THE Android GPS thread - all GPS available for Android HERE!

[DarkSky]

Ok, GPS functionality is VERY important to me, and I've been doing research on it for my phone (Motorola Milestone) and there's a bunch of different options available - none of which are good for me here in Canada at the moment. But, I'll try and update this thread regularly as new info becomes available.

CURRENT GPS OPTIONS FOR ANDROID O/S PHONES :

AndNav
- No longer supported? (web site shows last update July, 2009)
AndNav1 ( search apps market for: andnav )
- FREE
- based on Google Maps- provides "static navigation", which is based on user input (e.g. start and end points), but not on live GPS data.
AndNav2 ( AndNav.org - Android Navigation System )
- FREE
- screenshots: AndNav Beta Photos
from Wiki: "This is where AndNav2 comes into play. AndNav2 is based on free map data provided by OpenStreetMap (OSM) so that it can provide real-time audible turn-by-turn route guidance. AndNav2 has unique features, such as Text-2-Speech, an accessibility-study (aka 'Where can I get in 30 minutes') or avoiding customizable areas (e.g. traffic-jams or a broken bridge), TpegML Traffic-Feeds and more. AndNav2 will also contribute back GPS traces to the OSM project, so when you have driven an unknown route, expect it to be up online within a week or even sooner. AndNav1 and AndNav2 fully interact with all the capabilities provided by the Android platform: Text-2-Speech, accessing your contacts, high-quality graphics and fast internet access, all combined in an easy-to-use interface. "

CoPilot Live (apps market search "copilot" )
- $29.99 (no trial available)
- voice turn by turn navigation
- live weather info
- phone-stored maps for USA/Canada (no monthly fees)
- 2GB memory card required, 2GB map download
YouTube vids: LINK1 , LINK 2

Google Maps with Navigation (beta) (http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/ )
(app market search: google maps)
- free
- no downloadable maps: it streams them via data (potentially very expensive without unlimited data plan)

MapDroyd (app market search: mapdroyd)
- free
- completely downloadable maps (no data required I believe)
- no navigation
- you have to zoom WAY in to get street names (or even street graphics of non-main streets)

MotoNav (comes with Motorola Milestone (at least it does here on Telus in Canada))
- one-time charge: $49.99 North America / $69.99 Europe, extra for more maps
- downloadable maps (very little data required)
- SLUGGISH (even text entry screens have lag on Motorola Droid/Milestone)
- info from: https://supportforums.motorola.com/thread/20061?start=0&tstart=0
"Motonav for the US and Canada bundle costs $49.99 USD. This gives you the license for TBT navigation, traffic, 3D landmarks,elevation, city maps, POIs and the option to download a map update within 60 days from the day of your purchase." The "2yr" lifetime refers to support that they'll give for the current version, but I'm told by a Motonav rep that the product WILL continue to work.

Sygic Mobile Maps ( Sygic Mobile Maps - turn your mobile phone into car navigation device )
- 62.99EU for North America version
YouTube demo vids: YouTube - sygic mobile maps

Telenav ( http://www.telenav.com/products/tn/ )
- $9.99/mth - 30 day free trial

Waze ( http://www.waze.com/download/android_download/ )- cost: free ?
- [from Waze site]: "Waze is a social mobile application providing free turn-by-turn navigation based on the live conditions of the road.100% powered by users, the more you drive, the better it gets. "

_______________LISTINGS BELOW ARE CURRENTLY STILL BEING DEVELOPED________________

Navigon (NAVIGON. And the world is yours)
- currently only for iPhone but an Android version is in the works
- NAVIGON Mobile Navigator: 79.99 $
- NAVIGON Mobile Navigator MyRegion: now only 24.99 $ (purchase maps just for your region)
more on this here http://www.navigon.com/site/us/en/mobile_navigator/iphone



TomTom ( TomTom app for iPhone and iPod touch - TomTom GPS sat nav -- iPhone release)
- currently only for iPhone but an Android version is in the works (iPhone link above - Android features and pricing may be similar)

Nav N Go Igo ( Nav N Go - Software Development for Mobile Devices )
- no more info on this yet, or what Nav N Go software works on Android


** Some of the above information may be WAY off, and is only to the best of my knowledge at present. I'll update it continually as I learn more! Please post any comments/corrections in this thread, and please be kind, I'm trying my best

 

[darrenxes]

thks man

will keep tabb on this thread for more details....

Dun realli like the google maps

so hoping for some good release!!

 

[Fadelight]

First, I'm not sure where you came across the information that said Motonav came with the Droid. It sure didn't when I bought it. (Maybe just the milestone?) Google maps/google nav did, though.

Also... TomTom is working on an Android release right now, so that is another option. No real information past that, though. (And after my experience with TomTom vs Google Nav, I wouldn't touch it. )

 

[DarkSky]

First, I'm not sure where you came across the information that said Motonav came with the Droid. It sure didn't when I bought it. (Maybe just the milestone?) Google maps/google nav did, though.

Also... TomTom is working on an Android release right now, so that is another option. No real information past that, though. (And after my experience with TomTom vs Google Nav, I wouldn't touch it. )

Sorry I typed the wrong model - yes Motonav comes stock with the Milestone (at least here on Telus in Canada it does).

I also just got more info from the Motonav rep: "It's [the $49.99] a one time charge. Map updates will be available at competitive prices if you choose to get them in a future.The disclaimer about the 2 years (lifetime of the device) doesn't mean that after two years this application will stop working. It's more about whether we continue supporting an old version of Motonav. I expect to have better releases in two years (either free or at a cost depending on the complexity of the feature set we offer in the future)"

I'll update post 1 with this new info.

Yah I heard Tomtom was 'working on it' but also haven't heard anything beyond that.

 

[olasz]

I am using Igo on my hero...works like a charm..perfect...

 

[DarkSky]

One thing I have to find out about is if any of these can accept phone calls while the GPS mode is active. Kind of an important feature one would think...

 

[Fadelight]

Oh yeah... also... check out AndNav / AndNav2. both are free. AndNav1 can be found in Market, AndNav2 has to be downloaded from the dev website.


http://www.andnav.org/

 

[DetteMan]

How do i download google maps with navigation? I have google maps but not with navigation. If i search for "Google maps" in market i only find other strange programs

 

[Fadelight]

How do i download google maps with navigation? I have google maps but not with navigation. If i search for "Google maps" in market i only find other strange programs

Navigation is built into google maps. If you have maps, you have navigation.

Google Maps v4.1.0 Application for Android | Travel

 

[bluenova]

there's a bunch of different options available - none of which are good for me here in Canada at the moment.

CoPilot Live (apps market search "copilot" )
- $29.99
- voice turn by turn navigation
- live weather info
- phone-stored maps for USA (no monthly fees)
- 2GB memory card required, 2GB map download

Err, You know the North America maps include Canada right?

CoPilot Live 8, North America Maps (Download)
CoPilot Live v8 navigation software and maps. Includes maps of USA and Canada.

 

[vido.ardes]

Google Maps Turn-by-Turn Navigation only available in the US due to licensing issues, and is only available on phones running Android 1.6 or greater.

Co-Pilot is available from the android market in three forms: Pan-European, Major European Regions or North America. The major European regions available separately are:

• UK and Ireland
• France
• DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
• Iberia (Spain, Portugal and Andorra)
• Italy
• BeNeLux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)
• Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland)

 

[bluenova]

One thing I have to find out about is if any of these can accept phone calls while the GPS mode is active. Kind of an important feature one would think...

The GPS receiver has nothing to do with your wireless radio so having GPS enabled can in no way effect phone calls. I understand there are some issues with some CDMA phones only being able to do voice or data but not simultaneously but that has nothing to do with the GPS receiver.

 

[Insomni]

and there is already a navigon on the market
(atleast on my 1.5 android on the belgium market - 30day trial version)

I'm also looking for a good free navigation that downloads maps so I'll keep taps on this one aswell
(Won't be using it that much to counter the prices on some of these software)

 

[Drazil]

I tried CoPilot 8, but the maps for Canada (and probably all of NA) are like 8+ years out of date.

I'm currently using Sygic MobileMaps which has very up to date maps, but the crappiest POI database ever. If I could extract the POI database from my Garmin XM, and use the Sygic map, that would be perfect.

 

[DarkSky]

Navigation is built into google maps. If you have maps, you have navigation.

Google Maps v4.1.0 Application for Android | Travel

*IF* you live in certain areas.

Navigation does not currently work in Canada. You get pop-up bubbles above your blue dot, but no voice.

 

[DarkSky]

Err, You know the North America maps include Canada right?

[/color]

Thanks. Other programs (such as Mapdroyd) separate the 2.

 

[bluenova]

I tried CoPilot 8, but the maps for Canada (and probably all of NA) are like 8+ years out of date.

Really? Well they say if you notify them of an issue they will update it within 45 days...

Our free of charge MapSure™ service, available for CoPilot Live v8 GPS navigation users, provides automatic map updates at regular intervals for the life of your product version.

With ALK MapSure, you can always be confident that you've got the most accurate and up to date street maps available in your GPS navigation system.

• 45 day map update commitment.
  If you notice a road or an address that you believe needs updating, you can report it directly to us. We will verify the information, add it to our maps and distribute it, along with any other changes, to everyone through an update within 45 days.
• Free monthly map maintenance updates.
  Downloaded straight to your ALK Digital Maps-based GPS navigation system via the mobile web or WiFi. These include emergency road closures, updates reported by users and other improvements.
• Free quarterly full map updates.
  The very latest map of the North America road network will be available as a free download every quarter through CoPilot Central 2.0 desktop software, iTunes or Android Market.

 

[DarkSky]

The GPS receiver has nothing to do with your wireless radio so having GPS enabled can in no way effect phone calls. I understand there are some issues with some CDMA phones only being able to do voice or data but not simultaneously but that has nothing to do with the GPS receiver.

I realize they're on completely different freqs. but I seem to remember some YouTube demo vids showing that incoming calls were turned off when the phone was in GPS mode.

I just tested MotoNav and it does accept calls while running. Maybe this isn't an issue for most programs then.

 

[DarkSky]

Google Maps Turn-by-Turn Navigation only available in the US due to licensing issues, and is only available on phones running Android 1.6 or greater.

Oddly enough, another user on here from Slovenia has TBT voice working for him. See thread here: http://androidforums.com/motorola-milestone/54586-uninstall-motonav.html

Doesn't work for me here in Canada.

 

[takeshi]

I realize they're on completely different freqs. but I seem to remember some YouTube demo vids showing that incoming calls were turned off when the phone was in GPS mode.

There's no GPS "mode". Your device will access the GPS receiver as needed but that has nothing to do with calls. If you're running a GPS nav app that requires data on CDMA then the network can't handle simultaneous voice and data while you're actively using data. Other than that, you're good to go.

 

[DarkSky]

There's no GPS "mode". Your device will access the GPS receiver as needed but that has nothing to do with calls. If you're running a GPS nav app that requires data on CDMA then the network can't handle simultaneous voice and data while you're actively using data. Other than that, you're good to go.

What I meant was, I wasn't sure if, while a GPS program was running, it would accept calls (i just called it the phone being in 'gps mode' )

I'm on CDMA (Telus) and Motonav accepts incoming calls, but then again Motonav has phone-stored maps. Google Maps (which streams map data) seems to accept as well, but then again I don't get turn-by-turn navigation with Google Maps in Canada, so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it.

 

[Drazil]

It would be too much work for me to email them about every single out of date road... there are huge swathes of roads missing from their maps, entire subdivisions. When I visit one of my friends, Co-pilot shows me driving in nothingness for most of the trip once I exit the highway. If a nav app needs that much upating, then your confidence in the app drops quite a bit.

Really? Well they say if you notify them of an issue they will update it within 45 days...

 

[DarkSky]

I just got a reply back from CoPilot support - I asked if there was a trial available, and the reply back is no, there is not. Too bad because right now that was the one I was focusing on. Motonav seems 'ok' but it's just very slugglish on my phone with lag between typing, screens, etc.

 

[areguy]

I just got a Samsung i7500 and it has GPS built in

 

[takeshi]

What I meant was, I wasn't sure if, while a GPS program was running, it would accept calls (i just called it the phone being in 'gps mode' )

Sorry about that. All I had to go on was your post.

I just got a reply back from CoPilot support - I asked if there was a trial available, and the reply back is no, there is not.

There's a 24 hour refund period for all apps in the Market. Not a whole lot of time to try it out...