Sorry Gang, Next Dumb Question...

[Camslam]

So I'm trying to figure out how Sprint Navigation compares to Google Navigator and how they both would compare to a Garmin GPS on the upcoming EVO's.

Quick questions:

1. Will we be able to have our choice of GPS on the EVO? Either Sprint Navigation or Google Maps Navigation? Does anybody with an Android phone already, know of good quality apps in the market that are as good or better than Garmin or Google?

2. How accurate is the Google Maps Navigation? Does anybody have experience or opinions on it? (I found one other thread on the forums that discussed it, some said it was very accurate, others had some issues with it. I'm just looking for some more current opinions.)

3. For those that have a Garmin GPS, how does the Google Maps Navigation compare to a Garmin? I love my Garmin, it is accurate, has all kinds of stuff loaded into it, has good trip info, etc... Just wondering if I should get ready to sell it and just use the phone or hold on to it?

Any thoughts or opinions are greatly welcomed. Thanks.

 

[TheBlackPrince]

Well the Droid Incredible has Google Maps Navigation and they're basically the same OS so I bet you'll have a choice between the two.

From what I've seen about Google Maps from friends who have Droids is that it will get you in the general area of what you're looking for. Sometimes you may be a block or two away but it has never made us go to the wrong side of town or anything like that.

 

[skinnyguy]

i'm keeping my garmin. i don't care how good google maps is. i dunno. i feel safer with redundancy. can never have too many backups.

 

[djdisturbed]

i have used sprint nav a few times when my navi radio took a crap and i was waiting on my new one to arrive (i buy online cheeper and self install). it worked ok, but i still like my in dash navi radio(s) better

 

[MyHTCevo]

I've never had a problem with Sprint Navigation and I've heard that Google Navigation is even better. I'm getting this phone so I can ditch my Touch Pro, sony camera, $300 Tom Tom, my Flip Mino HD, and iPod and carry around the Evo.

 

[cooper1010]

i have sprint nav and google maps (not navigation; is that different?) on my pre, and find that i use google more, even though it doesn't do audible turn by turn. you have to toggle between the map and the directions (on the pre, anyway), but it's never steered me wrong.

my wife's in-dash radio/nav is king, though. external gps antenna ftw.

 

[SprintFun]

i have sprint nav and google maps (not navigation; is that different?) on my pre, and find that i use google more, even though it doesn't do audible turn by turn. you have to toggle between the map and the directions (on the pre, anyway), but it's never steered me wrong.

my wife's in-dash radio/nav is king, though. external gps antenna ftw.

Yes..it is different. Google Navigation (not maps) will do audible turn by turn.


I have used the Sprint Navigation on my crappy Instinct and it works pretty good. As good as a dedicated GPS unit? Of course not, but good enough where I would never need to go buy a dedicated GPS unit either.

 

[cooper1010]

cool. just checked it out on youtube. gonna have to get a good, clean, car mount for this phone.

 

[Clock]

1. Will we be able to have our choice of GPS on the EVO? Either Sprint Navigation or Google Maps Navigation? Does anybody with an Android phone already, know of good quality apps in the market that are as good or better than Garmin or Google?

Absolutely you have a choice. Think of your smartphone as basically being a computer that you can install different software on. The only thing that you're locked into is that it has to support the Android operating system, but past that, you can do whatever you want (generally speaking). There are numerous different GPS solutions you can get for android.

I'd go with Google Maps Navigation, personally.

2. How accurate is the Google Maps Navigation? Does anybody have experience or opinions on it? (I found one other thread on the forums that discussed it, some said it was very accurate, others had some issues with it. I'm just looking for some more current opinions.)

That depends almost entirely on the GPS hardware, which is reporting to Google Nav where the phone is. GPS hardware has been refined and polished over the year, so I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Camslam]

Anybody have a direct comparison between Google Navigation or Google Maps and Garmin GPS units?

I suppose I can just wait for the phone to get here and then mess with it, but like most things in life, patience isn't my greatest attribute.

Thanks for the replies so far.

 

[LatinP]

Anybody have a direct comparison between Google Navigation or Google Maps and Garmin GPS units?

I suppose I can just wait for the phone to get here and then mess with it, but like most things in life, patience isn't my greatest attribute.

Thanks for the replies so far.

Expect Garmin to own Google maps in every way. You're comparing an integrated phone gps with a mediocre chip to a dedicated gps which probably even comes with real time traffic updates.

 

[SprintFun]

And the GPS "usually" won't go through a dead spot where it can drop coverage, which has happened to me with phone based GPS devices.

As I said before, the phone is good enough where I wouldn't go and buy a GPS unit, but if you already have a dedicated GPS it probably won't get replaced by the phone.

 

[tokuzumi]

So I'm trying to figure out how Sprint Navigation compares to Google Navigator and how they both would compare to a Garmin GPS on the upcoming EVO's.

Quick questions:

1. Will we be able to have our choice of GPS on the EVO? Either Sprint Navigation or Google Maps Navigation? Does anybody with an Android phone already, know of good quality apps in the market that are as good or better than Garmin or Google?

2. How accurate is the Google Maps Navigation? Does anybody have experience or opinions on it? (I found one other thread on the forums that discussed it, some said it was very accurate, others had some issues with it. I'm just looking for some more current opinions.)

3. For those that have a Garmin GPS, how does the Google Maps Navigation compare to a Garmin? I love my Garmin, it is accurate, has all kinds of stuff loaded into it, has good trip info, etc... Just wondering if I should get ready to sell it and just use the phone or hold on to it?

Any thoughts or opinions are greatly welcomed. Thanks.

1) When I rooted my Hero, with 2.1, I didn't have both on the phone. I'm assuming Sprint will want their navigation to be the primary version, considering they just released a new version of it a few months ago. But, since it's part of Google Maps for Android, I'm assuming you will have the option to use both. Also, it's easier to get directions from the browser using google maps, anyway. The addresses don't transfer very well to the sprint navigation.

2) In the couple of times I've used it, I have had no issues with accuracy. It has led me straight to my destination. It's a little slower to start than I would want, but that may be a limitation of my phone's hardware (HTC Hero)

3) The only downfall of the google navigation is being tied to an internet connection (same with the Sprint navigation). You lose your data connection, you lose your navigation. A stand-alone GPS will not have this issue. So, if you know you travel a lot in places where Sprint doesn't have signal, and you need a GPS, don't throw away your stand-alone unit.

Edit: All GPS units use the exact same satellites, so the directions will be pretty much the same. It's all in the extras (Points of interest, changing voices, screen size, etc) that make the difference between GPS units.

 

[Jordus]

Sprint Nav has been pretty effective on my Pre. It drains the battery hard so its wise to have a car charger for longer trips.

My only real complain with Sprint Nav is that when it redirects me because of traffic, it usually runs me into other traffic lol. That was in Atlanta though, where traffic is unavoidable.

I'm looking forward to Google Nav, though. As I hear it does cool things like shows you a picture of your destination via street view (when available)

 

[dan330]

google nav is better than sprint nav. It has more functions. has real live traffic and soo much more!!! the accuratcy is very good. No issues.

stand alone is more ...stable and you can count on it 100% of the time have you located! It does not care if you have a data connection or not. But this also means it maps can be outdated over time, and not have even close to the amount of data on Points of Interests)

 

[mkampy]

I have 2nd hand info.

That being said...co-worker, that owns a motorola Droid (with 2.1) and a Tom Tom, said the Google performed as well as the Tom Tom. Signal strength was not an issue, so I could not comment on that.

 

[drksilenc]

keep in mind also that if ur using gps and your not on a 4g network it will forward voice calls to vm because you are using your dataconnection for the gps

 

[Camslam]

keep in mind also that if ur using gps and your not on a 4g network it will forward voice calls to vm because you are using your dataconnection for the gps

Any idea if you can switch it so that it pauses your GPS function to allow for calls?

Good to know or be aware of at least. Thanks.

 

[dgeezer]

keep in mind also that if ur using gps and your not on a 4g network it will forward voice calls to vm because you are using your dataconnection for the gps

What? Surely this is not the case with Android phones?????

My Pre notifies me of an incoming call no matter what app I'm using. Surely android does the same thing.

Maybe I need to stay with the Pre.....

 

[drksilenc]

i dont get that many calls on my phone its mainly for email that i have a smartphone but ill have to test

 

[tokuzumi]

If the Evo is like the Hero, when you are using data/gps, and you get a call, the call drops the data connection, and will resume when you hang up the call, or ignore the call. Same with text messages. When they come in, the 1X connection kicks in, and then goes back to EV after downloading the message.

 

[carmendiva]

what the poster above says

but I love google navigation.

In my Tahoe i have a built in gps
and google nav works perfectly
i never have had a problem(however this is on 2.1)

google maps on 1.5 is horrible however

 

[LatinP]

It's the same for every phone since the beginning of time, the caller always has priority over any app you may be running. It will take the call then when you're done you can go back and resume whatever you were doing, why on earth would any app have priority over a phone call? After all contrary to popular belief this is a cell PHONE.

 

[MajorHavoc]

I've been using Sprint Navigation on my Palm Pre for the last year and love it!
Other than draining the battery quickly, it's been spot on. ...even avoiding traffic.
My Garmin Nuvi has not been out of the glove box since I got the Pre!!

Can't wait for the EVO!!!

 

[drexappeal]

I can't really comment on Google Nav, but people have mentioned that it's really good. I use Sprint Navigation pretty often. As big as L.A. is, there's always someplace I'm going that I've never been to before. The only complaint I have about Sprint Navigation (at least on my Touch Pro) is that the phone doesn't charge while I'm using Sprint Navigation, so if I have it plugged in and I'm using Sprint Navigation, by the time I get to the destination, my phone battery will be really low percentage (somewhere in the 30% range). Hopefully, I won't have to worry about that with the EVO, but it's definitely a problem with my Touch Pro.