Smart phone in lieu of dedicated GPS unit?

[NW-Bound]

I now have maps from both Google Map and MAPS.ME loaded on my phone for the long Europe trip. There are of course differences between the two maps, although they both have good coverage of streets and highways.

Here in the US, MAPS.ME does not have street addresses of my home area, only the streets. But it has street addresses in Europe, at least of the towns I will be visiting. Google does also.

However, I had problems locating some apartments that I rented on Airbnb. Some of the addresses are recognized by neither apps. I could locate the streets, but the house number could not be found. I had to do a bit of sleuthing such as using Google Street View to look at address plates affixed to the facade of homes. In one town, the tiny and crooked pedestrian street of the rental flat is more like an alley than a street, and Google misses it altogether, yet MAPS.ME has it. Very interesting.

By the way, as I need to find places to park the rental car, the only tool useful for that is Google Street View. I use it to "tour" the neighborhood, looking for street parking which may be 1/2 mile from the lodging.

 

[Dawg52]

The GPS on my phone got me out of a pinch the other day. Meeting friends at an out of town restaurant and my Garmin was acting quirky. Darn thing has a tough time getting going after a long deep sleep. But my phone worked great so nice having it as a backup.

 

[ERD50]

I now have maps from both Google Map and MAPS.ME loaded on my phone for the long Europe trip. There are of course differences between the two maps, although they both have good coverage of streets and highways.

Here in the US, MAPS.ME does not have street addresses of my home area, only the streets. But it has street addresses in Europe, at least of the towns I will be visiting. Google does also. ....

Also try Here-We-Go - offline maps, and I think better detail than the open source maps used by MAPS.ME (note, you can edit the open source maps and add the details you need, and they will be shared with all).

https://wego.here.com/?x=ep&map=41.86884,-87.59218,13,normal

I find it helpful to run Here-We-Go on line when you have wifi to get destinations, it has access to mre detail online, then it will remember those offline.

-ERD50

 

[audreyh1]

We're using the phone GPS more and more these days. Especially since it talks to my watch which taps me on the wrist with the rhythm of a turn signal right when I get to the turn, which is nice because it resolves a lot of ambiguity about exactly which turn. And I can talk to my watch and tell it to route me somewhere. And glance at my wrist to see how close to the next turn.

 

[explanade]

In fact, if you're shopping for a nicer car, you're often stuck taking a package which includes Navigation systems.

These are often inferior or use and have outdated maps. Dealer tries to gouge you for hundreds of dollars to update the maps.

 

[easysurfer]

In fact, if you're shopping for a nicer car, you're often stuck taking a package which includes Navigation systems.

These are often inferior or use and have outdated maps. Dealer tries to gouge you for hundreds of dollars to update the maps.

When I was looking for a used car, I specifically wanted a car without a navigation system. Thanks, but no thanks. Happy with my old portable Nuvi with lifetime map updates which I paid a one time $100 subscription cost.

 

[googily]

I just bought a new car, and one of the main reasons/excuses for doing it was to get Android Auto in the dashboard display--which means Google Maps on that nice big screen instead of the Ford navigation system. And I set it up for my 83-year-old father in *his* new car that also is Android Auto capable, and he adores it.

(Android Auto also has lots of other cool features, but for this thread, I'm just talking about the Google Maps stuff)

 

[NW-Bound]

The GPS on my phone got me out of a pinch the other day. Meeting friends at an out of town restaurant and my Garmin was acting quirky. Darn thing has a tough time getting going after a long deep sleep. But my phone worked great so nice having it as a backup.

The phone which is always on has the advantage over a dedicated GPS. To determine its position, the receiver must have time accurate to a few nanoseconds in order to measure the time-of-arrival of GPS satellite signals. Even if the phone is blocked from GPS signals momentarily, it still gets its time sync'ed to the cellular network.

A dedicated GPS that has been turned off needs to get its time sync'ed, and also to update the satellite ephemerides which may take several minutes. A phone continually updates GPS ephemerides, whether you are using the function or not.

Also try Here-We-Go - offline maps, and I think better detail than the open source maps used by MAPS.ME (note, you can edit the open source maps and add the details you need, and they will be shared with all).

https://wego.here.com/?x=ep&map=41.86884,-87.59218,13,normal

I find it helpful to run Here-We-Go on line when you have wifi to get destinations, it has access to mre detail online, then it will remember those offline.

-ERD50

I just tried this on my laptop and liked it. As a test, I asked it what buses to take to go from a countryside villa into Siena downtown. It gave me 3 different routes. Impressive!

I will not be using public transportation much on this trip, but if it works this well off-line on a phone, it is definitely something to have.

 

[Ronstar]

Phone worked fine for me yesterday. We were cruising old Route 66 and we got temporarily misplaced in some little towns. The phone map got me back on track. I knew the general direction we needed to go, but the phone map showed the best route out. We didn't bring the garmin because we didn't think we needed it.

 

[ERD50]

...

(Android Auto also has lots of other cool features, but for this thread, I'm just talking about the Google Maps stuff)

Could you tell me more about Android-Auto (maybe start a new thread if too far off from this subject)?

I just bought a car with it, and I thought I could 'mirror' my Android phone to the car's display, but it seems to only want to 'see' these specific apps that can be selected from the car display, like Google Maps and some music/radio apps. But (as mentioned earlier), I really like the "Here-We-Go" navigation app on my phone and tablet (works off-line, so I don't use up data). DW can sign in on her phone, and our destinations are all synced.

But I can't get my car to display "Here-We-Go", the phone pretty much goes blank when connected to Android Auto.

I've tried searching the Android forums, but get bogged down in so much side info I can't see the forest for the trees.

-ERD50

 

[aja8888]

We're using the phone GPS more and more these days. Especially since it talks to my watch which taps me on the wrist with the rhythm of a turn signal right when I get to the turn, which is nice because it resolves a lot of ambiguity about exactly which turn. And I can talk to my watch and tell it to route me somewhere. And glance at my wrist to see how close to the next turn.

My Garmin speaks to me when the next turn is coming. My $50 dash camera has lane departure avoidance and collision avoidance warnings. That camera keeps video clips of my trip. All hands free!

 

[cathy63]

Could you tell me more about Android-Auto (maybe start a new thread if too far off from this subject)?

I just bought a car with it, and I thought I could 'mirror' my Android phone to the car's display, but it seems to only want to 'see' these specific apps that can be selected from the car display, like Google Maps and some music/radio apps. But (as mentioned earlier), I really like the "Here-We-Go" navigation app on my phone and tablet (works off-line, so I don't use up data). DW can sign in on her phone, and our destinations are all synced.

But I can't get my car to display "Here-We-Go", the phone pretty much goes blank when connected to Android Auto.

I've tried searching the Android forums, but get bogged down in so much side info I can't see the forest for the trees.

-ERD50

Android Auto is not intended to be a mirror of your phone display, it's designed to be an abbreviated easy-to-read interface that can be operated with minimal distraction while driving. By the way, you can use the interface entirely on your phone even if your car doesn't have built in support just by downloading the app and starting it up when you get into the car (or set it to auto start whenever your phone connects via blue-tooth to your car).

At this time, Android Auto will only use Google Maps for navigation. Waze is in a beta right now, and it'll be the next one they add. Maybe if there are enough user requests they'll allow some non-Google-owned navs to interface with it, but the Here-We-Go app developer would have to create a compatible app first.

Google doesn't seem to feel as much ownership over audio apps, so there are several that work with it.

 

[Surewhitey]

Google Maps got me through all of Mexico back in the day. I was being che...frugal and didn't want to drop a couple benjamin's on a GPS with Mexico loaded. It only didn't have a brand new quota road just west of Monterrey. Looked like I was driving off road for a few miles. The nice folks at the toll booth allowed me to make a U-turn on the highway..

 

[googily]

Android Auto is not intended to be a mirror of your phone display, it's designed to be an abbreviated easy-to-read interface that can be operated with minimal distraction while driving. By the way, you can use the interface entirely on your phone even if your car doesn't have built in support just by downloading the app and starting it up when you get into the car (or set it to auto start whenever your phone connects via blue-tooth to your car).

At this time, Android Auto will only use Google Maps for navigation. Waze is in a beta right now, and it'll be the next one they add. Maybe if there are enough user requests they'll allow some non-Google-owned navs to interface with it, but the Here-We-Go app developer would have to create a compatible app first.

Google doesn't seem to feel as much ownership over audio apps, so there are several that work with it.

What she said. Also, a big part of the AA connectivity with your dash display is being able to use the car's built-in voice activation system to issue your commands, without having to say "OK Google" or shout so that your phone can hear you. Just press the button on the steering wheel and say "Where are the nearest gas stations along my route?" and some such.

Plus, it also reads your text messages aloud and allows you to reply by voice, or send a new one to one of your contacts. Ditto with Google Hangouts and Facebook Messenger (and probably others).

I wish they would get an app that displays the current radar for your location, that's what I really miss.

Happy to move to another thread to talk more about it, if folks wish.

 

[Dancer373]

I used to use the Rand McNally Road Atlas but now I use my iphone and google maps. I don't have to buy the atlas any more. Google maps have worked well for me.

 

[FUEGO]

I tried Maps.me and found it clunky and burdensome. Google Maps is WAY better. And it's so easy to download offline maps to the phone and it automatically updates with saved points of interest. My vacation planning is mostly geospatial instead of long lists of stuff I might do or a rigid itinerary. Now I look at the map of the city we're visiting and pick a few things I might want to do in a certain area. Also great for walking tours since it's easy to hit several destinations along the route to another place and you can detour accordingly.

I'll have to check out this "save route ahead of time and get GMaps to automatically download the offline map data to the phone" thing. Sounds way easier than my old method of selecting a huge block of a country or region and downloading manually.

We're doing 9 weeks in Europe, leaving in about a month. 6 weeks we'll be using transit and on foot but the other 3 will be in the car and I'll be using a phone for GPS nav. For a 10 day period we'll be in Slovenia and won't have any cell data service (our global chip doesn't offer free service there) so it'll just be offline navigation. Shouldn't be a problem as we've used offline nav many times in Mexico and Canada where we didn't have a data plan.

 

[ERD50]

For those looking to plan a route ahead of time, I used this a few years ago and it seemed to work. You need to create an account (has not been a problem - EDIT - looks like you only need to create an account to save the set up on the site - you can still create a route and export the .gpx w/o an account), it's the only place I found at the time that would do this easily:

H-D Ride Planner | Motorcycle Trip Planner | Harley-Davidson USA

After planning your route, click GPS sync and manual mode and you can download a .gpx file that most GPS systems read, you might be able to sync your GPS directly. The advantage was that I had a route pre-planned, and didn't get auto changes to it every time I turned on the GPS, and didn't have to jump through more hoops to avoid certain roads. Planning is much easier on the Google Maps interface than any GPS I've used.

... And it's so easy to download offline maps to the phone and it automatically updates with saved points of interest. ...

Have they changed this? The last time I tried it was super tedious. You had to zoom to the area you wanted to save, and then save it a step at a time along your path. And no hinting as to how big of an area was too big, you just got an error message after you tried, and you just tried again till you got it right.


-ERD50

 

[FUEGO]

Have they changed this? The last time I tried it was super tedious. You had to zoom to the area you wanted to save, and then save it a step at a time along your path. And no hinting as to how big of an area was too big, you just got an error message after you tried, and you just tried again till you got it right.

I've used it over the years and it does seem easier today vs. 3-4 years ago.

In the android app you click "offline data", set the boundaries then click download. It downloads in the background while you look for the next chunk of map you want.

Or you can do the map routing on google maps desktop, then send to your phone, then it prompts you to download offline data for navigating w/o a data connection (or maybe to save on data). Tried it with a Raleigh to Charlotte route and it figured out the boundaries for me. 282 MB I recall for the ~3 hour drive. My only complaint is that I would add more data north of the northern boundary in case I have to detour off the map due to traffic. And I didn't need the huge area in the middle of the map in the rural areas that I had near zero chance of driving through. In that respect, I see how it's clunky.

What I usually do is download a whole city at a time including suburbs. And do that for several cities. Even works for whole chunks of countries. I can't recall the data size, but I was able to capture a third of Slovenia in one offline data set (the country is rather small though).

 

[Bflotomny]

Around town I use Google Maps, for planing I use MapQuest. For longer trips I use a new remanufactured Garmin with traffic. I don't have to worry about data plans or dead batteries. I use my iPhone for podcasts traveling so directions sometimes don't arrive or arrive late. I also like to be able to re listen to a direction if I miss it on the Garmin. I also have look ahead which will list gas, food, rest areas coming up on the route. Plus the Garmins 6" screen is easier on the eyes.

 

[mountainsoft]

For driving, I prefer to map my trip ahead of time and print out my own directions. Sometimes the detailed directions provided by Google or other maps are just plain silly and confusing. For example, the winding road up the mountain to our house changes names 4 or 5 times, but there's only one road. Google spells out every little bend in the road as an action to take. I use the map to pick a route, then write my own step-by-step directions.

For hiking I prefer my Garmin GPS. It's smaller than my smart phone, and has a nice clip I can clip to my pocket, backpack, or whatever. I don't use it for navigating, I just use it to track how many miles we've hiked. Occasionally I will use an app on my smart phone too, but it's not as convenient. Neither is 100% accurate, but they're usually fairly close in distance readings.

 

[Rustic23]

The problem I have with GPS, stand alone or phone, is it shows me where I am, and it gets me to where I want to go, but I don't know where I am. Now if that is confusing, I'll try to explain. I know where I am on the map, but that intrinsic feeling as to where you are within a geographical region is lost. Not sure if that makes sense. You look at the map and know you are at the Court House, you see the Court House, but you really don't have a good feeling for how you got here, or what you past several blocks away, or what were the key landmarks in the area.

I spent the majority of my AF career using dead reckoning on 1 to 50,000 maps. You move form point to point. you look out far away and pick up major landmarks. When your head has been buried in the cockpit and you look up or down you may not recognize where you are, but a quick look for the landmarks and you know right where you are. I have flown aircraft with moving maps. You tend to loose this skill set. For me the same thing happens in a car.

 

[ERD50]

The problem I have with GPS, stand alone or phone, is it shows me where I am, and it gets me to where I want to go, but I don't know where I am. Now if that is confusing, I'll try to explain. ...

I think I know what you are talking about. What helps me in that case, is to set the GPS to show North at the top. Then I can orient myself as to where I am in the area. That's harder for me when the map is turning to put travel direction at top.


-ERD50

 

[easysurfer]

I think I know what you are talking about. What helps me in that case, is to set the GPS to show North at the top. Then I can orient myself as to where I am in the area. That's harder for me when the map is turning to put travel direction at top.


-ERD50

I always set my gps showing north up and 2D. That's what I'm familiar with. I know folks who prefer 3D but for that, I can just look out the window .

 

[explanade]

The problem I have with GPS, stand alone or phone, is it shows me where I am, and it gets me to where I want to go, but I don't know where I am. Now if that is confusing, I'll try to explain. I know where I am on the map, but that intrinsic feeling as to where you are within a geographical region is lost. Not sure if that makes sense. You look at the map and know you are at the Court House, you see the Court House, but you really don't have a good feeling for how you got here, or what you past several blocks away, or what were the key landmarks in the area.

I spent the majority of my AF career using dead reckoning on 1 to 50,000 maps. You move form point to point. you look out far away and pick up major landmarks. When your head has been buried in the cockpit and you look up or down you may not recognize where you are, but a quick look for the landmarks and you know right where you are. I have flown aircraft with moving maps. You tend to loose this skill set. For me the same thing happens in a car.

Have you tried pinch and zoom?

You can zoom out to see an overview of your route.

That's why I like to also look at the maps apps. on my iPad too. Also when I'm planning my trips, I do it on the desktop browser version of Google Maps, which is also easy to zoom in and out on a large display.

I even make some screen shots of my custom maps, to kind of get a good context of the place.

 

[Rustic23]

I think it's more about not really keeping up with the trip. When map reading you are looking for an exit, you are looking at what you are passing and actively looking for the exit. With the gps, it is like talking on the phone, things just pass, sometimes you don't even notice. I am not engaged in the navigation and as such I am not as in tune with where I am.