OK, I have had my 770 for a couple of months now and I am getting a little frusterated. I am very happy with the display, but I am not sure what to do with this device besides surf the web.

I was excited when I first got it and I saw all of the software available on the web. Either I am missing something or most of the software apps are missing major features.

Here are my questions:
GPE PIM and/or any other PIM Software
- Are there ways to sync? I would like to sync to Outlook for calendar and contacts, but this does not seem feasible. I have written software to extract all of the data I want from Outlook so that I could write my own Sync software. Then I notice that GPE PIM does not have an export feature. Also, when I import something (say a VCard), I am not able to see where this card goes in memory. It would be better if it left the data exposed on the MMC card for easy PC Sync.


Maemo Mapper
- A friend of mine bought some really cheap nav software for his PocketPC PDA. This software allows him to download map data from the web for an area or a route (like Maemo Mapper). His software lets him look at the map offline (like Maemo Mapper). His software lets him route from two points off-line (not like Maemo Mapper). If I have all of the map data from Google maps and click on a point, why can Maemo Mapper not route me to there from my current GPS location?

- The POI database thing is also bothering me. Supposedly I can download this data from the web somewhere, but I have been unable to find it. If anyone could give me a google search string and/or a link, that would be great. All I would like is restaurants, stores, and gas stations for the US and restaurants and stores in France. All I can find are Starbucks.



I am not trying to be negative. I would also take other suggestions on what to do with this thing. I will use for for veiwing web pages, but other uses are very limited. If you can not sync information both ways (to any software) then PIM is useless. If you can not route or have POI's then the navigation is limited (not useless as I still like having the electronic map).

Because Maemo Mapper doesn't actually store any road data - just image data (bitmaps). It has no knowledge of roads, their names, their speed limits, their directions, etc.

Your friend's software, on the other hand, uses street data produced by Navteq or a similar company. Navteq is not free, and I can't afford to license it for free software like Maemo Mapper.

Instead, Maemo Mapper downloads a route from Google Maps, because Google can afford the licenses for the street data.

If that is too limiting for you, then you'll have to splurge for the more costly alternatives (i.e. the navigation kit).

Thank you for your response. I was not trying to complain about your software, just had different expectations.

I understand about the map data.



Any ideas for a better PIM software than GPE PIM?

Thanks.

What software has he got that's cheap, let's him download maps off the internet, yet still provide routing information?

Most routing products come with offline maps, but charge a fair amount (in the same way the Navigation Kit is available for Maemo which provides offline maps with routing). Providing online-updateable maps is rare due to the licensing conditions placed on the companies by the map data providers.