Phone Advice

[CeeBee]

You don't need sat nav in NYC. Use a real map. The city is a grid and (most) streets have numbers, one must be really dumb to get lost. Buildings are likely to kill the GPS signal anyway. Plus most people speak English... You'll probably walk or take a cab (good luck finding a driver that speaks English), I would discourage you from taking the subway unless absolutely needed, the system is very convoluted and lines are suspended all the times, plus you have express trains that don't stop in all stations. If in doubt always ask.
Be wary of the electronics stores and keep in mind that the sales tax is under 10% (actually 8.875%). I've seen instances where the $130 item was suddenly becoming $168.24 due to "tax".

[slgrieb]

That's the other option Larommi. My friends seem to be more worried about finding their way around NYC without satnav more than calls.

I doubt that they are likely to go anywhere all that obscure, are they? Depending on where you are, you can walk a lot of places really easily. The only time I visited NYC was during the Blizzard of '96, and I, my wife, sister-in-law, and baby girl stayed at a hotel around 51st or 53 and Lexington. Easy walk to Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, Central Park and other points of interest. Manhattan is a lot more compact than most people expect. It's pretty hard to get lost. Shank's Mare is surprisingly useful, and cabs are very plentiful. The subway is confusing, and it actually is kinda grungy. We used it some, because there weren't any cabs running for about 24 hours or so during the blizzard; it wasn't the highlight of my life, but I've seen worse.

[Larommi]

That's the other option Larommi. My friends seem to be more worried about finding their way around NYC without satnav more than calls.

I assume you are referring to GPS? Can you still get Google Maps on iPhone? That uses GPS and can pull the data off of WiFi. If I remember correctly, you can download your route for naviagation so you do not need constant data flow.

[CeeBee]

I assume you are referring to GPS? Can you still get Google Maps on iPhone? That uses GPS and can pull the data off of WiFi. If I remember correctly, you can download your route for naviagation so you do not need constant data flow.

Finding a WiFi isn't a problem, finding one that works outside the coffee shop is. And each requires accepting terms in a portal before you can access anything.
And even then, the GPS is useless as the buildings kill the signal either by obstructing or by multiple reflections that can put you on another street. Hell I lose signal even with an external antenna in my car.

[3fingersalute]

You don't need sat nav in NYC. Use a real map. The city is a grid and (most) streets have numbers, one must be really dumb to get lost. Buildings are likely to kill the GPS signal anyway. Plus most people speak English... You'll probably walk or take a cab (good luck finding a driver that speaks English), I would discourage you from taking the subway unless absolutely needed, the system is very convoluted and lines are suspended all the times, plus you have express trains that don't stop in all stations. If in doubt always ask.
Be wary of the electronics stores and keep in mind that the sales tax is under 10% (actually 8.875%). I've seen instances where the $130 item was suddenly becoming $168.24 due to "tax".

Agreed, although the last several times I was there I used an app that was great (have to find the name of it again) that allowed you to put in where you were and where you wanted to go and it would give you the closest station, which subway train to get one, when the next one arrives (approximately), etc. I know there's problems with the subway at times, but we were lucky enough to never run into any.

[CeeBee]

Agreed, although the last several times I was there I used an app that was great (have to find the name of it again) that allowed you to put in where you were and where you wanted to go and it would give you the closest station, which subway train to get one, when the next one arrives (approximately), etc. I know there's problems with the subway at times, but we were lucky enough to never run into any.

LOL, that was my wife's diploma project... a directions website for NYC, bus and subway included with actual schedules and time-of-day calculations.

[Webhead]

I assume you are referring to GPS? Can you still get Google Maps on iPhone? That uses GPS and can pull the data off of WiFi. If I remember correctly, you can download your route for naviagation so you do not need constant data flow.

Actually, Google just updated Maps for iPhone and includes offline maps now. GPS will run regardless. So that would work out great.

[Webhead]

You don't need sat nav in NYC. Use a real map. The city is a grid and (most) streets have numbers, one must be really dumb to get lost. Buildings are likely to kill the GPS signal anyway. Plus most people speak English... You'll probably walk or take a cab (good luck finding a driver that speaks English), I would discourage you from taking the subway unless absolutely needed, the system is very convoluted and lines are suspended all the times, plus you have express trains that don't stop in all stations. If in doubt always ask.
Be wary of the electronics stores and keep in mind that the sales tax is under 10% (actually 8.875%). I've seen instances where the $130 item was suddenly becoming $168.24 due to "tax".

I have a few comments here:

1> I must be really dumb because I get lost all the time.

2> GPS isn't just relying on satellites. Cell phones have assisted GPS which uses a combination of things to work. In other words, it will work great in NYC.

3> There are tons of public transpo apps in the app store that are designed specifically for NYC.

[CeeBee]

1> I must be really dumb because I get lost all the time.

No comment.

2> GPS isn't just relying on satellites. Cell phones have assisted GPS which uses a combination of things to work. In other words, it will work great in NYC.

Assisted GPS requires cell data. Assisted GPS will only put you in a proximity, can be few good blocks in NYC. Turn cell data off and let me know how it works for you next time you're there.

3> There are tons of public transpo apps in the app store that are designed specifically for NYC.

Useless without a data connection. And again, service changes very often due to N reasons, if service changes are not included in the app you may end up in a totally different place (ex every other train skipping a number of stations between 11AM and 2PM)
http://www.mta.info/ - just click on any "planned work" or "delays" link and see what I mean.

[CeeBee]

Actually, Google just updated Maps for iPhone and includes offline maps now. GPS will run regardless. So that would work out great.

You still need a data connection to get directions.