---
The GPS signal is free. There are plenty of free gps apps too, so it's all free as the breeze.
---
Ummmm the best option would be to download a offline gps navigation app because you dont have 3g. Do a google search for something along the lines of 'best offline gps app for tablets'. Some of the apps cost though but its not very much
It depends on your needs. Navigation I take it? Google Maps is the best I've found but you do need a net connection for the navigation part. I have a Nook Color (no 3g either) and use a mobile wifi modem. You can also tether your phone for internet access I believe.
If you have no internet and don't need navigation, ie: you're happy to just see your point moving along maps which you've stored on the device, Google Maps lets you cache map areas and do this to some degree. Locus is worth a try too.
And yasin covered the "no internet but do want navigation" angle. I haven't tried any of those.
Hope that makes sense!
---
I've used OSMand a couple of times and while they offer a paid version now, the free version still works very well. It lets you download maps for offline use while you're connected via Wifi. Only problem: Routing doesn't work while you're offline.
Related
So currently I'm using google maps for my navigation, however I hate its long time searching. It takes almost 10 min for it to find me but once I'm found it stays on while it runs. However I would like to know if there is something better than this?
gps
I think google is one of the best, they are on top of there game, imo. Hopefully you find something else that suites your phone.
Google...Sprint Nav...
Google maps is great... I have to say (my opinion though) that the new version of Sprint GPS is pretty good too. (but u have to have sprint).
I say both are very average compare to other software: Iguidance, Garmin XT, Tomtom, IGO.....paid but much better, 10 minutes isn't normal Eclipse, you may wanna eclipse Google and try something new...plenty or resources out there
If you just want to know where you are and want to find businesses close to where you are at then google is nice.
If you want to use your GPS for driving directions get a true turn-by-turn app like igo, tomtom, Garmin, CoPilot, etc.. Not to mention you don't need a data play for these apps. Maps are loaded on the phone.
I've got garmin XT and I love it.
I agree with above.. sure the google one is cool for what it does.. so is the new one in Bing for that matter... but really, nothing beats TomTom... it will work even if you have no internet connection...... (assuming you have a map of your entire country on an SD card).... But the voices are cool, the diffrent options for a car icon is cool.... the layout is cool... and the "show off" effect is cool...
"Oh, your phone has AT&T Navigator that only works where you have coverage?, Well, my phone has real TomTom, just like the ones you buy at Best Buy for $200, and it works everywhere"..
lol... sorry, but it is fun... And if you you do have an unlimited data plan, and are willing to pay hte monthly fee, you can access TomTom Plus which offers live traffic (and it can auto-reroute you if it is faster another way), along with gas prices, weather, etc....
That is my 2 cents...
The reason why I hate google maps is because it takes a long long time for it to locate me... takes a good 5-10 mins till it finds me. I want to know what app or what I need to do so that I can use a gps that will pick me fast. What do I do ?
does tomtom locate fast? and is it free?
I have started using Waze with my TP. I love it. Its user based so if there is someone stuck in traffic, they report it and you get updated. Im a huge fan.
tom tom locates very fast but is not free. my google maps takes a few seconds to locate me. i would try changing your radio. also use quick gps it makes google locate faster.
Garmin XT
Run it on my Fuze and it works great! It's not free but I was part of www.lg-incite.com forum before getting my Fuze and they have a thread over there dedicated to Garmin GPS. If you have a data plan, you get live traffic and can search a business in your area using the built in Google Search.
Quick GPS
Hey Eclipse I would reccommend trying quick GPS, it updates satellite info from the internet so beware but attains a much faster lock on once it has run the update, it DOES use the internet so unlimited data is reccommended.
forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=29959
Link to PPCGeeks, may need an account to dl.
reddevil45 said:
Hey Eclipse I would reccommend trying quick GPS, it updates satellite info from the internet so beware but attains a much faster lock on once it has run the update, it DOES use the internet so unlimited data is reccommended.
forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=29959
Link to PPCGeeks, may need an account to dl.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea I usually do update the quick gps. However it still takes awhile.
where can I get the latest sprint nav?
Off topic but here, read
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=362745
EclipseTouchPro said:
The reason why I hate google maps is because it takes a long long time for it to locate me... takes a good 5-10 mins till it finds me. I want to know what app or what I need to do so that I can use a gps that will pick me fast. What do I do ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not an application issue. This is a phone GPS issue. You will have this same issue with every GPS application until you resolve the GPS acquisition issue.
I have an issue with the GPS device every few months. Some bad data corrupts the memory location and won't find satellites. To fix it I change some settings and it seems to force overwrite the nonvolatile memory files.
1. Open Quick GPS
2. Tap Menu at the bottom
3. Tap Options
4. Uncheck "Auto download when connected to PC via ActiveSync"
5. Tap OK
6. Close out of Quick GPS and quit the application
Now it may take 30 seconds to acquire satellites for the first time. Each time after you should acquire satellites very quickly.
I have several questions about the built in GPS on the Motorola Atrix.
1. Do I need to have a data plan for the GPS to work?
2. Why is that the navigation doesn't work outside the US?
3. Is there any way to use the phone like a regular GPS?
Thanks!
1. Yes. You need a data plan for the phone anyways to work on your phone's network.
2. Google Navigation
3. Yes. Google Maps (or any other third party gps app)
Is there any workaround on the data plan? Like preloading the maps or anything like it?
you can get an app that has maps already on the phone, like sygic or sygic aura 2, i saw that tom tom is going to release an app for android really soon too
i think mapquest has a 3rd party apk as well with gps
There are quite a few apps already out with downloadable maps which you can use to avoid data usage, (Navigon is a decent one, but my map download in Massachusetts was 1.6GB, so you'll need WiFi for that). If you download the maps you need, you should be fine just turning off data and using GPS. If you do not download maps, you will use data to download positions on the fly, and also if there is no clear "line of sight" to a satellite, your GPS system can use data to triangulate your position off cell towers.
CaelanT said:
There are quite a few apps already out with downloadable maps which you can use to avoid data usage, (Navigon is a decent one, but my map download in Massachusetts was 1.6GB, so you'll need WiFi for that). If you download the maps you need, you should be fine just turning off data and using GPS. If you do not download maps, you will use data to download positions on the fly, and also if there is no clear "line of sight" to a satellite, your GPS system can use data to triangulate your position off cell towers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree and can confirm Navigon has pre-loaded maps and works great but you have to shell out some preety pennies for the app unless you know your way around that ;p and is a very big file and takes awhile to download...but works like a champ!!!
facetubespam said:
1. Yes. You need a data plan for the phone anyways to work on your phone's network.
2. Google Navigation
3. Yes. Google Maps (or any other third party gps app)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DATA is required if your using google navigation but if you use something like copilot that has the maps preloaded on sdcard ...copilot uses data when downloading the directions for you
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Hello.
What is the best Navigation app for the Atrix.
I am looking for one that works without data connection, only with GPS and for USA & Canada.
How do you expect one to work with no data connection? Must transfer GPS data somehow.... lol
while we're in the topic, how do portable GPS devices work? do they use data as well?
if so, how well do they work in places where there's no data signal?
I mean data signal as compared to low reception on your phone.
jgc121 said:
How do you expect one to work with no data connection? Must transfer GPS data somehow.... lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your laughing, but your wrong
ifalldownalot said:
while we're in the topic, how do portable GPS devices work? do they use data as well?
if so, how well do they work in places where there's no data signal?
I mean data signal as compared to low reception on your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use CoPilot live. Bought it when I had a tablet (no data connection). Now I use it so I don't have to use data to download the maps and for when I'm in areas without cell service.
edit: GPS tells you where you are (latitude and longitude). Maps saved on your GPS device or in my case my phone let me know where that actually is in relation to streets and such. I also mountain bike and theres no signal in a lot of those places. I can record the track and it looks like nothing at the time but once its transposed (if thats the right term) onto a map then it does.
rquinn19 said:
Your laughing, but your wrong
I use CoPilot live. Bought it when I had a tablet (no data connection). Now I use it so I don't have to use data to download the maps and for when I'm in areas without cell service.
edit: GPS tells you where you are (latitude and longitude). Maps saved on your GPS device or in my case my phone let me know where that actually is in relation to streets and such. I also mountain bike and theres no signal in a lot of those places. I can record the track and it looks like nothing at the time but once its transposed (if thats the right term) onto a map then it does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ooo nice.
do you use Copilot live or Copilot live premium?
wish they had a trial. :\
ifalldownalot said:
ooo nice.
do you use Copilot live or Copilot live premium?
wish they had a trial. :\
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's called CoPilot Live USA in the market I believe.
Backcountry Navigator Pro works good.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
I use iGo8 on all my standalone GPS units, so I tried it on my Atrix. I was less than impressed when comparing it to its GPS cousins, but it is better than AT&T navigator. Even though all the data is local to the phone, I still tend to use Google Navigate instead on a regular basis (I haven't been anyplace where a data connection is a problem). iGo8 just didn't intgegrate well into the Android environment and experience from my point of view.
I have seen other "heavy" GPS programs in the market and mentioned on various GPS websites. Google around. That's assuming you are looking for navigation and not trails.
troycarpenter said:
I use iGo8 on all my standalone GPS units, so I tried it on my Atrix. I was less than impressed when comparing it to its GPS cousins, but it is better than AT&T navigator. Even though all the data is local to the phone, I still tend to use Google Navigate instead on a regular basis (I haven't been anyplace where a data connection is a problem). iGo8 just didn't intgegrate well into the Android environment and experience from my point of view.
I have seen other "heavy" GPS programs in the market and mentioned on various GPS websites. Google around. That's assuming you are looking for navigation and not trails.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with this for the most part. I use Google maps for the most part, but its nice to have downloaded maps there when you need it. I tend to use it on long trips as well. The interface could use some work though.
Copilot works, but the maps are old. Sygic works really well.
I'm just throwing this out there...
how about waze?
Looks interesting, but the OP requested a complete navigation package that includes maps, POIs and everything else local on the unit. Most navigation packages seem to use "live" maps where there is nothing on the phone and only what is needed for immediate navigation is downloaded OTA.
ifalldownalot said:
I'm just throwing this out there...
how about waze?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Waze is definitely not going to work as a no-data solution.
Sygic is a good offline navigation software. navigon is also not bad, but they're having trouble since the last update.
Does the View GPS require a sprint data plan or will it work on the road like a regular GPS that does not require service fees? I'm wondering if its like my Garmin GPS that only required the $100 purchase fee but never any ongoing gps coverage/service fees.
no data plan is required
butterflygirl said:
no data plan is required
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
which gps app do u use? my preloaded ones (Telenav, Navigation) seem to require wifi or Sprint to work.
R23PO said:
which gps app do u use? my preloaded ones (Telenav, Navigation) seem to require wifi or Sprint to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use Co-Pilot Live. I've used it for several years on different devices.
GPS is just the system that determines your present longitude, latitude, and approximate altitude, and does nothing more. It does so directly with the GPS satellites, and does not require data plan.
If you are talking about apps that display your position on maps, and give turn-by-turn directions, that is more than GPS, its a navigation app. People just call navigation units (like a stand-alone Garmin) or navigation apps "GPS" out of laziness, and its an incorrect and confusing term.
Whether a navigation app requires data depends on the app you are talking about. If the maps are streamed, then you need a data plan. If the maps are loaded to your SD card, then it shouldn't require data.
"Navigation" pre-loaded on the tablet is Google Maps. It "usually" requires data to work. But there is an option in Labs to manually download certain maps areas so you can use it offline. Or you can get an app that has all maps for your region or the whole country loaded to the SD card, like CoPilot recommended above (or plenty of other ones).
Your stand-alone Garmin unit has maps pre-loaded to it. So that is why there is no ongoing fee to operate it. But they keep bugging you to update the maps, for a fee.
I wanted to start a new thread on navigation for the PAS. The other thread is just way too long, and goes down many paths. I would like to get info an what people are using for nav, both online and off. I currently have Scout navigation installed, as well as google maps and navigation.
Google maps and nav are great when online, but are not really functional offline. I have downloaded an offline map for my city, but when offline trying to do a search, it just hangs looking for places. With Scout, I have an offline map of the central US. It works fine, but the load time is a little annoying.
I have looked into navfree, and waze. I like waze, but I am not sure if it works in any sort of offline mode (maybe it uses some cached data). I installed navfree, and removed it. I cannot remember why. It may have been laggy.
I would also like to know peoples opinios on the tomtom and igo apps. I removed the igo app on the device since I replaces the sd card. But I know there is the ability to purchase it from the market.