The good news? Telstra’s Whereis site has released an Android-specific GPS app which supports voice recognition, offers turn-by-turn navigation and even includes built-in flight timetables and pedestrian mode walking directions. The bad news? It only works on phones connected to the Telstra network, and you have to pay $15 a month for the privilege.
Admittedly, $15 a month is still cheaper than most standalone GPS units on the market over a year of use. On the other hand, that kind of ongoing pricing makes downloading a set of directions via Google Maps rather more tempting, especially given the price of most Telstra Next G connections. If you are an existing Telstra customer, you can access the service via a 7-day trial.
Would you pay $15 a month for a phone-based navigator? Have you given the new navigator a try? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Roger Barnes
Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 9:44 AMThat’s hilarious. I have an Android 2.1 ROM on my HTC Hero with a navigation app that works in Australia … all for free.
Hardik Jani
Monday, May 31, 2010 at 6:34 PMHi there.. can you let me know which navigation are you using.. ? I have got HTC magic.. will it work on magic ?? thanks
James Bowling
Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 9:45 AMI’ll wait for TomTom
Andrew Palozzo
Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 9:50 AMThe app looks nifty, and it’s really great to see some local android application development… but no, i’d never pay Telstra’s abusrdly expensive mobile data rates and you can sooo easily just download the brut* google maps applications which just unlocks google’s own google map’s navigation. Which is really sweet and simple.
Andrew Palozzo
Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 9:51 AMIn fact, when I think about it.. this should be free on phones from Telstra i think.. like they do in the states, this would actually tempt a lot more people to pick up phones like the desire…
Rocko Collins
Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 11:56 AMData use in Whereis Navigator is actually free, so you’re not paying extra above the subscription price to use it. It’s a pretty cool app, I’ve been using it on my Desire for a couple weeks now and it works great!
Mark Burban
Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 12:14 PMgee it’s not like telstra to sell an overpriced product..
Dave Lord
Friday, May 21, 2010 at 9:28 AMTell them they’re dreaming!
Mark
Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 2:12 PMThe interface is almost exactly the same are the GarminXT that I previously ran on my N95 so I suspect that Telstra have had this developed by Garmin.
The advantage of having a CoPilot or GarminXT (if it is ever released for Andriod) is that the maps are stored on the phone which is useful for those areas where you need to use the GPS but have no mobile signal. Useful for travelling on the highway and more rural areas. I also had Marine and Topographic maps stored on the phone memory card that I could select under GarminXT depending on what I was needing.
I can’t see the value in the Telstra Whereis option. Like many of hte services that they offer built in to their phones you can probably find a free/cheaper option elsewhere.