Skiing:
The Mio 269 mobile navigation system is a handheld personal GPS receiver (£ 370) from Mio Technology. This is essentially the same basic system, as a highly successful, popular and cheaper Mio 268 (£ 234), both have a fully integrated antenna, touch screen, good functionality and excellent build quality in a beautiful pack flat.
However, the 269 has a few extras such as more than 8,000,000 km of road-mapping data (provided by Tele Atlasstored on an internal hard drive with 500 MB of usable capacity and not stored on a Secure Digital) and a remote control and a 1 year warranty!
Since I am partially sighted, was walking to a new destination always been a nightmare for me. Now I use my new places and then return home on foot, and has broadened my horizons fantastic.
The mapping software is very easy to use and understand. There are clear instructions to all placesI, and can not recalculate a new route, if I lost a lap, I really do not know how I was without this little box.
I enjoy watching a chance for some points of interest and calculate a path to a category, instead of the address. I noticed that on my door I never knew were there!
It 'really fit into any pocket, unlike most of the TomTom-based systems that require a Blu tooth for Pocket PC, this self-contained unit is equipped withNothing stands out and nothing that you can scratch, catch, or easily broken. No installation required - all software and maps are already on your hard disk 2.5 GB, and is all set to go from the moment you turn it on (you must charge for 8 hours before first use).
Whether you are in an address to a new area on foot, going to a new destination in the United Kingdom, or biking across Europe, this is the answer to all your needs, and that is about 4.5 hours with a one single runFree.
The 269 million includes an MP3 player so you can listen to your favorite music on it and has 500 MB of hard disk, which is about 8 hours of music.
Technical data:
Resolution: 320 x 240, 8-bit (256 colors);
Processor: Intel PXA255 300 MHz;
Internal memory: 32 MB ROM, 64 MB RAM;
Internal memory: 2.5 MB, 700 MB user accessible, credit card pre-installed;
GPS Chipset: SirfStar Xtrack II;
Battery: 1350mAh;
Dimensions:138mm x 78mm x 72-26mm;
Weight: 232g;
Delivery:
My 269;
Remote control;
Headphones;
UK / Europe supply of electricity;
ActiveSync software (web based), and
User Guide on CD (PDF format);
Map of the backup CD;
ActiveSync USB transfer cable;
Car charger;
Cars external antenna;
Car Mounting Kit;
Bicycle racks;
Using the system:
Turn off the unit and work through the initial configuration of the system time and date, thenwait a few seconds until the device to initialize and load the operating system and that's it! The operating system has four main program icons on the screen:
Navigation: The GPS navigation software "MioMap CE", this includes visual (2-D and 3-D) map and voice prompts to your destination, and more than 1 million points of interest such as airports, ATM machines (ATM ) positions, stations, museums and restaurants, this is the first version of the software, which shouldbetter, see below.
Music: A very nice MP3 player interface, with some interesting preset EQ settings.
Contact: a basic application directory, you can sort your contacts are transferred and displayed on my 269, but it is not a synchronization tool such as the transfer process in one direction: 269 million desktop is not very useful because you can ' t download onto your computer and update, you must download the entire book again.
Settings:Adjusting system settings, and displays the battery status.
Strengths:
1) walking trails are planned to be pedestrian zone option, and in both directions on one-way streets.
2) A complete, turn it on and is ready to use out of the box;
3) A user-friendly interface, data input is simple and the database is very large;
4) is a detailed mapping and is based on the popular Navigon Mobile Navigator4;
5) There is no need for the exchange of SD cards, a new video card - everything on your hard drive
6) ultra-sensitive GPS receiver that acquires a signal and recovered incredibly fast;
7) 3.5-inch color touch screen and built-in 1-inch speakers are both very clear;
8) Copy and save your contacts from Outlook.
9) The work is exemplary;
10) In addition to the physical on-screen controls important functions.
11) A "Home" button is automaticallyNavigate to the house;
12) clear and intuitive, well-structured interface and controls, except as indicated below.
13) Additional storage capacity including secure digital (not included);
14) a non-route-based navigation allows route planning through the collection of information in narrative form.
To help 15) Extensive Points of Interest, find the nearest repair shop, hotels and restaurants.
U.S. 16) Over 4.5 hours on a single charge, depending on the LCD screen brightness, volume settings used on theSystem, as well as satellite state.
Cons:
Most of these defects are very small part of multiple software development teams for the Mio Technology as a matter of record that for the customer so please do not read too much into this. My 268 and 269 are both exemplary systems with only minor, easily fixed software problems.
These are probably just a natural consequence of Microsoft's business model, that is, unloading an otherwise excellent productprematurely from the market, a monopoly position over the competition.
1a) The screen can be overloaded if the note by default due to the amount of information available, this can be solved easily by changing some settings on the left.
1b) is not to avoid that with a screen protector kit to come in strips, mucky fingerprints and cries of cover, waiting for me at least one ticket for 400 pounds to buy from them for 8.50 million pounds.
2) 'sNavigation instructions are excellent voice, but are not customizable, I'd like to be able to choose the type and frequency of instructions, for example, I wish I could tell which side of the road the next round of thinking in advance so I cross in a safe place, away from the nearest intersection, when it informs.
3) The protective cover that comes in the box is perfectly fine for archiving, but I want to protect a PDA-style device in which they were, while into use.
3b) The device is not waterproof and water resistant (for example, secure digital interface at the top), consider purchasing a tightly closed container sealed to £ 17.00 million.
Note that interferes with my TV and stereo, 4) The remote control can be a bit 'useless, since there are more than two meters in the first 269 million.
5) You can not program the navigation application on your computer, you can download music and contacts. The possibility of having aDesktop interface for navigation applications Mio would be very helpful.
6 a) There is no way to change the navigation application, "skin", there is an option in the settings, but with no alternative and the default is the worst possible combination is shown by orange, gray background "background ", the buttons are gray with white writing and the word" selected "is black, I hate him, 'Okay, can seem cold, but it is not possible, you can simply not see the light of the sun!
6b) foryou can not change the colors on paper, is to follow the green route chosen. The day uses four color map (the streets are white, pink, country, main roads are lined with orange white profile, a side street is full of white and blue water or forest / green).
The card replaces the best night of white and black (the entire country is black and the text is full of white. I would like to customize the colors of the map.
7 a) The GPS receiver consumes more energy, and you can manually disableto preserve the battery, but you can not say that you put after 3 minutes there is movement, and is not in a low power mode. Note that there is a power-saving function - which represents the whole system into standby after x minutes, but not the same and is based on the receiver,
7b) If the receiver and turn it off manually and then start a navigation bar, it is easy to acquire a GPS fix and will never say that there is "a signal is availablenow '.
As long as you remember to enable the recipient, will be just sitting there waiting with a message that begin navigating, whether it is a signal (which will never happen), be aware that we mean that in most of the displays (ie, the map display) you can see if the receiver is enabled or not, but does not expect to start for navigation. (You may need to cancel, so that the receiver to start navigating.)
7c) If the receiver is disabled and you try to look at the GPSdata on the current position, he tells me that no receiver is connected to the device, which means that there is some physical problem, if this is not true, it is programmed only sloppy, but still annoying, because everyone says I have to be disabled the recipient and ask if you want to activate now, is what happens when you are watching the state of the battery. And 'illogical, see 8c.
8 a) The rechargeable lithium ion battery is sealed, I would have liked to see if I could replace 'Battery, died in that time and £ 400 is not just having to create a new system for this and, if necessary, it is nice to use standard battiries be purchased.
8 b) The sensor's battery is very hamfisted is called the capacity of the symbol for 100% green and red for below 30%. This means that you need to know that if 30% of battery capacity is displayed warning after 120 minutes
Then 60 minutes left navigation.
8c) The Li-Ion Battery type useddo not suffer from memory effect of a disability, but the question is not, and break the navigation application stops and forces you to press an OK button, because that is where the battery is at 30% capacity remaining, if in fact it is not think this is the case. Very annoying, I'd like to say such warnings, for 8 seconds or until it is OK.
8c) The battery status icon is very small, but a basic indication of the charging current, however, be clicking on thisIcon is not present more complete information on the battery, as expected, ie a percentage of charge remaining, or estimated time - can only enable or disable the GPS receiver! It 'is illogical, see 7c.
8d), you can change the brightness of the screen, but there is no way to control the backlight, blue light is a very nice, but it requires a lot of energy when you use a lot of physical checks.
9) Do not allow 7-digit UK post code entry and the first streetThe calculation can be slow (even if the recalculation is very fast).
9 b) It quickly calculates a route, if you do not want to follow the initial instructions, but will not show an alternative, it must be assumed to be the "best" in mind (note that a multiple points of the recorded program path or "block" streets within a certain distance from one place, and will route around them in order, but that's not the point, sometimes you want or need to start going in one direction andthis, it would be helpful).
9 c), you can use your card at all times show in front of registered destination, select one from the map or enter the address, but there is no mode "demo", where you can see, or want to schedule an path, in order to be used as an atlas in order to save energy, you can not, you have to wait up to 5 minutes for a cold GPS fix before you can calculate a route, you can turn on the GPS receiver, but then why not simply You can also select the starting point to destination?
9 d) SomeSometimes the paper will "jump" around and tried to center the current position in relation to the direction of the goal, this only happens if you do not move very close to the target.
9e) the shortest route planning or faster, the car is only acceptable option.
10 a) Points of interest only to read but I would like to add my own, that is, they are inevitable, and not include spaces such as parks and forests, as I walk through the parks.
10 b) For people whohave many contacts and the need to visit them regularly to explore the way in which their addresses on the contact-manager would be, only that the contact manager is not tied to the navigation application is good, all you can do what you use this structure the address in memory, but must then return to the browser!
10c) you can copy your Outlook address book from my computer, you can also edit new, or delete existing contacts on the Mio, butcan not upload changes to your computer, otherwise the data transfer is a way - there is no synchronization capabilities, such as a PDA
11) It has 64 MB of RAM, but still seems too weak, 64 MB of RAM should be more than necessary, but all applications are a bit 'too small, the paper movement "one shot" and the user interface displays the transition is slow.
But this is more evident with the MP3 player, which has a nice GUI, but I've never had a track without "jumping" all games8-11 seconds, unless it is absolutely fully loaded! I think this is a function of sloppy programming and could easily be corrected.
12) The touch-screen keyboard for entering information is in alphabetical order, does not apply to the standard QWERTY-style, so that is a virtual keyboard, but it is annoying because it feels as if you know where the letters need to know, physical feel and directional buttons do not work with the keyboard.
13 a) The MP3 player is not integrated with theNavigation software, so if the application Navigator, you can not hear music that is not so much a problem of memory allocation, as it is linked to the fact that the navigation software is not written with the simultaneous processing in mind.
13 b) The device can be in the middle of a trip to crash and require a reboot.
14) When you open the browser, it takes a minute to load, but before the battery is fully charged, it displays a warning advising that you should not be runningthe device while driving, and it is only fully charged when you press the "Accept", so you can not just start the application and go away for a minute. Very irritating and completely unnecessary, this is an attempt idiot what? Legally, it serves no useful function!
15 a), unlike Windows style list boxes that provide no indication how long the lists are, and when you use the buttons on the screen that allows you to fly faster, so you have the button up or down for each keyAn element that is not true for the physical arrow keys, but it is inconsistent and implies that you have both types of controls. Note that in most cases there is an on-screen keyboard that can help you jump down the list.
15b) The interface on the MP3 player graphic equalizer with 18 preset configurations interesting, but you can not manually adjust the settings, despite the fact that the interface is a set of "sliders".
16) There is no internal support system that is not a realProblem, because 94% of software is very intuitive, but this is a very complex system, in advanced mode.
17) There is no way to examine or to hold is the total storage capacity of m, ie there is no way of knowing how much space is used.
This must be with the Mio Transfer application on your computer, not a real problem because there is no possibility of data from external memory to the hard to move my disk, however, targets and storedContact details to be created on the storage and the million accumulate over time.
Summary:
The review above seems a crushing indictment of the Mio 269, but not really a bad system, physically perfect apart from the problem of battery, but I can not fault the design in a different way, is a great system.
The software is what you can, the down side, and it is good, once again, that there is only the first version (1.0), so hopefully this littleProblems are solved, how and when applications are updated, however, even with the small things that are above, which is still the best and least expensive paper-based system of GPS on the market.
Currently, I give my 269 but I'd like to correct the error if 7.10 05/09/10 foftware. In fact, to be honest, I'd give it a 10 except for two issues and the fact that the battery does not allow 7-digit UK post code entry.
However, this system will cost about £ 370 readyGo and entry-level model, which is just as good, about 234 pounds, the only system that I even remotely as good as we have seen an all-around solution is a £ 150 version of TomTom version 9, which required a £ 350 Pocket PC run it well, and still has a £ 200 GPS receiver.
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