CWSN-1000 as sold on Amazon?

emsef · Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:22 pm Post subject: CWSN-1000 as sold on Amazon?

Does anybody have any experience of the CWSN-100 unit? It's on Amazon.co.uk for £229 for UK, Ireland and "major European roads".

Can't find any reviews or even mentions of it other than on Amazon. One newsgroup request for info but that's it. Of course the image below is a very bad Photoshop manipulation job. It is supposed to be made by Cable & Wireless but there's no mention of it anywhere.

For the price I'd be willing to sacrifice usability of the hardware - with the strange four front buttons - as long as it had good maps, post code search and manufacturer support.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000AYAZZQ/202-3971454-0971037

emsef · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 5:48 pm Post subject:

This unit is actually manufactured by Alba Plc licenced under the C&W brand.

It has a touch screen, which puts it in direct comparison with the TomTom 300/500 and way above the Garmin i3. I am trying to ascertain who provides the maps for the unit.

matt

peterc10 · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 10:46 pm Post subject:

If that slot on the left is for an SD card then the screen is pretty small to the point of being unusable?

uczmeg · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 18, 2005 Posts: 2

emsef · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 2:04 am Post subject:

Correct, it is CF and the screen size is - again - comparable with the Tom Tom Go and much larger than the Garmin i3.

More info as I receive it

matt

emsef · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 3:56 pm Post subject:

Argos are selling pretty much the same unit

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7401059.htm

emsef · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 3:58 pm Post subject:

Alba tell me the Argos unit is 256 SD (rather than CF) and that it also has a Samsung CPU (rather than Intel)

It's also sold at RRP of £349.99

vipergrm · Regular Visitor Joined: Aug 08, 2005 Posts: 82

emsef · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:44 am Post subject:

Thanks for the information.

matt

emsef · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:39 pm Post subject:

Mine has just arrived. Tele Atlas logo (a man on top of a big bird) on the box.

matt

emsef · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:23 pm Post subject:

Apparently running Windows CE .NET 4.3 core. TeleAtlas logo on the box, message on screen says guides are provided by www.gate5-guides.com (and www.gate5.net for more). Not much help there. No CD provided with maps as a backup, which is strange.

Build impressions are good, though how on earth you're supposed to get the CF card out is anybody's guess, as there's no eject button or room enough to get your fingers in.

Software
Seems OK, lots of icons that will take a while to learn, as normal, I expect. All very big buttons so I'd imagine can be operated by hand/finger as well as stylus (included). Settings for walk, bicycle, motorbike, van, car (slow), car (fast). Will do another post summing up all main features with screenshots/photos when I get a chance this ave/tonight/tomorrow.

Maps
These are the same TomTom use, so it should be good. Main roads of France are there, but no coastline (base map) which is what I expected. 3D/2D toggle, update seems slightly slower in 3D, though I expect the sense of perspective can help some people.

Usage: I set up a route from home, through dover and calais to Bergerac (my planned journey) and it all seemed to go well in simulation mode for the 5 mins I let it run (which run at about 3-4x speed). Voice (female) spoken well, there are two buttons during navigation: 1) repeat last direction and 2) take diversion (which I think some other brand units lack).

So eventually to take it in a car! ;)

matt

vipergrm · Regular Visitor Joined: Aug 08, 2005 Posts: 82

Sounds like a decent enough product.

Emsef, can you check the coverage of Northern Ireland? Can you have a look at places outside Belfast such as Strabane, Armagh and Omagh?

Does it have full coverage?

I VERY much doubt it because as far as I knew Teleatlas were not even close to complete coverage.

Can you search by house number in Northern Ireland?

If I am right in what I am thinking then Teleatlas have YET AGAIN put out false details of their map. The coverage I had with MioMap which was supposedly 'UK and Ireland' was a total an absolute disgrace. I cannot believe for 1 minute that they were even aloud allowed to advertise it.#

Sorry for being so demanding, but I, like many here in Northern Ireland have been searching for full coverage for a long time now.

Many thanks for your help! :D

emsef · Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:35 am Post subject:

Coverage is limited to Belfast and Dublin it seems, not even a coastline for most of Ireland. I can search by house number on most streets that are mapped - I tried one in Dublin.

Strangely enough, the guide symbols (airports, etc) do show up for unmapped areas.

matt

emsef · Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:37 am Post subject:

Sorry, tried 20 Garnerville Road in Belfast.

vipergrm · Regular Visitor Joined: Aug 08, 2005 Posts: 82

Thanks Emsef!

Just as I thought. Teleatlas at their nonsense again! I still can't believe they can advertise that as FULL COVERAGE???

Belfast coverage is rubbish anyway. Even though it appears as full coverage, there are LOADS of streets and main roads missing. I gave up on Teleatlas anyway but I was kinda hoping these were Navteq's latest maps. It appears not. Many thanks!

Viper

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