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GPS without Google Maps

grungefreak1

Lurker
Sep 13, 2008
6
0
Can somebody please explain this to me. I have been looking through a number of forums relating to Android with maps (google). It costs money to use maps with tmobile as a data connection is required. That's fair enough. But some people say GPS is free (albeit heavy on the phone battery).


What use is GPS without some form of maps?????

GF
 
ah.. my lad... this reminds me of the old days... a long, long time ago, we didn't have electronic mapping

with just the gps data readout you get the joys of;
a) current speed and direction
b) distance travelled relative to where you started, or a place you have previously been
c) use with a paper map (gasp!) and coordinates to tell where you are!

none of which are as much fun as using it with an electronic map!
 
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...or using a database of POIs you could receive a proximity alert... no need for a map at all. Think, road speed camera warnings. I am surprised no one has released such an app yet. There are many suitable databses available of camera locations,

Well there is already a company making this available as a download update to many dedicated GPS units ... so that the GPS units warn of traffic light cams, speed cams, etc .... dont rememebr the website from the TV add ... or if it is only available for TomTom ???

===============================================================
here is one example:

Red Light Traffic Camera Database
Overview

A geocoded database containing US red light traffic camera locations across the Country. This database is available in Garmin CSV format and TomTom OV2 format. It can also be converted to other formats including: Magellan POI Manager, CoPilot Live, Microsoft Streets & Trips, and more.
Info Link: GPS POI US, LLC - Custom GPS POI Files

Specifications
Requirements: Requires an internet connection and a computer to download the file. Requires a GPS device that can be connected to a PC. Requires a GPS device that can support proximity alert files or custom POI files.
Formats: CSV text file (for Garmin and Magellan), OV2 file for TomTom and CoPilot. Others available on request.
Platform: Windows
Price: $25
Media Type: Download
Support: 866-850-2533, info@gps-poi-us.com
Distribution: Direct

==========================================================
Traffic Camera Subscription - Destinator
$25 per year (renewal optional)
One (1) year subscription to red light camera POI file. Destinator formatted. Updated 03/09/2009

Traffic Camera Subscription - Garmin
$25 per year (renewal optional)
One (1) year subscription to red light camera POI file. Garmin formatted. Updated 03/09/2009

Traffic Camera Subscription - Magellan
$25 per year (renewal optional)
One (1) year subscription to red light camera POI file. Magellan-importable. Updated 03/09/2009

Traffic Camera Subscription - Mio
$25 per year (renewal optional)
One (1) year subscription to red light camera POI file. Mio formatted. Updated 03/09/2009

Traffic Camera Subscription - Navman
$25 per year (renewal optional)
One (1) year subscription to red light camera POI file. Navman-importable. Updated 03/09/2009

Traffic Camera Subscription - TomTom
$25 per year (renewal optional)
One (1) year subscription to red light camera POI file. TomTom Format. Updated 03/09/2009
 
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Can somebody please explain this to me. I have been looking through a number of forums relating to Android with maps (google). It costs money to use maps with tmobile as a data connection is required. That's fair enough. But some people say GPS is free (albeit heavy on the phone battery).


What use is GPS without some form of maps?????

GF

I was a little confused by your post. GPS signal is free to the users who have a device (G1) that has a GPS chip in it. G1 users in the US have unlimited data (I realize you might be somewhere else where you pay a per data charge). So in that case using GoogleMaps might be cost prohibitive. But in the case of all the suggestions in this thread there is an aspect of data usage for things like a traffic cams or gas stations nearby, etc.

In addition in the market is an overabundance of apps that would like to use GPS for all sorts of things, such as muting your phone in a certain proximity to a point on earth (gps). So give us a bit more info...as you can see many people here are interested in talking GPS with you.
 
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Can somebody please explain this to me. I have been looking through a number of forums relating to Android with maps (google). It costs money to use maps with tmobile as a data connection is required. That's fair enough. But some people say GPS is free (albeit heavy on the phone battery).

What use is GPS without some form of maps?????

GF

Also there are some dev's that have had issue with google over use ot Google Maps in their TOS (terms of Service) ... namely in implementing turn by turn directions with google maps ... there is a least one other (probably more) map databases out there ... that can be used by apps without violating Google's TOS ...
 
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Thinking about this a bit more...it would make sense that like a real GPS I could download a map one time my SD card or just buy it already on an sd card and use it without connecting via 3g/2g with my GPS chip. Not sure if that is what were asking.

Also as reported on this forum and sister site Phandroid there is a non-US company working on releasing a GPS for the device for EU. A quick search on Phandroid should pull the article.
 
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Thinking about this a bit more...it would make sense that like a real GPS I could download a map one time my SD card or just buy it already on an sd card and use it without connecting via 3g/2g with my GPS chip. Not sure if that is what were asking.

Also as reported on this forum and sister site Phandroid there is a non-US company working on releasing a GPS for the device for EU. A quick search on Phandroid should pull the article.

There is an app in the Market ... dont recall the name ... that would let you set a route ... it would then save the map tiles to the SDCard .. and make those available during your trip ... and you would not be dependant on data at all for retrieving your map ... (also dont recall if they used google maps or another database) ...

Awwwh found the one I was thinking Of ...
BigPlanet is an advanced map application with next features: work in offline mode(without network connection), zoom by double tap, bookmarks, different map sources(OpenStreet, Google Maps), save(cache) map in given radius for use in offline.
Fixed some bugs with gps and map rendering
More: bigplanet-maps application for android
 
Upvote 0
Thinking about this a bit more...it would make sense that like a real GPS I could download a map one time my SD card or just buy it already on an sd card and use it without connecting via 3g/2g with my GPS chip. Not sure if that is what were asking.

Also as reported on this forum and sister site Phandroid there is a non-US company working on releasing a GPS for the device for EU. A quick search on Phandroid should pull the article.

Awwwh found the one I was thinking Of ...
BigPlanet is an advanced map application with next features: work in offline mode(without network connection), zoom by double tap, bookmarks, different map sources(OpenStreet, Google Maps), save(cache) map in given radius for use in offline.
Fixed some bugs with gps and map rendering
More: bigplanet-maps application for android
 
Upvote 0

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