Nokia 6110 shows GPS mobiles could overtake satnav gadgets

GPS satellite navigation isn't in that many mobile phones yet, but the number is increasing. Over on the Mobile Choice site, you can read a two-part review (part 1 / part 2) of the Nokia 6110 Navigator handset, which includes Route 66 Navigator software and a full set of UK streetmaps for getting around.

"We have to say it was hard to fault the 6110 sat nav performance during our test. Its route search and calculation was slick and speedy, the voice instructions carried well in noisy car environments, the Route 66 software was stable and although you could argue the display is a tad small, it’s a small price to pay for a convenient convergence package."

Does this mean thousands of motorists will be throwing out their standalone satnav gadgets and relying on their phones, though?

Well, not in the short-term. One issue is the reduced screen size of mobiles, meaning that these satnav applications will need to be designed to make more use of clear spoken directions. Of course, iPhone-sized handsets have larger touchscreens, so may prove to be the most suitable phones for GPS applications.

I can't help thinking that battery life will also be a barrier. What's the point of arriving at your destination safely if your phone's out of juice after an hour or two's GPS action? Charging cradles will be vital if GPS phones are to really prove their worth.

It's also still unclear whether motorists will want focused GPS navigation phones (like the 6110), or will prefer GPS to be merely one among a glut of multimedia features (as with the Nokia N95). But the point is these are early days for mobile-based navigation. The satnav makers might not be quaking in their boots just yet, but give it a year or two, and their devices could be gathering dust on the shelves.

Mobile Choice Nokia 6110 Navigator review - Part 1 / Part 2

Well, not in the short-term. One issue is the reduced screen size of mobiles, meaning that these satnav applications will need to be designed to make more use of clear spoken directions. Of course, iPhone-sized handsets have larger touchscreens, so may prove to be the most suitable phones for GPS applications.

I can't help thinking that battery life will also be a barrier. What's the point of arriving at your destination safely if your phone's out of juice after an hour or two's GPS action? Charging cradles will be vital if GPS phones are to really prove their worth.

It's also still unclear whether motorists will want focused GPS navigation phones (like the 6110), or will prefer GPS to be merely one among a glut of multimedia features (as with the Nokia N95). But the point is these are early days for mobile-based navigation. The satnav makers might not be quaking in their boots just yet, but give it a year or two, and their devices could be gathering dust on the shelves.

Mobile Choice Nokia 6110 Navigator review - Part 1 / Part 2

Comments

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[pc-spiele]

hello..
I have read your blog.Nokia 6110 looks fantastic. I just love how it looks and feel.I want to use Nokia 6110. I heard that it's really easy to type and stuff on that. The good is that we get a bigger screen.I hope it is not expensive.I will surely buy it for future use.
Thank you very much for sharing it.

[aftab alam]

dear sir/madam

kindly i want to know the pries of Nokia 6110

thanks

[Alan]

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[Alan Lynch]

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[Into Tech - are you into technology?]

Is there a way to subscribe? It doesn't seem to be working.

[SwiftLion]

You can get free mobile phone tracking at VoyageMap.com/GPS Tracking/
It installs to your windows mobile device and allows you to track your positions and then show them online on Virtual Earth Map

[Puneet]

We found the navigation on 6110 excellent and although the screen size is small - had to take off the TomTom when parking the car in public place and lug the unit along - as car break ins are on the increase as the theifs know what is in the glovebox. So full marks to Nokia on getting all in one device. Battery is an issue but car chargers solve that.

Tracking was missing, so we have added that and you can download the 6110 tracking and duress application from phantomeye.com

[Lorenzo Patocchi]

Eriadne - a virtual link to real world

Cryms releases Eriadne a free, easy application for the online tracking of real movements.

Inspired to the mythological figure of Ariadne this mobile application (A/GPS) allows users to publish via Mobile Device where they actually are . Users can take great profit who go for solitary walks in risky places (mountains, forests, etc.), parents who wish to know the position of their children on the house-school way, sportspeople who wish to trace the own distances on foot, bike, persons with the reduced guideline sense and many other cases.

Eriadne is developed specifically for GPS equipped mobile phones (internal GPS, A-GPS, operator network positioning or external Bluetooth GPS) and designed to save battery power life. To define the actual position the user just sends one SMS or full path to Eriadne server. Users can download the software for free.

http://www.eriadne.org