Smart phone for google maps

eire-kp

I'm finally catching up with the rest of the world my trusty old Nokia finally gave up so I'm looking for a smartphone that can use Google maps with Gps while not on-line if that's possible. Any other features are of no real use to me I guess being able to check Facebook would be good,

Would a smart phone with a 5MP camera be able to replace an old digital camera aswell?
Would the Huawei Ascend G300 on vodafone for 129 be good enough?

evolutionqy7

eire-kp wrote: »

I'm finally catching up with the rest of the world my trusty old Nokia finally gave up so I'm looking for a smartphone that can use Google maps with Gps while not on-line if that's possible. Any other features are of no real use to me I guess being able to check Facebook would be good,

Would a smart phone with a 5MP camera be able to replace an old digital camera aswell?
Would the Huawei Ascend G300 on vodafone for 129 be good enough?

Megapixels don't mean much tbh. You could have a brilliant 3.2 mp camera phone and a crappy 8 megapixel camera. Megapixels only describe the size of the picture you take in pixels.

Ascend G300 is meant to be a ok, its decent for the money anyway. Wont replace a point and shoot camera though. If you want something to replace a point and shoot camera you would have to look at high end phones.

eire-kp

Ah I understand you. Id be more concerned about the Gps. Any opinions on that?

It only needs to be good enough for use for walking around Dublin/London,

evolutionqy7

eire-kp wrote: »

Ah I understand you. Id be more concerned about the Gps. Any opinions on that?

It only needs to be good enough for use for walking around Dublin/London,

Yeah its fine for that. You will need an active internet connection though. Google maps are online so means all the maps are downloaded from the internet every time you use it.. You can pre download an area at home though.

Ken bryan

The sony xperia p is great phone . It will last 2 days with moderate use .

podgeandrodge

Offline gps for all countries = nokia. Great camera beating any compacts = pureview 808. Only €599

eire-kp

podgeandrodge wrote: »

Offline gps for all countries = nokia. Great camera beating any compacts = pureview 808. Only €599

Nice but its about 400 more than I hoped to pay:)

What second hand models would suit? I must have a look on adverts.

lostlad

What about a Htc desire hd second hand for around 200? Is it a good phone?!

kaiserjim

podgeandrodge wrote: »

Offline gps for all countries = nokia. Great camera beating any compacts = pureview 808. Only €599

Can you not get offline gps with a sat nav app ??

evolutionqy7

kaiserjim wrote: »

podgeandrodge wrote: »

Offline gps for all countries = nokia. Great camera beating any compacts = pureview 808. Only €599

Can you not get offline gps with a sat nav app ??

You can but you have to pay for it

biko

Google maps doesn't come offline.

You should stay with Nokia and just get their smartphones.
Very good cameras on those phones and offline maps
http://n8geeks.com/nokia-n8-ovi-maps-in-offline-mode/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmEvCm9PgB4

Timfy

biko wrote: »

Google maps doesn't come offline.

On the Android platform (can't comment on others) Google maps now has the ability to download areas... as many as you need, in (iirc) 2 mile square tiles.

There are several other excellent offline mapping apps available on the Android platform, Navfree being a personal favourite of mine.

podgeandrodge

Timfy wrote: »

On the Android platform (can't comment on others) Google maps now has the ability to download areas... as many as you need, in (iirc) 2 mile square tiles.

There are several other excellent offline mapping apps available on the Android platform, Navfree being a personal favourite of mine.

No disrespect to this great free application for Android etc but it is opensource and, as they say themselves, "As the maps are open and rely on users creating and updating them there will be a chance that some of the maps are incorrect or missing all together, especially in more rural areas".

Nokia maps are Garmin and used in professional GPS products. And they are free in any capable Nokia phone, even budget ones.

You should be able to pick up a second hand N8 cheaply enough or if you can afford to go on a €34 a month bill pay with Emobile under their amazing new offer (unlimited minutes, texts, landlines and data ) you will get a Lumia 800 for free.

Alternatively a Lumia 610 from Meteor on prepay is about €249.

eire-kp

So is the N8 good enough so..It has a good camera and gps. what about the selection of apps? And if I get one can I update it to this symbian belle update?

It seems they can be picked up for under 180 euro.
http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2012/1/3/nokia-n8-review-a-tale-of-two-phones.aspx?pageid=0

How would it compare to the Huawei above?

podgeandrodge

eire-kp wrote: »

So is the N8 good enough so..It has a good camera and gps. what about the selection of apps? And if I get one can I update it to this symbian belle update?

It seems they can be picked up for under 180 euro.
http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2012/1/3/nokia-n8-review-a-tale-of-two-phones.aspx?pageid=0

How would it compare to the Huawei above?

Android has more apps if that's what you are into. The N8 is far superior to the Huawei in respect of camera or gps. The Huawei is budget android and does not have the "pro" offline maps.

You really have to decide on whether you want apps - if so get android. If priority is "good gps and camera" - Nokia N8 = best for GPS with full country offline maps + great camera.