By Alfred Siew, a freelance writer

IF AS a driver, you tend to get lost even in the small confines of Singapore or if you plan to drive up north to Malaysia, this is one of the most full-featured GPS (global positioning system) devices to lead you onto the right roads.

The Holux GPSmile 62 Pro has the works, starting with a generous 5-inch screen as well as built-in Bluetooth to hook up to other portable devices.

It also promises a fast fix on your current location thanks to an advanced MTK GPS chipset.

It could, for example, find a satellite hovering above and locate where I was within seconds of my car emerging from an underground car park.

Plus, the fast engine - consisting of a Samsung 400MHz processor, 1GB built-in memory and Windows CE.Net 5.0 Core Version software - means that the device is nimble too.

In most cases, it could process all the satellite information and recommend a route, based on the SLA (Singapore Land Authority) maps installed on the device, within a second or two.

Each morning, I have the option of taking one of two routes to town - either through congested Upper Serangoon and the CTE or via the new KPE underground highway. The moment I make a turn towards the KPE, the device smartly re-routes me to the KPE.

It is also easy to pinpoint a destination onscreen. For example, a search for a point of interest, say, Republic Plaza at Raffles Place, is narrowed as you type each letter of your destination. This saves the trouble of scrolling through a list of possible places and gets you driving in less time.

Another thing I like: The 3-D maps, which feature buildings in real 3-D and rotate as you drive around them, give a spatial idea of where you are in a built-up place like Raffles Place.

There are some flaws to note, however.

The voice prompt sometimes tells you to "keep on the left lane" to go straight, even when the left lane is for turning left only.

There are also times when the directions onscreen instruct me to make a U-turn, but the voice prompt tells me merely to "turn right".

There are also occasional routing mistakes, with one in particular that I must highlight.

While trying to get back on the ECP from Still Road South last week, the device told me to make a U-turn, when a sign at the junction clearly states that no U-turn is allowed.

So, keep an eye on the screen to double-check the directions.

Final say

A feature-packed GPS system that will delight most drivers, but has flaws that should be corrected via software updates.

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