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> Review :: Holux GPSlim 236, Rating 4.5 out of 5
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post Mar 31 2006, 09:05 AM
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GPSlim 236
By HOLUX Technology Inc.
MGN Rating -

Rating Legend

1 star: Find something else; save your money
2 star: Below average; not recommended
3 star: Average; performs as advertised but not inspiring
4 star: Good; worth the money
5 star: Great; best of its kind on the market

Review by Slacker
Review Date / March 31st, 2006

Note: Screen captures are created with Pocket Controller-Professional by Soti, Inc.

One of the really cool things to come out for mobile devices is the bluetooth GPS antenna. There are several manufacturers out there now, and one of the largest is Holux. They specialize in GPS units including GPS tracking for commercial fleets, in-car navigation units, handheld units and of course bluetooth antennas. When I was shopping for a GPS I certainly had to consider Holux as one of the top contenders based on reputation alone.

Here is what Holux has to say about the GPSlim 236:

QUOTE
The HOLUX GPSlim236 Wireless Bluetooth GPS Receiver is a total solution GPS receiver with Bluetooth, UART interface and built-in rechargeable battery for high sensitivity to tracking signal. GPSlim236 design is based on SiRF Star III low power Architecture.
GPSlim236 is a dual-function GPS receiver. Not only transmit satellite information through the PDA or Notebook with Bluetooth interfaces but also is a G-Mouse GPS Receiver through a data cable to deliver satellite signal to the device without Bluetooth interface.
This positioning application meets strict needs such as car navigation, mapping, surveying, security, agriculture and so on. Only clear view of sky and certain power supply are necessary to the unit. GPSlim236 contacts to other device through Bluetooth device, compatible interface of RS-232 or USB, and built-in recharge battery to save satellite information such as the status of satellite signal, the last location, date and time of last use.
With low power consumption, the GPSlim236 tracks up to 20 satellites at a time, re-acquires satellite signals in 100 ms and updates position data every second.
Trickle-Power allows the unit operates a fraction of the time and Push-to-Fix permits user to have a quick position fix even though the receiver usually stays off.


The package arrived from Hong Kong and I had to go to the Post Office to pick it up. Of course I tore open the box as soon as I got it home.

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When I opened the box my first thought was the unit was tiny.

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I unpacked the contents of the box. It comes with both an AC and DC charger, but the AC charger requires an adapter for the US which the vendor I purchased the unit from provided. It has a software and documentation CD, quickstart guide and warranty information card.

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The unit has three lights on top to indicate state and function. There are GPS signal, bluetooth, and battery charging lights. The unit is charged by the mini USB connection on the front.

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The unit has only one moving part, the on/off switch. It also supports an external antenna via the connector shown in the image below on the left. Notice how it compares in size to a quarter? Like I said, tiny.

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That's pretty much the unit. Again, it is only a GPS antenna and comes with no mapping software. It does come with a GPS application that shows satellite lock information, speed, LAT/LONG and elevation information.

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Initially the software has to be told where to find the GPS. You do that by clicking the SCAN button:

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Once the GPS has been located you can click the OPEN GPS button to start the GPS information stream, select power save mode, and enable WAAS usage.

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And the second half of the application shows you satellite lock, date/time, LAT/LONG, direction, speed and altitude.

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But let's be honest here. The reason you are looking for a bluetooth GPS is not to find out what your LAT/LONG coordinates are, right? You want to do some real navigation. For that you will need some software to compliment the GPS. Software like Mapopolis, OnCourse Navigator or TomTom. This is a screenshot from Mapopolis, showing my current location as a blue circle in the middle.

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So there you have it. It's a GPS and it works. But why should you buy THIS unit when there are so many others? What really sets this particular unit apart? First of all it uses the new SiRF III low power consumption chipset which means you get more running time from a charge, averaging 10 to 16 hours depending on setting. And since portable devices by their very nature are not always around power supplies the longer it will run on its own, the better. The unit will not only supply GPS information via bluetooth but can also work with a USB cable to provide the same data to a computer, allowing you to use the GPS for more than one purpose.

Accuracy is another area where this unit has impressive numbers. It can track 20 satellites at once, compared to the 16 most other units can handle. The fix time for both cold and warm starts are impressively low. Cold start fix is less than 42 seconds and warm start less than 38 seconds. Hot start is measured in milliseconds.

Bottom line: This is a solid bluetooth GPS antenna from a company that has specialized in GPS products since 1994. It is super simple to use, fast, portable, and long lasting.

You can find out more about the Holux GPSlim 236 here.


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