Vodafone, HTC, GPS & Sat Nav - Educate Me...

danza · 23 May 2010 at 20:47

As title really.

I want to know whether I can use sat nav on my HTC Legend without it costing money to do so, or using vast chunks of my data allowance.

Do Vodafone charge anything for using GPS? That's probably an immensely noobish question, I know. Also, using Google maps for navigation obviously uses data. Are there any map packages that can be installed to the memory card to alleviate this?

I basically want to avoid having to shell out for a tom tom if I am able to use my mobile for free (or a small cost to download nav software + maps).

???!

Cheers!

Camalot · 23 May 2010 at 20:53

GPS does not use any data allowance.

The google turn by turn will use it to cache the route then data is not needed unless you go off route.

danza · 23 May 2010 at 20:56

So really, I don't need to buy anything, and can use it as is without worrying too much about data usage?

Cheers

box · 24 May 2010 at 02:29

While not having a Desire myself (yet), I expect it will be set by default to use assisted GPS, which will use your data connection to help it track satellites more quickly. You can turn this off, but you may have trouble getting the GPS to work in the cities, and it'll be slow to get started anywhere. As for Google maps, does it not download all the map images as you travel, using more data?

mrk · 24 May 2010 at 09:24

Nope!

Satellite hookup and lock is near instant on these phones as long as GPS is enabled when outdoors wherever you are really.

Google nav caches the route data during calculation so you could route over WiFi then when you leave the wifi zone and start navigating it uses the cached data to navigate.

It would use data if you enabled further layers such as wikipedia/other poi items and so on.

box · 24 May 2010 at 12:22

I stand corrected!

albert · 24 May 2010 at 18:26

I find the GPS on my desire pretty poor. When I start Google Maps it puts my location at least 1/2 a mile from where I am. Also use GPS for weather app and it gets my current location wrong. I think the GPS is more of a gimmick than anything usefull.

mrk · 24 May 2010 at 18:27

Either your phone is busted, you're trying to geolocate inside a building or you're not enabling GPS but instead approximating the location via wireless/cell networks because there's no way the "GPS" is poor on any Android phone (Can't speak for WinMo or iPhone having not used them for GPS).

danza · 24 May 2010 at 18:49

Cheers guys.

Looks like I'll be canning the idea of a dedicated sat nav and buying a mount and in car charger for my Legend. Saved beer tokens for the win!

albert · 24 May 2010 at 21:08

Khaaan! said:
Either your phone is busted, you're trying to geolocate inside a building or you're not enabling GPS but instead approximating the location via wireless/cell networks because there's no way the "GPS" is poor on any Android phone (Can't speak for WinMo or iPhone having not used them for GPS).

Ha ha, u were right. I didnt have the GPS set correctly in the settings menu.