Did you know that your cell phone can be used as a GPS device?

TeleNav GPS Navigator (also called AT&T Navigator and Sprint Navigation) is a GPS navigation application that I’ve been using on my iPhone for a few weeks.  It’s just like having a GPS device but it runs on your mobile phone. It provides GPS-enabled turn-by-turn directions, more than 12 million business listings, traffic rerouting, restaurant reviews, speech recognition, online route pre-planning and more. As we head into the summer travel season and the kids’ school year wraps up, TeleNav GPS Navigator is great for finding locations and providing directions to soccer fields, parks, restaurants and summer road-trip destinations.

The application works on more than 500 GPS-enabled phones like the iPhone, BlackBerrys and many Android phones and is free.  You just pay your cell phone carrier a monthly fee for the service and you’re ready to trave far and wide with TeleNav!

What I love about TeleNav GPS Navigator:

• I don’t have to keep up with a GPS unit.. as long as I know where my iPhone is 😉
• I’m not nervous about going to new places anymore
  The directions have been PERFECT so far.  I used AT&T Navigator to get me to several places in and around metro Atlanta that I’ve never been before and was directed to each location without a problem.   I love when the voice tells me “your destination is on the right”.  Like I can’t see the big sign for where I’m going but that’s what’s great about TeleNav GPS Navigator is the attention to detail.  If a take a wrong turn TeleNav will reroute me automatically and quickly.
• It gives me traffic updates!
  Wether I’m starting a new route or inroute TeleNav GPS Navigator / AT&T Navigator will give me a verbal and icon alert if there is traffic coming up.  It even tells me which lanes are closed.  If only it would make my Nissan Quest hover over the traffic.. wouldn’t that be great?  When I’m given a traffic alert, I can push the traffic alert icon to get a new route if one is available.

• 

  Keep listening!
  There is an iPod icon on the GPS Navigator screen that when clicked brings up my iPod music controls so I can listen to music while getting turn by turn instructions.

• I won’t get busted by the police for going too fast.. if I listen!
  The speed limit alerts are sure to let me know verbally and with an icon on the iPhone screen, when I’m going  a little too fast.  I am not a big speeder but I have been ‘busted’ as my 10 year old calls it, twice on the highway, by TeleNav.  Ooops.. sorry!
• Finding places is EASY!
  If I am in an unfamiliar area, I can find the closest ATM, Wi-Fi hotspot, gas station, miniature golf, specific restaurant and more with the click of a button.  What’s really funny is that I learned about a few parks and roller skating rinks that I didn’t know existed near me, just by clicking on the Amusement Parks button in the Search!  Thanks TeleNav!
• I can shake it to get home!
  All I need to do to get home from somewhere is shake my iPhone and directions back to my ‘Home’ location come up.

One thing that I would like to see change about TeleNav GPS Navigator is the way the turn-by-turn voice prompts are heard over the iPod music.  The music fades down in volume when the voice prompts come on but I think it would be nice if the music paused and then start back up where it left off when the voice prompt is done.  Most of the voice prompts are just a few seconds long so it’s not a big deal, but if I’m not familiar with where I’m going then I would like for the music to stop while the GPS is telling me what to do.

TeleNav GPS Navigator is a must have for summer road trips.  Gosh, it’s on your phone, it’s affordable, it’s simple to use, TeleNav is extremely comprehensive (jam packed with information), and gives parents much needed peace of mind while travelling.

Here is a 5 minute demo video I shot explaining how I use TeleNav GPS Navigator on my iPhone.
Sorry about the shaky video and the darkness.  I think I need some new video equipment!

Disclosure: The Mommy Insider was given a free trial for TeleNav GPS Navigator subscription to use for purposes of this review.  The opinions featured here are our own and were not influenced by free product or service.

We are giving two lucky readers a free one-year TeleNav GPS Navigator subscription!

To enter to win:

1. Mandatory – follow @telenav on Twitter
2. Mandatory – Leave a comment below telling us why you want to win OR fill out the form below.

Entries accepted through August 24th, 2010.  Winners will be chosen randomly and will be contacted by TeleNav’s PR via email, with details on how to set up the free one-year TeleNav subscription.  Winners must already own and have carrier service for a supported device.  Click here to see TeleNav supported devices. The TeleNav contest is open to U.S. residents 18 and older only.

Fill out this form to enter to win if you do not want to leave a comment