[janitha]

@NetfreakBombay
What about your opinion on using Nokia 5800 or any other mobile GPS for in car navigation?

[splitsecond]

Agps only consume small amount of data,and my nokia n82 get connected in less than 1minute..max 2mins.All Nokia n series mobiles frm n78 have good gps units.

Originally Posted by di1in

@DerAlte I'm not sure of Nokia maps' details for cities in Kerala, the last time i tried it was pathetic. I'd prefer the hybrid view of google maps anytime for places here. But it's a different story for major areas like Kochi though.

yea you are correct according to nokia maps kerala doesn't exists,Gramin and route66 are also useless in kerala since their map provider is navteq only very few roads covered.
Mgmaps and mapmyindia are our only option.

Which software are you using?

[di1in]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

GPRS is NOT an issue at all.

GPRS is only required when you are starting the navigation. It helps is speeding up "fix", I.e. the time it takes for GPS to calculate current position.

And A-GPS can be turned off. In that case, GPRS would not be required.

If a-gps is turned off you would seriously increase your triangulation times. Agps is a technology especially designed for urban areas where the bounced signals from buildings seriously affects the initial fix. When you're in a vehicle and it's moving you're breaking all the warnings given in the nokia handbook regarding efficient usage of the gps. Thus i don't think it'll be a pleasant experience if you switch of the agps. But if the data consumption is low like netfreak says then it might not be bad, i gave my earlier opinion in light of a cnet report i'd read which stated that they were able to end up with a 50 aus dollars bill after one month of usage.

Originally Posted by janitha

Unlimited data plan for my BSNL costs only Rs.199/- per month. But speed is pathetic here.

Vodafone offers good speeds but sadly it's not unlimited anymore.

Originally Posted by splitsecond

yea you are correct according to nokia maps kerala doesn't exists,Gramin and route66 are also useless in kerala since their map provider is navteq only very few roads covered.
Mgmaps and mapmyindia are our only option.

Which software are you using?

I use GoogleMaps mobile.. it works pretty good for me.

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by janitha

@NetfreakBombay
What about your opinion on using Nokia 5800 or any other mobile GPS for in car navigation?

Most mobile GPS are difficult to use for car navigation. In my opinion, lack of touchscreen and small mobile screens are primary reason.

Nokia 5800 solves both problems to some extent. Its got touch screen and screen is good enough in size as well.

I would suggest that you pick up Garmin PND if you are visiting US. Otherwise use Nokia phone + Garmin maps on it.

I used Nokia N82 for car navigation. This is how it performed:

1. Cell charger is MUST in car. Cell does not last for more than couple of hours with GPS + navigation.
2. If you plan ahead than absolutely no issues with navigation. That is, look up destination in google maps and Garmin maps and mark destination on cell. Once you are on road, cell will just keep speaking. You need not interact with it.
3. No issues with GPS performance. It locks onto satellite in a minute. And quite accurate at turns.
4. If you miss turns or choose to use different route, Garmin/Nokia mps would adjust accordingly.
5. If you are interacting with maps in car, it feels awkward due to lack of touchscreen. E.g. to click on a restaurant to get details, you need to maneuver cursor to that point in map. With a PND you can directly touch that point.

Some area where a cell beats other devices:

1. Internet connectivity
2. Accelerometer based assistance to GPS

because of net (GPRS), you get live updates on flight status / weather
updates.

And if some POI is not present on cell, both Nokia maps and Garmin would search on net for that.

Garmin would look up that POI in Google maps if it is not present in maps on cell phone.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

... Nokia maps is expensive as it is not priced as per Indian market. ...

The maps are free, so is Navigation for the first 3 months when you start using it. Navigation service has a license cost thereafter.

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

... Accelerometer based assistance to GPS ...

And what would that be for? None of the GPS software (low or high level) query the accelerometer, or even acknowledge its existence, since 90% of handsets don't have accelerometers.

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

The maps are free, so is Navigation for the first 3 months when you start using it. Navigation service has a license cost thereafter.

Yes basic maps are free. But Navigation is too costly. Prices are here:

Nokia Europe - Extra features ? Ovi Maps ? Prices & coverage

One good thing is that you can get it just for a few days at ~100 Rs per day. No one time expenditure, just pay as you go.

[di1in]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

1. Accelerometer based assistance to GPS

because of net (GPRS), you get live updates on flight status / weather
updates.

I've heard of Accelerometer based assistance to gps only in a patent and AFAIK it hasn't been implemented. Not only that all it does is tell when the gps unit should be turned on again. So it's more a battery saving solution. Standalone units have nice big batteries right..

Btw, there's this little hack for gps units for n95-1 phones. It's done by attaching a thin OFC cable to the gps module and taking it around the phone's pcb. The guy who did it says it's really good. This and the battery trick for the phone should make it a good cheap contender.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by di1in

... there's this little hack for gps units for n95-1 phones. It's done by attaching a thin OFC cable to the gps module and taking it around the phone's pcb. ...

Enh? What kind of hack is that? That would be replacing a perfect antenna with a terrible one. Most of such observations / 'hacks' have only a psychological basis, not technical. Don't spoil your phone by doing such things, even if someone gifted you the phone.

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by di1in

I've heard of Accelerometer based assistance to gps only in a patent and AFAIK it hasn't been implemented. Not only that all it does is tell when the gps unit should be turned on again.

In Mumbai/Pune Expressway there are some longish tunnels. GPS does not work there, but phone continues to display speed.

It is my guess that it happens due to presence of accelerometer.

Originally Posted by di1in

So it's more a battery saving solution. Standalone units have nice big batteries right..

Garmin claims up to 4 hours of battery life. Would be tough to use either phone or PND without a car charger.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=13431#specsTab

[di1in]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Enh? What kind of hack is that? That would be replacing a perfect antenna with a terrible one. Most of such observations / 'hacks' have only a psychological basis, not technical. Don't spoil your phone by doing such things, even if someone gifted you the phone.

Nope, it's an old time tested hack as seen on the n95users forum. Basically it elongates the transciever aerial and even allows gps signal reception without opening the slide. Infact the n95 8gb has a similar enhancement factory fitted.

[wheeler]

I'm using Garmin Mobile XT on my N82. Last evening, I was going to a relatives place at the other end of town and I took the city bypass route. I had the GPS switched on even though I knew the way there. I wanted to check the speedo functions on the GPS. While I was on the highway, I set the cruise control to 120kmph on the car's speedo. However the GPS was showing me a constant speed of only 108kmph. Later on, at an area where the speed limits were higher, I increased my speed and set the cruise control at 140kmph. But the GPS speedo indicates the highest speed set as 126kmph.

Anyone observed such a variation between their car's speedo & the speed registered on the GPS? Which one is correct?

[di1in]

Originally Posted by wheeler

I'm using Garmin Mobile XT on my N82. Last evening, I was going to a relatives place at the other end of town and I took the city bypass route. I had the GPS switched on even though I knew the way there. I wanted to check the speedo functions on the GPS. While I was on the highway, I set the cruise control to 120kmph on the car's speedo. However the GPS was showing me a constant speed of only 108kmph. Later on, at an area where the speed limits were higher, I increased my speed and set the cruise control at 140kmph. But the GPS speedo indicates the highest speed set as 126kmph.

Anyone observed such a variation between their car's speedo & the speed registered on the GPS? Which one is correct?

There will always be a speedo error in the car, and if you've upsized or downsized your tires then there'll be more of a difference as well. The factory fitted instrument cluster isn't perfect - observed speeds and actual speeds are always different though i didn't expect as much a difference as in your case.

[wheeler]

Originally Posted by di1in

There will always be a speedo error in the car, and if you've upsized or downsized your tires then there'll be more of a difference as well. The factory fitted instrument cluster isn't perfect - observed speeds and actual speeds are always different though i didn't expect as much a difference as in your case.

I can understand speedo error if I've upsized or downsized. But I haven't changed my wheels at all. Still running on my stock tyres. And the difference is not small.

[di1in]

Originally Posted by wheeler

I can understand speedo error if I've upsized or downsized. But I haven't changed my wheels at all. Still running on my stock tyres. And the difference is not small.

What i said is there'll always be a manufacturing defect which will affect your speedo accuracy - legally this is allowed to vary around 10%. If you've upsized then this will increase again. Moreover as vehicle wear and tear happens this will increase further.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by wheeler

... Which one is correct?

Usually the GPS-based calculation is correct. But please don't try to overspeed and give this as a reason to the cops. They will book you for a couple of other things as well to reward you for trying to be over-smart!