Review: Acer C510 pocket PC with GPS

The Acer C510 is a fully functional Windows Mobile pocket PC with a clear emphasis towards GPS.

With a fully enclosed antenna, it’s a pretty compact device and at 122g is deceptively light, which led us to wonder if they could have slimmed it down a little by cramming the components closer together.

That’s not to say the device isn’t portable though, and while the black plastic styling may not appeal to all, it certainly sits well alongside the spacious 2.8in high-resolution display.

Like the rest of the C500 series, the C510 runs on Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 and comes preloaded with a complete suite of Office applications.

You’ll find a comparatively mid-range 300MHz CPU keeping things ticking over, along with 64MB of memory, built-in Bluetooth and a Sirf III chipset for GPS. An SD/MMC slot is on hand to expand on the internal capacity but is also required to run the Copilot 6 software, supplied in the box on a separate card.

You also get full European maps in the box, although you’ll need to buy your own SD/MMC card to install these onto the C510, it’s certainly a welcome addition.

We’ve already mentioned the C510 is heavily oriented towards GPS and to back this up you’ll find a full-sized suction mount and cradle, along with a leather carry pouch in the box, so it’s ready to run as a navigational aid straight away.

In no small part down to the Copilot 6 software, the C510 performs admirably as an in-car navigation device or to help out with more pedestrian pursuits when in Walking mode. A range of navigation options include full seven-digit postcode or address searching, a full POI (point of interest) database or manual map control.

Both on-screen prompts and spoken directions are extremely clear and accur ate. You’re also given a choice of 2D or 3D displays, manual zoom controls and a waypoint mode that automatically engages when on long roads or motorways.

Trips are fully customisable, including instant detours, individual road avoidance and route editing, and you’ll find safety camera warnings and TMC information built in, all of which works seamlessly with the navigation data provided.

One drawback to the C510 as a GPS device is that controls on screen are more effective if you use the provided stylus. This can be tricky to do on the move and, unlike most Symbian-based mobile phone solutions, the physical menu buttons on the device aren’t picked up by the Copilot software, meaning nearly all adjustments need to be made on screen.

Other than this, it loses very little ground to dedicated solutions in terms of navigation and control. You can even set up profiles for different situations, for example walking or driving, each of which carry their own personal navigation preferences.

The suggested retail price of the C510 is £279. The more advanced C530, which includes built-in Wifi but is otherwise identical, is around £40 more. If you’re only after the GPS navigation it’s a little pricey compared to dedicated sat-nav devices, but most in the intended market will be looking to take full advantage of the Windows Mobile OS and, in this light, it makes for a good-value compromise.

As a mid-range Windows Mobile device, the C510 is light, portable and responsive, with a great- quality display. Its GPS capabilities are very impressive offering a user-friendly and versatile way of getting around. While the styling may not appeal to all, Acer has produced a great little handheld in the C510 that’s in a perfect position to put you in total control on the move.

Also consider:
Copilot 6
ALK’s sat-nav software makes the transition to the Symbian platform

Satellite navigation group test
We road test the latest devices that aim to ensure you never get lost

Viamichelin X-980T
A solid set of features, but not the easiest to use

All GPS reviews

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