How to Use GPS Phones

Instead of getting a separate GPS system for your car, you can now simply buy a cellphone that is equipped with a GPS feature. GPS phone services are fairly easy to use and convenient since all you have to do is hit a few keys to get where you are going. You can receive a call or text in the midst of navigation and most GPS phones speak your directions to you so that you won't have to look at the phone while driving. Here is a guide for how to use the most commonly needed features on your GPS phone.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Setting up the GPS Phone for Navigation

1. Go to "Phone Settings" on your GPS phone. There should be an option called "Location." Set your location to "On."

2. Download the appropriate programs from your cell phone carrier's website to use on your GPS phone. For example, a Verizon Wireless GPS phone needs the VZ Navigator program in order to work. You are most likely going to have to pay a monthly fee for the GPS service that is added onto your cellphone package.

3. Open up your GPS program and give it some time to load. You will be presented with various options, such as general navigation, do a local search (such as for a business), look at traffic ahead, among others. Some GPS phone software allows you to search movies and events in your area.

Find a Specific Address

4. Click "Navigate" or the similar term used for your particular program. Click the option to find a destination, then select the option to enter in an address.

5. Enter in as much information as you know about your destination including street, city, state and zip code. The more detailed the search, the more accurate directions you will get.

6. Press "Navigate" when you are finished entering in the address and allow the GPS phone to process your location.

Find an Intersection

7. If you don't know the exact address, you can enter in cross streets. Click "Navigate>Find Destination" and then go to the option for looking up an intersection.

8. Enter in the first cross street name and then the second cross street name in the spaces designated. So you may put in "Main Street" as the first street and "12th Avenue" as the second. Finish filling out the city, state and zip code information (you don't always need the zip, but it is helpful).

9. Press "Navigate" to be taken to the location of that intersecting point.

Do a Local Search to Find a Business

10. Enter in the name of the business you would like to find. Enter the specific category that describes the business you want to find. This way you won't receive a slew of results from businesses unrelated to the one you are looking for.

11. Enter in the location where you want to find the business. If you want to find a branch of the business that is nearby where you are in the world at the moment, select the option to find the business nearest to "Your GPS Location."

12. Select find to allow the GPS phone to search for the business. You will likely be given a long list of options to choose from. When you find the one you want and press "OK," you can then either call them (press "Call" or "Send" on your phone as you would with any other phone) or press "Navigate" to get directions to the business.

Tips & Warnings

• When using your GPS phone you may be prompted to give the navigator permission to locate you. This is a privacy option, as some people do not want the phone company to know where they are in the world. When you do a navigation search, most GPS phones save your previous searches for quick reference in the future. There is usually an option for you to define your home address and work address in your phone navigation system to be saved for later use. With most GPS phones, in the midst of a navigation session you can select "Options" to look at an overall map of your location, detour around traffic or certain roads, and make a call.
• In some areas, GPS phones don't have a hard time picking up a signal. In this case, you may have to move around to get a good signal so that your GPS service will work.