HP iPAQ Travel Companion takes GPS a step further

Posted by frann on March 20th, 2008 at 10:02pm

Hewlett Packard have just brought out the latest incarnation of their range of GPS devices, with a neat and lightweight product with a big 4.3 inch screen weighing less than half a pound (0.41 lb or 180 grams). It’s called the iPAQ Travel Companion 310 - this is the US version - also available for European travelers as the 314 (apparently, the Europe maps have speed cameras highlighted, which may come in useful).

The dimensions are around 8½ x 11 x 1.7 centimetres and it comes with 128 megabytes of onboard memory, a flash memory slot, and everything you need, including in-car mount, car and home chargers, and USB cable.

But it’s not just a stand-alone GPS. What makes this one different is the ability to hook up to your PC, the Internet, and also your mobile phone. This is great news if you’re planning a long road trip and want to take in the sights along the way, because you can do your planning in Google Maps or HP’s online tools, and then download your itinerary straight to the 310.

As well as the GPS functions, you can also use the Companion to play movies, videos and mp3 files. It’s Bluetooth enabled, and will link to your mobile to provide hands-free calling. All in all, a pretty useful tool, which has a recommended retail price of $399, although I have seen them on Amazon at less than that: HP iPAQ 310 Travel Companion GPS (US) or HP iPAQ 314 Travel Companion GPS (UK).

There’s a £30 cashback for UK orders made before 31st March.

Under Equipment and luggage+ Overland travel+ Travel tips