Not a dumb question at all.
Nope ,, Nada ,, it is entirely separate from internet. Works just like Tom and Gar.

This is a really interesting thread - thanks for starting it.

For me it boils down to the right tool for the right job. The main difference between dedicated GPS units and Smartphones boil down to the underlying tech.

Smartphones will poll the satellite about once a second, dedicated units do it several times per second - this gives a significantly more accurate position amongst other things. Smartphones have batteries that are designed for phone calls etc, a dedicated GPS unit generally has a much longer battery life as it's designed to do just that.

Dedicated units can display maps from multiple sources - paid for and free - and can, via bluetooth, share and connect to a phone in order to share position and updates online via a GSM/GPRS connection. Smartphones can display maps from free and paid sources as well as online sources 'live' - such as google maps. But given the cost of data connectivity outside of your native country I'm not sure about the value of a 'live' map. Certainly an up to date map would be useful.

So for me - a dedicated unit, that is waterproof, hardy (my Garmin Zumo has bounced down the road at 70+ MPH several times and is fine - I dropped my iPhone from my desk onto a tiled floor and it smashed). So why would I want a smartphone, that requires lots of additional software (paid and free) and addition hardware (to make it waterproof)?

Incidentally Garmin are doing very very well at the moment - mainly because they understand that people want the right tool for the right job - there's units for motorbikes, cars, boats, walkers, skiers, airplanes..... all designed specifically to do the job.

I'll put my Garmin Zumo against any Smartphone any day - and it'll win on every score!

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http://thelondonbiker.com/blog

Watch some of my camp cooking videos

AIM: mattcashmore
SKYPE: matthewcashmore
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Hi, sorry no answers just questions, i have never owned at sat nav and have only recently bought a smart phone (samsung galaxy ace). can i access my maps riding from UK to Morocco at no cost? i was considering the option of buying a Spanish sim card but i will also be in France, Portugal, Morocco and Italy.
Any advice appreciated. Andy

I've been reading into SeoulJoes' link, so I know the answer is Yes!
(Don't ask me how to do it though).
This is the locus link as it comes up for t the EU:-
Locus
Interesting capability is in there

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Dave

Hello Andy

Easiest, slick and free "app" for what your want is NavFree for crossing France / Spain / Portugal / Italy when in Morocco you can use Osmand both require no network to operate, but Osmand does require some effort to learn.

Andy ,,
Go to app market now called Google Store ,, download Locus free version,, then go to google maps ,, save a driving directions under my map ,, then send your self an EM with the driving directions kml attachment and click download in your galaxy em program,, Locus will ask you whether you want to save ,, say yes ,, or in Locus ,, dat,, add ,,,tracks ,,, click my map ,, it will ask you to log into google em account and choose UK to Morocco under my maps ,, you can do this with way points/favourites.

Locus works off line ,, Simply open Locus ,, go to map ,,, download ,, select area ,, high light the area then click download ,, you now have truly offline map,, you can trekk remote corner of Himalaya with confidence now ,,

You have dozen choice of maps ,,

If you like Locus ,, to get more function ,, you pay 3 quid or 5 bucks for the pro version. (But not necessary for basic navigation)

Make sure to go to Harry's Bar in Casablaca ,,,like the movie,,, almost feels like the real thing,, Also golf is great all over Morocco. (Movie was not filmed at Casablanca but at a Hollywood lot)
Food bazzar at Marakeshi ,, amazing.

All formed ,, constant updates ,,
All free ,,
Google engined ,
Just go to market on your smart phone ,, search MAPDROYD (Use Y)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...droid.mapdroyd

Hi, loading to my phone now. this is much simplier than i hoped and only possible with your help

Thanks Andy

Have a look at the Motorola Defy -it's survived my better half for over a year now and that includes me driving over it and her ringing me when she's in the shower (don't ask why please).

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Chris
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"Never have a stupid argument with an idiot - he gets a lot more practice than you"
there I go again
not too hard really

So far, here we have a Motorola Defy and a Samsung Galaxy (not long ago this G word to this UK user was either a chocolate bar or something in outer space).
But, reading webpages tells me that there are loads of these gadgets on sale with lots of model names from a range of manufacturers - are there any others in use by HUBBers that can be recommended for travelling?


Matt,
+1, It is a most useful thread!

I am not sure how much accuracy is necessary; I used to be involved in surveying, yep, using GPS (to some extent when it was just becoming available), and that goes well beyond the requirements of navigation. As I understand things, the extra pings of the system will refine the precision achieved - not the same thing as accuracy.
Without precision, accuracy becomes an illusion, but navigators don't necessarily need high order accuracy in order to locate where abouts they are.

The availability of "dead" maps for smart phones seems to be mushrooming and I can see the attraction here.
Could Garmin (I pick on them because no one here seems to talk about Tom Tom et al, so far anyway) be running scared of this? My impression from reading this forum and a few other places is that their software is not friendly to the average end-user who just wants to get the result without playing about with the software.
Then, I assume the dead map version can be updated anytime the smart phone is near a free wifi outlet?

This thread evolved from another one specifically about Garmin and I have been put off, to some extent, by their marketing of GPS for such applications as navigation of golf courses. I surmise that Garmin have seen the threat from smart phones and have segmented their marketing to compete.

I still have an open mind about this and I am hoping for a load more feedback.

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Dave

Well I've been using an Asus 550 (Vodaphone something or other) for 3 years now - it's my daily phone and has been all over North Africa. It has internet and GPS with a socket for external antenna. It's loaded with Tom Tom as well. Although it's getting a bit slow by comparison to the likes of Samsung Galaxies it has served me very well - the gps is faster than my garmin too.
I have a toughbook in the car that can even use the gps.
It's been dropped many times though she hasn't tried it in the shower.

I must confess to being tempted by the HTC Titan - 4.7" screen and 1.6gig processor running windows mobile 7 . I have an aversion to Google, via android tracking my every move and then selling all that info on but that's for a different forum

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Chris
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"Never have a stupid argument with an idiot - he gets a lot more practice than you"
there I go again
not too hard really

That's a really good point there actually... when you're stationary it makes very little practical difference - but when you're moving - even at 40mph it makes a massive difference - especially when coming up to complicated road-layouts and the device understanding where you are on that system and importantly how high you are so it understands if you're going under something, over it, or just to the left of it.

Smartphones get around this like the old GPS units did by 'locking' the path to a defined road - when you leave that road, or you hit a complex layout or the signal drops to just 4 satellites then you get very confusing directions and quite often wrong directions as the device mis-understands where you are.

Signal is an important thing as well. Smartphones have single small antennae that are combined with their GPRS/GSM antennae - these have significantly lower gain than the dedicated GPS devices which have the tech required to capture as many sats as possible and move between them at speed. To deal with the speed issue your phone will use it's GSM connection to determine where you are based on near-by cell towers, but as soon as you turn that off (say because you're in another country and don't want the roaming costs) you'll notice how long it takes to find a signal - this is also an issue around high buildings and even mountain passes - where your smart phone may struggle, your GPS will work.

Garmin software is a bitch by the way - hate it - so hard to use and takes so long to learn. Tom Tom software is very very good and very easy to understand but doesn't allow as much flexibility in terms of using free maps and data.

Here's a review I did of the Tom Tom Rider

TomTom Rider Review | The London Biker

and here's a quick comparison I did with the Garmin and Tom Tom when the Zumo first came out..

Garmin Zumo – Initial Review | The London Biker

It's fair to say that over the last two years I've had the Zumo my opinion has changed.

__________________
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http://thelondonbiker.com/blog

Watch some of my camp cooking videos

AIM: mattcashmore
SKYPE: matthewcashmore
MSN: matthew@matthewcashmore.com

I reckon if you can navigate a complex road network without a GPS and a paper map you probably won't be able to with a GPS.

Friends of mine use an iphone as a GPS when trail riding without to many difficulties. But off course it's not use for turn by turn navigation. Don't see a big need for this anyway. The old route highlighter on a paper map is a function that can be achieved on a smart phone.

I use a garmin myself because to date I haven't liked the case options, but have just gotten one which may work and plan to use backcountry navigator and androzic for overviews when I change a plan. Garmin for the detail.

Androzic allows for oziexplorer maps. This means you can scan in any paper map or download digital maps, georeference them in oziexplorer and load them in. No need for paper maps any more, mean less luggage and less worry about waterproofing.

Should be perfect for RTW I reckon. Screen are big enough now to work out a route without them. RTW doesn't need to much GPS accuracy. It's mostly open road anyway.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

Diversity of downloading offline maps and choices of maps are truly amazing. Heck ,, I don't even know at least 80% of the maps they are talking about ,,
Go here ,,, at the very top download Mobile Atlas Creator,,, read the help me files ,, select the area ,, then choose from some 20+ map formats ,,


Download Mobile Atlas Creator from SourceForge.net

Choose your maps ,, tiles ,, details ,, and create your own map... Click offline map in the setting in your map program ,, copy the map file from MAC ,, place it under Locus/map or any other map program you might be using ,,, before using,,, under setting click offline map.

It will take getting used to ,, experiment with it ,,, but ,, ah,, free maps,,,, great software ,, fun doing it ,, making your own map.

Now for online ,, when you travel ,, ask your carrier for the MONTHLY unlimited flat rate data plan,, which can be used all over the world ,, SK Telecom, in Korea provides 10 USD a day plan,, so you folks must have it in EEC and USA as well.
300 bucks a month ,, for internet,, EM ,,, etc ,,

Also if you go to APP store,, download free Kakao Talk ,, this allows you free chat ,, free sms ,, you can send large photo and video files to those with same ,, All free, as long as you are online.

For those coming to the UK and probably similar for other european countries with Orange coverage -
Orange pay as you go Dolphin package in the UK is only £10 month, no contract, no fee 100mb data 400 free texts. Available on line or at any Orange High street shop

__________________
Chris
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"Never have a stupid argument with an idiot - he gets a lot more practice than you"
there I go again
not too hard really