Cheap GPS Cell Phones

Thinking of buying a personal navigation device, but not quite ready to commit the cash? Don't worry. You may already have all the navigation hardware you need. That's because most new cell phones sport internal GPS chips—all you need to do is activate the software. Better yet, the phones included in this story are all $100 or less with a contract. Verizon customers can use Verizon VZ Navigator software, while TeleNav's GPS Navigator, first available for Sprint only, now offers plans for AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. The company's latest software version, TeleNav Traffic, integrates live traffic information, a feature not all dedicated GPSs have.

So, what's the difference between a dedicated GPS device and a GPS-enabled phone? While a traditional GPS device uses orbiting satellites to determine your location, a cellphone with a GPS chip relies on a combination of satellite fixes and triangulation from cell towers. Another distinction is that the actual application, map and POIs reside on a separate server, rather than on the device itself. This means that your cellphone always has access to the most up to date maps and POIs—as often as the server is updated. Your phone communicates with this server whenever you request driving directions and other information. Your route is then calculated for you and sent to your phone along with maps, and even speech files that provide spoken street names. In addition, if your phone has a touchscreen or a QWERTY keyboard, it will make navigating the interface much easier.

VZ Navigator has a complete set of routing options, including fastest, shortest, and simplest. It also comes with vehicle profiles for Car/Motorcycle, Truck, Bicycle, and Pedestrian modes. Like many dedicated GPSs, you can choose to avoid highways, toll roads, and roads with HOV lanes. Once you've created a route, the screen will display information such as estimated trip time and distance to next turn. At any time, you can press the "Talk" key (usually the OK button) and it will announce your next turn. VZ Navigator also has a coveted feature—text to speech conversion, pronouncing street names, which leads to more specific commands like "Prepare to exit the highway in point two miles for highway three east." You can also use the companion Web site, vznavigator.com, to plan routes and send the results to right to your phone.
TeleNav's GPS Navigator works in much the same way as Verizon's software. One unique feature is the ability to call in a location using a toll-free number. You can also use addresses and locations stored in your address book. Once you've subscribed to the TeleNav service, you can conduct trip planning on your PC via telenav.com, which offers a nice selection of free navigation tools.
Of course, to use these services, you'll have to pay a subscription fee. Verizon offers a free trial for 14 days; after that, you can use the service for $2.99 a day or subscribe for unlimited use for $9.99 a month. Be warned though: if you don't have a wireless data plan, you will use air-time minutes that are not included in the per-day or monthly subscription. TeleNav's service plans average at $9.99/month for unlimited use. Your carrier may offer a free 30-day trial. Again, you may need to enroll in a data plan as well.
Many of our favorite phones have integrated GPS chips. If you're in the market for a new handset, you may want to consider one with this function. For Verizon, there's the new Chocolate, LG's VX8550, the waterproof G'zOne Type V, and the Motorola KRZR K1m. Sprint's K1m is also GPS-enabled. Other notable Sprint GPS phones include the Sanyo Katana II, Sprint Muziq LX570 and the Sanyo SCP-7050. Below you can find summaries of these phones and links to the full reviews. What are you waiting for? It's time to hit the road!