Just wondering how the ones with TomTom traffic whatit use your mobile phone to get the data. GPRS, 3G, etc and how it connects to the phone. If its bluetooth, does that mean you can’t also use Bluetooth hands free kits.,

I thought they used to have built in SIM cards…..

The old one I had connected itself to the network via subscription, the bluetooth was to allow you to use it as a hands free system

Some have a built in sim that works worldwide. Tomtom pick up the tab.

Some (like my TomTom Rider) use Bluetooth to your phone and then piggyback its connection. Be aware though that iPhones do not let this happen & you have to use the phone as a hotspot instead, which some TomToms don’t understand.

Google maps on your phone seems to be simpler….?

Google maps needs a constant phone signal. Tomtom doesn’t. It just searches now and again for traffic problems.

I’ve found Google’s knowledge of traffic delays to be far more accurate than any Sat nav I’ve used

The latest google maps has downloaded all the Scottish central belt to my sd card….no connection to download needed, just to make contact with satellites and towers (I think…)

I think route processing will still be done by servers, rather than the phone itself.

Google get their traffic info from waze (who they bought). As a result it’s very up to date. I’ve given up using the Tom tom in the car & just use waze now. The rider still gets used on the KTM though.

I have one, which I tether via bluetooth to a S4 for data. It works just about OK, but it can be a pain in the ass getting the two to connect properly (sometimes the TomTom needs restarting or the phone will need a kick to connect…not a problem if your at a desk, but not safe if your driving and a major pain in the ass if you leave work at a busy time and need to know if there is a problem on the route home). They still do them which connect directly to the cell network, which I think would be a whole lot better. Think it’s about £30 premium, and well worth paying for (if it works well?). I just use the S4 directly if i’m in an urban area….it’s so much easier to just say “Navigate to ……’ then mess about with finding postcodes and putting them into a TomTom.

I now only use a TomTom if i’m going into a rural area where there is no data connection. Google maps is pretty good now, as long as you have data connection.

Don’t the satnavs just get their traffic data from the blue cameras on bridges and loops in the road? Never found it much use, Google Maps is much more accurate as it calculates traffic speeds from users phones.

I use the route overview screen to keep an eye on traffic on routes I know, as you travel the screen adjusts so the closer you get the more detail you get. The only time it gets confused is during Snowmageddon as it presumably decides that the thousands of phones are with pedestrians as the whole of the southeast can’t be stuck in gridlock 🙂

some good info on here, very interesting. ive got an old garmin nuvi that i use in ’emergencies’, but its cr@p and you have to pay for updates, so ive never bothered. hence its just used as a ‘get out of jail card’.

i often think about using my phone, but am never sure of the best way of setting up, and whether itd use data or not. could i just confirm a couple of things please?

i have an htc one x, and i think i can download a proposed route beforehand over wifi, switch my data off, and use that in the car. am i right? and satellites will still track my car over the journey, show where i am, suggest alternatives if theres heavy traffic etc, all for no data usage? (im not sure about that bit.)

im also guessing a dedicated satnav would do the job better than a phone, but i dont stray far from home really, so ive never bothered buying an up-to-date tomtom. it would be nice tho to have something ‘updateable’, cheap, and effective for when i do need one.

if phone/google maps is best option then ill look at phone holders for the car, but im also thinking id need some sort of double adaptor for the fag lighter, cos my dab radio adaptor plugs into that at present and i wouldnt be able to listen to 6 music 😀

could you give me some advice on the best way forward for me please, and id also be interested in hearing what setup/charging system you chaps all use?

I’ve just started using the Nokia Here beta on my Nexus 4, free in the play store, after my Nuvi broke- downloaded the maps for UK, took up about 600mb I think.

Seems good to me so far, especially since it’s a freebie, nice simple interface, easy to follow instructions. Haven’t had time to explore the options yet though, so not sure it’ll be as comprehensive as Garmin/Tomtom

I use Google maps all the time on mobile data, never preload maps and the traffic late is always on. Looking at my data usage it hovers around 80-125mb per month.

my v old tomtom used to have a separate aerial for the traffic and I think used the radio frequency to pick up traffic reports. It had bluetooth to connect to the phone an enabled remote dialling via the sat nav.

The new ones have a mobile app and probably still use bluetooth to connect.

I use Google maps all the time on mobile data, never preload maps and the traffic late is always on. Looking at my data usage it hovers around 80-125mb per month.

really? thats a lot lower than id expect. i often reach my 1Gb limit tho anyway 😳

i have an htc one x, and i think i can download a proposed route beforehand over wifi, switch my data off, and use that in the car. am i right? and satellites will still track my car over the journey, show where i am, suggest alternatives if theres heavy traffic etc, all for no data usage? (im not sure about that bit.)

bumpity bump…..

Sort of. The map caches vary depending on which version of os and application you’re using. Waze seems to download the route waypoints but only a very basic map of the route, @ say 1:250000. The local area is constantly cached with about 10-15 miles available at 1;25000 resolution. Street level view is cached on demand.

By disabling data you’ll lose traffic updates for sure, you will also lose redirection information. So if youbturn off to visit a services it’ll get horribly confused.

I have a Tomtom from work with all the traffic stuff, fastest routes based on it etc.

I think it’s great TBH, you get constant updates of traffic delays and options to take faster routes if available.
The ETA given at the start of a journey is spookily accurate IME.
I believe they take data from Vodafone as one source, where they are fed handset movement speeds.

Does it chew into your Data allowance if you use Google maps on the Iphone for a sat nav?

I’ve got one of the big screen TomToms with the built in sim…

I got it as I drive abroad with it and not having think about the phone bill is a definate bonus and the traffic stuff works well.