New GPS-equipped Pocket PCs on the way

It’s been a little quiet around here as I’ve been a little busy putting the final touches to the marketing material for the new PDAs. The N310, N311 and C510.

I saw them at the global press conference at Montecarlo and these babies are really neat. Their release date (sometime on November?) is pretty fortuitous too as I’m looking for a portable navigation device for my new car which should be arriving right around then. Before anyone mentions it, I did spec the thing with a navigator but apparently Ford can’t supply them… I’ve been using a Garmin Street Pilot III and it’s got me out of more than my fair share of pickles, but after four years of peerless service, it’s time to move on, and I’m looking for something that’ll help me out on the road yet will also take care of some other, memory-taxing chores.

That’s why I’m not going for any of the “standard” portable navigators, even though “GPS-capability” is 80% of my reason to purchase.

The N310 and C510 both have GPS capabilities, standard on the C510 and available as a kit on the N310 and N311, yet the things are small enough to sit in your pocket. They have seriously powerful processors, run Microsoft’s latest Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC and take

SDIO capable expansion slots, meaning I’ll be able to plug in an endless list of goodies and accessories, wife permitting.

The N311 also includes Wi-Fi 802.11b connectivity, meaning I can get to where I’m going without any classic-Michael wrong ways AND, if there’s a network available, still have time to post a blog. Cool!

The other thing that caught my attention is that the N311 has a 3.7” screen. This may seem like a small point, but I’m one of those men who really can concentrate on only one thing at a time so the bigger the arrow, the more likely I am to see it when I’m driving!

Sold. I’ll post a review the moment it arrives.