navigator apps for Europe

Search this board for advice on NOT using the data part of your contract in Europe, unless you have very deep pockets.

Shay, as Nigel pointed out, you'll need to be VERY careful using the data portion of your iPhone, as data roaming can be VERY expensive! I've seen examples of people happily E-mailing and roaming their way through Europe, and come home to find a $3000 bill in their mailbox! I saw one example on a Cell forum where the user had a $7000 bill! The normal procedure for those travelling with an iPhone is to disable the data portion of the phone (which means no Nav. app's when you're out day touring). You could still use the Wi-Fi portion where that's available. It would be a really good idea to check with AT&T regarding costs for both data and voice roaming packages. I use a portable GPS unit for finding my way around Europe, which has no worries about roaming charges. Good luck!

To be honest, the Google Maps app that comes with the iPhone has been more useful than anything I paid for. It got me all over London last week, and on the day of the tube strike, it was absolutely indispensible! Keep in mind that any GPS/nav app you keep on continuously will drain your battery in a hurry because it's going to be pinging the satellite repeatedly. I've handled that by planning my route before setting out, then just ducking into a doorway and pulling out the phone every now and then to make sure I'm walking in the right direction. That won't work as well if you're using the iPhone as a GPS in the car, but in that situation, you can use a car charger.

I've seen the TomTom app mentioned favorably. It's self-contained so doesn't require a data feed. I thought about it for our trip last June, but ended up taking our Garmin GPS as we did a lot of driving.