GPS phone?

[ChinBoi]

Hello,

I have never owned any gps system, so I want to get a gps cell phone. The question is: Does it work the same way as a regular gps (free service)? or do I have to pay for connection?

For example, some cell phone we have to pay for Fido Uno service in order to use wifi...

I just want to know about the gps cell phone b4 i buy 1 and get stuck with it!

Thx

[felixmo]

i have the htc touch diamond from rogers and it has built-in gps
the gps works excatly like a standalone unit, but you need the software

gps software is available from tomtom, garmin, etc

however, it is pretty expensive (about $99), but fido or rogers won't charge you anything because the maps are stored on the phone

fido and rogers do offer their own gps software, but there is a monthly charge
or you can just you google maps, but pay for the data plan.

i would recommend you just buy the gps software for the phone, because it is cheaper than the gps software offered by fido and rogers or the data plan

also, you need a smartphone:D

[IoannI]

Im not to sure on how its works to be exact. But this is the break down that I go from the sales rep from Telus last December when I purchased my Pearl 8130. He told me as long as I have a date plan then I'm fine. He also told me that since I have a unlimited data plan then I have nothing to worry about and I can use the GPS as much as I want. He said if I were to have one of those data plans with a cap on it then I would have to monitor how much data I am doing with the GPS. Don't know if its true or not, hope it helps.

Just to add. I've had the phone for about 1 years now. Other then playing around with the GPS, I've really only used it twice. The first time I was looking for the party packagers up in Whitby, but by the time the GPS could locate my postition I found it. I don't know if that counts as a use but I think it kinda does. The second time was about about a week and a half ago, I was around the Jane + Rutherford area and wanted to stop at Vaughn Mills to get something and I used the GPS to see how far I have to go and which way to go.

[GateGuardian]

Some phones use radio towers to pinpoint your locations (iphone) while others use satellites (HTC diamond). The ones that uses satellites does not use any data unless you are downloading the map.

If you want to get a GPS phone, get one with a windows mobile OS, because Blackberry maps is not that great imo. All the GPS software I used on the windows mobile are pretty good whether it is TomTom, Garmin, iGo, Destinator.

[selpats]

I have a Touch Pro with the TomTom app. and maps and it works great. In fact, it works better than my TomTom GO920 at times! The phone works exactly like a regular GPS unit, there is no difference.

[Maedhros]

This is how it works.

Most cell phones with GPS have a few options.

Option 1: Use integrated GPS.
This is basicly free. I always use this. But it may take longer to get a lock

Option 2: Use cell towers
Fastest lock time, but costs data. So its good if u have a data plan