Apple Decisions, Decisions! iPhone navigation software

So - TomTom is finaly out for the iPhone, but it seems to have some stiff competition, in features and cost.

Has anyone used the other 'big' nav apps? You know, Co-Pilot & Navigon? What are they like?

They're a lot cheaper than TomTom... I believe Co-Pilot is only £29 compared to TomTom's £59 (UK and Ireland - all of W.E is £79)


Thing is, I'm used to the TomTom interface after years of using an old GO 500 standalone unit... But I don't want to drop a lot of dosh on something if there's a better, possibly cheaper alternative.

 

In the same boat as you goo. Not tried any of the sat nav offerings yet, Lane Assist Pro and Reality View Pro with the navigon looks interesting though. However the navigon can be quite slow at calculating directions apparently and doesn't do full postcode search.

I have the impression that the TomTom will just be better but at £59.99 it seems quite expensive!

Do any of them do live traffic updates?

edit: Early reviews.

 

Yeah - Copilot seems to get good reviews, if you install it correctly...

Navigon's lane assist sounds neat - but I've never heard of them before.

Is Garmin bringing an app out?

 

http://www.youtube.com/v/dyFjpVIC5qI

Very positive review. Finger getting closer to app store...

edit : Navigon is getting traffic in 'late summer' according to their website. Some people are saying the TomTom app uses maps that are 2 years old? Hmm..

 

I use copilot 6 on my HP iPaq and it's really good. Estimates time of arrival very well (except through London) and you can set your expected average speed for different types of road.

It also has a HGV option which makes it avoid tiny roads etc.

 

Good comparison of all the main GPS solutions for the iPhone:

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/iphone-navigation-app-comparison-xr5133.php

 

anyone know how much the TomTom iphone dock is going to be sold for?

i head when it's used, it's GPS will be used instead of the phone's, so ipod touch and iPhone 2G can also be used as satnav

 

Dock is going to be about £50 and we were told by it's coming "later this summer" which is nice and specific.

And yes, the dock has a GPS receiver which overrides that of the iPhone 3G. Any sat-nav software can use the GPS chip, incidentally, suggesting other manufacturers will probably have rivals out soon enough.

 

in another words, it overrides whatever the OS uses to determine location, and uses that instead?

that would mean iphone 2G or any ipod touch will be able to be a tomtom navigator

 

My friend has been playing around with the navigon and tomtom offerings. He thinks the navigon wins it..

"the way it fades the music to say the details is better than tomtom"
"i also feel tomtom have hindered the gps to make you feel their car kit is a necessary purchase"

If navigon get full postcode search out the door soon, it looks to me like the winner.

 

Yeah - I'm leaning toward Navigon now as well, due to the good reviews and the regular, rapid updates.

The 1.2 update for it looks cool, and Navigon is marginally cheaper than tom tom.

TOP TIP

Apparently Clintons Cards are doing 2 £15 iTunes vouchers for £20... So you'd be able to get your choice off nav app cheaper (Tom Tom for £40 rather than £60, for example)

 

+1 for itunes voucher tip goo! Might head up to my local clitons cards tomorrow, see if they have any stock left! Think i'll get the navigon app either way.

 

Just picked up £60 worth of vouchers for £40 . Downloading Navigon mobile navigator as i type, off to bristol later so will be able to give it a proper workout!

 

Excellent - let me know how you get on.

 

Bit the bullet and bought Navigon last night - Using the Clinton Cards method.

£59 = £40 with the iTunes vouchers, and for that I've got all of Western Europe - which will be good when I take the GOOster to Le Mans and down to Monaco...

Tried it out this morning on the way to work. The app takes a fair time to load, but once it has it gets a lock quickly, and calculates routes as fast (if not faster) than my old TomTom. I guess it may be even quicker on a 3GS (I only have a 3G)

The spoken instructions are clear, and the voice seems pleasent enough. I do like the way it partially fades down the music if you have the iPod going when it makes it's announcements. It's also a lot clearer than my old stand alone TomTom, as I have a car kit in the Jag for the iPod - so all the instructions come through the stereo.

I'm happy so far - I'll let you know more after a longer trip.

 

Sounds like it's pretty good to me.

The one thing that really annoys me about my Garmin stand-alone unit is that it takes an age to start up... Then again the flash memory is only capable of writing at 5MB/s and the mapping for Europe is ~1.7GB... :\

 

Are there any plans to intoduce 7-digit postcode searches to Navigon? I use that so much on my hacked-up Asus a600 (running TomTom), I'm not sure I could get by without it.

 

I haven't seen anything concrete yet, but do seem to have a regular release cycle.

Messing about with it this morning, I haven't even needed to use the PC search - the address entry is three step - City, Street, Number / Crossing, and is very easy.

Just trying now though, typing the first 4 digits of the PC into the city gives you a list of streets in that area.

 

ive used co-pilot 5 and 6 and both were rather pants.

yeah estimations are good and some nice features but....

issues with satellite connection though sometimes although that could have been the unit.

my main issue with co-pilot is it has no clue about new roads as the maps even with the latest update arent that new.

sometimes im driving where no road exists.

and also has NO CLUE about 1 way systems or no turnings. quite frequently it would try to direct me down 1 way streets and right at a junction where im not allowed to.

 

And? Did it get you to Bristol OK, or did it take you the scenic route via Glasgow?

I noticed they had a standalone Navigon unit on the Gadget Show last night. They didn't like it too much as it was too slow to update, due to it's fancy 3D city scapes. Good job the iPhone version doesn't have it!