Comments on: GPS and battery life: Ask the Editors

CNET editors answer reader questions about the batteries on portable navigation devices and why we don't review handheld GPS.

[wizechap]

Do not know if this is the correct place to post a question!

1. Once I input destination address in in-car GPS, does any GPS device allow to review the whole route from start to finish? If Yes, which PND lets me review the route before actually start driving?

2. Whats the difference between PNDs and Smartphones with in-built GPS? Why do we have to pay for GPS service on a smartphone although they have built-in GPS antenna whereas for In-Car GPS PNDs we do not need to pay monthly subscription?

Advise please

[wizechap]

Do not know if this is the correct place to post a question!

1. Once I input destination address in in-car GPS, does any GPS device allow to review the whole route from start to finish? If Yes, which PND lets me review the route before actually start driving?

2. Whats the difference between PNDs and Smartphones with in-built GPS? Why do we have to pay for GPS service on a smartphone although they have built-in GPS antenna whereas for In-Car GPS PNDs we do not need to pay monthly subscription?

Advise please

[kingramesis]

1. Many PNDs have route options like shortest, fastest, scenic and I guess the coming would be eco friendly !. So you can be assured whichever you have chosen merits no review. Also once a route is calculated the route is shown in a different colour so you can review the same if u want to.
2.This is the marketing model (rather trick ?) played by the product makers. Nothing logical here. In Indai Nokia's model is like this:
N95 (costlier phone) - pay and use Navigation
6110 (cheaper phone) - free Navigation for lifetime !. Makes sense ?

[kingramesis]

1. You can review by seeing the route appearing in different colour
2. Business Model. No logic !

[kingramesis]

[codesmith]

1. I can only say for certain that Tom Tom GPS units do indeed show you a review of the overall route before you start, and I think most other brands do likewise. But bear in mind that if it's a long route (say, halfway across the country) you won't see much detail on a 3.5" or 4.3" screen! [:>]

2. I'm on a little thin ice here, but I was under the impression that Smartphones don't have all the map data and processing smarts built in to calculate routes. They only know where you are and send that to your provider who then calculates your route and downloads the directions to your phone.

[Dorsey Bohlman]

Unless I missed my "answer" on my GPS question of 9/4/08 . regarding "map up-dates", please request an "e-mail" answer .Thanks you !

[probell]

When I found this post in a web search I was looking for information on which PND has longest battery life. This post would have been much more useful to me if it had information on relative battery life in different PNDs.