read the specs on the company's maps, they're 3 to 4 MB, meaning you can keep them in the ROM, and transfer them back to a stick when done.
3. Sony's not stupid, and everyone knows it. If they don't provide quality sw, no one will buy the add-ons.
4. I would love to see the "specs" you have on battery consumption Sony's GPS add-on. I have a hard time believing they won't provide more than the battery eating bricks that were announced above.

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 1:36:53 PM #
As a Clie user, I would rather have a unit that is a sled so I can use my MS. Maybe they should consider making 2 versions (not that GPS is popular enough to support 2 though.)

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...
Altema @ 11/28/2001 2:35:45 PM #
I'd rather have the sled, as Sony made the same mistake with the GPS as they did with the camera. Where do you keep you maps? Same place you keep your photos... in RAM. If you are traveling any significant distance, you will need to load maps as you go if they will not fit in RAM (honey, what suitcase is the Dell monitor and keyboard in?!? I have to download the next map to find a rest stop!).

For the 50x, they have the entire US on SD card (well, 48 states at least, but I don't plan on driving to Alaska). This lets you get point to point driving directions from New York to California, and leave your PC at home.

The two choices are really geared for different styles, the Sony GPS is way off the top of COOL meter, but works best for the ocassional short-range use.

The GPS sled for the Palm does not force you to neuter your handheld by eliminating your card and storage, and would be better suited for the road warrior, heavy user, or vacation traveler.

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...
Altema @ 11/28/2001 3:05:22 PM #
Ah Ha! I just thought of a workaround. You could load all your maps on a Memory Stick, and just install maps from the MS by swapping out the GPS for a moment. Sure would beat lugging a laptop or PC just for the maps.

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 3:44:18 PM #
http://memorystick.org/msinfo/eng/ms/io.html

Definition of Memory Stick Expansion Module
In addition that the Memory Stick expansion module has to have the shape and terminal same as Memory Stick, the expansion module is defined as following:
1. The devices that have the function other than that of Memory Stick.
2. The devices that have more than one function other than that of Memory Stick.

so in the otherwords, MS modules should have "some" builtin memory.

Oh, no! Another pro-Sony jerk!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 4:11:23 PM #
I have simply had it with the "Sony is God"-types who have to bash every announcement about a Palm or Handspring device or add-on, claiming about how much better your precious Sony crap is! What is your deal? When you were in the shower during junior high football, were you upset that you had the smallest d**k? Is this how you compensate for it? Please, feel free to get excited about the Sony product announcements that come around. But STOP dumping on everything else to boost your self-esteem.

And then we get this:

"Ah Ha! I just thought of a workaround. You could load all your maps on a Memory Stick, and just install maps from the MS by swapping out the GPS for a moment. Sure would beat lugging a laptop or PC just for the maps."

OK, not as heavy, but who wants to jack around with that?



RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 4:30:07 PM #
Why does everyone have to bring sony in this chat? We aren't talking about sony in this article

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 4:34:37 PM #
somebody brought Handspring to the Clie 610 thread too :P

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 10:09:52 PM #
Did you take a look at WHY the Clie thread got caught up with Handspring stuff? Because some Sony-loving idiot had to drag it in by bashing the new Treo, saying it was "going to flop."

I swear, you Sony users seem to have nothing to do but bash everyone else...

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 11:51:04 PM #
> Be Honest:

Duh, OK.

> 1. This module will probably come out in the U.S.,
> and we all know it.

That brilliant deduction is based on what MemoryStick module that is announced/out in Japan that is now out in the U.S.? Not Bluetooth, not the camera, not this GPS.

> 2. In case you didn't read the specs on the company's
> maps, they're 3 to 4 MB, meaning you can keep them in
> the ROM, and transfer them back to a stick when done.

What do you do with your PDA??? I certainly don't have 3-4 MB free for maps!

> 3. Sony's not stupid, and everyone knows it. If they
> don't provide quality sw, no one will buy the add-ons.

Which has zero to do with what I said. There are many 3rd party apps I'd probably rather use with a GPS than what Sony is providing. To work with 3rd party apps, the GPS would have to behave like some kind of serial port API type GPS device. Nothing Sony has said/done convinces me that there's a standard way and sofware driver to create and support a MemoryStick serial I/O type device. The driver for the GPS is likely proprietary and it'll be a long time before you see other map software supporting it.

> 4. I would love to see the "specs" you have on battery
> consumption Sony's GPS add-on. I have a hard time
> believing they won't provide more than the battery
> eating bricks that were announced above.

You mean the specs posted in the news article about Sony's GPS, ON THIS WEBSITE? 50 minutes with the T series and 75 minutes with the N series. If you read this article and that one, which apparently you haven't, the "sled" for the Palm contains its own battery and runs for 3 hours continuous. Of course even when those 3 hours are up, the Palm handheld will still be able to run without the GPS and the batteries on your Sony handheld will be long dead.


RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/29/2001 12:32:07 AM #
"I certainly don't have 3-4 MB free for maps!"

I remember once upon a time my palmpilot pro only have 1MB of Ram, and I can't really fill up all the space. Now nearly everyone has 8-16MB on their handheld, hmm ........ and you can't spare 3-4 MB for map ??

"Nothing Sony has said/done convinces me that there's a standard way and sofware driver to create and support a MemoryStick serial I/O type device. The driver for the GPS is likely proprietary and it'll be a long time before you see other map software supporting it."

goto www.memorystick.org for more MS I/O information (do some research b4 typing next time, don't want everyone to be as misinformed as you are)
btw: I've never heard of proprietary software, nearly all software/drivers are proprietary, except open-source software.

"50 minutes with the T series and 75 minutes with the N series. "

yes that's the battery life of MS GPS, but it draws power from the device.

RE: Oh, no! Another pro-Sony jerk!
Altema @ 11/29/2001 2:52:48 AM #
>And then we get this:

>>"Ah Ha! I just thought of a workaround. You could load all your maps on a Memory Stick, and just install maps from the MS by swapping out the GPS for a moment. Sure would beat lugging a laptop or PC just for the maps."

>OK, not as heavy, but who wants to jack around with that?

If you read my post before the one you quoted, you would understand that I was just giving an alternative to downloading maps via PC (as mentioned in the my first post) if you happen to have a Sony. I was not attempting to be pro-Sony, and try not to be over-zealous about a particular Palm OS device. My apologies if it was not clear enough. I don't want to jack around with swapping cards either, which is why I favored the sled so I can keep my SD card where it belongs, and why I will be buying one of these GPS sleds for my 505.

Regards,
Altema

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/29/2001 9:52:49 AM #
> Now nearly everyone has 8-16MB on their handheld, hmm
> ........ and you can't spare 3-4 MB for map ??

I can't spare 25-50% of my memory for maps? What a dumb question. That's exactly the kind of thing expansion memory is supposed to be for. Mapopolis, maps on an SD card, and a serial GPS device. It is silly to connect a GPS to a high speed expansion port.

> goto www.memorystick.org for more MS I/O information
> (do some research b4 typing next time, don't want
> everyone to be as misinformed as you are)
> btw: I've never heard of proprietary software, nearly
> all software/drivers are proprietary, except
> open-source software.

Do you actually read the things on these sites, or just see the word "serial" and accuse people of being misinformed? Although Sony certainly has added a lot of info to their site in the last month, the only discussion of "serial" I see there has to do with the hardware serial interface of the MemoryStick to the device. Maybe it is in their password protected info for licensees, but I am certainly not that interested. I am talking about a serial device that works with Palm's standard serial API. If the device can't behave like a standard Palm serial API GPS device, then Sony has a proprietary driver for it, period.

> "50 minutes with the T series and 75 minutes with the > N series. "
> yes that's the battery life of MS GPS, but it draws
> power from the device.

Duh, that's what I said, "The announced Sony GPS drains the Sony's battery rather quickly." In comparison, there is minimal added drain on the Palm device.


RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/29/2001 4:12:12 PM #
I think I saw NAVMAN announce a couple of weeks back that they will be supporting the SONY Clie in the same fashion as the Palm m500 series (and m125).

This means their NAVMAN GPS for SONY will be a sled as well as being bundled with their in-vehicle suction mount plus the power cable which also charges the Palm!

Sometime in April???

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/29/2001 11:28:14 PM #
"I can't spare 25-50% of my memory for maps? What a dumb question. That's exactly the kind of thing expansion memory is supposed to be for."

I am sorry, but I don't quite get what you are saying, when did people start to separate memory between, this memory is used for Pictures, this memory is for preference files, this memory is for applications ?? All I know is expansion memory is mostly used for backup purpose. and interneal memory are supposed to be used for applications, frequently used documents stuff like that.

"Maybe it is in their password protected info for licensees, but I am certainly not that interested. I am talking about a serial device that works with Palm's standard serial API. If the device can't behave like a standard Palm serial API GPS device, then Sony has a proprietary driver for it"

LOL, it's not like you can use the Memory stick on any Palm INC device anyways, so what's your problem, But the thing is, panasoncis do have adapter MS modules for SD Card -> MS adapter, so I guess my answer would be, I don't care, COZ I know that when I get a clie, I'll be able to use all the SD device for Palm.

btw: I sometimes read those sites, but not daily. So if you don't read it, maybe you should just sit aside and shutup b4 reading it. it won't take an idiot to realize that MS modules are not serial device. So are SD Cards serial device ?? and is palm making proprietary software ??

"Duh, that's what I said, "The announced Sony GPS drains the Sony's battery rather quickly." In comparison, there is minimal added drain on the Palm device."

Well considering I don't need to make a Clie device more bulky in order to use that MS modules for 50 mins to 1 hr 15 mins, I'd consider MS modules more successful than the serial GPS Device palm uses. and what ?? after adding all that battery pack for that GPS thingy u can only use it for 2 hours ?? that's just ridiculous ...

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/8/2002 11:44:38 AM #
I really wish Sony would just pull out of the PDA market. Then eventually we wouldn't have to listen to Sony Nazis spewing out there same reality warped Bullsh*t over and over. This is just one of many GPS solutions that will be avaiable for Palm soon. Personnaly, I'd rather have a larger unit with memory access. Pulling the thing out to switch maps in RAM would be a total joke even if it is just a matter of popping in a memory stick! For just around town the Sony might be okay, but not on a unit with only 8mb of RAM. I really do think most of you Sony people have some serious self esteem issues!

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/18/2002 1:49:39 PM #
Dear Sir
My PDA model "Sony Clie T615C". How come the Clie "GPS" device still not find in the Asia or Euro market, the Japanese version GPS device (MEGA-MSG1) and software(NAVIN) already existed in the Japan market few month ago. I believe the GPS is no problem I only concern the support English software and suitable map. I don't want to purchase some external device (not from SONY) and without software. As you know, Sony competitor Palm and IPAQ also have their own GPS device and software sell in the market. I hope somebody can answer me.
Thank ¡V Jason
mryuen@hotmail.com

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/18/2002 6:49:43 PM #
Using GPS with a CLIE will, in most cases, be impossible. Maps need memory. No right-thinking Clie user is going to delete her games just to make room for a useful app!

RE: Sony Clie GPS makes this look like it's three years old...
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/18/2002 7:01:16 PM #
The same can be said to almost every Palm device.

Getting gouged in the EU?

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 12:48:13 PM #
"Each of these will cost $200. These will also be available in Europe. The GPS 500 will cost £230 (inc VAT) or €370 and will be..."

Since (at today's rate) 230 pounds is 369 euros, that last part makes sense, but 230 pounds is also around 325 US dollars. Either that 200 dollar price is bogus, or you are getting hosed if you buy this in Europe.

Perhaps they felt that they had to offer it at a lower price since you can get the magellan for the Palm V for around 100 dollars now.

RE: Getting gouged in the EU?
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 1:55:30 PM #
Yep, everything is more expensive here. A general rule of thumb is that what it costs in USD is what it will actually cost in the shops here - the official exchange rate doesn't come into it. Effectively 1USD = 1UKP.

RE: Getting gouged in the EU?
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/30/2001 2:08:30 AM #
I heard that Maps for Europe are very expensive.
I don't know if that is part of the reasons
GPS is a lot more expensive in Europe.

-tz

GPS

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 12:55:29 PM #
I thought I may want a GPS for my Palm but I elected to buy a Garmin GPS V. http://www.garmin.com/products/gps5/
It has exceeded all of my expectations.

When an SD GPS?

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 2:14:18 PM #
Nice device, I'm impatient to see it in Europe. But when a SD GPS? Is it still too early?

RE: When an SD GPS?
Ed @ 11/28/2001 3:20:00 PM #
The SD Input/Output standard was finally approved by the SD Association just a few weeks ago. Until this happened, no SDIO devices could be released. That's why Palm's Bluetooth SD module had to be delayed.

www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=2572

---
News Editor

RE: When an SD GPS?
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/30/2001 8:39:43 AM #
So it's better to be less impatient and wait for the beginning of 2002...

Great!!! Another Product with No Mac Support...

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 11:04:41 PM #
These companys should wake the hell up and start producing Mac SW. I'm pretty fed up with all this cool stuff, and no way to work it on a Macintosh!!!

RE: Great!!! Another Product with No Mac Support...
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/28/2001 11:22:20 PM #
huh ?? ..... I don't see your point, or you just posted on the wrong page, that thing talks with Palm, then you could sync palm with Mac.
why does it need mac support .....


Rand McNally StreetFinder

Guppy @ 11/30/2001 3:00:39 AM #
"Both models will come with the Rand McNally StreetFinder Deluxe mapping software."

I hope Rand McNally's made some major improvements to this version, because the previous one had some serious usability problems -- the maps were big, and the user interface was slow and clunky.

BTW, I recently picked up the Streetfinder GPS for Palm V for $60 at a local Staples. Replace the included software with Quo Vadis, and you've got yourself a great navigation aid.

Top