We will be doing some driving (city & rural) in France, Scotland & Ireland...in an effort to cut down on "stuff" and $ I was hoping to put a lot on my iphone (itinerary, reservation info, maps, some rick steves audio tours...) and now I am thinking about navigation apps. We dont have a portable "tom-tom" navigation type thing to bring with us and I was wondering if anyone had any advice/experience with using their iphone as a navigation tool. Any apps to recommend? On that note, any iphone apps to recommend that would help us get around knowledgeably... Thanks! Jen
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
Unless you have an international 3G data package, navigation apps won't work unless you are in a wifi area (which you won't be most of the time). You can download static maps for offline use, but no turn-by-turn and such. Data packages are expensive, too.
Posted by
Dallas
1022 posts
Check the app store for TomTom. I've read that it doesn't require a data feed as maps are included.
Posted by
milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
36 posts
I would be very careful about iPhones. From what I have heard, you get stuck with an extraordinary bill on return to the US because of the cost of transmitting from USA to Europe. Even if you "turn it off", "apps" are running in the background. A friend tracked progress on a train he was riding. Bill was very expensive. Others have said they they can turn off everything and run on "airport" which in iMAC language is a connection for internet. Another thing is to contact ATT since that phone service is used on iPhones. They may have a package or be able to give you a different SIMM card. We are using iPads for email and which we can toss if they become viral infected (as opposed to mini computers). There is a map app for them from iTunes. We also have a telephone back up from Range Roamer in Chicago. Check my information but I think they charge 07 cents minutes for calls out from France. Tom Toms run about $200. Just bought one. The model that fits
USA and Europe is the XXL with free map downloads. Hope this long note helps.