> Trevor Wils>>
>>> > Also, these phones aren't cheap and their plans less so. The N95 for
>>> > example, requires a subscription in order to download the maps as you
>>> > travel, and they also accumulate data usage which you also have to pay
>>> > for.
>>>
>>> **Bullshit. Both Nokias come equipped with maps for all of Australia and
>>> more (for free). My 6110 costs me $50.00/month with a shit load of 'phone
>>> calls (over $200.00 worth).
>>
>> I was refering to a Nokia N95 review which said this:
>>
>> "Regardless, maps and routing info are downloaded over-the-air and
>> on-the-fly (for over 100 different countries Nokia tells us), but beware
>> this attracts data charges from mobile operators -- maps are not
>> pre-loaded or included on the memory card.
>>
>> "You can "upgrade" the N95's navigation abilities to support automatic
>> voice instructions for each turn, but this attracts an additional charge
>> per region -- it costs from AU$12.45 for a 7-day licence to AU$132.94 for
>> 3 years. Other premium services include city guides -- the Sydney one
>> costs AU$13.28, for example. Thankfully local points of interest like
>> restaurants and attractions are included for free, and you can easily make
>> a call to make a dinner reservation at any eatery you find."
>>
>>
formatting link
>>
>> So, is Cnet full of shit, then?
>**It would seem so. Australian maps are supplied free for the 6110 and the
>N95 (and probably others). Voice guided navigation around Australia is free.
>I've been using my 6110 for four months and have not sighted any extra
>charges on my bill. I guess reviewers are not infallible. Did you think they
>were perfect?
Ah there's a key piece of info - you're using post-paid services. My phone (Nokia 5500 - it does have GPS support but not using built-in hardware) is on a prepaid service since it's only ever used for calls and the odd text message. Gave up on 'mobile' web browsing when I had a post-paid plan but dumped it due to the lies continually purported by Optus when they continually tried to dupe me into signing onto a contract plan.
I bet people in the USA laugh at the s**te our telco's try to pull here, but then again 'density' of mobile phone usage/ownership is massively higher there so costs to provide the services are massively lower on a per-user basis.
BTW I've got a Blutant talkpad installed in each of my cars to do all the handsfree in-car stuff over Bluetooth and they're brilliant devices. Jabra's bluetooth engine that Blueant uses is quite a powerful piece of kit for what it does.
Craig.
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