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Navigation

With integrated A-GPS, Nokia Maps 2.0, car navigation and a compass for pedestrian guidance, the Nokia 6210 Navigator ensures you’ll find your way in no time from anywhere in the world.

Eager to try out the navigation capabilities, I was disappointed that the phone took quite a while to get a fix with AGPS turned off. Even when the fix was eventually acquired, I realised that navigation does not work under offline mode as it needs to verify the validity of the license. But upon insertion of the SIM card, everything went fairly well and I was pleasantly surprised with the ease of looking at the maps with the new built-in compass, which made navigating as a pedestrian a totally new experience, without having to do the orientation manually.

From: Andrew Ng
Having used TomTom, Garmin and Magellan standalone GPSes prior to trying out the Nokia 6210 Navigator, I would say that it compares well to a budget standalone GPS. The navigation key is appropriately located and lights up prettily when in navigation mode. It gets you where you need to be with clear voice-delivered directions, flat or bird’s eye viewing options as well as a night mode function. I certainly wouldn’t mind the same system for my car (of course in a wider screen with a proper mount). The easy accessibility of the search function adds to the user friendliness of the navigator. Data transfer at about 35kb for a loading map within Singapore translates to about 50 cents per route loaded with a limited use GPS data plan. The current map selection however, combines Singapore and Malaysia, which unfortunately translates to many irrelevant hits in a search. One advantage of Nokia Maps is its very decent satellite signal reception, which functions well in areas where skyscrapers abound. Anyone who has experienced the confusion of indecisiveness with a GPS which has lost its satellite signal in Shenton way, KLCC or Downtown Manhattan, would truly appreciate the Nokia 6210 Navigator. The phone also acquires the GPS signal and loads a route relatively quickly as compared with a standalone GPS. Detection when a wrong route is taken as well as the subsequent route recalculation similarly happens quickly. Three interesting details in pedestrian navigation mode are especially useful whilst on foot. The phone incorporates a built-in magnetic compass and keeps track of the route you have taken, allowing you to retrace your steps to return to a roadside store, carpark, or other point of origin. In addition, the accelerometer technology (G sensor, for the techy people) integrated into the Nokia 6210 Navigator allows the user interface to rotate in accordance with the direction the user is taking, ever so useful to people like me, who rotate their paper maps according to the direction they are taking. I must really say that these 2 features are absolutely brilliant.

From: Ben Khoo
This is the area the Nokia 6210 Navigator truly shines. Nokia is very generous to package it with maps of a few Asia countries. More can be downloaded for free using the Nokia Map Loader software. (Though the Drive and Walk feature is only for a limited trial period of 6 months). I can imagine the convenience I would have enjoyed if I had the Nokia 6210 Navigator with me when I was in Taiwan the previous month. I could have walked around the cities without holding on to maps and printouts. It is quite dangerous when people know you aren’t local. The Nokia 6210 Navigator is a great tool for people who travel or backpack a lot and like to have a basic map in their mobile phone and not having to incur data charges to view maps online. Furthermore, with the built-in accelerometer, Nokia Maps rotates automatically such that it is constantly in the direction I am facing. Nice feature!

From: Chi Siang
The navigation feature with integrated A-GPS was surprisingly easy to use. When using the car navigation and pedestrian walk features, the Nokia 6210 Navigator performed flawlessly once a satellite fix was obtained. There was a recurrent problem that when you are stopped, say at a red light, it re-calculates the route and it seems to get a little be-fuddled for that moment, giving a different set of instructions, but once underway, it corrects itself. Another problem is that the maps that it uses may not be totally updated or correct. Keong Saik Road was spelt as Keong Salk Road and Shangri-La Walk is not on the map. This is not a reflection of the phone’s capabilities, as it was highly accurate, but to the map supplier.

From: Clinton Wee
I installed Nokia Map Loader and the necessary maps and sound modules and was able to use GPS/A-GPS for the first time on a mobile phone. I tested the phone at my work place, which is at an industrial area. Getting a lock-on to satellite took about a minute, probably due to the many high-rise buildings surrounding. On full battery charge, I used the phone in my car and turned on Nokia Maps by pressing the unique star-shaped button. The only place the phone will remain locked-on to the satellite is the wind-screen. Having no accessories, I could only improvise with masking tape. I got to my destination in 20mins, GPS working accurately all this while without using GPRS, but the battery went flat as I stopped to park. GPS is confirmed to be a battery drainer and a car charger is a must-have accessory. Walking under buildings also kills the satellite signal. Navigation is nice to have if the battery could only last much longer and in wide open spaces. The compass, in my opinion, is just a gimmick.

From: Damien Cheng
The A-GPS was accessed easily through a 4 pointed star which lights up when GPS is in use, located just below the the Navi™ scroll key. The lock-on timing to the satellite was way faster than my Windows CE PDA phone, the Glofiish X900. Putting it side-by-side, the Nokia 6210 Navigator locked-on by a good 3 seconds faster than the X900. Using the functions was simple enough, even without going through the manual, and I used it to find my way to my destination in Johor Bahru easily. I also tested the re-routing function of Nokia Maps by purposely not following its directional instruction, and it worked out a new route immediately. When it gave me the new route, Nokia Maps 2.0 surprised me by pointing out a u-turn to take along Woodlands Road to reach my destination.

From: Micky Ngau
Navigation using this phone is a breeze. Nokia Maps 2.0 though, was said to be not as good as route 66, nevertheless it was easy to figure out the keys in it. It also accurately tells me the location of various ATMs near my houses. But I could not search for the nearest UOB teller machine despite knowing where it is near my house. Car navigation also works fine with the speedometer at the bottom seemingly rather accurate. In addition, it also depicts the accurate route to move around. The only major problem with navigation is the lag of its GPS. It took a long while for the phone to find out my position on the map.

From: Qilu
The real-time navigation is great when you need to explore unknown places. Getting lost should be a thing of the past with this feature. You feel confident to move around, knowing that you will still find your way.

From: Roberto Tan
Using the A-GPS for the first time was not difficult for a beginner like me. Since the full address is not available, keying in Pulai Springs brought up a few addresses of Pulai Springs. After selecting the right location, it was just following the guided voice. Similarly, using it for Jusco Tebreu in JB was a breeze.

From: Roger Poh
Gone were the days of me being called the ‘Late Queen’. The extremely user-friendly navigation system can now take over the role of my street directory as it connects me to my destination via the shortest route in less than 5 minutes. Take comfort as a driver as its full voice guidance ensures a safe driving experience without even having to look at the street directory every now and then. Not a driver? No worries, because this phone’s Nokia Maps 2.0 can still bring you navigation functionalities as a pedestrian. Coupled with its integrated accelerometer, which measures direction changes, and a compass that makes map reading an easy feat.

From: Sze Min
The Nokia 6210 Navigator came with an accelerometer, which tells me the direction of my heading, and turns the map according to the direction I am facing, making it very easy to use and navigate around with. The A-GPS gave accurate directions on the path I should take which made sure that I wouldn’t turn the wrong way. However, the GPS signal was not very accurate as it sometimes indicated my position 10 metres away from where I stood.

From: Zhen Hui
On top of the standard GPS and A-GPS features, the Nokia 6210 Navigator came equipped with a full magnetic compass. Coupled with the integrated accelerometer, Nokia maps orients itself to your true heading accurately.

From: Shadowandy
I love this function! It actually brought me to the place that I wanted to go to when I was lost in the middle of nowhere! It has a compass! How cool! It takes me to the places I want to go, fast. My boyfriend loves it too!

From: Bibi_Lala
Using the A-GPS function, I could quickly lock-on to my location, letting me find my destinations very quickly. So far I never did get lost with the guidance from the phone.

From: SerSiTiv
A-GPS allowed me to get a fix in the fastest time possible, and the built-in compass gave me directions without even using Nokia Maps.

From: juliancho
The GPS and Maps functions are great. However, I always see this feature as something you need to use in a very sudden situation. You won’t have plenty of time to open the application and try to see through the options, etc. The few “extras” like compass and pedestrian guide are nice to have, but I doubt anyone who wants to seriously use a GPS would use those. The response/signal of the GPS is quite fast, compared to a few other brands I have used before. The other minus point is the software, etc, that does not come free. If things need to be paid (which I think is only fair) then put it upfront. Pay for it, then use it permanently.

From: Wee Lee
The integrated A-GPS system is really a welcome addition to the functionalities of a mobile phone. The bundled Nokia Maps 2.0 software worked mostly without a hitch, though sometimes due to the proximity of some roads to one another, the actual location may not be reflected accurately. However, it did usually correct itself automatically within a minute. Moreover, the availability of directions to surrounding amenities such as shopping and food centres made it a really compelling gadget to have, especially when driving my loved ones to explore new places in Singapore and across the Causeway during weekend getaways. GPS capability on foot was another function which differentiated the 6210 Navigator from the competition. The ability to navigate on the go while walking was a definite plus point which got me hooked the moment I used it. It was especially useful when trying to locate a particular landmark or road after alighting from the MRT or bus. One could then estimate the time of arrival based on real-time walking speed, which made being late for appointments a thing of the past. Furthermore, the 6210 Navigator could also be used as a trip meter to track my daily jogging mileage around my neighbourhood, thereby transforming my mundane exercise regime into one with a target which I could work enthusiastically towards. Certain areas could possibly be improved on. The lack of a bundled in-car holder made in-car GPS navigation a bit of a hassle as one would need to turn away from the road momentarily to look at the navigation screen. This could pose as an inherent hazard and may discourage potential buyers. Also, the magnetic compass was susceptible to frequent errors which required repeated calibrations.

From: Yew Leong
Cool! It pinpoints my location really fast and provides an accurate direction to my destination. Won’t get lost again! It’s the only feature that makes this phone attractive.

From: Angela Pang
I am really impressed with it, the very 1st GPS that I’ve ever used. It was able to locate and track my position quite accurately while on the move inside the train, bus or while walking. The built-in compass is absolutely a friendly addition as it ensures the map is always oriented in the direction of your travel, and you definitely won’t go wrong with that. However, lag is sometimes experienced.

From: Kay Siang
The navigation was also very helpful as I do get lost easily and this navigation system allows me to easily locate my own location. There are a variety of views like 3D view, which can make the viewing easier.

From: Yao Long
It was my first time using pedestrian navigation and it was good! I managed to have fun trying to find my way around a few places and trying to find the nearest ATM or fast food restaurant.

From: Joshua Ng
No signal at my area, even on the bus, and has only 6 months navigation licence. It’s not user-friendly.

From: Keyu Moi
Driver’s perspective:
Being rather competent in navigating around Singapore, I tried to navigate myself to certain areas which I had seldom or never been to. So, I tried to find my way around the Tuas and Jurong West area of Singapore. To my surprise, the three dimensional maps really helped me in finding my bearings – something my trustworthy Street Directory could never match up against. Kudos!

Pedestrian’s perspective:
The GPS features of the Nokia 6210 Navigator were impressive. Trying to find my way around on the ‘Walk’ mode was fairly simple. Though I was a tad confused with the landmarks around, the compass feature proved its worth by reloading the map on the screen, then following the heading, and after speedily detecting my present location, I then managed to see a clearer image of the present location which I was in. Its pedestrian-friendly functions were rather enjoyable on the whole.

From: Raymund Francis
The much touted about Navigation system proves to be a disappointment. The navigation system was unable to locate my position numerous times. It was slow to coordinate its position and lost the signal upon passing short underpasses and tunnels. It is understandable for it to lose its signal when, for example, I’m in the subway. But for it to even lose its signals in short underpasses, it shows that a lot of work is still needed for the system to be perfected.

From: Shirley Lim
The best thing about Nokia Maps is about launching it. It is as simple as pressing the navigation button. Apart from that, it is not so user-friendly and simple, compared to my car GPS. The maps don’t give many details like block numbers or even the building or HDB blocks around you. So it is not of use to me. Maybe I will need to upload some other enhancement maps, but then again, in the beginning, the map should already have such details. Even the voice indicator has to be uploaded.

From: Suherman Ismail
Initial use of A-GPS and Nokia Maps was not so easy. However, a brief run-thru the tutorial is all you need to get you going. In fact I personally found this to be very useful and easy to understand especially with the animated presenter. Though I’ve been a regular user of GPS navigators, the one feature that Nokia stands out from the competition is the ability to select Hybrid and Satellite views. Most of the GPS in the market do not have this function. Illuminated standby/message alerts are quite nice to have.

From: Toni Ho
This is the key feature of the phone, with its Nokia Maps and Landmark, proving to be good complementary applications for people to explore their surroundings. However, the accuracy of the maps and directions are not totally reliable, and must be taken with a pinch of salt. This is particular to those driving as the verbal directions are confusing at times.

From: Wayne See