Need both iPhone and GPS hooked up in car

Chiba

So I just got an iPhone, and I'll be taking my car to university this next year, so I'm going to get a GPS system. My car doesn't have a tape player, doesn't have any kind of usb port. All I have is a cigarrete lighter port thing and a radio with a CD player.

How can I both have my GPS (that uses the cigarette lighter for a power adapter), and my iPhone hooked up to the cars speakers (as in playing music through my cars speakers, and doubling as a charger wouldn't be bad either).

And I don't know if this would matter, but it's an iPhone 4.

The Crowing One

Can't you get the google maps app that does navigation (GPS) on the iPhone? or not yet?

That's what I use: My moto droid is my GPS (and it works well) and (if I had the right setup) would play my music as well.

kaliyama

If you don't have an aux out or are willing to install one you'd need a charging/radio unit for the iphone that would preclude use of the GPS. Do you really need a GPS?

Pheezer

Why don't you just get a nav app for the phone? Navigon's app is really nice. It'd cost less than a dedicated unit, even if the time to lock your position can be a little sluggish.

I'd get a deck with BlueTooth support if you're up for upgrading. You could stream MP3s from your iPhone and have the nav app interrupt when it needs to give you directions. It's pretty slick if you get a car charging cradle and ideally one with an antenna to improve GPS pickup.

bigbh

Instead of acquiring a stand-alone GPS device I would highly recommend the Navigon app for the iPhone. http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/navigon-mobilenavigator-north/id321506742?mt=8

I'm not too familiar with the cost of GPS devices nowadays but the $79.99 price tag was more than competitive when I bought the app. It does take a little bit of time to acquire a signal once you start the app but once it gets going I haven't really had any signal issues. As far as music while using GPS goes there's an interface through the app for controlling your iPod music, and whenever it wants to give you an audio navigation cue it'll lower the volume temporarily of the music currently playing. One thing to note is that you'll definitely need some sort of iPhone car charger or you'll be lucky to get 3 hours of life out of the thing while using GPS.

EggyToast

The GPS that my sister has uses its own speakers, so I'm not sure why you'd want to have it come out the speakers of your car. Similarly, most of them have a rechargeable battery, so you wouldn't need to leave it plugged in all the time. The iPhone has plenty of battery power to play music; I think the quote is 40 hours for the iPhone 4? So you wouldn't need that plugged in for power, unless you plan to never charge it at home (such as while you're asleep).

I think that GPS units are useful if you're going places that you've never been, but you'll probably learn the area around your school rather quickly and then not have much use for the GPS. Still, I think you're overcomplicating the issue with devices in your car. Get a removable GPS (which you should anyway so your car isn't a break-in target) and get one that has its own speakers to give you directions.

Chiba

I guess I was a little unclear.

1) I want the iPhone to come through the speakers for music.
2) I've always wanted a GPS and i'll be needing to use it a lot at school (I use my dad's sometimes here at home, so I'll get use out of it more than just when I'm at college). I don't need the GPS to come through the car speakers.
3) A GPS program on my iPhone makes sense, I didn't think of that, but with the limits on data usage they put on, wouldn't that use up a lot of data? (I'm on the 2GB plan and I use it pretty extensively as it is)

jungleroomx

U may need a CD player with a dedicated iPod input (USB). They're pretty cheap these days, sub $100.

bigbh

The GPS apps include all the maps within them (they're easily 1gb +) and using the GPS functionality of the phone doesn't incur any data usage.

As far as getting your iPhone coming through your stereo you've got a couple options. If your deck has a 3.5mm aux jack all you'd need is a 3.5mm male-male cable. If you're lacking any sort of aux input your cheapest bet would probably be an FM transmitter.

Pheezer

The Navigon and TomTom GPS software for the iPhone include all maps. You have to download them with a computer, then load them to your phone. So they incur no data charges. If you get the real time traffic updates going, there's a small amount of data usage, but I believe it's fairly minimal, and it's still optional. The GPS unit itself is a passive device that looks at the signals it's receiving from GPS satellites and triangulates its position. Doesn't use your data plan at all.

I've never used the TomTom software, but the Navigon shit has saved me an absurd amount of time driving around cities that I'd never been to before. And if you already have the phone, it's a better deal than a standalone GPS unit.

jungleroomx

As a rule, I've noticed dedicated GPS units are more responsive and accurate than the iPhone.

Its a bit of peace of mind that the thing I have giving me directions couldnt be interrupted by a phone call, text message, etc.

Captain Vash

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6772
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10826&cs_id=1082601&p_id=6258&seq=1&format=1#largeimage

problem solved?

Pheezer

FM transmitters are great on the open highway but nigh worthless inside cities from what I have seen.

eternalbl

You could pick up something like this and use the Iphone as your GPS as people have already suggested.

dobi

Captain Vash wrote: »

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6772
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10826&cs_id=1082601&p_id=6258&seq=1&format=1#largeimage

problem solved?

This! I have this one specifically so that I can use the switches to turn on/off my cigarette lighter slots. My car doesn't turn off the power to the sockets when the car is switched off, so I used to have to unplug my splitter every time I shut the car off. Now I just flip the switches! And you can tuck the sockets out of the way so it doesn't look like a mess.

Edit: Also, if you need a USB socket in your car, this would be handy.

Blake T

Unless you are going to crazy places every time you go to university you don't really need a GPS system.

I mean you should remember the way after the second time or so.

Really though if you do want both a tuner and a GPS app will give you what you need.

temps

The gps unit i picked up this year (a garmin not sure the exact model.. but I know it wasn't the only garmin with this feature) has an mp3 player built in and has a memory slot. It can then be connected to the car speakers though its built in fm transmitter or aux port.

VisionOfClarity

I live in Boston and an FM transmitter works fine here. I used one for years until my new car had an iPod hookup in it.

I also wouldn't give up our Garmin for anything. I love that I can search for restaurants on it, gas stations, etc and not incur data (we have 200mb package) and that I can prop it up in the window where it's easy to see (I have blue tooth in my car so I could still take calls with it propped up, if you don't have blue tooth you won't be able to without getting an earpiece or something). And since I can get a good GPS for not much more than the cost of Navigon (sometimes less with a sale) I'd rather have a dedicated unit.

Get an FM transmitter for your iPhone, get a splitter for your charging port and get a something like this for your GPS.

MichaelLC

Just keep in mind that's more cables to remember and worry about, which means more chance of something getting lost and/or stolen. GPSs are bad because people stick the holders on the dash or (worse) on the window, leaving a HEY I"VE GOT A GPS HERE sign in their car. Add college campus to the mix, and you've got trouble.

Willeth

There's a free GPS program called Waze that I found out about recently. It crowdsources roads, basically - you map out the roads as you drive and all the users' data is transferred on the fly, so you always have up to date maps.

If you're in an out-of-the-way area then you're probably not mapped properly, but you might be surprised. I've had a lot of success with it.

Mace1370

I would recommend getting a GPS app for the iphone, specifically TomTom. I've used it and it is great. You can play music via the iphone's ipod function and use the TomTom app at the same time. Whenever there is an update to your route, the Tomtom app will pause your music and announce, "Turn right at X street" or whatever and then start playing your music again. The tomtom app is $49.

Additionally, there are iphone chargers that have a built in dedicated GPS chip. This will make the GPS on your iphone just as responsive as a standalone unit and will charge your iphone at the same time.

Here are two:

http://www.amazon.com/TomTom-Car-Kit-for-iPhone/dp/B002X2F2N8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1278378713&sr=8-2

http://www.amazon.com/Magellan-Premium-iPhone-iPod-touch/dp/B002WN30IM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1278378713&sr=8-4

Note that if you get the Tomtom app you don't have to get the Tomtom car kit. The car kits work with any GPS app.

VisionOfClarity

MichaelLC wrote: »

Just keep in mind that's more cables to remember and worry about, which means more chance of something getting lost and/or stolen. GPSs are bad because people stick the holders on the dash or (worse) on the window, leaving a HEY I"VE GOT A GPS HERE sign in their car. Add college campus to the mix, and you've got trouble.

If you leave any electronics visible in your car you are a moron and are asking to have it stolen. any GPS unit can be completely removed from the car. You take it out completely with you including the holder.

MichaelLC

VisionOfClarity wrote: »

MichaelLC wrote: »

Just keep in mind that's more cables to remember and worry about, which means more chance of something getting lost and/or stolen. GPSs are bad because people stick the holders on the dash or (worse) on the window, leaving a HEY I"VE GOT A GPS HERE sign in their car. Add college campus to the mix, and you've got trouble.

If you leave any electronics visible in your car you are a moron and are asking to have it stolen. any GPS unit can be completely removed from the car. You take it out completely with you including the holder.

Exactly. The best gooses leave their device in the car. I leave (left) my plug in, but it's sort of jammed into the steering column, and put the holder under the seat. Just reminding the OP that two devices equal more to mess around with every trip.

jungleroomx

It equals more devices, but it's also a single point of failure.

So, tradeoff yadda yadda double edged sword blah.

Chiba

Mace1370 wrote: »

I would recommend getting a GPS app for the iphone, specifically TomTom. I've used it and it is great. You can play music via the iphone's ipod function and use the TomTom app at the same time. Whenever there is an update to your route, the Tomtom app will pause your music and announce, "Turn right at X street" or whatever and then start playing your music again. The tomtom app is $49.

Additionally, there are iphone chargers that have a built in dedicated GPS chip. This will make the GPS on your iphone just as responsive as a standalone unit and will charge your iphone at the same time.

Here are two:

http://www.amazon.com/TomTom-Car-Kit-for-iPhone/dp/B002X2F2N8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1278378713&sr=8-2

http://www.amazon.com/Magellan-Premium-iPhone-iPod-touch/dp/B002WN30IM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1278378713&sr=8-4

Note that if you get the Tomtom app you don't have to get the Tomtom car kit. The car kits work with any GPS app.

I was thinking the GPS on my iPhone with FM transmitter route, however would I be able to hook both something like the items linked above, AND an FM transmitter to my iphone?

And going the GPS on iPhone route, which programs do you guys recommend (heard one vote for tomtom).

Blake T

I had a tomtom on there for a while, it's good I suppose. My main complaint is that you can't copy and paste address in it though. You have to enter the address backwards.

That is suburb first, then street, then number.

This is annoying.