Posted by David Kral on 10/11/06 2:42am
Msg #151652

Treo mapping cheaper alternative to GPS mapping & Email.

I have Treo 650 and if you look on a couple of the Treo forums you can find a couple freeware mapping programs. I download one and it works quickly and well. I downloaded it by typing in the web address into my Treo browser. It then had a download link. Clicked on it and after confirming on the Treo I wanted it, the file automatically downloaded. Interfaces are simply and userfriendly, no manual required. ( Another Treo user I know uses the other one.) The one I am using asks for a $10 paypal donation if you like it...your option. When you do a query it accesses the web and pulls up Mapquest directions. You have to have web access on your phone, so you do pay something for the mapping searches, but I have the webaccess anyway so I do not really view that as an additional cost.

The same program also allows you to do reverse queries on phone numbers etc, so sometimes if something has a slightly different mailing address, you can use the borrowers phone number and map how to get to your destination.

Granted some notaries may prefer a GPS and having one speak directions if likely much better than reading a Treo screen, but I tend to know my way around my geographic area and can remember most of the turns once I see them. Thus, this cheap alternative seems to be working for me and is less of a hassle than printing paper maps, especially on last minute calls from local title companies.

The program is pretty tiny in terms of storage space on the Treo about 67K.

The same person also created a little program to track all your Treo cellphone minutes and set an overage warning. Thus, when those $50.00 signing services call you and then want confirmation and reconfirmation and callbacks, you can lookup by number how many minutes you really spent on the phone with them and what it costs you!

Also, you can set your email on many services to forward to your Treo. Thus, you can see confirms and documents arrive. You can read the emails on your Treo if you need to, but I basically use it to alert me when to head towards my computer to download and print.

Reply by NCLisa on 10/11/06 6:47am
Msg #151664

I have Google Maps on my Blackberry. I don't really care for Google maps because it gets you everywhere by only 1 route, which is always the biggest highway which can mean many more added miles when in the country. You said the program yours uses is MapQuest, which I find to be the absolute worst of all the mapping programs. It has way to many mistakes. I don't know how many times its brought me to a road that just isn't there.