Globalsat provides
an array of GPS solutions that connect to devices by laptops. The
Globalsat BT-328 GPS is about the size of a good lighter. Size is
extremely important when it comes to a Bluetooth unit, especially in my
book. When you are already carrying a device around, you want your
accessories to be as small as possible while still being functional. The
good thing about a GPS unit is that it is simply an antenna, so, for the
most part, smaller will not detract from the usability. The BT-328 is
small enough to fit in the small pocket of my jeans. Actually, it fits
rather perfectly in that pocket and technically it is possible to use it
while in a pocket. The main shell of the BT-328 is white with a plastic
black front and rubber black back. The front face of the device includes
the power button, a hole for attaching a wrist strap, and on the right
side, the three lights for showing the current status of the device. On
the top of the device is the power port for recharging the unit. That is
really all there is to the BT-328. Like most Bluetooth GPS units, the
device it self it simple and to the point.
When the GPS is turned on, the three LED's show the
current status of the device. The top light shows red when the device
needs to be charged. The middle light shows green for its connection to
the satellites. When the light is solid, the GPS is not connected. When
the light is flashing, it has connected so satellites. This seems a
little backward to me as usually device lights show solid when they are
connected and flash while they are trying to connect. The bottom light
is blue for Bluetooth connectivity. When the light is flashing slow it
is disconnected. When the light is flashing fast it is connected. This
is even more confusing then the GPS light because you have to try and
count and see if it is about 3 seconds or 1 second. Being that these
lights are the only real user interface of the device, I would have
hoped for them to make a little more sense for easy identification of
the functionality (though maybe I am the only one confused by the
lighting).
The Globalsat BT-328 GPS is a rather strong Bluetooth
GPS unit including specifications that are on par or better then other
GPS on the market. The unit supports 12-channels of parallel
connections, which is pretty standard but not top of the line. For most
people, 12-channels are enough, though more would increase the
connectivity of the unit. For those that know about GPS internals, the
chipset in the BT-328 is the SiRF GSC2. It supports a tracking
sensitivity of -155dBm. This seems kind of low compared to other GPS
units I have looked at, but it does really seem to hurt the performance
of the unit. I found the BT-328 to have quick boot times after the
initial connection and really quick reacquisition timing coming out of
tunnels. For being such a small unit, the battery life is amazing. Rated
at 1300 mAh and 16 hours, that is what you get. I have used the device
for weeks without having to recharge. Only a cigarette lighter power
adapter is included, so you can't charge the device in the house, though
since most people will probably be using in the car, it makes sense.
Included with the BT-328 is a piece of software for
your Windows PC or Windows Mobile device. The software, GPS Info, does
not do mapping, but makes it easy to check connectivity and the status
of the GPS unit. You can see everything from the data being received by
device to satellite locations and information about the current position
including latitude and longitude. While you still need mapping software,
especially with the MDA, it is a lot easy to launch GPS Info to check
the connectivity of the GPS before running mapping software that may run
slowly on the device. Most mapping programs do include something like
GPS Info, but GPS Info is simple, quick, to the point, and very helpful.
While I have noted some quarks, the unit is very
useable with its long battery life and strong connectivity. The
Globalsat BT-328 is a great low-powered Bluetooth GPS solution with
pricing that is affordable. The BT-328 can be found for about $75, well
under the $100 price tag that always deterred me from getting a
Bluetooth GPS. Combine with the incredible battery life and good
performance, I feel the BT-328 is a good GPS for anyone wanting to add
active mapping functionality to their device.
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