GPS PDA/phone: Geek warning!

[Monyx]

Wifey was after a new phone that ran Word,Excel so I looked into it to make sure to get a GPS unit that I can steal away on weekends.

Bought the HTC Touch Cruise, it's got all the usual stuff: 3G, internet, Windows/Office, Wifi, Bluetooth, 3MP camera & has onboard GPS.

Pair it with BT mcycle headphones and you have turn-by-turn instructions while you're riding, listen to mp3 or take calls.

Finally I tip ordering from Clove technology UK, save couple hundred off Oz prices even with the shipping, 2 yr warranty (but have to send back) and importantly the UK ver comes with TomTom Navigator6 GPS software which I reckon is better than Copilot (you gotta get Oz maps though).

A true GPS unit is far superior to phones that don't have GPS but still use maps (these might be all the Googlemap phones?) the reason being that once out of the mobile network range...no more maps/gps - pretty useless for any decent ride away from the Zzzz-ways.


Mark.

[mybb]

I have a HTC touch cruise, I'm also a computer programmer. Soon my phone gps will work like a road angel with camera warning but will be updateable by anyone that wishes to subscribe, upload and download mobile and fixed camera positions...who is the geek now.. me. haha

[Astro]

You can apparently get GPS directions when you're out of mobile phone range as long as you have line of sight to the sky. The sat nav doesn't rely on the mobile network... its a direct satt connect I believe. I'm looking at buying one too. HTC is well known in Europe, but relatively new here.

Mybb.... I'm getting one of these units for business. I don't know if I should go with Windows version of NS Palm Basic or... go find the developers extn for my vb6 and go that way. Which are you using? I'd be interested to see what 'tweaks' we can make to the GPS software.

Out of interest Monyx, if you don't mind sharing the details can I ask (1) supplier details (2) what it cost from the UK... and (3) how much for the Oz maps?

[Timj]

Go ahead spending $$s on maps or visit www.ppcwarez.org for free maps. Been using HTC P3600i for a little over a year with TomTom & Destinator gps software. Gunna be selling for maybe $450 as going to buy another phone on trip home via Dubai next weekend. Currently in Ireland, did LeMans motogp last weekend, off to Mugello in Italy tomorrow evening, back home in Perth on 6th June, then got 7 days to organise finance on new 08 Busa :) :)

[Monyx]

Astrobusa: (1) Supplier I used as in the orig post (2) including shipping $784 on my credit card statement (3) $149.95 from TomTom, but I 'sourced' them from elsewhere for per TimJ suggestion.
cheers Mark

[BUSGO]

I have plenty of friends who often tell me where to go - for FREE!

























Not often, how the get there though....

[Ozboc]

I have plenty of friends who often tell me where to go - for FREE!

yeh , met too -- and some that i don't even know also :)

Boc

[steventh]

Hi Guys,

Just to clarify differnet navigator systems. Some phones use the mobile network to triangulate and get a fix - these rely on being in the mobile network range (often you also subscribe for the maps).

"Car type" navigator systems (Tom Tom etc) use satellites for triangulation originally for miltiary use. They do not need the mobile network.

GPS / GPRS - Confused??

GPS (Global Positioning Satellite I believe) uses the satellites and requires a seperate antenna. It is not mobile network dependant. This is used by "car navigators"

GPRS is a type of mobile network that allows high speed data (similar to 3G phones etc). It is not the same as GPS.

If you want true navigation make sure your phone has GPS.

Steven

[DjPete]

Ive often wondered if browsers etc get used on mobile phones.
Do they?
How the hell do you get used to the small buttons etc?
As for GPS I am converted.
I swear by it.

[TimF]

There was some phone internet-browsing many moons ago when the now defunct WAP protocol came into being.

I don't go for mobile phones very much but I understand many of them run Java consoles, and iPhone has the Safari browser from Mac OSX which I *think* is now open source.

No doubt there are plenty of other platforms using the Opera browser.