Help Samsumg S3 Navigation

[wabbitt1970]

I've had my S3 for about a week now and loving virtually everything about it since upgrading from my HTC Desire.

However, I've been using the Google Navigation and three times now the navigation has had two problems.

1) Twice the screen just went blank. This was after it went from portrait to landscape, and then I put it back to portrait again.
2) Just today the whole navigation just stopped and flickered. I was driving along and the location just didn't update and it seemed like it was ever so slightly flickering.

Both faults were fixed by restarting the Navigation app. However, this isn't great to do whilst you are driving.

Has anyone else experienced this and have any potential fixes, apart from resetting the phone?

 

[matttye]

Go to Menu > Settings> Application Manager > Maps > clear cache and data.

Might not work but it wouldn't hurt to try!

 

[itspunkbro]

I had this issue yesterday too, did it twice in a row and I gave up. I didn't make it go from landscape to portrait at all though. I started maps, chose to navigate to the destination and the map froze once route guidance came up. It first just froze the map portion, app tray was fine and when I tried to move the map the blue arrow popped up that one would normally use for returning to their location but nothing actually moved.

Second time it just went black :/

I'll try to clear the cache today when I'm walking around and will let you folks know if it works

 

[wabbitt1970]

Thanks for the suggestion. I've cleared the cache too and will try this again tonight and report back over the weekend.

I'm relieved it's not just my phone doing this. Let's hope this fixes it. If not, I'll wait for a map update to come out.

 

[rkkeller]

Try the other navigation app. I have Sprint and there is Telenav installed.

 

[wabbitt1970]

Well after a couple of weeks, the Navigation software still decides to randomly hang and the screen just 'jitters'. The voice guidance still works in the background. I have to exit navigation and then come back in to the app and re-type my destination.

I think I may have to get another navigation app as it's pretty dangerous fiddling with the sat-nav whilst driving.

 

[BigCiX]

The reason for your screen going blank is because you have it it to conserve power. U need to unchecked the dim screen option. While in navigation mode hit the menu button on the screen, then more followed by setting. Next unchecked screen dim so your screen will stop going blank.

 

[wabbitt1970]

The reason for your screen going blank is because you have it it to conserve power. U need to unchecked the dim screen option. While in navigation mode hit the menu button on the screen, then more followed by setting. Next unchecked screen dim so your screen will stop going blank.

Nope, it's not the power saving option. I always have that turned off anyway.

It hangs completely sometimes, and other times the screen doesn't update properly. The screen freezes and sometimes it flicks backwards and forwards between two very slightly different screens. It's definitely a bug on Google Navigation.

 

[nseriessaga]

Thanks for the suggestion. I've cleared the cache too and will try this again tonight and report back over the weekend.

I'm relieved it's not just my phone doing this. Let's hope this fixes it. If not, I'll wait for a map update to come out.

Its definitely google maps navi app with the issue. I get the same issue when i use the "satelite" view under layers in settings. Not ALWAYS, but randomly happens when i try to do some things while the navi is running. When im using it in standard mode, i never have any issues.

 

[kt840]

I also had the same issues with my two SGS3's. I preordered the white for my daughter and blue for me. My daughters' GS3 started having problems with Google Maps/Navigation first time use. The problems ranged from blank/black screen, off center orientation, freezing up while on route, telling her to turn when she was on a straight away road, and taking a really long time to find satellites. After about 2 weeks of changing power settings, pulling the battery, and 3 full resets, it still didn't work correctly. We have Verizon and took it back into the store for help. The first time, they changed the sim card. We thought that was te silver bullet. It worked once...after that, it started messing up again. Before returning the phone, we tried other Nav apps like TeleNav. This app couldn't eve find the GPS signal. I returned her phone to Verizon and they replaced it. Currently, her new phone is working fine, but now my navigation is having problems. Just got done with a 3 hour trip using Google Maps/Nav. My screen went blank/black and had to restart. It worked for about 45 min then I got an error saying the program stopped. I've used Nav again today with no problems, but I'm not sure how long it will last. I really like my GS3, but my HTC Dinc 2 only had one Nav issue in two years that I had that phone. It always found the satellite within seconds of turning it on and it was always accurate within 10-20 feet. I had a Samsung S2...started off as a great phone until about 4 months. It too had quirky issues and got totally messed up when Froyo launched. I really hope Samsung addresses this issue...so far, there's not any information that has fixed this problem. I'm pretty savvy when it comes to fixing smartphone issues, but I'm at a loss on this one.

 

[jrinco11]

ah, I've been experiencing this as well (international galaxy s3 in the UK) - I'll be using it and suddenly the map will either 1) freeze, but audio prompts will still occur 2) the map will jitter as though I'm moving up and down very fast, or 3) the map screen will turn black (though the menu/notifications menu is still visible and the "rest of the phone" works fine). After force closing and restarting, I still run into these issues. Any thoughts? (strangely enough, my friend was with me one time as well with a galaxy s2 and he started to get the same jittering issue as well - first time he had ever seen it)

 

[NJRonbo]

Just got my Samsung S3 this past week.

I am going on vacation in California in about a month and am considering as to whether I should buy a Garmin unit or use my Galaxy as a GPS unit.

So far, from reading remarks in this thread, it doesn't seem like the Galaxy is the best bet if using the free Google service.

I may look into an app like Sygic.

My questions are these....

1. Does Samsung GS3 use cell phone towers for guidance or GPS satellites? The latter would be the better as I don't risk losing guidance when there is no cell tower signal.

2. Has anyone found a free or paid app that works better than the Google map guidance?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Easilyamused]

Nav uses GPS.

Just got back from a 3 day trip. Google Navigation never had a hiccup for me.

Did have an error tho. Spoke in Google Voice, "Find the nearest Fry's Electronics" and it did its search, found it, automatically started Nav, then off we went. Rather cool actually... but at the end of the 30 mile trip, Nav said "Destination reached", and Fry's was nowhere to be seen...

Shut down Nav and opened Google Maps. It had Fry's on the map - several blocks away from where Nav had sent us (even though the address was correct). Weird...

Was the only error it had durning the trip, however.

 

[NJRonbo]

So, actually, it's better the phone uses GPS...correct?

Which navigation is better to use? The Navigation app (with blue arrow/cursor) or Maps?

Would also love to know if anyone has experience with Sygic.

 

[Easilyamused]

So, actually, it's better the phone uses GPS...correct?

Which navigation is better to use? The Navigation app (with blue arrow/cursor) or Maps?

Would also love to know if anyone has experience with Sygic.

Yes, with GPS off it's general location (triangulates from cell towers I believe), with GPS on it's street level accuracy within a few meters.

Maps doesn't use Nav per se. It will show your current location relative to everything else. Click on "directions" and it will load Nav, which is more like a layer on top of Maps, if that makes any sense

 

[Hogan773]

I just used it for a trip this past weekend and it worked like a champ. Amazing app, actually. I love the ability to zoom into and out of traffic overview mode vs. follow-me driving, etc. Never had a problem. The traffic is pretty spot-on too.

 

[NJRonbo]

Okay, so if I understand this correctly...

Go to Maps -> Directions -> that loads NAV

 

[ishkabibble]

I've had the same problems, but don't see any solutions in here. Specific questions:
1. Is it settled what's causing the map to go black or freeze?
2. Is there a better app (hopefully one that stores maps locally) to navigate by?
BTW, I had it go blank yesterday driving to Boston. I re-started my phone and re-mapped. Had no more problems the rest of the day, but I agree with the above poster that that's not smart to do while driving.

I've also found another strange issue. When I'm not navigating, just looking at the map with GPS on, the arrow seems to be pointing slightly wrong. I know there's no built-in compass, so it needs to have motion to know which direction it's traveling. I've been driving down the street and the arrow is telling me I'm driving sideways down the street.

 

[Stuntman]

1. Is it settled what's causing the map to go black or freeze?

I haven't used Google Maps much since early this year. When I did I have not experiencing black or freezing.

2. Is there a better app (hopefully one that stores maps locally) to navigate by?

I recommend you give Waze a try. I switched to Waze earlier in the year and I prefer it over Google Maps. Waze does not store maps on your phone, though.

Other ones I have tried are NavFree and MapFactor Navigator. Both of these apps store maps locally. NavFree is not as good as Waze or Google Maps. For a free app that you can use without a data plan, it is adequate. I only tried MapFactor briefly and did not really test out the driving navigation, so I don't know how good it is.

 

[deandec44]

Just got my Samsung S3 this past week.

I am going on vacation in California in about a month and am considering as to whether I should buy a Garmin unit or use my Galaxy as a GPS unit.


I may look into an app like Sygic.


Thank you in advance.

I have use Sygic on our S-3 phones and our tablet for over two years.

I have owned Garmin GPS units. I did purchase a 2595 model but returned it when we bought the S3 Phones. The phones are now our only GPS in motorhome and cars.

Sygic does not require a broadband connection while traveling because you have downloaded the maps of the area in which you want navigation instructions to your phone.

So it saves your data bundle but does take up space on your phone storage. I currently have Oregon, California, Arizona, and Nevada on our phones because that is where we are traveling. Once you buy the North America maps, you can download and also remove the states you desire.

Updates to the maps are fairly frequent. I believe Sygic uses Tom-Tom maps.