Yes, you read that right! You can now get a fully featured Sat Nav application for your iPhone for just £5. NDrive have just dropped the price of their iPhone App to £4.99, and despite the budget price tag, it’s actually pretty good and is good alternative to TomTom, CoPilot and Navigon.
NDrive Sat Nav for iPhone
In terms of features it has pretty much everything that you’d expect to find in the premium apps from TomTom and CoPilot. According to its iTunes listing, the app includes:
Fully functional SIGNPOSTS AND INFOLANES
Embedded store-inside-store in order to allow an easy download of extra features to your App such as new voices, alerts, etc.
Highly effective search engine and rapid calculations allows benefits such as a fast and easy calculation of alternative routes
Most important buildings and landmarks are presented in 3D
Car, Pedestrian or Adventure Mode, where ADVENTURE MODE will guide your way while trekking, bike riding, off-road in cars, on boats and even on light aircrafts
Simple and intuitive user interface
MULTI-TOUCH TECHNOLOGY with gesture recognition for menu, zooming, tilting and panning will enable you to control and display maps easily
POIs (Points of Interest) and favourites with phone/fax number, description, email and website address
UNLIMITED NUMBER of customizable favourites entries and user defined categories
Navigating and searching for city center, street names and numbers, crossings, postal codes, favorite places, recent locations, coordinates and nearby POIs
Advanced itinerary with multiple waypoints for enhanced planning
Keyboard available in either ABC or QWERTY mode
INTEGRATION WITH IPOD, listen to music while driving
Automatic Day/Night mode
Sound and visual alarms for desired and fixed maximum speed levels
Automatic Portrait/Landscape display mode
Free access to the NDRIVE COMMUNITY to share POIs with other user anywhere in the world
Search online from you NDrive using search engines like GoogleTM and find additional POIs in any location
The only feature that stands out as not being present is speed camera alerts, but these are available to download through the application.
NDrive UK & Ireland Sat Nav for iPhone is available in the App store now for £4.99, but given the large file size, you’re better off downloading this through iTunes on your PC and syncing it over.
I’ll be putting this app through it’s paces over the next couple of weeks and hope to have a full hands on review available soon. In the mean time let me know how you get on with it using the comments form below.
Keeping your phone safe and accessible in the car often means getting a car holder for it. Windscreen mounts for mobile phones are probably the most popular way of securing your phone in the car. They are affordable, easy to install and can be removed quickly so as not to draw any attention to your car. With Sat Nav for the iPhone now available too, mounting your iPhone on your windscreen lets you keep your eyes on the road while following the on screen directions.
Windscreen holders aren’t the only option though. You can also get a range of fixed mobile phone holders that can be securely attached to your car, without causing any damage to your dashboard. To give you an idea on what car holders work the best with the iPhone and iPhone 3G, I’ve been through our most popular car holders to see how they measure up.
iPhone Car Holder by Brodit
If you need something a little more heavy duty, or a semi permanent solution, then a Brodit Holder will be your best option. Brodit produce a range of holders, each made from a tough ABS plastic and then coated with a soft touch fabric to prevent your iPhone from getting scratched. There are 3 different types of Brodit Holder available:
All 3 do a great job of holding your iPhone securely in the car, the only difference between them is how they can charge your phone. Brodit Passive Holders only hold your phone, if you wanted to charge your phone, you’d need to buy a separate car charger. Brodit Active Holders have a car charger wired into them, so as soon as you slide your phone in, it starts charging. The Brodit Holder with Pass through is slightly different, it doesn’t have a car charger attached, but it does have a Dock Connection on the bottom. This allows you to connect a car charger, FM Transmitter, Parrot MKi Car Kit or any other accessory that uses the Dock Connector to the phone while it’s in the holder and means you won’t have to fiddle around plugging them in each time you get in the car.
Brodit iPhone Holders - Passive, Active & Pass Through
All three are on a ‘Tilt Swivel’ base that allows you to rotate the phone through 360 degrees, as well as angle it away from sunlight or reflections and should ideally be screwed to a flat surface in your car. If you dont want to screw into your dashboard (and I know I certainly wouldnt) then a ProClip from Brodit is your answer. Brodit ProClips are strong plastic mounts that clip onto your dashboard without causing any damage and provide a great base for attaching car holders onto. Proclips are vehicle specific and are normally available for different parts of your dashboard.
Brodit Passive Holder for iPhone 3GS Mounted on ProClip
Griffin WindowSeat
Griffin are well known for making iPod and iPhone accessories. The Griffin WindowSeat for iPhone 3G has a high-grip silicone suction pad that easily and quickly attaches to your windscreen or other smooth surface and stays put. It leaves your charging port and headphone socket accessible, and comes with an audio cable so you can connect your phone to your car stereo (As long as your stereo has a 3.5mm aux-in port). If you use Sat Nav on your iPhone, you can rotate the holder through 360 degrees without having to remove your phone.
Griffin WindowSeat for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS
Drive Safe
The DriveSafe Pack for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS include a car charger as well as a holder for your iPhone. The holder has an adjustable arm that can be bent into shape and rotated to suit your needs. The car charger will ensure that you don’t run out of power on your journey.
DriveSafe Car Pack for iPhone 3G
iPhone 3G Cradle with Changeable Mounts
This is the most customisable type of iPhone Car Holder. First you pick a cradle, then you choose a mount. As all of the mounting ports use the same clip system, you can choose a mount that will best suit your vehicle. The iPhone cradles all do the same thing, the main difference between them is that the PDA Cradle for iPhone 3G has a longer support on one side to keep your phone more stable when being used in landscape mode. Some of the available mounts available are listed below
Air Vent
Windscreen Mount (Fixed)
Suction Mount (Rotating)
Cigarette Socket
Bicycle Mount
From experience though, I’ve always found Air Vent holders a little loose, especially on heavier handsets like the iPhone, so I’d opt for a Rotating Windscreen Holder as it’s a lot more secure. The Rotating Holder has a solid arm that can be rotated in three directions to help you get the best viewing angle and allows you to turn your phone into landscape mode without having to remove it from the holder.
Mounting Port Cradles
Deluxe Holster
The Deluxe Holster for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS is really a two in one holder. It’s made up of two parts, the first is a polycarbonate case that protects the back of your phone and can be attached to a belt, the other is a suction mount that attaches to your windscreen and can hold your phone without you having to remove it from the case. The Deluxe Holster also comes with a car charger.
Deluxe iPhone 3G Holder
If you’ve seen a different holder that works well with your iPhone then let me know using the comments form below.
OK, I’ve seen some pretty odd ways of using mobile phone’s over the years, but this one really made me chuckle. As you’ve probably heard, you can now get TomTom Sat Nav on your iPhone, and the whole world seem to be going crazy about it.
Quite a few bloggers are reviewing the new software and posting video’s of it being used – which is great, after all 60 is a lot to spend on a software download if it’s no good, but I really think some people need to plan ahead when it comes to creating a video review.
This morning I stumbled on this iPhone TomTom video review on YouTube which shows off how easy the software is to use. They then take it for a spin in the car and demonstrate brilliantly how not to mount your iPhone in the car.
There are some things that sellotape shouldn't be used for!
Sellotaping your iPhone to the dash might be a quick fix, but just think of the mess that’s going to be left on his phone and dashboard when he’s done. Silly really, when for less than 15 he could have got himself an iPhone Sat Nav Pack that includes a rotating windscreen holder and car charger.
On the subject of iPhone holders, I’ve noticed that people seem to think that you have to use sat nav on the iPhone in landscape mode. As most phone holders for the iPhone 3G and 3GS are portrait, I’m guessing this is why people are resorting to sellotaping their phones to the dashboard, but what you may not realise is that Sat Nav works perfectly well in portrait mode too – in fact I prefer it. It means you don’t have to keep rotating the phone if a call or text message comes through and I find that you get a clearer view of what’s coming up on the road ahead. Admittedly, there’s not much in it, but do you really need to see all the side roads that you’re not going to be driving down?
iPhone Sat Nav: Landscape Vs Portrait
Easiest option of course is to just get yourself a rotating holder so that you can use your phone which ever way you want. The following iPhone car holders can all rotate for use in landscape or portrait mode. Personally I prefer to use a Brodit attached to a ProClip so that I don’t have to keep removing it from my windscreen and wiping away the tell tale ring on the glass that says you’ve got sat nav in the car.
It was announced back in March at the Apple Developers Conference, but until now further details have been very few and far between.. Until now.
We already know that the software and the car cradle will be available separately, and we’re now hearing that the car cradle will retail for around 115, but there is no news yet as to whether this includes the software or not.
UPDATE: TomTom for UK is available now in the iTunes App store for 59.99. No confirmed pricing yet on the car kit. iTunes Link.
iPhone TomTom Car Kit
Another image has surfaced of the iPhone TomTom Car Cradle, this time showing off a few more of it’s features:
EasyPort Mount from the TomTom ONE and TomTomXL
Built In Speaker
Volume Control
Microphone for handsfree calling
Mini USB Charging Connector
Audio Line out (for connecting to Car Stereo)
Sources are also confirming that it will work with the iPod touch too.
We’ve not yet been able to confirm any of this yet with our suppliers, and we’ll post again as soon as we know more.
On a similar note, the rumour mill is also suggesting that CoPilot Live 8 is on its way to the App Store and will be available some time next week for around 26. UPDATE: CoPilot Live 8 is available now from the AppStore – iTunes Link
Decisions decisions…60+the cost of the car kit for TomTom, 26 for CoPilot…
Since the iPhone 3G launched last year with built in GPS and the new iPhone 3GS launch this year, people have been calling out for a proper Satellite Navigation Application for it. Well, after a long wait, iPhone OS 3.0 finally provides support for turn-by-turn navigation.
Navigon MobileNavigator for iPhone 3G & iPhone 3GS
TomTom were the first company to announce a ‘proper’ Sat Nav solution for the iPhone at last months Apple Developers Conference. TomTom demonstrated the software and introduced the TomTom Cradle – an optional extra to help you get the most out of their mapping software, but they didn’t announce any pricing or release dates. This week though saw the release of the first two Sat Nav apps, and surprisingly TomTom weren’t one of them!
First to launch were Navigon -MobileNavigator: Europe came first, withMobileNavigator: British Isles appearing in the App Store this morning. (Both are available now from iTunes and clicking the links will launch iTunes and take you directly to the App Store).
Second to release a full turn by turn App is Mobile Maps 2009 by Sygic. From the reviews it’s getting, it’s a better option than Navigon as it has a few more features such as full postcode search.
Navigon posted this video demoing the software.
If you do invest in a Sat Nav App for your phone, it’s not just the App that you’re going to need. You’ll need something to hold your iPhone and a way of keeping your iPhone charged, as battery life will be dramatically affected by using Sat Nav, especially on long journeys.
Depending on your budget and what you want to achieve in your car, there are a number of options available:
Something Simple
iPhone Rotating Car Holder
If you don’t want to break the bank and just want a simple, no fuss solution, then you’ll need to get yourself an iPhone 3G Car Holder and iPhone Car Charger. The holder simply fixes to your windscreen using a suction cup and can be used in either landscape or portrait mode.
Brodit Active Holder for iPhone 3GS
If you don’t like having things stuck to your window or the tell tale circle on the glass that says you have a Sat Nav system, then you should also consider a Brodit Active Holder for the iPhone 3GS. These are phone specific cradles that will hold your iPhone securely and have a car charger wired into them, so there is no need to fiddle with cables. They are made from a strong ABS plastic and have a soft touch coating to prevent your phone from getting scratched as you use the holder. You can use your iPhone in both landscape and portrait modes as these holders have a rotating bracket. Brodit Active holders are designed to be screwed onto your dashboard, although if you don’t fancy doing this you can use a Brodit Pro Clip. These are secure mounting pads that clip on to your dashboard and can be removed without causing any damage to your vehicle. ProClips provide an ideal base for fixing an active holder on to.
TomTom on iPhone 3G
TomTom Car Kit for iPhone 3G & iPhone 3GS
If you plan on using the TomTom software when it is released later in the year, then this is probably your best option. The TomTom Car Kit does just about everything you need all in one small discrete holder. The suction mount can be fixed to either your windscreen or dashboard (using a fixing plate) and can be rotated for use in either landscape or portrait mode. As well as holding your iPhone, the TomTom Car Kit will boost your GPS signal for improved tracking; it has an FM Transmitter that allows you to play music from your phone through your stereo speakers, and a built in loudspeaker for the voice navigation while you’re driving. Pricing and availability are still to be confirmed.
Music Streaming, Hands-Free Calling and Navigation
If you really want to get the best from your iPhone and want an in car set up that can be used with your iPhone 3G / 3GS for handling calls, music and navigation there are a number of Plug & Play and professionally installed options available.
Play music from your iPhone 3GS through your Car Stereo with the Jabra SP700
There are a few iPhone 3GS Plug & Play Car Kits that will work with the iPhone 3G, and the Jabra SP700 is one of the best. The Jabra SP700 is a self install Bluetooth Car Kit that simply clips to the sun visor of your car and pairs to your iPhone using Bluetooth. The SP700 supports the A2DP profile, which means that you can stream your music to it over Bluetooth and listen to it either using the speaker in the SP700 or you can stream the music from the SP700 to your car stereo speakers using its built in FM Transmitter, in a similar way to how the TomTom car kit works.When you use the Sat Nav app on your iPhone, any voice commands will also be played through your car stereo speakers so you shouldn’t ever miss any directions. The battery life of the SP700 is upto 14 hours talk time and 250 hours stand by.
Streaming using Bluetooth can be quite a drain on the battery, especially if you are using Sat Nav at the same time, you will almost certainly need a car charger and a way of mounting the phone in the car. Personally I’d recommend using aBrodit Active holder for iPhone 3G and a vehicle specific ProClip.
Fully Integrated to your Car
If you want a more permanent solution or one where you don’t need to recharge the handsfree unit, then theiPhone 3GS fully fitted Car Kit will be your best bet.
Parrot MKi9000 for iPhone 3GS
I’ve tried most of these kits out with the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS, and by far the best option here is one of theParrot MKi Car Kits. Parrot only make Bluetooth accessories and because of that they make sure that every phone works brilliantly with their car kits. There are three kits in the MKi range, but the Parrot MKi9000 for iPhone 3GS is your best bet, mainly because you dont need an external screen. You can play music from your phone through the MKi9000 either by connecting the Dock Connector (which will also charge your phone) or you can stream it using Bluetooth.
The Mki9000 will synchronise with your phone book, and supports voice dialing even on the iPhone 3G. There is also a small remote that you can attach to your dash or steering wheel to control your music (Play/Pause and Volume only when streaming using Bluetooth).When you use Sat Nav on your phone, voice instructions come through your car stereo clearly, and if music is playing at the same time, it briefly mutes out the music so that you don’t miss any directions.
You won’t need to buy a car charger for your iPhone as this kit will charge your iPhone when you connect the dock cable, but you will still need a holder for your iPhone 3GS. Depending on how this kit is installed into your car, you may find that the charging cable may not be able to reach the windscreen, so a dashboard holder such as the Brodit Pass through Holder for iPhone 3G & 3GS will be a better option. It’s made from the same soft touch plastic as the Brodit Active Holder, but instead of having a car charger attached, it has a Dock Connector on the bottom so you can leave the charging cable connected permanently.
They’re easy enought to fit yourself, but to be on the safe side I’d recommend that you have your car kit professionally installed.
Over the next few months we will see even more Sat Nav applications make their way into the app store, with products from Telmap, Co-Pilot and Navicore still in the pipeline.
If you’ve used any of these Sat Nav applications or accessories, let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
Mobile Applications, iPhone | Indigo Cloud | 
May 17, 2010 1:07 pm | 
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