…by buying a proper satnav app (like copilot) – would using eat into my data allowance?

Or is that a dumb question?

Depends how much you’d use sat nav. I use navigator on my HTC a bit and still use about 1/3 of my 500M every month.

depends on the sat nav I think. If the maps aren’t preloaded (like the Google navigator on Android) then it will load the maps as it goes and use 3G.

most of the ones you buy store all the maps on the phone so you only use data if you have live traffic switchedon.

Have Copilot on mine iP4 – it’s a big old download IIR (best done via laptop/PC/Mac as opposed to the phone directly). So yes, the maps are stored on the phone.

Why pay? I have navfree which works perfectly for UK and Ireland, and is sometimes better than my cars built in satnav

…so if I had no traffic updates, it would be free to use?

Is copilot any good? Have had my fingers burnt with Tom Tom’s customer service so am loathe to use them again.

Also – any good mounts/chargers out there?

(can you tell I’m new to all this technology?!)

Why pay? I have navfree which works perfectly for UK and Ireland, and is sometimes better than my cars built in satnav

+1 – built on OpenStreetMap data (which is preloaded onto the phone so no data charge).

How good it is will depend on how good the OpenStreetMap data is in your area (we’re getting there – over 13,000 roads added in the last month – this map will give you an idea of coverage in your area ) – it won’t be perfect yet, but it is free and you can always help fix it yourself!

Also – any good mounts/chargers out there?

Mini Arkon IPM515 – £7 on Amazon

Yep, NavFree is very good and no data charges involved. Dedicated satnavs are no longer required for many people.

Avoid “Waze” – not enough users in the UK to be useful yet and it really eats through data.

Copilot is good. used it for a year or so now. Not tried the traffic updates though.

Copilot is supposed to be very good. I keep thinking about getting it for my HTC Desire – but Google Maps seems to work fine. The maps are pre-loaded on CoPilot, so you won’t use any data in normal use.

Navigon is good.
Still looking for a good dash mount.

Still looking for a good dash mount.

The Arkon mount also works as a dash mount – provided you are prepared to stick the supplied disk to your dash so the sucker has something to grip onto.

Cheers all, good news about data usage.

I would ideally like a mount with a charger, and preferably one I can wedge into the vent.

If you get one of those bluetooth, sunvisor hands free wotsits, can you use it as a loud speaker for the satnav?

I use NavFree as well, works a treat.

Got copilot on my iphone 4, I can concurthat it is excellent.

Just to confirm the Data usage thing – if the maps are pre-loaded then it doesn’t download them but the chances are the GPS will download some data to help it get a fix quicker – unless you turn off assisted mode (a-gps). It’s not much data but using it without a data plan can be very expensive.

I use NDrive, very impressed and was only 10 euros for UK maps when I got it for my Android phone.

Just downloaded Navfree there after seeing this thread, that’s an impressive ap.

I use Navfree as well and I agree it works well, maps preloaded so no charges or issues with use in areas of poor 3g coverage and the obvious bonus that the app itself is free

Google maps does me, but will give that Navfree a go if its on Android.

GPS will download some data to help it get a fix quicker – unless you turn off assisted mode (a-gps)

I don’t think this is charged for. I’ve certainly used GPS abroad with Data Roaming turned off and it worked fine with no charge.

(Also there is no setting on the iPhone to turn off just the Assisted-GPS but leave normal/unassisted GPS on.)

Google maps does me, but will give that Navfree a go if its on Android.

I had a look but I couldn’t find it.

I think it is coming to Android “soon”.
http://www.navmii.com/navfree/?country=GB

I’ve certainly used GPS abroad with Data Roaming turned off and it worked fine with no charge.

Maybe the roaming setting stopped it instead? I got stung by Orange a couple of years ago when I got a new phone it was left on all night and cost me nearly £10 in data.

Woo…thanks for the noggins-up on Navfree. Just downloading it now.

Headed for Scotland next week. Yay.

Make sure you get a car charger if you haven’t already – it totally canes the battery.

grum – Member
Make sure you get a car charger if you haven’t already – it totally canes the battery.

Yep, and I don’t know if it’s the same for iPhone but with an HTC a lot of the aftermarket car charges only charge at a lower rate (I think it’s 0.5A). This means the sat nav will still discharge the phone (albeit quite slowly).
The official HTC charger charges at full rate (1A, I think?).

Perhaps iPhone ones are similar? Worth checking on.

My iphone charges much slower in the car than off the mains but it’s enough to keep it topped up when using the GPS