Navigation with the LG GT500
There are large numbers of well specified touch screen phones in the middle price bracket. Indeed, in the past many of these phones have been manufactured by LG themselves. As such any new additions need to offer something fresh and powerful in order to motivate consumers to switch handsets. For the LG GT500 the feather in its metaphorical cap is the built in GPS satellite navigation and the powerful software which accompanies it.
At the heart of the LG GT500 navigation capabilities lies its compatibility with LG’s WisePilot navigation software. The GT500 is at the vanguard of this new program that LG is trying to push across ever more of its GPS touch screen handsets. It is a paid subscription service which you will have to sign up for online. If you do not wish to commit to a long term payment scheme because you are uncertain about its usefulness, you can try it before you buy.
In essence the WisePilot is an advanced mapping system that utilises the built in GPS in the GT500 in order to pinpoint your location. It is available with mapping for your region and continent which you can select when you sign up. The WisePilot will plot routes, calculate detours and even provide you with up to date traffic information if you are using it on a road trip.
The WisePilot is also useful if you are on foot and find yourself in an unknown area. It will give you advice as to which nearby restaurants are recommended, tell you about local events and clubs and even help guide you to a hotel once you have run yourself into the ground.
All of your favourite locations, recommendations and settings are stored not only in the LG GT500 navigation software but also in your personal online WisePilot pages. This is incredibly useful if you want to adjust any aspect of your service and can help to make the process of travelling considerably less stressful.
A quirky yet increasingly popular feature supported by the LG GT500 navigation system is geotagging. For those in the dark about this modern craze, it essentially involves you taking a picture anywhere in the world and then using the GPS functionality to attach exact data relating to your position on the planet. This means that if you are on holiday you can snap away and subsequently use the GPS function when you look back over your photos to work out exactly where you are. Until you have experienced the benefits of geotagging it can be hard to comprehend exactly what it entails, but once you have got used to using it in tandem with the GT500’s excellent 5 megapixel camera you will wonder how you lived without it.
One of the handset’s greatest strengths which complements the LG GT500 navigation software is of course the large 3 inch touch screen. There are some dedicated navigation handsets which lack this near-essential feature. With the touch screen interface you can easily adjust your route on the fly and quickly enter place names and postcodes using the onscreen keypad. Another advantage of the screen is that it is large enough for use in the car. This may seem like an obvious statement, but many older phones with built in GPS would compress the mapping to such a degree that it could be difficult for drivers to use effectively or – more importantly – safely. The GT500 suffers from none of these afflictions, creating one of the best GPS experiences that you are likely to find on a mid range touch screen phone.
Tags: gps, lg, lg gt500, navigation