vB Easy Archive - GPS Phone?

Pages: 1

GPS Phone?
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: gamog

I'm looking for a cheap GPS phone. A few questions : I think there's locked GPS phone from FIDO, Rogers, etc. Do I have to pay for the GPS service?

What's the best GPS phone under $300 - with free GPS service?

Posted by: RogerPodacter

well if you are going the cheap route, i would get ANY phone you want and buy a bluetooth GPS receiver. then just hardwire the receiver in your car so its always charged and available when you need it. if you need it for other uses, then just bring it with you.

i dont know about fido gps phone, but i think rogers just released the nokia n95-4 which has true gps. using the n95-4 as an example, the gps is true gps receiving satellite signals. its totally free to get the signals. what usually costs money is the maps and software. example, garmin for the n95 is a one time fee of 99 bucks to buy their garmin app and the maps. use it for the rest of your life once you buy it. some carriers i guess will lock the gps to their speific gps app and charge a monthly fee to use it. but A) i dont think the n95 has that, and B) you can usually unbrand any phone and remove that crap. about any phone gps is not locked.

some gps phones off the top of my head: n95, n82, n78. yes i'm a nokia fan.

then there are truly free apps. amAzeGPS is a totally free program for any GPS phone. gives voice turn directions. but its downfall is it streams the maps over the web. so in canada where data is expensive, it might not be a great option unless you have unlimited data. also google maps is totally free and uses internal gps, but it doesnt have voice. but its almost good enough without it anyway...

Posted by: jontymisra

Grab the N95/N82 off anyone. Get someone to install garmin XT, your good to go.

In, WM - HTC Artemis can be bought for under $300 and you can install TomTom which I think is awesome.

Posted by: gamog

Thanks. Right now, I'm interested with the latest Samsung Jack - the one from FIDO.

http://www.fido.ca/portal/product/h...k&lang=en&cat=1

Meaning that I'd buy this one, and then install any GPS software, and I'm good to go, that's it?

Posted by: RogerPodacter

yes most likely. just remember you are gonna have slight problems since you are buying the a carrier branded phone. they always love to lock everything up. i dont know Fido policy or past history with GPS phones. but it will definitely be possible to unbrand the phone and put the regular firmware back. that would definitely let any GPS app to be installed. and the GPS would be unlocked too.

this reason is because Fido wants you to probably use their gps app and pay for it. (if they even have that - i dont know them). but gps signals are free from the satellites so it will work one way or another.

Posted by: jontymisra

There is no GPS chip in the Samsung Jack.

Posted by: gamog

Quote:

Originally Posted by jontymisra

There is no GPS chip in the Samsung Jack.

There is on the BlackJack II. But the one from FIDO must be the BlackJack II : it has GPS (Fido website)

I must get it unlocked then. Or just get the one with factory unlocked. I think FIDO has a GPS service, an additional fee of course.

Posted by: Spazmogen

How about the up coming Garmin Nüvifone this fall?

Its a Q3 launch according to the Garmin site

Its GSM. Currently, there is no indication that Rogers will get it, but then again no indication they wont either.

Prices yet to be determined.

Touchscreen, HSDPA, 3.5G, Google Local Search, Gmail and Google Panaramio, Garmin GPS, MP3 player, WiFi, video & stills with automatic geotagging, Bluetooth & MPEG4 video support.

Posted by: jontymisra

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamog

I could not find any apps supporting it's GPS chip, so I'd steer away from it.

Posted by: gamog

Quote:

Originally Posted by jontymisra

I could not find any apps supporting it's GPS chip, so I'd steer away from it.

Yeah, I better. Anyway, I haven't made up my mind yet. Nokia Navigator is one of my choices.

Posted by: jontymisra

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamog

Yeah, I better. Anyway, I haven't made up my mind yet. Nokia Navigator is one of my choices.

iPhone is coming as well for $199/3yr contract to Fido. It has GPS.