GPS functionality on phones

dgtl887

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Hey,

I was looking into a few phones to buy in the near future. I know that some Nokia models now have free (voice) turn-by-turn navigation. I wanted to know what the dealio is with the other GPS phones available, like the Samung Monte or the Corby. The Monte has google maps-based GPS, which accoring to gsmarena.com doesn't offer voice turn-by-turn navigation. Does anyone have experience in GPS phones other than Nokia and how well they work (if at all !) ?
 
Hey,

I was looking into a few phones to buy in the near future. I know that some Nokia models now have free (voice) turn-by-turn navigation. I wanted to know what the dealio is with the other GPS phones available, like the Samung Monte or the Corby. The Monte has google maps-based GPS, which accoring to gsmarena.com doesn't offer voice turn-by-turn navigation. Does anyone have experience in GPS phones other than Nokia and how well they work (if at all !) ?

Well I can share my experience with Nokia E75 GPS, which also has voice turn by turn directions......but the drawback is it only works with Nokia Maps, and Nokia Maps if you ask me is a pile of crap. I use Google Maps with GPS and is works flawlessly. Even though it does not have voice navigation still is far far better than Nokia Maps. If you ask me I dont even feel the need for voice turn by turn, its simply not practicle in India. If I have to find a route in Delhi I just open Google Map put the source, destination, and Google Map shows the route accurately, rest is taken care of by the GPS which shows my car with an arrow if I am moving in the right direction. Google is far ahead in this Map navigation thing, and its really amazing they have covered so many streets and small destinations all over India.

PS :: Google also has come up with turn by turn navigation with their Google Map but currently its only available for Andriod Platform, So you might wanns try a phone with that.
 
Well I can share my experience with Nokia E75 GPS, which also has voice turn by turn directions......but the drawback is it only works with Nokia Maps, and Nokia Maps if you ask me is a pile of crap. I use Google Maps with GPS and is works flawlessly. Even though it does not have voice navigation still is far far better than Nokia Maps. If you ask me I dont even feel the need for voice turn by turn, its simply not practicle in India. If I have to find a route in Delhi I just open Google Map put the source, destination, and Google Map shows the route accurately, rest is taken care of by the GPS which shows my car with an arrow if I am moving in the right direction. Google is far ahead in this Map navigation thing, and its really amazing they have covered so many streets and small destinations all over India.

PS :: Google also has come up with turn by turn navigation with their Google Map but currently its only available for Andriod Platform, So you might wanns try a phone with that.

How did you download Google maps onto your phone ? Is it available as an application from the Ovi store or is there a separate place to d/l it from (pardon my ignorance) ?
You're right, the voice navigation isn't a huge deal, ESPECIALLY if nokia maps aren't up to the mark. Are Nokia maps available for the PC, btw ? Just so I can safely check Nokia out.

Also, A-GPS doesn't rely on GPRS/3G to provide navigational services, right ? It's only the radio towers to provide the initial fix, and then the satellites ?

PS: Is Google free for navigation, or is there some one-time or recurring fee ?
 
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How did you download Google maps onto your phone ? Is it available as an application from the Ovi store or is there a separate place to d/l it from (pardon my ignorance) ?
You're right, the voice navigation isn't a huge deal, ESPECIALLY if nokia maps aren't up to the mark. Are Nokia maps available for the PC, btw ? Just so I can safely check Nokia out.

Also, A-GPS doesn't rely on GPRS/3G to provide navigational services, right ? It's only the radio towers to provide the initial fix, and then the satellites ?

PS: Is Google free for navigation, or is there some one-time or recurring fee ?

Goole Maps is a part of a Google mobile application I downloaded from Google site itself. Ovi store will just provide you Nokia maps not Google. Yes Nokia Maps are available for PC as well and I have tried them, frankly after using google you dont feel like using anything else.

GPS as such does not rely on GPRS/3g but Google Maps do.... so you got to have GPRS/3G for Google Maps to work, once the map is loaded (couple of seconds) GPS comes in to gear........you see GPS activated at the top right corner. The press "0" for you current location and then can type any destination from there you want. One you have the route, Google map provies proper turn navigation, wiki encyclopedia for near by significant places...etc.

Yes Google Maps is a free application. You dont need to pay anything, its just like Google Maps on PC, but made specifically for Mobile......
 
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Please check out the Nokia 5230 (Nokia India - Nokia 5230 - Products).

You can now download free Ovi maps from the Nokia site. Note: This means you do not need to pay for using the GPS functionality anymore. Good handset, at an awesome price. :licklips:

-Saikat

The one thing that really puts me off Nokia are their resistive touchscreens. I mean, I haven't completely ruled out the 5230, but I'll get any touchscreen that's more sensitive within a couple of thousand rupees.

GPS as such does not rely on GPRS/3g but Google Maps do.... so you got to have GPRS/3G for Google Maps to work, once the map is loaded (couple of seconds) GPS comes in to gear........you see GPS activated at the top right corner. The press "0" for you current location and then can type any destination from there you want. One you have the route, Google map provies proper turn navigation, wiki encyclopedia for near by significant places...etc.

Is GPRS required only in the beginning or throughout ? I ask because I don't have any data plan as such. I have to pay per MB. I'd imagine that if it's required throughout, my phone bill will skyrocket.
Also, is this only for google maps ? If I use Nokia's service, will I not have to use GPRS ?
 
Is GPRS required only in the beginning or throughout ? I ask because I don't have any data plan as such. I have to pay per MB. I'd imagine that if it's required throughout, my phone bill will skyrocket.
Also, is this only for google maps ? If I use Nokia's service, will I not have to use GPRS ?

I think the download takes place only when you search a new map, once the map is loaded, there is no downloading, after the map is fully downloaded, its only GPS that is working, unless again you clink on an wiki icon to get more information for any significant place shown on the map. In any case the bill does not skyrocket, I am using GPS extensively, infact I use GPRS to browsr information pretty often, with no plan, the difference was around 3-400 in my bill.

Nokia Maps are stored in the device itself (so yes I think you wont need GPRS to use them), but they are very limited in everything, you have to pay to get more extensive nokia maps, which in my openion are not worth. I'd rather pay for GPRS and use Google than to buy Nokia Maps.......
 
Goole Maps is a part of a Google mobile application I downloaded from Google site itself. Ovi store will just provide you Nokia maps not Google. Yes Nokia Maps are available for PC as well and I have tried them, frankly after using google you dont feel like using anything else.

GPS as such does not rely on GPRS/3g but Google Maps do.... so you got to have GPRS/3G for Google Maps to work, once the map is loaded (couple of seconds) GPS comes in to gear........you see GPS activated at the top right corner. The press "0" for you current location and then can type any destination from there you want. One you have the route, Google map provies proper turn navigation, wiki encyclopedia for near by significant places...etc.

Yes Google Maps is a free application. You dont need to pay anything, its just like Google Maps on PC, but made specifically for Mobile......

Hi Sams
So you are saying this google app will load on any mobile device irrespective of OS? HTC, Windows CE, Symbian etc?

Regards
 
I've been a Nokia user since long but have bought a Sony-Erricson Yari for 12.5k a month ago. Sure I'm missing some features that I'm so very accustomed to in the Nokia but the screen is very good in Sony. I've not downloaded the google maps but it is already there and is part of the package I guess.

It also has a number of fun apps.
 
Hi Sams
So you are saying this google app will load on any mobile device irrespective of OS? HTC, Windows CE, Symbian etc?

Regards

Precisely, you can either choose to download the entire google mobile applicayion (includes : Search, Maps, Picasa, news, You Tube, Orkut, Callender) or just the Google maps. check out the links below......

Google Applications...

Google Mobile App for your phone

Google Maps...

Google Maps for mobile

PS :: Some of the features might be OS dependent, but the basic Map functionality works on all phones.....
 
Another good option will be to buy a windows-based handset like HTC and load MapmyIndia maps. Advantage with MMI is that the entire maps are stored on the device and you are not dependent on mobile operator's network, which also saves your data plan minutes.
 
I've been a Nokia user since long but have bought a Sony-Erricson Yari for 12.5k a month ago. Sure I'm missing some features that I'm so very accustomed to in the Nokia but the screen is very good in Sony. I've not downloaded the google maps but it is already there and is part of the package I guess.

It also has a number of fun apps.

Is the entire map preloaded on Sony Ericsson Yari or it just the Widget, the shortcut of application that downloads Google maps when run.
 
Hey,

I was looking into a few phones to buy in the near future. I know that some Nokia models now have free (voice) turn-by-turn navigation. I wanted to know what the dealio is with the other GPS phones available, like the Samung Monte or the Corby. The Monte has google maps-based GPS, which accoring to gsmarena.com doesn't offer voice turn-by-turn navigation. Does anyone have experience in GPS phones other than Nokia and how well they work (if at all !) ?

Hi,

My wife has a Nokia 5800 and the and the free nokia routing software is really quite good. the GPS itself is quite efficient, and A-gps ensures a pretty quick fix.

I've had GPS phone since 2005 (HP HW6515 --> HTC TyTN2) and I've found them pretty useful especially when you are in a strange land.. (Was really useful in locating restaurants in Zurich recently) -

On the Hardware side, Both the phones have some sort of ephemeris downloading to speed up fix time, the HP worked as advertised ; HTC has been less reliable, especially after firmware upgrades. phones with sirfstar3 chipsets are your best bet for fast reliable fixes.

On the software side, Nokia (Symbian) with free maps is unbeatable, otherwise Windows mobile still offers the most options on software / maps. On a personal level, i would highly recommend garmin XT (both symbian and win-mo versions are available)

just a small note on GPS/ A-GPS.

All GPS hardware use gps satellites for navigation. a lock on 4 satellites are required for a 3d fix, and 3 satellites for a 2d fix. A lock happens when the GPS unit clock is sync'd with the satellite clocks; and the GPS knows exactly where the satellites are overhead (ephemiris data) this data needs to be downloaded to the gps reciever. this is part of the gps satellite signal and it is downloaded slowly, slowing the time taken to get a fix (TTF).

one method of speeding up the fix time is to get a rough approximation of future satellite positions and download this data to the gps receiver over the internet. this is used by in most HTC gps phones (Quickgps) and it speeds up the time to fix greatly. from 2-3 minutes to 20-30 secs from a cold start.

AGPS (SUPL) - uses the cell towers to triangulate the approximate position, and downloads a much more accurate, current ephemiris to the GPS reciever, enabling really fast GPS fixes (less than 10 seconds). this is not the same thing as simple cellphone triangulation as one sees on googlemaps mobile.

hope this clarifies.

cheers

EDIT::: found a good article on GPS / APS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS
 
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I have Blackberry Bold and Google Maps works like a charm on it. I have travelled long distances on road and the Google Maps app shows even the smaller roads and bylanes.
 
I'd like to thank everyone for replying. I apologise for not replying sooner. I hope everyone hasn't left. :)

I understand a lot more than I did a week ago. I went through Ovi Maps on the internet (if Ovi Maps is the correct site). I wasn't impressed by their database at all. Not as much as I was by Google's anyway.

Could the following points please be confirmed before I take the plunge and get a new phone:

1. Nokia (Ovi maps) will provide navigation without the need for GPRS. However, navigating using Google Maps (after downloading them) cannot be done offline, ie without GPRS usage.

2. Is the above (Google Maps needing GPRS) true even for phones that have Google Maps pre-loaded ? If so, is GPRS used only initially when getting a satellite lock-on and entering the destination ? And GPRS will not be used while enroute ?

I'd also like to ask what the data download through GPRS is when you use Google to navigate, approx ?

PS: I'm considering Samsung Monte (with GPS, and GM pre-loaded) and Nokia 5230 (Ovi Maps, with the option of downloading GM). Which would you recommend, GPS navigation-wise ?
 
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Could the following points please be clarified before I take the plunge and get a new phone:

1. Nokia (Ovi maps) will provide navigation without the need for GPRS. However, navigating using Google Maps (after downloading them) cannot be done offline, ie without GPRS usage.

That is because Nokia Maps reside on the set itself and Google Map is downloaded off the net on every refresh (except when its loading from cache)
However, the current/recent map once loaded (including the route) can be viewed offline as well (i.e without the GPRS), but you wont be able to load a new map without GPRS



2. Is the above (Google Maps needing GPRS) true even for phones that have Google Maps pre-loaded ? If so, is GPRS used only initially when getting a satellite lock-on and entering the destination ? And GPRS will not be used while enroute ?


Yes to the first part......its not google maps that are preloaded, its the application that is pre loaded, and you use that application to get map online through GPRS.

To your second part of the question.....

GPRS is not used for Getting a satellite lock on....., GPS is.......GPRS is used to load the map and the route. You vehical's tracking is done through GPS on that MAP.

As I meantioned earlier.............Download takes place only when you search a new map, once the map is loaded, there is no downloading, after the map is fully downloaded, its only GPS that is working, unless again you clink on an wiki icon to get more information for any significant place shown on the map. In any case the bill does not skyrocket, I am using GPS extensively, infact I use GPRS to browsr information pretty often, with no plan, the difference was around 3-400 in my bill.

Else you can opt for an umlimited plan


Hope the information helps......


BTW off the two mobiles you mentioned I would personally suggest Nokia 5230
 
My concern with Google maps is that suppose you are travelling and enter a "No mobile network" area....I mean just in case. I know its highly unlikely nowadays, but still.
Hence I would not like to depend on the mobile service operator's network while using GPS. I dont know about other phones, but Windows based phones can be used as Standalone GPS device, the reason why I am myself using HTC.
 
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