Dirt Cheap Aussie GPS Phone

If anyone in Oz is keen on using their smartphone as a GPS, Dick Smith is having a sale on the Garmin Asus A50 phone until and including November 29th. The price is $A199!! It's an Optus Prepaid, but it is unlocked. I installed a Telstra SIM card and it worked fine. It has an old version of Android, but there is a free upgrade to version 2.1 on the Asus website. The GPS is way better than I have seen on a phone, as you would expect from Garmin. It has its maps in memory - no need for continuous downloads. I would expect to pay $650 to $800 for a phone of this quality. (No, I don't have shares in any of the above companies - just sharing the wealth).

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Just an FYI...in case anyone in Oz are looking at buying some hand held GPS.

I recently bought a brand new Garmin Oregon 450T on special from Dick Smith Electronics. I got it for $549, down from RRP$749.

Though they're also on special from the following resellers:

Johnny Appleseed GPS - $579 - http://www.ja-gps.com.au/Garmin/handhel ... -topo-gps/

Ryda - $588 - http://www.ryda.com.au/Garmin-OREGON-45 ... lick=21519

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H@mmer
"Intelligence is nothing without imagination"

chrisj,

When using the GPS on the phone. Do you have to pay (any download fees)? or is it just like using a 'normal GPS'?

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Paul, Rebecca & Stephanie

All the maps are already in the phone, so no download fees. It's called a Nuviphone, so I guess it's basically a Garmin Nuvi with an inbuilt Android phone. There is also a free annual map update, though I don't know if that will be available if you don't stick with Optus.

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Thanks for that Chris.

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Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.

Chrisj
Checked the phone/GPS out at Dick Smith and was told that the phone is not locked, however when you update maps part of the update locks the phone to Optus.

Thanks for the heads up, I might check the phone out. I have an HTC Android phone but not overly impressed with its GPS ability.

Does the phone for Street Nav only or can it be used for Kayak GPS?

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Steve

Houghto, I've got an HTC Desire too and the Nuviphone totally outclasses it in the GPS department. It gets a GPS fix in seconds indoors. It is more oriented toward the road than the water, but if I was keeping it, I think I would take Stringy's advice and invest in the Navionics App for boating ($15). (I bought the phone for my daughter-in-law for Christmas).

Dave, the way things are moving along, I think the phone will be outdated before the maps need to be upgraded.

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I've been very impressed with Navionics for Android phones. I'm using it on my Samsung Galaxy (mounted in an Aquamate case) and although that phone isn't on Navionics list the program works very well.
Best AU$15 I've ever spent on software.
Adding it to the Nuviphone should give you a very capable navigating platform at a bargain basement price!