# Mobile Phones With Satnav



## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

Other than the Nokia N95, are there other phones with satnav built in? The usual websites such as CPW allow searches on some features but not this one.

I'd prefer a normal phone rather than a blackberry

Any recommendations?


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## PhilM (Nov 5, 2004)

What about the HP iPaq range, they run on windows OS but are okay IMO


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## SeattleMike (Apr 22, 2008)

Samsung Blackjack II maybe?

What about just getting a good standalone GPS?


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## johnbrigade (Oct 15, 2007)

I think the Blackberry 8110 and 8310 offer GPS solutions, although you may have to subscribe to the mapping.

I never got round to working out the satnav on my N95 before I sold it. I tried it once and thought it was rubbish so stuck with my tomtom. Apparently the GPS receiver on an N95 only picks up 3 satellites at once (I believe satnav systems in general use 3 satellites to locate you, but something like a tomtom has 12 identified by your device at once).

If you want an all in one, something like the HTC or iMate (ie XDA) devices that run windows mobile will let you run a sat nav set up with a bluetooth receiver and will probably be more reliable than the N95


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## sssammm (Oct 7, 2003)

Ive got tomtom on my nokia N73, use it with a tiny bluetooth gps reciever,

works great

sam


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

I have a N95 8GB and its superb right out of the box. It has Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) which essentially means that it can get a much faster lock by asking the cellphone network where it is for the initial position fix and then makes it easier to get the satellite fix.

I have no experience of the N95, but the 8GB is just great. Maintains it's lock on the satellites easily in my shirt pocket whilst I am walking around, and its free on most networks for not much contract money. Got mine on O2 for Â£35 pm.


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## johnbrigade (Oct 15, 2007)

ESL, do you have to pay the data rate on your tariff to use A-GPS and is it working the whole time you are using it or does it only receive the data when it starts up?


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## Race2theredline (Mar 30, 2008)

Robert

How about the Nokia 6110 navigator? Review here:

http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_6110_navigator-review-173.php

R2TR


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

Thanks for your suggestions.

The 6110 looks good but not that easy to find.

The N95 8gb seems to be the one but its about Â£495 sim-free so I might wait until it comes down in price.

I have a Tomtom just now but when I'm away on business I have to take it and a phone (and sometimes two chargers) so i am hoping to get one unit that does both. The tomtom is 3.5 years old and nearing the end of its life - needs new maps too - hence giving thought to this at the moment.

Thanks again.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

I know you said you weren't keen on a Blackberry type of phone but I have a Nokia E61 which although a bit big an excellent phone and reasonably priced sim free and can be loaded with a few different satnavs.

No idea about the sat nav on it, never been able to figure out how it works, if I get lost I just ask a policeman.

:lol:


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## squareleg (Mar 6, 2008)

I understand the* iPhone* doesn't use GPS but gets its location from triangulating signals from mobile phone masts. It then references that info to 'Google Maps'. Probably excellent in areas of good coverage but may be patchy out in the wilds. You wouldn't want to be using it on Dartmoor, for instance... On the plus side, it runs on Mac OS. Nuff said. (I don't have one, btw).


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## foztex (Nov 6, 2005)

I was looking into this lately and ended up with a Blackberry 8310, very happy with it.

Most mobile phone satnav appears to use the GPRS or G3 net connection to download maps as and when required, so watch out for that as there is a subscription and the connection charges to take into account.

Offline mapping software with built in maps is also a bit pricey (e.g. the same cost as a medium priced TomTom).

Hence my choice of the Blackberry. It has a built in GPS receiver so knows where it is free and I use Trekbuddy which is open source mapping software. You download the google map you need at home, bung it on the BB and then youve free navigation when out. It's not like a TomTom though and doesnt give you directions, just shows you where you are on the map. But thats fine for me as I am usually walking when away on business and am also not used to the luxury that is being told where to go so I still have the ability to read a map 

cheers

Andy


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

Robert said:


> Other than the Nokia N95, are there other phones with satnav built in? The usual websites such as CPW allow searches on some features but not this one.
> 
> I'd prefer a normal phone rather than a blackberry
> 
> Any recommendations?


Are you against the N95? I had one with no problems. Obviously with the new model it may be old hat now.


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## abp (Feb 2, 2008)

I've also had a blackberry foisted on me. i think it's an 8800. It has GPS which uses satellites (so i am assuming it is not the triangulation method noted earlier). It works well, but isn't a patch on a TomTom obviously. It takes a while to find the satellites, but once it knows where you are it can do all the other things like work out your directions pretty well. As far as i know it's standard, and doesn't need any special subscription...

I did previously have PDA phone with Tom Tom loaded on it; that worked really well, just as good as the proper Tom Tom.

Cheers,

Antony


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## feenix (May 27, 2008)

Mrcrowley said:


> Robert said:
> 
> 
> > Other than the Nokia N95, are there other phones with satnav built in? The usual websites such as CPW allow searches on some features but not this one.
> ...


If you want an 'all in one' solution, you could do a lot worse than the SPV m700 on Orange. Its a PDA type phone, with built in GPS. I've been running this for a little over a year now with Tomtom rather than the original satnav software included by Orange.

If you want cheap and cheerful option then have a look on Ebay for one of the older SPV c500 models. You'll need to have a separate GPS unit but they function brilliantly and are a relatively small unit. Mind you anything is small after lugging around a Tomtom unit.


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## squareleg (Mar 6, 2008)

> Mind you anything is small after lugging around a Tomtom unit.


 :huh: at about 5" x 4" it's hardly a suitcase. Each to his own. I wouldn't be without mine.


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

Mrcrowley said:


> Are you against the N95? I had one with no problems. Obviously with the new model it may be old hat now.


Not at all, I was just aware of it already. It might be the one or failing that the Orange SPV



squareleg said:


> > Mind you anything is small after lugging around a Tomtom unit.
> 
> 
> :huh: at about 5" x 4" it's hardly a suitcase. Each to his own. I wouldn't be without mine.


When travelling I just want to travel light so was looking for the ideal solution. My TomTom is one of the original ones so its rather heavy and bulky in today's terms. It doesn't hold its charge much so I need to carry the charger with me. I've also never updated the maps so was going to have to pay for that (3.5 years old now).

Anyway, thanks for all your input guys. My brain starts to hurt when considering this type of thing. I would really like a N95 but can't afford one at the moment.

Got an email the other day from Nectar linking to Comet to get the RAC200 for Â£65. I think I'll go for that and think again about a phone with GPS at some time in the future


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## Fatbloke (Oct 15, 2007)

I have the nokia n82 it came with sat nav built in and it works very well

similar features to the n95 i think


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

johnbrigade said:


> ESL, do you have to pay the data rate on your tariff to use A-GPS and is it working the whole time you are using it or does it only receive the data when it starts up?


Sorry, missed this reply and query: Yes you do pay a little for data (depending upon your contract), but it only asks the network for data at GPS switch-on (if A-GPS is selected) and if it ever loses the sat fix. Based upon my usage, it's around a couple of kilobytes per fix, so should not cost much at all dependant upon your tariff.

Brilliant phone: switched to offline when flying to Munich the other day; watched an inflight movie on the phone; went back online at Munich aiport, activated GPS and had a location fix - inside the airport - within 10 seconds, then used it to navigate myself in a hire car to Immenstadt, about a 2 hour drive away - straight to my hotel door.

I can't complain.


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