navigation on mobile phones

[BigonaBianchi]

I've tried all I know to.use.my mobile for the GPS function it came loaded with..but it just doesn't work.
It needs a WiFi.connection and a GPS connection...what proper GPS needs a WiFi link.for Christ's sake...
I have an HTC desire s with a navigation app...I can't rely on it...
Maybe I'm just doing something wrong...but it.seems to promise much and deliver.nought.

If this is wrong forum for.moaning about GPS my sorrys.

 

[defy-one]

Try navfree app on android. It's free.
So not as good as tomtom,but should get you to your destination.
I have used lots of versions on different platforms and the performance of the hardware/software varies considerably.
If you are using it in the car,then make sure the phone is mounted in a cradle on the windscreen.it's safer and easier for the gps antenna to get a lock

 

[MrJamie]

google maps on android lets you save an area of map to offline, which appears under something like "my places", so you can browse the map later without internet and should use gps to show where you are on it

 

[Norm]

You don't say which "navigation app" you are using. Is it Google Maps or have you loaded something different?

Android uses WiFi to locate itself within a broad area, then GPS for accurate positioning within that area. It can get a fix without the WiFi but it can also take longer to do so.

I use my HTC Desire for navigation and traffic status to cover several hundred miles a week - nearly a thousand last week - and it simply doesn't fail for me. I haven't used my TomTom GPS unit for about 3 years.

As defy-one says, do you have the phone somewhere it can get a good GPS signal and are you using it in built up areas? I'm not sure what the signal reflections would be like in Mordor.

 

[Black Sheep]

I use my iPhone for navigation and what it does (and i presume your phone is working in a similar fashion) is use GPS to figure where I am, but then uses my 3G or wifi connection to actually load the map and match the two together.

it does claim that it is more accurate if i have wifi turned on, but never seems to be much of a problem

 

[ohnovino]

If you're not following a route you've already laid out yourself, a lot of navigation apps will need a data connection to calculate the route on an external server.

 

[slowwww]

I downloaded the TomTom Northern Europe app on my iPhone 4 about 2 years ago as I travel in France and Spain quite often. Cost about £50 but is great and has never let me down, and at 50p per week and counting i reckon it's good value - updates are free too

 

[bof]

With the current Android Google maps, the trick is to try and get your maps downloaded into cache in advance when you have wifi (if you do it as you go via the data link it could get expensive) and then turn GPS on to tell you where you are. My Galaxy S2 GPS is a good deal less accurate that my Garmin's, its battery will last nothing like as long and if the screen gets wet you can't use the device properly, so I would say its a poor choice for a long bike ride but there are situations where it works fine.

You can get the download by basically tracking your planned route at the scale you need to follow it properly.

 

[Marshmallow_Fluff]

Nice haircut!!

 

[RhythMick]

Try navfree app on android. It's free.
So not as good as tomtom,but should get you to your destination.
I have used lots of versions on different platforms and the performance of the hardware/software varies considerably.
If you are using it in the car,then make sure the phone is mounted in a cradle on the windscreen.it's safer and easier for the gps antenna to get a lock

+1 for NavFree

Use it along with Camera Alert from Pocket Gps peeps for speed cams.

 

[RhythMick]

With the current Android Google maps, the trick is to try and get your maps downloaded into cache in advance when you have wifi (if you do it as you go via the data link it could get expensive) and then turn GPS on to tell you where you are. My Galaxy S2 GPS is a good deal less accurate that my Garmin's, its battery will last nothing like as long and if the screen gets wet you can't use the device properly, so I would say its a poor choice for a long bike ride but there are situations where it works fine.

You can get the download by basically tracking your planned route at the scale you need to follow it properly.

With a good quality waterproof case and an external battery the SGS2 works well. I used it to navigate the 213 mile TPT coast to coast recently

 

[bof]

With a good quality waterproof case and an external battery the SGS2 works well. I used it to navigate the 213 mile TPT coast to coast recently

Is there a handlebar mount available for it? I'd use the S2 as a fallback. Its other weakness against the Garmin is it doesn't do HRM or cadence, but that's not a navigation issue.

btw I bought my current Garmin when my last one packed up and it was clear smartphones were not quite ready for GPS primetime, just a few months ago. It's probably evenly balanced now and I bet next time I need a good GPS it will be a ruggedised smartphone.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Intersting comments...thansk for helping.
I cant really tell you exactly what the one im using is..but it came ready loaded with my htc desire s and has a blue north pointing arrow as its icon and simply says navigation under the icon. It works ok in a wifi spot but there arnt many of those around.
I use the voice input and it works ok if it can find the name i say...but like i said as soon as it is out of wifi range its useless.
Well let me rephrase that..im probably telling it the wrong things or hav eit set up wrong as you gchaps seem to be able to drive it better lol.

I had it in the car last night and jus tdriving along the high street and coastal road for about 8 miles it didnt get any gps signal.

I have to teach myself how to store maps for offline use I suppose...oh and its definatly not a waterproof phone...I dont trust it to dig me out of th eself inflicted merde like i do my garmin gpsmap60csx.

as for putting a route in there myself for it to follow I cant find that option...this thing needs to calculate its own route aka a tom tom I think...tbh though that is ok as i will only use this in the car or walking..on the bike i have my garmin.

I think it is using google maps...i can see the satellite google earth type view if i choose...but it can be slow to load. the simple map view is better.

i jus tfound a cool feature where i can see the route unfold as a video camera...so just as the eye sees it as you walk along the route..very nice...but again thats only when connected to wifi.

I think this is a toy i need to play with more ...i would like it if it spoke th edirections to me as i drove though...I know it can be done but so far I cant hear the angelic hot as hell lady who lives in this phone ...you know th eone with the irish accent and ...i'll stop there....

 

[RhythMick]

Is there a handlebar mount available for it? I'd use the S2 as a fallback. Its other weakness against the Garmin is it doesn't do HRM or cadence, but that's not a navigation issue.

btw I bought my current Garmin when my last one packed up and it was clear smartphones were not quite ready for GPS primetime, just a few months ago. It's probably evenly balanced now and I bet next time I need a good GPS it will be a ruggedised smartphone.

It does HRM. I use the Zephyr which works very well with Strava.

This is the waterproof case I use. Very solid handlebar mount, great protection, grommet for power cable (so can charge on the go) and I can attest to its waterproofing. On the top of the Pennines the heavens opened in a way I didn't know was possible. We invented the sport of "white water cycling" on the path down to Penistone! The phone was lovely and dry.

http://www.ultimate-mobiles.co.uk/m...2/cases/hard-wpcase-galaxys2-i9100___1362.htm

For cycling/walking navigation I like the ViewRanger software, good with free maps but great with premium OS maps which can be downloaded to the phone.

For car GPS I just use the standard Google Maps and Nav software. I keep NavFree installed in case I don't have a signal.