HTC Desire Google maps/navigation

[biscuitlad]

The screen doesn't say which exit to take. If I need to 5th exit for example, and I don't hear the voice say it, I can't look at the map to see which way I'm coming of the roundabout whilst negotiating said roundabout. Unless I'm missing something obvious!

I thought the screen does show which exit you leave from? Seemed to on mine (blue line following the road?). I'll have to test it again.

 

[biscuitlad]

How are you planning on fixing it to your bike?

That's my point. It'll be sitting in my pocket - I'll be listening to the instructions!

 

[jred7469]

I thought the screen does show which exit you leave from? Seemed to on mine (blue line following the road?). I'll have to test it again.

Yeah me too on that one, whenever you approach a junction/roundabout the camera angle increases to almost a birds eye view when you are making the turn and you can just follow the line...

 

[Its_Red]

How are you planning on fixing it to your bike?

Surely a cradle and some gaffa tape is the way to go...

 

[HYCAET]

Yeah me too on that one, whenever you approach a junction/roundabout the camera angle increases to almost a birds eye view when you are making the turn and you can just follow the line...

I'll have another look at it. I was using the Satelite view layer mostly, so will try it without and see what occurs.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm wrong about this, it'll save me paying for a Garmin update.

 

[Anthony1]

I've used the Google navigation a fair bit over ther last few weeks. It's Ok but I often wish I had my tomtom back.

Apart from the annoying voice, it doesn't give me the option of what route to take (fastest, most direct, etc) It doesn't seem to know about toll roads and won't warn me about them like my tomtom did....on my last trip it just sent me straight through the Dartford toll bridge without any warning or indication

It quite often seems to take a bit more of a scenic route than I'd expect, and a couple of times it's actually sent me in circles, and as HYCAET says it's not too great on roundabouts....It shows you what exit to take on the main screen, but the little roundabout icon at the top left is always the same no matter what exit you're coming off. In fact, unlike a tomtom, the turn icons in the top left don't appear to be very usefull at all.

It's a great feature considering that it's a free phone app, but if I'd paid any kind of money for this I'd be pretty disappointed to be honest.

 

[sandozer]

I did a 560 mile round trip over the weekend, the end point was totally unknown to me so my reliance pretty absolute. It went well going from Dunfermline to just south of Wetherby, (destination S****horpe). I then went on the M62 and the setup froze with a nice "data connection lost" message. It showed no sign of relinking to the network.
At that point I was thankful I had my trusty Nokia N95 running in the background (Tom Tom) and had to say it saved the day. I had a similar problem when driving north of Perth, on leaving the A9. Similar message to the above.

In short, dont put your faith in it if going somewhere new and you dont know the route. If maps could be downloaded it would be a 5 Star application, as it is I would only give it 3.

 

[MH75]

I doubt it....

The official HTC car dock that allows this isn't out till the 5th of July


HTC: Accessory store: Pocket PC Vehicle Kits: HTC Desire Car Upgrade Kit CU S420: Description

 

[biscuitlad]

 

[Adebisi]

What do you all think of copilot live 8?

 

[DesireMe]

I've used the Google navigation a fair bit over ther last few weeks. It's Ok but I often wish I had my tomtom back.

Apart from the annoying voice, it doesn't give me the option of what route to take (fastest, most direct, etc) It doesn't seem to know about toll roads and won't warn me about them like my tomtom did....on my last trip it just sent me straight through the Dartford toll bridge without any warning or indication

There is routing information where you can set it to avoid toll roads.

 

[DesireMe]

 

[ifb-online]

I think I'm against the popular flow here (sorry) - I think Google Maps Navigation has huge potential, but I miss a lot of features from TomTom on my old Windows phone:

Lane guidance
POIs (especially speed cameras)
Jane (the excellent TomTom UK female voice)
Journey planning options
No problems if you go off the route and there is no mobile data coverage
The TomTom 3D view is better
Etc.

But I do love the mapping system in general on Google Maps. I wonder if Google will follow Nokia's example and let users download larger chunks of map permanently or even the whole country?

Ian

 

[paulcooper]

Absolutely agree ifb-online - well pointed out!
I think they will catch up soon;-)

 

[biscuitlad]

I think I'm against the popular flow here (sorry) - I think Google Maps Navigation has huge potential, but I miss a lot of features from TomTom on my old Windows phone:

Ian

Yeah, but one thing you won't miss is the price.

 

[jred7469]

Really dumb question here!

When i first downloaded the google maps pack you had the option to add shortcuts to your homescreen which automatically navigated to a set destination and you could give it a logo of your choice.

The existing ones I did are still there but I cannot for the life of me work out how to add any more i've completely forgotten!

Any help on this would be appreciated!

 

[CarsnGadgets]

Navigon do a very good gps app for iPhone, I have it on my old phone, its almost perfect in my opinion.

they also do an android one (but havent tried it yet) that stores maps on your sd card, think its

 

[carbonara]

So, is the "Navi Panel" software already in the phone then or does it come on a disc with the official car dock. The Desire has no car dock sensors on it so how does the device know that it's in a dock?

Google Maps Navigation comes with a car dock mode but this isn't available on the desire for that reason I thought?

 

[riverboat2001]

Caching the directions is not the same thing. If I think I know where I'm going and am therefore not using navigation, but subsequently go wrong and get lost where there is no mobile signal I'm stuck.

When I say no mobile signal, I mean no signal *at all*. There is no 3g where I live, the only internet connection I can get on my phone is GPRS, and there are areas where even that doesn't work. For example in Caldbeck I can't even *ring* people, much less get a data connection.

For Google Navigation to be a viable option for me I'd have to be able to pre-load the maps onto my phone, until then I'll be keeping the TomTom. It may not be a problem in or around cities, but out in the sticks depending on a data connection just doesn't cut it.

Yep, me too, i do miss that option to "install" and "manage" the maps that i had with Nokia.
Also, i totally agree with other comments on here about lack of routing choices, overlays for speed cameras and the like.
Lastly it really does pick the oddest route sometimes, very scenic.

 

[ifb-online]

So, is the "Navi Panel" software already in the phone then or does it come on a disc with the official car dock. The Desire has no car dock sensors on it so how does the device know that it's in a dock?

Google Maps Navigation comes with a car dock mode but this isn't available on the desire for that reason I thought?

HTC has released details of a smart dock. It connects to the USB port. It won't be available for a few months yet though.

Ian

 

[ifb-online]

Yeah, but one thing you won't miss is the price.

Unless you have a small allowance mobile data plan!

Luckily, I have 3GB and T-Mobile won't charge if I exceed that, just throttle my rate.

Ian

 

[Niir]

yay for t-mobile and android! =D

 

[Hilly_2010]

Just a quick note to say that I drove to Manchester and back yesterday using google navigation and it didn't skip a beat.

144 miles in total equated to something like an extra 8MB to my data plan - very happy. It's far from the completed article (needs POI information e.g. Speed Cameras) but for something that's currently still in beta to perform like it did yesterday was amazing.

Power wise, it held up well alongside my new in car charger (I had to replace the one I bought originally as it wasn't charging the phone quick enough) that I bought off ebay thanks to a thread elsewhere on this forum.

 

[kwanman7]

I doubt it....

The official HTC car dock that allows this isn't out till the 5th of July


HTC: Accessory store: Pocket PC Vehicle Kits: HTC Desire Car Upgrade Kit CU S420: Description

65quid?!?!?! :O :O

 

[no fit state]

This just got me out of trouble when I had to take a different route in London today. Nice one Google!