Ok here goes...We want to upgrade to a smartphone, it will replace our landline. My wife needs a good Navigator. If the Iphone had google maps for free like the droid it would be no contest. Her work requires finding people's homes and she gets major anxiety if she can't. Had a TomTom GPS but wasn't as accurate as she likes. Iphone 200.00 bucks Droid X2 free with plan. Anyone have expierence with an Iphone navigation system that may be comparable to the Google's droid? I know a navigation system probably should not be the deciding factor but it's important. Any info on any comparisons would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Were Trac-phone users right now...Ha.

I have an Iphone4 and the GPS sucks! With that being said the really, really new Iphone 4 is supposed to have a upgraded GPS that talks. Mine doesn't as I have the older one. Another option is you can download a GPS app (I think about 20-30.00) so it operates just like a Magellen or Tom Tom.

Personally I think the Iphone, overall, is way better than the Droid. Super easy to use, iTunes, etc. The Droid is difficult to navigate.

lzemo,

I'm a low speed, high drag kind of guy when it comes to technology. So you can take my comments for what they're worth...

I bought a Droid Bionic recently from Verizon, through a kiosk at Costco. It cost less than $300, which included a package deal with an extra battery, car mount, desk top charger, charging cords, etc., etc. It was a business expense for my delivery company. I needed help with mapping since I drive around 40 - 50,000 miles a year, and I'm finding that more and more young people can't read a map. Instead of relying on my geographically-challenged partner in the truck, I needed to have my locations laid out in advance.

I now enter the day's destination addresses on Google calendar. From the calendar, I can click on the customer's address and it gives me the option of simply mapping the location, or getting driving directions. I prefer Google Navigation, over Verizon's Navigator. In addition, I find that linking the calendar also provides easy access to the customer's phone number(s). If I'm running early, late, or want to speak with a customer, the calendar allows me to tap on their phone number and connect the call.

I like the fact that I can map out a location to get the "big picture", and then switch to driving instructions. I feel that this gives me a greater sense of where I'm going, which helps with the follow on street-by-street instructions.

As I said, I'm not the sharpest guy with technology, but I found it all very easy to get up and running. While I personally like the feel of a paper map, I'm now able to do things in seconds that used to take minutes of searching through my daily notes, scraps of paper, and yesterday's log book. In addition, I don't have to worry about an ulcer as I look over and see my assistant turning the map upside down and sideways. If I can answer a specific question, please feel free...

Thanks Funk. Brian you sound like me. We deided to go with an Android just because of the free Google Navigator. Got the thing home and man was I intimidated. Found some tutorials online and I'm realy loving this thing now! Got a HTC Thunderbolt...Thanks again.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lzemo,

Lzemo, smart phones come a dime a dozen. I will warn you about some of the shortcomings of the Android based phones (and from the looks of iPhone 4S, same issue but it's hit or miss). I'm on my 3rd android based phone. Samsung moment(pos), 4 trips to Sprint over a 6 month time got me a samsung transform. Much better phone. However, it suffered battery life issues.
You REALLY have to play with it to figure out how to make your battery last half the day and it still be functional. So, after 14 months of having to tote around extra battery backups, I went and got a Motorola Admiral. Just purchased out right. Battery talk time is 9 hrs, even under heavy use, I get a day out of it but normal use, 2 days. It meets military standards for it's ability to handle harsh treatment and it's a pretty nice looking phone and isn't a brick. Loads of memory, 1.2ghz processor (translates to being fast). If your service provider has anything like it, I would look into it. It has a keyboard on the outside so no sliding (a weekpoint) or vurtual keyboard (PITA). As far as GPS and it's location based services ability, it's great. I find myself going to it while driving rather then punching in my destination on my Garmin. I just hit my nav icon, speak what I'm looking for or where I want to go and in seconds, it either shows me the location or asks me to pick form a list. I tell it to navigate and tada. It's there. Like having your own QM in a can. If you REALLY want to get a feel for Iphones. Go sit in a apple store for, say, 40 mintues and you will get an idea what your getting yourself into. Take away the apple and all it is a closed sorce phone that plays music. Funny thing, I just put 2000 songs on my phone, plug in my bose earbuds and I have a mp3 player too.

Don't get me started on the networks that these phones ride on. Another story/topic. I worked for Sprint as a switch tech for 10 years therefore, when they start charging people more for data uses (thanks to android and iphone useage), I start ranting. No time for that now, trying to install fedora14 (linux) on a USB drive. Just got the wireless card to get accepted and it's going to take about 3 hrs for it to finish installing. . Was trying to clean up some forums and ran across this post. Hope you enjoy your phone.