vB Easy Archive - Cell phone with GPS

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Cell phone with GPS
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Posted by: anson

Hi, need some advice from phone experts.

I will be going to Hong Kong in 2 weeks. I know they probably have lots of choices and new models there. Wondering if I should check one out.

Actually, I am not a heavy cell phone user but would like have some additional & useful features on the phone. Currently using a camera phone (V300), pretty cool and useful.

The next feature I would like to have and I think it is useful is a phone which is capable to install a GPS software (I am not sure if it is available though.....

)

A friend of mine showed me how he uses his palm pilot to install a GPS software. And it works cool for driving instructions.

So, I am assuming if phone (like P900) with PDA capability can do the same. (Please correct me if I am wrong). If so, can you guys (phone experts) please advise what choices do I have ? I prefer to have one with quad-band or at least with 850 for me to in Canada.

Thanks in advance for any help and advice.

Anson

Posted by: Mad_Medik

Hey mate,

I have been away for a while and am just catching up now. Looks like no one ever got back to you on this. Anyhow, there are a few issues here.

You need to choose if you are going to attach a GPS antenna or if you want a phone with it built in. There are GPS antennas that will link via bluetooth. If you do a google search for GPS mapping, you will find a number of vendors that make software for a variety of smartphone platforms. GARMIN makes a bluetooth GPS antenna called the GPS 10 and software for Windows Mobile devices.

If you want the convenience of having the GPS built in, there field is pretty narrow.

a) GARMIN offers the NavTalk GSM, but it is not marketed in North America as it is only offered on the GMS 900 & 1800 bands...

b) There are a number of the Motorola iDEN phones that offer GPS location in them, but when I did my research ( last summer/fall ) they only offered co-ordinates, not mapping. This means you would have to connect your phone to a laptop to get the maps, unless you are rainman and able to translate the GPS co-ordinates into something meaningful in your head...

c) Benefon is a Finnish company that makes a pretty good model. It is a little dated now but comes in a pretty compact form with built in GPS and mapping and the ability to add street/topo info. The site indicates that it only comes in a GSM 900 or 1800 version so this suggests that there is no model that will work in Canada. However, they do list a Canadian distributor on thier site, so you might want to confirm with them.

Good luck,

MM

Posted by: anson

Thanks

Posted by: plazmo

FWIW, I believe the Nextel phones can do more than GPS coordinates. My friend showed me his Nextel phone performing turn-by-turn GPS navigation.

Posted by: got hacks?

motorola a925 has A-GPS!!!

Posted by: tomthompson

It might be worth checking out this site for gps on anything

www.pocketgps.com

they will tell you everything about it

Posted by: lordpercy

If you go for an outboard bluetooth unit then there are a number of companies who do excellent software for phones including Tom tom and ALK CoPilot Live.

Have had a chance to try both Reviews

LP

Posted by: Slider76

I am using a PDA2K (PDA/phone with 850 mHz) with the Globalsat BT338 bluetooth GPS and iGuidance software. This combo works really well and the Canadian maps are top notch. Another alternative would be the iMate JAM. Similar to the PDA2K but smaller and no hardware keyboard.

Also, HP iPaq has just anounced their new H6500 series which will have a built-in GPS and a thumb keyboard similar to the Treo line. I think it is due out some time this summer.

Posted by: AaronT

There are GPS packages for both Series 60 and UIQ when it comes to Symbian phones.

Most of these work with a bluetooth GPS unit, including the Nokia 3230, 6600, 6620, 6630, 6670, 6680, 7610, N-Gage, Panasonic X700, Siemens SX1, Sony Ericssion P900/P910, etc.

Motorola's A-range of Symbian UIQ phones come with assisted GPS built-in, so the bluetooth GPS unit isn't needed. However, the Motorola A1000 et al are only available on 3 at the moment.