Purchasing a Handhelp GPS

[MN BassFisher]

haha it's not hijacking. I started this thread looking to learn about GPS units (including the apps on smart phones) and I've gained a lot of knowledge and tips because of it!

[croixflats]

With the app does one have to have an internet connection to use it. I think you have to for downloading but not sure for using it. I tried calling my carrier but I got someone in India and I could not get a straight answer. Souded like if I were to get the Garmin Phone, which they have had for a few years now nothing new, I needed an internet connection. Like I say the info from India not to trustworthy.

[Kyhl]

Don't know about the Droid, sounds like it will default to GPS if all other fails.

The month old Iphone that we had on LOW a week and a half ago did not work without a cell signal. It also had no signal a mile before we hit the lake.

I was using it on the drive up and it was great until we lost the cell signal. Spent an hour of the drive checking out lakes that I knew and lakes that we drove past. Also used the phone's GPS function to try to find the new lake vermilion state park area via satellite view.

Maybe the GPS function was not activated? :shrug:

[fishwater]

My iphone has always worked for me up on LOW. It speeds it up if you browse to the LOW area maps and close the app before you loose the network.

[Ed Carlson]

dtro, Ed is right that most phones use cellular triangulation but you are also correct that Droids use internal GPS.

Thanks for the correction Kirsch & Dtro.

I should have been more specific in my comment and not listed the droids in with the Gps limited phones. I know some of the new gen droids use internal gps I should have said not all phones. There is a common misconception the app's install Gps into the phones, that was my intended point. If they were not previously capable of internal Gps, the app is a network enhancement of the phone company and subject to the limitations I was concerned with.