Hard to read smartphone in sunlight
 

Hi
I use an Iphone with Ram mount it is great to read in the morning or evening but in the daylight it is hard at best. Has anyone found a cover that keeps the phone dry and you are able to charge as you are travelling as the GPS chews up the batteries. Any ideas or fixes would be great. I think the smart phones are the way to go one less thing to carry around they will only get cheaper and better.
Nick

MapsWithMe for Iphones, Android etc
 

Another endorsement for offline mapping on smart phones; in this case used in conjunction with paper maps:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...355#post408065
(post number 5).

on team smartphone!
 

I'm keen to try Iphone as a GPS replacement. Important advantages seem to be much more intuitive software and carrying a multi-use device that can also be used to play music or duck into a cafe connect to wifi, check your email, take a photo, or compose a video. To me this is part of the charm of motorcycle travel - figuring out how to simplify things down to the essentials. In the spirit of the debate, below are my idea of solutions to the issues that I've commonly seen raised:

someone please make the perfect mapping app!
 

On the smartphone GPS evolution front, the two Iphone apps that I've found most useful are MotionX and MapsWithMe, but they both have their shortcomings.

MotionX supports track and waypoints and all that, but the OpenStreetMap (OSM) data are huge! Difficult or impossible to fit large areas at high resolution on a 16gb phone.

MapsWithMe OSM data is incredibly compact - highest level resolution for far less space and time to download. The MapsWithMe OSM tiles at the highest resolution are 90,000 smaller than the MotionX ! Seriously - how is this even possible?! I tested with an area about the size of Morocco - 11 MB vs 890 GB.

So, the solution for now may be - download low resolution data in MotionX to use tracks (since away from cities the high res maybe isn't as important) and use MapsWithMe in cities. Anyone have a better idea?

here is my 2 cents.

i rode Africa with a motorola defy. this sucker is water proof, dust proof and shock proof. i used 2 maps/nav apps sygic and navit (both fell off the back of the internet truck) i could download the whole of africa on navit and some countries with sygic.
i would put my phone in the map section of my tank bag.
i could also use the phone for all my music and both gps apps would interrupt my music to tell me voice directions :thumbup1:
the navit maps weren't the most comprehensive but not much of africa is mapped!
i could also check my email and do all the net stuff with this phone and it was way cheaper then a good gps it only cost me around 300 bucks. fits my phone gps and some computer needs. i love it and use it all the time now for navigation both online and offline.:clap:
:D:D

I've read this thread (or at least most of it) with interest.

I've been a tomtom user for many years and have a chinese motorbike tomtom satnav on my bike which works fine. I quite like the interface and simplicity.

The Zumo seems to be the satnav of choice for bikers though, I've never used one but I don't know what functions of it over the tomtom I am missing? Bear in mind though I've always stuck to tarmac before. I think it can track your ride and stuff?

Anyhow I have just been cleaning out my wardrobe and found a Garmin 60CSX. I've played around with it, loaded Basecamp on my PC and loaded a map (Of Iceland) and see I can get OSM maps for it. However I'm pretty naive and wondering if the fad with these is over now that phones and tomtom/zumo's are around.

Basically is the 60CSX something I should learn about, play with and become familiar with and will it become a good part of my travels or am I just playing with outdated or unsuitable technology?

Thanks - Daniel

I don't have one of those 60csx but there does seem to be a steady market for second hand ones on the likes of ebay.
I believe the replacement model is the 62 and you can find feedback about various models of garmin in the rest of this forum:-
Navigation - Maps, Compass, GPS - Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB
Just look back in there for views about the 60csx - I believe there is a strong following of this model so if you don't want it I have no doubt you can sell it.

By the way, I also have a (very old) Tomtom and I like the simplicity of it.
I bought a second hand Garmin Nuvi 205W just because I wanted to experiment with free maps such as OSM.
Again, read reviews for the capabilities of the various Garmins; the company have a huge range of models and, from what I can tell, most/all do tracking but not all accept routes - I have been known to be wrong though :innocent:

Thanks for that info Dave. I will have a look at everything. My Cheap Chinese satnav keeps hanging, grrr so I am going to eed to buy something in a few months.

In that case, I would definitely give the 60csx a go: now that I have got over the wonder of touch sensitive screens I think there is something to be said for a GPS that uses buttons - positive control while wearing gloves for instance.

Anyway, you have the thing, so why not use it? As I mentioned, they seem to be rated quite highly by others. The only other thing that comes to mind is their "computing power"; maybe the older technology will be slow or not able to load up "big" maps?
I think they are water resistant and you should be able to get a mounting bracket to fix it to a bike.

Somewhere in here, not so long ago, is a thread about a different, cheap, GPS made in China (although that is not to say that Garmin et al do not also have factories in the republic ;-)
Maybe you have the same make??

Thanks for that Dave. I have been playing around with it most of Sunday (Indoors mind you) and have some maps loaded and now just learning the different terminology.

Nokia Lumia ...gloves...
 

downside of using smartphone as gps device is that in the event the smartphone is stolen or damaged, you will no longer have a gps device as well. As we can buy gps device for US$100 or so, it makes sense to have a gps device in addition to the smart phone. The gps device is also much more durable and less sensitive to the elements than a smartphone.

I think you will find, reading back through the posts in this thread, that those points have been discussed and, some folks anyway, have found satisfactory solutions to each of them; satisfactory to them at least.
Personally, I still use a cheap mobile phone and an even cheaper (second hand) GPS; I don't mind if either gets broken, stolen, or whatever - so, there is another option, outside of smartphones (there are more mobile phones in the UK than there are people, certainly in my home).
There again, I like paper maps and compasses.


There are a couple of free softwares for smartphones identified in the thread linked below- I haven't checked back through earlier posts, so it is possible that they have been mentioned already? :innocent:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...432#post415962

More waterproof phones that locks in Sat in 30secs
 

Not like those POS garmins

"Samsung launches waterproof and dustproof version of its Galaxy S4
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active has been designed with parents in mind
It is a toughened version of its flagship S4 handset in a sealed case
Samsung claims the £480 Active is waterproof, dustproof and childproof
Yet the warranty does not cover for water and dust damage or 'neglect'
By VICTORIA WOOLLASTON
PUBLISHED: 11:11 GMT, 29 July 2013 | UPDATED: 11:27 GMT, 29 July 2013
71 shares 10 View
comments
From spilt cups of tea to being dropped from on high, many a parents' mobile phone has fallen victim to adventurous children.
But one new handset - the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active - claims to be waterproof, dustproof and even childproof.
The company is said to have designed the phone, which is a toughened version of its current S4 handset, specifically for parents to avoid accidents and damage caused by youngsters.
Samsung's latest handset, the Galaxy S4 Active, claims to be waterproof, dustproof and even childproof.
Samsung's latest handset, the Galaxy S4 Active, claims to be waterproof, dustproof and even childproof. The company is said to have designed the phone, which is a toughened version of its current S4 handset, specifically for parents to avoid accidents and damage caused by little fingers
SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 ACTIVE SPECIFICATIONS
The front of Samsun'gs Galaxy S4 Active phone, designed to be childproof
Dimensions: 139.7 x 71.3 x 9.1 mm
Weight: 153g
Dust and water resistant: up to 1 metre and 30 minutes
Operating system: Android 4.2.2
Camera: 8MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing
Chipset: Qualcomm APQ8064T Snapdragon 600
CPU: Quad-core 1.9 GHz Krait 300
Internal memory: 16 GB with 2GB RAM
However, the handset's warranty doesn't cover damage caused by accidents, misuse, water damage, defects caused by 'sand or dirt', or 'neglect'.
The S4 Active costs £480. It was announced in May, but officially went on sale earlier this month.
Samsung calls it 'the perfect companion for exploration, activity and adventure'.
It has been designed to stay underwater for up to 30 minutes and take pictures with a waterproof camera.


The handset additionally comes with a water-resistant headphone jack and is inside a sealed case to keep out dust.
Its LCD screen has a Glove Touch component that means it can be used with gloves, too.
Luke Mansfield, head of Samsung's Europe innovation team told The Times the phone was designed with parents in mind.
He said: 'We know a lot of parents use their phones to show children content. We ended up going to a lot of family homes where we were shown a graveyard of smashed phones.'
Yet despite Samsung's durability claims, the warranty that comes with the phone doesn't cover certain types of damage the phone was designed to protect against.
First discovered by VentureBeat, the warranty in the phone's user manual claims: 'This Limited Warranty does not cover: (a) defects or damage resulting from accident, misuse, abnormal use, abnormal conditions, improper storage, exposure to liquid, moisture, dampness, sand or dirt, neglect, or unusual physical, electrical or electromechanical stress.'
The S4 Active, pictured, costs £480. It has been designed to stay underwater for up to 30 minutes and can take pictures with a waterproof camera.
The S4 Active, pictured, costs £480. It has been designed to stay underwater for up to 30 minutes and can take pictures with a waterproof camera. The handset is a toughened version of Samsung's S4 handset and is inside a sealed case to keep out sand and dust
According to the phone's how-to guide, users must also correctly cover the USB ports and claims the phone should not be used underwater until these steps have been taken.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is a direct competitor for Sony's Xperia Z, released in January, that has an 'anti-shatter film' on the screen, and is also water resistant up to one metre and 30 minutes.

Despite Samsung's durability claims, the handset's warranty doesn't cover damage caused by accidents, misuse, water damage, defects caused by 'sand or dirt', or 'neglect'. The phone's user manual explains the S4 Active is only water-resistant if the USB ports, pictured, are all properly closed

This is how I do it
 

Carry two smart phones.
A used old Sam Sung Galaxy S 15cm x 10cm ,,
Load music, wifi internet,, Sygic.. Maps to Go ,, Lotus
Put it in a water proof Ram mount attached to waterproof speakers with power jack coming out of the battery.
Listen to stereo in all weather with navi instructions breaking off the music.
Classic rock to beat arias.
This Ram mount box ,, protects against the shakes ,, water,, dust,, and several crashes.
Connects to SAT in less than 30 seconds.
Price USD 60 bucks now days.

Second (Galaxy Note II) for communication and internet.
Has all of above programs loaded. Unike Garmin all the programs you buy on Google play,, it follows you life time ,, not individual unit like the motherless Garmin.
Uses limitless 3G at usd 9 per day. Limitless data usuage ! I can look up POIs ,, bakeries ,, pizza huts ,, on the road. I can book hotels and motels, in the middle of Siberia. Software updated on regular basis autimatically.
Use both wifi and 3G ,, I can watch movies ,, listen to music ,, read Guardian to Der Spiegel ,, Korean journals to New York Times. Download audible books so I can fall asleep listening to books.
This phone I hang around my neck.

Every Garmin I have bought ,, SAT connect takes 5 minutes or never,,
Recalculating..Recalculating..Recalculating..Recal culating.. all frigging day long. Lousy maps ,, Sygic will give you 3D buildings ,, every nook and corner with names. Google map as a good back up.