In article <1188588134.445815.4600@i38g2000prf.googlegroups.c om>,
mrripcurl@yahoo.com.au says...
> On Aug 31, 9:25 pm, "Ric" <N...@Way.com> wrote:
> > Sorry if this subject has been addressed before, but I'm considering the new
> > 3G N95. Could someone please suggest which mapping software is best for this
> > phone. I'll be using it in the northeast U.S. and, ideally, would like
> > verbal, turn-by-turn directions to substitute for my in-dash car unit.
>
> If you want the N95 mainly for its GPS the short answer is not to
> buy. The GPS is very slow compared with what you probably already
> have in your in-dash unit, and most third party mapping s/w does not
> work with it. You need to purchase from Nokia their own stuff (there
> may be exceptions to this rule but I don't think there is one that
> covers NE USA tho another member may be able to confirm or deny that).
> The N95 GPS will work in a car so long as you can set it up to sit on
> dashboard with keyboard open (as GPS hidden under keyboard and has
> problems if unit closed up) and don't do too much work in heavily
> built-up areas (as needs almost direct line of sight to satellites
> unlike more modern systems). Be aware that it also affected by cloud
> cover! The GPS is a nice add-on for walkers who want the other
> features of the phone. See countless articles in many of the symbian
> sites as well as here. If you do buy N95 make sure get latest firmware
> as 1.10 the slowest of the lot.
>
>
OK - allow me to correct a couple of things in here.
The GPS certainly WAS slow - useless in fact. But the latest firmware
update (v12.xxx) has made a HUGE difference. My N95 used to take 10
minutes or more to lock on - now it take between 12 and 17 seconds.
Suddenly, it has become useful.
The maps are excellent - they are downloaded from Nokia using
"Maploader" software from their website, and cover almost everywhere on
the planet. Yes - that DOES include ALL of the USA. Just been over
there from here in Australia, and had my N95 working in NYC perfectly.
And all the maps are free. Buy a dedicated GPS unit like a TomTom, and
you'l pay several hundred dollars extra for maps of countries other than
the one in which you bought the unit. The N95 maps cost nothing, and I
spent about an hour in total downloading to the PC then uploading to the
phone the maps for a round the world trip we've just done.
Voice commands - if you really need them - are purchased through the
phone. I used them in London with the rented car I was driving, and I
purchased 1 week's worth of voice guidance for about $7 which was added
to my phone bill. So I didn't need voice guidance in other cities we
visited on the round the world trip, including Florence, Budapest,
Luxembourg, Quebec, Calgary, Vancouver and others, since we did most of
our exploring on foot and public transport. You don't need voice
guidance for that - just look at the phone, and now with the fast lock-
on, turn the phone's GPS off between checkpoints. It only takes a few
seconds to lock on again when turned back on. So you only pay for the
voice guidance you need - which generally is not much.
Bottom line - I got rid of a Navman GPS unit and bought the N95, but
initially was very disappointed in it due mainly to the ridiculously
long lock on times. The new firmware has reversed that, and I now do
not need anything else. We're heading off back overseas in 2 weeks, and
the N95 is the only GPS I will take.
Highly recommended - but make sure it has the latest firmware. If it
doesn't, it is available using the phone updater software from the Nokia
website.
Hope that helps
--
NightStalker
Linear Mode
