Mobile Phones and Sat Nav

[JonnyT]

Anybody had any experience with the new mobile phones that have sat nav on them. Looks like a pretty cheap way of getting a PDA and Sat nav all in one with the MDA Vario or something similar. But it seems so cheap relatively that I am a little suspicious.

Can you get a database of speed cameras on it as well like the road angel?

[paolo]

The PDA bit is a standard Windows Mobile 2003 device and there are numerous bits of sat nav software you can get for them.

I know someone who recently bought one with the TomTom bundle and he says it's excellent.

The only downside to these is as a phone they're quite bulky and you look a bit of a prat sticking the brick to your ear. Nothing a bluetooth headset can't solve of course

[Ricky]

Hi, i have the new mini xda( by o2)it works very well as a sat nav aw well as alot of other things.. all you will need to buy is a bigger mini sd card and a wireless or bluetooth reciver. You can still recive calls etc as normal( if you use the TOMTOM software)

Regards

[dingdong]

I had big problems with the xda 2s and the tom tom!! It kept on stalling and crashing if any other programmes were used! Saying that I managed to go through 5 xda 2s in 14 months!!

[Ricky]

Originally Posted by dingdong

I had big problems with the xda 2s and the tom tom!! It kept on stalling and crashing if any other programmes were used! Saying that I managed to go through 5 xda 2s in 14 months!!

You prob didnt update the version of windows you were running. I had the same prob updated it and used a bigger memory card and it runs fine. But thats on a mino XDA the 2 is totaly different and twice the size!!

[JonnyT]

If you get the tom tom software bundle does that have the speed cameras on it?

And yes for those who haven't guessed I have been initiated into the 3 points brigade - 82 in a 70 zone!!!

I might also get one of those illegal fag packets for resting on the dash.

[Ricky]

They are legal.. they only provide information and at the moment there is'nt a law against them.

The TOMTOM 5 and above will have the speed cameras.

Regards

[spoonies]

I have had a T-mobile SDA and Co-pilot software + GPS box for the last year. It's a small unit, looks like a standard phone, runs Windows mobile and is a superb sat nav unit complete with the usual free speed camera updates and a good range of Points of Interest.
I use it everyday (travelling salesman!) and can give this combination my full recommendation 'cos it's easy to use and so much less bulky than TomTom/Garmin units and it's multifunction, it's cheaper and doesn't leave a tell tale bracket on your screen!
Colin

[JonnyT]

Sounds like a firm recommendation Colin - do you just download the TomTom software onto it with the speed camera data on it or does it come with it?

[Wilburn]

I wouldn't bother with the mobile phone solution, I have 2 tomtom go's (tomtom 700 and original one) and find they are far better as they are dedicated GPS units.