CoPilot Live 7 for Windows Mobile

Having sat-nav software installed on your smartphone makes a lot of sense, particularly if it's one with built-in GPS. The small screens of most models won't give as good a view as a dedicated device, but since you always have your smartphone with you, you'll never be without an electronic route finder. In our opinion, TomTom rules the roost when it comes to smartphone sat-nav software, but with the release of version 7, CoPilot is now a serious alternative.

Available for both Pocket PC and Smartphone editions of Windows Mobile, CoPilot 7 comes in a range of permutations. The cheapest is the UK and Ireland map pack, which you'll need to install onto your own memory card using a Windows PC. Packs with European maps, Bluetooth GPS receivers and bundled handsets are also available, albeit at higher prices.

We looked at the UK and Ireland maps version using an HTC TyTN running Windows Mobile 6, and the changes from CoPilot 6 are apparent as soon as you start the program. The whole interface has been overhauled to not only bring it into the 21st Century, but also to make it much more finger friendly. Large, clear buttons now abound and make much better use of the limited 320 x 240 screen resolution used by most Windows Mobile devices.

The on-screen keyboard has also been enlarged and works well without a stylus, though the downside is that the pick list of places that appear as you type has been reduced from four to two. Not a big deal, but you have to type in more of a location name than before in order to narrow down the list of matches as much as possible.

Compared to the slick presentation of TomTom's software, CoPilot 6's driving display looked like an early Sinclair Spectrum game, but things are much better in version 7. The display updates more smoothly while driving and the 3D view in particular is much more sophisticated, and much more user-friendly as a result.

The driving display still lacks some of the useful information offered by other sat nav systems, but this is no doubt an attempt to keep things as clutter-free as possible. Visual instructions are clear (as are the spoken ones) and the status bar at the bottom of the screen can be set to show various useful snippets, from the name of the next major road to the ETA and distance.

One neat new feature introduced in this version is CoPilot Central. This is a Windows version of the smartphone software which allows you to plan trips from the comfort of a mouse and full-size keyboard, and then transfer them to your handheld. The desktop application also simplifies the process of installing updates, new maps and other updates, and such 'community' features as the online sharing of Points of Interest are due early next year.

At £84 online, the software-only version of CoPilot Live 7 is good value, but TomTom Navigator 6 only costs a fiver more and that has European maps. So, while CoPilot Live 7 is certainly better than its predecessor, TomTom still has the edge.