smartphones - which is best for in-car?

[v6tas]

What i need to know is which smartphone (not pda) works best with what navigation software. I just need some real life reviews from fellow motorists instead of just reading the online phone reviews. Most if not all devices will cover all my office application needs but the phone has to work well as a satnav before i buy one. Any info as ever folks would be much appreciated

[craigyb]

N95 has asssisted GPS for faster locking, but also the Blackberrys seem pretty good. My A8 Nav was playing up coming out of Newcastle the other week and my mates Blackberry saved teh day, even through the special glass of the A8.

I didn't try with the N95 as I was driving at the time.

[v6tas]

Thanks Craig

[MrAvant]

I have an O2 XDA Orbit with Tom Tom Installed. The phone has a built in GPS receiver and works perfect.

[v6tas]

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I have an O2 XDA Orbit with Tom Tom Installed. The phone has a built in GPS receiver and works perfect.

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Thanks for that mate, they get a good write up too

[Sponge]

Have you checked out coolsmartphone, it's forum and the modaco forum too?

I'm using the v1240 and TomTom Mobile 5 and love it.

I'll try to write more tomorrow, but I'm too tired atm.

[v6tas]

Cheers sponge, will give it a look after to footy

[Sponge]

I'm not sure how much you've read up on, but I thought I'd just mention a few things:

You won't get a "Smartphone" with a touch screen. As soon as the device has a touchscreen it technically becomes a PocketPC/PDA.

I picked mine up off ebay, SIM free, for about £150. Although it's branded Vodafone, it's unlocked by default.

HTC is the manufacturer. If you buy an HTC branded device (ie not Vodafone, Orange, O2 - who will give the device their own model number) then it will be network unlocked and should have the full complement of software. For example, Vodafone and Orange often remove Messenger software that works over Wi-Fi, if the device has Wi-Fi. As this would mean they would lose on on call charges, as all you need to do is find a wireless hotspot and possibly use it to communicate for free.

I've got Skype on my phone and can use it at home, or anywhere there's Wi-Fi, to make cheaper calls. I've got it working, but haven't used it much as I have a fully inclusive call plan on my home phone.

I'm actually considering a PDA at the moment. I've got my eye on the HTC Kaiser. But I think it'll be too expensive when it finally gets released. I don't really need all it's features, I just like gadgets!

The HTC S710 or Vodafone v1415 is a very popular device at the moment. It runs WM 6, but I'm not too sure if it's fully compatable with TomTom Mobile 5.

Check out a seller called Phone Efficient Ltd on Ebay. I bought my phone from him. The devices are ex-returns of some description, of varying condition. Mine was sold as 'as new' and it was. The v1415 is going for anywhere between £160 and £180.

[JimLoskot]

I have got nokia e65 with tomtom6 and a holux GPSlim 236 bluetooth reciever. All hard wired in and works excellently. Previously I had nokia N73 which uses same software but was a little slower due to less phone ram