by Gary Mazo

Turning one's PDA into a GPS is one of the most exciting and helpful things we can do with our Handhelds. Some systems work better than others. Most involve lots of wires or iffy Bluetooth connection. Arkon Resources, inc. takes a different approach. Read on to see how well it works.

I have been experimenting with PDA GPS mounts, software and Bluetooth GPS devices for a while and the results have been a mixed bag. I was excited to receive the Arkon powered GPS mount and see if maybe this could be the one. This review will cover the mount only since, like most GPS devices, this one ships with no software. Luckily, I have found several GPS software programs that work well.

Overview:

The Arkon powered mount was simple to install. The mount in a totally self contained unit with a small "flip up" GPS unit in the back. The mount contains an adjustable cradle for holding the PDA, a power cord for the car lighter/jack, a cable and jack for audio and a suction cup for the windshield. In less than five minutes I was ready to go.

Features:

One of the distinguishing features of the Arkon Mount is that it can be adjusted to fit any PDA. Instead of a proprietary assembly on the mount, Arkon employs a simple usb to PDA data cable which plugs into the bottom of the unit and then to the PDA itself. The beauty of this design is that you can order multiple cables for use with multiple PDA's without having to order a unit "specific" kit for every PDA you own. For me, this was great since I use my Dell Axim often as my GPS but I would like to use my Treo 650 as well and all I need is a separate cable to do so.

Accuracy:

Perhaps the most important feature of a GPS is to locate one's position quickly and accurately. This has been a mixed bag in my past GPS reviews. The Arkon was hands down the most accurate GPS I have used to date. Where most other GPS devices put me at least ¼ past or in front of my actual position, the Arkon was maybe 50 yards or less away from my actual position. Not bad at all for this kind of device.

Appearance:

The Arkon Powered mount is not small - it takes up some real estate on your car window and overhangs the dash. The good news is that since it is totally adjustable, you can lower it towards the dash or bring it out closer to your eyes (a nice feature especially if you are using a tiny screen.)

Conclusions:

The Arkon powered mount is a fabulous device. It worked flawlessly with my Dell Axim and I can't wait to see how it works with the Treo. Arkon is a leader in PDA mounts and it shows in the wonderful integration of GPS into this "all in one" solution for the car.

Grade: A

Pros: Ease of use, does just what it is supposed to, only one cable to clutter up the car

Cons: No bundled software, windshield mount bounces around a bit