Pocket PC Thoughts: No Matter Where You Go, There You Are ... With The E-TEN G500

What's in the Box

Figure 1: Accessories included.

• Car Charger;
  
• Car Mount;
  
• USB Sync Cable;
  
• AC Adapter;;
  
• Stereo Headset
  
• Leather Case.

The first thing I noticed when I unloaded the assorted accessories was the lack of a cradle. Of course that was before noticing the included car mount, and since GPS is the major focus of the G500, I was immediately consoled.

Traditionally, E-TEN included a horizontal nylon case with a belt clip. With the G500 they opted to replace the nylon with leather. It was a nice touch and definitely adds a more masculine feel to the package. Perhaps somewhere there’s a demographic survey that said more men use GPS than women. I have no idea. But I digress. Being used to leather products from Sena Cases and Piel Frama, I found the included case disappointing. It was very stiff and added, in my opinion, unwanted bulk. But I’ll let you be the judge. Check out the photos below.


Figure 2: Leather case with optional belt clip.


Figure 3: Leather case - Side View.


Figure 4: Leather case - Rear View.

The back of the case leaves cut-outs for the camera and speaker.

The Main Attraction
Now for what you've all been waiting for...
I present to you the E-TEN G500.


Figure 5: E-TEN G500.

While the G500 is similar in shape to both the M500 and M600, there is plenty to set it apart from its siblings. If you’ve ever visited E-TEN’s website you’d know that they emphasize style and function. From the black finish to the luminescent blue trim, the G500 does not disappoint.


Figure 6: E-TEN G500 - Right Side.

The right side sports only the Mini-SD slot.


Figure 7: E-TEN G500 - Left Side.

The left side houses the camera button, volume slider, and small round button mapped to E-TEN’s voice command program, and the recessed soft-reset button.


Figure 8: E-TEN G500 - Top.

The top of the G500 is a bit of the mystery. Underneath this flap is a gold colored port. Searching the included documentation didn’t reveal the G500’s secret.


Figure 9: E-TEN G500 - Bottom.

The charging and synchronizing port.


Figure 10: E-TEN G500 - Stylus Port.

As with previous E-TEN models, the stylus dock is on the bottom of the device.


Figure 11: E-TEN G500 - Rear View.

The back of the G500 holds the camera lens and loud speaker.