A handheld computer and a GPS device make an ideal combination when it comes to in-car navigation. Maps look clear when displayed on a high-resolution colour screen, while the handheld can be used for more traditional purposes when you're not on the road.

Generally, the only problem is price - neither handheld computers nor GPS receivers are cheap, which makes you wonder how Aldi has managed to bundle a Medion 576MB PPC 200 with a Navigon GPS receiver for £350.

Once you see the equipment, some of that wonder wears off, but only some, mind. The Pocket PC feels rather cheap and plastic, but it's slim, has 64Mb of memory and comes with two 256Mb MMC cards for holding the supplied UK and European GPS map data. The colour screen is also very crisp, although like those on most handhelds, it isn't very clear in bright daylight.

The GPS kit consists of an in-car cradle for the handheld, a car charger and a small blue dome that looks like a prop from the original USS Enterprise.

This is, in fact, the GPS receiver, which has a magnetic back plate for attaching it to the car. However, thanks to the mass of cabling, the whole arrangement is a bit of a mess and some care is needed not to foul the gear stick or even your left hand.

Aldi doesn't supply a full manual, just a guide to setting up the bits of hardware and installing the software. This is unfortunate, as figuring out the Navigon mapping software is far from straightforward. One drawback is that it only works when the GPS receiver is connected, so it's not possible to set up a route until you're sitting in the car. From this point onwards, everything works as expected but the map display does have a disconcerting tendency to zoom in and out at random intervals. This, and the lack of any verbal instructions, makes navigating with the Navigon GPS receiver much harder than it should be.

Addendum (20/01/04):
We missed a couple of features from this review of the Medion 576MB PPC 200. The GPS software can in fact be used without the GPS receiver being connected and there are spoken driving instructions. This means that the Performance rating should be 4/5.

Contact: Aldi
www.aldi-stores.co.uk