iPhone Great Lakes Navigation

[Revtro]

It's not that I need one more reason to love my iPhone, but today when I was checking out new iPhone apps I came across Navimatics Great Lakes Marine Maps for iPhone.  It's a little pricey for an iPhone app, but it looks pretty cool.  It uses NOAA maps.  I haven't tried it, but if Santa drops me a little cash this Christmas, I'll have to go buy it.  I think it would be cool to have a mapping GPS backup on my iPhone in case my bow unit were to ever go out on me while out on the big water.  iPhone rocks!

[Bender]

I'm on my third one and might even return this one  , but there are some things that the iphone does do well. I really like the GPS feature but I sure wish that there were base maps you could save on the device and it looks like this one also must load the maps over the network as you go.
$49.99 for this app is a little steep when you aren't buying the maps. Hopefully the price comes down after a little while because that looks really neat.

[Cy]

This was on Bassfan a short time ago.

Navionics going mobile 10/9/2008
Users of Apple's iPhone will soon be able to use their phone as a marine chartplotter, thanks to Navionics Mobile, a new product from Navionics set for release in December.
Navionics Mobile will allow users to view detailed charts, pan and zoom and query chart objects. It also contains outdoor and ski trail data, enabling navigation through the phone while skiing, hiking or biking.
For boaters who already have a chartplotter, Navionics Mobile can be used as a backup navigation device in case of an electrical blackout.
Navionics Mobile will be available for other smartphone models soon but is currently only offered for the iPhone.
To learn more about Navionics Mobile, click here.

[Revtro]

Bender, 3rd iPhone?  Man, that stinks.  Sounds like you've had some bad luck.  Anyway, the app store says it includes an offline map database...I'm assuming that means you don't have to be on the network to view them??  I hope that's the way it works considering the price.

I haven't heard about the Navionics stuff for iPhone.  That would be awesome.

[Revtro]

Ahh... here it is.

http://www.navionics.com/Mobile.asp

[Bender]

Upon further reading the iNavX software will download maps and allow you to use them anywhere you have a GPS signal. Now if they only had one for road maps.
It seems to have almost all good reviews, except the guy that says "if you actually use this for navigation you deserve to run aground." 
I wonder which one is better? And I wonder if the Navionics one will let you load your HotMaps if you already bought a chip?