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Boost Navigator: GPS for the Masses
Boost Navigator: GPS For The Masses By Zach Bowman, DriverSide Contributing Editor
Personal navigation has come a long way in just a few short years. Not too long ago, in-car GPS units could only be found in high-end luxury rigs, and even then directions and map information weren’t exactly spot on. Over time, the tech has improved and the price has fallen to accommodate just about everyone. These days, excellent in-car units can be had for as little as $200, but that’s still a chunk of change if you don’t plan on using your GPS unit every day.
What if you just need directions occasionally? Maybe you don’t want a bulky unit stuck to your windshield or simply need a quick hint to point you in the right direction. If that’s the case, you might be better off opting out of the standard in-car GPS unit and going for a phone-based navigation application. Nearly every carrier offers some sort of nav app with their phones. For the pay-as-you-go crowd, Boost Mobile has rolled out one such application called Boost Navigator. The system isn’t perfect, but its affordable option with plenty to offer.
Boost Navigator is available as a download for any Boost Mobile phone – so long as the unit is GPS and Java capable, meaning there’s no expensive initial hardware to purchase outside of the handset. If you know where your phone is and have service, you’ve always got directions handy. While this is a big bonus, the program’s functionality can be hampered by things like the size of your phone’s screen. The good news is that even with the smallest of screens, the app dishes up uncomplicated directions. There are other issues, too, but we’ll get to those later.
With the Boost Navigator app on your phone, you have four options to choose from. Your first option will show you how to get to the closest Re-Boost store, meaning you can always find your way to a location to add more minutes to your plan, pick up a new phone or answer any questions you may have. That may not seem like much, but if you’re low on minutes, the feature saves you the hassle of having to get online to find your closest location.
While directions to the nearest Re-Boost location are free, other navigations aren’t. That doesn’t mean Navigator costs an arm and a leg. You can pick between a one-day, one-week or one-month plan. Picking up the daily plan will set you back a whopping $2/day, and a full month will set you back $10 for 30 days. A three-month option is available for $25.00. There’s even a section that details how long you have left on your account, so there’s no worry about over paying or guessing as to when your GPS service will stop.
It’s true that picking up three months worth of Navigator service will save you cash over the day-by-day option, but oddly enough your savings actually decrease the higher you go on the price...