Yamaha Home TheateriPhone gets AT&T Navigator app
(Credit:
Apple)
Though we thought that TomTom would bring us the first turn-by-turn GPS app for the iPhone, AT&T is offering an alternative of its own. On Tuesday, the carrier released a version of its AT&T Navigator specifically for the the iPhone 3GS and earlier iPhone models with the OS 3.0 software update.
Features include voice-guided and onscreen directions, automatic rerouting, real-time traffic updates, a points-of-interest database and regular map updates. You'll also be able to search local gas prices when you need to fill up your tank.
Though the app downland is free, a $9.99-per-month subscription fee will automatically be added to your AT&T account. The app is now available for download from the iTunes app store.
Our iPhone 3GS is currently in CNET labs getting a full battery of tests, but we'll review the app when we can. We'll also put the app from Gokivo through its paces.
Kent German is a senior editor for cell phone reviews at CNET. When he's not testing the newest handsets on the market, he's blogging about cell phone news for Crave. In his On Call column, he answers reader questions and gives his take on the rapidly changing mobile industry. E-mail Kent.
C'mon AT&T! An extra $10 a month?! That's going to be in addition to another $25 a month we'll have to pay to be able to tether, whenever that's available, and probably another charge for MMS. No thanks, not right now anyway, I'll wait to see what TomTom's offering looks like (although i can guess it will be $$$).
At&t is behind the curve yet again !
http://www.xroadgps.com/Maps/GMapforiPhone/tabid/2463/Default.aspx
No I don't work for them, nor am I in sales.
Of course there is also the issue of rollover mins so I'd probably have to get the 900 plan since I've gone over 450 a couple times before but I average under 400 and there ya go - plan is equal. Amazing what roll-over mins can do for ya!
But you're right, just wanted to say that :-)
Just wait for the Tom Tom app, or get a real GPS. The real GPS will likely be more accurate, more reliable, and cheaper in the long run. Not to mention, you won't be out a GPS too if you break/lose your iPhone.
Just like this AT&T app is doing -- just in a different way.
However, are you telling me there are no other apps that do this? Hell no I"m not paying AT&T another $10/month (out of principle). They can gobble a kak.
That being said, I still wouldn't get it for at least one reason.
You can't use it when you lose access to the AT&T's data network since the maps, directions and missed turn rerouting are streamed over the air from AT&T's servers. You need a live, uninteruppted internet connection for it to work properly.
What happens if you are in the middle of a route and a phone call comes in? Can you answer the call without having to cancel or pause the AT&T Navigator routing?
Can you play music from the iPhone at the same time?
That's not completely true. This should work the same as AT&T Nav on other phones which means when you start your navigation all of the mapping information for your trip is pulled down and stored locally to the phone. This is done to prevent you from losing your navigation should you exit their data network. The exception to this is if you do not follow the navigation when outside of the data coverage the app wont be able to pull down the updated route. With roaming data this shouldnt really be an issue for anyone.
You cannot always follow the preplanned route due to either accidently missing a turn or being forced to detour.
If you are out of range of AT&T's data network at that time, you are stuck without being able to get an updated route.
It happed more than once within a short time, so I canceled the plan and went back to using a dedicated portable GPS that can work without a data connection. On the dedicated device, the non-GPS connection was just used for nice to have "bonus" features like traffic and gas prices.
If your destination ends oustide the data network coverage area, you will not be able to get a new route to the next desitination or even back home. If you are really far out, then you won't even have voice coverage to call someone.
Relying on AT&T's data network for routing can become a problem for anyone who will not limit their movements to within AT&T's data coverage area.
Also "Free is Best," I guess. Really?
If I have a choice of "free beer," luke warm and uninteresting, or a paid-for beer, ice cold and crispy clean, I'm gonna take the latter. And when someone laughs at me because it was made available AFTER the free beer, and for a price, I'm gonna know JUST how much they know about beer.
I'll take free over instant gratification.
The problem with this and your analogy is that AT&T navigator is mediocre, at best, and costs $9.99 a month. It is worse than the Verizon VNAV that costs $9.99 and worse than the Sprint Nav that is free. Given a choice between the worst navigator for $10/month or the best navigator for $0/month I will take the best one for free. I am paying $30 a month for data and the GPS is obviously free because I can still use google maps. What am I being charged for when I am using AT&T maps and how is it that Sprint is able to bundle it in for free? I just can't figure that last part out.
Does CNET really only have ONE iPhone 3G S to conduct tests with?
It's just taken the developers of the AT&T Navigator service over a year to get their act together.
But same for me. I might be willing to throw down 10 bones if I'm traveling heavily during one particular month, then ditch the sub when I get back home.
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by bigjon94
June 24, 2009 9:02 PM PDT
- See, this is just why the iPhone is not ready to be a competitive business platform smartphone. As for a consumer smartphone, it takes the cake. Business' have a hard time using the iPhone as an actual useful device. One big problem is the carrier. if iPhone made itself an unlocked phone, than i think everyone would be happier. I remember i had a GPS on my Samsung Instinct (before i gave it back) on Bell in Canada. The problem was the GPS only worked when it had a clear view of the sunny sky. It defeated the purpose. I think that if you REALLY NEED a GPS, go out and spend 200$-400$ on a Garmin or a TomTom. Mobile cell phone GPS is useless. If you barely use a GPS, just google maps the location. You should be able to find it.
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by lavern
June 25, 2009 4:31 AM PDT
- VZ naviagotor has never failed me
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by tcr071
June 25, 2009 7:32 AM PDT
- VZ Navigator has failed me many many times. It couldn't even get me across Dallas to a baseball game to see the Yankees and Rangers without leading me astray and having to stop and get directions. Not only is it pretty bad at navigating but the "find places" feature is even worse. Looking for a gas station "near me" it leads me into a neighborhood and to someone's house. I guess they sell gas at this house? I'll give them credit for having maps that are updated much more frequently than the stand-alone units but they aren't better at doing their jobs than the stand alone unit, which is to navigate me from point A to point B.
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