Bluetooth GPS receivers

If your PDA supports Bluetooth (a wireless communication standard; www.bluetooth.com), you have yet another GPS receiver option. Bluetooth GPS receivers are pretty slick because they don’t

• Rely on the PDA’s batteries for power They have their own power source and will run from 6–10 hours when fully charged, depending on the model.
• Use up one of the PDA’s expansion slots
• Need cables that can get all tangled up

Bluetooth devices have about a 30-foot range, and the GPS receiver can be placed in an optimal position on the dashboard to receive satellite signals.
Just place your Bluetooth GPS receiver (about the size of a mouse GPS receiver) anywhere with an open view of the sky, and it will broadcast GPS data to your Bluetooth-enabled PDA. (If you have an older PDA that doesn’t support Bluetooth, there are Bluetooth receivers that plug into your PDA’s memory card slot.)
Many of the companies that manufacture GPS receiver cards, listed previously,
also make Bluetooth GPS receivers. Some other companies that offer
Bluetooth receivers include

• ALK Technologies: www.alk.com
• DeLorme: www.delorme.com
• EMTAC: www.emtac.com

For outdoor use, you can easily mount your Bluetooth GPS receiver on a high spot, such as on top of a pack (or some other location that’s in an optimal position to receive satellite signals) and wirelessly record GPS data with your PDA. OtterBox also makes waterproof cases for Bluetooth GPS receivers that don’t degrade the transmitted radio signals so you can create a rugged wireless PDA navigation system for use in harsh conditions. For an extensive list of the GPS receiver devices available for Pocket PC PDAs, including reviews and detailed specifications, check out www.gpspassion.com/en/hardware/gpslist.htm.