Standalone GPS navigators are pretty cheap these days, but when it comes to getting the most bang for the buck, it's hard to beat an app-equipped iPhone.
One of the most popular navigation apps for the iPhone, Navigon's MobileNavigator North America, normally sells for $79.99, but in honor of the company's first-year App Store anniversary, it's on sale for $39.99.
This half-off sale, which is good through Sunday, August 15, also extends to MobileNavigator USA (now $24.99); MobileNavigator Canada ($24.99); and MyRegion East, Central, and West ($14.99 each, down from $29.99).
Navigon has discounted its prices for in-app purchases as well. Traffic Live, normally $24.99, is on sale for $12.99, while Panorama View 3D, which shows a more topographical view of your surroundings--and looks really cool--is now just $4.99.
All versions of MobileNavigator provide more navigation features than I can list here. However, its highlights include text-to-speech; integrated Google search; location sharing via e-mail Facebook, and Twitter; in-app iPod controls, and the (optional) live traffic updates.
I've tried a bunch of GPS apps during the past year, and while others are quite good in their own right, MobileNavigator remains my favorite. Obviously, the North America version is the best overall value. But if you routinely drive within the same third of the country, one of the MyRegion versions should suit you just fine. That's an awful lot of GPS goodness for just 15 bucks.
By the way, if you don't already have a car mount for your iPhone (please don't leave it in your lap or on the seat next to you, unless you're planning to rely solely on audio navigation), here's a do-it-yourself dashboard mount that costs about $10.