Using Android smartphone in Majorca (Endomondo)?

luv2ride

Hi all

not sure where the most approprate post for this might be so here goes?!

Family is off to Majorca in August. Have negotiated 3-4 day pass so will be hiring a nice Van Nic from ProCycleHire in Puerto Pollensa 8) - can't wait, although I'm not sure I'm looking forward to the heat (lots of early morning rides I think!)

Anyway, I've become a real fan of the Android GPS / training app Endomondo and wondered if anyone had any experiece of using this app whilst away in Europe?

I'm with 3 mobile and theyve sent an email about "unlocking" data roaming, but would Endomondo work and would it be expensive to use outside of the UK?

cheers

anto164

Yes, internet connections is very expensive in Europe.

Normally a few quid per MB.

t.m.h.n.e.t

Endomondo only uses internet to upload your workout and download any routes you have made(once you go into range of their start point and you choose it). Wouldn't come to a MB so expense is hardly going to be through the roof.

RDW

You can use GPS without a data connection (though it will generally be slower to lock on, as you don't get 'assisted GPS') if you have an app that can use 'offline' maps (downloaded before you travel), e.g.:

http://code.google.com/p/open-gpstracker/
http://code.google.com/p/open-gpstracke ... fflineMaps

Not the same as Endomondo, but might be worth a look.

RDW

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

Endomondo only uses internet to upload your workout and download any routes you have made(once you go into range of their start point and you choose it). Wouldn't come to a MB so expense is hardly going to be through the roof.

Just be aware that with the mobile network active, your phone might be using it for a lot of other stuff in the background, so the charges can mount up. Installing something like the Data Counter Widget should give you an idea of how much you're using:

https://market.android.com/details?id=c ... nter&hl=en

t.m.h.n.e.t

RDW wrote:

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

Endomondo only uses internet to upload your workout and download any routes you have made(once you go into range of their start point and you choose it). Wouldn't come to a MB so expense is hardly going to be through the roof.

Just be aware that with the mobile network active, your phone might be using it for a lot of other stuff in the background, so the charges can mount up. Installing something like the Data Counter Widget should give you an idea of how much you're using:

https://market.android.com/details?id=c ... nter&hl=en

Facebook and email will use it quite a lot but of all my apps (SE Xperia Neo) those are really the only two that sync regularly. I have a data package bundled with my contract and am not usually far out of a wifi signal.

All you need to do is turn off auto-sync for such apps and it'll be grand.

luv2ride

Thanks all. I'll download that Data Counter widget app. Could always resort to a good old fashioned map, but I'm still a bit worried about getting lost in the midday sun with dwindling water supplies! :oops:

davenice

Ah,

Initially when you suggested endomondo I was thinking you were interested in *recording* the track. I keep meaning to try doing this with "mobile internet" turned off (from the menu you get if you hold down the power button, on my HTC, at least). I think recording the track would work fine.

For looking at maps, google maps actually does quite a lot of offline caching. I think the key is to look at the bits of map you're interested in before time and they get cached.

Here's the simple solution. Try it out - scroll around on google maps a bit in your area, turn mobile internet off from the menu, go for a ride using endomondo to track and stop a few times to check google maps. Let me know how it goes - I'd be very interested to know!

If this works OK, you could cache a load of local maps at some point when you have wifi?

I do wonder if turning off mobile internet would save a lot of power using endomondo, too. Not sure.

Dave

luv2ride

Dave

Wish I'd seen your post before I went out on the bike this afternoon (had a freedom pass today!)

I'll have a go if get chance for another ride this week and let you know. I must confess, I'm not sure what you get extra from a Garmin 500/800 at this rate, as the Endomondo product seems to let me do just about everthing. They're even about to start releasing ANT+ compatible heart rate straps which will apprently sync via bluetooth. Very handy!

cheers

davenice

Hey,

I'll try endomondo with no data for my commute tomorrow.

I did turn maps on yesterday with data switched off and it refused to work at all. I was quite surprised! I thought they'd been trumpetting offline maps. Oh well! There are other other options for mapping - maybe open-gpstracker or maverick will be OK for you? I am down to 18MB of space on my phone or I'd try some out!

I've been thinking about getting a bluetooth heart rate strap. The polar one says it's compatible for £60, or the zephyr hxm for £75ish. Seems like quite a lot of cash :-/

Have you got a bike mount? I'd quite like something secure that will attach to my stem and that isn't specific to a particular model so I don't have to rebuy if I change phones.

Dave

ollyridesfirst

I'd be interested to know if this app (i have the pro version) does monitor your route when in europe even if you don't have the maps cached and then once you reconnect to the data network it adds in the maps. I assume that the GPS part of the app will just measure your position and keep a log of it without needing to go into the maps at all....

I go to Ireland quite a bit and enjoy a ride around but normally make do with CoPilot on my android...

davenice

I've tried to reply a few times but for some reason my reply always disappears :-)

So - gave it a good test yesterday. Went for a 2.5 hour ride after work and was a bit low on battery so I turned data off.

Endomondo tracked fine.

Also, in recent google maps versions they've added a labs feature called prefetch tiles. I used this before I left to load the map and was able to check my exact position and look at the route with data turned off. Very impressed!

Dave

RDW

Another useful app for offline maps with GPS (but not track recording) is MapDroyd:

http://www.mapdroyd.com/

I usually download the relevant foreign maps to my SD card before I travel (you can do this from within the app), and keep full UK maps installed all the time in case I'm just out of signal for Google Maps.

mallorcajeff

you wont get lost very easy to navigate here and i would print out a few maps from google earth and stuff before you come here as ive seen the maps in the shops here for cyclists and they are not detailed enough, every day i see people stopped at the side of the road looking in wonderment at these stupid maps that show no details at all and there a tenner in a lot of places. From your base its about ten miles from me theres only a few directions to go (but lots of places) and they will all lead that way back easily so just look on google earth and print soem out, if you tell me how far and hard you want to go i could draw you a few routes up or give you some pointers. pm me if you need help.

malcolmfrost

If you have Google maps on your Android it can now prefetch 10 mi around a point.
With Google Maps app open, touch the phone menu key and go to more/labs. Select precache map area. If you then long touch on an area on the map, you will get the option to pre cache 10miles around that point. You can do it on overlapping areas as well to build a much larger map. Max of 10 areas.