Garmin (almost) hits one out of the park...
Written: Sep 12 '05 (Updated Sep 16 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good basic PDA and GPS functionality; terriffic GPS user interface
Cons: Battery not user-replaceable, no built-in networking, limited memory.
The Bottom Line: The M3 is a great unit with a stellar interface, but plan on spending a bit on accessories to complete the package.
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| bc0203's Full Review: iQue M3 Pocket PC GPS Navigator GPS Receiver |
The Garmin iQue M3 is the latest in Garmin's line of PDA/GPS combination devices. I purchased the M3 to replace a Streetpilot 2610 that had served well, but proved a bit bulky for travel and lacked MS Outlook integration (i.e., the ability to "route to" a contact in one's address book.)
Other units considered included Garmin's iQue M5 and the Mio 168S, as well as using a HP 2415 with TomTom's Bluetooth navigation kit. While each of these other solutions had their relative strengths, they fell short in other areas such as user interface, hardware/software integration and available mounting options.
The iQue M3 has two notable shortcomings, but for my application the workarounds were acceptable:
First, the M3 does not have built-in Bluetooth or WiFi capability, and adding it is tricky, because the unit has limited internal memory and only one SD/SDIO/MMC slot for external maps. I found a good compromise in a 256MB + WiFi card put out by SanDisk that allows one to load a large number of maps AND cruise the net wirelessly.
To allay concerns about the lack of a user replaceable battery, Garmin pre-sales tech support assured me that the battery would be covered under an extended warranty purchased from a Garmin dealer. I priced these from several vendors; the three-year one I purchased from TigerGPS cost $99.
With these two objections out of the way, I purchased an M3 with a 2MB SD memory card to store the complete set of City Navigator detail maps about two days after the units became generally available. I'd have to say that with the exception of having to purchase a docking cradle separately (inexplicably, the M3 only comes with a USB power/sync cable), the unit has met or exceeded my expectations and there were no unpleasant surprises.
One of the main advantages of the M3 over other PDA+GPS combinations is the availability of custom-fit mounting options from the manufacturer. The M3 comes with a windshield mount (note: not legal in California); a friction mount is optional. Both seemed to work fine, though the friction mount includes with an external speaker which boosts the volume, and it's base is compatible with Garmin's other semi-permanent and permanent mounting solutions. I'd recommend Garmin's Deluxe StreetPilot carry case when traveling with either setup.
The M3 uses Garmin's newest "C-series" navigation software, which features a "birds-eye" navigation view and a user-friendly interface that is ideally suited to touchscreen devices like PDAs. Most functions can easily be accomplished via fingertip. Unlike the StreetPilot 2610, default settings on the M3 proved ideal for everyday use, though some might want to silence the "lady" in favor of the "tones" if they listen to music in the car. I'm still getting used to how to locate points of interest with the unit (suggestion: don't drill down through the meus, just spell the name of the place you want), and have just started to update "point of interest" data, which still seems to be 12-18 months out-of date, even though the unit includes the latest available Garmin maps.
The iQue M3 easily interfaces with MS Office 2003 applications, and, as advertised, it was easy to "route" to a contact. I liked the ability to store addresses in the system as "contacts" or as stored locations for GPS-only purposes. Other than GPS, the built in application set is bare-bones PocketPC 2003 Second Edition, so you'll probably end up adding one or two apps to suit your individual needs. As stated earlier, with the limited internal storage, an external storage card is highly recommended.
Overall, the iQue M3 is well thought-out combination of features and offers a feature set that will probably canabalize sales of it's more expensive brother, the iQue M5.
Then again, a replacement for the iQue M5 that had 128-256MB of built-in RAM, 2GB of flash memory for detailed map set storage and built-in Bluetooth and WiFi networking capability would be a high-end category killer for Garmin - if they priced it competitively.
For those of who can't wait around for Garmin to build a "Super iQue", let me recommend the following accessories for the M3:
- 2GB SD Memory card (for detailed maps, approx $140)
- Docking Cradle (010-10567-00)
- Travel Kit (010-10567-12, includes spare AC adapter)
- Extended warranty (see note about battery above)
- Carry Case (010-10231-01)
- Stylus 3-Pack (010-10567-09)
Happy navigating!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
bc0203
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Member: Brian Campbell
Location: Richmond, VA
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Work in software industry. Hobbies include electronics, computers, music, movies, golf bicycling and road trips.
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