When my family travels, we typically do so by car.  Most of our close friends and family live within a single day drive (OK a long day) and the thought of flying with two (soon to be three) kids and an airsick wife…well, let’s just say that driving really is the better option.  Usually, if we are going somewhere unfamiliar, this means heading to AAA for a Triptik, tracing the route on a map and carefully planning stops at fast food and bathrooms along the way.  For some time now, I have been curious to learn how a GPS would make a difference in this process.  So, when Joe Kee of BuyGPSNow emailed to ask if I would be interested in reviewing the Navibe GB 735 BT GPS, of course I jumped at the chance.

This weekend, we are on our way to Ohio (in fact I am writing this in the car) for a family wedding (Congratulations Molly and Dan!)  So, what better time than an 8-hour road trip to take the Navibe GB 735 BT GPS through its paces.

What’s in the Box: In addition to the GPS unit, the box includes everything you will need to get started right away.  You will find a USB cable which can plug into the included AC adaptor or the car charger.   There is also a rechargeable 1050 mAh Lithium Ion battery and a handstrap.  The package also included a free Arkon vent mount.  This universal-unpowered mount, was virtually useless.  Aside from simply giving you a place to set your device, it did almost nothing for me.  Fortunately, there is also an optional powered mount which is built specific to your device.  I got this as part of the package, and I would suggest that you do as well.  More on these mounts later.    

Setup/Pairing: I was a little nervous about setting up this unit, as I am not extremely familiar with GPS units.  I need not have been.  This unit was exceptionally easy to set up.  Just charge the included battery and turn it on (this involves a complicated procedure of sliding the power switch from the off position to the on position).  Once the unit is turned on, it will automatically enter BT seek mode.  Simply pair it to your device following the instructions on your device. I paired this unit to my Dell Axim x50v Pocket PC, my Motorola Q Smartphone, and my Toshiba Satellite running Windows Vista Ultimate Edition (and the IVT BlueSoliel Bluetooth software shown above).  The only problem I had with any of these was on my Axim which expected a passcode, but did not open the window asking for one.  Once I figured this out, however, I got the passcode entered and easily paired the unit. 

Hardware: The Navibe unit itself is deceptively simple looking.  There are no buttons on the unit.  Just a power switch and a mini USB port for charging.  Turn the unit on, and you will notice three lights on the face.   The green, left pointing arrow indicates whether you have a GPS signal.  Solid green indicates a signal.  I have never seen this unit lose the signal.   The blue, right facing arrow is the Bluetooth signal.  When you have a connection, it will be solid blue.  When it is seeking a connection, it will flash blue.  Finally, in the middle is the battery light.  As long as this light is turned off, you are OK.  If the light starts flashing or turns on, then you better get yourself to a charger.  That’s it, on the bottom of the unit is the sliding door which hides the battery.

Two things that really impressed me about this unit were its size and weight.  Somehow, I expected it to be dense and heavy..it was not. I particularly liked the rubberized plastic coating over the entire unit which softened a hard plastic exterior.  Overall, this was a small, light unit which easily slips into the palm of your hand, pocket, or even the smallest corners of your gear bag. 

Mount/Powered Mount:  When you purchase the Navibe GPS from BuyGPSNow, you will get a free Arkon vent mount (above).  You can throw this away.  Like I said earlier, aside from simply holding your device, it does very little to help you.  If you really want to be able to use this with a Pocket PC or Smartphone, you will need a powered mount.  BuyGPSNow offers one for $25 when you purchase you GPS.  If you do not have a powered mount already, then this will likely be the best $25 you spend. 

The powered mount (left) does two things that are absolutely essential to using your GPS with a mobile device.  First, it acts as a portable charger, plugging your device into the power outlet in your car, meaning you will not need to worry about batteries.  Second, it includes a much more powerful speaker than the one built into your device.  Interestingly, it also has a headphone jack.  I would strongly discourage the use of headphones while driving.

Battery and Charging: The literature on this device claims a battery life of 10-12 hours.  I have to say, I was skeptical of this claim.  Typically, Bluetooth uses a load of battery power and can drain a battery fairly quickly.  Nonetheless, in my tests, I consistently hit the advertised range with the battery.  I was extremely impressed by this.

Charging is done via a universal, mini USB to USB cable.  Just plug the USB into the included AC adaptor or car charger.  I love this.  In fact, I think every mobile device should follow this same formula.  What this means is that I can charge it using any generic cable I can find.  This is in stark contrast to many devices I have used which employ a proprietary cable.  Lose one cable and you lose the device.  Second, I tend to use my GPS when I am traveling.  This means that I already have a pretty full gadget bag.  The last thing I want or need is one more cable taking up space.

How Did It Work: In a word…it was fantastic.  Once paired, it connected quickly and effortlessly to all of my device: Smartphone, Pocket PC, and laptop, exactly as advertised.  I tested it both with OCN6 on my mobile devices and MS Streets and Trips on my laptop.  The Sirf Star III chip immediately found a signal and clutched like a child with a new toy, only dropping the signal when I accidentally sat on the unit.

I also found that it did a great job of staying connected to whatever software I was using.  Throughout my entire trip, it maintained perfect communication with the software on my device.  This ensured that I knew where I was at all times, as well as where I was going and how to get there.  As much as this may have been a testament to the quality of the unit, it also shows how strong the Bluetooth connection is on this device.  The Bluetooth connection never wavered, never dropped, never even weakened throughout the trip.

Conclusion: I am not going to sit here and tell you that I have tested dozens of GPS units and this one was better than any other.  That would simply not be true.  In fact, I have not used a lot of GPS units, which is where I must begin my conclusion.  The Navibe seems like the ideal unit for a novice or beginner GPS user.  It is easy to setup and pair; easy to connect; and easy to use and control.  Simply put, it is just easy.  And, it  works.  It works well.  During the entire course of our trip, I never lost the GPS signal.  Even through some pretty heavy rain and thunderstorms, the Navibe GPS seemed unfazed.  The Navibe accurately guided us through 4 states — even correcting its data when we needed to stop for "potty breaks" — and led us right to the hall where my Sister-In-Law’s wedding was to take place.  Having taken us as far as a GPS could go, the rest of the voyage, of course, is up to Molly and Dan.  Congratulations to them and Good luck!  

Vital Statistics:

Name: Navibe GB 735 Bluetooth GPS

Manufacturer: Navibe

Where to Buy: BuyGPSNow

Price: $69.95 (on sale fro $59.95 through June 30)