WHAT IS IT?
The Garmin iQue 3600 was the first Palm PDA with an integrated GPS reciever. It was Garmin's first Palm - released in 2003 - but it still remains the best one out there, and is competitive in features with the newer Palm PDAs released in 2005-2006. Since Garmin has released two other Palm PDAs since 2003 (the 3200 and 3000), the iQue 3600s can now be found refurbished for around $250, though it still costs around $500 new.
Features include a full version of the PalmOS 5.2.1 running on a 200 MHz ARM processor (which means access to the thousands of existing Palm applications), integrated GPS antenna (and ability to attach an external antenna), 32 MB of RAM, SD card for expansion (useable up to 2 GB), and a software-based Grafiti 2 area (so you can use the full 320 x 240 screen for maps or other applications). There is a flip-cover for the unit that rests flat against the front of the unit to protect the screen when not in use, and tucks flat against the back of the unit when it *is* in use. The built-in Garmin software includes routing (figuring out directions for you), finding points of interest, integration with the built-in Palm applications (you can route to anything in your address book), and more. It comes with a CD containing detailed maps for the entire USA (or Europe, if you should be buying from Europe.)
WHAT WAS MY EXPERIENCE?
I purchased my iQue from Woot.Com when it came up as one of their deals. After some arm wrestling with UPS (my driver decided the best way to deal with the blizzard of 2006 was to claim my house did not exist), I received it two weeks ago and have been using it constantly as my driving companion since then. The bundle I purchased (most of the refurbs are this same bundle) includes the unit, Maps for the continental United States (and some of Canada) on CD, PocketMirror for smooth integration with Outlook, a friction mount (basically a weighted beanbag mount, that locks into the unit and plugs into the cigarette lighter for power), and some extra software on the CD.
It has been GREAT. Mod-Bloggers who know me well, know that I have NO sense of direction. I always get where I am going in the end, but that is due to (1) a tendency to overplan my route before I go, and NOT deviate from it, and (2) a willingness to ask directions of strangers and look like an idiot. But now - with a 2 GB SD card installed to the unit to which I loaded maps for the entire country - I can simply refer to my iQue and ask it for directions to my next goal. The iQue includes visual prompts (including a scrolling map), voice prompts (so you do not have to read the maps), and will AUTOMATICALLY RECALCULATE if you go off route! That has been the best part, as once or twice I have taken a wrong turn or chosen to get to a highway thru an alternate route, and before I can think about it, the Garmin has already rerouted. The accuracy is not perfect - some local restaurants are located on the maps blocks from their actual position - but the iQue faithfully gets me to most locations, and when it is not spot-on, I can see my destination from where it thinks it should be. (And I can reset the locations to the real location anytime I want to.) The detailed maps also allow you to locate local "points of interest", which range from gas stations to restaurants to national parks to arcades to just about anything you may want to find. No more realizing on the highway that you are almost out of gas, and wondering how to get to a gas station before you run dry! Likewise, this function lets you find the best restaurants for your vacation BEFORE you go.
And if you have a preferred route (when travelling into NJ, we prefer the Tappan Zee Bridge over the George Washington Bridge) you can program in specific "via points" which the iQue will use when calculating the route.
And, of course, the iQue is a full PalmOS PDA, so I am enjoying having MyBible with me at all times, as well as the other excellent apps.
WHAT HAVE I *NOT* EXPERIENCED?
I am not a geocache enthusiast nor someone who does much hiking. However, the Garmin has built-in functions for off-road GPS location and the creation of waypoints. If you look up a geocache online, and enter the coordinates, you can use the iQue to get you close by car, and then walk the rest of the way. It also saves tracks and routes, if required, so you can retrace your steps and/or convert your track into a format that can be imported to a desktop mapping program for sharing.
WHAT IS THE BEST FEATURE?
Automatic recalculation of routes. If you go off-route (perhaps to get gas, pick up some snacks, or to get around an accident) it will calculate how to get you back on, without any prompting. (Yes, this feature can be turned off, if you'd rather figure it out on your own.) This can be married with a "Detour, X miles" feature if you come up against a major slowdown or accident. The route will be recalculated to get you around the disruption by going X miles out of your way.
WHAT IS THE WORST PROBLEM?
I have learned in the past when buying SmartPhones that marrying a Palm to other functionality always leaves you wish a unit with quirks. The iQue is no different. The iQue has spontaneously restarted (though not lost data) more than my past Palm Tungsten C, Palm VIIx, and Palm IIIc combined over their lifetime in the last two weeks (which is not saying much, since the others were rock solid and only restarted maybe 3 times each). It is sensitive to poorly-written software (avoid IQ-Bright, a program to control the backlight like the plague!!!) and to sudden changes in environment (it resets sometimes when I plug it into the friction mount, going from battery to charge).
The other problem with the iQue 3600 is the battery. The battery lasts a long time without GPS use, but with GPS active it drains in about 2 hours time. This is not a problem in the car - since the friction mount includes a plug for the car cigarette lighter - but if you wanted to use this for geocaching or hiking, I doubt 2 hours would do it. One workaround is the "Emergency Battery Charger" which lets you use 4 AA batteries externally to boost the battery time of the PDA. I own this add-on, but have not yet had a chance to use it.
WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE?
If you want a GPS for your car, there is NOTHING better out there for the price. A friend has an in-car TomTom navigator which has a lot better graphical features, but it costs around $1,000. Comparable GPS systems with a competing screen cost $500 or more. Add in a 2 GB SD card and you can wander anywhere in the USA without fear of getting lost. Add on the ability to keep full ebooks/bibles/games on there for the hotel room, and this is as close to a Star Trek Tri-Corder as we poor 21st century humans can get.
But if you are looking for a GPS for hiking, you may want to look for a solution with a better battery. Some of the newer Garmin Palm or PocketPC units - while actually having less functionality - have a much better battery life. Some of the dedicated GPS units - especially those with a black-and-white LCD - will have MUCH better battery life, and still fulfill all the requirements for a geocache or hiking trip. They are also much cheaper.
ANYTHING ELSE TO MENTION?
There is a lot of great add-on software out there for the iQue (or at least compatible with it). I'll have an article later in the week (or next week) listing out some of the best software and hardware add-ons for this amazing little PDA.
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