Hewlett-Packard iPAQ 310 Bluetooth 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator by hp
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Digital camera reviews of Hewlett-Packard iPAQ 310 Bluetooth 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
Digital camera Review: Excellent gps
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my first gps device, so I cannot compare it to any other brand device. However, I am very happy with this device. I purchased it as I was traveling to the north in the US and then to Canada by car. Before I started, I connected this device to my computer and got the free updates to the software from the HP website.
The screen resolution is fantastic. Very clear maps and directions. Reasonable volume (I did not have any trouble hearing the directions as some other reviewer mentioned). This device is not crippled in software as some other devices are. (Simple yet convenient features that are unlocked only for the higher end devices)
Digital camera Review: False advertising
Summary: 2 Stars
I just ordered this item and know after a day of doing research i am hearign both good and bad things, but the biggest problem i have is that it states in the add that an optional Traffic Channel Car Charger (FB055AA#AC3) is available for real time traffic. s a commuter in LA this is my number one priority and I jst found out that this is not yet availble in the U.S. and there is no time frame as to if and when. Had the staement been clearer i would not have ordered this unit at all and would have found one that better suits my needs. This is going to get turned around upon receipt and I think Amazon should be more clear on ityems it advertises to make sure the accessories are actually availble. I am more disapointed in Amazon then in HP. at least if you go to the HP website it does not list this as an option!!Digital camera Review: Flexible device
Summary: 5 Stars
Invaluable for navigation and finding the closest Thai restaurants. Was originally rather buggy, but recent update seems to have stabilized things.
Neat trick: with the installation of an SDIO wireless card, such as the Spectec SDW-820 SD WiFi Card (802.11b) and some software tinkering, you can get Opera running on it, for portable internet access, albeit only to unsecured networks.
Battery life is rather skimpy.
Digital camera Review: GPS not for everyone, but great GPS if you master it.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've used the HP iPAQ 310 over two weeks. I bought it because I wanted a GPS with bluetooth in order to sync with my cingular 8525. The sync worked in seconds and I was able to talk and receive calls at anytime with excellent sound (of course I had to lower the volume of my car)
If you are looking for a GPS that can be used right after you open the box, then this might not be what you're looking for. This GPS requires some quality time to understand all the steps, BUT once you understand how to operate it, then you'll find all the wonderful capabilities this GPS can do.
PROS:
1. Bluetooth with my cingular 8525 is automatic. You don't need to sync everytime you turn on the GPS. As soon as you turn on your car, the GPS stars looking for your phone. It takes few seconds and it's ready (you don't need to turn on your GPS)
2. It finds a new route fast if you missed an exit or street.
3. The GPS changes automatically into night mode at night.
4. Sound is clear and loud, so loud that I need to lower the volume. I use Amy v1.
5. Video is pristine clear, music and photo capabilities, but who needs pictures and music in your GPS???
6. 3D maps, colors, POI's are classified according to types, such as food. In a mood for bbq? then it searches only bbq's restaurants.
CONS:
1. Takes a little of time to find the right software to download to sync your outlook contacts. HP sends you directly to their webside without steps how to find it, but with some few clicks you get everything you need.
2. Took me sometime to understand the Content manager. It's not built to understand easily. I hope HP inproves it.
Conclusion,
It is a great GPS, worth the money (I paid $200...friday's sale yeah), but if you don't know how to operate or download software, then you might feel frustrated.
I do not understand why people complain so much about this GPS. I used a Tom Tom and I have to accept that in 5 minutes you can build your whole travel steps and ready to go (without manual), but it does not have the capabilities of the HP.
I will recommend this GPS, BUT get ready to spend some quality time to master it before you mount it in your car.
Digital camera Review: Gets better over time
Summary: 4 Stars
I debated for a very long time before purchasing the HP Ipaq 310. My usual habit of shopping around for anything I buy requires me to read every review I can find on the web....Need to know the features, need to get the best price...etc. Gotta admit, this process is sometimes excessive to the point of frustration. I've owned and used about 6 GPS units in the last 5 years or so...they included Navman, Magellan, Lowrance, Garmin; that averages about 1 GPS per year. However, in reality, I had been using Garmin 350 for the last 2 years...everything else were fairly brief. Garmin 350 was simply a breeze to use; it does the GPS' primary purpose very well and is the easiest to use GPS out of the box I've had. The HP Ipaq 310 is NOT easy to use straight out of the box. I fully expected this after reading all of the reviews here in amazon, and cnet, and more exotic sites like [...]; Now, I usually would consider myself somewhat of a techy kind of guy (I've always been the one friends and family would consult for electronics advice) and I rarely have to read instruction manual on most of anything I buy in order to operate them. I received the Ipaq 310 from amazon...got in my car, turned the thing on; then for the next 20 minutes could not make it take me to a destination! I was fully humiliated in front of my girlfriend. So, the thing is not very intuitive straight out of the box. It took me a good 1 or 2 hours of "alone time" at home to figure everything out (and I still didn't read the manual). The marked difference between the 310 and all of my previous GPS in navigation is what made the initial learning so difficult. You enter an address and fully expect the unit to just take you there as with all of the other GPS I had before...not the 310; you would have to perform anothe step of assigning the address as either "destination" or "starting point." And repeating entries because you're not sure if the unit registered your destination correctly are simply added onto the route. You would have to go to another menu to edit the route and delete previous addresses. Really, it makes perfect sense now after I've learned the HP interface. And it really DOES provide some really good features that the other GPS lack. Essentially, the 310 allows you to do that route planning thing you do using Yahoo Maps or Mapquest; you can find out the distance/travel time between any two points on the map. Most of other systems only allow you to calculate route from your current GPS position to your entered destination. This is a really useful feature that some newer higher end GPS are starting to offer (e.g. Garmin 700 series). The 310 had quite a few hardware and software issues that are well documented in various user forums, most notably the sound quality and lockups and crashes. But, here's where HP is coming through with some very nice product updates. There had been at least 1 major update and 1 minor update since the product release. Earlier users also experienced unreasonably difficult process with the automatic update. That had improved by the time I did my update; it took less than 1 hour. The sound volume improved to adequate level. However Susan Text-to-speech still sounds annoying and not as clear as I would've liked. Rerouting seems to have improved. The crashes are VERY infrequent now. I think my review of the 310 turned out a bit more negative than I really feel about the unit; All and all, I was so very close to returning this thing back to amazon; but after the update AND after I learn how to use the interface, I find myself liking it quite a bit now. The screen is bright and sharp. I also like the fact that the battery is user replaceable. My Garmin 350 is basically a permanent wired unit now that the battery won't hold charge anymore. Still haven't played much with the video playback, MP3 stuff. But what's very encouraging is that HP is releasing updates...indeed this unit has tons of potential and it's getting better with each update.