[Atlantix]

Hi Everyone,

I am completely new to smart phones, never had one... but thinking about one now, that my AT&T contract is up and can get new phones (family plan).

What I would like is a phone that can work as a stand-alone GPS unit, WITHOUT paying AT&T any service fees... sort of like my laptop does with the USB GPS receiver.

Is there such a thing? BlackBerry? Palm?

Please help my ignorance, educate me.

Thanks,

[MBW]

I'm on AT&T - there's no separate fee for having GPS features on the phone - and I'm currently using a Pearl 8110 with GPS built in - but I was using an 8100 with Bluetooth pucks - and as much as I love the 8110, I'll be getting a new BlackBerry Bold 9000 once it's out.

What works or doesn't work for you in any given phone is really more about you than the phone. I got my first BlackBerry for free and passed along my old Motorola to one of the kids. I thought, heck with the rest of it, I'll just use it as a phone. Then it hooked me.

I used to think putting e-mail messages in my pocket would make a phone an electronic leash; instead, it freed me up to roam from the desktop without ever being out of touch. I use Outlook and syncing is a joy - I have never, ever made an address book or calendar entry from the phone and all of that stuff stays up to date.

Then there's the software you can get - the navigators and mapping programs and the thing that helps you find where you parked the car and the info lookup programs. Plus there's a ton of stuff built in - a still/video camera, audio/video media player, etc.

With WiFi - which the 8110 doesn't have - you can seamlessly transit from doing voice & data over the cell network todoing it over WiFi.

The 9000-series BlackBerry Bold models have all of that plus a faster processor, a faster 3G data connections, better display resolution, keys with just one letter each, etc. If you can wait for that (nobody's saying, but I'm thinking September - because AT&T intros the second-generation iPhone later in June and I'm betting they twisted AT&T's arm into getting a 90-day window of being newer than BB.

But to your point - this ain't Verizon (not even sure they do it any more) - there's no charge from the carrier associated with having GPS on the phone.

Do, however, opt for the unlimited data plan - and ask your AT&T rep if they're offering a "BlackBerry package" service bundle.

[Atlantix]

Thanks BMW,

but this is not exactly what I was looking for. You say 'get the xyz data plan'... why would I need that when the GPS is already built in the phone?

I guess it works different... with my laptop, I just bought the GPS receiver, loaded up the software and never had to pay a dime to anyone - what is different with a smart phone and WHY is it different?

(I don't need internet and e-mail on the phone).

Atlantix

[penguin3107]

Originally Posted by Atlantix

Thanks BMW,

but this is not exactly what I was looking for. You say 'get the xyz data plan'... why would I need that when the GPS is already built in the phone?

I guess it works different... with my laptop, I just bought the GPS receiver, loaded up the software and never had to pay a dime to anyone - what is different with a smart phone and WHY is it different?

(I don't need internet and e-mail on the phone).

Atlantix

You need a data plan to download the actual maps.
GPS will give you coordinates, but nothing more. You need maps to actual display that GPS data in a usable format.
Since maps don't get stored on the device (like your laptop does) you need a data plan to download them on the fly.

There's one or two mapping applications that do store maps on the SD card for the BlackBerry, but I seriously doubt they're what you're looking for.

[Atlantix]

Aha.

Palm phones work the same way? Those seem to have more sophisticated software and larger storage. Showing my ignorance I guess... have never looked into these things.

Thanks,

[penguin3107]

Originally Posted by Atlantix

Aha.

Palm phones work the same way? Those seem to have more sophisticated software and larger storage. Showing my ignorance I guess... have never looked into these things.

Thanks,

Never used a Palm. Probably never will.

[saua]

Originally Posted by Atlantix

Palm phones work the same way? Those seem to have more sophisticated software and larger storage. Showing my ignorance I guess... have never looked into these things.

The storage capacity is no longer the problem (you can easily add 2 or 4 GB via a MicroSD-card), but for some reason there just isn't any navigation software for the BlackBerry out there that doesn't use online maps. Technically it should be possible, but it's not done.