AT&T Unleashes Turn-by-Turn GPS App

[samab]

If you don't pay for the yearly updates, the stand-alone gps units still works (with outdated maps) However, if you don't pay the $10 monthly subscription, shall the app work? I don't think so.

Along with outdated maps, you also don't have live traffic information and automatic live traffic re-routing. NONE of the one-time payment iphone nav apps come with live traffic information and automatic live traffic re-routing.

Reality is a lot more complex than just "onetime payment good, subscription fees bad".

 

[Tunnelrunner]

Along with outdated maps, you also don't have live traffic information and automatic live traffic re-routing. NONE of the one-time payment iphone nav apps come with live traffic information and automatic live traffic re-routing.

Reality is a lot more complex than just "onetime payment good, subscription fees bad".

Not to take sides here (I love Telenav and swear by it BUT I will also be getting the TomTom app as a backup to Telenav in the unlikely event I lose a data connection--it's honestly never happened before but you never know) but I did want to also point out that it IS nice to not have to install a 1-2GB monster on your iPhone. Ex: everytime G-Map releases an update, it takes me about 1-2 hours (on Wi-Fi) to complete the update and get it on my iPhone. When I installed 1.7 (IIRC?) GB-sized Sygic, it took 2 hours to download and another 30 minutes to sync onto the iPhone. So updating on one-time fee/non-subscription GPS apps that have pre-loaded maps is usually a very time and space consuming process. Again, not advocating one side over the other (I do believe everyone should have one of both), just pointing out something that I think a lot of people never think about because they just want something that doesn't have a monthly fee.

 

[d21mike]

Along with outdated maps, you also don't have live traffic information and automatic live traffic re-routing. NONE of the one-time payment iphone nav apps come with live traffic information and automatic live traffic re-routing.

Reality is a lot more complex than just "onetime payment good, subscription fees bad".

Not sure you are accurate as it relates to LIVE Information.

Not sure what the following cost but I think there are options for live traffic on the standalone units if needed. I have not used them on my unit because I don't travel that much on a daily basis.


On the Garmin Web Site:

The addition of XM Traffic, Weather and Radio services to your compatible Garmin makes driving with GPS essential, even if you know where you're going. With an optional subscription to XM NavTraffic™, your Garmin notifies you of accidents, road construction, and weather-related traffic delays before they are encountered, and then offers an alternate route. XM WX Weather™ brings real-time, animated weather data directly to your unit, so you can steer clear of bad weather. Add XM Satellite Radio to the mix for hours of commercial-free listening enjoyment

On the TomTom Web Site:

Including 3 month trial to LIVE Services in the UK: a real-time connection to HD Traffic, Safety Alerts, Fuel prices, Local search with Google and more.

 

[samab]

Not sure you are accurate as it relates to LIVE Information.

Not sure what the following cost but I think there are options for live traffic on the standalone units if needed. I have not used them on my unit because I don't travel that much on a daily basis.


On the Garmin Web Site:

The addition of XM Traffic, Weather and Radio services to your compatible Garmin makes driving with GPS essential, even if you know where you're going. With an optional subscription to XM NavTraffic™, your Garmin notifies you of accidents, road construction, and weather-related traffic delays before they are encountered, and then offers an alternate route. XM WX Weather™ brings real-time, animated weather data directly to your unit, so you can steer clear of bad weather. Add XM Satellite Radio to the mix for hours of commercial-free listening enjoyment

On the TomTom Web Site:

Including 3 month trial to LIVE Services in the UK: a real-time connection to HD Traffic, Safety Alerts, Fuel prices, Local search with Google and more.

There aren't too many iphone nav apps around --- the one-time payments iphone nav apps are Sygic, Navigon, XRoad's G-Map. None of them include live traffic information and automatic live traffic re-routing.

With respect to stand-alone GPS nav devices, the cheaper devices don't come with FM receivers --- so you have to buy a separate FM receiver hardware unit and buy a separate live traffic subscription. The more expensive devices come with built-in FM receivers, so you just have to get the live traffic subscription.

 

[johnntd]

Navigon has lifetime traffic report

There aren't too many iphone nav apps around --- the one-time payments iphone nav apps are Sygic, Navigon, XRoad's G-Map. None of them include live traffic information and automatic live traffic re-routing.

With respect to stand-alone GPS nav devices, the cheaper devices don't come with FM receivers --- so you have to buy a separate FM receiver hardware unit and buy a separate live traffic subscription. The more expensive devices come with built-in FM receivers, so you just have to get the live traffic subscription.

For about $250 you can get the Navigon with lifetime traffic report. I have a Garmin Nuvi ($169) with $70 lifetime map update and $120 lifetime traffic report subcription.

 

[samab]

For about $250 you can get the Navigon with lifetime traffic report. I have a Garmin Nuvi ($169) with $70 lifetime map update and $120 lifetime traffic report subcription.

But you have to be careful with so-called lifetime subscriptions.

Navigon just got out of the US PND market --- so if you bought a Navigon device, you have to wonder whether those lifetime subscriptions would mean anything in the future.