Pharos Traveler 137 now available
(Credit: Pharos)Pharos announced on Thursday the immediate availability of its latest GPS-enabled smartphone, the Pharos Traveler 137. The Traveler 137 will be sold unlocked through various online retailers, including Amazon, Dell, eXpansys, and Newegg, for $599.95, though you can receive a $250 discount if you sign up for ...
Remember the Pharos Traveler 117 which we announced back in November 2008? People at PocketPCThoughts got their hands on one and published a lengthy review.
Here the pros and cons:
Pros:
Cons:
(Via NaviGadget.)
Pharos rolls out Traveler 137, coming this quarter for $599.95
(Via Engadget.)
Pharos this week introduced Pharos Traveler 127, a GPS smartphone with both QWERTY keyboard and 2.5″ touch-screen. Pharos Traveler 127 is filled with features but that’s normal since you can expect to pay about $530 for this unlocked phone which will be ready to be used on any GSM network.
Pharos Traveler 127 runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 and features 3.5G networks on a tri-band UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA and a quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE cellular modems. It comes with two digital cameras. One of them is 2MP for pictures and videos, and the other is 0.3MP for video conferencing.
Pharos Traveler 127 includes a GPS receiver and comes with Pharos’ Smart Navigator software and can provide server-based travel information and navigation service. Also it is pre-loaded with Microsoft Live Search, providing free information about traffic, gas prices, movie times and weather.
Other features include Wi-Fi, and bluetooth. With a single charge it should provide about 7.5 hours of GSM and 5 hours of WCDMA talk time.
(Via NaviGadget.)
We just mentioned Pharos Traveler 127, but there’s also the Pharos Traveler 117 which also got announced at the same time. Different than 127, Pharos Traveler 117 has a bigger touchscreen measuring 2.8″ but no physical keyboard.
The rest of the features for Pharos Traveler 117 are identical to 127 which include 3.5G connections, Wi-Fi, bluetooth, integrated GPS receiver, dual digital cameras, and a powerful 1410mAh Li-Ion battery.
Traveler 117 also cost $530 and comes unlocked, ready to be used on any GSM network.
(Via NaviGadget.)
Pharos Unveils Traveler 117 and 127 Unlocked WinMo GPS Smartphones
Pharos Debuts Hybrid Navigation Services on Sleek New GPS Smartphones
Pharos Traveler 117 and 127 offer full-featured navigation and lightning fast 3.5G connectivity on an unlocked, Windows Mobile handsetTORRANCE, Calif. — November 12, 2008 — Pharos Science & Applications, Inc., a leading provider of location-based information and services, today introduced two new GPS smartphones that feature the award-winning Pharos Smart Navigator software, the first hybrid navigation system designed specifically for Microsoft Windows Mobile devices. With Smart Navigator onboard, the Traveler 117 and 127 deliver voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions and a suite of real-time location information services on a sleek, stylish handset. Able to operate on any Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) network, the Traveler 117 and 127 give users the freedom to use the network of their choice and the power to take advantage of download speeds up to 7.2 megabits per second (Mbps). The Traveler 117 and 127 carry a suggested retail price of $529.95 and will be available on December 1, 2008 from major online retailers including Amazon.com, Dell.com eXpansys.com and Newegg.com.
‘Windows Mobile provides the flexibility and customization to enable partners like Pharos to consistently deliver innovative navigation solutions for our devices,’ said Tim McDonough, senior director, Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft. ‘The Traveler 117 and 127 provide our customers with an exciting new way to navigate on a Windows Mobile device all the while staying connected to the things in life that matter most.’
‘The Traveler 117 and 127 represent a leap forward in how we provide satellite navigation on a smartphone,’ said James Oyang, PhD, President of Pharos. ‘The unique, hybrid nature of Smart Navigator enables us to provide more accurate and reliable navigation customized for a handset’s compact screen size.’
Traveler 117
With 3.5G connectivity and a roomy, 2.8 inch touch screen, the Traveler 117 is a powerful smartphone that is ideal for making calls, surfing the web or watching videos. With the touch of a finger, users can access work or personal e-mail or find the latest gasoline prices, movie show times, weather conditions or news headlines through Microsoft Live Search. Smart Navigator provides users with robust navigation support, including real-time traffic, maps on demand, dynamic points of interest (POI) search and an innovative Follow Me service that enables groups or families to view one another’s GPS-derived locations on their wireless Windows Mobile devices with GPS capability or on the Internet.Traveler 127
Sporting a QWERTY keyboard for rapid text entry and a 2.5 inch touch screen, the Traveler 127 is designed to meet the heavy messaging requirements of the mobile professional. Able to download content at speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps, the Traveler 127 takes advantage of the fastest broadband speeds available to deliver an unrivaled mobile office experience. Users can access work e-mail and the complete suite of productivity applications in Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional Edition. The Traveler 127 includes a dedicated camera for video conferences as well as satellite navigation to help users find their next meeting while on the road.Smart Navigator
Smart Navigator offers reliable, easy-to-use navigation software augmented by real-time location information services. Just yesterday, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) awarded Smart Navigator its prestigious ‘Best of Innovations’ award in recognition of its groundbreaking design and engineering. For more information about Smart Navigator, please visit http://www.pharosgps.com/buzz/buzz_pdf/smartnavigator.pdf.Traveler 117 and Traveler 127 Specifications
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
Processor: Qualcomm MSM7201-90, 400MHz
Memory: 256MB Flash ROM, 128MB SDRAM
Phone: unlocked GSM quad band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, EDGE / GPRS
3.5G tri band 850/1900/2100 MHz, UMTS 384Kb/s, HSDPA 7.2Mb/s, HSUPA 2Mb/s
Talk time: up to 4 hours talk time and 200 hours standby time
GPS: NMEA0183/AGPS compatible
Wireless: Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth™ v2.0+EDR
Camera: 2.0 megapixel camera for picture or video; 0.3 megapixel front camera for video conferences
Battery: 1410 mAh Li-Ion, rechargeable/replaceable
Weight: 4.8 ouncesTraveler 117
Size: 4.44’ (L) x 2.28’ (W) x 0.60’ (T)
Display: 2.8' Resistive TFT LCD, 480 x 640 VGA with 18-bit 262K color capabilityTraveler 127
Size: 4.57’ (L) x 2.44’ (W) x 0.60’ (T)
Display: 2.5' TFT LCD with touch panel, 320 x 240 QVGA with 16-bit 65K colors
Pharos Pioneers Hybrid Navigation for Smartphones and Personal Digital Assistants
Consumer Electronics Association hails the release of Pharos Smart Navigator with a ‘Innovations’ awardTORRANCE, Calif. — November 12, 2008 — In a move that continues its tradition of breaking new ground in the navigation market, Pharos Science & Applications, Inc., a leading provider of location-based information and services, today unveiled Pharos Smart Navigator, the first navigation software plus services product designed specifically for Microsoft Windows Mobile devices. Smart Navigator offers a unique hybrid approach that combines onboard navigation software with real-time location services for traffic, maps, incremental map update, dynamic points of interest (POI) search and the innovative Follow Me service. Smart Navigator makes its consumer debut on Pharos’ new Global Positioning System (GPS) smartphones, the Pharos Traveler 117 and 127, also announced today.
‘Pharos continues to develop innovative GPS solutions that expand the navigation possibilities on a Windows Mobile device,’ said Tim McDonough, senior director, Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft. ‘Smart Navigator is a great example of an application that combines precise, consistent navigation with the familiarity and flexibility that Windows Mobile users have come to expect.’
‘GPS is becoming a standard feature on mobile devices, but it requires smart, easy-to-use software to unlock the potential of satellite navigation on a pocket-sized device,’ said James Oyang, PhD, President of Pharos. ‘Smart Navigator gives customers consistent access to full-featured navigation optimized for Windows Mobile devices.’Smart Navigator
Smart Navigator is the first navigation software to seamlessly combine on a Windows Mobile device navigation capability with real-time location information services including traffic, dynamic POI, maps and Follow Me, a service that enables groups or families to view one another’s GPS-derived locations on their wireless Windows Mobile devices with GPS capability or on the Internet. With Smart Navigator, users can instantly access maps of the United States (US), Canada, or other countries; intelligent route calculation, and turn-by-turn route guidance, via graphic and text instructions as well as voice prompts. Smart Navigator will navigate using maps resident on the device, or if needed, will download maps on demand wirelessly from Pharos. Its routing calculation can occur either on the smartphone or on Pharos’ server.Smart Navigator Real-Time Navigation Services
Follow Me: Allows groups or families to view one another’s GPS-derived locations on their wireless Windows Mobile devices with GPS capability or on the Internet.Smart Traffic: Provides real-time traffic incident and speed data as well as video feeds derived directly from State Departments of Transportation, highway patrol agencies and other sources.
Smart Finder: Finds nearby business or attraction locations, addresses and phone numbers from the Pharos POI server whenever and wherever users need it. Pharos POI hosts approximately twelve million POIs including national parks, beaches, forests, earthquake faults, and many other natural and historical features from the US Geologic Survey.
Maps On Demand: Enables users to download regional maps based on their GPS position location or corridor maps based on routes to their destinations. Dynamically cut maps ensure that the user is centered on the requested map area, and the program automatically calculates a new route when users have strayed off course and then displays the newly mapped route. Maps can be downloaded for $1.99/one day of access, $4.99/one week of access, $6.99/one month of access or $49.99/one year of access.
Key Features
Automatically selects day or night display mode based on local sunrise and sunset
Automatically upgrades over the wireless Internet
Intuitive object and task-oriented on-screen menu
Advanced multiple-stop routing to plan and optimize schedule
Route calculation by specified address, intersection, POI, Outlook contact, saved favorite, recent destination with options of by shortest distance, fastest path, avoiding highways or toll roads, or pedestrian mode
Screen displays next turn direction, next street name, distance to next turn and distance or estimated time of arrival to destination (as well as current street on full arrow view)
Records trips and displays a bread crumb trail
Exports trip records to Microsoft Virtual Earth or Google Earth by using Pharos Trips & Pics software (free download for Smart Navigator users)
Pricing and availability
Smart Navigator will be available to consumers in December from major vendors for a suggested retail price of $99.95. Bulk licenses of Smart Navigator for device manufacturers and mobile operators can be obtained directly from Pharos.
(Via Gizmodo: GPS.)
Pharos 600 GPS Phone Upgrades to WM6
This upgrade makes the Pharos 600 all the more desirable, even though it was already a sweet unit. Basically, it will probably not win any design awards unless you admire its utter simplicity and economy of form as a basic rectangle with rounded corners, but its functionality is where it shines.
At first, I lamented its not having a built-in keyboard or keypad as I had grown used to one. But I soon got over it in favor of the relatively large screen in proportion to the snug body that fits nicely in your hand or in a window mount provided for navigation in your car.
With a built-in GPS receiver, you may begin navigating at the push of a button. You can also switch from portrait to landscape screen layout with the press of a button or take a photo with the 2 MPX camera.
Pharos is a time-honored software navigation establishment offering the Ostia line of products. The unit comes with Ostia software for the United States and Canada pre-installed on a 2 GB mini-SD card. The phone connectivity makes live traffic updates and real time weather possible giving this unit more useful than the usual stand-alone system.
Of course, it comes with the standard Windows Mobile productivity software such as Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It also offers SPB Mobile Shell, an RDS FM radio, MP3/video player, a 2.0 MPX camera/camcorder, Virtual Earth, voice commands, a world phone with SMS, MMS, and email. 
It has Wi-Fi 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 2.0 but no Infrared. However, as neat as beaming with IR is, I hardly ever use it and don’t miss it because most people, in my experience, just don’t beam or even think of it, which is too bad really.
With 128 MB ROM, 64 MB RAM and a Samsung SC32442 400 MHz processor, it has respectable hunk but could have more. It weighs 5.2 ounces and measures 0.6 x 2.3 x 4.4 inches to form a compact package offering a 2.8’ transmissive TFT LCD touch QVGA 240 x 320 screen with beautiful resolution. The SiRF star III GPS receiver with 20 channels is WASS enabled for greater accuracy and faster lock on.
The phone is a worldwide GSM unlocked quad band 850/900/1800/1900 Mhz EDGE/GPRS device. The battery is a hefty 1530 mAh Li-ion that is removable and rechargeable.
There are several useful buttons scattered around the front and edges for navigation, telephony, camera, screen orientation, and sound modulation. Input/output ports include a 2.5 mm headphone jack (I would prefer a 3.5 mm jack), and a mini-USB port for a charging/syncing cable, which I applaud. There is a mini-SD expansion slot. Why don’t more manufacturers offer dual expansion slots? That would be a big plus in my book.
The unit comes well accessorized with a car charger, AC charger, USB adapter, a sturdy car window mount, headphones, and a nice leatherette horizontal belt hook carrying case. It does not come with a cradle however, and I miss that. So, I went to Staples and got a business card rack for $1.99 that I use quite nicely as a cradle.
It is not my intent to review the Ostia GPS software in this device overview and update. However, let me just say that I have used it over the course of several thousand miles now walking, driving, and bicycling in three countries, and it performs admirably.
If you are not satisfied with Ostia, you can install any software you want in the device and use the built-in GPS receiver. For instance, I tested Co-Pilot 7 by simply plugging a mini-SD card into the slot; it installed automatically, and I was navigating in no time.
I hasten to add, however, that I see no reason to go to the extra expanse of buying other GPS software. Ostia is more than adequate.
Now comes the hard part. As powerful, functional, and beautiful as this machine is, it is, as you may suspect, on the pricey side ranging all the way from $549 to as high as $837 online. However, when you compare it to say iPhone in the same price range, it has far more power and functionality for the money.
By the way, I notice that if you purchase the unit from T-Mobile with a two-year plan, you will receive a $200 discount. I should also note that this phone is actually a rebranded E-Ten Glofish X500. Glofish? Oh well.
If you are looking for a compact phone with a whole host of powerful features including built-in GPS, I highly recommend the Pharos 600 WM6 for your consideration. I think you will be pleased. As I said, I missed the keyboard at first, but I soon got over it. Pharos attempts to compensate for it by providing the optional, large, onscreen keyboard that you can use with your fingers, but it’s not quite the same. There’s really not much not to like about this little pocket treasure.
If you already have a Pharos 600 running WM5, stay tuned, I am going to offer a sequel that will show you how you can upgrade to WM6 for free and save yourself 600 bucks.
(Via Mobility Site.)
Featuring Ostia, Pharos’ award-winning GPS software and location-based services and preloaded with the entire U.S. and Canadian street maps. The Traveler GPS 535+ uses GPS satellites and digital street maps to show you where you are, locate points of interest such as hotels, banks, restaurants or WiFi hotspots, or locate an address in your Outlook Contacts. Select your destination, and Pharos Traveler GPS 535+ will calculate the most efficient route and provide clear guidance with voice, text and graphic prompts.
Pharos 535+ is $434, and Pharos 535e is $310 on Amazon.
(Via NaviGadget.)
Pharos recently announced a geo-logger that lets you keep track of locations of photos and display them on a map: Pharos Trips & Pics. The bundled software works with Google Earth or MS Streets and Trips.
Apparently the device works with any digital camera meaning it’ll rely on the timestamp of your photos to match them with the location info stored on the device. The receiver in the bundle is iGPS-500 and it is hooked up to a small battery (1100mAh).
The whole package which includes the iGPS-500+battery, software, and the USB cable will cost you $90.
(Via NaviGadget.)
Lightning Round: Pharos Drive GPS 250 [GPS]
The Price: $299
The Verdict: The bottom line is that the Pharos Drive GPS 250 will get you from point A to point B. In my experiences, the device grabbed signals quickly and it worked fairly well in most normal situations—including an urban environment amid tall skyscrapers. Voice prompts were easy to follow, route calculations were generally accurate and recalculations were fast. That having been said, the route selections occasionally had me driving on some bizarre paths, the touchscreen functionality and the data input UI were ghetto, and the interpretation of road names often had me laughing my ass off. Still, the Pharos GPS 250 can hold its own amid more well known brands. All-in-all, not a bad choice for the price, and you could always sacrifice a little screen real-estate (3.5' as opposed to 4.3') and pick up the Drive GPS 150 for $200.
(Via Gizmodo: GPS.)
(Via MobileWhack.)
