Pharos Drive GPS 250
Manufacturer: Pharos Science & Applications Inc. Part number: PDR250
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Despite ease of use and text-to-speech functionality, the Pharos Drive GPS 250 falters somewhat in the performance department.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | In stock Try Free Amazon Prime for one Month | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Pharos Drive GPS 250 price range: $189.00
- Reviewed by: Bonnie Cha
- Reviewed on: 01/18/2008
- Released on: 11/05/2007
The good: The Pharos Drive GPS 250 is simple to use and offers text-to-speech functionality. The portable navigation system also features a 4.3-inch screen.
The bad: The Drive GPS 250 can be sluggish with route calculations and general performance. Text-to-speech directions sound a bit robotic, and there's no included accessory to mount the system to your dashboard.
The bottom line: Despite ease of use and text-to-speech functionality, the Pharos Drive GPS 250 falters somewhat in the performance department.
Sometimes less is more, and that seems to be the approach Pharos is taking with its Pharos Drive GPS 250. The entry-level in-car GPS offers simplicity and ease of use with a minimalist design and interface, and all the basic navigation features are there, with the bonus of text-to-speech functionality. That said, it falters a bit in the performance department when compared with competing portable navigation systems. General response was a bit sluggish, and the GPS receiver had trouble acquiring and locking onto our position. For that reason, we'd recommend the Mio C230, which offers a similar feature set and better performance for less. The Pharos Drive GPS 250 is available now for $299.95.
Design
The Pharos Drive GPS 250 is simple in design. At 4.8 inches wide by 3.3 inches tall by 0.9 inch deep and 7.2 ounces, it's nice and compact to transport between vehicles or to take along with you on a trip for use with rental cars. There's a slight bump in the back for the integrated GPS antenna, but it's not too obtrusive.
On front, there's a 4.3-inch touch screen that displays 16.7 million colors at a 480x272 pixel resolution. In general, maps looked clear and bright with enough contrast, but we did notice a bit of pixelation and didn't find it as sharp as some other systems. The touch screen is responsive, and the user interface is pretty intuitive, though not quite as aesthetically pleasing or streamlined as a Garmin or TomTom. The main menu icons are large and clearly marked, but the onscreen keyboard is a bit cramped. Fortunately, there's an included stylus on top of the unit to help with more precise text entry.
The left side holds an SD card expansion slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a mini USB port, while there's a power button and a reset hole on the right side. The Pharos Drive GPS 250 comes packaged with a car charger, an AC adapter, a protective carrying case, a USB cable, an SD card, reference material, and a vehicle mount. The latter is windshield-only, though; we wish Pharos would have thrown in an adhesive disk for the dashboard, especially since the use of windshield mounts is prohibited in California and Minnesota.
Features
The Pharos Drive GPS 250 is all about navigation and that's it. No extras, such as multimedia or Bluetooth. The system is powered by a 20-channel SiRFstarIII receiver and comes preloaded with Navteq maps of the United States and Canada and more than 1 million points of interest (POI). There are several methods to plan a trip. You can enter a specific address; select a point of interest; choose a destination from a list of recently visited locations or favorites; or use your address book. You can also pick any point on the map and navigate to it from your current location.
The POI database includes all the major categories, including restaurants by cuisine type, gas stations, and ATMs, and more specific interests, such as casinos, performing arts centers, and parks. Overall, we found the POI catalog to be pretty comprehensive and up to date, and there are phone numbers listed with the business names for easy reference.
Once you've entered your trip information, you can get directions by quickest or shortest route; with or without highways, toll roads, and so forth. There is also a pedestrian mode. Maps are presented in 2D or 3D view with a Night Mode option that automatically changes the map colors for better visibility at night. There are icons for zooming in and out of maps, and the bottom of the screen will show such information as the current street name, remaining time and distance, and speed. A pop-up box will also appear onscreen to show you the direction of your next turn.
In addition to turn-by-turn directions, the Pharos Drive GPS 250 offers text-to-speech voice-guided directions, which means you'll hear actual street names instead of more generic directions. We're happy to see that more entry-level systems are including this technology, since it's a useful and handy safety feature.
Performance
We tested the Pharos Drive GPS 250 in San Francisco, and from a cold start under clear skies, it took the unit 5 to 6 minutes to get a fix on our location, while subsequent starts took less time. Once locked on, the system did a good job of tracking our location with accuracy. However, the receiver did lose its lock on a couple of occasions, including once when we were in a place with a clear view of the sky, which was a bit disconcerting. The good news is the Drive GPS 250 was able to reacquire the satellites almost immediately.
In addition to using it to track our location about town, we also entered our standard trip from the Maridio (Marina/Presidio district) to CNET's downtown headquarters. Compared with other systems we've tested, the Drive GPS 250 was a bit sluggish in performance. There was a slight lag from the time we pressed an icon or entered information to the time the system actually registered the command. It also took a while to come back with a calculated route. We're just talking about a matter of about 15 to 20 seconds, which isn't that long, but again, it seemed slow when pitted against other in-car GPS.
We looked over the list of turn-by-turn directions and found them to be accurate. On the road, we missed several turns to test the route recalculation rate, which was fairly swift--fast enough to instruct us before our next maneuver. The volume of voice directions was ample, but we found the text-to-speech pronunciations to be robotic and choppy. The Pharos Drive GPS 250's 1,200mAh lithium polymer battery is rated for 5 to 7 hours of continuous use.
User reviews
-
-
Have nothing to compare - but seemed OK
by technophobia on January 21, 2008
Pros: accurate, quick route recalc, good price on sale 99 (for the 150) 119 for the 250
Cons: Took a while to start, poor volume range, poor battery indicator, insufficient POI
Summary: I bought a Pharos 150, which according to pharos web site (www.pharosgps.com) is identical to the 250 except for the screen size.
Got it up and running quickly ...Summary: I bought a Pharos 150, which according to pharos web site (www.pharosgps.com) is identical to the 250 except for the screen size.
Got it up and running quickly and even though I hadn't used any other GPS before, I could figure it out enough to use it without looking at the manual first. Had some trouble with the power button though - as it crackled but did not power up/down unless you hold the button for 5 seconds. Shorter presses mean suspend/resume.
Fairly quick route recalculation
Cons
Power
Battery does not last long Got less than 2 hours when used at max brightness but about 4 hours on min brightness. However, does not resume from suspend on min brightness. You can hear voice but no display. Have to power it off and back on again.
Shuts down when lose power. Should check battery and suspend when down to a few minutes.
No good battery indicator ? just full, min or dead.
GPS Signal
Had similar experience as the review. Slow to catch GPS signal when power on. Takes up to a couple of minutes or up to 5 minutes some times. Lost GPS signal for 5 min on a clear day.
POI
POIs seem centered around LA.
Did not find the closest Hospital
Did not find the 5 closer Costco stores Phone number went to the gas station instead of the main store.
Did not find the nearest Sears that has been there for years.
Did not find any of the Home Depots closer than 301 miles.
Did not find a Best Buy even though they carry Pharos GPS
Did not find a Circuit City closer than 309 miles.
Did not find a Walmart for 302 miles
Did not find the closest Mall when searched ?Mall? but found it in shopping.
Found all the City Police Departments
Found the close gas stations
Found all the Aiports but the distances were off by half.
But found McDonald?s, Subway, Togo
Found Bank but not my credit union
Other
Can easily accidentally hit home icon and reroutes you to home from wherever you were going.
Overall - a good buy for the price, no bells and whistles, but saw similar products with free Lifetime Traffic (Navigon 2100T) on sale at similar prices. (unfortunately right before I started looking for one)2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
A lot for a little but no support
by tnewt on February 6, 2008
Pros: Very cheap plus tells street names
Cons: No response from support
Summary: Check online Dell coupons--I got $100 off! This makes it a very cheap GPS unit, not to mention with a large screen and voice directions with street names.
But there'...Summary: Check online Dell coupons--I got $100 off! This makes it a very cheap GPS unit, not to mention with a large screen and voice directions with street names.
But there's no support. I had a problem with the unit. I called support--was on hold for over an hour with no answer. I then chose the 'leave a message and we'll get back to you'. I did this again a couple days later. No return call. I left an e-mail with their support saying that I'm returning the unit if they don't contact me. Nothing--no calls or e-mails. I really, really think that they don't have any support at all. Or maybe their only support person is on vacation this week!
The unit mysteriously started working again, so I'm wondering what to do--I'll never find another unit this cheap that has the basic features I need. I've got one week to decide.
Note that this company normally sells GPS software for Windows CE devices and phones. So this unit has a hidden Windows CE device underneath with their software loaded on it.
It also seems to dislike the major freeway in our area. It kept telling me to get off the freeway, but I wouldn't listen. (Did it expect me to drive for 50 miles on city streets rather than take the freeway?) Since I'm new with it, there's a chance I didn't hit the 'quickest' button, but still....
So be forwarned.Updated
Addition:
I guess support got back from vacation
They finally called me back and resolved the problem I had with the unit.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Simple to use with an open OS
by invictanewsletter on February 18, 2009
Pros: You can install multiple GOS programs fairly easily. I have Tom Tom, Destinator, and Mio installed and can choose whichever I want to use for a particular trip depending on the features I need (TTs, elevation, POI's, etc.)
Cons: It is a little slower than a Garmin, for instance, but it's a decent performer, certainly for $100 or so.
Summary: There are better, but if you don't mind getting into the code a little, this can be a very fun little GPS.
Summary: There are better, but if you don't mind getting into the code a little, this can be a very fun little GPS.
-
I'm very happy so far!
by Pianoman54 on July 21, 2008
Pros: Very easy to use, and many nice navigation functions, without all the extra needless "fluff" that many other companies offer.
Cons: I wish the voice was just a tiny bit louder, that's about it!
Summary: I've had my Pharos Drive 250 for about 3 weeks now, and being a "nerd", have put it through quite a few tests. After quite a bit of internet ...
Summary: I've had my Pharos Drive 250 for about 3 weeks now, and being a "nerd", have put it through quite a few tests. After quite a bit of internet research, I decided to purchase the Pharos Drive 250 for the price, simplicity, and the fact that it came pre-loaded with maps of the USA and Canada. I read a ton of reviews at many sites, for many different GPS units. After reading many varying opinions concerning any single particular unit, I came to the conclusion that most people seem to expect their GPS unit to do absolutely all of the work, and that they shouldn't have to read up, or know really anything about the unit they purchase. I've been around technology all of my life, and this just isn't true. Every new "toy" you purchase will always work best for you, if you are patient to take the time to learn a little about it for your own personal needs! The Drive 250 usually takes about a minute to acquire the satellites when I first power it up (outdoors or in the car), and then it updates about once every second while I'm driving. It has amazed me by finding shortcuts that I never knew about, even close to my home! It has found just about every address I've entered into the unit with great accuracy so far, and also politely informs you at the end that "You have reached your destination..., your destination is on the left (or right)". Sure, it has a bit of a computerized voice, and doesn't perfectly pronounce every word phonetically correct, but it has not been a problem for me at all, because the street and road signs are always right there for you to look at after hearing the directions! Also, instead of mounting it on my windshield, I mounted it on my dash with a little square of velcro on the back of the unit. It is covering the display and clock for my radio, but I'm still able to utilize all the buttons, and also load and remove CD's, and I don't have to worry about it dropping and breaking. I love it there, because it's out of the way, and looks very cool in "real time" to glance at while you're driving down the road. It kind of looks like you are in a plane looking down at all the roads, and moves exactly how the roads look in real life! I'm sure this would also be a very handy function if you happened to be driving on a very foggy, rainy or snowy night, to let you know ahead of time which way the road is going to bend, and also for approaching intersections. The only few snafus I encountered were with my home address, and a few rural addresses. Even so, the Drive 250 still brought me within the distance of a house or 2 for these locations. If you want real accuracy, I suggest you try what I did after reaching these locations. I took my "stylus", and touched the spot where the GPS unit was showing me to be at the end of the journey. This opens up a little prompt that asks you to "Save as a Favorite", "Starting Point"....ect. When you save this point as a "Favorite" and give it a name (Bob's Home...ect), it actually uses a latitude and longitude number to remember the location, and is very accurate! I did this on July 4th for a family picnic at a local park, and whenever I go back there, the Drive 250 informs me when I'm at the actual parking space I was in on July 4th! I can't wait to see how well this works when I take it hiking with me! I'm in a band, and we travel to out of state gigs, so I'm looking forward to seeing how the Drive 250 works for me on the road! By the way..., I'm glad it doesn't have all of those stupid features you don't really need anyway. First of all, I have a radio and a CD player, and I have a headset for my cell phone (to keep my hands on the wheel). Lastly, when you're driving, why in the world would anyone be watching videos or looking at photos!!?? Come on now...., seriously, are you kidding me!!??
Gerald Braden -
Support after purchase is terrible
by w003503 on May 1, 2008
Pros: Inexpensive
Cons: No support after purchase
Summary: I would be careful purchasing anything from Pharos. Their after purchase support is non-existent. If you are lucky enough to actually talk to a support representative, they are unhelpful and ...
Summary: I would be careful purchasing anything from Pharos. Their after purchase support is non-existent. If you are lucky enough to actually talk to a support representative, they are unhelpful and even rude.
-
Very good for the price
by prokon00 on May 1, 2008
Pros: Appears to be a solid performer without all the bells and whistles a car navigation system does not need
Cons: A bit clumsy to work through all the menus and sub menues
Summary: This is my first car GPS so I really can not compare it to other systems. I did do my internet reasearch on different GPS manufacturers and chose the PHAROS ...
Summary: This is my first car GPS so I really can not compare it to other systems. I did do my internet reasearch on different GPS manufacturers and chose the PHAROS Drive 250 because of the basic features and the cost. I felt that the Pharos did not rate as high as other systems because it did not have the "bells & whistles" that have nothing to do with car navigation. The Pharos does not try to be anything but a navigation system. The navigation positions appear to be accurate and the display is clear and crisp. The 4.3 inch display is a definite plus. The unit construction is sturdy and should be able to survive moderate drops and minor abuse. I was impressed with the charging cables supplied. There are three: one USB cable to charge the GPS from a computer, one 12 vdc cable to charge the unit in a car and a 115 vac cable to charge the unit in your home. A padded carrying case with a carrying strap and a belt attachment was also supplied. A case is a necessity and would normally cost an additional $15.00 to $20.00. The supplied windshield mount holds the unit steady with no vibration. I have not had a need for internet or telephone support so I can not rate that area. The only thing I would add to this basic system is a plug for an external antenna so the unit could be removed from the windshield or dashboard. Overall, good bang for the buck.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Pharos Science & Applications Inc.
- Part number: PDR250
- Description: The Pharos Drive GPS 250 makes it easy to keep your eyes on the road when looking for a specific address with voice prompts and turn-by-turn spoken instructions that include name of the street or highway (Text-to-Speech technology). The large 4.3" color touch screen LCD clearly displays the preloaded U.S. and Canada street level maps and navigation routing.
General
- Width 4.8 in
- Depth 0.9 in
- Height 3.3 in
- Weight 7.2 oz
Acquisition Times
- Cold acquisition times 45 sec
- Warm acquisition times 38 sec
- Hot acquisition times 8 sec
GPS System
- Recommended Use Automotive
- Receiver 20 channel
- Accuracy Velocity - 0.1 m/sec
- Connectivity USB
- Voice Audible signal(s)
- Antenna Built-in
- Features Built-in speaker, Text-to-Speech (TTS)
- Built-in Memory 8 MB
- Supported Memory Cards SD Memory Card
- Maps Included USA, Canada
- Software Included NAVTEQ ON BOARD
Built-in Display
- Type TFT
- Diagonal Size 4.3 in
- Display Illumination Yes
- Color Support Color
- Features Touch screen
Connections
- Connector Type USB
Battery
- Battery technology Lithium polymer
- Mfr estimated battery life 7 hour(s)
Miscellaneous
- GPS design features Touch screen
- Included GPS accessories Stylus, USB cable, Carrying pouch, AC power adapter, Car power adapter, Automotive windshield mount
Environmental Parameters
- Min operating temperature -4 °F
- Max operating temperature 149 °F
Manufacturer info
- Pharos Science & Applications Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Pharos Science & Applications Inc. products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.pharosgps.com/
- Address:
411 Amapola Ave., Torrance, CA - Phone: 310-212-7088
- Email: info@pharosgps.com
- Fax: 310-320-1808
