Google Nav rocks, but ...

[DrDude]

Having tried VZW Nav on the Storm and Google Nav on the Pre (along with the factory installed system on one of our cars), Google Nav on the Droid is unparalled (sell your stock in stand-alone GPS makers). VZW Nav on the Storm is clunky (and costly). Google Nav on Pre is free, but the speaker on the Pre is pretty much useless. Speaker on Droid is exceptional (but synthesixed voice needs more options).

HOWEVER, unless you shut down the Nav app, it will continue to give you updates even when the phone is set to Silent. Learned this the hard way last night at a solo guitar concert, when midway thru a song my phone announced, "You are 600 feet from your destination."

I've since downloaded the TasKiller app.

 

[OctoMom]

I've noticed that it keeps running and that annoyed me but it didn't give me any more directions (I didn't move far until I shut it down with task killer). That does suck IMO.

What I think will be awesome is that I'm sure Google will eventually add traffic fo Google Maps and therefore to your Nav app.

 

[Droidian]

if you hit the menu button after arriving there is an option to end navigation and it will stop updating.

 

[DrDude]

I've noticed that it keeps running and that annoyed me but it didn't give me any more directions (I didn't move far until I shut it down with task killer). That does suck IMO.

What I think will be awesome is that I'm sure Google will eventually add traffic fo Google Maps and therefore to your Nav app.

It's already there. Once you've activated "Navigate" in "Maps", go to the menu, select "Layers", then "Traffic".

 

[kmfdmk]

The other reason to NOT get rid of your Standalone GPS Nav Units is this....

NO WAY TO ADD FAVORITES. I just spent about 45 minutes converting all my TomTom favorites into POI's, then exporting the POI file to my desktop, then using GPS Visualizer to convert it into a human readable text format with Lat & Lon... and I've yet to figure out a way to add GPS Favorites into the Droid/Google Maps.

I have been in love with how slick the entire interface has been (seeing as this is my first smart phone) However I think it's pretty asinine that the next step is to input all those LAT & LON coordinates into Google Maps, extract a Street Address if one exists, and THEN create a contact with that street address.

MAJOR Pain in My Ass.


That and in the last 12 hours my "Voice Guidance" has become posessed and decided to switch to announcing turns out of the handset speaker, instead of speakerphone. Haven't found a way to switch it back either.

 

[bluenik25]

That and in the last 12 hours my "Voice Guidance" has become posessed and decided to switch to announcing turns out of the handset speaker, instead of speakerphone. Haven't found a way to switch it back either.

Mine just did the same had to reboot to fix it.

 

[kmfdmk]

Resetting seems to have fixed it for me. No battery pull necessary.

 

[Fronc]

The other reason to NOT get rid of your Standalone GPS Nav Units is this....

NO WAY TO ADD FAVORITES. I just spent about 45 minutes converting all my TomTom favorites into POI's, then exporting the POI file to my desktop, then using GPS Visualizer to convert it into a human readable text format with Lat & Lon... and I've yet to figure out a way to add GPS Favorites into the Droid/Google Maps.

I have been in love with how slick the entire interface has been (seeing as this is my first smart phone) However I think it's pretty asinine that the next step is to input all those LAT & LON coordinates into Google Maps, extract a Street Address if one exists, and THEN create a contact with that street address.

MAJOR Pain in My Ass.

True. Bookmarks would be ideal. However you can save addresses in your contacts list for now, and go to your maps application --> Menu --> Get Directions and tap the "Bookmarks" button on the right of your End Point. You can then navigate to contacts rather quickly.

That and in the last 12 hours my "Voice Guidance" has become posessed and decided to switch to announcing turns out of the handset speaker, instead of speakerphone. Haven't found a way to switch it back either.

Last night my GPS was stuck in the ON position. A reboot fixed it right quick. I'm very impressed with the Droid, so far, and bugs like this are to be expected. But the beauty of this thing is that updates are already being worked on by Google pro's. Have faith, and be thankful you don't have to wait 2 months for a HARDSPL just to get your phone to function properly (see CDMA Touch Pro 2 for some insight)

 

[rjoudrey]

Nav app is one of the few that have an exit in the menu you have to use it or it keeps on navigating.

 

[darrinaltman]

Its beta so I'm sure over time more options will be added. One thing I really love about it is the speaker on the Droid - It is so good! Best of any recent phone I have had. (iPhone 3GS, Pre, Sprint Hero)

Used the Nav today to go somewhere I had not been to before, had my kids in the car with their Mickey Mouse CD playing, driving on freeway and my battery was low so I shut off the screen and I arrived at my location easily just following the voice prompts. I am so satisfied with this phone.

 

[kmfdmk]

True. Bookmarks would be ideal. However you can save addresses in your contacts list for now, and go to your maps application --> Menu --> Get Directions and tap the "Bookmarks" button on the right of your End Point. You can then navigate to contacts rather quickly.

I am aware of that workaround however a large number of my "Favorites" from my GPS aren't Streets, and I don't like the idea of having to Use Google maps on a laptop to import LAT & LON just to get a street address then create a shell contact just to have a favorite for the GPS that I can nav to.

I know I can press and hold an empty location on the 3 home screens, and Add a Shortcut, with a "Directions" as well, but it seems so clunky, esp that I have many favorites (like 60+). I'm a contractor and never in one spot long so this being being seamless and painless would be great.

 

[ohvzwguy]

The other reason to NOT get rid of your Standalone GPS Nav Units is this....

NO WAY TO ADD FAVORITES. I just spent about 45 minutes converting all my TomTom favorites into POI's, then exporting the POI file to my desktop, then using GPS Visualizer to convert it into a human readable text format with Lat & Lon... and I've yet to figure out a way to add GPS Favorites into the Droid/Google Maps.

I have been in love with how slick the entire interface has been (seeing as this is my first smart phone) However I think it's pretty asinine that the next step is to input all those LAT & LON coordinates into Google Maps, extract a Street Address if one exists, and THEN create a contact with that street address.

MAJOR Pain in My Ass.


That and in the last 12 hours my "Voice Guidance" has become posessed and decided to switch to announcing turns out of the handset speaker, instead of speakerphone. Haven't found a way to switch it back either.

Is there no options under the layers options. I thought google was adding "my maps" to "layers" for this exact reason. you could get your favorites on a BB with google maps... It has to be there.

 

[kmfdmk]

Is there no options under the layers options. I thought google was adding "my maps" to "layers" for this exact reason. you could get your favorites on a BB with google maps... It has to be there.

Yeah I remember seeing the "My Maps" under the options for the "Layers" option. I have never seen "My Maps" prior to today, but just googled it, and am looking at it now. I may have to end up creating multiple points on a "My Maps" account/layer and browsing/selecting from there. Still clunky not sure if I'd be able to view from a list and select one, or if I'd have to pan & zoom a map to select where I want to nav to.

 

[Fronc]

I am aware of that workaround however a large number of my "Favorites" from my GPS aren't Streets, and I don't like the idea of having to Use Google maps on a laptop to import LAT & LON just to get a street address then create a shell contact just to have a favorite for the GPS that I can nav to.

I know I can press and hold an empty location on the 3 home screens, and Add a Shortcut, with a "Directions" as well, but it seems so clunky, esp that I have many favorites (like 60+). I'm a contractor and never in one spot long so this being being seamless and painless would be great.

Yeah, I can definitely see how that would not be terribly convenient for you. I am CERTAIN they will include saved destinations in future updates. And since this is an app, rather than an OS update, it may be here sooner rather than later. I suggest finding a thread in the google development channels, and see if you can raise the issue with enough people. If you find a proper venue to post this suggestion, please let us know. I'd be in support of this as well.

 

[kmfdmk]

I've found a workaround.

1.) In your GPS add your favorites to a custom POI Category (mine was called "Favorites")
2.) Now download the custom POI Category file from your GPS (With my TomTom it was Favorites.ov2)
3.) Now go to GPS Visualizer's Babel utility (GPS Visualizer: Web interface to GPSBabel)
4.) Select the proper input file type (in my case it was TomTom POI File (.OV2))
5.) Select the proper output file type (Google Earth Keyhole Markup Language)
6.) Select the file that contains your POI's (that contains your Favorites)
7.) Click Convert
8.) Right-Click Save File As, to your computer and save that file (I created a folder in my Desktop called TomTom to contain the original OV2, a converted human readable TXT File w/ LAT & LON, AND the KML Google file)
9.) Go to Google Maps and click on "My Maps" in the upper left hand region. (Google Maps)
10.) Create a Title and Description for your My Maps (I simply called mine Favorites, and put Rusty's Favorites). I also made sure that mine was UNLISTED, as I took the time to make sure that my locations had embedded/attached phone number data.
11.) Click the Import near the upper left region just below My Maps. It will prompt you for the location of your KML, KMZ, or GeoRSS file. In our case we have a KML file, so source the file that you previously saved onto your Desktop and click upload.
12.) Go to the Maps on your Droid, then hit the Settings/Options button, pull up Layers, More Layers, My Maps, and browse your Favorites...

Roundabout for sure, but looks like it's worked for now for me.

Feel free to bump as necessary, or copy and paste elsewhere.

 

[Dazureus]

I'm on the fence about replacing my standalone GPS nav. The things I miss most from Google Nav so far is favorites and a specific "Go home" button. Night time driving mode where the background changes from a white to dark blue. More precise direction changing distances (smallest voice increment I've heard is a quarter mile). Lane assistance would also be nice. It's one of those luxuries that make driving in unknown areas much easier.

 

[westside]

I got a call while nav'ing...it doesn't mute when you get a call and the person on the other end can here the directions...wth?