Phone as gps

JaxDad wrote:

Lantley wrote:

Trackrig wrote:
The phones work in a pinch, but:
* They use up your data at a high rate. If you're using the phone to save on the cost of buying a GPS, you're going to pay more for the data than the GPS.
* The GPS app uses up a lot of battery power. Some phones we've used have gotten awfully hot when using them as a GPS and having them plugged into power at the same time. If you damage a smart phone due to heat, the replacement cost will be more than a GPS.
* The screen is really too small for comfortable use while driving.
* They're also a pain to use at times, especially when you should be paying attention to driving. You lay it down for a moment and the screen goes dark/times out while not using it. Then you're trying to touch it in the right place to get the screen back and you hit something you shouldn't have touched and it leaves the GPS app and then you're trying to get it all back correctly while driving.
* They work fine for quick usage, but in general, do yourself a favor and buy a GPS.

Bill

Agreed the phone works in a pinch. but a dedicated GPS is better.
The biggest pitfall of using the phone is if it rings while you are in GPS mode. Suddenly you have no GPS. Depending on what point of the trip you are at losing GPS could be no be deal or it could be critical.

I can't speak for Android devices but on my iPhone but the factory map app and Co-Pilot work just fine during a phone call, speech prompts included.

Agreed, mine does the same. There is zero affect on the performance of the navagation.

Its a little confusing why this is even a discussion. A GPS, like a Smartphone is a computer, and the software to run each in GPS mode is the same if on happens to like Garmin, tomtom, Navigon, etc. None of these use ANY phone data whatsoever, they both require plugging into 12V.. So other than one coming with a suctioncup for the window, they perform the exact same function.