Early Adopters Pick: August 2003. The first PDA to include integrated GPS technology.
With the power of Palm OS 5 and the dependability of Garmin GPS technology, this super PDA redefines multitasking. Its integrated software not only allows you to look up appointments and contacts, it also locates and routes you to them with voice-guidance commands. Feature highlights include: GPS receiver, MP3 player, voice recorder, infrared communication, and vibrating alarm.
 | GPS
The differentiating feature of the iQue 3600 is its integrated GPS capabilities. Garmin's innovative Que technology delivers location awareness, electronic mapping, automatic route calculation, turn-by-turn voice guidance, and map data interface to the iQue 3600. Que technology enables users to see where they are, find a street address, know where the next turn is via visual and voice guidance, get back on track when they’ve strayed off course, and navigate efficiently to their desired destination. Detailed Mapping
Users can choose a configurable basemap of North America, South America, Europe, or regions in the Pacific Rim, with generalized information on highways, major city streets, highway exit services, railways, rivers, lakes, and state, provincial, and national borders. The iQue also has the added benefit of detailed street information on the included MapSource® CD-ROM, giving users the capability of looking up restaurant addresses, hotels, local attractions, transportation hubs, emergency services, and much more. Once a desired point of interest is chosen, you have the capability to view more info or even show it on the map screen. The mapping capability of the iQue 3600 makes it a versatile companion for the international frequent flyer who travels, for instance, between New York and London or San Francisco and Hong Kong. |
| Customizable maps mean never getting lost again |
Powerful Organization
The iQue 3600 is built around the Palm OS 5 platform and offers standard Palm applications, such as Address Book, Calculator, Date Book, Memo Pad, and To Do List. And there’s enough processing power to search large databases of stored information and to enhance display graphics with easy-to-read fonts and crisp electronic maps. There's also a voice recorder for making memos, quick notes, and messages. With 32 MB of built-in memory and an expansion slot, you can even store your favorite MP3s.
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| The flip-up GPS antenna |
High-Tech Integration One of the key benefits of technology integration on the iQue 3600 is its patent-pending contact-locator feature. Enabled by Garmin's Que technology, this feature connects the Palm Address Book and Date Book to the GPS electronic map to give the user the ability to navigate directly to a specific address within the user’s contact database.
System
The Garmin iQue 3600 features the new Motorola DragonBall MXL ARM9 microprocessor, and boasts 32 MB DRAM. This handheld is powered by Palm OS 5, which offers the processing power to take on the most demanding mobile computing tasks, together with advanced multimedia and the wireless connectivity and security that enterprises require.
Display
The iQue 3600 delivers brilliant images with its 2.16-by-3.24-inch display. It has a 16-bit color display with 320 x 480 pixel resolution.
Expansion
Expand your iQue 3600 via its Secure Digital slot.
Software
The iQue 3600 comes with the following Garmin Que applications: MP3, GPS Clock, Address Lookup, Electronic Mapping, Track Log, Trip Computer, Automatic Route Generation, and Turn-by-Turn Voice Guidance, as well as these Palm OS 5 applications: Address Book, Calculator, Date Book, Expense, Mail, Memo Pad, Palm Reader, and To Do List. In addition, it includes these third-party applications: Astraware Game Pack, Documents to Go, powerOne Personal Calculator, StarCaddy, SplashPhoto, and Vindigo.
The Nuts and Bolts
Included in the box
iQue 3600, protective display cover, metal stylus, USB HotSync cradle, A/C power/charging adapter, quick start guide, installation/application, CD-ROM with manual, and choice of MapSource configuration with full unlock certificate: either 1) North America City Select CD or Atlantic European City Select CD.
1 It is hard to deal with curstomer service
If you want to buy it, just hope it won't show "route calculation error". Here is the email I sent to them last year and I am still waiting for reply.
"Howdy!
I called two times hoping to find answers of "route calculation error". Unfortunately the problem still exists.
For the first time I used my new iQue 3600 during my trip to San Antonio, TX on August 6 to August 8, 2004. I was amazed at the functions the small one offered. It helped me a lot, especially in the downtown area. On my way back to home, the iQue stopped working and the "route calculation error" appeared on the screen. I had big trouble to find home back.
After I got home, I called tech support and after several attempts I was told to reload the map. After reloading the map, the route calculation error disappeared temporarily.
Today, August 24, I received my friend's new address and I couldn't route to her address and "route calculation error" appeared again.
Today's customer specialist, Doug, after several attempts, still suggested to reload the map. To me it is not an option anymore to solve the problem. I can not reload the map all the time, especially when I am away on road without my computer. If I knew that I would need to reload the map so often, I would not buy it in the first place.
Anyway you know your products better than me. I hope the problem can be solved quickly, otherwise I have to request the return of the product either to the store or to Garmin.
Thank you.
Feng Qin"
2 Good Product, but does have some faults.
I bought this unit several months ago in anticipation of trip to Italy because of the detailed maps available through Garman. Well, the street detail was breathtaking! Venice is a very complex city with alleys & tiny streets that are bunched together in an impossible maze. As long a I got a clear signal (a drawback of any GPS unit)I knew EXACTLY where I was. Walking directions were right on.
But, back stateside I started seeing some limitations with the unit: 1) Driving directions were not that great, taking you on round about routes in spite of requesting the least # of turns and/or highways (not side streets), 2) the battery life is terribly short and needs to be put back onto the cradle for re-charging, 3) it's a rather fragile unit - I'm somewhat of a klutz from time to time and have dropped the unit which then needed to be reset.
The PDA part of this unit was a welcome bonus. I purchased a 1GB memory card which gave me the maps I needed plus plenty of extra memory. I loaded Pocket Quicken on it which enables me to keep track of my personal finances away from my desktop. Overall - worth the investment.
3 Fantastic product
Really nice product and worth every cent. I own a Garmin StreetPilot and have used a Palm PDA so I found this really easy to use. The ability to drag maps around to find places is amazing.
The integrated PDA functionality really adds value. A must for anyone in sales that travels (you could actually know where your taxi is going and where to find dinner in any city).
If you are just doing navigation for your car you could just go with a StreetPilot - a bit easier to use. My third great GPS from Garmin.
PS. Some of my kids first words in the car "turn right daddy" - copying my nav systems audio - Dad's car talks!
4 User for 9 months
My 3600 GPS did not work the first time and was returned. After a new one was sent, it started working well. There are two detailed manuals which you should study (I downloaded and studied while I was waiting for delivery). For clarification on their 'too detailed instructions' I had to call their service about 5 times each spending 20 minutes on hold. Now that I have had it I can't do without. It is accurate 9 out of 10 new addresses I enter so don't trust it 100%. I use it everywhere (East coast and West coast). I use it to get to any new address and very valuable even trying to get out of a large parking lot after I arrive. After 3 months I started to use it to find shops and eatery while on the road. If you don't remember exactly a specific address, you can get there if you remember a store close by. The unit requires a soft reset every few weeks. The biggest plus is that you never lose your addresses because you sync it up with your home computer. There is a selection of 'fastest path or shortest distance' which could be confusing if selected wrong. I realize there are other GPS which are more costly, longer battery life with larger fonts but for the money it is the greatest product since the PC.
5 Excellent product and very useful.
I moved to a new city and bought this PDA upon my friends recommendation and I must say that I am very pleased with it. It has been of great help to me when I get lost or am exploring new areas of the city.
So far I have had no issues with it. I highly recommend this to anybody. The only thing I'd suggest is to get a car kit and antenna so that it does not attract prying eyes while driving.
6 ique 3600 badddddd
I CURRENTLY OWN THE GARMIN IQUE 3600. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE OWNING THIS ITEM. FIRT OFF THE 3600 "FROZ UP" ON ME THE VERY FIRST TIME I USED IT, AND AFTER WAITING 75 MINUTES ON HOLD WITH PRODUCT SUPPORT, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE 3600 WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE RETURNED. TO GIVE GARMIN CREDIT, THEY REPLACED IT FREE (1 YEAR FACTORY WARRANTY)AND A NEW PRODUCT WAS SHIPPED TO ME IN A TIMELY FASION (11 DAYS). UPOM ARRIVAL OF NEW PRODUCT I WAS DISSAPOINTED TO KNOW THAT I HAD TO INSTALL ALL OF THE MAPS AND DATA THAT I LOST. AFTER INSTALLING NEW SOFTWARE, I GAVE THE NEW GPS ANOTHER SHOT. I AM A POLICE OFFICER, AND THIS PRODUCT CAN BE ESSENTIAL TOOL IN MANY SITUATIONS I ENCOUNTER, SO ON ANOTHER TRIP I USED THE 3600 AGAIN, AND YET AGAIN IT FAILED. THE "NEW" 3600 FROZE UP AGAIN, AND I HAD TO RE-INSTALL THE MAPS AND DATA. I CALLED CUSTOMER SUPPORT TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLACE WITH A DIFFERENT PRODUCT. AFTER RE-INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE FOR YET A 3RD TIME ON TWO DIFFERENT IQ 3600'S, I ATTEMTED TO USE IT FOR ONLY A THIRD TIME. AFTER 3/4 OF MY TRIP, THE 3600 FROZE UP YET AGAIN FOR A 3RD TIME IN AS MANY TRIES, WITH 2 DIFFERENT 3600'S. AS A POLICE OFFICER I CAN'T COUNT ON THE GARMIN 3600 TO GET ME ANYWHERE WITH OUT A GOOD CHANCE OF FAILURE. A PERSONS LIFE IS NOT WORTH THE 3600. A MAP IS A LOT CHEAPER, AND A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE. STAY AWAY, UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE DISSAPOINTED.
7 customer service
This is a great product. However, make sure you do not lose any of your installation software or registration/unlock/customer codes. The customer service personnel will be very pleasant and replace these things if you do lose them, but you'll have to endure being put on hold for 20-30 minutes (and can only call in Central time 8am-5pm) to get those things--a royal pain in the butt.
8 Very Pleased with Product
Having read the recent, unfavorable comments I have had a different reaction:
I bought my Garmin 3600 from Amazon, late last September. Initially I found it pretty complicated and with so many "bells and whistles" it was difficult to remember how to access it's functions. After using it for a couple weeks in the local area I began to feel competent with it. In November I took it to an unfamiliar city (Portland, OR) and used it to get around with a rental car - it was great. Finding our hotel, nightclubs and other locations late at night was a snap, I always knew where I was and got to where I was going without a hitch. Over the past 3 months, I have pretty well mastered most features and they work well. It has a lot of power that is not readily recognized.
The unit has locked up a couple of times on me, but a reset, using the tool inside the stylus, quickly restored it. The only real downside I experienced for this item is the "learning curve". It took a lot of familiarization to become proficient with it but in retrospect it was well worth the time. Earlier comments about the battery power and using the car charger apply, but have not been a real problem.
Should you buy this product, I would strongly recommend that you get the "low profile" antenna to go with it. It speeds up acquisition and it let's you move the handheld around to different locations in the vehicle.
All things said, I am delighted with the product and it goes everywhere with me.
9 FUBR on the second day?????
Well it has been a few months since I got my original IQUE 3600 replaced. I can use only one word to describe the unit,
IMPRESSIVE.
Aside from the battery life which everyone has already mentioned, and the fact that it does lock up occasionally, nothing a soft reset won't fix, it works great.
The GPS component works very nicely, the find feature is nice. I wish they had an easy mechanism to specifiy an address or intersection to get direction. The find function for addresses does not seem to work very well and so I have to create an address entry in the address book before I can route to the address.
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I am giving it 1 star based on a total of about 2 hours of experience which I consider is Extremely generous based on the current condition of the product.
1- Graet product. I got it monday eve. Charged it for 3.5 hrs and sync'd with my laptop. Sweet. Everything is great. Locked up once but a soft reboot was all it needed.
2- Day 2, used in the AM to track for about 3 minutes. Works great, recalculates extremely fast. i am impressed.
3- Still day 2, Since I was travelling the entire day, did not have the opportunity to play with it. Now that it is the evening, i can play with it. About 30 minutes later, the unit locked up. I cannot do a hard reset no soft reset. Garmin is closed Will try in the AM.
4- Day three, called Garmin, Got a support rep in about 8 minutes (pretty good so far). He was polite and asked me that even though I had purchased it two days ago, the only way to get it fixed was to send it to them and let them "repair" it.
Well I want a new unit as this one may have some major problems (maybe software???).
Also, I wish they had some sort of an advanced replacement program. i mean if I pay that kinda money for a device, i should get at least the option to put up my CC and get an advanced replacement.
I am trying to get this resolved through the vendor I bought it from. I will update if things change.
10 They have design problems
I am going on my third pda in the last 3 months. Can't keep the gps operational. They know they have hardware problems in this area. On the up side, the palm side seems to be fine and they have good customer service.
11 Do Not Buy This Until They Fix the Kinks
I had problems twice with this item, and Amazon tried to replace it without success. First, the cradle did not fit the item properly. Then, the second unit I received had problems with the touch screen. When I wrote to Amazon about this, they said the problems with this product were "widespread." The product, if it works, would be great. I hope they fix whatever is wrong with it, but until then, buy at your own risk.
12 intelligent end user
The software for the Maps and the battery life are the real serious drawbacks on this unit. The updates needed are not really well specified/or documented on the garmin site. I was finally able to install the software patch for the 1 gd SD card afte visiting the CNET site.
and guess what - the card wiped out after 3/4 weeks of install because of low battery!! Watch your batteries
13 Great GPS and PDA
I got one and I can say, I am totally amazed with it. It can guide me to a destination without any problems. I tested it with some local sample routing, and it even found my favorite short cuts.
As noted already, the map install software is the worse. I have an MS in Comp Eng, and over 20 years of experience with PC's, and it took every trick I knew to get the map install program to run from the general software install (aka "startup") CD. Garmin claims, wrongly, that one has to wait for the general install CD to stop spinning before switching (as instructed) to the map install CD. That isn't it. The best thing to do, is to just wait 15 minutes or so, and then MAYBE you can successfully switch CD's. Even then, it took me 5 tries for it to take. :(
If you are technically skillful and curious (otherwise skip to the next paragraph), I believe the general software install routines accidentally leave a file open on the startup CD when it tells you to swap CD's, which causes all sorts of grief to Windows if you try to eject the CD. By waiting, Windows will eventually time out and close that forgotten file. At that time, and only at that time, you can safely eject the startup CD and put in the map install CD.
However, you usually only need to do this once (thank deity!). From then on, you can update your maps through the Palm Desktop.
The only other oddity I found, that you can have the iQue set up a route from an origin to a destination, but there is NO WAY to easily plot a return route once you want to return back to your original origin (your home?). I think a simple, "swap the current point of origin with the destination, and plot a return route" would be a nice and widely used one-click function. Alas, to return home you have to do a full, new, routing. That is not that difficult, but it is not as simple as one-click "swap" would be.
The only times I had to do a reset, is with a couple of third party games. I think that is more a reflection on the games, than the iQue OS. The iQue seems very solid.
Overall, I think this is unit really great. However, I would suggest getting the iQue M5 instead (http://www.garmin.com/products/iQueM5/).
14 Poor battery performance
When I first saw this unit advertised, I could not wait to purchase one.
It has turned out to be the biggest piece of crap, I have ever wasted over $400 on!
The batteries last no more than one half hour. When I brought this to the attention of Garmin, they admitted the bads performance, and suggest loading a new updated driver, which I did. Still no improvement. I would hate to be lost in the woods and have to depend on the GPS to help me.
Do not buy this product unless they imporve the batteries
15 Very powerful GPS Technology in a Nice Package
I bought the iQ3600 about 4 months ago. I have been using PDA's for years, but this adds a completely new dimension.
The device is powerful -- exacting directions and all the information you'd ever want to know about speed, distance, direction and even elevation. Accuracy ? Not uncommon to be within 8 feet, but usually about 12-14 using the suction cup mount on my instrument panel where the units antenna just crests the dashboard to lay parallel with the horizon.
It has features such as the ability to tap the screen at any given time and the map will remain stationary while you appear as a moving triangle on the map. This is useful when seeing where you've been as well as where you're going.
A few downfalls:
Address information is not accurate. My street number is 211, but the map says that its 294. I've noticed this calibration type error in many areas.
Not real easy to create and insert routes using VIA's. For example, the unit will take major highways, but I know a few shortcuts. In order to create a route using these shortcuts, you have to create a route from a to c, and insert a VIA -- shortcut location for the unit to follow the alternate path rather than what is known. Mapsource Software on the PC makes it simple enough to create, but I haven't found how to download those routes to the unit yet.
I found that after an initial read of the manual, all you need is to look at its menus to configure and customize. And customizable it is. For example, I prefer to orient maps in the direction that I am going while zoom'ed in under 3 miles. After that, the unit switches the map to true north so that you can see your route and progress in a more familiar map fashion.
Map details are customizable as well based on your preferred zoom elevation. I.e. I turn the details off when zoomed out over a mile.
The other nice feature is its automatic zoom. Based on how far your destination is (or your next turn) the unit will zoom appropriately. For example if your next turn is 80 miles, it may zoom out to 8 miles. But as you near the destination it begins to zoom in -- this is a really nice feature that makes the unit a pleasure to use.
I wish the unit had a Learn feature where deviations from calculatd routes could be saved as modifications to its own calculations. The unit does have "tracking" logs which you can convert to routes for the same purpose. Tracking logs are just that -- where you've been within a period of time.
Battery life is not good. An hour tops using the GPS. I haven't tried the battery save mode where signal updates are decreased in frequency (default is an update every second).
One final note --
I've used the unit while flying in a commercial airline. Yes, it works - showed speed (458), correct altitude (32,000), and where I was over the US. I've also used it on trains to track speed. As long as there is a window -- the unit will work if you can see the sky.
It takes a few minutes to lock onto satellites (unless you're at 32,000 feet -- then it's almost instant), but once locked, it remains so even with tempory obstructions (bridges, buildings and trees). It gets really confused in cities with tall buildings as reflected signals off of glass play havac, but the unit was able to hang in there until it resolved its location within a few seconds.
I'd recommend this unit for anyone who wants a multiple use device - PDA plus GPS. Its easy to use and is, in my opinion, well designed in hardware and software.
16 I Love My iQue 3600
Garmin has done a great job of combining Palm and GPS technology. In order to use it to naviage in your vehicle, you will definitely need to purchase the auto navigation kit too. The kit lets you mount the iQue on your dash and keeps your battery charged. Two other accessories I recommend purchasing right away are a protective case (one with a zipper) and a screen protector.
In order to utilize all of the features of this gizmo, you will need to spend a few hours studying, entering data, and customizing it to meet your particular needs. However, the results will be well worth your investments in time and money.
Although I'm very happy with my iQue 3600, there are three reasons why I have not given it five stars. First, it can't operate very long on the rechargeable battery. That is one of the main reasons why the auto naviagtion kit is indispensible. Second, the mapping software appears to be two or three years out-of-date. If you live in an area where there has been quite a bit of new construction, you will be more likely to notice this problem. Third, the instruction manual only covers the GPS capabilities of the iQue and provides very little information about the Palm OS 5 functons.
If you purchase an iQue 3600, I strongly recommend that you buy Rick Broida's book "How to Do Everything with Your GPS". After providing a clear general overview of GPS technology, Mr. Broida devotes 100 pages of the book specifically to the iQue 3600. These two chapters are very helpful and informative.
I hope this review will assist you in getting "up to speed" quickly with your iQue 3600. It really is an amzaing little machine.
17 Lousy software, lousy support! A BIG ZERO
This unit, while attractive, is relatively useless without the included Windows software, which allows you to download the 'detailed maps'.
Unfortunately, Garmin seems to have taken a demonstration build from whoever they OEM the unit from, and horribly break it. My brother, who I bought this for, has 25 years of professional software engineering experience. After wasting over four hours trying to install the maps, with the installer crashing over and over, he contacted Garmin support via email.
Garmin support told him to WAIT FOR THE CD TO STOP SPINNING BEFORE INSERTING THE NEXT ONE. GIVE ME A BREAK! There's no way the lousy software they ship with the iQue works for ANY of their customers.
I am so angry at, and dissapointed with, Garmin. Thanks for ruining my brother's Christmas. Beyond a doubt this is the last product from Garmin that he or I will ever consider purchasing.
18 I bought it 8mos ago, and still think it's great
I know everyone is happy after they buy a new 'toy', but this one is one of the best I've ever bought. I purchased it from Amazon last spring, and still use it every day.
The GPS is the main benefit, I found it extremely helpful - especially the on-the-fly re-routing and estimated time of arrival. It's performed very well
I added a 1GB SD card, and use half for the maps which cover most of the major metro US areas and the Northeast US. The other half I use as an MP3 player (which works nicely in parallel with the GPS/Mapping).
I'm very pleased - anyone want a used Pilot V?
19 Can't Live Without It Now - But With Reservations
This is a handy device. It has helped us navigate all over Europe and the US. It's been a life-saver on occasion. But it isn't perfect.
Pros:
1. It will get you there. Even if the Paris street changes names five times in one mile, it will find your hotel.
2. It will help you find things. Type in what type of restaurant you want in Prague and it will find you one.
3. It recovers if you mess up. If you fail to get off on that exit, it recalculates quickly and gets you there.
4. Pretty accurate. It knows the one-way streets. Just don't forget to take it off walking mode when you get in the car. OTherwise you will be driving through city parks and across pedestrian bridges.
5. Gives you altitude and estimated arrival time.
Cons:
1. Expensive - The complete Europe maps are $300. But they're worth it. They give you all the detail you need to get around in the main countries.
2. You need to learn how to use it. This takes time.
3. Downloading your maps into the I-Que can be frustrating
4. Batteries don't last very long. Period. Get the car kit and use it to navigate in your car.
5. Maps take a lot of room on the I-Que, so you'll only download parts of countries, not the whole thing. This can be a hassle if your plans change---you decide to go to Bruges, but you don't have the Bruges map loaded. It's at home on the computer.
20 Free PDA with this GPS (or viceversa)
At $500 this may be an expensive PDA but as a GPS unit it's about the same price asGarmin's Street Pilot 3.
Having used the StreetPilot at work, I could say that the GPS functionality is the same. But you get a Palm PDA for free.
The Street Pilot is sturdier and the screen a little brighter. Neither one of them are practical for hiking, Street Pilot is just bulky and the Ique is too delicate for a walk in the woods.
The GPS:
The installation of the data and software was pretty straight forward. It took me 2 evenings poking around with the stylus to feel comfortable with the unit. One advantage a portable unit has over a built-in car unit is that you can learn and practice comfortably at home.
A time saving tip: When you turn on the unit for the first time make sure to flip the antenna up so that it registers your first location (this may take up to 5 minutes), you'll then have familiar point of reference to pan and zoom around. I did not do so and everytime I took a break and restarted the unit it would show me map of Taiwan. Then I would have to zoom/pan/query all the way back to New Jersey, quite frustrating.
For street navication, the automobile kit is a must! First, you can use the car's power supply, the internal battery only runs for 2 hrs, this limits the use to very short road trips. Second, you need something to hold the GPS unless you want to leave in on your lap or have a passenger hold it. Third, the speaker in the kit is much louder, the built-in speaker is just not adequate for voice navigation. I personally got the car kit with the suction mount rather than the beanbag. The suction mount allows you place the unit it more precisely. The bean bag mount is more portable but the placement is limited to the flatest part of your dashboard and it can slide-off in spirited driving.
The PDA:
I really don't have much use for the traditional features of a PDA (calendar, todo list, email). But I did take advantage of the other features:
1. Entered my entire address book from scratch via the PC interface and generated the waypoints for future travel directions.
2. Use the PDA as an MP3 player (must get your own headphone).
3. Uploaded photographs for slideshows (must get your own photoviewer software).
One last thing, don't forget to get additional SD cards. A 512MB card will fit a day's drive of detailed map data. I my case, New Jersey, Down State New York, Coastal Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Coastal Virginia, Wash. DC.
21 My iQue 3600 has no voice
I purchased the iQue 3600 to assist me in my business. I drive to homes and businesses all over South Florida.
It synced with ACT! perfectly, and after I figured out how to ATTACH the address to the date book entry - whala - a dynamic map - as I drive to a client. ONE PROBLEM...
Even though I purchased a system with the complete auto bundle from Office Depot, it did not come with an SD card. I thought no problem, as I only need to store local maps. WRONG!
NO SD CARD - NO VOICE! It seems that by default, the voice is stored on the SD card. Without it, you must look (while driving - unsafe) at the display - as there are no voice directions!!!
How can this be? I specifically purchased the device to get voice directions. Thought I did not yet know how to use the device. But it shipped without an SD card - and therefore the voice feature is NOT AVAILABLE.
Well, off to the store to get an SD card. Another $50 which is OK - but the frustration level of paying over $500 for a devices that does not provide all the features - is not good customer service.
Anyway - it work great (visually) and syncing with ACT!
Enjoy!
22 AWSOME
This thing is awsome. I downloaded all of IL some of IN and WI and only used up 130mg. Turn by turn with voice is just what I looking for. Can't see traveling without it.
Wish it was on pocket pc os and blue tooth, but can't have everything I guess.
BTW- the specs here read 256 sd is max, but the customer service folks, excellent service, told me I can use 512 or 1gig even.
23 Invaluable - when it works
You've read all the reviews here, and I certainly agree with most of them. I will never drive without a GPS system again, and the Garmin iQue offers substantial advantages over dealer OEM and other units.
Here's the big problem though. The unit crashes frequently in the middle of a trip. The screen freezes and the unit cannot even be reset. You have to wait hours until the battery fully discharges, then place the unit in its cradle to recharge it.
This is a huge disadvantage, and apparently, not one Garmin is very concerned about. Crashes did not start happening until after the warrant had expired.
In short - you will love it, then you will hate it, maybe love it again, but eventually despise it.
24 When it works right, it's great
When this item works right, it is great, but I find it's preformance to be very inconsistent. I've even had it route me on to a bombing range via a road that has been closed to the public since World War II. There are several other issues that perplex me and although I really like it, when it does as it is supposed to do, it is quite expensive for a toy.
25 Exceedingly Cool!
I recently purchased the iQue 3600 on the recommendation of a friend. Having just downsized from a minivan with a navigation system to a station wagon without one I went through a period of immediate GPS withdrawal. As I started investigating the options, the combination of portability (sharing a unit between two cars) and accuracy (I'm a guy and don't know how to ask for directions) were paramount considerations.
This unit is great! The mapping is not only accurate, but the level of detail included with the software is very impressive. There are several languages to choose from including American and English voices. With a 256MB SD card I'm able to carry maps for the entire west coast of the United States and Canada in my pocket, along with all the restaurants I could hope to find. At the time I purchased the unit I also bought the windscreen suction mount. The mount holds the unit securely and unobtrusively. Included with the mount is a charger with an integral speaker that amplifies turn instructions.
I particularly appreciate the fact that I can use this walking around. In an unfamiliar city it will take me from parking lot to the doorstep of my destination. Garmin recently released a slightly cheaper version, the 3200, but the 3600's display is slightly larger and the price difference, (...) very small. Garmin continues to push the boundaries of portability and eventually we can expect a GPS enabled PDA with phone and internet capabilities. While you're waiting, don't buy another map, buy one of these.
26 Revolutionary.
I bought the iQue for my boyfriend last Christmas, but because he was overseas and the unit came only with US maps, it didn't get much use until August, when we took it on a roadtrip to New England.
From a practical standpoint, this PDA completely revolutionized how we travel. No longer do we worry if we'll have enough gas to reach the nearest service station, or drive around aimlessly looking for a place to eat in an unfamiliar town. Even getting a haircut one thousand miles from home is a piece of cake with the iQue - two or three taps give you a list of salons near the 'current location', complete with phone numbers so you can call ahead to make an appointment or simply check if the place is open.
In terms of usability, I think it's best to have someone in the passenger seat so you don't have to fiddle with the GPS while driving. However, if you're only going from point A to point B, and can input the address before starting the engine, it's really quite easy and intuitive.
If you can't decide between the iQue and some other navigation systems on the market, let me add something you may already know: the iQue is a Palm based device, which means you can do much more than just get directions to the nearest gas station. You can input your contacts, mark waypoints, route yourself to your next appointment with just a tap of the stylus, and much, much more. The voice prompts are very accurate, contrary to what some people have said - you simply need to understand that, on the highway, the distance of less than 1 mile means you should take the next exit; off the highway, a distance measured in yards means the next turn is yours.
It's true, the battery life leaves much to be desired. We picked up a dash mount kit (which is a bargain from Amazon, incidentally) to alleviate the poor battery life. We also bought a 512MB memory expansion card, which has allowed us to input maps for pretty much all of the midwest and northeast US.
In retrospect, I don't know how we ever managed without it.
27 Nice Idea, When it Works
When it actually picks up a satelite or two or three, it works like a charm. The problem is finding the satelites. I can understand problems downtown, but not on the open highway. Unless my car is made of thick lead - and I don't think it is - then I do not understand the poor reception. When it connects, it works fine and is helpful. When it doesn't connect, which is often, it does survive being thrown around the car.
28 Great concept - bad execution
I have been very impressed with the iQue 3600 when it works. However, it seldom works.
Besides the extremely weak battery, there is a more blatant defect that is a deal-killer. I have sent my iQue back to Garmin twice to have it fixed due to the fact that it constantly crashes. Unfortunately, the problems did not arise until after the 30 days passed from the purchase date (I bought it from a reputable electronics store), so I could not return it to the place where I bought it.
Garmin will not replace the unit entirely. Instead, they will only install software "patches", which have so far only managed to cause problems that did not exist before. The iQue will crash and, after tapping the "Reset" button on the screen, it locks up. And this is not a lock up that requires just hitting the power button. I have to wait for an hour and a half until the battery dies, and then I can recharge it and start up again. Pressing (and even holding down) the power button will not reset the unit.
I keep getting arcane fatal error messages that take 5 minutes to copy down and then email to Garmin's support team. After several days, I get an email back blaming the problem on third party software. I have not installed any third party software other than two of the products that come loaded on the Garmin for 30 day trials (BookWorm and WorldMate). I would strongly discourage anyone from buying this product. After 6 months, twice paying postage and insurance to send back to Garmin, and a lot of headaches, all I have is a $550 paperweight.
29 The best I've used, but still not perfect
I have been on a quest for the best GPS traveling solution for about 3 years. I've had a Navman for Palm, A Navman E, an iFinder, a Garmin Venture, a couple Bruntons, I even bought Lowrance's waste of money mapping package. I finally dropped big bucks on this iQue and I must say it is a great interface. Yes, the battery life stinks,but that's life for a Palm based GPS. It isn't made for camping.
I mounted mine with a ProClip right over my left-center AC vent, using a Seidio unit. The Seidio works but it's quality is lacking and the audio is worthless. Garmin, if you're listening, make hard mount model of your suction cup cradle, complete with built-in audio and hard wire option. Please?!
My unit sits just beyond where my right hand is on the wheel. It's at the perfect angle in my Toyota 4-Runner and it is able to get a quick 3D lock in about 20 secs in this position. I even bought some fingertip styli for this. Between my GPS, cell phone in car kit and iPod rig, it's starting to look rather eccentric.
Now for the nitty. I recently traveled to the Adirondacks for 4 days and the Boston/Providence area for 8. Worked fine in the Adirondacks but just how many roads does it have to configure up there? Boston was a much bigger challenge and for the most part, it came up short. Still, I am keeping it and enjoying using it. On several occasions, it could not smoothly work me through the city. It tried to take me the wrong way down one way streets and seemed to ignore using highways when they were clearly the best way. One time, I was sitting in the lobby turnaround of my hotel and it was still telling me to go .3 miles South to destination.
In the end, these things are only as good as the mapping software. Since these are married to the Garmin Mapsource series of software, which are somewhat lacking, they have their limitations. They cannot think for you, in terms of logically the BEST route, only doing rough point to point, sometimes using some real convoluted ways. Therefore, don't expect this to be the end all trip planner to get you there in the most efficient and accurate way possible. But if you peruse the maps ahead of time, know your main connectors and have a decent sense of direction, this is a fantastic help.
I used it for about 15 routings during the 8 days. I would say it was 11 for 15. Not bad, but not great. One time it got confusd and had my location in the middle of the Pacific and said drive East 5,342 miles. Very funny.
My faves?
Automatic night mode,
shopping/dining/gas/attactions/etc. look-up. Excellent way to vacation on the fly. Need gas? No problem, nearest place routed. Hungry? Same. Shopping? excellent. It worked almost flawlessly in this regard. However, again you have to use your brain, especially in a bigger city.
Finally, automatically recalculates a route if you go off. I did this purposely several times becasue I knew I was going the best way and it finally adjusts to the idea after a few.
Upcoming streets show as you drive.
Lacking?
Software is inaccurate at times.
Speaker not quite load enough.
Some turn instructions are inconsistent in their terms (bear left, versus turn left, or bear left instead of take ramp left) and occasionally incorrect. Part of this is that at speed, the GPS has a hard time coordinating instructions with turns in a close quarter area such as interchanges, etc. Again, knowing the main routes at this very moment will be a great help because if you're going to have an accident using one of these, this will be where.
Garmin left out some of the attractions and other category info to try an get you to buy another package. LAME.
It gives you the option of AVOIDING highways during routing, but doesn't give you the option to PREFER highways. This would have saved me some definite arguments with my map wielding, unbelieving, cynical wife. I'm a vector and direction (NWSE) driver and she's a map and direction (gas attendant) driver. In the end, she became a believer and that's the best accolade I can give this thing.
5 stars for design and execution of the technology, 3 styars for the Mapsource ends up at 4. Enjoy! I am.
30 iQUE GREAT, MAPPING UPGRADE NOT
The Ique 3600 is great-very useful on my trips. However, I will not purchase a Garmin product again. Why? I paid $75 to to upgrade to city select. However, Garmin has the most bizarre unlock system I have ever seen! You will need at least five different codes! If you lose any slip of paper you are stuck. And the bonus is that every time you change PDA or have to reinstall after a crash...you got it. All over again. Of course their tech support is great. They guarantee an answer by the time you are back from your trip!
So... think first if you want to spend your time hassling with this. Other GPS systems are much more reasonable in this and my next one will not be a Garmin. Remember how Quicken tax software tanked when they tried their lock system? Watch Garmin go there too.
Bob
31 Garmin iQue 3600
I have had mine for about 1 month. I think it is fantastic. I also purchased a 512 memory card and the suction mount for the windshield. It is absolutely amazing. It has helped me on trips. When i make wrong turns and when the regular route is closed it will recalculate so you ccan get around road hazzard. With the 512 chip I canload almost all of the eastern half of the US. It is fantastic. It si also good for scheduling and other PDA functions as well.
32 Unbelievable. I'm buying one for my girlfriend and one for m
I'm a PDA snob, owned many, know tons about them. I spent some time with a friend's Ique and couldn't believe how wonderfully this machine was designed. Buying one for myself and my girlfriend now! Yes, I'm a geek :)
33 Must Have One !!!!
Nothing to say except that it is a device you must own. The combination is perfect, save a contact and an address and hit the road. Better, you can search for a location and it will take you to the front door.
You can easily take care of the short battery-life by adding a car navigation kit, it will charge the Ique 3600 in addition to giving you louder voice directions.
Super super device, and I'm very happy that I got one.
34 I don't know what I did before I owned this thing!!!!
This really is a fantastic device. The Palm side of it has helped me organize my life and work; the GPS and mapping sides get me where I need to go. I will NEVER travel in a city I don't know without it after having used it--NEVER. I took a trip to DC and rented a car to see the sights. The iQue was tremendous and I never lost my way in this sometimes complex city. What a godsend!
The initial setup was easy. I admit, when I first looked at it, I was nervous, but the directions were very step-by-step and easy to follow. It was not difficult to get it up and going. One thing I leaned which I don't think is in the manual: After you install the Setup CD and N. American City Select, go to the Garmin website and download the MapSource program and install it. It can let you do a lot more with the maps on the PC. I learned this by sending an email to Garmin technical support, who I might add did a great job with me.
This is a tremendous piece of technology. I would recommend it without reservation.
35 Excellent product for the money
I've never used a built-in system, but the iQue is extremely easy to use, is visible even in daylight, and with the car kit its speaker is loud enough to hear even over the radio or with the windows open. The screen is very clear and bright, and the PDA itself is easy to use. Very easy to take it in and out of the car. Mapping software is good. Buy this product for $462 if it's still available at that price.
36 Poor user interface!
I can't believe so many people love this product. I love electronic gismos and rarely need to use instructions to figure how to work things. It took me for ever to figure out and too load maps. Once I got it working, it worked ok, but not great. Besides being hard to set up, it had three major problems.
1) Poor user interface. Hard to figure out how to use. Can't use while driving.
2) Short battery life. I many times lost important data because battery ran out too quickly.
3)SD card slot doesn't hold card well. I loaded east and west coast maps into device. Went on vacation. When I came home, I used it as GPS and wondered why no detailed maps where there. My card fell out without my knowledge.
37 My First GPS
I read the reviews, I read everything I could about not only this unit, but all types of GPS units. Finally, I took the plunge and bought this unit and the auto adapter. All I can say is I made the right choice. I live in Chicago and my job requires I respond to railroad accidents. Not only does this unit get me there, but it picks a route that cuts the time I spend getting there. It also has shown me new routes to old destinations that were faster and more direct. I also added the 256 mg storage card. When you start loading the map software, it will take some space and you will have to load some now and replace it later for other areas, although I have Illinois, Wisconsin on now. I have the software on my laptop so it is also portable, if I need it on a trip. The auto unit has a beanbag with a cradle that locks the unit and can be positioned on the dash or anywhere the unit can detect the GPS satellites. You plug the combination charger and speaker in and you are ready to go. Step by step audible directions and if you go off route, the unit recalculates and guides you to your destination without any fuss. You can select hotels, restaurants and all kinds of stuff in the directory. The PDA functions are what you can expect, but one great feature is the mirror software that lets the Palm software recognize the Outlook calendar and address book and use it so I didn't have to enter it all over. Get this unit, you won't regret it.
38 Great When it Work - (Infrequently)
I have the IQue3600, in fact I've had 5 of them. When its working, its absolutely amazing. The PROBLEM in a nutshell, is that its fragile. None of mine has worked for more than a 2 week period. The wiring that passes through the antenna hinge breaks, and you then can't access satelites at all. Up to now, they've been good about replacing. Now they won't even answer my email, and its over 30 minutes on hold to talk to someone, so I'm guessing they're having lots of problems. I'd wait until they get the bugs out before buying one of these, but when they do, its super.
39 good hardware and VERY BAD software
I bought my Ique from Amazon about 2 months ago, after
some strong recommendation from my co-worker. While the
price is really attractive for such a device, it does
take a long time to get used to using it. I think the
software is to blame.
1. If you enter an address to route, if the address is not
in the database, it's hard to let the Ique know what you want.
Ideally, the Ique should allow you to specify neighboring
street numbers, or cross-streets. No, not available for IQue.
(Note: the address does exist, just the computer database
have it wrong, or missing).
2. After routing, you can simulate driving on the route. However, Ique
does not allow you to speed up the simulation. For example,
I route a trip from San Jose to Lake Tahoe, I can't wait for
4 hours to have the simulation drive finish. But then I
need to "simulate" the route to rehearse the trip. The walk
around I used is to drag the map alone the route -- very
inconvinient. The idea of simulating the drive at regular
speed only, is a truly bone-head design.
3. Load new map: I have recently decide to travel to Seattle,
so I decided to re-install the local Map. The Garman Desktop
"Install Map" allows you to pick a large area with a single
drag of the mouse while holding down the right mouse bottom.
But, to "unpick" a large area, you need to individually click
on each map unit. Another bone-head design.
4. Create Map Index files: Once I pick the map units to be download to my Ique, I click "Next", and the computer tells
me it's creating map index files. It's a long process, a 100 MB map files needs about 10~15 minutes. What's frustrating is, if your selection map is too big, after 10 minutes it will tell you "the map area you pick is too big". Why can't the computer tell me the file is too big at the beginning ? Another bone-head
design.
5. It takes about 5 minutes to sync up with the GPS satellite,
a little too long. I am not sure if this is a hardware issue
or a software issue.
40 Everything I hoped it would be and then some
I agonized over this purchase for weeks trying to decide if this was the GPS unit for me or whether I should choose the Roadmate 500 or the Garmin Streetpilot. I had heard that it was a decent GPS and a fair PDA but that it didn't excel at either. WRONG! It it a great navigation unit and a pretty cool Palm too. Don't overlook the unIQUE features that combine the two.
I wanted this unit mostly for driving but the Palm features and also the price make this the perfect GPS for travelers. When you add contacts to the address book, they automatically become waypoints that can be mapped with one touch from the address book screen or from the datebook. How cool is that? I figured since it was several hundred dollars less expensive than the Magellen and Garmin car-only GPS units that it would have fewer features. WRONG! It has more. It' easily better and more user friendly than my GPS-V. Plus the awesome color screen is very, VERY easy on the eyes.
Now, it's true that the length of the battery charge leaves a lot to be desired but that has not been a problem for me. Obviously this is not suitable for a hiking adventure but there is certainly enough power to walk around a foreign city without getting lost and most folks will simply plug it in when they use it in the car anyhow. There are several mounting options and unless it came with a bigger screen, it couldn't be easier to use in the car (no using the stylus while actually driving please.) I have a 256 mb SD card and have all of CA and Nevada and still have more than 100 mb available for Palm application and storage. Plus you can listen to mp3s or audiobooks. Perfect. I have been 100% happy with my decision and think you would be too.
41 WOW! Better than expected!
First, I was impressed with the price and the fast delivery of my new Garmin IQUE 3600. I ordered it on a Friday afternoon, used the free super-saver shipping, and it arrived on Monday noon. I was impressed with the fast service.
I took my time over two days to configure my new Palm/GPS. I was able to flawlessly install all my Palm IIIc data (300 addresses, two years of calendar info, etc). From a Palm standpoint, everything was just like before, only in an easier to use environment.
The 2nd evening, I loaded the mapping software. I uploaded the detail of 40% of the USA into the computer, and then onto a 512SD chip I had purchased. After about 70 minutes of loading, everything was installed. I went outside and hit GPS, my approximate location, and in 90 seconds, I had 5 satellites and found myself at the front door of my home on the map and the correct altitude.
Since then, I have stated to use it around town, and am looking forward to using it next week on a road trip.
I recommend this unit, with no reservations.
42 Highly recommended.
I have now been using iQue for 9 months. After installing the Software updates, the product is more stable (still has some freeze problems, but soft-reset fixes it). I have never lost data, and have travelled within NYC, NJ, Washington DC and Niagara Falls, and it has worked perfectly. I use it even if I know my way around, because I can exit anywhere if there is a traffic jam, and it will figure out a way for me! Only gripe is very poor battery life (not a problem with the auto kit, but) it looses charge if I leave the unit un-used for a couple of weeks.
UPDATE: Still hangs once in a while even after latest patches and updates are installed. Battery life is very low. Does not get signal in Manhattan streets around high rise buildings. Very poor audio quality for mp3 playback from speaker, low headphone volume.
And Finally, Unit died on me when I was travelling. It just died, worked 20 minutes back, then will not turn on again.... Garmin Tech support asked to send unit in for repairs. I have sent the unit in. Will update on status.
43 Great Convergence of Technologies
I have sort of wanted both a PDA and a GPS receiver for quite some time now, but haven't been able to justify the cost of either. As soon as I saw the iQue, the coolness factor of having both devices in one unit quickly convinced me that I absolutely had to have it.
For a first generation device (albeit one that uses existing technology), it functions beautifully. Having never owned a PDA or a GPS, I find all the features very easy to learn and use. So far, the detailed maps have proven very accurate, the Palm OS, HotSync, and various applications are useful and user-friendly (still getting a hang of entering data using Grafiti, though), and the abilities of the navigation features blow me away.
My only complaint is the paucity of internal memory, requiring
at least a 256MB SD card, as has been noted in other reviews.
Otherwise, this is a device with which I have fallen in love and expect to have a long and rewarding relationship.
44 Disappointment
I also just got this unit and was unable to install the maps. Finally got through to Garmin tech support and they told me the cd's were corrupted and I'd get replacements end of next week. To add insult to injury, Amazon dropped the price since I ordered it 9 days ago.
45 Great Hardware but Poor Software and Support
I received a Garmin IQue 3600 3 days ago. I tried to unlock the MapSource CD and each time the program crashed. I tried to install at a different computer and the problem was the same. I emailed Garmin and they sent me an auto reply with useless advice and wasted 4 hours of my time to uninstall and reinstall their product. I inquired again but they didn't respond. I guess they don??t have a solution to the problem either. They even sent me a dead link to their own web site, so much about knowledge staff. I am sending this product back. Minus 5 stars.
I am a senior software engineer and I couldn't get the Garmin map software to work! I hope other people have better luck.
Update: Don't bother to email Garmin. They only responded to me the first time with an automatically generated message. I tried to email them two more times and they simply ignored my inquries.
46 best invention ever!
I bought one for work thinking I would only use it if I was lost but I use it daily just so I don't have to worry about maps or other people's directions. I've had mine for about 6 months and it is the greatest invention ever-wherever I am I can use it to get to where I want to go and it recalculates a new route if I miss one of the turns or if there's a detour. Not only can I program a certain address to go to but I use it to find restaurants, shopping, and services near the location I am at. I have learned new routes I would have never thought of taking that are shorter and faster. I would highly recommend it to anyone. It's also great for vacations when you aren't familiar with the area. It is easy to learn how to use and everyone I know who rides with me and sees how it works wants one now! It's definitely worth the money.
47 Data loss problem
I've experienced the data loss problem also as a result of having to perform hard resets. Since, I can't avoid this problem I've purchased a program called BackupBuddy. This program has helped me several times when I was nowhere near my computer for a hotsync. I run this program daily, in many cases it's more up to date than what's on my computer. So whenever my iQue crashes all I have to do is run this program on my PDA and everything is restored from the SD card. It's the best insurance you can buy for this pesky reset problem. Of course, not having the problem would be the best option.
48 Very Well Designed -- Easy to Use right out of the box
Bought myself an iQue for my birthday -- cheaper than buying a new car to get the nav unit that I coveted. The unit is very nicely designed, with excellent printed and online documentation. The setup was a breeze. (The only hitch was doing the initial satellite acquisition -- you really need to give it a hint about your current location). After reading the document for 30 minutes, I was in business. The unit works great. Satellite acquisition takes 1/2 a minute at most. The integration with the other palm applications (address book) is nicely done. I highly recommend this unit.
49 Love this little Baby
Since getting this unit, I can't express how much easier it is to find stuff and travel.
50 Brilliant product but not solid
I have used the produce for 9 months. It is a brilliant design -- saved me many many hours in searching for locations in new areas, e.g. friends home, hotels, restaurants, theaters, museums, even highway rest areas; you cam imagine.
But that was not exactly like that in the beginning. My IQue asked for numerous soft and hard resets, and sometimes was making noise that could only be stopped by a soft reset. Those happened in navigation. Once when I was on highway I had to drive into a rest area to soft-reset it because of the noise.
Then, about 5 months ago when my wife and I moved to Chicago the GPS stopped to work right after we arrived. The PDA part was working but the GPS part could not receive satellite signals. What a timing! we did not know that area at all. I re-installed the software several times, but it was not working. Finally I sent it back to Garmin and was told the GPS receiver was bad. The GARMIN service was good, with prompt e-mail response and prompt replacement.
The replacement unit is working much more stably, after I installed the newest OS patch (r3). It still requires occasional soft or hard reset, but very infrequently. Garmin also put updates to the map software on their web site (not sure if the map was updated or not), and a patch that stores voice guidance files into SD card. The latter one is very useful; now the voice guidance would not be lost after a hard reset (imagine one in a long trip without carrying a computer).
Not considering the instability (occasional after r3 patch), this unit is wonderful. The PDA part is powerful, with fast processor and large memory (32MB internal). The display is good, large and colorful. I used to have a Plam Vx and this one is totally different. (No so good are the short battery life and the lack of wireless connection.)
Finally, the combination of PDA and GPS is a shining idea! The GPS enjoys the SD memory extension. I bought a 256 MB card that is more than any Garmin consumer GPS (I only used 80MB for the areas I frequently visit). And the PDA becomes a mobile map device with directory information. I frequently found myself use this Palm to search for some local business.
In some sense the unit is better than a in-car GPS. Before a trip I can sit in my home creating waypoints for points of interests that I will visit. I am not willing to sit in a car doing that (Of course, an in-car GPS would have a larger screen for the ease of nagivation).
Wonderful unit after having all the patches!
51 many great features
I've had the iQue for about a week now and it has mostly been very easy to use, although it does take some patience to learn, not only the functions, but the quirks of the gps system in general (for example you can get very different results with "shortest distance" and "fastest route", and the approach distance of turn prompts varies depending on the satellite reception, etc.). It's not a completely faultless technology, but neither are computers in general. Occasionally the mapping is off, but in my experience it corrects itself as it proceeds.
BUT, the level of stress reduction that this little unit has provided me has been incredible. I normally become completely stressed out by either struggling to find my way in unfamiliar territory, or by getting lost completely, or disoriented or turned around even in familiar territory (the vast road systems of Los Angeles and Orange County are where I live). Now I drive through new areas and don't even have to strain to find street names. I used to hate driving because of this stress. I feel like my quality of life has improved by a noticable notch.
AND, a feature that I didn't expect at all, is that with the maps that you download come business addresses and phone numbers. Most of the businesses that I've tried looking up, even small ones, have been there. No more calling information for restaurants, services, etc, etc. Where is the nearest gas station, atm, etc? Easy. And I know over time this feature will save me a bundle on calling information from my mobile phone.
I had read other reviews and followed the advice to purchase a 256k memory card, and an auto connection system. I concur that this is good advice. I fit California and surrounding areas of Arizona and Nevada, as well as the New York Tri-state area with the memory card.
52 Lifesaver!
This is the absolute best electronic product I own! I would recommend this for anyone who drives. I was temporarily assigned to a location in Texas, & used my IQue every weekend to explore the area. I then drove home via Houston, New Orleans, & the Florida Gulf Coast, & took secondary roads most of the way. "Stella" kept me on track, & I knew exactly where I was the entire time. Yes, I experienced moswt of the issues other reviewers had, but as this is a brand-new product, bugs are to be expected. Customer Service was exceptional, & returned a replacement unit within two weeks. This is a must-have for anyone who likes to explore new places!
53 Cool, but is finicky, rough along the edges...
This GPS is extremely versatile, w/ PDA functions, MP3, serious navigation- however... it does have its shortcomings...
1. battery design- underpowered, non-field replaceable- I had two battery units die under warranty in 6 months
2. software is still full of bugs and unstable w/ voice dropouts, lots of reboots required; and klugey design (non-intuitive); each new patch helps in zillions of noticeable and very appreciative ways
3. using all its features is complex; the uninitiated will have a tough time using it fully and should stick to GPS from car manufacturers
4 the map install is clumsy and in my opinion, overly secure to update maps and extremely slow- an hour on a fast laptop to generate
5. numerous new features would be desirable in route selection, etc. and naviagtional prompts and preference settings
6. the unit turns on far too easily... no way of really "locking" it up, as alarms and any of many buttons wakes it up, only to drain the batteries
7. engineering is 2nd rate... on par for their first PDA product
On the plus side, I love this machine and am reassured that software development will ultimately fix this to make it really solid (although delicate) and it will define the industry benchmark!
The warranty and support are important- 3 units failed for me in all, and the 800 number is way understaffed!
from a Hardware product development professional.
54 Cooool!
This has to be the coolest thing around. Recently used it in a rental car while vacationing in FLA...it worked great. Made navigation so easy. One of best purchases I've made!
55 Cool!!
It took awile to set up. It would not work, or display city streets until I purchased the memory card. Only $50. Also purcahse the car charger, $20. Without these extra items, you will find yourseld somewhat upset w/ this item. Other than that, it works great, easy to use, and is easy to read. Really worth it!!
56 Love It
I read all the reviews before ordering this product and needless to say I was a bit nervous. I've never owned a PDA before and although I'm somewhat computer literate I found it hard to make a decision. This GPS unit combines the best of both in my book. I've used it for traveling and was amazed that I could look up destinations, find a place to grab some food, even locate a florist! I still need to learn quite a bit but I found it fairly easy to operate and so far it's worked like a charm. I would recommend buying the antenna, travel kit and charger just because the battery does tend to go quickly.
57 Best for the money
I dropped my first IQue and killed it, but I turned right around and bought another. Garmin is currently repairing my previous unit under warranty, even though I told them it was my fault. So, that's an A+ for support in my book. I regularly travel for work and find myself in many different cities in a day, so this is perfect, especially with a car mount and 256k card. Bottom line, I hate being lost and this saves so much time. I have three different mapping programs for my laptop (Delorme Topo 4.0, Delorme Street Atlas, and Randy McNally Streetfinder)...this easily beats all of them. And in a PDA! Although the Delorme software actually says the street names, I find it is grossly inaccurate and lacks some important features, like an easy way to recalculate and/or detour. I really considered getting a Pocket PC this time around, but after seeing how inferior Delorme's laptop program was, I decided against it. I would really be surprised if someone showed me a product that offered better mapping and user interface. So, what is bad? Definitely the battery life and perhaps the durability. But for a supreme crossover device, these are limitations I can live with for now.
58 Overly complex!! A pain in the axx to use!
Without clear instruction, a product isn't worth a dime.
The unit is premature for release and confusing.
The only use for the insturctin book is as toilet paper. Perhaps it was written by Chineese.
If you have nothing to do, but run around in circles, shell out $ 600! If you plan to use it without a career in guessing how to make it work, get something else.
59 I love this GPS PDA
I love this GPS PDA. I am in the process of moving to Cincinnati and being that I am so bad with directions and orienting myself to a new environment, I decided to invest in the iQue. So, last weekend, I took off to Cincy and started using the iQue to route from the airport to downtown Cincy. It was perfect, the directions and guidance voice prompts were aweseome. I didn't have to take my eyes off the road. Since I was also home hunting on the trip, I used the iQue all day long getting around and routing back to the hotel downtown. The iQue made my trip so easy and stress free. I am so relieved I invested in it. I highly recommend it to anyone who travels or is relocating to a new city. I already have a Navman GPS that works with my Palm m515, but the iQue puts it to shame! The iQue rivals in-car navigational system, but it is even better in that it is portable and can be used anywhere. In summary, if you are like me and are not blessed with any sense of direction, save your self a lot of headache and invest in the iQue. Nuf said!
60 Very sorry to have one
This is by far, the worst piece of machine I have ever owned. The battery lasts about 10 minutes. Usually takes about 30 minutes for the GPS to finally `get the signal' by then you are either at the place where you were going, or lost. I had to send the unit back for repairs before I was able to use it, I need to get it repaired again. I'll gladly give it back for half the price or even less. Their 'support center' is just as bad.
If you are thinking about buying one, just let me know.
61 Horrible Product!
I am not paid to write a bad review. I have all the technical support emails to back it up.
From the beginning (Nov-Dec 2003), there were spontaneous unexplained shutdowns and reboots. Horrible satellite synchronization. So there were two major releases to fix all these problems. Plus other hot fixes to fix more problems.
I also realize that it won't sync with my Outlook 2003. Of course, at first it is the user's fault. Then they admitted that their software was outdated and will release a new software to fix the issue on early March. Three plus months passed by, rendering my unit useless, again with delay, the Pocket Mirror was finally available for release. Well, now it sync with my Outlook, but now it took so much internal memory that I need to hard-set and re-install the complete software. Nothing but trouble with this unit. Garmin needs to get off the PDA business and stick to what they know the best.
If you want a PDA with GPS, then get whatever PDA you can afford, make sure it has Bluetooth, then buy a Bluetooth enabled GPS wireless unit for it. Stop wasting your money on this. Remember, it only has 32MB of RAM and by the time you install all these releases you have about less than 22 MB left. And it is not fully functional until you install and re-install all the releases and hot fixes.
Also, the software to load the maps sucks!
I can't figure out why people are loving it.
62 Wait until garmin updates its SD slot to be SDIO compatible
I would like so say that I already saw the Garmin iQue 3600 and is a beatiful handheld with an exellent GPS. I was going to buy it, but then I found out that that there SD card slot is not SDIO compatible. Here is the statement directly from there web page: "Currently, the iQue 3600 does not support SDIO peripherals" (http://www.garmin.com/support/faqs/faq.jsp?faq=204)
That means that you cannot use wireless cards or Bluetooth through it. I believe that is better to wait until they unpgrade their SD slot. They are also new PC pockets comming up, such us the Mitac Mio 168 Pocket PC 2003 with Integrated GPS, which supports SDIO.
63 A few negatives, but easily remedied
OK, First off this thing is a definite winner if you are looking for a PDA and a GPS. I had been looking for a GPS for a while and was planning on the GPSMAP 60CS, but Garmin kept delaying it. Then I started a new job and had a need for a PDA. I was also wanting an MP3 player. I came across the ique and started my research. I always tend to over research things before I buy. So here is my homework to better help you decide.
I really liked this device but was a little leary reading all of the negative comments about resets and lockups and the like.
Let me put the negativity to rest. GET THE UPDATES FOLKS!
My unit did not come with the latest updates, I went to garmins website and got all of the software and firmware updates. All went well and was pretty simple. I have had the unit for almost 4 weeks and use it daily, mostly the pda portion, probably used the GPS 35% of the 4 weeks. I have only had 1 lockup, it is very dry where I work and I picked the unit up and shocked it and it hung solid. A quick hard reset and I was on my way, no data lost.
Here are some items you will need to make your experience a good one. Although it does jack up the total cost a quite bit.
1. The Auto Kit
2. A gilsson Amplified GPS MCX / OSX antenna
3. ique AA Battery Extender Box
4. 512MB Sandisk SD Card
5. Travel kit is nice as it supplies a remote charger, usb data cable.
6. Leather Case
Numbers 1,3,4 are must have items, the rest are nice to have. Just do a google search for numbers 2 & 3.
About the only bad point I can voice is the battery issue. But there are ways around it. Item #3 will give you an additional 3-4 hours using rechargeables, this little device rocks and is cheap! under 10 bucks! Also turn down the brightness on the display, full blast will eat the batteries alive and it still looks great at about 20-30 % brightness. I can get 6-8 hours at a time using as a PDA/MP3 player and slight GPS.
The screen display at 16 bit color is beautiful! The pda functionality rocks, with an mp player such as aeroplayer installed this thing rocks as an mp3 player. Check out palmgear.com for pda software, just make sure you get applications written for palm OS 5. I have installed several and have not had any issues.
The GPS is great and the unit comes with a full version of city select 5 for the detailed maps. I have had accuracy of the GPS to within 7 feet using WAAS enabled. If you miss a turn the software will quickly reroute the trip and get you back on track. I can't say enough. Keep in mind though this is a pda and not a rugged device, although I dropped mine on my kitchen floor from about 2 feet with it on and it did not skip a beat. Garmin just recently added a few GPS tools like best fishing times and sun & moon info, I would like to see more GPS addons like this in the future, such as an application to figure out area, like walking around your yard and calculating acreage, things such as this would be simple enough for them to write. I hope they keep bringing us more apps for the GPS.
Definitely consider a 512MB SD card if you want to tote several MP3's and several detail state maps. I have one and am seriously considering a 1 gig card when the prices come down. Mind you I like to carry around 500 MB in MP3 and around 400 MB in maps.
In closing, if you would like a PDA, GPS, MP3 Player, the ique is a definite winner for the price. I have seen MP3 players for the same money and you don't get a PDA and GPS. If the unit would get about 8 hours just on the internal batteries this this would be 10 stars. Although with the item 3 listed above it really is not an issue. You really do get a lot for your money with this package. If you are walking the line of do I get it or do I wait, I say get it you will love it.
64 awesome product
Had mine for a couple months. I use mine everyday. Screen protector broke, a quick e-mail to tech support and they sent me a new one immediately. No questions asked.
The Ique stores so much data, it's phenomenal. Always gets you where you need to be. I love this thing. I would not own a regular PDA now.
65 Ecellent Product, but a bit too expensive
I've been using the Ique For some time now and I find it to be extremely useful. It's voice prompts are clear and the 200 Mhz processor redraws maps and recalculate routes easliy.
Since the product is a GPs unit why can't the manufacturers include a car charger kit with it. Having to spend another $70 on the charger kit ( which probably costs only $15 to the manufacturer ) may hold back a number of prospective buyers.I feel it's insensitive on the manufacturers part to not include this essential accessory.
66 touchdown by garmin!
I've owned two other GPS units from Garmin prior to this one - the Etrex Legend and the GPS V. The ique 3600 seems like it has used every bit of the vast amounts of experience and expertise Garmin has in making GPS equipment.
Every time I buy a GPS unit, I spend days and weeks researching all available brands, and Garmin has always been the winner. The ique 3600 is a perfect blend of top-notch GPS functionality and PDA features. Some of the niftiest features are:
1. integration with the address book. click "locate" on an address book entry and it'll locate the position on the map
2. "Edit Vias" feature is awesome! I was going on a 24 hour road trip from chicago to wyoming, with jackson hole as the destination on the ique. Everytime we'd need to stop for a food/gas break, I'd click the "edit vias" button and search for restaurants in the 2 mile radius. ique would then incorporate the new "via" stop over point and direct you accordlingly.
3. off-route recalculation is very quick.
4. the 200mhz processor drawas and redraws maps very quickly
5. scrolling is smooth
6. voice prompts are great
7. no other garmin product has expandable memory or memory slots for secure digital cards.
8. this retail unit also comes with full unlock codes for the entire country maps.
9. you can't find a GPS unit with a 480X320 color display with voice guidance and route calculation, alongwith Palm OS PDA features for less than $800. This is a bargain at $450.
A few bad points:
1. battery life sucks (3 hours with continuous GPS use on medium display brigthness)
2. on my 300Mhz PC at home, it takes forever to create the map index files. a 256MB index file will take upto an hour to create. (minor annoyance).
67 Great Product, Lousy Battery
I've had Palm products for six years and my i705 just went kaput. I researched the Garmin and although have a GPS in my family car, wanted to have navigation capability when traveling for business.
Many pluses: although I just recently purchased the device, I still had to upgrade the firmware to version 3. The upgrade wasn't difficult, but I performed it after I had used it for several weeks and was leary about messing everything up. Instructions were clear and the upgrade was uneventful.
For those with Palms with the universal adapters (V, Vx, M105, etc), the Garmin uses the same univeral plug so the travel kits, car adapters, etc. will also work on the Garmin so you don't have to purchase additionally for the new product.
The GPS part works great! I recently traveled to Chicago and visited about a dozen customers. The iQue took me the the front door every time.
If you have an older version Palm device, your 3rd party software programs might not work with the newer version 5.0 software. Shouldn't be a big deal as you can upgrade them.
Do buy an expansion chip. I purchased a 256K and have more than enough room. You'll then have more than enough room on the handheld for whatever programs you want to add on there.
Negatives: Battery!!! You'll need the car kit so you can use this for navigation on trips. I use the PDA to read books on trips (saves packing space) and am wondering how long the battery will last on a long plane trip.
All-in-All: It's a keeper.
68 Absolutely Fantastic So Far
I am more than pleased with my Ique.
First the PDA Part:
I haven't used a Palm device since my Palm Pilot Professional and it has really come a long way as a platform. It is far more stable than my Ipaq Pocket PC, and I really think that I prefer the Palm OS to Pocket PC at this point. I haven't had one crash yet, I've synced my appointments and address book with relative ease, and I've even found some really cool games and utilities out there. My only gripe would be there is no network connectivity on this unit, but in my experience PDA's are a horrible platform for accomplishing anything anyway on a network.
Now the GPS functionality. What can I say, its a Garmin. I don't think it could be any better. So far I'd have to say its even better than the Hertz Neverlost system! You must buy a memory card though to really make this device useful. I also bought the automobile friction mount which works great. The kicker was that my cell phone charger has the exact kind of plug, volts and amps as the ique so I don't even have to carry around an additional ac adapter when I travel!
If you are thinking about this one buy it!
Sean
69 Handy on the road and on foot
I have had my Garmin PDA now for over 2 months and taken it on the road and the streets of Washington DC with great success. I was considering the pricy upgrade in my car but discovered that this device worked well in my car plus I had the option to take it on foot in a strange town. Not that Wash DC is strange, but it's nice getting a birds eye view of your locale and knowing there should be a Starbucks just around the corner.
Great display, faster than the IPac I had with the GPS adapters, and auto replans fast.
I hate a lot of specialized devices (phone/GPS/PDA) and this seems like a nice combo. I have had no problems with reboots but some problems with the map software loader. It just doesn't like my PC configuration as I've got it to load properly on my business laptop (go figure). With a 64MB SD memory chip, I have plenty of room for maps and a handful of MP3s.
I love the auto package too as it doesn't mess up my dashboard, doesn't slide and the speaker works well. I'm not a big PDA fan either so the duel combo is more useful for me.
The road directions and mapping is good with the normal errors (no system is perfect) but for the price, its a great combo.
70 Garmin iQue 3600
This is an incredible product. I have been using this incredible system for over a month now, taking the iQue on several out of town business trips. I never feel like I am lost. This system works simular to the Hertz Neverlost system (the iQue is made by the same company). It is extremely simple to use, just turn on the GPS system, let it locate where you are now and then tell the iQue where you want to go to next. It already has preloaded (that you have downloaded from their included CD maps) a number of sites, including malls, resturants and attractions. It then gives you a turn by turn direction to get you to your site. If you make a wrong turn, it re-adjusts the route and gets you back on track. I do reccomend that you buy the Auto Navigation package and a 256 memory disk. Great product! Don't ever get lost again.
71 Awesome product...when it works
I'm on my third unit in four months, the first two having died within a month of receipt (and replaced promptly by Garmin with *refurbished* units). Garmin customer service swears I've just run into bad luck and the life expectancy of this product should be at least as long as the battery (7+ years). Garmin has been helpful under the circumstances, and maybe I did finally end up with a unit which will last into the next decade, but I keep getting the sinking feeling my $600 investment is really just a prepayment for twelve months of service--the length of the warranty. It's a 5* product--when it works--and if I had to buy it again, I'd do so with an extended warranty.
The display is big, bright and sharp and the navigation is usually right on the money and recalculates quickly when you need to make a detour or know something the unit doesn't. The Palm functions are flawless. The unit occasionally locks up (maybe once a week with heavy usage) and soft resets become necessary when trying to do more complex operations while the navigation function is running.
72 UNRELIABLE
UNRELIABLE - What good is a PDA and navigation unit if it constantly has to be reset? I only use this in my car and in the office so it's always connected. At least twice a week the unit has to be reset while I'm out of the office. It loses all of the info on the unit - especially irritating is the info I've entered since the last hot-sync. Several times in the middle of navigating to a destination it has gone kablooey.
I've already sent the original back. The next one I received was refurbished; another persons voice was on the unit!! This is the third one and it stinks. Wonderful idea, but absolutely unreliable. Don't waste your money. Yeah, I'm still on hold while writing this to send this one back as well.
73 GARMIN sells GARBAGE
Each time I e-mail tech support, I have an entirely different problem. They are helpful, but you must wait two days for a response or call and be placed on hold forever. The battery doesn't hold the charge. Each time I even look at it, I have another problem. Save your money or wait until the item is better. Personally, I think I threw my money away. My little cheapy handheld palm is so much much better. I think I should have stayed with a paper map or AAA.
74 Hot stuff
Best "toy" I've gotten in years. Get the Auto Kit, a must, and 128 MB SD card. It does take a while and some effort to master all the functions, but you can get it up and running in a short time. Locks onto satelites in less than 2 minutes, very accurate with easy to read display. If you go off the route, it takes just a few seconds to recalculate the route. This is a "don't leave home without it" item.
75 Difficult to use
I purchased this item for my husband for Christmas. He already had a palm and is quite computer literate. Neither one of us has been able to figure out how to use the navigation system. I tried to call Garmin for some assistance but gave up after being on hold for 45 min. I'm sure this is a great product once you've mastered it but it has been a very frustrating experience for us.
76 Love this thing
I got the ique for Christmas and it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Haven't had a single problem with it (except that my son keeps trying to "borrow" it from my car!) My son bought me a copy of How To Do Everything With GPS, which is an excellent companion because a portion of it is all about the ique.
77 It works well, but...
The PDA part functions like all Palm OS powered devices; there is a short learning curve for anyone familiar with earlier versions. The GPS function is remarkable in many ways and earlier static electricity-caused accidental resets have been addressed. But the battery life of the unit is so short that wandering far from a recharger is impossible. The only suggestion Garmin seems to have is to dim or turn off the backlight, which (next to the GPS function itself) is the largest drain. Fortunately, the versatile car base not only supports the unit for mobil use, but also keeps it charged. If a better battery comes along, it will be unbeatable.
78 Garmin iQue 3600
I have owned my Garmin iQue 3600 for 6 months now. The GPS software is fantastic. I have used it to navigate in cities and it always gets me to my destination quickly and clearly. I use it a a Palm PDA as well. With a 256 M SD card I can hold all the maps I need for several cities, plenty of games and plenty of books.
I store a lot of books on it. With its back lit screen, you can use it for reading in a dark room without disturbing a sleeping spouse. I also like using it as a MP3 player.
79 A Fine Product
Most of the bad reviews below are not a true reflection of this great and wonderful product. No, I don't work for Garmin. My unit worked perfectly right out of the box as is. But you do have to treat it carefully as it is a delicate electronic instrument. You should not subject it to extreme heat or cold temperatures and expect it to work correctly. Yes, the battery life is short but there is a battery charge icon at the bottom of the display, contray to one post here saying there isn't any. In a car I always use the car travel kit and car battery for power which includes the extra audio amplifier. I also use an external amplified outside antenna. Some add on antennas are amplfied and some are not. Be sure to get one that is amplified. You should also get the Garmin dash holder and at least a 256 MB SD card to hold the maps. Also don't try to load up the built in memory with a LOT of extra programs. Some of which are not designed for the Garmin and may cause the reset problem. This is not a falut of the unit but the third party software. If you run the unit out of memory you will have problems - that is only natural. Watch the memory left carefully. Yes, you can sync it with Outlook, again contray to a post here. Sad to say a lot of posts are from folks that have loaded bad software, mistreated their units, run it out of memory, run down the battery to zero (don't let this happen or you will have problems) or otherwise not followed good operator practice and didn't get the add on items needed for full enjoyment of the unit.
Read and follow the manual, get all the add on devices, treat the small delicate electronic device carefully, keep plenty of memory availble to the unit, keep the battery charged, and you will have a wonderful reliable navigation tool.
80 Awesome product, but if unsure get antenna
I got the Garmin iQue after much deliberation. I wanted something portable that could also be used in the car, with voice prompting. First thing I did was try it out in my office, but found you can't use it indoors. I went outside and stood under an awning next to our parking lot, and still got almost no satellite signals. It was raining a lot (this is Oregon, so it's expected) so I then took an umbrella and stood out in the rain. Got a few signals, and eventually got enough signals for the GPS to start working. It took about 10 minutes. Could weather have an effect on satellite reception? However, I moved my hand a bit, lost one of the three signals, and it stopped working again... That night I tried it out in the car, and noticed if I held it up to the glass (a tricky thing to do while driving) I could get a signal, but it was very intermittent and wouldn't last very long. I was starting to get disappointed.
Flash forward to a week later, when my antenna arrived (I got it off Garmin's website, since I didn't see it advertised here). It came with a suction cup attachment to put it on a window. Tried it in my office again attached to the window, and got three black satellite bars, and it started working. Okay, I thought, so far so good. The kicker came when I went out to the car and attached the suction cups to the windshield... Woah! I got no less than 6 black satellite bars in less than 30 seconds! Plus, whenever I would move the unit around, since the antenna was fixed, it never bothered satellite receiption. Now, THIS is what I had been hoping for. Now, I'm just waiting for my cat kit to arrive so I don't have to hold the thing. The antenna apparatus was an additional $100, but WELL worth it. In other words, if you don't get good reception right out of the box, think about getting one and it should work wonders for you.
But enough about reception, here's a few other points that I liked. The voice is very helpful, although it doesn't actually read street names. Instead, you get prompts like "In four hundred feet turn left" or "In one point three miles exit right". Those are fine, and when it talks it shows an expanded little graphic window showing the street name in large letters and an illustration of the exact turn. You have to take your eyes off the road to see it, so a dashboard mount would really be the ticket. However, if you know the street, listening to the voice prompts is fine. It's plenty loud, but not with any radio on. Since the car kit comes with speakers and a cigarette lighter adapter, I think it'll be just the ticket. Not that the batteries ran down or anything (I used it for a good three hours and the battery went to half full), but not to have to worry about it would be nice.
The internal memory can hold detailed maps for about two major cities and six-seven sparser area squares. (Major cities divide the ordinary detail map squares into four squares themselves). I recently bought a 256MB SD expansion card, which should allow me to put in almost the entire west coast US.
It comes with the North America (read: USA) detailed maps, but to purchase any European detail map sets is upwards of $300, so be warned if you also plan to use it internationally, there's a bit more cost involved.
Anyway, a GREAT unit, I think, even though all in all I spent upwards of $600 including shipping for all the parts. Even still, Amazon had the best price by far ($100 less than anywhere else). Still don't know how they managed that!
81 Horrible PDA - Okay GPS
If you have Outlook 2000 or later, do NOT purchase this. It is NOT compatible at this time. It will NOT download/sync correctly. Only have 32 MB - 28 leftover for storage. Lots of problems with this model. Skip it. Wait until Garmin get their acts together. Horrible return/support policy. You pay top dollars and still get a horrible PDA. Don't know where those expert reviews get their units. Recommendation for a PDA/GPS PDA? Get a Pocket PC Phone Edition (next generation is due out) and then get the Bluetooth GPS unit with it. You not only get a GPS enabled (wireless - bluetooth/802.11b) PDA but also the phone. More importantly, with Pharos, you will get REAL TIME traffic information based on your current location (if you are in the 16th largest SMSA's). If you can't wait for the second generation due out soon, get the ATT pocket pc for $99 and get the wired GPS accessory for $200. You STILL get a better product.
82 I cant believe Garmin is selling such an awful product
This is my first review, and I am writing because i want you to make an informed decision. There are hardly any advantages of this product over streetpilot III, so i will only write flaws of this product:
-Battery discharges itself on its will, particulary in cold temperatures.
-No indicater for battery level or if it has fully charged.
-Very limited battery capacity.
-If battery discharges, sometimes it erases all the data, imagin if it happens when you dont have your laptop!!
-Very poor speaker performance for MP3 player.
-Constant reset problem, as listed by many other users.
-Very slow response time. This is a problem when you use autoroute feature & have one turn after another quickly. It might lead you to make a wrong turn. I have used Streetpilot III in the past & that was much more faster/stable product in this regard.
-After two uses, one of the pins on hotsynch craddle is deformed & that is almost unusable now, i had to buy one USB Hotsynch cable.
-If you have a sports car, with very steep windshield angle, you can not mount the autonavigation kit/craddle on the dashboard. In my Camery LE, there only one way i can do it.
-Recently i have noticed a new error, "Auto Route recalculation error", seems like a new software flaw, that i need to report to Garmin.
-If you store your maps on the SD memory card, be prepared for further slow performance.
Inspite of knowing all these defects, you must be crazy for a PDA to buy this product, i was & so i am regreting now. I would suggest go for Streetpilot!
83 Excelente producto, solo algunos problemas.
1. Despues de cargar la bateria toda la noche, no pod’a llegar a 50 minutos de uso, aśn sin GPS y con el brillo en su nivel mas bajo. Por suerte mi proveedor me la cambi— por otra nueva. Con esta puedo trabajar hasta mas de 3 horas seguidas.
2. El cargador de base es bastante fragil, uno de los pines se dobl— y una de las patitas de acero, se quebr—. Por suerte ten’a la base de mi vieja m500, que es compatible y por medio de ella sincronizo con mi computadora.
3. DespuŽs de cargar los prompts en espa–ol, encontrŽ que hay muchos errores en la vocalizaci—n de las distancias, no se si por el idioma o el c‡lculo en si mismo.
4. La implementaci—n de graffiti 2, deja mucho que desear. Sobre todo si se compara con el de la Tunsgtain. Es mucho mas lento el proceso de escritura.
5. No trae el Note Pad y en general viene con menos software que las Palm.
Salvo los puntos citados, estoy satisfecho con el producto, aunque hay que convenir en que es necesario adquirir por separado una tarjeta SD de 128 a 512 segśn necesidades y un cargador de 12v., o mejor aśn el "Garmin IQUE 3600 auto navigation kit".
84 expensive but worth it
I purchased the Garmin i que 3600 two weeks ago through Amazon. Purchase and delivery was top notch. Unit is more complex than anticipated but the utility increases with your learning curve. Pluses: GPS is nothing short of fantastic. The Palmware functions are excellent and comparable to the top line Palms.
Negatives: No written manual. Battery is nearly a joke, if all screen functions and GPS are engaged, you may have one to two hours of play before zip happens. The leather "flap" which apparently is a cover is useless. Don't buy the The CD "demo." It is a ripoff.
Advice: Buy the optional leather cover but put the Garmin away "backwards" to hide the jog button and voice record buttons which protrude from the top side of the unit. Otherwise you will inadvertently activitate the unit Voice recording every time you remove it from the cover. Be extremely careful of static electricity as it fries this device in a heartbeat, requiring a soft reset to restart the unit. Buy the auto kit. It works great and is well worth the price. Forget an external GPS antenna, totally unnecessary. Definitely buy a 256 Mg. SD card as the maps are very detailed and really consume the internal memory
85 A great tool for who hates to look up map
We got this device from Amazon right before the Christmas holiday break. And, we were very happy with what it could do for our one week's travel down to LA, and San Diego area. The device is quite easy to use. For the whole trip, we didn't ever look up a map, and we were able to get to any valid destinations without problem, even finding at runtime the nearby restaurants, gas stations, or grocery stores! Some features are very cool such as the ability to link waypoints to address book, and the turn by turn routes voice instruction, etc. However, to make the device reasonably useful, you will have to get the optional auto kit, and 256 MB memory card. Some problems which we experienced: even though we have the latest software updates, we found system crashed quite often especially during route recalculation. It is very painful to use stylus to reboot the system in the middle of driving. Also, the routes function doesn't provide very useful instruction for the case when one highway becomes multiples. Or, in some cases, the routes function will give you wrong instruction of highway exit side. One obvious bug I observed is that the routes function automatically off-sets your system clock by one hour. It is an irritating, and obvious bug that the manufacturer should have addressed it. There are a few other minor problems with software, but I still think this is a great device to have especially for those who hates to look up map in the middle of nowhere.
86 Excellent PDA / GPS combo with a few bugs
Currently this is the best integration of a Palm PDA and GPS available! I was looking for an in-car GPS unit and came across this. After using it pretty hard for about a week I am happy to report that it is everything I expect it to be and then some! I was sold on the following features:
- Palm OS 5 PDA with hi-res screen and expandable memory.
- GPS with full routing and voice prompt navigation.
- MP3 player / Voice recorder.
The unit includes an integrated flip-out antenna and is not much bigger than my Sony Clie PDA. In GPS mode it does everything you would expect in an in-car full featured GPS costing twice as much. Routing / re-routing is quick, timely voice prompt and accurate maps. Plus, unlike an in-car system, it integrates nicely with your address book already on the PDA.
You must get an external SD card because MP3 files can only be stored on the SD card (you would not want to take up space on the 22MB of free space in the internal memory anyway).
I would also recommend the purchase of the Auto Navigation Kit which includes the bean-bags mounting and external speaker.
My unit came loaded with release 2 software, but I went to the Garmin website and also applied the latest patch. Even so, I still observed the following bugs:
- Spontaneous resets: Happened to me twice. I think these resets are caused by static electricity and it's unlikely that software fix will completely cure it. Just be careful, especially in the dry winter, in handling it. Backup everything into your SD card, in case you lose data and don't have access to your computer to hotsync.
- There is no way to upload routes and waypoints from the unit into your Mapsource; you also can not download routes from Mapsource to the unit. Hopefully, future software releases will fix this.
87 Outstanding
Ignore the reviews that talk about hard resets and poor reliability. Garmin released Version 2 of the firmware and all that has been fixed. This is an awesome product that I would recommend to anybody. The screen is gorgeous, the integration between PDA and GPS is first rate and the map detail is extensive. Every street in my small town is included, even the dirt roads. If you're thinking of buying this device, give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.
88 Great Product
I purchased this item in Jan 04 and I couldn't be happier. Prior to purchasing, I read the reviews listed here and started to become concerned because of some of the negative comments. I have used the palm operating system for many years and have owned a garmin e-trex legend for 3 years, so I was familiar with both basic operations. I have found that most of my concern was unfounded. Here are the remarks that most concerned me and my actual experience with them.
1) "Software problems". The software updates from Garmin are easily found and easily installed. Took less than 5 minutes start to finish. This was a non-issue.
2) Battery Life. Several users reported only one hour of use with the GPS on. I set the unit in battery saver mode and dimmed the screen brightness to about 30%. I then used auto-routing continuously in order to keep the unit from staying in stand-by mode. I felt this would be more of a real-world experience. The unit operated for over 5 hours before the low battery warning came on. While it could be better, I only use mine in the car and the 12v charger was always handy. If you will be using your gps mostly for outdoor activities, then buy the e-trex vista instead. It is more than adequate for non-vehicle use. (p.s. Instead of the car mounting system, i purchased the car charger and a Belkin AC-vent mount from walmart for $5. This kept the unit off the dashboard and within easy reach.)
3) Satelite aquisition time. Mine aquires within a minute, much faster than the e-trex. Regarding GPS accuracy, I placed this unit next to my garmin e-trex and both showed identical accuracy (8 feet with waas enabled).
4) "Speaker hard to hear". I drive a F-250 DIESEL and can hear the voice prompts clearly at 60 mph.
5) Memory. Many people recomended getting the 128 M card. 95% of my driving is within a 100 mile radius of my home and the internal memory stored it all with plenty of room left over (this may not be the case in larger cities). Map uploads are much faster (15 seconds) than my etrex legend(15 minutes)so adding a map for a trip is not a big deal.
6) "Hardware problems". My unit has worked flawlessly so far.
7) Map loading speed. Some reviews noted a slow map rebuild time. Mine is almost instantanious. (maybe different if using a sd card)
This is a great product that has,so far, exceeded my expectations.
Amazon's price was within $15 of the lowest price I found on the web, and I received it in two days.
Purchase screen protectors, they are a must with any palm device.
89 WOW! It worked
All the software related problems mentioned in other reviews are gone. I just received my package from Amazon.com, day before yesterday. It came with version 2.x+ software. I tested it from my work (Mountain View,CA) to my home (San Jose, CA). I didn't encounter any problem,and got very accurate direction, turn by turn. I also bought travel kit, but didn't use yet. It lost GPS connection when I parked my Honda Pilot inside my garage. Other basic Plam features are also very cool.
The only drawback could be when you are on the road, say, out on vacation, to find a location could be difficult, without storing it first in the address book, though I didn't get a chance to read the complete manual yet. So you may have to carry a laptop or an external portable keyboard interface (I don't know whether you get for this unit or not, but you get for other Palm models). So I will rate it 4 for the time being.
Will update as soon as I get a chance to use it more.
90 Works ok, but that is all
Great display, somewhat slow redraw. Menu's need a lot of work, not very intuitive.
Car mount speaker failed after two weeks. Fuze not user replaceable. Mount not very well designed.
Buy this unit for graphics, but that is all.
This unit was put on the market before all the bugs were worked out.
Garmin should know better, I had problems with a Garmin Marine GPS I ordered several years ago.
Producing a quality product for initial release should have a higher priority at Garmin.
Wait to buy if you can. Maybe they will correct the initial flaws.
91 The Ique is terrible. Garmin's tech support is a disgrace.
I have two other Garmin GPS. After buying the IQue I agree with the other negative comments concerning the incredible difficulty of downloading the software and also having to re initialize the time and date of the unit. Even worse than that is the impossibility of contacting tech support within a reasonable time. Wait times are always claimed to be greater than 30 minutes.
After being on hold for in excess of one hour, my very computer knowledgeable son in law was able to speak to someone who explained that "Disk 1 was not really the Disk 1 referred to when attempting to download the CD map" !??!
The internet contacted tech support did not read the question properly on two occasions, consequently did not even come close to addressing the difficulty of downloading information.
The greater problems apparently started after uninstalling mapsource in an attempt to get it to respond properly. Garmin are aware of this difficulty, but have chosen not to disseminate the information.
This product and Garmin's tech support is rubbish! Buy something else..........anything else!!!
92 Good Idea - Poor Execution
This is a pretty weak product across the board. Even with the updated OS, it crashes unpredictably. Took it on a trip from SF to Oregon (multiple destinations), and it worked very well. Tried to route to Tucson, AZ for my next trip, and nothing but calculation errors.
On a short hop inside CA, it got me to the destination just fine. Coming back, it crashed, loosing all data.
The documentation is one of the big weak spots. Looks like they wrote the documentation for a similar design, but not the same product. Makes a lot of assumptions and sometimes takes you through a process that does not describe the options the same way they appear on the system. Support also sucks. I was having problems with the IR port, and the docs say to read a separate document on the CD. The document isn't there. I contacted Technical Support, and they said to read the Help. The Help says read the document. When I told TS about this, I was told to post a message on the newsgroup. Ugly!
93 iQue 3600 - Highly Recommended
I have been using my new iQue 3600 for over a week and could not be more pleased with this purchase. It is everything I had hoped for and much more. The GPS functions are quick and reliable. The accuracy is exceptional. I consistently acquire 7-8 satelites from the dashboard of my car. Integration with the Palm software is excellent. GPS locations can be attached to addressbook entries and Datebook entries. If there were problems with early versions of this device, they have all been worked out. I have experienced none of the earlier reported difficulties. I recommend this unit without reservation. If you can have only one GPS device, this is the one.
94 Truly remarkable product, but check your software version
Check to make sure you have version 5.02 of the street mapping software, and you will not experience any of the problems cited in other reviews. The unit I received from Amazon.com on January 9th included the most recent software, so you can purchase with confidence.
The routing and mapping functions work better than I imagined they could work. Directions are concise and accurate. I have learned some shortcuts in my home town that I was not aware of!
The integrated palm makes it super easy to input addresses and other information. I had a Garmin GPS V before, and it was tedious to use the directional button to select letters when looking for addresses. The Palm unit is so easy that you will actually use it much more frequently. First the touch screen input is much easier and faster to use. Second, the ability to sync your address book and then use the address book entries to create waypoints for navigation works very effectively.
The coolest feature is the "Que Find" function. It will find the nearest restaurants, coffee shops, dry cleaners, hotels, movie theaters, etc., and display them in an easy-to-navigate list, so you can select the one you want. Then, the unit tells you how to get there. Gone are the days of wandering strange cities in search of coffee in the morning.
Definintely buy a memory upgrade, as 32 Megs will force you to choose what to give up. I got 512 Megs, which allowed me to upload detailed maps covering several states with 200 megs left over for MP3s and other data.
Also, you should invest in the autonavigation kit, which includes a friction mount that works. My friend had the unit without the auto navigation kit for a while, and it was a pain in the neck for him to have it sliding around on the seat. He told me to buy the auto kit, and I'm very glad I did. You will feel the same way.
I cannot wait for my next sales trip. What an amazing tool I have.
95 A terrific product, but horribly unreliable (update)
A friend bought an earlier unit and ran into some of the problems cited here, though downloading the latest software fixed those problems for him. In my case I bought the unit around Christmas 2003 and never saw any of those problems. The unit is very compact, the user interface is flexible and easy to use, the routing software works very well. Even when you're not following its directions somewhere, watching the "approaching xxx streat" and watching the ticking off of street numbers (no more hunting for signs) is really marvelous. The PC software for downloading maps to the unit is well done (you're going to need an SD card, I suggest something 128M or greater). And the other included software--calculator, voice recorder, audio player, etc all work well. The most obvious problem is the units power consumption--you're going to spend a lot more time with the unit plugged into a power source than you're used to for a Palm device. Really, this is the device that sets the standard for how a GPS should work.
Update:
I can't live without it, but I often have to as it is so unreliable.
Problems:
1. Often enough (say once a week or so) it will power on and be unable to recognize the SD card (Lexar 256MB) it has plugged into it. Since this is where your maps are, you are left with the base map only. You will know this happens because powering on the device will take several seconds. Eject the SD card and plug it back in. Sometimes this will resolve the problem. Usually not. If it doesn't a hard reset (reset hole+power on then press the suggested button after it comes on) will fix it. Course that destroys all your data, requiring a full (timely) resynch. And the possibility of losing all your data if the previous sync didn't get everything. And reapplying any patches. And downloading any pictures or MP3's you had on the SD card. And of course this requires your computer and you're just trying to get somewhere right now and are suddenly lost without your GPS.
2. It will often lock up on power up. A soft reset (pull the car over, take out the stylus, unscrew, insert into reset hole) will fix this.
3. It doesn't handle power off properly when routing. Often the device will power itself off and not come on in time to tell you the next route point. If you manually power it on in time it will work, but that's kind of annoying. I avoid this by having it plugged in and configuring it to stay on when connected.
4. It often stops talking. Either it will go completely silent (a reset will fix this) or it will simply stutter (long pauses, broken speach) or some combination. Sometimes it will not say one reminder, but say the next one. A soft reset sometimes fixes this, but sometimes not. I'm not sure this happens with the external speaker hooked up, but it certainly does with the on-board speaker. When this happens I just pick up the unit and watch for the text-based prompts. Course I'm driving at the time so this isn't safe...
Annoyances:
1. The MP3 player only lists songs in ALPHABETICAL and not track order, so if you want to play them in CD-order you can only do this if you let them play sequentially.
2. There is no way to find waypoints near the current route.
3. There is no way to permanently change the weighting of a route. You have to do this each time you route. In the Bay Area at the moment they are doing construction on the San Rafael bridge that means you often want to avoid it. Yet it usually routes you that way. It would be nice to have a way to de-weight routes over this bridge.
4. It sometimes gets really confused when routing and gets itself into loops and suggests routes that are much longer because it just can't forget the original route even though you changed it and it rerouted.
5. And of course the battery life is just awful. An external sled with extra battery support would be nice. It also doesn't seem to charge much when connected to your car charger and also running with the display and GPS on. Seems to require power down/power connected to charge.
96 It's not reliable and crashes too frequently
I've had my unit about 3 weeks - when it works, it's great - but it crashes almost daily and I'm sending it back tomorrow to Amazon.com. Also, when it crashes - you lose everything. I have a back-up on my computer, so I can reload everything again, but it's a big hassle. It really let me down this week when I was travelling back through Oregon and it just died. The developers need to go back to the drawing board. It has the making of an awesome piece of equipment, it's just not reliable and has too many problems.
97 An Must Have
This is my first GPS unit, and I couldn't have been more satisfied. It does everything I thought it would and then some. The build quality is excellent and the ease of use is unbelievable. If you live in a large or small city, you will love this unit. Today, I found a shorter route to work (10% shorter) than my usual route. You can also customize pretty much any GPS feature on it to suit your needs. For the price, you cannot beat it. Buy it and be happy!
98 shipped with OS release 5.2.1r2
Th iQue I ordered shipped Dec 26 2003, and arrived with the Release 2 pre-installed, so the reset problems should be gone out of the box now. To be on the safe side, I did apply the additional patch found on the Garmin support site.
A couple of old apps I used to have on my palmpilot got installed on the iQue on first sync, and one of them (Remote) crashed it when started. You may want to make sure you delete your old Palm desktop folder, including old apps you used on older Palm handhelds, before your first sync.
Acquiring satellites indoors is close to impossible, so don't be disappointed if you can't, just go outside. Takes only a few minutes in a car. Besides, you should be able to find your way to the kitchen without your iQue.... ;-)
One reviewer mentioned that units with serial numbers higher than 9027xxxx had a hardware fix. Mine is one of those, and it hasn't reset once since I de-installed the bad Remote app.
I've used it on a weekend trip, and it is truly awesome. One error though during navigation: I entered a "via" for an active route, but when it had to recalculate the route while driving, it lost the "via". Good thing I noticed, otherwise I would have missed my turn.
99 4.90 / 5.00
Ever since the dawn of the information age, I have been waiting for this package, I can say. To me, it provides real-life-useful information in very usable ways. Period.
I purchased it as an open box item. Of course, it had everything needed. (The hardware, base map & detailed map.) Besides, ther customer service via e-mail is great.
Happy:
- I will hardly get lost again. This gives a great deal of comfort when driving.
- It can recalculate the route when I go off-course. I can make it automatically do it or ask my permission.
- I like the "Que" application package. It maps, guides(in background), provides GPS information, searches, tracks and plays tune(in background). IMHO, this "package" is an excellent combination of HW, SW(applications/OS), data(map) & infrastructure(satelites).
Less happy:
- Like a few reviewers pointed out, it crashed randomly several times. Later I found that Garmin is providing s/w upgrade from their web. The process was not simple but after that, the device seems a lot more stable. When I let it navigate and don't go there, something seems go wrong.
- When I have many detailed maps in the SD card, the search seems a little slower than desired. (It is natural but more computational power or a better way to search the data could be helpful.)
- Once, its route guided me into a prohibited turn. However, it should be user's responsibility to drive safely & follow the traffic regulations...
Hope:
- More (internal) memory.
- Integrated cell phone.
- Integrated digital camera.
- Map edit capability
100 Great product concept, poor first generation product!
I've had my iQue unit for a month now. I own four GARMIN GPS portable units, used primarily for offshore sailing with the exception of the GPS map76. All have been outstanding products. In addition, I am on my fifth Palm OS PDA, and can't live without one. The GARMIN iQue promises the integration of these two important capabilities, PDA and GPS mapping, plus the addition of full-function street navigation with voice prompting.
I purchased a 256MB card, needed to store a reasonable amount of street map information, and the optional auto nav kit, which provides for a 12v power supply, and flexible "bean bag" positioning of the cradle which is a must for automobile use, in my view. I use the remote antenna from my GARMIN GPSmap76 to improve my satellite reception.
I downloaded all my personal Palm PDA info: address book, memos, calendar, and other Palm programs without difficulty. The quality of the color screen is impressive when used for the traditional calendar and address book PDA use.
It should be noted that the iQue software which runs on the PC, the "desktop" PDA, is a streamlined version of the Desktop I currently use. I liked the new look.
The setup of the maps on the iQue was a bit tricky, but with patience, I finally got the maps I needed installed and went out for a spin in my car.
The results were simply amazing: clear bright screen, clear voice guidance and direction notations plus excellent maps. And a lot more functionality to identify places of interest etc. And the integration of the street "waypoints" into the address book was definitely a plus.
I particularly liked the iQue's flexibilty to recalculate the route directions, if you chose to deviate from its recommended route. In areas where I have local knowledge, I travel my own route, and iQue adapts on the fly to my route and ultimately advises me to take the route that I intended. For somebody who is new to an area, one can follow iQue's guidance to the letter and get right to the destination ex
