Mio DigiWalker GPS Navigator
November 2005Away from the car, the DigiWalker is just as handy, but you really don't need to leave it on while you walk around. I found that by locating the destination on the unit's map, I was able to get where I wanted to go without needing a constant link to the satellites. When walking around NYC with the unit, it frequently lost track of the satellites because of the high buildings, but I could still find my location by looking at the route the GPS specified on the map.
As mentioned earlier, the DigiWalker is also an MP3 player. To take advantage of that feature, you'll need to get a bigger memory card or be prepared to swap cards, because the included 256 MB card isn't large enough for both music and maps. The unit is meant as a personal audio player as there isn't any way to connect it to your car's stereo unless you purchase a separate FM transmitter. The Lowarance iWay on the other hand, which we reviewed in the last issue, included an FM transmitter for car stereos.
Despite a few quirks, mostly around the unit's interface, I found the DigiWalker to be a very effective navigator. It's size and battery make it a perfect substitute for a paper map when visiting unfamiliar towns, and in the car it's a great replacement for a backseat driver. It's also one of the more affordable navigators on the market, which can make you much more willing to put up with some of it's idiosyncrasies.
Mio 136 DigiWalker
$499
3.5 inch color touchscreen LCD
64MB built-in memory
256MB card included
MP3 player
Earbuds
Millions of Points-of-interest database
Card reader
www.mio-tech.com
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