There have been several times when I have been elsewhere other than my truck when I wished I had the carputer with me… if only for the navigation system.  During my trip to the U.K. last month, I was really impressed with the Garmin.  Though I had thought about it before and never pursued it, I finally opted to go for a mobile, multi-use navigation solution.

Along with upgrading the carputer’s navigation software to iGuidance 4.0, I also grabbed a new BT-359 BlueTooth GPS Receiver.  What’s nice about the whole solution is:

1. The software is leaps ahead of v2.1 I’ve been using since 2003.  Not only are the maps updated, but they’ve added text-to-speech for announcing street names and the interface is much, much better for in-car use with a touch-screen. 

2. The software now allows multiple device installation with a single license.  That means I can install it on the carputer (which is fully integrated with the truck and not very mobile), my laptop (which is mobile, but really only useful if I’m a passenger and if the trip is shorter than my battery life), and best of all… my SmartPhone (which, when coupled with the BlueTooth receiver, I can use just walking down a street or when geo-caching in the woods). As you can see from the picture next to my phone, the GPS receiver is pretty small and would fit inconspicuously into a jacket/shirt pocket, handbag or even inside a half-full pack of cigarettes.

3. Though I’ve sort of already mentioned it, but it deserves a mention in-itself, v4.0 includes a WindowsMobile 5 version for SmartPhones.  What’s better than having nationwide maps and voice-guided navigation in your car?  Having it on your phone!