- Features

1. Total solution in power management. Unique Solar Cell re-charging design (patent protected) can extend your GPS operation by up to 15 hrs.
2. Green environmental protection in a wireless GPS receiver application
3. WARM/HOT start with built-in battery
4. Well though out LED/switch button design
5. Automatically updates almanac/ephemeris in flash memory
6. 20 Channels "All-In-View" Tracking
7. Position accuracy of 10 meters 2D RMS
8. Cold/Warm/Hot Start Time: 42/38/1 Seconds (Signal Strength > 30 dB-HZ)
9. Reacquisition Time: 0.1 seconds
10. Support Standard NMEA-0183 at 38400 bps baud rate (Defined by customer 4800 up to 57600)
11. Support Power Saving Mode
12. Compatible with Bluetooth devices with Serial Port Profile (SPP)

For our testing purposes, F-Tech sent us the retail package that includes:

• the Solar 7GPS receiver itself
• an AC power adaptor with USB female plug
• a cigarette lighter adaptor with USB female plug
• a mini1394 to USB cable
• finally a CD-ROM with corresponding software and user's Manual

The current price for the product is around US$100, around the net.

The F-Tech Solar 7 GPS receiver is the largest device of its type that we have reviewed. We would say its almost twice the size of the BT-338.

Comparing it with a Sony Ericsson K750i, it still looks big.

while a credit card looks much smaller :-)

Looking at the bottom, we can find some information about the product, like its S/N and the exact model identification (FGPSBT02)

The battery is rated 1000mAh 3.7V

There are two LEDs, indicating the following conditions:

On the top, we find the charger interface (mini USB), the power on/off switch and the two leds. On the left side, we have the external cable jack (MMCX compatible). Both inputs are protected by a rubber cover.

The package, as we saw earlier includes two chargers, one for AC/DC and one for car. Since the device is USB compatible, it can also be powered by a PC USB port!