Newbie GPS help

rboyer224 · 05-08-08, 01:44 PM

Hello. Please be gentle. I have yet to receive my phone (birthday gift next week) but have some questions about the GPS feature. I see a lot of people talk about different gps software to use. Doesn't the tilt come with its' own? If you do use a different software, do I still need the $9.99 Navigation package from AT&T? I'm very confused about this GPS feature but plan on using it. Should I pay the $10 or not and buy a different software? Does using a differnt software also have monthly costs associated with it? How does a Tilt phone work with TomTom software? Could I possibly ask anymore questions???? I appreciate any help. Thanks.

Julie · 05-08-08, 02:12 PM

You'll find that the cost of GPS is wrapped up in the maps you use. If you subscribe to the AT&T $10 a month product, the maps you'd use will not be installed on your Pocket PC. You will use online maps and the use of the maps is dependent on an ongoing data connection - so you'll also need to be sure to subscribe to AT&T's data plan (probably an unlimited plan if you'll be using it a lot).

You can also purchase GPS software that includes an application and the maps. You'll install the maps, probably to your storage card, and, other than the cost of purchasing the software, the use of GPS will be free.

I don't know about the tilt, but when I purchased my hw6925, there was a 60 day demo of GPS software included with it. After 60 days I had to buy the software or some other software to continue using navigational software on my pocket pc.

Here's a link to an article I wrote about GPS - mainly in regards to the hw6925, but you may find it interesting too:

From my pocket to yours....: Basic GPS

05-08-08, 02:22 PM

Basically the tilt has an onboard GPS receiver... Like Juile said, If you don't want to buy GPS software then you'll need to pay the $10/mo + monthly data plan and you're guidance would be conditional on your data reception.

I use iGuidance and store the maps on the MicroSD card and there's no additional cost incurred and I'm not restricted to only go into locations that I can get a cel signal.

madzamboni · 05-08-08, 03:28 PM

Like you, I am a newbie and have only had my Tilt less than a week. One thing I found very useful was a free application called "Live Search Mobile" which was free.

This allowed me to get driving directions from address to address or current GPS position to address, showed me traffic, showed cheapest gas prices around me, as well as a bunch of features.

This does what I need, so I bypassed the ATT Telenav.:approve:

Good luck!

rboyer224 · 05-08-08, 04:37 PM

Wow, thanks guys. You're awesome, and polite. So, if I purchase an aftermarket software and download to a SD card, do most people keep it on a seperate SD card and put that card in when they want to use it? Any recommendations on GPS software? Thanks again.

05-08-08, 04:51 PM

I use iGuidance; I have the program and the map data for about 15 states on a 6GB card along with a boatload of MP3's.... it's not even 1/2 full

The only other thing you might want to look into would be a mount of some sort for while you're driving.

05-08-08, 04:54 PM

Just noticed that there's a free 14 day trial too

Julie · 05-08-08, 05:09 PM

I use iGuidance too, but I have the most recent version (Rogue6 what version are you running?). With the latest version, you have one "seamless" map, so you won't download just the states you're intertested in, and you'll need to devote 2 GB of storage space to the application.

I'd say most people install their navigational software to storage cards - the maps can be quite large and you probably don't want to use up all the memory on the pocket pc with maps. It also makes sense to have the software set up on storage cards if you plan to use different types of navigational software based on the types of activities you'll use the GPS for (i.e., driving, hiking, geocaching etc.),

rboyer224 · 05-08-08, 07:18 PM

Thanks again. Is the Live search mobile using GPS or the cell signal? Also, on the iGuidance, is the one seamless map the whole country?

Oh, one more thing....what do most of you use? Loading a gps software and using the gps signals or using a data link and online maps?

Julie · 05-08-08, 08:17 PM

The Live search mobile combines the GPS receiver on your pocket pc with online maps, similar to the service you'd pay $10 a month for on AT&T.

With iGuidance, the seamless map is the whole country.

I might use a free option like Live search or Google maps, which combines the GPS receiver with online maps from time to time, but I would never rely on it as my primary GPS solution. The Edge/GPRS connection is just not that stable, especially when I'm moving around.

05-08-08, 11:56 PM

Julie,
I'm running v3 of iGuidance with the updated patch, I missed the discounted upgrade window to get to v4 and I refuse to pay them full price again

Julie · 05-09-08, 12:34 AM

I think you can stiil get the upgrade for $79. The free upgrade was for people that purchased v3 a few weeks before the v4 update was available...that offer expired, but the $79 upgrade price is still in effect.

05-09-08, 10:13 AM

Yes, thats what they said, but a $79 upgrade fee for a product that was $99 to begin with seems hardly worth it.

rboyer224 · 05-17-08, 02:32 PM

Hello again. Does anybody know where I can download either of these programs rather than ordering them and waiting for the DVD to get here? Thanks.

anthonyy · 04-30-09, 04:57 PM

My entire family has had Telenav’s service for the past 2-3 years, and we will never switch. I don’t recall the exact price of the Telenav service back then, but they did give my entire family the first month free. Now I’m paying less than 40 bucks a month on some deal from ATT for the four of us, which is a great deal.