Sorry if this info has been posted before, but I couldn't find it.
As many of you probably already realize, Google (with Verizon guidance?) has altered the latest OS to eliminate the capability of easily accessing/transferring files in/out of your phone, when connected to your computer via USB. I believe this is to "force" people to use/pay for their Backup Assistant service. And even then, it won't allow transfer of files outside of certain std file formats. These formats are pictures, video, and document formats, such as .doc and .pdf.
I am a mountain biker and wanted to use my phone as a better GPS receiver, to not only track my own rides (this is easy now), but also download new tracks, recorded by others, to use as guidance for my own ride of the same place. So my interest is in .gpx and .kml files.
Not only does Verizon not make this easy, but they won't let this happen over their network. So after lots of research, I finally realized this is quite easy.
Here's the steps:
1. Create a wifi connection with your phone to the internet. This gets you off of the phone network, and their restrictions. This is pretty easy for most phones, so I won't elaborate.
2. Upload your files to an FTP server. I struggled to setup up my own FTP LAN system, but that got too complicated for a novice. The easy way is to use a commercial FTP service. I already use YouSendIt.com, so that is what I used.
So find your .gpx or .kml file from the various sites that have them, such as singletracks.com, mapmyride.com, or mapmyhike.com. (You have to be registered or a paying member to download the files) Then upload the files to the FTP server, and "send it" via email to yourself. Open the email in your phone. The email will have a "download" button icon, or method to download the file. So download it to your phone. The OS will popup and say that you have no apps that will read the file, when in fact you probably do already. Google Earth, and Backcountry Navigator, which I use, can open the files. So go ahead, and hit the "download" button and viola, you have the files in your "download" directory on your phone.
Then open your app, and import/load the file into the software. This process will vary from app to app. You will see the .gpx file now placed properly on your map.
And enjoy your new GPS full-featured GPS receiver. (Too bad Garmin)
Gregval14
As many of you probably already realize, Google (with Verizon guidance?) has altered the latest OS to eliminate the capability of easily accessing/transferring files in/out of your phone, when connected to your computer via USB. I believe this is to "force" people to use/pay for their Backup Assistant service. And even then, it won't allow transfer of files outside of certain std file formats. These formats are pictures, video, and document formats, such as .doc and .pdf.
I am a mountain biker and wanted to use my phone as a better GPS receiver, to not only track my own rides (this is easy now), but also download new tracks, recorded by others, to use as guidance for my own ride of the same place. So my interest is in .gpx and .kml files.
Not only does Verizon not make this easy, but they won't let this happen over their network. So after lots of research, I finally realized this is quite easy.
Here's the steps:
1. Create a wifi connection with your phone to the internet. This gets you off of the phone network, and their restrictions. This is pretty easy for most phones, so I won't elaborate.
2. Upload your files to an FTP server. I struggled to setup up my own FTP LAN system, but that got too complicated for a novice. The easy way is to use a commercial FTP service. I already use YouSendIt.com, so that is what I used.
So find your .gpx or .kml file from the various sites that have them, such as singletracks.com, mapmyride.com, or mapmyhike.com. (You have to be registered or a paying member to download the files) Then upload the files to the FTP server, and "send it" via email to yourself. Open the email in your phone. The email will have a "download" button icon, or method to download the file. So download it to your phone. The OS will popup and say that you have no apps that will read the file, when in fact you probably do already. Google Earth, and Backcountry Navigator, which I use, can open the files. So go ahead, and hit the "download" button and viola, you have the files in your "download" directory on your phone.
Then open your app, and import/load the file into the software. This process will vary from app to app. You will see the .gpx file now placed properly on your map.
And enjoy your new GPS full-featured GPS receiver. (Too bad Garmin)
Gregval14
