Wayfinder GPS Software Mini Review - 8525, TyTN, MDA Vario II, JasJam Accessories

Wayfinder offers a free 5 day trial so I decided to give it a test run. Here is my experience:
1: The download was easy but getting it to work was another thing. 3 installs and 2 uninstalls later it finally came up. Pairing it with a GlobalSat BT-359 took a few atempts also before Wayfinder saw it.
2: You need to authenticate prior to first use. Authentication took about 5 attempts including having to ask for the code from tech support which delayed thing 24hrs. The code is supposed to be included according to the Readme but it wasn't. The code sent didn’t work and I finally authenticated when the software asked permission to do so by sending an sms to their server.
3. This application requires an internet connection to download maps, which means that if your connection is slow, good luck. It took over 10 minutes to download the data. If you loose the connection due to drop out or no service you are screwed. If you loose connection, you get a pop-up error message and the software seems to be no longer useable because you close the message but it keeps returning. The only option is to close the application. This actually happened to me about 1/2 mile from my home which is a dead zone. Glad I know how to get there on my own...
4: The search function worked very well. My office is in a good sized city but my home is almost in the middle of no where. It found both locations with no problem the first time. That's an advantage of an on-line service.
5: The accuracy was good and the auto corrections worked well on a 32 mile drive home. I purposely took a different route to see how it would respond and I must say it reacted quickly and accurately.
6: The task bar is at the top of the screen and is very large, too large in fact. I couldn’t find a way to reduce the size or minimize it.
7: I couldn't get the screen zoom to show me the entire route. It wasn't as if I was going cross country, it was only 32 miles.
The bottom line for Wayfinder is that if you have a good signal all the time you are fine. Cingular does not have 100% coverage nationwide which means you may run into problems planning routes and using the system if you are in a low or no signal area. I think I'll stick to a maps-on-board program.
Finally, I previously worked with Rt66 on a Nokia e61 for a work related project. Rt66 supplies all of the maps in the application so you don't need to be on-line at all which is a good thing. Rt66 also plots your course with a line overlayed on the map which I like. Wayfinder doesn’t. Rt66 is not perfect and had some quirks of its own but overall was a much more useable product. Would I buy Rt66? Maybe but I think I need to check out the other map on-board applications first. GPS software may be the most expensive mobile application out there. It would be nice if someone got it right but maybe this type of product is just too complex.
Lyle

Problem is that you can't preload maps onto a Windows Mobile unit, like you can with other units. So if datatraffic fails you are screwed. I used it on an UIQ device and there it is possible to store maps on a storagecard.
Also their new Version 7 is out for many devices but not Windows Mobile...

Hmmmmm...
Rt66 loads maps onto the card and they offer a WM version. I also believe that TomTom5 & 6 do the same.
Lyle

Wayfinder was a good choice for my Sony Ericsson P900 as it gave me full UK GPS which I wouldn't of otherwise got as the memory cards it supported where too small to store national maps. Wayfinder is designed to constantly download tiny bits of maps as it needs.
I did find that the amount of download was very small, but it still cost money in GPRS every time you used it and there was a yearly subscription fee for the maps on top of the software cost.
For the Hermes it seems a bit pointless though, as it supports memory sticks large enough to store full maps and the processing can support more advanced software.
It's a good bit of software for smartphones, it's just that's it's not really designed for Windows Mobile PDA's

Related

Best GPS Software?

Does anyone have any suggestions from first hand experience? I have a GlobalSat BT-359 from my soon to be departed Nokia e61.
I've tried a few shareware apps for 'off road' stuff, hilwalking, etc. Useful for limited applications.
For road navigation.. Tomtom all the way for me Now using Navigator 6 with the Tomtom BT GPS. Its not the cheapest, but there are good deals out there and it works well.
I currently use tomtom6 but have used destinator in the past and its my prefered. This is in australia and the tomtom maps are not as detailed but they are more customizable with different voices and point of intererst etc. i believe the maps are done from local providers so tomtom for the states might be better.
Has anyone had any delay when intially starting TomTom 6?
I have TomTom 5.xx and it takes about a minute or more to load up.
Seems like iGuidance does the same (according to someone).
I'm going to try Wayfinder on a 5 day free trial for a project I have. I'll post results next week.
iNav iGuidance in my opinion
I've tried TomTom, iGuidance and iGo and my favorite by far is iGo.
Do you have a link to iGo and by chance have you tried it on a Hermes running WM6. I'm a long iGuidance user, like it alot, but right now it has several annoying issues with WM6 that need to be patched and currently there's no timeline on when iNav will fix it. I'd like to give iGo a Go
I use TomTom for road navigatoin and Anquet for off road (walking, and cycling)
Anquet is pricy! but it has OS mapping available for the entire UK, (and i believe its this OS map data thats has enforced the high price. most of the the UK is at 1/25k Which is idea for walking, (you can see trees marked and field boundrys.
The mapping app for the PPC in the early version was poor but the newer stuff is pretty good.
That said i have recently installed Gmaps. Google Maps free PPC app, if your in a 3G area its really quite fast to load, and being able to see satalite images (if the res is good enough where you are) is pretty cool. Driving in my car with it drawing Satalite photos clear enough to see cars on makes you feel like Jack Bower!
Gmaps will do point to point navigation too, and in the US it can pick up traffic infomation.
Wayfinder GPS Software Review
So I tried the free 5 day Wayfinder download. Here's how I see it:
1: The download was easy but getting it to work was another thing. 3 installs and 2 uninstalls later it came up.
2: You need to authenticate prior to first use. Authentication took about 5 attempts including having to ask for the code from tech support which delayed thing 24hrs. The code is supposed to be included according to the Readme but it wasn't. The code sent didn’t work and I finally authenticated when the software asked permission to do so by sending an sms to their server.
3. This application requires an internet connection to download maps, which means that if your connection is slow, good luck. If you loose the connection due to drop out or no service you are screwed. If you loose connection, you get a pop-up error message and the software seems to be no longer useable because you close the message but it keeps returning. The only option is to close the application.
4: The accuracy was good and the auto corrections worked well on a 32 mile drive home. I purposely took a different route to see how it would respond and I must say it reacted quickly and accurately.
5: The task bar is at the top of the screen and is very large, too large in fact. I couldn’t find a way to reduce the size or minimize it.
6: I couldn't get the screen zoom to show me the entire route. It wasn't as if I was going cross country, it was only 32 miles.
7: The search function worked very well. My office is in a good sized city but my home is almost in the middle of no where. It found both locations with no problem the first time. That's an advantage of an on-line service.
Finally, I worked with Rt66 on a Nokia e61 for a project. Rt66 supplies all of the maps in the application so you don't need to be on-line at all which is a good thing. Rt66 also plots your course with a line overlayed on the map. Wayfinder doesn’t. Rt66 seemed to have some quirks of its own but overall was a much more useable product.
The bottom line is that if you have a good signal all the time you are fine. Cingular does not have 100% coverage nationwide which means you may run into problems planning routes and using the system if you are in a low or no signal area. I think I'll stick to a maps-on-board program.
Lyle
Wayfinder GPS Software Review
So I tried the free 5 day Wayfinder download. Here's how I see it:
1: The download was easy but getting it to work was another thing. 3 installs and 2 uninstalls later it finally came up.
2: You need to authenticate prior to first use. Authentication took about 5 attempts including having to ask for the code from tech support which delayed thing 24hrs. The code is supposed to be included according to the Readme but it wasn't. The code sent didn’t work and I finally authenticated when the software asked permission to do so by sending an sms to their server.
3. This application requires an internet connection to download maps, which means that if your connection is slow, good luck. If you loose the connection due to drop out or no service you are screwed. If you loose connection, you get a pop-up error message and the software seems to be no longer useable because you close the message but it keeps returning. The only option is to close the application.
4: The search function worked very well. My office is in a good sized city but my home is almost in the middle of no where. It found both locations with no problem the first time. That's an advantage of an on-line service.
5: The accuracy was good and the auto corrections worked well on a 32 mile drive home. I purposely took a different route to see how it would respond and I must say it reacted quickly and accurately.
6: The task bar is at the top of the screen and is very large, too large in fact. I couldn’t find a way to reduce the size or minimize it.
7: I couldn't get the screen zoom to show me the entire route. It wasn't as if I was going cross country, it was only 32 miles.
Finally, I previously worked with Rt66 on a Nokia e61 for a work related project. Rt66 supplies all of the maps in the application so you don't need to be on-line at all which is a good thing. Rt66 also plots your course with a line overlayed on the map which I like. Wayfinder doesn’t. Rt66 seemed to have some quirks of its own but overall was a much more useable product. Would I go back to Rt66? Maybe but I need to check out the other map on0board applications first.
The bottom line for Wayfinder is that if you have a good signal all the time you are fine. Cingular does not have 100% coverage nationwide which means you may run into problems planning routes and using the system if you are in a low or no signal area. I think I'll stick to a maps-on-board program.
Lyle
RemE said:
Do you have a link to iGo and by chance have you tried it on a Hermes running WM6. I'm a long iGuidance user, like it alot, but right now it has several annoying issues with WM6 that need to be patched and currently there's no timeline on when iNav will fix it. I'd like to give iGo a Go
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am running iGo on WM6 and it's flawless.
You can buy iGo here: http://www.i-go.com/en/
kwan said:
Has anyone had any delay when intially starting TomTom 6?
I have TomTom 5.xx and it takes about a minute or more to load up.
Seems like iGuidance does the same (according to someone).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have had start-up freezes with Tomtom, but seems fine at the moment. I am using Black 3.0 ROM.
kwan said:
Has anyone had any delay when intially starting TomTom 6?
I have TomTom 5.xx and it takes about a minute or more to load up.
Seems like iGuidance does the same (according to someone).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same problem with TomTom 5 and Windows Mobile 5. When I upgraded the phone to Windows Mobile 6 TomTom ran super fast.
FYI TomTom 6 is even faster!~~
I tried TomTom6 for my trip down to New york, and Atlantic City all I can say its the best GPS software I've used period
it was paired it with i.Trek M5 GPS receiver
I use tomtom 6.03 on LVSW's WM6 ROM. in a word, WOW! awesome program, fast, and optimised for PDA use while driving.
yvrRome said:
You can buy iGo here: http://www.i-go.com/en/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where... I can't see any prices or buy now links???!!!!!
When it's about car navigation, I can recommend Tom Tom 6. I've tried Destinator, which I found more flexible, but the actual location dragged about 200meters so after I had driven past my exit did the arrow come to the spot.
Missed so many turns I ditched that POS.
I have used Route 66 on P910i, which is better than Destinator but doesn't give as much coverage of Finland as Tom tom 6.
stewcp said:
Where... I can't see any prices or buy now links???!!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look at here
http://www.google.se/search?hl=sv&q=Buy+NavNGo&meta=
and the review of the iGO is here :
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/iGo2006.php
and also take a look at theirs forum for usable tips how to configure voice commands for your satisfaction :
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modul...opic&t=41654&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
Igo is def the best however it doesn't seem to work with wm6, goes really slow and eats up memory till you need to reset. Unfortunately I can't test it on my hermes as they don't do a microsd version.
I spoke to the tech guys there, who said that it worked, however I am not convinced as it still isn't on their list of compatible OS's.
So will adopt the wait and see.
Plus its locked to the card so sucks if you have more than one device, like I do.

Sat Nav Software + Extras?

Hi, I need to purchase some SatNav kit for my Athena, I know the question has been asked before but in particular I am running PK Black 2.0 @ 96dpi and am in need of guidance as to compatability as well as best overall software.
My choices are MioMap (iGO), CoPilot 7, or TomTom... I need trafic redirection over GPRS with my dataplan and as previously stated 96dpi compatability on WM6.
I am also looking for a windscreen mount and bluetooth car kit plus leather case with viewing window when closed.
Is it possible to get a new keyboard?
What do you guys find to be the best UK performer? I mostly travel in UK but some trips to Brussles as well...
Many thanks
Martyn
I quick reply to one part of your question is that I tried running igo 2006 on my athena with 96dpi and it didnt run right. The buttons where all messed up and I couldn't even get through the first menu. TomTom works great with 96dpi though. Miomap might be a little different than iGo. I know they aren't exactly the same just similar. I'm not sure about reliability in the UK though since I am in the US. Miomaps has always work the best for me. The UI and maps load quicker with iGo. TomTom has the traffic support which iGo does not. TomTom also has a pretty nice software package that you install on your computer called TomTom home. This will update your software whenever there is an update and you can get extras through there (ie. POI, Speed Cameras).
TwoPlus1 said:
Hi, I need to purchase some SatNav kit for my Athena, I know the question has been asked before but in particular I am running PK Black 2.0 @ 96dpi and am in need of guidance as to compatability as well as best overall software.
My choices are MioMap (iGO), CoPilot 7, or TomTom... I need trafic redirection over GPRS with my dataplan and as previously stated 96dpi compatability on WM6.
I am also looking for a windscreen mount and bluetooth car kit plus leather case with viewing window when closed.
Is it possible to get a new keyboard?
What do you guys find to be the best UK performer? I mostly travel in UK but some trips to Brussles as well...
Many thanks
Martyn
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Igo only works in 192dpi. TomTom routing is nowhere near as good but it does traffic (Igo doesn't except via TMC). Copilot 7 isn't out yet AFAIK.
Mount - use the Brodit. BT - use Parrot if necessary.
CoPilot 7 - without a doubt!
Confucious said:
CoPilot 7 - without a doubt!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where is that available?
apd said:
Where is that available?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, still in Beta.
TwoPlus1 said:
Hi, I need to purchase some SatNav kit for my Athena, I know the question has been asked before but in particular I am running PK Black 2.0 @ 96dpi and am in need of guidance as to compatability as well as best overall software.
My choices are MioMap (iGO), CoPilot 7, or TomTom... I need trafic redirection over GPRS with my dataplan and as previously stated 96dpi compatability on WM6.
I am also looking for a windscreen mount and bluetooth car kit plus leather case with viewing window when closed.
Is it possible to get a new keyboard?
What do you guys find to be the best UK performer? I mostly travel in UK but some trips to Brussles as well...
Many thanks
Martyn
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've used CoPilot 6 and TomTom. Like TomTom better as it's more accurate, works without issues in RealVGA mode, I run 96dpi. Last time I used CoPilot was on my Universal with external GPS, of course. I haven't really tried any other software. TomTom has the traffic updates via subscription and does a good job. Hasn't got me lost yet. CoPilot got me lost a few times so I dropped it.
I've used copilot 5 for about two years, iGO my way 2006 for about two months and Tom Tom for about a month. Of these, iGo is clearly the best IMHO. It's route calculation is the least illogical. It is the prettiest and most user friendly, fastest in getting a GPS fix, and is the only one that warns (audio warning) me when I exceed legal speed limit. Tom Tom only display the speeding visually, but who could keep an eye on the device to know that while driving?
The real downside is that iGO can't run in 96 or 128 dpi mode whereas TT can. Of these, I personally think TT's route calculatin is the least sensible. I often have two of them running side by side (on two devices of course) to see the difference.
Now, i've decided to stick with iGO despite the display problem. I'm love 128 dpi, but whenever I use iGO, I just switch back to 192. Not a real problem if you do it while walking to your car. By the time I start the engine, it is reset back to 192 and gps ready to go.
ltxda said:
I've used CoPilot 6 and TomTom. Like TomTom better as it's more accurate, works without issues in RealVGA mode, I run 96dpi. Last time I used CoPilot was on my Universal with external GPS, of course. I haven't really tried any other software. TomTom has the traffic updates via subscription and does a good job. Hasn't got me lost yet. CoPilot got me lost a few times so I dropped it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Suprising, but you are in the US. TomTom in the UK it is generally agreed that the Navteq maps used by CoPilot are far beter than the maps used by TomTom.
CoPilot 7 is a vast improvement over CP6 and works in all resolutions, finds GPS receievers (incl the Athena's internal one) with no problem and just works. Reading any forums and you will see people having problems with getting TomTom working - although a fair proportion of these are pirate copies of TomTom - or people who have just changed device - something that's easy with CP but not with TT!
CP7 will be well worth the wait and hopefully not top long now.
I have not seen iGo - but it does have it's fans, could be worth considering.
For those who haven't seen it yet...http://www.clove.co.uk/viewProduct.aspx?product=DB4D6BD5-6B99-4E02-9CD0-FD52074A1D91
This is a link to a site selling CoPilot 7 due for release 1st week in October, I think I'll struggle on untill then. I have no local knowlege of the places I'm visiting for work so SatNav is a must, free trafic rerouting is also a definate plus as I already have a data plan. I just hope it's faster than people say 6 was...
On the question of car mount's I've seen the brodit, but do they do a windscreen mount as opposed to a vent mount? I prefere this position (near HUD) as opposed to the device calling your attention down into the car.
Thanks for all your comments.
Martyn
Confucious said:
Suprising, but you are in the US. TomTom in the UK it is generally agreed that the Navteq maps used by CoPilot are far beter than the maps used by TomTom.
CoPilot 7 is a vast improvement over CP6 and works in all resolutions, finds GPS receievers (incl the Athena's internal one) with no problem and just works. Reading any forums and you will see people having problems with getting TomTom working - although a fair proportion of these are pirate copies of TomTom - or people who have just changed device - something that's easy with CP but not with TT!
CP7 will be well worth the wait and hopefully not top long now.
I have not seen iGo - but it does have it's fans, could be worth considering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TwoPlus1 said:
For those who haven't seen it yet...http://www.clove.co.uk/viewProduct.aspx?product=DB4D6BD5-6B99-4E02-9CD0-FD52074A1D91
This is a link to a site selling CoPilot 7 due for release 1st week in October, I think I'll struggle on untill then. I have no local knowlege of the places I'm visiting for work so SatNav is a must, free trafic rerouting is also a definate plus as I already have a data plan. I just hope it's faster than people say 6 was...
On the question of car mount's I've seen the brodit, but do they do a windscreen mount as opposed to a vent mount? I prefere this position (near HUD) as opposed to the device calling your attention down into the car.
Thanks for all your comments.
Martyn
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Re Brodit - IMHO they are the best mounts. They mount in different places in different cars - see their website (Brodit.se). I'm not sure I'd mount an Ameo on the windscreen - I would be worried it wasn't secure enough on a suction mount.
I just looked at the screen shots of copilot 7. It is a lot more beautiful than the previous version, although still not as nice as iGO's. My initial impression, based on the website's description is that Copilot 7 still has a long long way to go before it can catch up with iGO. The key areas are as follows:
1) I don't see anything that says Copilot is able to warn user who exceeds the legal speed limit. If the feature is there, they're not doing a good job advertising it. (Or may be they refrain from mentioning it for legal reasons, as it is prohibited to have such a feature in some countries??)
2) When copilot sees says a red light camera, a warning screen pop up that replaces the map. During those few seconds, you might be at a point that you need the map most. In contrast, iGO has a semi transparent speed sign that lay on the map, so your ability to use the map is unhindered. I see that Copilot 7 has not changed this flawed approach.
3) iGO warns the speed camera and red light camera by beep sound rather than spoken word as in copilot. There is a lot of advantage in IGO's approach, because at that moment iGO might be simultaneously be giving turn instruction. In Copilot's approach, the verbal warning on red light camera may interfer with the turn instruction. That was the case with Copilot 5. Not sure if Copilot 7 has improved on this.
4) iGO would also have a different beep if you are exceeding the speed being monitored by the speed camera. This is regardless of whether or not it issues overspeeding (which is in the mercy of whether speed limit data has been kept for that stretch of road). Copilot 5 won't have this strength. What about Copilot 7??.
I can go on into many other details, but would do that only after trying it out first hand.
eaglesteve said:
I just looked at the screen shots of copilot 7. It is a lot more beautiful than the previous version, although still not as nice as iGO's. My initial impression, based on the website's description is that Copilot 7 still has a long long way to go before it can catch up with iGO. The key areas are as follows:
1) I don't see anything that says Copilot is able to warn user who exceeds the legal speed limit. If the feature is there, they're not doing a good job advertising it. (Or may be they refrain from mentioning it for legal reasons, as it is prohibited to have such a feature in some countries??)
2) When copilot sees says a red light camera, a warning screen pop up that replaces the map. During those few seconds, you might be at a point that you need the map most. In contrast, iGO has a semi transparent speed sign that lay on the map, so your ability to use the map is unhindered. I see that Copilot 7 has not changed this flawed approach.
3) iGO warns the speed camera and red light camera by beep sound rather than spoken word as in copilot. There is a lot of advantage in IGO's approach, because at that moment iGO might be simultaneously be giving turn instruction. In Copilot's approach, the verbal warning on red light camera may interfer with the turn instruction. That was the case with Copilot 5. Not sure if Copilot 7 has improved on this.
4) iGO would also have a different beep if you are exceeding the speed being monitored by the speed camera. This is regardless of whether or not it issues overspeeding (which is in the mercy of whether speed limit data has been kept for that stretch of road). Copilot 5 won't have this strength. What about Copilot 7??.
I can go on into many other details, but would do that only after trying it out first hand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed on all fronts. If only Igo would do traffic, it would be close to perfect!
apd said:
Agreed on all fronts. If only Igo would do traffic, it would be close to perfect!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a TMC feature in iGO. Basically, if there is a provider what can provide the data, the software is able to use the traffic information to plan route and recalculate route. I have not used this feature because the company that has started on the traffic management control service project is still not ready to do it yet. What I understand is that traffic data would be broadcast via FM signal to the Athena (that's why there is a built-in FM in our unit), and iGO is able to process and take this into account. But I have to say that I only read about this in the manual, but have not tried it as such broadcasting service is not avaialbe here.
Hope this helps
eaglesteve said:
There is a TMC feature in iGO. Basically, if there is a provider what can provide the data, the software is able to use the traffic information to plan route and recalculate route. I have not used this feature because the company that has started on the traffic management control service project is still not ready to do it yet. What I understand is that traffic data would be broadcast via FM signal to the Athena (that's why there is a built-in FM in our unit), and iGO is able to process and take this into account. But I have to say that I only read about this in the manual, but have not tried it as such broadcasting service is not avaialbe here.
Hope this helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know about thge TMC functions but (a) they're not widely available (b) you would need an external TMC receiver (the Ameo can't deal with this) and (c) they're not as good as the trafficmaster (and similar) data systems we have here. TomTom's (data) traffic system was quite good. Shame!
eaglesteve said:
There is a TMC feature in iGO. Basically, if there is a provider what can provide the data, the software is able to use the traffic information to plan route and recalculate route. I have not used this feature because the company that has started on the traffic management control service project is still not ready to do it yet. What I understand is that traffic data would be broadcast via FM signal to the Athena (that's why there is a built-in FM in our unit), and iGO is able to process and take this into account. But I have to say that I only read about this in the manual, but have not tried it as such broadcasting service is not avaialbe here.
Hope this helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
could you explain where read about Athena and FM built in?
beginner said:
could you explain where read about Athena and FM built in?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have come across a few reports that say Athena has an inbuilt FM receiver and had always assumed that once the TMC service provider is ready I would start using the traffic management feature of my device. But now that you raised the question, I had became curious myself as to whether these reports were accurate. I wish I would locate those webpages, but I don't seem to be able to locate them now.
So, I went and read the service manual to see if anything is mentioned there. Unfortunately, I have to say that the answer is no. The service manual has made no mentioned of FM receiver at all.
With this, I now have to correct my earlier impression and would now assume that these reports were inaccurate. I'm not sure if the service manual is for 7500 only or for both 7500 and 7501. I'm also come across some debate on whether 7501 has an FM radio receiver. I'm pretty sure having come across some debate pointing both ways. However, since I do not have the 7501 manual, I would not raise my hope there.
It would be so nice, so necessary to have FM built in so that we could use the TMC functions. Oh well....
Maps for IGO / MIO
in case that you were not updated with the maps here are the maps for IGO 2006 and MIO
http://www.filefactory.com/f/9eeb0f75e820535d/

[Q] GPS in next sammy gen? will agps be needed still?

i never had a galaxy S so now idea how bad that really was, but it does kinda suck when you need gps and have to have data on to get a lock in a shortish manner (mainly on holiday where i have no data allowance).
any chance that process tech (nodes etc) will have matured to the point where we can have a dedicated gps received in our phones of the quality of what you can get in a tom tom or whatever? no data needed at all to work?
i ask since i use gps on holidays via jogtracker to track where i've been and the train/bus/plane journies from A to B. very cool to look at after the fact - zoom in - and see what you were passing at the time
Well, you could go tell the US government to go modify their satellite so they transfer GPS almanac faster to your device.
Otherwise no, you'll need to get the info from somewhere, either from data network or the satellites themselves.
what? it's nothing to do with the satellites. get a tom tom and they lock on within 30 secs. get an sgs2 without data and it will lock on within 30 seconds, upto 5+ minutes, same with my old desire.
the "get the info from somewhere" line? it comes from the gps sats.
Well it was a joke, but looks like you didn't it. So to simplify the answer:
NO
The answer keeps being NO, but I'm gonna explain a bit further:
First time you boot a Tom Tom, it can stay anything from 5 to 10 minutes out in the sun to catch the goddamn GPS signal. Which is the average time for any GPS to get proper signal the standard manner. What happens the next time? Well, your tom has already the GPS data cached, so unless you move very far from the last point you connected the GPS, it will catch it rather fast (because it's asuming it stays in the same location).
With Android the results are rather mixed. I believe the caching part is done per app basis, which means maybe an app will get a fast lock provided you used it recently, and some other apps may really take the 5 minutes to get the proper location without any aid.
I think an standarized cache in android for any app using the GPS could be a good idea.
But that's my thought.
AGPS is also used as a signal booster in areas of low GPS signal .
Phone GPS does not need AGPS to work .
jje
Also, smartphones generally have weaker GPS antennas than dedicated navigation devices -- a good GPS antenna requires space, something that's at a premium in a smartphone. There are probably also RF issues to contend with.
So a smartphone is more likely to have a poor GPS signal and thus require help from other technologies like AGPS.
than you to the last 3 posters for providing useful responses
As reference, my SGS1 had terrible GPS. If I had no data and I wasn't using wireless networks to help pinpoint my location, the GPS sat would never find me.
In comparison, my SGS2 can usually get a lock on me within 30 seconds without data/wifi on and no assitance from wireless networks.
It may not be as fast or as reliable as a dedicated GPS unit, but it gets the job done when I need to know where the flip i am.

Cold weather Flyer

I'd like to keep my Flyer out in my truck as a perm GPS kinda thing. It gets kinda cold up in NY, so I'm concerned on how cold weather tolerant this thing is. The general rule is not to keep electronics outside when its cold, but come on... have you seen newer cars!! I left my Garmin outside 365/year without issue too.
I'd like to know fact from fiction on this. Maybe Myth Busters did something on it, lol.
If the worst thing to happen to my Flyer is a sluggish screen until it warms up, I'd like to keep it in the truck/car most of the time.
i literally never take my first gen ipod video from 2005 out of my trucks glovebox...in NJ, it gets as cold as single digits in the winter, and hits triple in the summer, and it's always in there, and somehow STILL works..and that's a moving hard drive too lol..i'd think as long as it doesn't move from cold to hot temps really quickly, no condensation should form or anything
Lion batteries tolerate cold better than heat but, I would imagine that there is still a potential for damage to occur.
I doubt the other components would be affected much.. but, just keep in mind there is a chance it will be on life support to actually run the rest of it's life.
If I may also go ahead and point this out.. You can get a Garmin with lifetime updates for about 250$ that doesn't require a cellular data connection and would be more reliable for what your buying it for..
Snow_fox said:
Lion batteries tolerate cold better than heat but, I would imagine that there is still a potential for damage to occur.
I doubt the other components would be affected much.. but, just keep in mind there is a chance it will be on life support to actually run the rest of it's life.
If I may also go ahead and point this out.. You can get a Garmin with lifetime updates for about 250$ that doesn't require a cellular data connection and would be more reliable for what your buying it for..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the Flyer at BestBuy for $99 a few months ago when they messed up the price. I dont have a need for it in the house because I have a GT10.1. I was close to CraigsListing it for $175, but decided to buy the Flyer car dock and use it as device to leave in the truck for GPS and such.
I dont really want another Garmin if the Flyer can work (w/tethering).
While Li ion batteries tolerate cold temperatures better than some other types, they still drain much more quickly in freezing temperatures. If you are leaving your Flyer in screen-off mode (and not powering it down), then you should be careful its not draining until shutoff in cold temps. Full power cycles are not good for Li ion batteries long term. Its also possible that draining the battery until the device shuts off, will render the battery unable to take a charge. (doesn't happen often, but does happen with Android devices).
That said, I completely understand your feeling about wanting to use an Android device instead of a Garmin for car navigation. I haven't used the "latest" Garmins. But the one I have (couple years old) has a crappy unresponsive touch screen, low resolution, and search function is nothing compared to Google.
The only advantage to a Garmin, is that you don't need a data connection. But of course, there are ways around that with Android also, either downloading Google Map sections, or with 3rd party software.
This doesn't answer your question, but I'll just throw this out there:
I've had the Flyer since it's release date at Best Buy. I bought it with full intentions of leaving it in my truck as a GPS/Media Player/Browser.
I built a console for it that goes between my jump seat and dash (the unit basically sits right under my stereo) and I have left it there plugged into a usb charger and line in on my stereo since the day I bought it (I can easily remove it and have on occasion for a few hours at a time.
I live in West Virginia so it probably doesn't get quite as cold as it does in NY but it can get down below zero at night. We have had a pretty mild winter here but that being said - I have never had a single problem out of it. Neither heat nor cold has seemed to have any affect on it whatsoever.
This is not to say that it couldn't and I've wondered the same as you many times... but just as someone who is doing exactly what you plan to do... I have never had a problem with it.
Hope this helps.
Just an FYI regarding the need for a cellular or wifi signal to use the Flyer or View as a dedicated GPS. With the use of a standalone navigation app such as CoPilot Live (no affiliation) or similar, which include built-in maps, your GPS-enabled unit uses only the internal GPS antenna to set a fix, and the on-board maps to get you around. No data connection is required to constantly update maps, as is the case with Google Maps, which is an 'assisted GPS' (aGPS) program.
Once your nav app is loaded, conserve batt power by activating 'airplane mode,' then under 'Location' enable the 'use GPS satellites' function. Make sure your Flyer is securely mounted on windshield or dashboard with a reasonable view of the sky (that's where the satellites are). You'll have no problems getting around in remote areas not served by Sprint et al. Over the past few years we have used my Evo 4g, Evo 3D and Evo View to get around in Europe in just this manner (no phone calls though, these are not international phones).
Regarding cold temperatures, I would remove the device from your vehicle if sub-zero F readings are expected.
procerum said:
No data connection is required to constantly update maps, as is the case with Google Maps, which is an 'assisted GPS' (aGPS) program.
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Click to collapse
That is not what assisted GPS (aGPS) means. aGPS uses cell tower triangulation to speed up GPS location. Virtually any usage of the phone's GPS involves aGPS.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS
Also, as I've mentioned previously, Google Maps has the ability to download maps so you can use Maps and Navigation online. You just have to download the maps one area at a time.
I think we're saying the same thing. The Flyer/View will perform GPS (vs. aGPS) duties just fine without tower triangulation (in airplane mode) if your program has built-in maps. No tethering required.
The map caching is in Google Labs, right? I played with that while waiting at an appointment. I tried a Nav to home with it and Nav just spun. I only tried once though. I didn't get a "data connection required" so i know it knew the cached data was there.
I will think about Copilot if GNav doesn't cut it.
I like this thread, lots of good comments!
procerum said:
I think we're saying the same thing. The Flyer/View will perform GPS (vs. aGPS) duties just fine without tower triangulation (in airplane mode) if your program has built-in maps. No tethering required.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, we are not saying the same thing at all. You were saying that Google Maps can't be used without a data connection, since its an "aGPS program", and you seemed to be stating that aGPS had something to do with updating the maps (which it does not). Google Maps is fully functional without a data connection as I stated above.
Also, pretty much any current Android device is going to use aGPS when possible to shorten GPS lock time, regardless of what navigation app you are using (I hate when people call nav software "GPS", as GPS just determines lat/long and elevation and nothing more).
And now you are mis-using the term "tethering". A data connection is not tethering. Tethering is when you share a cell data connection with another device. For instance, tethering a phone to a laptop, means your laptop can use the data connection on your phone.
You really need to get your terms right.
---------- Post added at 08:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:13 PM ----------
kenyu73 said:
The map caching is in Google Labs, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that's right. I haven't played around with the feature much myself. But a buddy of mine recently used it during a trip to Europe, so he can navigate the cities on foot without pricey data roaming fees. He said it worked wonderfully.
redpoint73 said:
And now you are mis-using the term "tethering". A data connection is not tethering. Tethering is when you share a cell data connection with another device. For instance, tethering a phone to a laptop, means your laptop can use the data connection on your phone.
You really need to get your terms right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestion, Captain. I am attempting to help the OP, who used the term 'tethering,' which is unecessary, as is a data connection, if you have maps on your device:
kenyu73 said:
I dont really want another Garmin if the Flyer can work (w/tethering).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My comments/methodologies are based upon actual travel experiences with these devices, which I'm sharing with the OP. Why do you feel the need to challenge me? Is this an initiation ritual for a new poster?
procerum said:
Thanks for the suggestion, Captain. I am attempting to help the OP, who used the term 'tethering,' which is unecessary, as is a data connection, if you have maps on your device:
My comments/methodologies are based upon actual travel experiences with these devices, which I'm sharing with the OP. Why do you feel the need to challenge me? Is this an initiation ritual for a new poster?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its all good gents. I just wanted to know if the Flyer was ok out in the cold.
Whether or not I'll use GNav or purchase something like Copilot is another story. I appreciated the comments from everyone.
procerum said:
kenyu73 said:
I dont really want another Garmin if the Flyer can work (w/tethering).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My comments/methodologies are based upon actual travel experiences with these devices, which I'm sharing with the OP. Why do you feel the need to challenge me? Is this an initiation ritual for a new poster?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The person your last response is directed at, and the OP are the same person.
No, I'm not trying to pick on you. But if you post something that is incorrect, people here are going to call it out. Or people here may just want to offer up a different opinion. Which brings me to the following.
I completely sympathize with the OP's desire to not want another Garmin navigation unit. I've found them to be crap. Overpriced for what they can do, not well made, and completely unreliable. I paid $399 for a flagship Nuvi unit, and it broke down a year after I bought it. Luckily, it was still on warranty, and they fixed it. But then the power cable failed soon after (out of warranty). Good thing I found a replacement on eBay for less than $10, because Garmin wants to charge you $30 (for something that will probably fail again in a year or so anyway). Both failures happened while I was traveling, and luckily I had my smartphone and Google Maps as backup.
Meanwhile, I have 3 HTC smartphones, and one tablet, from as far back as 4 years, still running fine as the day they were bought (aside from a few cosmetic blemishes from normal wear and tear). As far as I'm concerned, you are better off using a smartphone or tablet as navigation, with a 3rd party nav app with pre-loaded apps, if losing data connection is a concern.
Having a dedicated nav unit is probably a dying business model. Aside from providing software for smartphones, I don't see much of Garmin's business being around in a few years.
This is true, the last one I purchased was in 2003; it's unlikely that I'll ever purchase a dedicated unit again. The Flyer/View's 7-inch screen and robust build make for an excellent navigation device.

Here's a strange issue for you with GPS...

I don't know how many more times my desk will survive due to me banging my head against it...
It's a long story which I will cut short; we have bought a large number of cheap handsets (Nuu A3L, spec sheet here: https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/4fc6428b ) and they're using Sygic truck as their navigation tool.
We straight away ran into some major issues, the main one being with Sygic/GPS. The devices would begin navigating but would then start to lose GPS signal and start bouncing around, sometimes they would recover (only to do the same thing again a few minutes later) and other times they would just lose GPS connectivity entirely and would lock up for 10+ minutes.
After seeing how poorly the application ran on these devices I had a hunch that the application was hogging every last drop of available system resource. I removed as much bloat from the application as possible, I turned off the 3D map (2D is much more fluid), turned off all POI, turned off traffic updates etc and it appeared to resolve the issue. I drove for 30 minutes with two devices side-by-side, the default one continued with its horrid GPS loss while the customised one worked fine.
A few people have taken these out today to test, but are apparently having the same issues regardless of the changes that I made.
I'm now at a loss and struggling to work out what else can be done to help. They're running Airwatch and we can push remote changes out at any time, so I am at the mercy of those more knowledgeable than I (you).
If anybody has a decent suggestion then you win a free balloon.
jaffster said:
I don't know how many more times my desk will survive due to me banging my head against it...
It's a long story which I will cut short; we have bought a large number of cheap handsets (Nuu A3L, spec sheet here: https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/4fc6428b ) and they're using Sygic truck as their navigation tool.
We straight away ran into some major issues, the main one being with Sygic/GPS. The devices would begin navigating but would then start to lose GPS signal and start bouncing around, sometimes they would recover (only to do the same thing again a few minutes later) and other times they would just lose GPS connectivity entirely and would lock up for 10+ minutes.
After seeing how poorly the application ran on these devices I had a hunch that the application was hogging every last drop of available system resource. I removed as much bloat from the application as possible, I turned off the 3D map (2D is much more fluid), turned off all POI, turned off traffic updates etc and it appeared to resolve the issue. I drove for 30 minutes with two devices side-by-side, the default one continued with its horrid GPS loss while the customised one worked fine.
A few people have taken these out today to test, but are apparently having the same issues regardless of the changes that I made.
I'm now at a loss and struggling to work out what else can be done to help. They're running Airwatch and we can push remote changes out at any time, so I am at the mercy of those more knowledgeable than I (you).
If anybody has a decent suggestion then you win a free balloon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me be clear that I never played with sygix enough to speak directly about it. You may have already tried the things I'm brainstorming here.
I'm not clear as to why you didn't just load a different mapping app on these? There certainly are a lot of them.
What level of connectivity are they using? If you are on GSM or 3G, downloading map information as the vehicle moves around, that could slow things down to a crawl. Using an app that doesn't have to work this way could be a solution.
I noticed that the phone has a 500ish MHz clock speed and just 1 GB of RAM. As you've discovered, every layer of complexity in the mapping will slow it down further.
Something like Tom-tom was written to run on a lot less hardware. That's the kind of thing that I'd look for. I believe that Here is also made for very low end hardware.
Not sure if it helps, but at least it's a path worth looking at.
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