Phone Based Navigation
MapQuest NavigatorSprint and MapQuest's collaboration to bring MapQuest to Sprint phones will help ensure you never get lost again. Available on many of the Sanyo phones from Sprint, the service is an extra $4 a month and provides access to maps and driving directions through MapQuest.
The Sanyo 3G phone and Sprint service worked very well. The multimedia streamed quickly and the display, while small is very bright and easy to see. Video and song options were plentiful for downloading while the menus were easy to navigate. The audio on the phone and conversing with someone using the phone was excellent. The phone itself is a little bulkier than many comparable models available and takes up a lot of room in your pocket.
The MapQuest feature is much handier and less expensive than the 411 directions available through other providers. Text directions can be loaded directly to your phone preventing you from searching for a pen while driving off the freeway. The phone will also display your location in the world on the screen, moving with you.
VZ NavigatorAn option for Verizon customers is Networks in Motion's VZ Navigator software. Compatible with a number of Verizon phones, a subscription costs $9.99 per month or $2.99 a day (a perfect option for when you're in an unfamiliar city when traveling). It's easy to download onto your phone, and once on, it has relatively quick response times. The easy-to-use GUI is intuitive, and the bold graphics are bright and easy to read, even when the phone is in a cupholder and could only spare a glance. Initial routing and rerouting time is satisfactory, but not as quick as an HDD in-dash navigation unit. Voice prompts sound just when you need them and they are loud enough to be heard over moderate volume music or a noisy engine. I was surprised at how effective the tiny screen and voice prompts were. Two main deficits came clear during the review: poor POI's and the inability to make a call while navigating. You can receive calls, but to place one, you have to exit the navigator software. For people who want an all-in-one device, or just want to minimize the number of gadgets in their arsenal, a phone loaded with VZ Navigator is an ideal option.