Bonnie Cha,
Senior Associate Editor
April 6, 2009
We already know that smartphones are...well, smart. They make calls, send and receive e-mail, surf the Web, play music and video, act as document viewers--a true Swiss Army Knife for mobile professionals. Now, we're starting to see another useful tool being added to smartphones: built-in GPS. And, the number of GPS-equipped models is growing. Cell phone manufacturers and service providers are catching on to the usefulness of and desire for GPS in handsets, as evidenced by the launch of several carrier-specific location-based services, such as Verizon's VZ Navigator, Srint's Sprint Navigation, and AT&T's TeleNav GPS Navigator. Conversely, GPS manufacturers, such as Garmin, are seeing an opportunity (but perhaps, more of a need) to get into the mobile space. Sure, you may be thinking, "Great, just another feature being added for the heck of it," but we think the ability to turn your phone (something you'll probably always have with you) into a handheld navigator is actually useful, and isn't just an extra luxury. With the embedded GPS receiver and a mapping service, you can get real-time position tracking, text- and voice-guided directions, and points of interest. Plus, the PIM tools can help you keep your schedule on track. Of course, there are trade-offs. Their small screens don't make GPS smartphones ideal for in-car use, and the GPS radio will have an affect on battery life, but the voice prompts and easy access to a car charger can help alleviate those problems. Here we present six smartphones with built-in GP. If none of these suits you or if you have a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, remember you always can add this functionality with a Bluetooth GPS receiver.
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| Price | $149.99 to $649.99 | $199.99 | $299.99 | Check Prices | $330.00 to $449.99 | Check Prices |
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| Review date | January 27, 2009 | November 25, 2008 | November 04, 2008 | July 11, 2008 | January 26, 2009 | |
| The Bottom Line | We're disappointed by the lack of 3G, but the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900 is a solid update to the Curve series, bringing a better design, improved features, and faster performance and is one of T-Mobile's top smartphone offerings. | Though slightly more expensive, Verizon customers looking for a touch-screen smartphone will get a better user experience and faster performance from the Samsung Omnia than the RIM BlackBerry Storm. | Despite some performance issues, the HTC Touch Pro is one of Sprint's most feature-packed and powerful smartphones for business users. | The iPhone 3G delivers on its promises by adding critical features and sharper call quality. The iTunes App Store is pretty amazing, and the 3G support is more than welcome. Critical features still are missing, and the battery depletes quickly under heavy use, but the iPhone 3G is a big improvement over the original model. | The Nokia N85 may not offer as much memory as the N95 or N96, but it offers just as many features and a sleeker design, making it a better value in our book. | |
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| Weight | 3.87 oz | 4.34 oz | 5.8 oz | 4.7 oz | 4.5 oz | 4.8 oz |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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