AT&T Unleashes Turn-by-Turn GPS App

[notjustjay]

Everyone who brings up the cost of a Garmin or TomTom, also remember that in addition to map updates, you'd also be paying a small monthly fee for the equivalent traffic updates on your standalone unit.

Of course, on those units, you have the option to not subscribe to those services, just as you have the option to not purchase map updates. The map on my GPS is very old and occasionally that gets me into trouble.

 

[Excellerator]

Dude first of all it is $10.73 to be exact. I just checked at http://www.att.com/directbill

I am not bitching about the $10 a month, but you are correct they are charging already. I thought the website said the first 30 days were free?????

http://www.wireless.att.com/source/connect/navigator/

 

[chimerical]

Are we automatically subscribed if we download the app?

 

[Hawkeye411]

Boycott Apps with Monthly Fees or Payments for Extra Lvl's

The great thing about the iPhone was the lack of these monthly fees for software. However, when the were describing the "features" that would be available in 3.0, which included the ability to charge for extra lvl's in games and to charge monthly fees I thought .... well that was fun while it lasted. Now we are going to get gouged!!

Monthly fees are complete BS in my opinion. I will NEVER pay for, or use an app that requires a monthly fee or "offers" upgrades or extra lvl's for a fee!!

 

[Sense Field]

Why don't we all just bend over and give AT&T seconds? I have to assume most people who have iPhones are paying around the same amount as me ($110/month). I don't think I really want AT&T to get more of my monthly pie.

 

[kobefan234]

all att cares about is $

 

[NateOMatic]

That's no good, Garmin uses NAVTEQ maps which are more accurate in North America, they also have a better route calculating engine. TomTom uses Tele Atlas maps, not quite as accurate. I'd rather have Garmin, but may consider Navigon or TomTom. I'm sure others will come out as well.

G-map uses Navteq map data; that's actually why I got it in the first place. I was a little bummed about Google having switched to TeleAtlas data so I searched "navteq" and came up with G-map, which is the turn-by-turn app I now use.

On another note, I would love to see an app that uses Zenrin (Japan) map data offline. There is an app called JapanMap that streams Zenrin data, which is of course no use to me when I go there at current data roaming rates... Unfortunately the various offline city-map apps out there all use Open Street Map, which is not very complete in Japan yet.

 

[JonB3Z]

Monthly fees are complete BS in my opinion. I will NEVER pay for, or use an app that requires a monthly fee or "offers" upgrades or extra lvl's for a fee!!

Then for those apps that rely on receiving an on-line service you'll find the cost of delivering that service built into the initial price and into the pricing of upgrades that you'll just have to have.

There's no such thing as a free lunch. Pay up front or pay later, you will pay.

Oh, and you already did pay for such an app. It's called an iPhone. Becomes a PDA if you stop paying the monthly fee to the carrier.

 

[JonB3Z]

all att cares about is $

$ seems to be what a lot of people posting on this forum care about, too.

AT&T is a corporation chartered for the specific purpose of making money. Their profit runs up to about 10% on sales, which is not an unreasonable profit to make in a volatile, risk-laden industry.

 

[iphones4evry1]

Ten Bucks a Month ???? Whoa!!!

I think this one is D.O.A. (dead on arrival)

For $2.99 per month, I would sign up.

For $79.99, I can go to Best Buy and buy a full GPS machine that mounts into my car and will work forever with no required monthly subscription.

A two-year iPhone contract is 24 months. $79.99/24 = $3.33. In fact, I think AT&T just convinced me to finally go out and buy a GPS for my car.

(note to AT&T: you need to lower the fee if you want the masses to sign up)

 

[samab]

Ten Bucks a Month ???? Whoa!!!

I think this one is D.O.A. (dead on arrival)

(note to AT&T: you need to lower the fee if you want the masses to sign up)

It's what every carrier charges --- $3 a day and $10 a month.

 

[iphones4evry1]

It's what every carrier charges --- $3 a day and $10 a month.

And that is exactly why 99% of the population is smart enough to do the elementary school math and figure out they are better off going to Best Buy and buying a full GPS for $79.99, which is loaded with features and has had years of refinement and improvements.

 

[Daniel0418]

Sprint navigation

I was being very sarcastic. Every company wants to make money, so why is ATT greedy for making its customers pay for a navigation app? If it strengthens their bottom line, they will do it. Verizon and Sprint offer the same thing... ~$10 / month navigation applications on their phones.

Friends?

Sprint turn by turn is free with the palm pre and sprints calling/data plan is 20 a month cheaper than AT&T. So this isn't standard, better options elsewhere.

 

[pasteater]

i wanted to at least try this out...so when i saw 30 days free i got excited. i called at&t just to make sure this was true and accurate. not only is it true, but he credited my account $10 if i want to try it for an additional 30 days. and if i don't...i just saved $10 on next month's bill.

 

[rwilliams]

Wow, $10 a month for GPS on top of your existing plan?? I have Sprint, and GPS Navigation comes free with the data plan, and it is a great app.

 

[thecypher]

all att cares about is $

Quiz - Name one corporation you know that doesn't care about $?

Even GM which has been losing billions for decades cares about $. The only difference is that even though it is our $ we don't get to decide how we spend it.

 

[thecypher]

Sprint turn by turn is free with the palm pre and sprints calling/data plan is 20 a month cheaper than AT&T. So this isn't standard, better options elsewhere.

Right and you are on Sprint LOL!!! If you switch to "Junk Mobile" their data plan and voice plan are free. You just can't make any calls

 

[itsjustmeee]

For the time being, it looks like G-Map might be the best alternative. No way am I going to hand over another $10 to AT&T, especially when it looks like we are going to have a lot of options with TBT in the next few weeks.

And I got this response from G-Map's support yesterday concerning the latest update.....


Dear. customer,
Hello.
New G-map V.1.3.1. is going to release in next week or beginning of July.
It is in submission now and voice prompts, TBT, and other new features will be available in v.1.3.1.
You can upgrade your app to v.1.3.1 when submission is over in next week.
Thank you and please e-mail us if you have any more questions.
Best regards,

 

[thecypher]

And that is exactly why 99% of the population is smart enough to do the elementary school math and figure out they are better off going to Best Buy and buying a full GPS for $79.99, which is loaded with features and has had years of refinement and improvements.

And where does the $80 a year map and POI update cost and a monthly subscription for traffic update figure in your elementary school math??

Don't get me wrong. I have a Garmin unit that I love but I also have another one that I bought about 3 years ago paying a fortune ($450). And the maps have been outdated as I found out on some of my travels and Garmin wanted over a $100 for updated maps. I am glad I didnt do the upgrade because the unit died completely a few months ago and is a brick right now. Would have been double loss had I paid for the upgrade. Both models have their pros and cons. It is just what works best for you.

 

[samab]

And that is exactly why 99% of the population is smart enough to do the elementary school math and figure out they are better off going to Best Buy and buying a full GPS for $79.99, which is loaded with features and has had years of refinement and improvements.

99% of the population uses the nav app for a couple of months in the summer (2x$10) and a few long weekends (3x$3) --- basically about $30 a year.

And GPS hardware makers are basically dying left and right --- so it is better off for them to find another business model.

 

[sbrhwkp3]

Wow, this has got to be the whiniest thread I've seen on this site so far.

AT&T is OFFERING this to you as an option for people who want it. It's not like they just added it to everyone's bill and said "Gotcha!". They're offering it as a service. Don't want it, DON'T GET IT!

I mean, COME ON....no one can ever make you people happy unless they give it to you for free, but even then, I wouldn't be surprised if you STILL find a way to b***h and complain about it.

That's it, boy. Bend over, take it from AT&T!

 

[Flowbee]

FYI,
I have garmin nuvi 780 which I paid for about $250 recently. The lifetime update for its map costs me $70. Lifetime traffic report costs $140 or so.

So in other words, you paid $460 for your nuvi with "lifetime" support, or the equivalent of nearly 4 years of iPhone turn-by-turn with AT&T.

 

[JonB3Z]

And where does the $80 a year map and POI update cost and a monthly subscription for traffic update figure in your elementary school math??

Precisely, because if you don't include those, you aren't comparing equivalent services. Some may be satisfied with maps and POI lists that don't get updated and with the lack of real-time traffic. If so, and it you don't mind having yet another device on the dash -- that you have to secure from thieves when you park -- the standalone GPS is the more economical choice. But if you want real-time data, you have to pay for it one way or the other.

I'm sure TomTom's app will include a subscription option, too, just as the GPS boxes do now.

Apples, oranges... pick one and compare.

 

[thecypher]

That's it, boy. Bend over, take it from AT&T!

Dude! we (you) bend over and take it everyday from Comcast, Verizon, Time Warner, Roadrunner, Optimum Online, Con Edison, Dish Network, DirectTV, Sprint, T-Mobile, Qwest, GM, Wall Street, Exxon, Uncle Sam everyday. How is this different??

 

[D-Man18360]

And that is exactly why 99% of the population is smart enough to do the elementary school math and figure out they are better off going to Best Buy and buying a full GPS for $79.99, which is loaded with features and has had years of refinement and improvements.

Say you buy your GPS unit for $79.99, and it works great. But you forget to bring it with you on your trip to City A which you've never been to and you'll be driving all over the place. Isn't it nice that there's an option that for $9.99 you can use your iPhone for navigation purposes (or chose the day option if that's all you need it for)?