You could try using the PocketAI shareware that runs on the
Pocket PC to make your decision faster. It's free to download
and functional even if you don't buy it. The programs makes it
very easy to weigh various factors and then rate each of your
alternatives. This way you know exactly which one comes out on
top and why.

Give it a try... http://www.3dnetproductions.com/pocketai/

Cheers,
BM

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:K_DSa.107706$ye4.80571@sccrnsc01...
I've been leaning towards a Garmin 196 to replace our ailing Lowrance Airmap
300. However, now that Garmin has announced they are no longer going to
support the Garmin 90, it appears that they are no better at support than
Lowrance -- who recently "orphaned" my Airmap from all technical support.
(This occurred right before it started acting flaky, naturally.)

So, I'm now thinking about one of these Compaq Ipaq/GPS combinations. One
of our guests at the inn gave me a 15 minute "tour" of his, and I was fairly
impressed with:

- The color screen.
- The strength of the software.
- The fact that it just doesn't sit in the plane, but is actually useful
beyond flying.

Apparent downsides we

- The screen didn't look bright enough in direct sunlight
- The "pen" interface seemed like a tough thing to handle, especially in
turbulence.
- The clutter of wires in the cockpit sounds like a mess.

What says the group? Anyone out there care to comment on the various
strengths and weaknesses? I've only got about ten days left to make up my
mind!