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Turn By Turn Navigation Applications

CylonGlitch

CylonGlitch

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 7, 2009
2,958
268
Nashville
Ok, I know of the top three Navigation apps (I'm using North Ameria only as selected apps) :

Magellan $59.99
TomTom $69.99
Navigon MobileNavigator $79.99
(for some reason I thought Navigon was supposed to be the cheapest, it seems to be the most expensive right now)

I didn't know about these :
VoxTrek $2.99
NDrive $32.99
NavNGo iGO $54.99
G-Map $49.99
NavAtlas (requires $199 cradle purchase)
amAze (yearly fee, $33.99)
CoPilot $29.99
SyGic $39.99
Destinator 9 (monthly fee, unknown)
MotionX Drive $0.99 ($24.99/year for voice turn by turn)

Anyone use any of these, reviews, thoughts, ideas, etc... I'm kinda leaning toward the Magellan; but dropping this amount of money makes me want to do my homework and really understand what I'm getting into.

I might try out the 30 day trial of the one with the monthly fee first, we'll see.
[edit: Added MotionX]
 
The main difference in price between the expensive apps and the cheap ones is the map packs.

The cheapies generally use Google maps. Navigon and TomTom install the map packs on your iPhone.

This is critical if you travel areas that don't get good cell phone data reception. GPS always works, but you can't count on Edge or 3G access everywhere.
 
I've used both CoPilot Live NA and MotionX.

I like both of them. CoPilot updated theirs this week to include the option to mute, dim, or otherwise control the music when voice directions come on and they've updated their map pack as well. I really don't think you can go wrong with either of these options.
 
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll look into CoPilot more carefully. (I don't care for subscription based things)
 
G Map is not very good. Luckily I received promo codes for it, because in my opinion it is not worth what they charge. I bought Navigon a while back and it is far superior.
 
Based on the ones you don't know about the only ones I would recommend you even considering buying are:

CoPilot
Sygic
NavNGo iGo

Although overall, the best IMO is still Navigon. It costs a little more but you get what you pay for.
 
I've used Navigon, TomTom, AT&T Navigator, Gokivo and MotionX

In general I prefer the apps with built in map like Navigon and TomTom. Up until this weekend if you asked which app I use most I would grudgingly have said Navigon.

The Navigon app is very polished looking and works quite well for Navigation, but it has a few annoyances that made me hate it. I kept using it because of the traffic data.

Navigon Pros:
  • Good Maps
  • Great interface
  • Traffic
  • Google
Navigon Cons:
  • No Ability to avoid a road on the route
  • Limited Traffic Data
  • Retarded POI implementation inc Google. The "Nearby" search radius is just too small!
  • Bug where ETAs don't display correctly when phone is in 24 hour time.
  • Slow as hell on a iPhone 3G


TomTom Pros:
  • Fast on iPhone 3G
  • More complete Traffic data
  • POI search works well because of large "nearby" search radius
  • Google Search
  • Ability to Avoid a road in the route
  • Ability to calculate a completely alternative route.
  • Historical Traffic Data (IQ Routes)

TomTom Cons:
  • Ugly Maps... quality is good, graphics just aren't smoothed
  • few features missing from their top of the line PND


So with the addition of Google Local search and Traffic, I have to say now TomTom is going to be my go-to navigation program until Navigon updates again... then I'll re-evaluate.
 
How has support been for the TomTom? I was leaning toward the Magellan because I have seen Maggie around here so much and wanted to support them but they seem to not have the feature set that the others have. Since I have a 3G I would like for it to be smooth on that.

Anyone have any suggestions for Cradles, or do you just use it plugged in without something holding it?
 
For what it worth

I have an ipod touch 2g. I purchased g-maps first, knowing i didn't have gps. I just want it for refernece. (was a wast of time).

Whne Magellan was released i purchased it, and i thought i had a problem with it. I contacted Maggie and returned it. My unit was checked out and there was no problem. (the direction i was going was not there going East, and West. Maggis said it was a software issue, and would be reseloved with update; and it was. When I got my unit back, that had updated the map. I have use it a few time and the maping has been spot on. As far as Maggie responding to e-mails, she been great. I would recommend Magellan for service and the ease of use. I sure that everyone has there own want and needs.

One happey camper. :)

beater
 
CylonGlitch said:
How has support been for the TomTom? I was leaning toward the Magellan because I have seen Maggie around here so much and wanted to support them but they seem to not have the feature set that the others have. Since I have a 3G I would like for it to be smooth on that.

Anyone have any suggestions for Cradles, or do you just use it plugged in without something holding it?
Click to expand...


I've not needed support from either vendor. Navigon has 4 "updates" so far, but really these have been adding features etc. TomTom has had 3 updates (in the latest one they included a free map update).

If you have a 3G I strongly advise you to avoid Navigon. It can be very very sluggish on a 3G. As for the cradle, you don't need it for either unit. If you mount your iPhone on the windshield with any old cheap mount you will be fine. Just make sure the phone has a good view of the sky... same goes for cradles.

I use a Tomtom cradle mostly for the convenience of not having to plug and unplug stuff all the time. The added GPS reception is really not necessary IMO.
 
Navigon today added My Region to their list of apps. Options:

West Coast - $24.99

Central - $24.99

East Coast - $24.99

Each app has the other regions available for in-app purchase for only $12.99/region, bringing the grand total for U.S. only maps to $50.97. Not bad. The downside is that each app includes all the map data in a locked state, so if you only want to ever have one region, the size it takes up is still 1.4gb.
 
lordhamster said:
TomTom Cons:
  • Ugly Maps... quality is good, graphics just aren't smoothed
Click to expand...
The 1.3 added Anti-Aliaising (smoothing) to the nav and map views. Personally I really like the clean look of TomTom 1.3.

Oddly the new maps seem to have some new roads added in my area that have been planned, but not yet built. It's not really a problem, just odd. I thought the GPS accuracy was off when I was passing roads that didn't exist. ;)
 
copilot

I have used copilot for years, I like the product and feel it is the best price/performance for the iphone right now.

That said, I'm trying the Destinator product now, and have a code looking to swap with someone. I'll link to it in the marketplace
 
MotionX Drive

I've used MotionX Drive several times on medium-range trips (MA to NJ and NY), on vacation in Florida, and around town in Boston and Providence. It seems pretty solid, maps are fine, and it has found everything I've thrown at it. Once in a while it wants to take me on a non-highway route when that's not what I'm looking for.

I use the 'find on route' feature to look for places to stop for coffee or food, and spent an afternoon antiquing by searching for nearby antique stores.

I like that I can buy the voice guidance only when I want it ($2.99 in app for 30 days), and it makes announcements via Bluetooth to my car stereo. I use Backgrounder, too, so I can listen to Slacker channels and still get voice guidance.

Perry
 
KidPub said:
I've used MotionX Drive several times on medium-range trips (MA to NJ and NY), on vacation in Florida, and around town in Boston and Providence. It seems pretty solid, maps are fine, and it has found everything I've thrown at it. Once in a while it wants to take me on a non-highway route when that's not what I'm looking for.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the review, and for the price it really seems like something worth trying out. Doesn't it download the maps on the fly as you drive; thus if you lose network you're out of luck?

Still might be worth having. . .
 
I wouldn't discount G-Map completely. As a long time user I had numerous gripes about the app. But over the last two years they've made strides at improving the product and it's just as comparable to other well-known apps. In some regards even better.

My advice is find as many screen shots of the apps. your considering and really study them. If it has the overall look and feel that suits you then buy it. Functionality wise they're all going to be more or less the same.
 
CylonGlitch said:
Thanks for the review, and for the price it really seems like something worth trying out. Doesn't it download the maps on the fly as you drive; thus if you lose network you're out of luck?

Still might be worth having. . .
Click to expand...

I believe that it pulls maps on the fly. Most of my travel is around major metros, so I haven't experienced what happens if you lose the network.

Perry
 
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