Why You Need GPS on Your Phone

Personally, I couldn't imagine going on a road trip without the help of in-car GPS navigation. Pretty soon, however, we won't be going anywhere without GPS in our pockets—or more specifically, on our phones.  

Handset manufacturers see in-phone GPS as the next big thing, and three of the four big U.S. carriers offer relatively cheap navigation apps for a wide range of phones. It's not hard to see why; increasingly, wireless chatters are looking for the nearest ATMs, movie theaters and restaurants while on foot, and who needs a GPS-less phone that forces you to key in both your location and your destination?

If you're ready to jump on the GPS bandwagon, look for a handset that comes with built-in GPS navigation. A surprising number of mainstream phones can handle GPS, including handsets as varied as the Motorola KRZR, the LG Chocolate and enV, the Sony Ericsson w300i, and the Samsung BlackJack. Already have a phone? Check with your carrier; if you bought your handset in the last year or so and you're an AT&T, Sprint or Verizon Wireless subscriber, there's a decent chance your phone supports GPS. (T-Mobile doesn't have its own GPS service at this time.)

Ready with your GPS phone? Now you need to subscribe to your carrier's navigation service. Both AT&T and Sprint use TeleNav Navigator, while Verizon Wireless uses VZ Navigator. Each service gives you point-to-point directions (either by car or on foot) and local searches, and some phones even let you send text messages embedded with your GPS coordinates, making it easy for your friends to find you.

To get started, you'll need to download the respective apps from your carrier's mobile Web site and then buy a subscription. AT&T offers a $10 a month navigation plan, or you can get a total of 10 point-to-point routes for a flat fee of $6. Sprint has a $20/month Power Vision Navigation Pack, which bundles GPS navigation with text messaging, Web browsing and other services, or you can buy a $3 day pass. Finally, Verizon Wireless' VZ Navigator service goes for $10 a month or $3 a day.