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Best GPS iPhone Hack

GPS iPhone applications use the coolest iPhone and iPhone 4S feature which is the built-in GPS capability. Although all iDevices including the iPod touch and iPad come with Google Map, this Maps application is not really a true navigation system.

While google Maps for the iPhone uses the GPS iPhone feature, it uses the internet and the GPS chip for positioning in what is called AGPS or Assisted GPS which requires an iPhone data plan.

The iPhone maps application is only good for finding locations since it doesn't have a turn by turn Navigation feature. It also requires an internet connection or iPhone data plan. Therefore, if you are outside your carriers coverage in Canada or Mexico for example, you will not be able to use the built in Google Maps without additional data charges.

A GPS iPhone application is a more useful and powerful solution to the google Maps for navigation and getting turn by turn voice notification. Combining the power of both Google maps and the power of an iPhone GPS application is the ideal condition.

navigon-iphone-hometomtom GPS iphone home

There are tens of iPhone GPS applications available in the App Store that fully use the GPS iPhone chip. Those iPhone GPS applications don't use the internet, and they have their own maps, so you can use them anywhere in the world for free.

Of course you have to purchase the iPhone GPS application which include your region or country.

For example, you can find Navigon for the US and Canada, for Europe, or for the Middle East, and so on.

GPS iPhone for Google Maps  is integrated with iPhone notesJust make sure you buy the correct GPS iPhone application for your country. TomTom, Sygic, iGo My Way are a few iPhone GPS application that start at about $50 from the App Store.

The advantage of the built in Google Maps application is that it is integrated to the iOS, and is linked to other iPhone applications.

For example, the Yellow pages application, Yelp applications, the iPhone eMail, iPhone Notes and many others can all locate a place you are looking for right in the Google Map application.

Addresses in emails and other iPhone applications usually have a blue link, that when tapped, Google Maps opens by default with that location displayed on the map as shown below. Other iPhone applications have an option that says "Open in Maps" that would open Google Maps with the specified location.

Use your email to send an address to the Map application Transfere your address from any email to the Google Map application

But what about Navigon, TomTom, Sygic, or iGoMyWay and other iPhone GPS applications that you paid money for?! Wouldn't it be nice to send an address you find to your favorite GPS iPhone application to get turn by turn notification?!

The problem is that not every iPhone application supports opening a direction in an external GPS application. Therefore, you might find yourself entering addresses manually in your favorite iPhone GPS application.

Those iPhone applications that support linking to an external iPhone GPS Navigation application work great. The Yellow pages application for iPhone for example supports any GPS application installed on your iPhone.

gps iphone applications like Navigon will automatically show in the Yellow Pages applicationgps for iphone such as Navigon and ToTom and Yellow pages are linked together

iphone gps applications such as Navigon and TomTom are linked with the yellow pages application and many othersYou will see an option that allows you to send direction to an external navigation application.

The car button shown above will open a list of all possible external applications that could be used to open the address you just found with the yellow pages application.

Google Map, Navigon, and TomTom are shown in this example because they are installed on my iPhone. This is really cool for those applications that do support external linking.

However, not every location finder application supports this feature. On the other hand, almost all applications support sending the direction to the default Google Maps application.

Some iPhone GPS applications like Navigon is built in Google search where you can search for the location using google within the GPS application. Then, you can get directions right away in Navigon. There is no need to link to an external application.

Google search in Navigon gps for iphone

 

"Navigate From Maps" iPhone Hack:

The method I describe here requires an iPhone Jailbreak and can be done from any iPhone application that sends GPS iPhone information to the default Google Maps application such as iPhone mail, and iPhone notes. There are many other third party applications that simply sends address and location information to Google Maps.

This iPhone hack from Cydia is called Navigate From Maps and costs $1.99. it is worth every penny, and is the best GPS iPhone hack you can buy. This little iPhone hack directs the location information from Google Maps to your favorite iPhone GPS application that you have installed on your iPhone.

Therefore, it becomes easy to find a location using using either the search option in Google Maps, or using any location finder application as long as it directs the location to Google Maps. This iPhone hack has no icon, and once it is installed, it adds a new button to Google Maps Info screen called "Navigate Here With .."

Use google maps search feature to find a location, then send it to your Navigation applicationNavigate from maps is an iphone hack for GPS iPhone Google Maps

For example, Trulia is an iPhone application that locates Real Estate. The application sends the address information to Google Maps only. However, after installing the Navigate From Maps hack, you can find the direction to any house in Trulia using the iPhone GPS application installed on your iPhone.

Navigate from Maps can work using any iPhone application that sends addresses to mapsiphone gps with Google Maps and Nivigon

Trulia and many other applications will usually ask you if you want open the directions in Google Maps, simply say yes, and Google Maps will open giving you direction to the selected address. After Google Maps opens, you can tap the red pin, and then tap the arrow shown above to open the Info screen.

Send any address from your email to the Maps application and then to your favorites GPS iPhone applicationOnce Navigate From Maps is installed, a new button will be shown.

No matter which GPS iPhone application you have installed on your iPhone, it will show up in maps.

Normally, the Info screen in Google Maps shows the complete address, and other options.

Navigate From Maps will add a new button in the Info screen of Google Map that links to each GPS iPhone application you have installed in your iPhone.

In this example, you see both TomTom and Navigon buttons added in the Info screen because they are installed on my iPhone. They will show up automatically after you install Navigate From Maps iPhone hack.

You can now tap the new added button called "Navigate Here With TomTom" or "Navigate Here With Navigon" whichever you have. Tapping this button will open either Navigon or TomTom, and will give you a turn by turn voice navigation to the selected location.

The address goes from the Maps application to  NavigonThe address will show up in Navigon for a turn by turn navigation

Any location finder application that sends information to the default Google Maps can now have a great turn by turn voice notification.

 

Navigate With Siri Using AssistantLove:

iOS5 comes with a great voice recognition service called Siri. Siri by default can do many things like making a phone call, searching the web, and giving you direction to a specific place using the iPhone default google Maps. However, google maps is not the best app on the iPhone 4S with the lack of turn by turn notification. Therefore, many other Siri hacks are available in Cydia to improve and enhance Siri.

One of the coolest iPhone hacks available in Cydia that can improve your navigation and make it simple and quick is AssistantLove. This iPhone hack cost $1.99 from Cydia, and allows you choose third party iPhone Navigation application like Navigon or Waze to immediately give you directions.

iPhone SIri hacks with GPS GPS iPhone hacks with Siri

So when you ask Siri for a direction, and after installing AssistantLove, your google Map app will not open. Navigon, or Waze will open giving you the turn by turn direction as you would expect.

 

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