FIGURE B

As you drive, the program on your Palm device updates your directions.

I also used the map, shown in Figure C, and GPS unit to locate my exact location visually.

FIGURE C

It's a bit hard to read on the Palm device, but having a pinpoint map can be a big help when you're lost.

Solus also allows you to pick the navigation variables you would like to see, such as time to next turn (very valuable), speed, or altitude to name a few.

Things to consider
As I mentioned earlier, this configuration is best used for when a laptop is not available. Say you are going on a sales call in Detroit proper and need to get to the factory located in western Detroit. Load the airport as the starting address and then your final destination as the end point. Street Atlas will create custom optimal directions that you can hot synch to your Palm device and off you go with pocket Earthmate and Palm device in hand. You will find your way.

You may also load the text directions of many trips if you have multiple calls or will be away for a long period of time. If you have a lot of traveling, only load the text directions and not all of the maps since multiple maps may take up too much Palm device memory. This was true with my older (smaller memory) Palm device. One caveat: it is harder to change trip plans using this option (rather than carrying everything on a laptop) since you need to re-HotSync new plans to your Palm device when they change.

Option 2: Use Street Atlas software on laptop and Earthmate
Although PalmPower is a Palm-oriented publication, I still should acknowledge the benefit of using a laptop (with CD-ROM) and the DeLorme Earthmate GPS receiver together. This option provides the most flexibility, detail, and usefulness when trying to navigate American roads (DeLorme and GPS Pilot also offer off road variations called TOPOs that also have elevation and contour information of all 50 states).

Obviously, there are limitations and constraints. You have to lug around your laptop and driving around with your laptop computer on the floor of your car can be difficult in many city settings.

To illustrate this approach, I used the DeLorme Street Atlas software to navigate my way from New York City to Westport, CT and from New York to and from Cape Ann, MA for a wedding (as well as a few other trips). On these trips I had to find new addresses for a friend's house and a wedding, respectively. I decided to blindly let the PC-based software navigate my trips.

I started by programming the starting point as the GPS location and then plugging in the actual address of my final destination. I then turned on voice navigation and the options "highway to highway" and "street to street". The laptop/Earthmate combination TOLD me exactly how to get there. I actually used a Radio Shack cassette tape adapter to have the system speak directly through my car stereo. For example: