The Players
Having a GPS chip on the phone isn't enough to start navigating. Though it is possible to download Google Maps onto a smartphone, and get location information, this does not provide turn-by-turn navigation with voice prompts. Nokia phones come with Nokia Maps and Navigation, which is free to use for three months. After this, you have to pay approximately Rs.600 a month to continue the service. If this seems too expensive, you can also download Amaze GPS. This is a free software available across a range of smartphone platforms.
The Blackberry doesn't have a native application, since Blackberry Maps does not work in India, so we used both Amaze as well as MapMyIndia's iNav Connect application. iNav Connect is derived from Wayfinder, and it's based on a subscription model. It costs Rs. 1,190 (US$24), and comes with a six month subscription. Once this expires, a monthly subscription costs Rs. 250. You need an active GPRS connection to run this. However, MapMyIndia has another product, iNav Loaded (and WF), that can be copied and run directly off the SD card on the phone. Support for this is limited to phones that use Symbian S60 or UIQ (iNav Loaded WF), and Windows Mobile 6 (iNav Loaded). This costs Rs. 3,490 for maps that cover the whole of India.
SatGuide sent us their entry-level standalone device, the C230, while MapMyIndia sent us a more advanced device, the 430 Classic. Both these devices came preloaded with maps for the whole of India.
Playing it by ear