GPS for Android-based Smartphones

[FixerDave]

Originally Posted by syzygy9

Sygic and Copilot seem to get good reviews. I liked iGo a lot but my understanding is that there is no Android version out yet - only IOS and Win CE. Personally the moment iGo bring out a commercially available Android version I'll jump in that direction.

iGO is there for Android... came with my CyberNav mini. Well, I don't know that it's on the market as I've got the apk and maps for it. I just dumped it on a new 10.2" Android tablet as a test. Works fine, though it doesn't use the whole screen. Not my favourite app, but it does work.

Me, I'm an Orux kind of guy. Custom maps rendered to tiles via Maperitive and converted to Orux by MOBAC. But, I want full control of how the map looks and what's on it. I have no interest in routing. The OP was all about routing on existing roads. More like iGO.

Definitely, without a doubt, iGO at least exists and is functional in Android. Time to jump?

David...

[abhibeckert]

Originally Posted by syzygy9

Sygic and Copilot seem to get good reviews. I liked iGo a lot but my understanding is that there is no Android version out yet - only IOS and Win CE. Personally the moment iGo bring out a commercially available Android version I'll jump in that direction.

I wouldn't let that hold you back. Sygic is great, in my opinion better than iGo.

The two apps are certainly close enough you would be happy with either one. Sygic is about half the price as well.

[beechum1]

Originally Posted by Craneguy

I just wanted to pop back in and give a huge +1 to Sygic.

I got it installed with the Mexico maps (around 500mb) and I wasn't expecting miracles.

Not only does it show the interior roads in my little compound, it also has the tiny little village I use to test GPS maps. Garmin doesn't, and Google Navigation (which is a hacked copy that works here) is useless as there is no cell service within 20 miles of the place.

Routing is almost instant, and so far looks accurate and seems to offer the most practical path.

It's about $35 and looks to be worth every penny. I'll update this as I try it for real. If I had found out about this earlier I wouldn't have bought the Nuvi 500 a few weeks ago for $170.

Hey Bud, have you gotten some more hands on with the app? Interested in the assessment of MX maps, routing and POI's etc.

[Craneguy]

Originally Posted by beechum1

Hey Bud, have you gotten some more hands on with the app? Interested in the assessment of MX maps, routing and POI's etc.

Absolutely faultless so far. Turn-by-turn is the best I've ever used and so far we haven't been able to find a town or road it doesn't have. I don't even have to look at the phone (sunlight on the screen is the big short-coming of using phones as Sat Navs) and the voice directions are enough. Huge battery savings that way too.

Haven't tried looking for POI's yet, but if you tap the screen it automatically shows the 5 or so nearest gas stations. It has a huge array of customization options too. Makes my Nuvi 500 look like it was designed for pre-schoolers.

One thing I do need to do is find out if will accept custom route uploads. That would make it spectacular.

[beechum1]

Originally Posted by Craneguy

Absolutely faultless so far. Turn-by-turn is the best I've ever used and so far we haven't been able to find a town or road it doesn't have. I don't even have to look at the phone (sunlight on the screen is the big short-coming of using phones as Sat Navs) and the voice directions are enough. Huge battery savings that way too.

Haven't tried looking for POI's yet, but if you tap the screen it automatically shows the 5 or so nearest gas stations. It has a huge array of customization options too. Makes my Nuvi 500 look like it was designed for pre-schoolers.

One thing I do need to do is find out if will accept custom route uploads. That would make it spectacular.

you mean upload an external gpx?

[Craneguy]

Originally Posted by beechum1

you mean upload an external gpx?

I just stopped being lazy and looked it up. You can import POI's but not routes. They say they are planning to add that feature.

[max384]

An update: I tried downloading the free Mapfactor Navigator app, but I could never get it to install. I tried several times and it just never worked. So, I tried the free trial of Sygic and was hooked! I bought the full version after the trial ran out.

[macintosh]

Originally Posted by Craneguy

I just stopped being lazy and looked it up. You can import POI's but not routes. They say they are planning to add that feature.

Not sure about Sygic but iGo and Copilot are able to import routes. You just have to put right route file to right folder for program to recognize it.

[worwig]

Originally Posted by Craneguy

I just stopped being lazy and looked it up. You can import POI's but not routes. They say they are planning to add that feature.

OSMand will display any GPX track on the map. You don't get spoken directions, just the track overlay, which is good for me. You can generate the tracks with number of programs on the PC.

[syzygy9]

Originally Posted by FixerDave

iGO is there for Android... came with my CyberNav mini. Well, I don't know that it's on the market as I've got the apk and maps for it. I just dumped it on a new 10.2" Android tablet as a test. Works fine, though it doesn't use the whole screen. Not my favourite app, but it does work.

Me, I'm an Orux kind of guy. Custom maps rendered to tiles via Maperitive and converted to Orux by MOBAC. But, I want full control of how the map looks and what's on it. I have no interest in routing. The OP was all about routing on existing roads. More like iGO.

Definitely, without a doubt, iGO at least exists and is functional in Android. Time to jump?

David...

iGo Primo for Android is ONLY available for OEMs, it cannot be purchased as an app for an Android OS . . . although there are a few pirate copies floating around the net.

The problem you are having with your OEM version is that the screen sizes are different; the OEM version you are "copying" onto another device is not configured for the screen size of the Android device you have copied it to . . . . and there is no capability to adjust the screen size in the OEM version (hardwired setting for obvious reasons). There are some workarounds on the net.

I am waiting for iGo to see the light and release as an app for Android (it can be purchased as an app for IOS and Win CE).

[hdxbones]

I've been using Android Navfree for a while now with good results. Map downloads by state, voice turn by turn guidance, dependable routing.

[David_in_TX]

OSMand will give me spoken turn by turn directions on my imported GPX tracks.
I wonder why yours won't do this...

Originally Posted by worwig

OSMand will display any GPX track on the map. You don't get spoken directions, just the track overlay, which is good for me. You can generate the tracks with number of programs on the PC.