The killer app for the Psion
Written: Oct 26 '01 (Updated Jan 07 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Extremely useful!
Cons: Maps need storage space.
The Bottom Line: Really useful and well made.
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| imreasztar's Full Review: Psion Enroute Full Version for PC |
This software enables route planning from town to town basis on your Psion S5, 5mx, Revo, Revo Plus, S7, Netbook.
After installing the core app, you have to download from the CD to the machine the maps you want to use on your Psion. A smaller area map is only 3-400 kbyte, but the highest resolution map of whole Europe is 5 MB.
I have been using the European version of the CD. This includes a seperate map of each country in Western Europe, but 3 maps of the whole Europe (covering Western-Central-Eastern Europe) with different levels of resolution are also included.
You can also buy the US, and the UK version of the CD with the appropiate sets of maps.
To start planning your journey, you have to select your starting point and destination from the map or from a drop down list that contains all possible locations.
Than you have to specify if you want to get the shortest, quickest, etc. route, based on your preferences (ex. avoid highways). Then EnRoute calculates the way for you (time, distance, recommended way), building a detailed list of instructions. A crosshair also shows your place on the map when browsing the instructions. If a GPS module is added, the crosshair shows your real position on the map. There are version of the CD bundled with GPS, but you should be able to use any GPS unit.
EnRoute can help the most if you're on a trip abroad with your car. Last summer, we have been using it to drive to Hamburg (Germany) from Budapest (Hungary), and it turned to be very helpful. We also used a special in car kit to power and hold in a good positin our S5. It won't replace your good old map, but EnRoute can not only plan your way, but help you on your way giving the exact directions.
You probably have to buy a bigger CF if you want to download several maps. Also note, that the app runs some slower from CF cards. I had been using on the S5 and the Revo. The S5 is a bit slow, but the Revo is really good in terms of performance. Zooming is very powerful, smooth and fast.
It takes a while to "pump" the bigger maps through the sluggish RS232 connection, but fortunately you only need to do it once. If you have a CF card and a cheap USB CF card reader, this is not a problem anymore.
Space can be a problem on the Revo, where you are limited for about 6MB of storage space, not much. However, the Revo Plus has 16 MB of space what is enough to store all your maps needed for journey, the 5mx has 16MB and a CF type I slot, the S5 has only 8MB but can also be extended with a CF card.
The maps include only "route information", but no geagraphic details (no hills, rivers).
Note that an updated version (Route Planner Millenium) is already out with some extra features, and there is Street Planner (Street Planner Millenium) for in-city-planning.
See http://www.tomtom.nl/ for details.
This is one of the best applications I have ever seen for the Psion range, I really recommend to get your hands on it.
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Update (Jan 07 '05):
My best bet for electronic English-English dictionaries is the Collins CoBuild, which runs wonderfully on a Psion S5, plus, you get the full keyboard to enter words. Read my review here: 'The' English-English ESL Dictionary.
Read my other Psion reviews:
Psion Series 3mx
Psion Series 5
Psion Revo 8MB
Psion Series 7
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID: imreasztar
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Location: Budapest, Hungary
Reviews written: 28
Trusted by: 6 members
About Me: Bio/chemical engineer who loves mobile tech
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