GPS Mobile - Any geeks out there?

[vozzie]

I am having quite a frustrating time buying a mobile phone (outright) that has the following features:

1. 3G
2. WiFi
3. GPS

My short list included Samsung Monte and Nokia E5.
However, talking to (many) mobile phone salespeople .... all at the manufacturers' shops ...I'm getting conflicting information. One shop says the phone has got GPS, the next says it hasn't, the next says it only has A-GPS (which they say is position derived from phone towers only).

All I want is the cheapest phone that will talk to an actual satellite and that won't require me to pay money by continuously downloading data from the network.

Yes, I've looked at the web and the brochures, but I'm assuming (rightly or wrongly) that the sales staff know what they are talking about.

Any suggestions?

[Strong Eagle]

A-GPS means assisted GPS... uses cell tower triangulation in addition to GPS... so you are talking to ignoramuses.

Apple iPhone 3GS has all you want. I don't recommend iPhone 4, don't know anything about other brands.

[nakatago]

some of the older symbian phones actually have gps and can have maps. for example, i have a two-year old samsung i550w, which satisfies all your criteria. caveat, it's probably discontinued.

you can also buy the cheaper android phones (e.g. try whymobile.com, mobilesquare.com.sg or subarumobile.com.sg for prices) and install mapdroyd, since google maps require a data connection. mapdroyd lets you download map data onto your phone.

not sure about nokia and its symbian map application though or windows mobile phones (the windows 7 phones would probably be expensive). your choice of phones seem to be fine, except for the uncertainty if they'll give you offline maps.

about checking for phone specs, you're better off searching the net than asking people from shops. when i ask them simple questions, they always look at me as if I spoke to them in russian!

[durain]

get a nokia smartphone that support ovi map. you use a PC/Mac to download the maps and sideload it to the phone.

for details spec of any phones, have a look at www.gsmarena.com

[vozzie]

Thank you all. It was a very frustrating day. You've now given me some ammunition to work with. Yes, like speaking russian .... in one mobile phone shop, the guy looked at me strangely when I said I'm looking for a "mobile phone" ! What's that he said.

[beenthere]

A-GPS means assisted GPS... uses cell tower triangulation in addition to GPS... so you are talking to ignoramuses.

Apple iPhone 3GS has all you want. I don't recommend iPhone 4, don't know anything about other brands.

Just curious. Why not the 4? I had the 3GS and now have the 4 - I have no issues with it. As for the OP, the 4 serves all my wifi/3G/GPS needs (as did the 3GS). I like the iPhone 4 - the retina display does help with my aging eyes.

And there are a billion android based phones that could serve his needs.

[vozzie]

Just an update folks ...

I have purchased a Nokia 5800 ( cheapest I could find) and it does the lot ... 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS.

Most importantly, it has integrated GPS ... so doesn't need to be connected to network .. ie you can navigate offline.... with free maps and voice nav from Nokia.

CAUTION: for others on the same crusade. The term "A-GPS" means different things to different manufacturers and even between different models. The latest information I had from the Samsung people is that any model below the OMNIA, although it may state GPS or A-GPS ... only has "virtual GPS" that is, the positioning information can only come from the Network.

So, my advise is to check thoroughly before committing to any particular phone.

[vozzie]

Now when I say "does Wi-Fi" ... I should clarify ... it's "supposed" to do Wi-Fi ... it's in the Nokia hospital already ... getting a heart transplant.

[kekada]

great congrats.. how much did it cost?

[carlsum1986]

the 5800 is a good phone...lasted 2 yrs beforre it started to give me problems...i am using garmin on it as well....works wonders...