Sat Nav GPS for Android

mister oy

OK, I am being stoopid? I am trying to find an app that will allow me to
1. plan my OWN route, not calculate one for me
2. follow that route with audio/visual instructions

It seems pretty straightforward to me. I can't find anything anywhere. All the ones I have found just give you a route determined by the satnav.

I just want to be able to go on a ride in the country and not have to stop every 5 mins and check if I have missed a turn.

Ahhhhhhhhh!

Herbsman

AFAIK to get a voice guided GPS route, you can open a Google map that you've saved in My Maps, and open this in Navigation (the Google app that comes with Google Maps for Android - may be preinstalled on your phone)

Annoyingly, Navigation will only open if it can get a GPS fix - otherwise you just get a screen saying 'waiting for gps fix'. Making it impossible to change settings etc

doyler78

The google app doesn't allow you to draw your own route which is what I take the OP to mean. It will ask for your start and end point and will offer a few options based on that however as cyclists sometimes to go 20 miles down the road we might want to do 60 to get there.

I haven't found an app to what you are asking for. Also that app doesn't use sd card based maps but instead dowloads the relevant sections of the map - problem occurs if you can't get a data signal or if you are on a foreign network (pretty easy for me as I'm only 25 miles from the South of Ireland and I'm not paying £3 something per mb of data) to use :shock:

Doesn't this just show you the problem on the Android market - it's so damn hard to find what you are looking for Where's my Gingerbread update? :evil:

ddraver

Having got my fist smartphone at the weekend I think this might be more of a problem with nobody making these sorts of apps - what you are asking for is essentially a standard GPS a la a Garmin edge 800 - and they arent cheap..

But then I' still marvelling over endomondo so what do I know!!

Herbsman

doyler78 wrote:

The google app doesn't allow you to draw your own route which is what I take the OP to mean.

I tried it this morning and yes, you're right.

However, in the Google Maps app on your phone, you can open a saved route that you've created on Google Maps on the web, by pressing Menu and selecting 'Layers'. All the routes you've saved in My Maps will show up. You can follow this but you don't get voice guided navigation and you have to keep pressing 'my location' for it to show where you are.

There is a 'Layers' option in the Navigation app but contrary to my initial thoughts your saved maps don't show up. However if enough people contact Google asking them to enable this for the Navigation app, perhaps they might include it in the next update.

micken

I'm currently using MM Tracker that allows Memory Maps to be used, but you need the maps and for me this is a carry over from Windows mobile use. I'm currently trying out ViewRanger with Open Cycle Maps and it looks good, scrolls more fluidly than MM Tracker. It caches downloaded maps to SD card, so if you plan a route on it at home using wifi there should be no need for data connection whilst cycling.

Neither provide audio instructions but used with something like Endomondo and a bluetooth HRM you'd have most of the functions of a Garmin, no cadence though.

I don't use the phone mounted on the bike, it's in my pocket (in a pour and store in bad weather). As ever battery life is an issue with smartphones but I've not had to resort to backup on rides lasting less than 4-5 hours when it has dipped to 30-40% from full.

In short you can get what you want but without the audio prompts.

doyler78

Herbsman wrote:

doyler78 wrote:

The google app doesn't allow you to draw your own route which is what I take the OP to mean.

I tried it this morning and yes, you're right.

However, in the Google Maps app on your phone, you can open a saved route that you've created on Google Maps on the web, by pressing Menu and selecting 'Layers'. All the routes you've saved in My Maps will show up. You can follow this but you don't get voice guided navigation and you have to keep pressing 'my location' for it to show where you are.

There is a 'Layers' option in the Navigation app but contrary to my initial thoughts your saved maps don't show up. However if enough people contact Google asking them to enable this for the Navigation app, perhaps they might include it in the next update.

Mmm that's interesting. I'll have to check it out but given that you have keep updating your location it will be pretty limited in terms of usefulness especially in urban areas with lots of turns however at least better than I thought. Nice find.

mister oy

Thanks for the replies everyone, confirms what I thought - it's not available. Still, I can console myself with not being stoopid!

I guess I'll just have to wait until someone brainy can come up with something. I'm suprised no one's done it already though. Just a slight variation to a satnav program, I would pay for it! Not ready to splash out on a Garmin just yet, I will just have to keep the map in a back pocket and try to memorise my route a bit better.

vorsprung

What I do is

1) make a route in bikely or google maps or bikehike or bikeroutetoaster

2) save the route as a gpx file

3) import the gpx file into "My Maps" bit of google maps, ie login to igoogle and click "maps"

4) get the url / link for the map

5) email the url / link to the phone email

6) click on the link in the email on the phone and it asks if i want to open with google maps

7) the route shows up as a blue line on a standard google map on the phone

It's not as good as a a "Proper" GPS as you have to have a mobile signal for it to work

Brief blog entry about it here

Herbsman

Right mate I think I've worked it out for you.

Turn GPS on on your phone. If you haven't already, create your route in Google Maps on your computer. Do not click 'Avoid Highways' or 'Avoid Tolls'. Save to My Maps (you can only save it if you do not click 'Avoid Highways' or 'Avoid Tolls') - it will automatically be named 'Directions to...' whatever. Open this in the Maps app on your phone by pressing/touching Menu then Layers, More Layers, My Maps. When you've opened the map on your phone you then touch the little icon in the bottom left of the screen (looks like a piece of paper with lines on it), which brings up the text directions. Then touch 'Directions to..' Touch the little icon with an arrow inside a diamond (this brings up Navigation) I haven't tested this yet but I think as long as you're in the same place as the route you created starts from, then Navigation

should direct you along the route you've created...

A bit long-winded, I know...

Herbsman

Ignore that. It just loads standard driving directions!!! Balls.

spinndrift

I've just found OsmAnd and you can upload a .gpx file into it and follow the route with turn and voice directions.

It's bugger to work things out though in it but I'm getting there and looking at using for LEJOG in a fortnight.

amaferanga

spinndrift wrote:

I've just found OsmAnd and you can upload a .gpx file into it and follow the route with turn and voice directions.

It's bugger to work things out though in it but I'm getting there and looking at using for LEJOG in a fortnight.

Which phone are you using? How many hours do you get with the screen and GPS on? Are the maps stored on the SD card or do you need network connection?

Things to think about before you make the mistake of relying on your phone only to be screwed when the battery runs out or you lose network and have no idea where you are....

P_Tucker

Is "loose network" some sort of technical IT term for an informal coming together of a number of devices or summat?

amaferanga

P_Tucker wrote:

Is "loose network" some sort of technical IT term for an informal coming together of a number of devices or summat?

I wish I was as smart AND funny as you.

spinndrift

Not 100% sure yet what phones we'll be using (we have sponsorship from Vodafone) but testing on HTC Desire at the moment.

Maps are stored on the device so its just screen and GPS to eat the battery and we'll have enough spare kit to not have to worry about battery life.

P_Tucker

amaferanga wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Is "loose network" some sort of technical IT term for an informal coming together of a number of devices or summat?

I wish I was as smart AND funny as you.

But you're not.