A PDA that is said to be the first to feature integrated GPS-based navigation capabilities is being offered under an exclusive deal between Evesham Technology, the leading PC manufacturer, and ALK, the US-based group behind the CoPilot PDA-based navigation software package. It costs £383 plus VAT.

The unit is based on a Mitac Mio 168 PDA, and runs under Windows Pocket PC 2003. Features include an Intel XScale C 300MHz processor, 32MB ROM, 64MB of SDRAM and an SD/MMC card expansion slot.

Key to the package is the inclusion of an integral GPS receiver and ALK's CoPilot Live software for Pocket PC, version 4, which incorporates Navteq street-level digital mapping of Britain and Ireland. Aiming the unit squarely at in-vehicle navigation applications, the suppliers have also included a dashboard cradle and in-car charging unit.

Capabilities include calculation of the quickest or shortest route, automatic recalculation after wrong turns, a walking mode, and voice instructions to augment the map display.