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2012 Nexus 7 Discussion Forums (1st Generation) => Nexus 7 General Discussion => Topic started by: thesaint on February 07, 2013, 08:18:42 AM
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On my old Nokia smartphone (5800) I can select and follow a route, with voice guidance, to almost anywhere in the world WITHOUT being on-line at any stage. (All Free - using GPS only)
On my N7 I cannot set a route unless I am on-line. This can be inconvenient when the start of a new journey is out of range of either wifi or a cellphone signal.
So, why can't the N7 do it Offline?
I have installed some Google Maps for Offline use and installed "Mapquest" (generally very good - and free) but both these sat/nav systems still need to be on-line whilst the route is calculated.
I know you can get round this apparent shortcoming of the N7 by carrying round a MIFI - (if in cellphone range) but it should not be necessary.
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You can save a map of your area in Google maps for offline use but I believe turn by turn Nav needs an internet connection.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
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it depends on where the processing of the gps info occurs. the built in nav does the calculations in the cloud but there are several other nav apps that do the processing on the local device and these apps only require that you download the maps in the area where your gps signal will be.
According to the info i have read, NavFree, Sygic, CoPilot and others all will allow you to download maps and run without a WiFi or other live connection. A bit more work on your part and you can use your N7 as you would a Garmin.
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Hello "BJS229"
No, I do not think you need to be on-line to get turn by turn navigation on "Google Maps" nor indeed any other SatNav system. It is almost impossible to expect to have a wifi connection all the tme whilst driving. Yes, you could use the cellphone signal, but that would be costly.
Hello "BIGTROUTZ"
Yes, but at least some of the apps you mention are payable. I never paid for the Nokia aps.
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Does anybody here use CoPilot on a regular basis? I've really only used it on my Galaxy Nexus and while driving, couldn't pay attention to when the phone was offline and when it wasn't. I have it loaded on my N7 but have yet to try it out. Specifically, how is the functionality when offline? How's the turn by turn work? Is the accuracy decent? Luckily I was able to buy a 32 Gig version so SD space for maps won't kill me.
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I was referring to Google Navigation. Google maps allows you to program in a map of your area for offline use. I beleive The OP is asking for more of a Garmin like experience. Google Maps doesn't provide that.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
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Hello "BJS229"
No, I do not think you need to be on-line to get turn by turn navigation on "Google Maps" nor indeed any other SatNav system. It is almost impossible to expect to have a wifi connection all the tme whilst driving. Yes, you could use the cellphone signal, but that would be costly.
Hello "BIGTROUTZ"
Yes, but at least some of the apps you mention are payable. I never paid for the Nokia aps.
some of the apps are free tho, in any case whats your point ? You refuse to spend a flat rate of something like12 bux for sygic because you are too cheap to pay developers a pittance for months of their past and future effort ? If they supply something you get value from on an ongoing basis you should reconsider. But then there are clearly too many spongers around already.
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Good Morning Bigtroutz,
That was rather a harsh comment. Sygic may well be worth its asking price for someone who has a N7 only. However; in my case I have a Garmin & a Smartphone too. So I,m only using the N7 as a satnav because its a new toy to play with. Therefore I have no need to spend out on another satnav application.
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I would have to agree that developers should be compensated for their efforts, but I appreciate limited function free versions or trial versions of applications, which allow the user to determine if the application provides the functionality that one wants, making it worthy of the asking price, to that user.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD
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I'm confused. I agreed with your original post and then you disagreed . I never said it was impossible on Google Maps. I said you could program offline maps. I am unable to get Google Nav to work without a connection. Is it a SatNav ?Voice commands obviously wont connect and even if I try and connect with an already programmed address I get a data connection lost error. If there is a way to get Google Navigation to work without a connection how do you accomplish it ?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
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One of the methods I use is to be online. Go to Google Maps. Set up a route. Tell it to start and do so. You soon get voice message to say that you have lost the data connection. It does not matter. Just carry on and you will get verbal turn by turn instructions. On completion of the journey you will of course need to be online again to request a new route. If there is no WiFi at the next location; I use a MIFI in my pocket just to set up the new route, then turn it off whilst undertaking the journey.
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Android apps are incredibly cheap by comparison to desktop apps. I have no idea how or why this happened but a buck or 12 dollars, for instance, for a functional app is a steal, as are all of the trivial prices asked asked for Android software. I find your attitude about paying for obviously complicated app development insulting as if free software was your right and you must discard consideration of any software with such modest costs out of hand.
Harsh is what you do, take from the productive without any thought for their effort as if it were the right thing to do. Think about it. Few are going to get stinking rich selling apps at Android kind of prices but at least you can pay for some of their living expenses so they keep on coding.
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Good Evening Bigtroutz,
In a free market economy the seller can choose what his asking price is. The true value of the product is the highest price the seller can sell a quantity which will bring him the maximum profit.
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If there were an offline nav program that could search a local database and plot a course, I'd gladly pay for it. The developer would have to determine whether selling 1000 units at 10$ or 10,000 at 1$ were possible. It's just a file, no theft proof wrap or jewel case or printed documentation. No distributors or retailers keystoning the price up. Do you really think an ebook should sell for the same as hardcopy?
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Good Evening Bigtroutz,
In a free market economy the seller can choose what his asking price is. The true value of the product is the highest price the seller can sell a quantity which will bring him the maximum profit.
you think ?
A free market is whatever a seller and buyer agree is the proper price for a product.... period. You, my friend, are simply misinformed.
Who is John Galt ? We should be discovering shortly.
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If it's of any use. I use Navfree. Download the maps you want from their easy to use selection and that's it.
Plan route, change route anything offline. Works perfectly well and got me all around France in Summer.
You do need to doanload postcode/Zip code support seperately - still free though.
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The last time I tried navfree the addresses would only resolve to the nearest major intersection, which might be a half mile away. I'll try it again, maybe that was fixed. Thx. Seems like all the nav apps assumed my car was facing the other way and didn't like my route changes.
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Hi guys, just want to remind everyone to keep the tone of the discussion positive. No personal attacks allowed and no insulting. Got it? Thanks ;)
We're all free to have our own opinions as to what we're willing to pay for and not pay for and usually in the end it all evens out because we tend to 'get what we pay for'. I think obviously having the HSPA+ version of the Nexus 7 would allow a better car nav experience compared to Wi-Fi since you'd be connected all the time similar to a mobile phone. I use my Android phone for car nav and never expected to use my Nexus 7 for this since I just assumed not having a mobile data capability would not make it optimal for car nav type use (unless of course I tethered it to my phone). Anyway, let's continue the conversation but keep things light and not nasty or I'll have to lock the thread. Thanks everyone.
BFM
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I need the nav app to be able to read Garmin IMG files and do off line routing.
Less than 5mins from the city centre and there can be no cell coverage at all.
Orux Maps reads the IMG files but doesn't do off line routing.
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One of the methods I use is to be online. Go to Google Maps. Set up a route. Tell it to start and do so. You soon get voice message to say that you have lost the data connection. It does not matter. Just carry on and you will get verbal turn by turn instructions. On completion of the journey you will of course need to be online again to request a new route. If there is no WiFi at the next location; I use a MIFI in my pocket just to set up the new route, then turn it off whilst undertaking the journey.
I understand how to use it when online. I thought the whole point of the thread was offline use?
As far as paying for apps, I am happy to acknowledge a developer for their hard work. If the app works for me and it is something that I will use. That builds value. Done deal.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
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The last time I tried navfree the addresses would only resolve to the nearest major intersection, which might be a half mile away. I'll try it again, maybe that was fixed. Thx. Seems like all the nav apps assumed my car was facing the other way and didn't like my route changes.
Definately works better than that now. It takes me to the address (you may want to download the postcodes/zipcodes as they don't come as standard).
It does sometimes take you long ways around and favours major roads, but it works ok for what I want.
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I find that generally the most accurate way to pinpoint a location, for any satnav, is to find exactly where it is on Google Earth and copy the co-ordinates into the satnav.