GPS Buying Tips

[td_ref]

why do you say HTC? theres a samsung there that looks cool also http://www.ch999.com.cn/products6438/ a bit cheaper than the HTC

As soon as I heard the Motorola DEFY, waterproof dust proof, i know that can be a perfect setup for bike gps.
Currently mine is a Samsung G3 5800, it was over 1500rmb, but now can get as little as 1000rmb. Very good battery, I got it from a taobao seller in Shenzhen, came with "free" Gaode(chinese) gps navigation.

[slabo]

As soon as I heard the Motorola DEFY, waterproof dust proof, i know that can be a perfect setup for bike gps.
Currently mine is a Samsung G3 5800, it was over 1500rmb, but now can get as little as 1000rmb. Very good battery, I got it from a taobao seller in Shenzhen, came with "free" Gaode(chinese) gps navigation.

Awesome... 2000rmb for Motorolla DEFY . . it is the perfect phone for a biker.

[adfundum]

Slightly out of left field perhaps, but I use a Nokia smartphone for navigation, albeit not yet on a bike.
I've used it extensively on foot and in the car though, all around Shanghai, Zhejiang, Guangdong & Hong Kong, as well as Europe.
Running a side by side test against a friend's Garmin around Ningbo, the Ovi maps routes were consistently accurate, sometimes more so than the Garmin

Pro: Maps are free, accurate, and downloadable from the net to either phone or micro SD card, so no data roaming charges.
Cons: Screen invariably not bright enough outdoors on sunny days, needs a shock-/waterproof box of some kind, screen useless with gloves on.

[corporal_clegg]

I've got the Garmin Nuvi 1255, works fine for me so far and it's only about RMB 500 including delivery!

Cheap but doesnt really cut the mustard. 4 hour battery... not water proof

[Pat]

I used the Nuvi 1255 and was pretty happy with it - a few other options you might make sure the device has:

1. Avoid highways - (should be simple checkbox - some devices don't have this)
2. Route loading - load a preprogrammed route and then follow (the Nuvi 1255 doesn't have)
3. Waypoints - pick a destination, and then pick a second destination to drive through (partly makes up for not being able load routes)
4. Chinese input/English interface - can enter and search for cities in Chinese - with a pinyin or drawing characters
5. Experiment with the GPS tracking if you want to save where you've been - there may be file size limits. I got around this by saving copies of each day's riding and starting from scratch the next day.

On battery life - it's probably straightforward to wire it into your bike - which I'd recommend. Odds are you'll end up sleeping in places where you can't charge overnight (or at all).

As far as just using a cell phone - I used an iPhone 4 with 3G - hoping to use it on the road to get online, check weather, and use the GPS (which is great when it works) - but as soon as I hit rural areas, I had no service - and in western cities, when I did have service, there was still no 3G. As best as I can tell, China Unicom's network is pretty spotty - I also had a (cheapo, dumb) phone with China Mobile, which was much better.

[corporal_clegg]

so the gps is reliant on the phone network? I would've thought it independant. I would not be getting 3g, just using a normal sim and hopefully be able to get gps and wireless in starbucks or at home.

[td_ref]

so the gps is reliant on the phone network? I would've thought it independant. I would not be getting 3g, just using a normal sim and hopefully be able to get gps and wireless in starbucks or at home.

A-gps has faster fix getting some bits of date from cell tower. But my a-gps phone is adjusted to get gps signal without network but take longer for fix.
for 3g as far as i know china telecom has best all round signal and coverage. but their 3g standard is incompatible with 3g iphone and "grey" imported 3g phone which only compatible with china unicom联通.
The best coverage would be 2g china mobile, you can't go wrong with that. and there are some offline gps software one of which i have mentioned at previous post.

[slabo]

so the gps is reliant on the phone network? I would've thought it independant. I would not be getting 3g, just using a normal sim and hopefully be able to get gps and wireless in starbucks or at home.

Nop, gps relies on a clear view of the skies only.

[corporal_clegg]

td_ref is fixing just the initial pin-pointing or does it constantly "re-fix" as you move. I'm considering the samsung s5770, seems to be the bare essentials which is kindof all I really want. My current phone is an 100RMB nokia so you may assume that I am strictly practical and don't care for super-high resolution and what-not. What do you mean adjusted. Is this something special on your phone or can it be done on any phone?

[td_ref]

td_ref is fixing just the initial pin-pointing or does it constantly "re-fix" as you move. I'm considering the samsung s5770, seems to be the bare essentials which is kindof all I really want. My current phone is an 100RMB nokia so you may assume that I am strictly practical and don't care for super-high resolution and what-not. What do you mean adjusted. Is this something special on your phone or can it be done on any phone?

I don't know much about GPS technical infor, but it's fair to say the signal is one- way radio, and built-in chip does all the calculation for coordination with ranges of accuracy. The initial fix take some time, but after that it stay on, unless sky is blocked by building, tunnel (more infor can be easily found on internet) cause weak signal or completely lost. Technically a unit only need 3 satellite for fix, but I normally gets 8 and more satellites which consider as strong signal.

Long story about my usage of mobile phone, i'll keep it short. In a bright sun light, only B/W LCD is readable in good level. But all my colleague used to despise me for using a 200rmb b/w Nokia, which the only good ring tone to them was "Do you hear me when I say..." sing by a female.
Anyway about the 5770, it doesn't have auto-focus camera. FYI link of that Shenzhen taobao seller, they have some more samsungs. Bear in mind those are 'grey' imports, but genuine.
p.s. grey imports means the phone doesn't have mainland warranty--the seller does repair. No Fapiao. The irony was Samsung china offer inferior same level product compare to my Galaxy g3. Reminds me the powdered milk. Thank god not everything is made in China. SZ is next to HK which has much pretty decent stuff there......