Entered CNET Catalog: 05/06/2004
SKU: 1958
Manufacturer: TeleType Company, Inc.
Manufacturer description
State of the art Bluetooth GPS Receiver! Position the receiver up on your dashboard and yet your PDA can be kept right next to you - or your passenger, or even someone sitting in the backseat of the vehicle. It's an amazing receiver!Product summary
The good: Strong GPS receiver; customizable map detail; magnetic mounting device; reasonably priced; voice-activated commands.
The bad: Unintuitive software.
The bottom line: TeleType's GPS Bluetooth Receiver has everything you'll need for wireless navigation on your PDA, but the mapping software could be more user-friendly.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: Yes
- Reviewed on: 05/26/2004
TeleType's World Navigator software is loaded with features, but you'll have to spend some time learning how to use them to take full advantage of this powerful mapping application. For example, there are several ways to export maps to the PDA, depending on whether you wish to include points-of-interest (POI) data, topographical maps, or marine maps. Thankfully, TeleType includes a comprehensive user guide. In addition to providing voice-enabled driving directions and more than 3 million POI, the software allows you to select various levels of mapping detail in order to conserve PDA memory. As an example, a map of the New York tristate area required 22MB of memory, considerably less than the Belkin's software did. Better yet, if your PDA has an integrated microphone, you can use the program's voice-recognition capabilities to zoom in and out, select full- or normal-screen mode, and move left to right and up and down without touching your PDA. TeleType also sells an add-on Yellow Pages CD ($69) with an additional 9 million POI. We liked the fact that TeleType includes a magnetic mounting device for attaching the receiver to your vehicle's dashboard, as well as a cigarette-lighter power cable and a matching blue AC charging cradle.
While not as strong as the Belkin GPS, the TeleType still performed admirably under most conditions, acquiring a lock after 55 seconds. We experienced signal loss in the densest areas of Manhattan, where the view of the sky is severely limited, but the TeleType reacquired a 3D fix within seconds. Street-level maps were easy to read, and the voice recognition worked, although the response time was a bit sluggish. Visual and audible driving directions were accurate, as was the receiver's tracking ability. The TeleType GPS uses three rechargeable nickel-metal-hydride AAA batteries (included and rated for 10 hours), and they gave us a little more than 8 hours of continuous power.
Return to CNET's Bluetooth GPS receivers roundup.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20out of 20 user reviews
Don't waste your money!!
Pros: Nice receiver, works very well.
Cons: Software is not user-friendly!
out of 20 user reviews
Teletype so bad it's unusable
Pros: Bluetooth receiver works alright
Cons: Software is hard to use, unstable and expensive
out of 20 user reviews
I have this on my Ipaq Hx24?? and it works great unless I am also using my blue tooth headset.
Pros: Fairly accurate
Cons: the blue tooth problem
out of 20 user reviews
stops working when hot
Pros: i have no problem with the software
Cons: doesn't work when it is hot
out of 20 user reviews
Worth another look
Pros: Quick routing and rerouting
Cons: 3M POIs ok, 12M POIs better
out of 20 user reviews
Great Program
Pros: Routes directly on Pocket PC over 1400 miles
Cons: Takes awhile to use all the Preferences available.
out of 20 user reviews
Good receiver, bad software
Pros: Receiver excellent, small, compact, quick startup
Cons: Software is absolutely the pits
The Teletype mapping software, is absolutely terrible. I had problems setting it up from the get go, so much so that I think its pertinent to list common "problems" with the software and Teletype's responses:
Q: I get an error message when installing it to my pocket pc.
A: Yes, you can ignore it.
Q: Having problems installing.
A: Disable McAffe Virus scan (it applies to lots of them btw, including AVG).
Q: It's not transferring maps from the pc to pda.
A: You have to purchase the upgrade. PURCHASE the upgrade.
Q: The pocket pc virtual keyboard just disappeared.
A: Stop using Gigabar, a relatively popular program.
Q: It locks up on install.
A: Disable your antivirus.
These fixes and more are, to me, unacceptable. They and many other problems are listed here: http://www.teletype.com/pages/support/faq.html
Other problems I've noticed is that Starbucks, the world's largest coffee chain, easily found in even third-world countries, is not included in their yellowpages. It is however, located in the *real* yellowpages.
There is also NO 24 HOUR PHONE TECH SUPPORT. When I tried to load their online chat support, it said the department was "closed". The only way to get support in the off hours is through e-mail, which is responded to the next day. So if it screws up in the middle of nowhere and you get lost because of their software, hope against all hope that it's between 9:00am to 5:00pm EST.
I should've gotten a different mapping software.
out of 20 user reviews
Voice routing on PDA
Pros: voice navigation, complete yellow pages of US, traffic
Cons: none that can find
I did some routes including one 1200 miles and check the results with Google Routing map.
The route on Teletype was exactly the same as Google.
Not bad for a small PDA competing with MainFrame
I was convinced.
I am using this software about 3 mo now and recently I ran into a reviews by customers.
I felt really bad that some customers post such bad notes about TeleType.
I check with Teletype before purchased and they did inform me that they have 30 days money back with 15% restocking.
I am very happy with the purchase.
One of the items that I added to my package was Yellow Pages advance. It is a great add on. I could even find my own business on it. ( I am 1 man RE guy)
I also got download of Arial Maps Add On that came with Accident Report and Weather.
My installation went very smooth. I have Audivox 6600 and Dell PC
It appears TeleTypeGPS has the most awards and I think they deserved that.
I do not have even one negative comment neither about the software nor about their support.
The LiveHelp support that they offered me was very good. Maybe as a suggestion to them I would recommend extending the hours for people on the west coast
out of 20 user reviews
Avoid it like the plague!
Pros: Extensive features - but only theoretically possible
Cons: Nothing works as they advertise it will
To start at the beginning, the software fails to install correctly. This is true whether one exits ALL other running programs or not. You'll need to dig around in the Program Files\GPS\PPC directory to find the .cab files for your Pocket PC, guess which one applies to your model, transfer it over, and click on it on your PPC.
But wait...you're probably expecting to be able to navigate, and perhaps even actually use the program's features as laid out in detail in their instructions. Silly buyer! If you can get past the low-quality, annoying sound effects they have chosen, you might want to change the ridiculous route that the program generates for you (say, for example, routing from Bangor, Maine to Montreal, Quebec needlessly choosing a route that takes 4 hours longer than the route generated by Mapopolis). Why, you'll probably assume you can create WayPoints and AvoidPoints, and have the program route through or around them, just as it says in the instructions! Silly buyer...neither feature works. The program generates only cryptic messages, that aren't mentioned in the instructions at all!
But wait...there's more! When you foolishly purchase this joke, you'll be reminded 9 ways to Sunday that Teletype bears NO responsibility whatsoever! In fact, they repeatedly remind you that NO REFUNDS will ever be given! Getting the program to work is strictly the USER'S responsibility, according to their documentation! Doesn't that assure you that they have confidence in their product, and stand behind it?
Please, oh please, take it from me. Don't make the mistake of thinking that YOU'LL be able to figure it out and get it to work. I was that arrogant too. There goes $169 I'll never see again!
out of 20 user reviews
Great GPS for PocketPC
Pros: Street navigation is very detailed.
Cons: The best solution I have see yet
This program loads maps automatically. No manual load required. I also tried very long routes. They worked also without me loading maps by hand. I think what this guys did on a small pocketpc is very interesting. Their routes just as good as the ones I get from the mapquest. The hardware 16 channels GPS from them locks in super fast.
out of 20 user reviews
The worst GPS solution
Pros: GPS Reciever works better with non TeleType software
Cons: Support is just as bad as the rest of them. No free upgrades (big-fixes)
GPS Receiver works more accurately, and is fater with MS PocketStreets and Pharos' Ostia. Is that ironic or what?
Before you invest more money into TeletTpes upgrade scheme, do some more research. I recommend this products only to our enemies.
out of 20 user reviews
GPS with versitile software
Pros: Great Detailed Maps
Cons: Software is very advanced and require time to learn
It worked well even in NYC without a problem.
Software has Topo maps and Traffic. This worked for me well in many cases
I just received my update for TeleTypeGPS version 062005
I love load in view Topo and latest long range car navigation.
Many features been enhanced with nice icons.
I would like to mentioned although that TeleType
out of 20 user reviews
Overall a bad deal.
Pros: Heavily configurable, can use certain aerial/sattelite maps, voice recognition a plus.
Cons: Rotten user interface, difficult to find menus for simple routine tasks, program locks up and crashes often, patches cost money.
So-called new versions of the mapping software are released twice a year on average and cost 39 bucks. (The "NEW VERSION" is a fancy term of theirs for a patch). And - when the download link refused to work I asked for a refund and was told "they don't do refunds on upgrades".
In a years time I bought the software and then had to pay an additional $80 just to keep up with the software changes.
Tell me thats not pure greed.
There are much better deals out there.
out of 20 user reviews
Excellent GPS
Pros: Maps are current and up to date, Bluetooth works great.
Cons: Slight difficulty when first setting up the GPS to get "locked in".
out of 20 user reviews
GPS Device works well; software makes device all but unusable
Pros: The receiver was quick (with a full battery) to pick up GPS signals and keep them. Add on software can have 12+ million POI's...
Cons: Searching the 12+ million POI database was all but unusable. It literally took me 3 minutes to do a SINGLE search -- on a 650mhz PPC! Also, even though the application was supposed to run in VGA mode, it did not work correctly as soon as it was placed int
out of 20 user reviews
Does not deserve an award.
Pros: Looks good. Quick TTFF.
Cons: Bad customer service. World aviation maps does not have all regions. Power switch cheap radio quality and definitely erratic. Current consumption erratic. Software not bug free.Locks up . Freezes the PDA. software updates not free, and this is not just f
out of 20 user reviews
Great little receiver
Pros: I use this receiver with my Ipaq 1945 driving and flying. Works great in both situations. A lot better than spending $1200 for proprietary aviation GPS, plus I can add streets/highways to my aviation maps. Updates about 4 times/yr. for $100.
Cons: Documentation could be better.
out of 20 user reviews
Totally AWESOME!!
Pros: Very easy to use. Set up instructions were "right on"; took all of 5 minutes to get it up-and-running. Awesome satellite locks; averaged 9 satellites locked on my last trip! Even supplied NM-IH batteries!!
Cons: Should offer some kind of suction-cup windshield mount instead of peel-n-stick plate. This would offer better "portability". Would be nice to include a list of PDA's and what the port settings are for each (I did find it on the web site after some looking
out of 20 user reviews
you will most likely get in an accident following their directions
Pros: none
Cons: bad performance bad instructions bad routing engine
out of 20 user reviews
Best gps device
Pros: Fast lock on position, Software is good too
Cons: Tele type software some times maps (very rare) wrongly.
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