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Like a couple of other handhelds we've reviewed, the Garmin M5 and Navman Pocket PC, the Recon with TerraGuide mapping software system from Tripod Data Systems is a PDA with a Global Positioning System (GPS) feature. But it isn't the kind of device you'd use to plot the directions to grandma's house or that new warehouse store that opened up outside town.

Instead of providing street and highway data for driving routes, the Recon with TerraGuide merges a rugged TDS Recon Pocket PC with information about terrain from USGS topographical maps. As such, the Recon with TerraGuide is designed as an alternative to paper maps for those who work or play far off the beaten path.

This includes mobile workers like surveyors, municipal workers, or search and rescue personnel, as well as hikers or campers that frequently travel out into the boonies.

                                                  Topographical TerraGuide Maps

Built for the Outdoors
Because conditions out in the field (literally) are significantly more hostile to electronics than those found in the average office, the Recon with TerraGuide is clad in thick plastic and built quite durably. TDS says the unit meets military specifications for shock, vibration, and dust and that it's both water-resistant and submersible.

Indeed, the Recon with TerraGuide was unfazed after I blithely dropped it from about 4 feet onto hard concrete, and it shrugged off a drenching rain courtesy of Arlene—2005's first named storm in the Atlantic.


         Recon with TerraGuide in Water

Within the Recon with TerraGuide's rugged exterior resides a fairly standard-issue Pocket PC running on Windows Mobile 2003 and a 400 MHz XScale processor, 64 MB of RAM and 128 MB of Flash memory. Due to the Recon with TerraGuide's rugged construction, you must forgo several fairly standard PDA features; like an IrDA port and a built-in microphone for voice memos.

You also don't get any built-in Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, but there are two Compact Flash (CF) slots with which to add these capabilities. To maintain the integrity of the device, the TerraGuide includes a large cap that covers and seals the CF slots, keeping water and other contaminants at bay. (The cap accommodates oversized cards.)

Although significantly bulkier than a typical handheld, the Recon with TerraGuide is still compact and light enough to carry comfortably. The unit, which is available in gray or yellow, measures 8.75 x 3.5 x 1.5 inches with the CF cap installed and weighs in at about 1.1 pounds.


             Recon with TerraGuide in Hand

A removable elastic hand strap helps keep the Recon with TerraGuide secure in your hand, but it can make accessing the stylus inconvenient since the strap blocks the recessed area where the it's stored.

Battery
The Recon with TerraGuide's NiMH battery is rated at a substantial 3800 mAh, good for up to 15 hours of use. Practically speaking, use of the GPS module and the high screen brightness necessary to view the screen in direct sunlight will reduce battery life significantly.

Nonetheless, TDS asserts it'll still last 8-10 hours, enough to accommodate a full day of use. I used the Recon with TerraGuide with GPS enabled for about six hours over the course of three days and still had about 33 percent battery power remaining.

The Recon with TerraGuide battery assembly includes both USB ports for PC synchronization and a 9-pin RS-232 port for connection to specialized equipment. (Both the battery unit and CF cap lock securely into place using the flat end of the Recon with TerraGuide's stylus.) The battery is easy to replace, but since the TerraGuide's backup battery will only provide 30 seconds of power, you have only that long to swap batteries and forestall a hard reset and loss of data in RAM.

GPS & Mapping
TerraGuide's GPS abilities come via a Holux CF card with built-in antenna. The unit also includes an external magnetic antenna for better reception in a vehicle.

The handheld automatically outlines your route as you travel and displays standard GPS positioning information, like coordinates, speed, and elevation. You can use the stylus to flag points on the map, as well as pan and zoom with one hand using the TerraGuide's front panel buttons.

It ships with color USGS maps of the conterminous (contiguous) 48 states, and you can download entire maps or portions of maps to the Recon with TerraGuide from your PC—external storage cards come in handy since the data can be voluminous.

                                          Recon with TerraGuide Map Interface

Since these maps are 1:250,000 scale (where 1 inch represents roughly four miles) they highlight major geographical landmarks but lack great detail. For $95 per region (or state, depending on size) TDS sells 1:24,000 scale maps (1 inch=about 2000 feet) with enough detail to show buildings, trees and other vegetation, and small bodies of water.


Create, Manage Paths You Take

For marine use, TDS also offers nautical charts as an option.

Display Issues
If Recon with TerraGuide has an Achilles’ Heel, it's the screen—an ordinary 3.5" TFT display. Though the screen is recessed, 10 disposable polypropylene screen protectors to guard against dirt and scratches provide the only other protection.

As a result, the screen could conceivably become damaged if the unit fell face down on a jagged surface. And while effective, the protectors tend to be "grabby" on the stylus, often making scrolling difficult.

A rigid and transparent screen cover like those found on some Hewlett-Packard model Pocket PCs would have been more useful, especially since you can mostly interact with the GPS software sans stylus. (One thoughtful feature is the ability to temporarily disable the screen's touch sensitivity so you can clean it without having to turn the unit off.)


3D View Brings Elevation Into Maps

Cost
Recon with TerraGuide's hardiness doesn't come cheap.

A TDS Recon with TerraGuide equipped with a 400 MHz CPU will set you back $1,799. Those willing to make do with a slower CPU can opt for a 200 MHz version—more than sufficient, according to TDS, to run the mapping software for—$1,499.

Conclusion
Although the TDS Recon with TerraGuide is extremely rugged and capable, its high price tag is likely to deter those who aren't hard-core outdoorsman or who lack a business need for the its capabilities. Still, if you're an outdoors-type looking for a GPS system that can both take abuse and double as a PDA, the TDS Recon with TerraGuide may be for you.