From the Judges of the Pocket PC magazine Best Software Awards 2003

Our expert judges for the Pocket PC magazine Best Software Awards 2003 had plenty to say about the products they judged. In this issue we are publishing their comments about the travel and personal programs they looked at (winners, finalists, and nominees). The purpose of publishing these experts' comments is to give insights about a variety of products, not to show how the judges voted. The winners and finalists of the 2003 Best Software Awards can be found on our Web site (http://www.PocketPCmag.com/awards/main.asp). For the sake of brevity, we've included only one judge's comment per product and edited each down to its essence.

Travel

GPS Software

Dave Burrows http://www.pocketgps.co.uk

Alk/TravRoute CoPilot (http://www.travroute.com) is a great GPS street navigation product. CoPilot is unique in that you can plan a journey on your PC and transfer just a corridor of maps to the Pocket PC, saving valuable storage card space. CoPilot Live includes a revolutionary new feature that lets a partner or work colleague keep track of where you are and send you automatic re-routes to another location. This is all done over a Bluetooth-connected GPRS/GSM mobile phone and a PC connected to the Internet. TravRoute currently uses NavTech as their geodata provider. The only thing CoPilot Live really lacks is a 3D view!

CoPilot displays turn-by-turn directions as well as "speaking" them out loud.

PowerLOC Destinator (http://www.destinator1.com) is well known in Europe and North America, and is available for both desktop PCs and Pocket PCs. PowerLOC was the first to offer a Pocket PC street navigation program that included a 3D map view. Destinator has great-looking maps and searches its database for streets very quickly. PowerLOC currently uses NavTech as their geodata provider.

Shawna Kelly http://www.artzest.com

TeleType GPS (http://www.teletype.com) is the most completely customizable and flexible GPS solution available. It can be used in a wide variety of navigation scenarios, including highway, marine, aviation, on and off trail, and more. (Some of these navigational abilities require software add-ons.) The TeleType GPS software can also display topographical maps. The majority of TeleType's features are customizable. For example, you can reassign GPS features to hardware buttons, customize the waypoint information display, adjust the timing of turn warnings, and choose from several voice options, including text-to-speech with the street names being spoken. The software package ships with both Pocket PC and desktop PC versions of the GPS program at no additional cost. It may involve more time to learn to use TeleType GPS, but the extra effort results in many more possibilities.

TeleType offers the most customizable GPS solution available.

TomTom GPS (http://www.tomtom.com) has been highly successful in Europe and in its recent entry into the U.S. market. The 3D map interface, with POI (Point of Interest) icons, is quite impressive. The POI database is one of the best available in any GPS software. TomTom's voice navigation uses a pleasant, commanding voice to warn you to move into the appropriate lane for an upcoming turn. TomTom's integration with Outlook Contacts could be improved.

Guides

David Shier http://www.bluetoothnews.com