Mobile Crossing Waypoint 200 PocketPC with GPS Review

Jan 04 Mobile Crossing Waypoint 200 PocketPC with GPS Review
Found in:Devices, Pocket PC, GPS, Reviews,

In the world of GPS PDAs, Mobile Crossing is far from the first name to come to mind, being eclipsed by big-name Garmin, or dedicated innovator Mitac. We've taken their Waypoint 200 GPS PocketPC and given it a few laps to see if they can play with the big dogs.The Waypoint itself is a remarkably standard-looking PocketPC. Unlike most of the other models designed specifically for GPS use, the Waypoint doesn't actually have a built-in GPS receiver. Instead, it comes with a pre-configured Bluetooth GPS receiver, and a Bluetooth CompactFlash card, also preinstalled. This means that it doesn't have the large antennas characteristic of the Garmin and Mitac GPS models. It also means that to move the system around, you have to carry at least two pieces, the PocketPC and the receiver, which makes it less ideal for field applications than for car navigation.

The box the Waypoint comes in is practically stuffed with small accessories. In no particular order:

* Waypoint 200
* Stylus
* Lithium Ion battery
* Bluetooth CompactFlash card
* Bluetooth GPS receiver
* USB cradle
* 5v, 3 amp AC adapter
* Car charger
* Powered vehicle mount with speaker
* USB travel sync adapter
* Audio cord for vehicle mount
* USB charge cable
* Windshield mount
* Documentation
* Charger Y-cable


Most of the gear is relatively self-explanatory, used in various combinations for powering the Waypoint and its GPS receiver, whether in a vehicle or from an AC outlet.

The desktop cradle is basic and functional. In addition to power and USB connectivity, it has a slot on the rear for charging a second primary "slim" battery. The cradle also provides space on the back of the device for an extended high-capacity battery, but there's no indication that Mobile Crossing offers such a thing, at least at this point.



The one real oddity of the hardware is that the directional pad on the Waypoint is only 4-way. Most pads are 5-way, meaning that they have a center-press 'action' function, used for dismissing windows, opening programs, and other navigation without using the touchscreen. The Waypoint doesn't have this, which is both odd and annoying. Frequently I'll go to dismiss a window and forget that I need to pull out the stylus. The only reason I can imagine for not including this is that Mobile Crossing (or their OEM) thought that a center action button would be easily jostled in a moving vehicle while trying to navigate.

The overall feel of the Waypoint is of being durable, though not rugged. What I mean is that it's up to taking day-to-day wear and tear, but it's not designed to take serious abuse the way that most dedicated GPS recievers can. It's not crush-proof, water-proof, dust-proof, or impact resistant, but no consumer PocketPCs really are.

Hardware

Processor: 400 MHz Intel XScale PXA260

Operating System: Windows Mobile 2003

Display: 240 x 320 QVGA transmissive/reflective LCD; NVIDIA MQ1188 video controller chip

Memory: 64 MB RAM (41 MB available); 32 MB ROM (None available); 128 MB flash memory (122 MB available)

Size & Weight: 5.3" long x 3.1" wide x 0.63" thick, approx. 5.5 ounces

Expansion: One CompactFlash Type 2 slot (Used for GPS connectivity); One SDIO slot

Docking: 22 pin docking connector; USB cradle with spare battery slot

Communication: Bundled Bluetooth CompactFlash card

Audio: Built in speaker & microphone; 3.5mm headphone jack

Battery: 3.7v, 1300 milliamp-hour Lithium Ion replacable battery

Input: 5 remappable application buttons; 4-way directional pad; touchscreen

Other: Bundled Bluetooth Global Positioning System receiver; preloaded maps

Processor

The Waypoint runs on an older PXA260 processor, a generation behind the 270s used in most new PocketPCs. Compared to the 270, the 260s are less efficient, both in power consumption and in how its clock cycles are used. This makes it both more power hungry and slower than a newer processor at the same speed. Even so, the Waypoint manages to move along at a decent clip, reacting to commands in good time, and performed navigation functions in an efficient manner, if not entirely speedy. The only time that it bogged down seriously was when it was trying to display the maps for a large area, such as several counties. Overall, it performs well, but it won't provide the snappy reaction of a newer model.

Operating System


Like its processor, the Waypoint's operating system is a generation behind the times. It runs Windows Mobile 2003--not 2003 Second Edition, the most common version of the OS, nor Windows Mobile 5, the newest version, but the original Windows Mobile 2003. While not a huge loss, at least compared to 2003 SE, it does mean that the Waypoint will be a bit slower and less stable than a 2003SE device. Another side-effect is that the device lacks the screen rotation capabilities of the newer OS, so you are by default limited to portrait mode. The navigation program can rotate its own screen, but cannot do so for any other programs.

Display

There isn't much to say about the Waypoint's display. A standard 320 x 240 Quarter-VGA LCD, its reflective qualities make it viewable in bright light, and even more so in direct sun. Since most people will be using it in a semi-shaded environment like a car, however, a little more must be said.

Daylight performance is difficult to measure in a handheld, because of the nature of the optics involved. Any color LCD is not going to look as good in direct sun as it does in a dimmer environment, where it relies on its internal backlighting to make the screen viewable. In direct or indirect sun, the bright light causes the display to seem washed out, lacking color and contrast. The same is true with the Waypoint. To try and combat this for in-car viewing, most users will probably want to run the backlight at maximum, making the car power adapter a very important accessory. To its credit, the Waypoint has a very bright screen, providing good readability even in bright light.

Memory

The Waypoint has 64 MB of main RAM, the de facto standard for modern PocketPCs. Out of that 64 MB, however, only 41 MB is open to the end user--significantly less than other equivalent models--which then has to be split between storage and program memory. For anything more than PIM use, you'll definitely want a memory card to install your programs and files to. The missing RAM, according to Waypoint, is used as a graphics buffer to speed up map drawing, though I didn't notice a big difference compared to my other devices.

Size & Weight

The Waypoint is definitely not as sleek and thin as more more modern units, but given the market this is a more secondary issue. It's primarily meant to stay in its car mount, or in the desktop cradle. Pocketability is a minor concern, and it's all the more obvious that this is so, because the Waypoint is not tiny for the features it offers.

Conclusion

As is the case with most GPS-based handhelds, the Waypoint appeals much more to those looking for a multifunction high-end GPS than it does to ordinary handheld users. Its pricing and pre-configuration underline this, resembling more the Garmin StreetPilot series than an iPaq or an Axim.

The Waypoint doesn't really do anything that an ordinary Bluetooth-enabled PocketPC, supplied with a BT GPS receiever and maps, can't already do, albeit with a little extra tweaking. For the convenience of having the system pre-configured, Waypoint users can expect to pay a considerable premium over what it would cost them to buy seperately a Bluetooth GPS and PocketPC of considerably better specifications. The extensive accessory bundle adds some value, but the Waypoint is still overpriced compared to ordinary models. It's only cheap when compared to high-end GPS systems, which can easily cost over $1000.

Even so, I wouldn't buy it. The Waypoint remains an extremely niche-oriented model, suitable to moderate navigation with a tiny bit of handheld use thrown in. It's not for power users, or even average users. The PocketPC component is so bland that it could lay eggs and still not merit a second look, and the aggrivation saved in one area of configuration is returned tenfold in other areas. Simply put, it's not worth the money, and there's no scenario that I can think of that makes it worth more than a PocketPC and Bluetooth GPS bought seperately.

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