If you have a PDA and are in need of a GPS system, the cheapest and in most cases convenient solution is to get yourself TomTom and a Bluetooth GPS Receiver, in the last year or so these devices have become so affordable that you would wonder why you were ever without one. That is why today I am reviewing the Holux GPSlim 236 Bluetooth GPS Receiver.
Figure 1: The Holux GPSlim 236 Bluetooth Receiver
My first impressions of the Holux GPSlim 236 GPS Receiver were that it is solid, and compact, which is good as it could potentially be another piece of technology in your pocket if you were on foot exploring a new area or city.
The top face of the device has three multi coloured LEDs as per figure 1 above. The first LED is the Satellite status/lock indicator, and displays an amber coloured light until it has locked onto the minimum number of satellites to give a lock. The second LED is the Bluetooth status indicator, and will flash blue until it is paired with a device, at which time the LED will stay blue (no flashing). The third and final LED the battery indicator, lights up when the device is nearly out of power, and is also lit green during charging until the battery is full at which time this LED goes off.
Figure 2: Holux GPSlim236 Front of device, with indicator LEDs and mini USB socket.
The front face of the (Figure 2 above) device has a mini USB socket, that is used to connected the included AC Power adaptor, DC Cigarette lighter adaptor or the USB data cable for direct connection to your Laptop/PC (without the need for Bluetooth). It's good to see Holux has all the options covered, but it should be noted that the USB data cable to connect this device directly to your Laptop (without Bluetooth) is not included with the device.
The left side of the device (Figure 3 below) houses the on/off along with an MMCX type antenna connector so should you have a need to attach an antenna for a more permanent setup, on a boat truck motor home, it can be easily accommodated.
Figure 3: The left side of the Holux GPSlim236 with the MMCX antenna connector and on/off switch
The bottom of the GPSlim 236 (Figure 4 below) contains the battery compartment on further investigation, you will note that the device uses a standard Nokia mobile phone battery, this is a great idea, on behalf of Holux and so now if your battery dies, you are not left which some a piece of technology that that is hard to get a replacement battery for, Nokia phone batteries can be found at most shops and are very cheap to replace.
Figure 4: The bottom of the Holux GPSlim236 with the Nokia type Li-ion phone battery
Testing
I tested this device in various positions within my car and under trees, in all positions tested this device was able to get GPS satellite lock. The positions tested were:
- Front dash of my car.
- In the compartment between front seats.
- On the back seat.
These positions were tested while stationary moving and while under trees.
These results are quite impressive, I have previously tested at least 3 other GPS receivers that failed to obtain a lock unless they have direct line of sight to the satellites, which means the device needs to sit on your dash, this means the device is prone to overheating and theft. The fact that the GPSlim236 operated effectively when in the compartment between front seats means it is out of sight and is one less reason to break into your car.
What the Holux GPSlim236 has going for it:
- Small and light weight
- Great price
- Very sensitive, will obtain satellite lock almost anywhere in your car.
- Uses a fairly standard Nokia phone battery for cheap and hassle free replacement
What the Holux GPSlim236 has going against it:
- Documentation is very basic
- Does not come with a USB data cable for connection to PC/Laptop
Rating: Tech-head gives the Holux GPSlim236 Bluetooth GPS Receiver the following score 8.5/10
In summing up the Holux GPSlim236 is a great little GPS device that I would recommended to anyone in the market for a Bluetooth GPS Receiver.
Do you have any questions or comments please don't hesitate to leave a comment below. Do you know of a better device, let me know I will try to do a comparison.