GPS Walkthrough

[phoenix316]

Hey, was wondering if someone who's been using the N95 since the begining or even for more than a week or so could help some of use newbies out by posting a walkthrough for the GPS. I find it a tad bit confusing. The first time i load it up it said i was in africa, 6000km away from home. I have a few questions that maybe someone can answer that should help a lot of first timers out.

1. Which access point should we be choosing? My phone is with Rogers and the phone has thus taken up all the Rogers information. This is good for internet browsing but now i have a whole bunch of access point options for GPS, including Easy WLAN, Media, Rogers Internet, VPN, and GoRogers, and my Wifi connection at home. Which of these are free and which will incurr charges, if any would?

2. Are the default maps ok? Do i need to load specific maps for my home town of those that i frequently visit? If so, how and where do i go to get more maps? Can it be done on the phone with my wifi or rogers internet connected?

3. What sort of navigation options are there? I heard that voice command costs $$$. Can i have it map out the route? Just give turn by turn directions like mapquest does? Can I have it find restaurants and stuff like that with the basic map software?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Phoenix

[salada2k]

OK.

First of all, make sure you have the latest version of Nokia Map Loader. It's much faster than the first version. Then run the Nokia Maps software in your phone once, with the sd card inserted. Then, connect your N95 to the PC in Mass Storage mode, or insert your micro sd card into a compatible reader and download the maps you require.

Once you've done that, it might be useful to run Nokia Software Upater, and ensure you are running firmware v12.0.0.13, as it includes A-GPS (Assisted GPS), which uses your N95's net connection to obtain faster satellite lock-on times for GPS. It's an awesome addition, and if you're serious about GPS, it's a must. On that note, if you're serious about your N95, just get v12 anyway.

1. Access Points. If you have an unlimited data plan, always use your GPRS or HSDPA connection, change the setting inside the maps program. The connection will be used for the following:

- Downloading maps sections that you havent already downloaded via the maps program.
- Accessing (many) extra POI's that do not come with the default maps.
- Resolving 7-digit postcodes like in England, otherwise you'll only get a maximum of 5 digits. Or is it 4?
- Downloading navigational voices (you can do this in the new map loader program, however)
- Resolving address searches for which you do not have map data for (e.g. other country)

Some of these things are useful to have on the move, making a WiFi access point an inconvenient option. Although, you can obviously change that setting whenever you want to. Bear in mind however, that for using Assisted GPS (A-GPS - a nice update we all got in firmware version 12) you will need to use a 3G/EDGE/GPRS connection to use it, WiFi is not supported. This is configured under Tools > Settings > General > Positioning > Positioning Server. Choose the connection you wish to use with A-GPS there. Each A-GPS server request is approximately 5KB of data, not a lot even for those who pay by the KB.

2. There are no 'default maps'. All maps are downloaded via Map Loader or over-the-air as I explained above. It is worth updating them regularly, as map companies that Nokia use are updating the data regularly. This holds true even more so when using (paid) navigation, as navigational routing information is stored in the map data itself. This is good if you have navigational problems, i.e. you are told to turn left into a brick wall, or a deep lake, as you can rest assured this problem will eventually be resolved with an update to the mapping data, (or a lawsuit!)

3. The mapping program and the maps are free. Nokia make money by charging you for navigation. After all, the bought out an established German based mapping company called Smart2Go, and they have to make money back on that somehow. Don't forget, they make the program and the maps free for a lot of Symbian based Nokia Phones, not to mention even Windows Mobile. You can of course have it map you out a route from A to B, and 'track' you all the way there. It won't alter the orientation of the screen, that's one of things that you pay for with navigation, and also the you pay to get vocal turn-by-turn directions.

That's all you need to get started. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask!