Postponed Purchases

Quote: Mosca

OK, I googled it. You can store the maps on your SD card, and use the free app OruxMaps to use them without cellular service. The phone comes with a 16G card, but you can replace it with up to 64G.

This is the case with most GPS map software for phones. I've never tried googles simply because I have an iphone and it isn't on there. All others I have tried(5 on various friends phones) have all worked as a map when you had no cell service. I still think the screen size is awful for this, but it works as long as you aren't struggling to view the map while driving.

A poster above mentioned they just set it down and let the voice guide them. My only issue with this is I like knowing how far my next turn is. 2 miles, 10 miles, 100 miles or 500ft. Most of them give warnings a mile or so out. Which is fine, I'm just used to being able to look over at my garmin and see I've got 13 miles to go.

Quote: Mosca

OK, I googled it. You can store the maps on your SD card, and use the free app OruxMaps to use them without cellular service. The phone comes with a 16G card, but you can replace it with up to 64G.

Yes, the CDMA networks are pretty extensive in the USA, but they do have dead spots. If I wind up off the Sprint network, I can roam on the Verizon network for free, but I don't necessarily have all of my services, such as automatic voicemail notifications. It is not exactly "rare" that I can't find any network at all.

As for off-network navigation with your Android system, here's my interpretation: If you know that you are going to need a map while you are off-network, you can download it while you are still on the network and store it on your SD card. Perhaps you can direct the GoogleMaps routing software to use the stored map rather than freak out about not finding a network connection. If I am reading the OruxMaps web site correctly, in order to use OruxMaps while you are off-network, apparently you have to "calibrate" each map in order to use it.

Did I get that right? I am still skeptical that you are likely to get all of the maps downloaded and carry them around on your phone, even if you had the storage capacity. If you are off-network and need directions and didn't happen to have downloaded that particular map before hands, I suspect you are just SOL. Or is there some factor I am overlooking?

I don't think you have to calibrate the map, I think you just have to convert it to Orux format. It didn't look hard, it looked like a "click on the map to convert" deal. My interpretation is that there will never be a time that a user would actually need all the maps, or at least, that assumption would cover enough of the prospective users enough of the time so that it would be accurate. Most people won't need Jakarta, Berlin, Nairobi, and Green Bay all at the same time. Maybe one guy would, in all of history. But if you did need all the maps, what's a 64G SD card cost? I would think that the world would fit on that. Brittanica fit onto a couple 700mb CD-ROMs, after all. The US street data fits onto a CD-ROM. So does Europe. I would imagine that is more than half the street data on the planet. If all the world didn't fit onto one 64G card, it would fit onto some finite and affordable number under 10.

In the end, I think that if you had an Android phone and needed that capability, it wouldn't be hard to figure out how to get it. I linked the first thing that came up on Google, but there were thousands more. At least a dozen would be relevant, I'd think. And if it's not there now, it will be soon. It's not a phone, it's a pocket computer that makes phone calls. If you need maps on it, you can put them there.

edit: I thought more about what you're asking, and I think I understand better. We're looking at it from different perspectives. I'm thinking that I'm always going to know where I'm going, so I can get my general data ahead of time and access the details later. You're thinking, what if you're lost and need to use the phone, and have no coverage? My answer is that I don't think I'd ever be that lost. But who knows? I do keep a Rand McNally Atlas in the car at all times anyhow.

Some googling shows that hunters and fishermen download maps and convert them to Orux, sticking to places they know they'll be.

All in all, I believe that we're at the dawn of the functionality of these devices; as they mature, the uses and capabilities will change and expand. If maps on the device becomes an important feature, they will get them; or, the network will expand to ensure that that capability is unnecessary.

Quote: Mosca

All in all, I believe that we're at the dawn of the functionality of these devices.

I bought a hand-held GPS before they came out for cars; it was for outdoorsmen, boaters, and such. Cost me about $200 about a dozen or more years ago . It took forever to locate where you were, maybe 15 minutes or so. Once it did, it had built in inaccuracy they talked about [at that time there was apparently some idea that it was best that they not be too accurate]. Nonetheless, while in the outdoors, I found I became much more bold about where I might go, no longer limited to dead reckoning in strange areas taking compass readings all the time. Back then I had to find an open area, wouldn't work in the trees, now the one I have has high sensitivity and works in "canopy" as they say. But neither the old one or the new one is much useful for driving.

I was surprised when they came out with them for cars, as I didnt realize the sensitivity of affordable receivers would improve so much. I'm also surprised the costs can be reasonable and that people seem to even like the inexpensive ones for autos.

edited

Quote: odiousgambit

Once it did, it had built in inaccuracy they talked about [at that time there was apparently some idea that it was best that they not be too accurate].

As I recall, it was a Defense Department thing. The GPS satellites do belong to the Pentagon. I think the satellites sent two signals. One encrypted for military use and a very precise location, one unencrypted for civilian use and limited accuracy. For some reason thsi was dropped. had it been dropped earlier, you'd ahve seen GPS used in cars earlier.

Quote: Nareed

Quote: odiousgambit

Once it did, it had built in inaccuracy they talked about [at that time there was apparently some idea that it was best that they not be too accurate].

As I recall, it was a Defense Department thing. The GPS satellites do belong to the Pentagon. I think the satellites sent two signals. One encrypted for military use and a very precise location, one unencrypted for civilian use and limited accuracy. For some reason thsi was dropped. had it been dropped earlier, you'd ahve seen GPS used in cars earlier.

I suspect the thinking was, "Why should we let potential enemies guide their weapons right to the target using our satellites?" There is probably a mechanism in place that the high-accuracy feature could be disabled for non-approved devices, should the need actually arise. Until then, we all use the good signals.

>modern wide-screen high def TV
Most of today's shows are simply awful so "wide screen" and "high def" are meaningless slogans. Turn it off, read a book! Beverly Hillbillies in high def? Newscast about latest escapade of some club hopping starlet getting bust in High Def? Its utter garbage in Low Def, it ain't gonna get no better in High Def.
>GPS for the car
You going to be one of those statistics we read about? He drove off a cliff because that tiny woman who lives in his GPS told him to turn left. You want to know the exact latitude and longitude of the traffic jam you are stuck in?
>DVR for the TV
Do DVRs make the shows better or just the commercials less annoying?
>buit-in satellite radio, home and car
Do you actually listen to it ever?

I spent $2400 today, but it was needed - got the house painted. Will be spending another $4500 on new windows in a week. I'm in that place now where a lot of my needs/desires are related to improving the house. But the wife will need a new car in a year or two also. Probably not going to buy a lot of new 'toys' for the foreseeable future. (Unless the wife ever gets a new job.)

Quote: FleaStiff

>modern wide-screen high def TV
Most of today's shows are simply awful so "wide screen" and "high def" are meaningless slogans. Turn it off, read a book! Beverly Hillbillies in high def? Newscast about latest escapade of some club hopping starlet getting bust in High Def? Its utter garbage in Low Def, it ain't gonna get no better in High Def.
>GPS for the car
You going to be one of those statistics we read about? He drove off a cliff because that tiny woman who lives in his GPS told him to turn left. You want to know the exact latitude and longitude of the traffic jam you are stuck in?
>DVR for the TV
Do DVRs make the shows better or just the commercials less annoying?
>buit-in satellite radio, home and car
Do you actually listen to it ever?

I share some of these concerns, especially that TV will still be bad no matter what. As far as satellite radio, absolutely! no commercials!

Quote: odiousgambit

I bought a hand-held GPS before they came out for cars; it was for outdoorsmen, boaters, and such. Cost me about $200 about a dozen or more years ago . It took forever to locate where you were, maybe 15 minutes or so. Once it did, it had built in inaccuracy they talked about [at that time there was apparently some idea that it was best that they not be too accurate]. Nonetheless, while in the outdoors, I found I became much more bold about where I might go, no longer limited to dead reckoning in strange areas taking compass readings all the time. Back then I had to find an open area, wouldn't work in the trees, now the one I have has high sensitivity and works in "canopy" as they say. But neither the old one or the new one is much useful for driving.

I was surprised when they came out with them for cars, as I didnt realize the sensitivity of affordable receivers would improve so much. I'm also surprised the costs can be reasonable and that people seem to even like the inexpensive ones for autos.

edited

Yeah, I have one of those; a Garmin eMap. It was obsolete in about 3 months after I got it.