ALK CoPilot Live! 6

ALK has been making navigation software program for a very long time and was one of many first to assist Windows Mobile. The firm has struck a really intelligent cope with community operator T-Mobile which includes bundling its software program with Windows Mobile gadgets, however it’s also possible to purchase the software program independently of any gadget for each Windows Mobile Smartphones and Pocket PCs. I selected to check out the software program with an Orange SPV C600 for this check.

ALK gives an in-vehicle charger for it Bluetooth antenna, however no mains energy charger, whereas my SPV C600, not surprisingly, got here with mains energy charger and no automobile charger. ALK rescues the scenario by offering a splitter cable from its automobile charger which lets you concurrently energy the antenna and a Windows Mobile Smartphone through its mini USB connecter.

Recently I’ve been utilizing both stand alone navigation methods or handhelds with GPS antennae inbuilt, such because the Mio A701 and E-TEN G500 which I in contrast again in May. It felt a bit cumbersome to have to hold 4 bits of package round throughout this check – telephone, antenna, in-vehicle charger and splitter cable, however as soon as arrange within the automobile every thing is fairly tidy and naturally it’s possible you’ll not must cable something up in any respect if handset and antenna are effectively charged beforehand.

The software program is supplied on a mini SD card. My model of the software program coated the UK and Ireland and got here on a 256MB card, however maps of Europe might be purchased in its place and these come on a 1GB card.

Installing it to the inner reminiscence of my SPV required deleting some software program I had on there already to liberate reminiscence. I additionally needed to junk my current mini SD card to make method for CoPilot’s which incorporates the important map information. The excellent news is that it’s attainable to make use of the free storage on the cardboard – 90MB of it – to retailer information and purposes. It could take you some time to remodel issues, however if you happen to’ve been counting on a decrease capability card you may very well find yourself with a storage enhance.

The CoPilot Bluetooth antenna is a bit on the chunky aspect – it rivals my SPV C600 telephone for general measurement – but it surely proved to be very dependable, and I used to be in a position to depart it in a pocket between the entrance driver and passenger seats moderately than have it slide about on the sprint.

It felt moderately odd at first to work with out a contact display however in reality the ALK’s menu system is fairly intelligently put along with few layers of sub-menus and loads of thought put into the truth that you solely actually wish to scroll vertically by means of choices and make minimal faucets.

There are loads of choices settings. You could make a predictable vary of preferences decisions resembling miles vs kilometres, map heading vs north on the high, automated swap between day and night time colors or handbook setting. Points of Interest alerts might be set so that you’re warned once you get to inside a person definable distance from them. You can save handset battery energy by getting the software program to show the backlight on solely if you find yourself close to a flip. I’ve to say I favor the at all times on choice.

I usually complain that spoken directions come too early or too late for me to essentially take correct discover of them. The CoPilot software program builders could have been listening as you’ll be able to set the software program to present its flip warnings at all or any of two miles forward, one mile forward, 3/10 of a mile forward or simply forward setting the latter to inside 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 seconds forward.

You can create driving profiles designating preferences for various highway varieties (strongly keep away from, keep away from, impartial, favour, strongly favour) and the velocity you drive alongside them. These could be useful if you happen to drive at instances of the day when visitors situations differ – rush hour or non rush hour for instance, if you happen to drive a couple of automobile with radically totally different dealing with (there’s a setting for RV which apparently refers to caravans or different heavy autos which might deal with in a different way to automobiles), or just if you happen to drive in a different way and like totally different highway varieties when on enterprise or when travelling for leisure.

CoPilot 6 helps each TMC and GPRS visitors info however I used to be not ready to strive both. Live automobile monitoring for a single person comes as commonplace with CoPilot Live! You want to enroll to a Web site, after which can present others with a password to get entry to your place on the highway. I’m undecided, for particular person customers, whether or not that is any higher than stopping off every now and then to telephone in to whoever is ready to your arrival, however it’s a characteristic that, so far as I do know, others don’t provide.

Another further is PC software program which lets you plan routes after which delivers each flip by flip and map based mostly routing. This is excellent and contains journey planning for all of Europe in addition to complete assist for the Smartphone utility.

Entering a vacation spot on my SPV C600 was as simple as tapping in a full seven digit postcode although you’ll be able to plump for getting into a full tackle or utilizing the contacts database of your handset if you happen to favor.

The on display show is small but it surely delivers effectively. There are flip by flip directions in addition to a 2D and 3D map views and a ‘safety view’ which reveals the course of the following flip and clear textual details about the place you might be and the way far it’s to the following flip distinguished on display.

ALK is aware of easy methods to keep away from litter on display and nonetheless provides some helpful choices – the handset joystick can be utilized to pan round a map, and likewise to zoom out and in if you happen to press it first. You may make a setting which solely reveals Points of Interest on display once you cease in order that they don’t litter your view if you happen to look on the map whereas driving.

Spoken directions are loud sufficient, and because of the beforehand talked about tweaking, they had been delivered at applicable instances.

There are three modes of operation: Guidance is used throughout a visit, Planning is used beforehand to arrange a visit and doesn’t want the GPS antenna, and Walking generates a straight line between you and your vacation spot and maintains that no matter you do when on foot. This is nowhere close to pretty much as good as having a paper map in your hand I’m afraid. Until NAVTEQ (ALK’s mapping associate) begins mapping for pedestrians and together with cut-throughs, tracks throughout parks and so forth, I’m sticking to paper maps when strolling.

”’Verdict”’

Weighing up the professionals and cons of smartphone based mostly and bigger contact display gadgets, I discover after this revisiting of the smartphone format that I’m not as disgruntled about it as I had thought I could be.

Sure, there are a number of bits and items to hold round, however ALK has executed very effectively with the display and person interface limitations, its software program is powerful, and that desktop journey planning further is an actual plus.