GPS software for iPhone 3G

[MaxTheVool]

My mom has an iPhone 3G (withOUT the compass) and is considering buying GPS software for it from the app store, presumably the TomTom software. Does anyone have any experience with this? How well does it work? Any other recommendations or comments?

Thanks!

[Candyman74]

Not well. The 3GS has GPS capabilities, but the 3G is limited to cell triangulation. It works, but it doesn’t update quicly enough for driving and jumps about. I tried TomTom on it but went back to using my dedicated TomTom unit.

It might be good enough for walking speed, though. Not tried that.

[Cleophus]

No, that’s not correct. The 3G and 3GS both have GPS receivers. See http://www.apple.com/iphone/iphone-3g/maps-gps.html. The original iPhone and iPod Touches do not have GPS.

I have a 3GS and TomTom works fine for me. There is also a TomTom car cradle available with a supplementary GPS receiver. I actually prefer the Navigon MobileNavigator software, which has more features than TomTom, including a one-time $15 lifetime subscription option for live traffic, as well as far better integrated iPod control.

[Candyman74]

@Cleophus

No, that’s not correct. The 3G and 3GS both have GPS receivers. See http://www.apple.com/iphone/iphone-3g/maps-gps.html. The original iPhone and iPod Touches do not have GPS.

I have a 3GS and TomTom works fine for me. There is also a TomTom car cradle available with a supplementary GPS receiver. I actually prefer the Navigon MobileNavigator software, which has more features than TomTom, including a one-time $15 lifetime subscription option for live traffic, as well as far better integrated iPod control.

Weird. Coulda sworn it didn’t! But still, it doesn’t work well at all for me, whereas my standalone TomTom unit is fine.

I found this:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=2261

the iPhone 3G’s GPS chipset was weak and that the antenna was small. Pogue was also told that the tiny metal ring that you can see around the camera lens was part of the GPS antenna. When Pogue asked for confirmation that there would be no turn-by-turn software for the iPhone 3G he was told that the GPS was intended for quick “where am I” checks rather than navigation.

So it seems it does indeed have one, but my experience gels with the above report: it’s not very good at all.

[cmyk]

FWIW, the car kit for the iPhone from Tom Tom has a GPS receiver in it, so it’ll work with original iPhones without embedded GPS. Of course, if you have a 3G or 3GS, then you don’t need the car kit.

[Balthisar]

@cmyk

FWIW, the car kit for the iPhone from Tom Tom has a GPS receiver in it, so it’ll work with original iPhones without embedded GPS. Of course, if you have a 3G or 3GS, then you don’t need the car kit.

While you don’t need it, it is a better receiver. I read (not too long ago) a review of the TomTom car kit. It was used with a 3G, and compared with a 3GS without the kit, and performed better (the 3GS supposedly has better chipset than the 3G).

Nex time I’m home, I plan to acquire the car kit. I use Ndrive (compatible with the external receiver, as well), because it has the most up to date maps for my current location.

Once home I’ll probably give TomTom a chance. Ndrive is annoying in that there’s no north-up mode, but they say an update should address it this quarter.