Update: Google Search found an Hitachi HC30CD 3 axis accelerometer
entered the market in 2006 with a price of 26 cents:

http://www.eetindia.co.in/ART_8800432202_1800002.HTM
the anolog version gets used here: 
http://nesl.ee.ucla.edu/fw/thomas/ipsn15d-schmid.pdf

The iphone STS one is around $4  http://www.embedded-computing.com/news/db/?4138

A Yamaha YAS529 compass entered the market in 2006 with a price of
$10.

http://wirelesswatch.jp/2006/08/07/yamaha-announces-compass-chip/

... ... So a pair of H34Cs mounted 2 inches apart should give the
missing information to simulate a compass for less than a dollar.

The android SDK has enough stuff in it to make a compelling case for
inexpensive phones that guide those who don't read maps.






On May 15, 10:23 pm, "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I have no idea how much a cell phone with a compass costs. I don't see
> why it would be expensive if there were enough of a market to micro
> machine it like all those tiny mirrors. GPS(bearing) and an
> accelerometer (both widely accepted as desirable) can act like a
> compass - as long as there is occasionally enough motion to get a
> bearing and calibrate the accelerometer to north.  Even if you only
> have tower triangulation, this method should still work - all you
> would need to pay for is the accelerometer. The accelerometer should
> be almost free from micro machining economies of scale.
>
> Anyway is the android team going to provide a simulated compass
> function so folks with phones housing only an accelerometer, who can't
> read a map, can still use it to find a lost child in a crowd? Or any
> other geo destination?
>
> Who knows these answers?
>
> Thanks,
> Ed
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