At 25 Nov 2007 11:48:26 -0600 Roger 2008 wrote:

> I've already started shopping for GPS programs that work with a
PocketPC and
> I've found three of them so far. CoPilot, nRoute and Iguidance.
>
> Since I already own a copy of nRoute for a laptop, I'm giong to see
what I
> need to get that one on my 6800 first.


Don't forget to also try the excellent (and free) Windows Live Search.
(Go to wls.live.com on the 6800 and it'll autodetect the device type and
offer up a download.)

While WLS doesn't give spoken directions (just a "beep" for an upcoming
direction and a "boop" when it arrives) and requires a data connection,
it does have a speech recognition function, allowing you to tell it an
address or business name (much easier than trying to punch in a
destination in a vehicle.) So you tap the left softkey ("speak") and say
"Alice's Restaurant" or whatever, and it will list the closest matches to
your location. MS added a 25 closest gas stations sorted by gas prices
feature recently as well, that has come in handy for me when needing to
refill a rental car prior to dropping it off in a strange city! There's
also a nice "Save to contacts" function so when you find a business (or
even residential listing) you can add it to your Outlook contacts with a
tap.


Obviously "off line" GPS programs have major advantages- no need for data
connectivity, spoken directions, etc., but online apps like WLS have
advantages as well- constantly updated POI databases, live traffic
updates in major cities, and probably most important for me- not having
to remember to copy the right county/region/state maps to my phone's SD
card prior to traveling!

I still carry my offline GPS software as a backup (the excellent, but no-
longer-available Mapopolis) but rarely, if ever, use it anymore- WLS is
now my main navigation program.