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Calling iphone/GPS gurus


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I'm about to get a new phone for my wife and one that we might just be able to convince Telstra (need NextG) to give us is an iphone. My main question is - how much data is downloaded when using the GPS for turn by turn guidance?

 

I have a nokia E52 with this as completely free (no data download and non-assisted GPS) but i understand the iphones can't/won't do this.

 

Just wondering if anyone has any opinions/comments on the phone or GPS application?

 

The other alternative is to get another E52 so we only need one charger etc.

 

Thanks

 

Rob

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I would give iPhones a very wide berth as they are far too easy to break - especially the screen and that basically writes them off.

 

Not worth the agro for me.

 

my mates is unbreakable, he works construction so its ideal. we threw it in a bloody dam and it survived after 10minutes.

 

but i can see the advantages of an iphone, only problem is u cant text and drive hahaah:unsure

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if you're getting the iPhone 3gs, you won't use any of your data as it has an actual gps chip built into to connect with the satellites. I heard people who kept sayint ehy're crap & break easy, but I could never do without mine now, it's great, I have all the tom tom nac software along with 5 others and have jail broken it so can get all the cool games and apps I want for free :)
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I have heard from others that own an iphone that the GPS capability drains the batteries REALLY quick. One guy had it on GPS while hiking and after going for a few miles, his phone was dead. He was really bummed because it was his camera too. If you're going to use it in your car and have it plugged in, that won't be an issue.
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I have heard from others that own an iphone that the GPS capability drains the batteries REALLY quick. One guy had it on GPS while hiking and after going for a few miles, his phone was dead. He was really bummed because it was his camera too. If you're going to use it in your car and have it plugged in, that won't be an issue.

 

 

The gps does use more battery power as expected, but I'd say if you're friend was hiking, it wouldn't be the gps sucking it down, I'd think it would be his 3g searching for a stronger signal. In bad reception areas with 3g on, can really suck the life out of most phones.

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I have had my iPhone 3G for nearly 2 years now (got one right away as my plan was up)

 

Anyway, I had to have it replaced 3 times because of faults. The current one gets no more workout than being in my pocket and I again have air bubbles under the screen in 3 places.

 

The battery life is near on a joke, there are a few bugs and the button needs about 4 presses before it is recognised.

 

TBH it was really good when I first got it. Absolutely loved it, but as with all phones, ones the shimmer goes away, you can't wait to get rid of it. I just hope the Google Nexus one comes out here within the next few months and i will jump on that

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if you're getting the iPhone 3gs, you won't use any of your data as it has an actual gps chip built into to connect with the satellites. I heard people who kept sayint ehy're crap & break easy, but I could never do without mine now, it's great, I have all the tom tom nac software along with 5 others and have jail broken it so can get all the cool games and apps I want for free :)

 

Umm... No. Be careful what you advise here!

 

The Iphone has no MAP DATA natively - that is downloaded via 3g from google maps as you go.

 

If you have Jailbroken it and have alternate nav progs/data on it then yes yo won't have data charges, but as delivered a retail unmodified product will have to use 3g to get map data.

 

What I have not been able to find out from others is how much data is used for the map function. I guess it depends on how far you move (keep still and no new data needed - drive across the state and a lot of data needed).

 

Cheers

Jacob

 

Cheers

Jacob

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Congrats to Apple for being able to con so many yet again!

 

What sort of device like this has a battery wired in? Only Apple. With others a battery swap and away you go. Not Apple, you now have a brick!

 

What sort of company gives you a used (read, previously returned faulty) replacement when you take your phone for warranty repair? Only Apple

 

What a complete con!!!!!

 

The Apple name tricks some yet again.

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Disclaimer: I have no apple gear other than a Dick Smith CAT (apple ][ clone) and a sticker.

 

Congrats to Apple for being able to con so many yet again!

 

What sort of device like this has a battery wired in? Only Apple. With others a battery swap and away you go. Not Apple, you now have a brick!

 

While I don't agree with their philosophy here 100% (and for sure there is a big fat margin component too) their claim is to prevent any 3rd party issues, like Nokia has with pirate batteries. I'll be honest and say I cannot trust buying ANY nokia replacement battery - there really is no way to tell anymore. Nokia even put a scratch-off hidden serial on every battery to verify via their website. That hologram, scratch off and serial data was on the dodgy stuff within weeks...

 

Normally I would not get too peeved (yay - hit the big bad corporation) but the pirate batteries are 3rd rate crap :(

 

What sort of company gives you a used (read, previously returned faulty) replacement when you take your phone for warranty repair? Only Apple

 

Sigh. If it was only apple. I hate it with a passion, but many places do that now. Ever had a dead xbox 360? MS will send you a refurb. The list goes on...

 

Cheers

Jacob

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How many pirate Apple iPhone batts would you like? They are a dime a dozen anyway (well, actually around $4 each) so the concept of buiding it in hasn't stopped 'copy batteries'.

 

heh, I wasn't saying it stopped them - but it clearly delineates the copies from the originals. You can't say that for a lot of the other batteries out there. If anyone other than apple is offering you a battery, it is most likely to be a knockoff.

 

I have bought a battery from an optus store for a nokia years ago - turned out to be a copy - one of many that have entered way up in the supply chain.

 

Again, I didn't say I agree - it is their statement. I can see it being an OK reason, but I also believe it is spin - as their real interest as you say is to lock you in. Even better as a lot of iPeople I know use the dead battery as an excuse to upgrade to the latest iDoodad...

 

PS I would love a good source of cheap lipo's for projects - but ebay is full of lQQk!!11! RARE 400,000mah cells which probably are already puffed and may hold 200mah if you are lucky :D

 

Cheers

Jacob

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HTC H2 ...had mine for 3 months...it rocks even though its based on old tech...but upgradeable to win7 mobile ( i think)

 

 

also available on a plan with telstra.

 

Oh and a nice little feature (probably wouldnt be used by many) Im currently running my phone as a wirelss router (why, ive just changed, mobile, phone and internet and home internet will be down for 5 days). This is really nifty :). One more really nice feature is the flash for the camera - they have a torch for it...so bright and handy when you cant see in front of you...im going to show it off at the mega meat LOL

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HD2 looks like a great phone, but for mine Android is a superior operating system

 

TBH i wont go down the apple path again. It was a good phone but there are far too many quirks,

 

One of the worst is if you momentarily lose reception you can hear the person you are speaking to but they cant hear you

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I'm about to get a new phone for my wife and one that we might just be able to convince Telstra (need NextG) to give us is an iphone. My main question is - how much data is downloaded when using the GPS for turn by turn guidance?

 

The answer to the above is that it depends on what turn-by-turn navigation application you use. For the avoidance of doubt I assume you want voice guided turn by turn like a portable nav device ... so thus ruling out the in-built google maps app (for the moment).

 

So apps like TomTom, Navigon in the app store are onboard nav apps where the maps are all stored on the device. These apps will use A-GPS for a fix along with GPS, wifi, cell tower info etc ... and will generate some data, but not alot for ongoing turn-by-turn. Unless you use other features in the app that need connectivity. When a map update comes out you either get the map update or have to pay for it depending on the app, and this generates data unless the app does this while synced on a pc / updating (if download size is over xx MB)

 

I dont have itunes right now so cannot check the others in the app store but some others may be off-board nav apps where maps are downloaded for your route. These use data for this over and above the on-board data described above.

 

Also note, the GPS in the iphone is not very good .... and by law in most states now you need to have it in a cradle when in a car, which helps GPS anyway if its mounted on the windscreen. The TomTom iphone car kit cradle has GPS built-in as well to assist the crappy iphone GPS so it may be worth considering (cradle GPS connects to the iphone using bluetooth even though the cradle has a dock to charge the iphone .... so the GPS can be used with other nav apps that allow external GPS access via bluetooth).

 

Be careful in European cars however as some of these cars windscreens are magnetically shielded and have very specific zones (if any except the factory car GPS receiver in a specific position) that GPS will work properly in so this can also affect performance of whichever GPS you use.

 

 

I have a nokia E52 with this as completely free (no data download and non-assisted GPS) but i understand the iphones can't/won't do this.

 

If you use Nokia Maps for turn by turn nav then this app also uses data download for A-GPS fix, updating maps on the fly and other services if you turn them on. Again small bits of data but not "no data download"

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On my phone - Motorola Milestone (aka Droid) on Android 2.1 OS - I've done a quick test on the GPS and data use. (neat app called netcounter)

 

Using A-GPS, getting initial lock will use up around 10kb of data - but this does give a massively quick lock compared to just using the GPS chip alone. This is from a "cold" start where you have either moved from the previous time you used the GPS or just haven't used it in a while. "Hot" starts it is pretty similar.

 

Using Google maps (hacked) for turn-by-turn, on the test run from home to work 15km/30 minute drive I think I used 300-400kb of data - and this included a few route recalculations - so this is made up of A-GPS data and map reloading data.

 

If you use the satellite overlay and street view overlay - watch the data skyrocket.

 

That said - it is VERY cool to pull up at your destination with a street-view picture of it on your display running in real time.

 

I expect using the "free" Google nav option on an iPhone will be similar.

 

An on-board map option like Tom Tom can use zero data if you turn off A-GPS - disregarding the crappy GPS chip in the iPhone. On my old Nokia 6110 with Route 66 navigation - I can use it as a GPS unit with full turn-by-turn with no SIM card in it.

 

As Ninja said - I'm pretty sure Nokia maps downloads maps on the fly and is not on the SD crad like Route 66 was.

 

By the way - apparently GPS on the Telstra branded HTC Desire is borked. Stupid Tesltra bloatware and customisation. A fix is coming from telstra sometime (or flash to a standard HTC ROM).

 

re: iPhone - maybe see if you can wait it out for the new one.

The new OS won't work on iPhone 3G, will on 3GS (for now), but for some form of future security the one coming will be a better buy.

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As Ninja said - I'm pretty sure Nokia maps downloads maps on the fly and is not on the SD crad like Route 66 was.

 

 

Maps are kept on the Nokia. Data is only used for A-GPS and if you use live updating and traffic options - and it is polite enough to ask you if you want to use those options.

 

Cheers

Jacob

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