Garmin iQue 3600 PDA/GPS Handheld System with Americas Detailed Street Mapping

With the power of Palm OS 5 and the dependability of Garmin GPS technology, this super PDA redefines multitasking. Its integrated software not only allows you to look up appointments and contacts, it also locates and routes you to them with voice-guidance commands. Feature highlights include: GPS receiver, MP3 player, voice recorder, infrared communication, and vibrating alarm.

GPS The differentiating feature of the iQue 3600 is its integrated GPS capabilities. Garmin's innovative Que technology delivers location awareness, electronic mapping, automatic route calculation, turn-by-turn voice guidance, and map data interface to the iQue 3600. Que technology enables users to see where they are, find a street address, know where the next turn is via visual and voice guidance, get back on track when they've strayed off course, and navigate efficiently to their desired destination. Detailed Mapping Users can choose a configurable basemap of North America, South America, Europe, or regions in the Pacific Rim, with generalized information on highways, major city streets, highway exit services, railways, rivers, lakes, and state, provincial, and national borders. The iQue also has the added benefit of detailed street information on the included MapSource CD-ROM, giving users the capability of looking up restaurant addresses, hotels, local attractions, transportation hubs, emergency services, and much more. Once a desired point of interest is chosen, you have the capability to view more info or even show it on the map screen. The mapping capability of the iQue 3600 makes it a versatile companion for the international frequent flyer who travels, for instance, between New York and London or San Francisco and Hong Kong.

Customizable maps mean never getting lost again

Powerful Organization
The iQue 3600 is built around the Palm OS 5 platform and offers standard Palm applications, such as Address Book, Calculator, Date Book, Memo Pad, and To Do List. And there's enough processing power to search large databases of stored information and to enhance display graphics with easy-to-read fonts and crisp electronic maps. There's also a voice recorder for making memos, quick notes, and messages. With 32 MB of built-in memory and an expansion slot, you can even store your favorite MP3s.

The flip-up GPS antenna

System
The Garmin iQue 3600 features the new Motorola DragonBall MXL ARM9 microprocessor, and boasts 32 MB DRAM. This handheld is powered by Palm OS 5, which offers the processing power to take on the most demanding mobile computing tasks, together with advanced multimedia and the wireless connectivity and security that enterprises require.

Display
The iQue 3600 delivers brilliant images with its 2.16-by-3.24-inch display. It has a 16-bit color display with 320 x 480 pixel resolution.

Expansion
Expand your iQue 3600 via its Secure Digital slot.

Software
The iQue 3600 comes with the following Garmin Que applications: MP3, GPS Clock, Address Lookup, Electronic Mapping, Track Log, Trip Computer, Automatic Route Generation, and Turn-by-Turn Voice Guidance, as well as these Palm OS 5 applications: Address Book, Calculator, Date Book, Expense, Mail, Memo Pad, Palm Reader, and To Do List. In addition, it includes these third-party applications: Astraware Game Pack, Documents to Go, powerOne Personal Calculator, StarCaddy, SplashPhoto, and Vindigo.

The Nuts and Bolts

Included in the box
iQue 3600, protective display cover, metal stylus, USB HotSync cradle, A/C power/charging adapter, quick start guide, installation/application, CD-ROM with manual, and choice of MapSource configuration with full unlock certificate: either 1) North America City Select CD or Atlantic European City Select CD.

So you can use it as a fast Palm PDA, but the true beauty of the iQue is its built-in GPS function. When you are out in the open -- GPS won't work indoors or in a dense forest since the satellite signal can't get to you -- the iQue picks up both GPS and WAAS signals (WAAS is a system that supplements GPS, the way I understand it) and, in less than a minute, tell you your early coordinates. Coupled with a mapping program (a very basic one is included), the iQue will tell you where on earth you are, accurate to about 10 feet! For a first-time GPS user like me, the result simply blows me away. Obviously if you don't travel a lot, or live in a big city like New York, GPS is of very little use. But for the road warrior as well as fancy gadget lover (I'm the latter), this is a must-have.

Both the GPS and the bright, large color screen suck battery juice like a puppy in Houston, so battery is weak on the iQue, about the only gripe one would have about this wonderfully implemented product. With GPS on continuously and screen set to mid-level brightness and running a mapping program off the secure digital card, you'll run out in about an hour! That's not a typo or exaggeration. If you can do without sophisticated map software and turn off backlight, you can probably manage for about 3-4 hours. If you don't use GPS -- but you got this really for the GPS, didn't you? -- using the Palm part for an hour a day will last you about 3 days with backlight on. Which is not totally bad compared to Pocket PCs, hehehe...

In short, the iQue does exceptionally well what it was designed to do. Granted GPS as a whole can be improved, but Garmin has done an admirable job with a well designed, well made product and the price should tempt every GPS user out there.


Color, Sound directions!   November 4, 2003
34 out of 35 found this review helpful

I don't know how I lived without this unit, well, after I figured it out anyway. I was amazed how the Ique 3600 worked in my car, boat and on my desk, it's even a Palm Pilot too. Now I plan my vacations, not by computer/web maps, but on my Ique 3600. OK, it did take me about 1 hour of fast reading to figure it out well enough to get me to work and back the same day. Now I can navigate at nite and in unfamiliar territory. When I go off-route on purpose or accidentally, it will w/i one block reroute me generally w/o sending me back to the old route and often picks a better route.
The manual is a little sketchy and vague, like no description of the location of the on/off button! But otherwise written so a computer geek would understand. I am still struggling with it.
Garmin has a help line and e-mail which helps too. For example I did not know how to keep my location on the screen without constantly dragging the map with the stylus. Now I just hit the black triangle (lower center) and the map now always shows my location in the center of the screen. Garmin has new software updates for the maps and the Ique system on their web site.
The voice command is the main selling point for me since my wife can't read maps too well, now I have another female voice in my car saying: "In .2 of a mile turn right." Shortly thereafter the female voice says: "In 200 feet turn right." At the same time at the top of the screen, it says: "Turn right on 5th Street." Wow, how do it know?
This device also gives you the time of arrival at your destination, altitude, and many other geeky items we need to know and wish we had know all these years. So far I am just practicing, but next week it's off to unfamiliar Seattle and a fun adventure with my new toy. Oh, it also is programed with restuarants, hotels, etc, not only their locations but their phone numbers as well! Get the extra memory chip, you'll need it and the auto navigator kit for your car/boat. I give it a 5+.


A Fine Product   February 2, 2004
101science.com (Atlanta, GA USA)
19 out of 19 found this review helpful

Most of the bad reviews below are not a true reflection of this great and wonderful product. No, I don't work for Garmin. My unit worked perfectly right out of the box as is. But you do have to treat it carefully as it is a delicate electronic instrument. You should not subject it to extreme heat or cold temperatures and expect it to work correctly. Yes, the battery life is short but there is a battery charge icon at the bottom of the display, contray to one post here saying there isn't any. In a car I always use the car travel kit and car battery for power which includes the extra audio amplifier. I also use an external amplified outside antenna. Some add on antennas are amplfied and some are not. Be sure to get one that is amplified. You should also get the Garmin dash holder and at least a 256 MB SD card to hold the maps. Also don't try to load up the built in memory with a LOT of extra programs. Some of which are not designed for the Garmin and may cause the reset problem. This is not a falut of the unit but the third party software. If you run the unit out of memory you will have problems - that is only natural. Watch the memory left carefully. Yes, you can sync it with Outlook, again contray to a post here. Sad to say a lot of posts are from folks that have loaded bad software, mistreated their units, run it out of memory, run down the battery to zero (don't let this happen or you will have problems) or otherwise not followed good operator practice and didn't get the add on items needed for full enjoyment of the unit.

Read and follow the manual, get all the add on devices, treat the small delicate electronic device carefully, keep plenty of memory availble to the unit, keep the battery charged, and you will have a wonderful reliable navigation tool.