Tips | TeleNav® Blog - Navigating Life

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Get a Brand New BlackBerry and GPS navigation for less than $200

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

TeleNav GPS Navigator on the BlackBerry Storm

Looking for a great GPS device for under $200? Look no further than your new Verizon BlackBerry Storm.

Verizon announced this week that it has cut the price of its BlackBerry Storm in half to just $99. Add one year of TeleNav GPS Navigator service to that (also only $99) and you have a great GPS device for under $200. Or, if you prefer to try it out for a month for free to make sure you like it, you can do that via our website as well.

Wondering what TeleNav GPS Navigator looks like on the Storm? Check out this video on BlackBerry Cool.

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Tags: blackberry cool, BlackBerry Storm, telenav gps navigator, Verizon
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Skip the Tie This Year, Give Dad the Gift of GPS Navigation

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

Skip the tie this year and give your father a gift he will appreciate this Father's Day

With Father’s Day just around the corner (Sunday, June 21), we wanted to remind everyone to go out and buy your father something special to show him how much you appreciate all he’s done for you. If you’re a last minute shopper who wants to give your father a little more than the traditional ugly tie and cheap cologne, consider giving him the gift of GPS navigation. TeleNav GPS Navigator and similar products we power for our partners, including AT&T Navigator and Sprint Navigation, work with hundreds of mobile phones and deliver a comprehensive navigation experience right on the device. The applications are easy to use and you’ll never have to worry about your parents arguing over directions again during a long trip . . . or short one for that matter.

Here are just a few things you father will be able to do with TeleNav GPS Navigator on his mobile phone:

Find the closest golf courses and restaurants - with more than 10 million points of interest at his fingertips, your father can find the closest golf courses, restaurants or hotels no matter where in the country he may be traveling
Find the lowest gas prices in the area - if your father is like most, he’s not one for spending money when he doesn’t have to. With TeleNav’s GPS Navigator, he can locate the cheapest gas prices in the area to ensure he’s saving a little cash every time he fills up
Receive traffic updates and route around it - most of us have probably witnessed our fathers make an inappropriate gesture or two when dealing with heavy traffic. With GPS Navigator on his phone, your father will be alerted of upcoming traffic issues and can choose to be routed around the traffic at the push of a button. He can also receive traffic alert e-mails so he knows the best time to hit the road to avoid traffic congestion
Peace of mind - with GPS navigation available whenever he needs it, your dad can travel with the comfort of knowing that wherever he needs to go, he will be able to find his way. Consider the stress relief a nice repayment for the stress you caused him when you were growing up

If you’re looking for a gift your father can use on a daily basis, you might want to consider setting him up with GPS Navigator on his mobile phone. We’re sure he will enjoy it and you might also find some benefit in knowing that he will now have a tool to help him navigate wherever he may need to travel.

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Tags: AT&T Navigator, Father's Day, GPS, holiday, navigation, Sprint Navigation, telenav, telenav gps navigator, ties, traffic
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Try TeleNav via the BlackBerry App World and Get Free Trial and Latest Features

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

TeleNav GPS Navigator on the BlackBerry Storm

In case you haven’t discovered it yet, TeleNav GPS Navigator is available for purchase through the BlackBerry App World.

If you have one of the following devices, you can access a 14 day free trial (no credit card required) directly from the App World:

Sprint BlackBerry 8830
Sprint BlackBerry 8330
Sprint BlackBerry 8130
T-Mobile BlackBerry 8900

TeleNav GPS Navigator is also available for purchase on the Verizon BlackBerry Storm.

Exclusive! If you download TeleNav GPS Navigator from the BlackBerry App World on one of the three Sprint devices listed above, you will get access to the latest version of our TeleNav-branded service which includes:

Speech recognition for addresses and businesses
Weather updates
Commute alerts (schedule a text or email any time of day to let you know how traffic along your route looks)

You also have two options for purchase after the free trial - $9.99/mo. or $99/yr. (exception: Storm users currently may only purchase one year subscriptions).

Once you try it out, please don’t forget to post a review on the BlackBerry App World!

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Tags: BlackBerry App World, Sprint BlackBerry 8130, Sprint BlackBerry 8330, Sprint BlackBerry 8830, T-Mobile BlackBerry 8900, telenav gps navigator, Verizon BlackBerry Storm
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Navigation Can be a Great Helping Hand During a Move

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

If this sign is in your future, GPS may be right for you

I recently embarked on a cross-country move from Chicago to Silicon Valley to work here at the TeleNav headquarters and have to shamefully admit that I don’t think I would have survived without the help of a GPS device. I’ve been good with directions my entire life and would not consider myself directionally challenged. However, after completing the trip I honestly questioned whether I could’ve done it alone. Forget how the pioneers made it across the country hundreds of years ago, I found myself wondering how people did it in the 90’s!

So, I thought I would share some of the things GPS technology (such as TeleNav GPS Navigator) helped me out with during my trip and after arriving here in sunny California. I’m no longer convinced that a friend with a pick-up truck is the best resource to have when moving and here’s why:

No more maps - Although they’re always good to have as a back-up resource, I didn’t look at a map once when driving across the country. Each day I would determine how many hours I wanted to drive and then I was easily able to pinpoint the town/city I needed to drive to in order to reach my desired driving goal. Not only that, I was able to find hotels in the town I had targeted as my stop for that day and call in advance to ensure I had a room available when I arrived.
Keeping gas in the tank - As those of you who’ve driven across this great country of ours may know, there are some areas where a tank of gas will barely get you from one town to the next. During the entire trip I tried to make sure I never dipped below a quarter of a tank to ensure I wouldn’t end up on the side of the road sitting on empty. One thing that helped me do this was checking the GPS device for gas stations along the route to help me better judge when I should fill-up. If you miss the chance to fill the tank, it might not come again very soon. Trust me, watching that needle drop while you frantically wait for the next exit is not good for the nerves.
Getting back on course after a stop - One of the most difficult things to predict when driving a long distance is when and where you’ll be stopping. Whether it’s for food, gas or just to stretch, it’s hard to plan ahead when you will be getting on and off of the interstate. I’m sure we’ve all seen an exit sign with five fast food choices listed, only to find after taking the exit the food is five miles down the road and now you’re driving around in a small, unfamiliar town. With the GPS device, this situation is easy to avoid because you can see the restaurant’s distance from your current location. You know it’s not 10 miles off of the exit. And even if you do have to drive that far off of the interstate, you have the comfort of knowing the device can get you right back onto the interstate and headed in the right direction.
A local guide to your new city - Finding your new city of residence isn’t the last stop for your GPS experience. I’ve actually found that using TeleNav GPS Navigator in my new town has been more beneficial than I could’ve ever imagined. There were so many things I needed to locate immediately after arriving like furniture stores, a bank branch, the post office, the DMV and my office. Sure I could’ve looked these up online and printed out directions, but it was so much more convenient to be able to type or speak it directly into my phone and be directed right there. After having some time to settle in, I still find myself using the service to find things like grocery stores, gas stations and restaurants. My friends are also commenting on how well I seem to be getting around the new area. If they only knew . . .

Those are just a few of the benefits using GPS technology provided to me while I was making the trek across the country. I’ve made the drive across the country a few times now, both with and without the help of GPS, and I can honestly say I felt much more comfortable with those directions being spoken to me along the way than fumbling around with some printed directions. If you’re planning a move to a new city, I would highly recommend picking up a GPS device or mobile phone application to help you adapt to your new surroundings, it’s been a life saver for me personally.

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Tags: gas, GPS, maps, Moving, navigation, Relocation, telenav, telenav gps navigator, travel
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Beijing, Here I Come! Using AT&T Navigator (powered by TeleNav) For My Vacation in China

Friday, May 8th, 2009

AT&T Navigator, Global Edition on the BlackJack II

My best friend from high school is living in Singapore for a couple of years, so I have the perfect excuse to take a vacation. I decided it wasn’t worth sitting through the grueling 15 hour flight to Asia unless I was going to see the Great Wall of China while I was out there, so I opted to stop off in Beijing on my way out (“on my way” is a relative term).

I’m way too independent to use a travel agency and book an overpriced group tour that makes me wait for 50 other people to catch up at every turn. But planning a trip in China has proven to be much different than my previous overseas vacations. The language is not even remotely familiar, and translations of Chinese to English often vary from one source to the next. I was struggling with figuring out which attractions could be grouped together so I’d be able to make the most of my time while I was in Beijing, and my trusty Fodor’s Guide could only take me so far.

As it turns out, it’s TeleNav to the rescue, even in China. I downloaded our AT&T Navigator Global Edition (powered by TeleNav). A minute later I had changed my region to China and began to use the directory feature to search for historical landmarks. I was able to preview directions from each landmark to my hotel to get the best idea of how to plot my trip.

Once I get there, I’ll be able to use our application even more. Of course there’s the pedestrian mode that’ll come in handy during my miles of walking through Beijing. But I’ve also read many reports that the taxi drivers speak almost no English and have a hard time understanding where you’d like to go. I know my limited Chinese will be no match for this obstacle without a little high-tech help. A reporter visiting Beijing during the 2008 Olympic games had this same experience and was able to use AT&T Navigator Global Edition to guide her taxi driver safely to her destination. So, whether I’m going to explore The Forbidden City, Confucius Temple or a traditional hutong village, I know that my trusty phone will be able to get me there.

I’ll be back from my trip in early June, so tune back in to see my pictures. I’m expecting the views to be spectacular; hopefully my photography skills will do them justice!

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Tags: AT&T Navigator Global Edition, Beijing, China, Olympic games, telenav
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Recycle Your Old GPS Devices

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

Gazelle.com may pay for your old GPS device and other electronics

Now that you have GPS navigation on your cell phone, you may be thinking about what to do with your old, outdated GPS device.

To ensure you are not throwing away electronic waste (which is very harmful to the environment), it’s always a good idea to find a place that will safely recycle or resell these items.

BestBuy, Radio Shack and NextWorth are now three options for recycling old GPS devices.

According to GPSLodge.com, BestBuy will require a $10 fee but then they will provide you with a $10 gift card. Here is more information.

GPSLodge.com also lists out a couple of other options including Radio Shack’s and Nextworth’s trade-in programs.

If you’re interested in selling your old GPS device, other options I’ve found include Gazelle.com, eBay’s Rethink program, Freecycle, or of course Craiglist.

Any other sites or electronic recycling programs you’ve found worth noting?

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Tags: BestBuy, Craiglist, ebay, Freecycle, Gazelle.com, GPS, Nextworth, Radio Shack, recycle
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Top 10 Ways to Use TeleNav GPS Navigator to Help Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

Tuesday, March 10th, 2009

If you’re like me, you may not always think about celebrating St. Patrick’s Day (other than wearing green to make sure you aren’t pinched by people who still think it’s funny to do that). So, to help make sure we both make the most of March 17th, I’ve pulled together my Top 10 list for using TeleNav GPS Navigator to help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Any other ideas? Let me know what I’ve missed.

Find your way to a friend’s house for the party - just type in their address and go
Find your way to the most popular pub - search in Business Finder for the highest rated pub in town (but please consider a cab ride back if you’ve had one too many)
Find your way to the mall to get green clothes and accessories - or better yet, search in Business Finder under ‘consignment’ or ’second hand’ and save yourself some money
Pedestrian mode - Once you’ve parked at the parade, use pedestrian mode to find your way back to your car or around the city
Crafts - Want to get the kids involved? Find a local craft store to search for St. Patty’s-themed ideas for decorating their rooms
Party decorations - While you’re at the craft store, stock up on green party decorations if you’re planning your own gathering
Irish food - Having trouble finding all of the ingredients for a true Irish meal? Try searching Business Finder for specialty groceries near you
Irish dance lessons - If you really want to stand out at the party, search in Business Finder for the local dance hall and learn a few Irish step dances beforehand
Run a St. Patty’s Day race - Many cities offer a fun run on St. Patty’s Day to benefit charity. Find one in a nearby city and then use TeleNav to navigate your way around town. Make it a day trip!
Go to Ireland - (my personal favorite) If you have time, money and the desire, plan a trip to Ireland to really celebrate right. While you’re there, don’t forget to use AT&T Navigator Global Edition, powered by TeleNav.

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Tags: St. Patrick's Day, telenav gps navigator, Top Ten
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Using Pedestrian Mode with TeleNav GPS Navigator

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009

One of our competitors announced today that it has launched GPS devices that include pedestrian mode.

We thought it might be a good opportunity to remind customers that TeleNav GPS Navigator also has a pedestrian mode option. In the TeleNav GPS Navigator main menu, go to ‘Preferences’ then ‘Route Styles’ and choose ‘Pedestrian.’

When in Pedestrian Mode, TeleNav GPS Navigator is great for walking around city streets. Using TeleNav GPS Navigator, you can even mark the spot using GPS where you parked your car (’Spot Marker’), then use TeleNav GPS Navigator to find your way back.

I’ve found that a lot of customers who live in or near cities like San Francisco or NYC use pedestrian mode often. Rather than carrying around a separate GPS device, you can get GPS directions on a device that you already have with you!

Have you used pedestrian mode? Tell us your experience.

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Tags: pedestrian mode, telenav gps navigator
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Did You Know? Tips for Launching TeleNav from Your BlackBerry Outlook Programs

Friday, February 27th, 2009

For those of you have TeleNav GPS Navigator on your phone, you’re probably very familiar with the three convenient ways to enter an address into the application. You may even have a favorite one that you like to use. Well just in case you forgot the options, here is just a friendly reminder:

You can type the address directly into your handset
You can speak the address using voice recognition
You can enter it via your ‘My TeleNav’ account on our web site and send it to your phone (don’t forget our TeleNav plug-in for your browser to so you can easily save addresses from websites)

We’re always working on new ways to make the service easier to use on your phone so it made sense to us that we should also add the ability to launch TeleNav directly from an address in your Address Book, an appointment in your Calendar or even from within an email. Some of you have asked for this in the past … and we’ve delivered! This capability is initially available for BlackBerry customers using the latest versions of our service.

Here’s how it works:

When you select a contact in your Blackberry address book, scroll down to their address and then hit the BlackBerry Menu button. The first option you will see is ‘Drive To.’ When you select ‘Drive To,’ TeleNav GPS Navigator will automatically launch and begin giving you turn by turn driving directions from your current location. You could also select ‘Business Search’ (or ‘Search Nearby’) to look for a gas station or restaurant near their office or select ‘Map It’ just to see a general map overview of their location.

Launching TeleNav from an address in Your Address Book

You can also do this by clicking on an address within any email…

Launching TeleNav from an address in an email

or in your BlackBerry Calendar.

Launching TeleNav from an address in Your BlackBerry Calendar

Imagine how handy this can be while you’re on the go or to get quick and easy directions to appointments during the day. No need to type in or call in an address.

So give it a try and tell us what you think! Have you already used this before? Let us know! Happy Driving!

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