Blogs Using the iPhone as a sat nav

http://www.bit-tech.net/blog/2009/09/01/using-the-iphone-as-a-sat-nav-device/

 

...So basically the software is good, but the GPS chip on the iPhone is god awful?

 

i plan to use my iPhone 2G as GPS when the TomTom car dock comes out. the way it "enhances" your GPS is by providing an alternative GPS chip, once pluged in, the phone's local services will use that instead of whatever the phone offers.

so in theory, it is possible to use ipod touch or iphone 2G with the dock. (or so i've read)

 

So basically the thing has a GPS chip, and it works, except if you want to use it? How can this be, didn't Jobs' Mob test this at all?

I never jumped on the iBandwagon, so i guess i classify as a hater, but this all sounds very much like when the iPhone was first released and people were reporting it was fantastic, except when you wanted to use it as a phone.

 

Hmm.. I wonder if it's because of the windscreen on your vehicle - it's a known issue that heat-reflective windscreens bugger up a gps signal. What gps chip is used in the iPhone? Is it sirfstarIII? Does the gps download updates for itself? I'd assume so as you say it can get a quick fix. Does the TomTom mount use a sirfstarIII chip?

I also thought the TomTom software worked off a sort of predictive gps, e.g. if you were going through a tunnel, it would take a guess from the speed and direction and not lose it's signal, but lose it's signal, as such?

 

Navigon + iPhone + Jag S-Type = Win.

http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=173274

Works flawlessly for me. Lane assist is great (helped a lot at the weekend on a trip to Brum and back via Spagetti Junction), and I love the way that it fades down the music currently playing from the iPod when it announces upcoming turns and lane changes.

 

Built in Nav is the only thing that'll work in my 406, two different standalone bluetooth devices and a tomtom failed to get a lock. Bloody French and there bloody metalic windscreen....

/wanders off muttering.

 

have managed to use the Maps app itself while driving (rather, a passenger was being my navigator using the Maps app) and it's performance was very good, it kept up quite well and didn't lose the signal. i've yet to try one of the paid navigation apps though

 

I use my Garmin SatNav in my Peugeot and very rarely have issues with the GPS signal, likewise with my BlackBerry.

 

navigation on my HTC TOUCH pro 2 is smooth and accurate, easily getting GPS fix etc, you should have not moved away from HTC IMO.

 

Having navigation/map options on ANY phone (or similar portable device) is always a godsend.

Interestingly though, it would appear it is illegal in Australia for you to take advantage of these aids while driving. This link (which may not be a fully reputable source) is about a man who was pulled over for using the iPhone as a sat nav.

 

ta for the review. Every time i go for a poo i like to buy new apps. a bad habit i suppose, and i`ve looked at the tomtom one for a while, they can poke it. 60quid is a ripoff if the iphone cant actually cope with it.

spider Cheesecake right now.

 

Wikimap

Check out Wikimap. It allows users to save open street maps (osm) for offline navigation and browsing. It also allows users to view and share new waypoints, images, and wiki pages to other wikimap users.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=313803704&mt=8

 

QFT.

I have an HTC Touch Diamond and Tom Tom works beautifully on it: GPS lock on is very quick (providing that the A-GPS data is up to date), the animation and scrolling is smooth, it will not freeze if driving through a tunnel, I can use live traffic services... It's like using a dedicated unit, but having the convenience of only having to carry my phone.

A friend of mine recently purchased Tom Tom for his iPhone 3G S and having seen it in operation, I'm very very glad that I've stuck to HTC for the time being. The biggest advantage in HTC phones is the community behind it - places such as www.xda-developers.com. There are many many tweaks and improvements that can be made to it, even if you don't want to flash the radio or OS ROMs (although I'd highly recommend doing so - it's fair to say that the BT audience are considered enthusiasts, and not afraid of rolling one's sleeves up ). With the iPhone, the only way to do this is to jailbreak the phone, and even then I doubt whether it's possible to completely reconfigure the OS in the same way as you can with Windows Mobile.

PS, this is not an anti-Apple rant. I prefer the flexibility and open-ness of Windows Mobile for the time being, but I am a fan of the iPhone. In fact, since I got my iPod touch, I'm starting to use my phone pretty much only as a WiFi router so I can get online with my iPod! Well, and for calls & messages, obviously... It does make me regret not getting an iPhone, but I'm still very eager to see Windows Mobile 7.

 

Why do Apple reIease a phone with a inferior GPS chip? Surely at such a pricetag, one would expect it to work out of the box and not rely on phone mast data?

I also want to endorse www.xdadevelopers.com as a good source for all Win Mo users.
I too can't wait for Windows Mobile 7. Really want it for my Touch HD. Only problem is that I lack a inbuilt Chip, but have it working with a Holux external box, which also doubles as GPS on my laptop.

BLC <-- have you tried EnergyROM 3? made by NRGz228, it's how the OS really should be. Way more intuitive to use..

 

I haven't tried any of the recent versions - I'm using GenY 2.10 at the moment. Lots of lovely free RAM with this one .

 

As far as im concerned its the TomTom / CoPilot offerings that are inferior not the hardware itself. I've used the Navigon AG software up / down motorways, down country lanes and in the middle of cities and i've never lost gps reception. It can take a min to lock on but once its going it's pretty decent.