I received the Magellan GPS Companion for the Palm V as a free bonus when I purchased the Palm at Staples in November of last year. I had wanted a gps device for a while before that for no good reason, other than to be even more of a geek. Now I have one, and I couldn't be more pleased by this unit. And I've found an actual USE of it also, which I'll get into later!

The box contains the gps unit, a skimpy instruction manual, if you can call it that, and the cd-rom with the software. At first I broke open some batteries to place in the receiver, of course before reading the instructions! The first thing I noticed was that the battery cover was a bit difficult to open. It doesn't have a moveable tab, you basically just force it open. Doesn't take much after you figure it out, but at first it's tedious. I could easily see this breaking in time. Then you input the batteries, but as another reviewer noted, they don't have the springy bottom, so it's a bit of a tussle to get the batteries in and out. But after that is done, you pop the cover back on, and you're ready to connect it to the palm.

But before you do that, you need to load the software. You load this like standard Palm software, just double clicking the file that you want, and then hot-syncing your palm. The Navigation Companion software is very full featured, and allows you to view all the basics you expect, such as direction, speed, elevation, and current location. But it also has some nice mapping and waypoint features, as well as a monitor for the battery level. It is not always 100% accurate, but when it tells you you only have 30 minutes to go, you should pay heed!

Next is the Mapping Software. Basically, the CD breaks the maps down by State, then by County, and so on. It's a little difficult at times to figure out exactly what county you need, so either you have to know the area or have a real map handy. This software is quite accurate for showing your current location, as I've tested it here in Yosemite and also in San Francisco. But on the downside, that is all it shows you, is your current location. It is not easy to figure out how to zoom in and out on the unit, but I guess that's what skimpy instructions are for. I wish it would allow you to input a goal location, either by address or gps coordinates, but it doesn't. That docks this unit .5 points in the overall score, as I kept hoping that Magellan would offer an update on their website, but I've never seen it.

The unit attaches easily and quickly to the back of your Palm (or Visor as the case may be), and the first couple times, it's a little tight to push it together, but it is very easy right after that. When you go to Nav Companion, it opens directly into a world map, where you pinpoint your current location, to help the unit get a quicker fix. Here in the mountains, it sometimes takes up to 3 minutes to get a fix, but I've gotten a fix in 30 seconds in the lower lying areas.

As for accuracy... I read about geocaching in January, where people will hide a "cache" in a location, and give you the latitude and longitude of the hidden treasure. So I tried this out in San Francisco, and used the gps to get me to the area. I initially thought that this was just a cheap unit, and didn't trust it when it told me I was 6 ft away. After 15 minutes, I decided to trust it, and wouldn't you know, 100% accuracy. Then went to a second location, and right on again. So this unit will get you just as close to proper coordinates as a $400 unit that other people buy.

Besides the software, the only other negative that I have for this is the fact that you have to have your Palm or Visor outside in the elements to get use out of this. If you don't plan on using this for major expeditions, then it is a wonderful toy. If you're going on multi-day backpacking trips through the woods, you may want something more sturdy. I have lost the first unit (left it in the rental car! UGH!!!), and purchased a second one, and it has the same 100% accuracy as the first!

Recommended: Yes