| You CAN Have It All in Your Mobile Phone - Pharos GPS Phone 600 When You're On the Go By Steve Kruschen ©2007 All Rights Reserved September 20, 2007 - Yes, it has that! This is the likely answer if you ask about a particular feature in the Pharos GPS Phone 600. I've encountered few devices with so many useful and beneficial features as this. In the form factor of a PDA, a small PDA, the GPS Phone 600 packs in all the functionality of a PDA with organizer; the mobile version of Microsoft Office, with Mobile Outlook, Mobile Excel and Mobile PowerPoint. While its plain design may not win any contests, it's what's inside that counts.
Add a fully functional, full-featured Pharos GPS system with millions of points of interest for navigation on the go in a car, on a bicycle or on foot, with real-time traffic available. Through the speaker phone speaker the user hears turn-by-turn directions and re-routing if a wrong turn is made. See the map in real time on the large screen - 2.8-inches. Search for points of interest according to category as well as location anywhere in the US or Canada. Pop it in the provided vehicle windshield mount, plug in the provided vehicle power cord and you're good to go. The same 20-channel chip found in today's top portable GPS units is also inside this device. And it's integrated with Mobile Outlook's address book so you can navigate to addresses already in that directory as well as literally any other address in the US and Canada. In addition, maps and databases for Europe, Asia and other places on the globe are available from Pharos. With built-in Wi-Fi, log on to available networks to surf the Web using Microsoft Explorer. Find local points of interest not only with GPS but also using the browser. And it's a phone, an unlocked quad-band GSM phone so it will work on AT&T and T-Mobile in the US and on GSM networks throughout the world, GSM being the predominant worldwide mobile phone technology. And it also uses GPRS/EDGE data networks in the same fashion. So, even if Wi-Fi is not available, the device can use the subscriber's mobile data network for email and Internet as well as for the other popular mobile messaging methods. Email is via the Web through Internet Explorer or using the provided Outlook email client. Find a local restaurant, call for reservations and then enter its address in the GPS system and be guided to it. As if this was not enough, there is also a 2.0 megapixel camera (nothing special, but it's there), an FM radio for listening on the go as well as the ability to store and play MP3 music and videos - there's a Micro-SD card slot into which the included 2GB card may be inserted! The screen is touch-sensitive, of course. With built-in Bluetooth, use any Bluetooth headset or other portable Bluetooth equipped speaker for hands-free calling. Finally, the Pharos GPS Phone 600 can be used as a modem to connect to your laptop PC. In other words, connecting the supplied USB cable to your laptop, the Pharos device can act as a modem to connect to the Internet using the phone's own connection to the Internet with GPRS/EDGE - the data service of your phone plan. Yes, it's all in there. Now, how well does it work? In my experience, not being totally familiar nor well-practiced with devices operating with Windows Mobile, it has taken a few weeks for me to become familiar with how it does what it does and to get it set up for my own use. Now, it's pretty smooth sailing. It does not need to be connected to the PC, that is, Windows PC, though it can be synchronized with Outlook on the Windows side, a feature bound to be attractive to many users. I've made it a point to have it on my belt (in its supplied leather flip-top belt case) whenever I'm up and about. I particularly like and recommend it for its versatility as a phone, organizer and GPS device. This has been very handy. I like having my email available in full form and functionality wherever and whenever I want it. I enjoy the convenience of all these features in one integrated device. Unlike the Blackberry devices, email for this device is downloaded directly to the device and resides in its memory, either within the main memory or using the accessory 2GB MicroSD card (which is how mine is set up). For hands-free operation in the car, I've used it with the Motorola T305 Bluetooth Hands Free Speaker. It's a no brainer! All the audio from the phone and the GPS directions is routed through the BT speaker. GPS can operate during a call. You will still see directions on the screen and hear turn-by-turn instructions concurrently with every call. Nothing is missed. The FM radio operates only with the plug-in headphones attaches as it relies upon the cord as the FM antenna. Battery life is claimed to be five hours of talk time with up to 160 hours of standby time. These figures DO NOT take into account any use of other features. This device, as with any of the other smart and truly multifunctional devices, can suck a battery dry in just a couple of hours or so if it is going to be called upon to surf the Web and do email solidly for that time. But, this is not typical use. When in the vehicle, smart users will plug it in to keep the included Lithium battery charged. Then, when at home or in the office nearby to plug-in power, it should also be plugged in nightly with the supplied charger. I wish it was fully Macintosh-compatible, but it is not. It's a Windows device. However, it can synchronize with certain Mac features, such as the address book and email. I do not recommend it for Mac users, however. Let us not forget it is an unlocked GSM phone. It is NOT tied to the carrier, which makes it ideal for the most mobile among my audience, those who travel out of the country as well as those who simply do not want to be locked into using either AT&T or T-Mobile domestically. Travelers who visit abroad can simply remove the SIM card and insert one locally with rates that would certainly be cheaper in the local market. For those who may wish to use T-Mobile in the US, the company is offering a $200 rebate when signing up for a two-year program. And this brings me to the price. This fully functional, full-featured and unlocked Pharos GPS Phone 600 costs $700, but only $500 after the t-Mobile rebate. Do the math. If you were to purchase a stand-alone GPS device with similar features, that is, just the GPS features, you'd spend about $400. An unlocked GSM phone with Bluetooth would cost about $250-$300 or more. A PDA with Windows Mobile would run about $250-300. Yet, all these features, and more, are available for "only" $500 after rebate. I haven't even mentioned the fact that with just one device, there is less clutter and less to take along. What's that worth to you? Yes, this Pharos GPS Phone 600 does seem to have it all, or at least close to it all! If you're someone always on the go, such as a busy parent managing a household, with kids and their activities, this Pharos GPS Phone 600 may be a savior. Or if you are a businessperson who is always traveling, with client meetings to attend in unknown places, an extensive address book and all the rest, you'll do yourself a favor to check out one of these. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I know I was. More info is at www.pharosgps.com or call 1-888-PHAROS-8. Buy from THESE retailers, including Amazon.com, CircuitCity.com, Dell, Mobile Planet, Office Depot/Tech Depot. |
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