While we're starting to see a lot of PDAs with built-in GPS receivers, the Pharos Traveler 535+ is the inverse: it's a GPS device with a PDA built in. This handheld GPS device features a 3.5-inch TFT screen and ships with Windows Mobile Office, so you'll be able to take your work documents on the road.

There's a built-in 802.11b/g wireless to connect to the Internet for checking e-mails and browsing the Web. The handy GPS software includes WiFi hotspots in its extensive Live Search waypoints database, navigating easily to an Internet connection. The GPS software is Pharos' own Ostia software, so you know that it will play well with the device.

The Traveler 535+ features a 20-channel SiRFstarIII GPS receiver that locked in our location within just a couple of minutes on a cold start, and much faster subsequently. There's only 128MB of storage on the GPS device itself, but it ships with a 2GB SD card featuring detailed maps of the U.S. and Canada.

Pharos includes a car-mounting kit complete with cigarette-lighter adapter for using the GPS device in your vehicle. The TFT screen features 320x240 resolution, making maps and other images easily viewable. On foot, the rechargeable battery lasts roughly four hours, providing a decent amount of battery life when you're walking around.

The PDA side of the Traveler uses an Intel Xscale 312MHz processor and 64MB of SDRAM, so you get decent performance running Windows Mobile 5.0. As we mentioned, it ships with Mobile Office with support for Word, Excel, and Outlook for viewing documents and handling your contacts.

There's a built-in microphone and speaker, so you can use this GPS device as a voice recorder, and there's an IrDA port to can synch up your PC or other devices via infrared. Unfortunately, there's no Bluetooth connectivity built into the Traveler.

It's a fairly expensive GPS device, but it's priced about right for a GPS device that also has extensive PDA functionality. If you're looking for a combination handheld PDA and GPS device, the Pharos Traveler 535+ is a well-rounded option worth your consideration.

Pro: Robust PDA and GPS tools
Con: A bit expensive, no Bluetooth

Warranty
1 year, limited