The Nokia N78 possesses a built-in GPS receiver and its software has A-GPS, which assists to find a co-ordinate lock by connecting to cellular towers for triangulation. Unlike the iPhone, you cannot assist the GPS via WiFi hotspots.

The Maps application is at v1.2. It does not show satellite images or allows you to walk to a destination, but it has all the useful functions we find on a GPS device.

The phone comes with a 12-month free navigation licence for South Africa, but it will be for other countries depending on where you buy it.

Nokia Maps v1.2 allow you to alternate between colours for day/night, although you cannot set-up automatic change with time. There are options for 2D and 3D, and personally we prefer 2D. You can also set-up categories displayed on the map, such as transport, petrol stations, accommodation, hospitals, etc.

Additional options such as transport selection, route detection (speed or distance), motorway use, tunnel use, ferry use, and toll road use, are useful and are a sign that a NSeries phone can be used as a fully fledged GPS.

For optimal use in a car, connect the N78 to your car radio via the built-in FM transmitter, and select the language for GPS, which you understand better. A car holder such as the one found on the N810's retail package should be included with the N78 and other phones with GPS or atleast a free navigation licence, as no one will hold the N78 in their hands while driving, and if it's in your lap, you won't be able to see anything.

The Search function works both offline and online, and you can select between searching for addresses, keywords, nearby places, or just browse guides.

An automatic update option should be included on Nokia Maps, so that users can enjoy the new functions of Maps 2.0, which is out of beta.

The N78's GPS and navigation software does exactly what you expect from a GPS receiver, but the problem exists in the receiver itself. Without internet access, achieving a lock without Assisted GPS can take ages. Nokia seriously needs to consider that. Other uses of the GPS besides navigation, are the ones of Geo-tagging, and LBS (Location-Based Services), which we will see in future.

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