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PDA
| MITAC MIO 168 GPS |
| P26,500 | |
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Frodo and Sam could have used a device like this
It's about time GPS landed here in our neck of the woods. Western countries have been using GPS for nearly a decade now. GPS even comes as an option in their automobiles. Over here in the RP, a lack of devices and digital maps has meant the underutilization of technology, and an untapped market. Now Mitac has answered our prayers. Let's see if they deliver.
The Mitac Mio 168 is a basic PDA with one very special feature, a GPS antenna attached to the back. You can't miss the antenna, it protrudes like Quasimodo's hump when closed, and even more when unfolded.
Along with the Mio itself, the box also contains a wall charger, sync cable, car mount with suction cup, car charger and a 256MB SD card. There is no included casing or sleeve though, an oversight compounded by the fact that it's not easy to find a perfectly fitting case for the Mio 168 thanks to its protruding antenna.
Considering again the contents of the box, it does lack one more important item. Since the Mio's charger comes in double round or in three-prong socket configuration, you'll have to run down to the nearest hardware sotre for a proper adaptor. Though it is by no means a cheap aftermarket purchase, we feel it is intrinsically wrong for a product not to work out of the box.
There's nothing special PDA-wise about the Mio 168. By this time PDAs have become ubiquitous; the Mio 168 doesn't even have Bluetooth going for it. It's not a bad PDA mind you, but it is focused on one thing: getting you from point A to point B via GPS.
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Windows Mobile 2003 OS. Intel Xscale 300 MHZ PXA 255 CPU. 64 MB SDRAM, 32MB ROM. 65k-color, 320x240 pixel LCD. SD Card slot. Integrated GPS. 6.5 hours battery life. Dimensions: 112.8mm x 69.6mm x 16.3~24.15mm. Weight: 5.2 oz.
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Mitac has done its job, as long as updates are readily available. If not, a wait-and-see attitude may be a better idea.
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The GPS software is in the 256MB SD card provided. Installation is a breeze and the software is intuitive up to a point. Maps for the whole of Metro Manila are included; you just have to load each map by city. These maps are detailed up to individual streets, as they should be. Landmarks like schools, churches, and hospitals appear as icons. You use the stylus to zoom, pan, and point to a particular area.
Triangulating your position requires locking on to a minimum of three satellites. While we were able to figure out the software eventually, locking on to satellites was a hit and miss affair. Once you're connected however, there's that feeling of magic you get with new gadgets. And it really is magical - you'll see your position as a blue dot in relation to your surroundings.
We feel the Mio 168 hardware is well done; we suspect it's the software and the maps that still need polishing. As of writing this article, the distributor said an update was already available, and maybe that's the missing key. If your line of work requires this sort of device, then it's probably worth trying out. When used to its full potential, the Mio 168 is very useful. The question is, can Mitac's programmers keep up with the MMDA's street-renaming task force? - Dinzo Tabamo
 Post your opinion or own review!
T3 Magazine Philippines - April 2005 Issue
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