Nah. My preference is coPilot - relatively cheap and been decent at directions. map updates have been frequent as well.
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Garmin Releases New 'Onboard' Turn-By-Turn GPS Apps for iOS
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Nah. My preference is coPilot - relatively cheap and been decent at directions. map updates have been frequent as well.
It's kinda "known" that lower 48 means that Hawaii and Alaska are left out.
Sucks being in "the uppermost state" that I needs to drop more $$$.
That would make about as much sense as saying "lower 1" when referring to Alaska,
since the northern most point in Hawaii is still further south than the southern most point in Florida.
Hawaii is the lowest of all the United States.
Perhaps when you used 'lower' you were thinking of 'continental'.
Yep, my fiance can keep my Garmin 260W, and I will just use my iPhone with Garmin's software in my truck without worrying about who has the GPS. Now, I just need to find a good mount for my phone--hopefully one that will bring the phone closer to me to compensate for the smaller screen.
As much as I love how easy Garmins are to operate I just can't stand the directions and how behind their maps are. I ended up giving mine to my wife and bought myself a TomTom. I love how I can set it to alarm me when I'm speeding and the intelligent routing that it does. If only their was a way to merge the two GPS units. As far as using the directions on my phone, only as a last resort. The screen is just to small and I'm generally streaming some radio station.
TomTom, MotionX GPS Drive, and StreetPilot (OnBoard): Which is Best?
Anyone else who's used all three of the biggiesTomTom, MotionX GPS Drive, and StreetPilotcare to weigh in? Taking into account that the newest variant of StreetPilot has onboard maps, which would you recommend?
My $20 yearly voice guidance package with MotionX just expired. I'm trying to decide whether to renew it for another $20, or instead drop $60 on StreetPilot OnBoard ($40 for the app + $20 for traffic).
I love MotionX GPS Drive, but occasionally, when I'm using it, my cell signal drops out; without onboard maps, I'm lost. Hence the strong desire for onboard maps, which don't seem to be coming to MotionX anytime soon (please correct me if I'm wrong).
Bonus question: Has anyone tried the new StreetPilot OnBoard yet? It's got a grand total of 1 review on the AppStore; more feedback would be nice.
UPDATE: I just read the first review on the AppStore. It turns out the $20 in-app traffic option covers only 1 year of traffic. That's not what it says when you click the "top in-app purchases" button in the AppStoreit only says "traffic," and says nothing about 1 year. This is either a misleading oversight (at best) or deceptive advertising (at worst). MotionX GPS Drive, on the other hand, clearly specifies in its "top in-app purchases" that its live voice guidance costs $20 per year. This, plus the fact that Garmin has betrayed its previous StreetPilot purchasers by making them buy a new app just to get the onboard maps leaves me with little trust in Garmin's ethics and loyalty to its customers. I've never had reason to distrust MotionX, on the other, which leaves me more likely to stay with them. However, I really want onboard maps, so I might be willing to switch to Garmin (or TomTom, or something else) if someone can convince me. Thoughts?
Anyone else who's used all three of the biggiesTomTom, MotionX GPS Drive, and StreetPilotcare to weigh in? Taking into account that the newest variant of StreetPilot has onboard maps, which would you recommend?
My $20 yearly voice guidance package with MotionX just expired. I'm trying to decide whether to renew it for another $20, or instead drop $60 on StreetPilot OnBoard ($40 for the app + $20 for traffic).
I love MotionX GPS Drive, but occasionally, when I'm using it, my cell signal drops out; without onboard maps, I'm lost. Hence the strong desire for onboard maps, which don't seem to be coming to MotionX anytime soon (please correct me if I'm wrong).
Bonus question: Has anyone tried the new StreetPilot OnBoard yet? It's got a grand total of 1 review on the AppStore; more feedback would be nice.
UPDATE: I just read the first review on the AppStore. It turns out the $20 in-app traffic option covers only 1 year of traffic. That's not what it says when you click the "top in-app purchases" button in the AppStoreit only says "traffic," and says nothing about 1 year. This is either a misleading oversight (at best) or deceptive advertising (at worst). MotionX GPS Drive, on the other hand, clearly specifies in its "top in-app purchases" that its live voice guidance costs $20 per year. This, plus the fact that Garmin has betrayed its previous StreetPilot purchasers by making them buy a new app just to get the onboard maps leaves me with little trust in Garmin's ethics and loyalty to its customers. I've never had reason to distrust MotionX, on the other, which leaves me more likely to stay with them. However, I really want onboard maps, so I might be willing to switch to Garmin (or TomTom, or something else) if someone can convince me. Thoughts?
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Thanks Garmin. We buy your initial App in hopes we can improve it upon with the users' ideas but you take them to make an all new App which you wanna charge us for again. The App Store would have never prospered as it has if companies and developers had embraced this same model of business.
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Agree! I got navigon and really like it.
Specially since it has all the maps on the phone.
Agree! I got navigon and really like it.
Specially since it has all the maps on the phone.
A couple years ago, I was in position of needing to update my maps for my Garmin stand-alone unit. Inststead of paying $89 for the maps, I decided to buy the Navigon App for $69. I haven't turned on my Garmin since then.
Best App I own. Updated regularly, always with me, excellent search.
My only complaint with Navigon is it just doesn't understand apartment numbers in an address. For example, 102-500 Green road, the 102-500 confuses the hell out of it.
I've given my opinion on iPhone GPS apps in many threads on this site. I'm sure people are pretty sick of me. I've used TomTom, Navigon, Magellan, and CoPilot. The latter two are garbage, in my opinion. Magellan uses the same maps as Navigon, but the presentation and interface are horrible. CoPilot's maps are a joke.
The only two that I give serious consideration to are TomTom and Navigon. I used to love Navigon when it first came out - they had text-to-speech first, traffic first, etc. TomTom was a sad, pathetic little app that had a hard time even keeping your icon on the road.
A lot has changed since then. TomTom has matched Navigon feature-to-feature and has actually surpassed it with MapShare (submit and download map corrections on the fly). Navigon has a cool visual lane assist feature, but has no voice instructions on what lane to be in like TomTom has.
That's just features. Use the two for a short time and you'll see how much better TomTom's routing is. It takes historical road speed data into account, so the route during rush hour and the route on Sunday morning (even without the traffic add-on) are different. I have found TomTom's routes and ETAs to be dead-on. Navigon's routes are usually pretty good, but the ETAs are way too optimistic. Navigon has a MyRoutes feature where it provides 3 route options for you and lets you pick the one you want. However, since most people use their GPS to find routes to places they've never been, how useful is this?
TomTom's traffic is better, too. Navigon's requires a lot of micro-management, and it reports a lot of information that isn't relevant to your route (e.g., reports incidents hundreds of miles away). TomTom handles everything automatically, and only reports traffic if it actually affects your route, and is worse that the historical data it has (if a road always has slow traffic at rush hour, is it really worth reporting?) The only advantage Navigon has here is that it's traffic is a one-time fee, whereas TomTom's is yearly.
My biggest gripes with Navigon:
1) It doesn't have an "avoid road X" option for re-routing. Maybe I make too big of a deal out of this, but I really don't understand how that's possible. It's basic functionality.
2) The POI search is horrendous. You have to know the exact village that your POI is in or it won't find it. There is a Google search option, but about 75% of the time it returns 0 results even if I know the POI was entered correctly. People will respond to this one and say "use app X to find POIs instead". That's not the point. A GPS app should be able to find POIs. That's basic functionality, again.
TomTom is far and away the better app. Better routing, better traffic, better features, and better performance. However, Navigon got there first and was the better app early on, so they've won the iOS market.
I'm sure the Garmin app is good, but I won't consider any GPS that doesn't store the maps on the phone. I don't care what people say, I don't trust any cell phone provider enough to risk being able to download maps on the fly.
I have TomTom, Navigon, and Magellan. (As well as Garmin, ugh.) Yes, a bit of a GPS junkie, I guess. I have found Navigon's traffic updates to be so spotty as to be useless - it drove me right into a ONE HOUR back up one day which was due to a closed freeway, something that it should have picked up. That was the worst of its sins, but it had various other minor traffic avoidance problems that forced me to finally give up on it. I relied on TomTom until recently, when I decided to give the Magellan app a try. I like both of them about equally, but I really like TomTom's traffic bar that keeps you constantly updated about what's going on ahead of you. That said, I think Magellan has done the best of routing me in general, but its biggest problem is search - all of the other apps have a way to search by type. Say you want a restaurant, TomTom and the others let you look for restaurants by style of food - fast food, Italian, etc. Magellan just gives you Google - search on your own. I actually keep both apps on there because I prefer to use Magellan and it's cleaner interface, better routing, instructions, etc. but like TomTom for searching for specific things. I'm truly amazed Magellan wouldn't put something as necessary as search-by-type in their app. I would suggest most people invest in TomTom, frankly.
Your post was informative and I've come to much the same conclusion after trying out TomTom and Navigon. However, your last paragraph makes it seem as if you do not understand that the new Garmin Application does contain the maps on-board the iPhone. You no longer have to stream the mapping data to your phone as you are driving. This is why everyone is now wondering whether the new Garmin App is as good as TomTom or Navigon.
Garmin Garmin Garmin
Garmin unveiled a suite of navigation apps yesterday, with on-board map and Nuvi-like UI and features (e.g., 3D building).
Instead of updating existing app with these new set of features (or at least as in-app purchase), Garmin made entirely separate set of apps. In addition, traffic now requires annual subscription ($19.99).
As a NAVIGON user (Garmin purchased NAVICON few weeks ago), this is unsettling to say the least.
Garmin unveiled a suite of navigation apps yesterday, with on-board map and Nuvi-like UI and features (e.g., 3D building).
Instead of updating existing app with these new set of features (or at least as in-app purchase), Garmin made entirely separate set of apps. In addition, traffic now requires annual subscription ($19.99).
As a NAVIGON user (Garmin purchased NAVICON few weeks ago), this is unsettling to say the least.
I have tried my brother in laws Garmin Nuvi, it does ok, for what it does; but takes forever to find a signal. However, after going on vacation recently with his family, I can say I prefer my Navigon 2100 Max, over his Nuvi.
First the UI on my Navigon is way better. I like being able to see what lane I'm supposed to be in [LaneAssist], and the different view options [2D, 3D, Day, Night].
Maybe I didn't pay attention, on the whole drive, but the Nuvi lacked most of these features. Navigon, is a great GPS company, they are the largest GPS company in Europe from what I have read. One thing I would say I don't really like about the company is their support. Since the quit selling GPS equipment in the US, and now only Cell Phone software, its impossible to get any help if you have an issue; unless you like email.
I just hope that Garmin uses Navigons UI, it is far superior. But yes, please fix the POI/navigation within the UI.
First the UI on my Navigon is way better. I like being able to see what lane I'm supposed to be in [LaneAssist], and the different view options [2D, 3D, Day, Night].
Maybe I didn't pay attention, on the whole drive, but the Nuvi lacked most of these features. Navigon, is a great GPS company, they are the largest GPS company in Europe from what I have read. One thing I would say I don't really like about the company is their support. Since the quit selling GPS equipment in the US, and now only Cell Phone software, its impossible to get any help if you have an issue; unless you like email.
I just hope that Garmin uses Navigons UI, it is far superior. But yes, please fix the POI/navigation within the UI.
Garmin - no good
Being through all of them...
Garmin is ok for very urban areas because of:
* notoriously avoids highways (should have "use highways only" option)
* insists on the original route (kind of like a drunk, making circles)
* picks the worst possible route (long distance)
For suburb, TomTom is better. When I heard of Garmin acquisition of Navigon - I was glad they left TomTom alone.
I do not use iPhone GPS apps. My experience with stand alone units only.
Cheers....
Being through all of them...
Garmin is ok for very urban areas because of:
* notoriously avoids highways (should have "use highways only" option)
* insists on the original route (kind of like a drunk, making circles)
* picks the worst possible route (long distance)
For suburb, TomTom is better. When I heard of Garmin acquisition of Navigon - I was glad they left TomTom alone.
I do not use iPhone GPS apps. My experience with stand alone units only.
Cheers....
Agree with this post 100%. Garmin has always failed at iPhone GPS apps - showing up way late to the table, releasing an unsupported, garbage app with no onboard apps initially, then rather than updating simply releasing a new one that you have to pay for again? Glad I didn't jump on the Garmin bandwagon for iPhone, that's for sure. I do enjoy my 255W but COME ON.
I went ahead and bought this new release today. I'm pretty impressed so far. I haven't taken it out on the road yet but I will tonight for my job. I made the purchase on my Mac which instantly started it downloading at the same time on three of my iPhones making the DL times very long. I paused the DL on two of the phones and let the computer and iPhone 4 get the DL to start.
I didn't buy the traffic sub, only the gas prices. The app warns you that the sub will be automatic each year unless you set it for manual at least 24 hrs before the renewal. Maybe later if I take a road trip I will then buy traffic. Don't need it for now. Also, there is no Where Am I? in this app.
I must say that this is the app most like what my Nuvi is. Most of the same features are there including the ability to browse the map by swiping or moving it around with a finger. The + - also works very nicely to see more or less of the map. Entering an address was easy but the time it took to display the route seemed a bit slower than my Nuvi.
There is no iPod integration in the app so to control the iPod, you have to double click home and either scroll right for the iPod controls or hit the iPod icon to get to the iPod app.
I did try the latest version of Navigon as well. I noticed right away that it now shows more street names, something I requested when the original version was released. It still has that ugly olive green color in some areas of the map depending on where you go.
My choices between TomTom, Garmin Onboard and Navigon will most likely be between TomTom and Garmin. I still love TomTom and the fact that I can pause my iPod within the app is a win no matter how I look at it.
Some screen caps of the Garmin app below.
I didn't buy the traffic sub, only the gas prices. The app warns you that the sub will be automatic each year unless you set it for manual at least 24 hrs before the renewal. Maybe later if I take a road trip I will then buy traffic. Don't need it for now. Also, there is no Where Am I? in this app.
I must say that this is the app most like what my Nuvi is. Most of the same features are there including the ability to browse the map by swiping or moving it around with a finger. The + - also works very nicely to see more or less of the map. Entering an address was easy but the time it took to display the route seemed a bit slower than my Nuvi.
There is no iPod integration in the app so to control the iPod, you have to double click home and either scroll right for the iPod controls or hit the iPod icon to get to the iPod app.
I did try the latest version of Navigon as well. I noticed right away that it now shows more street names, something I requested when the original version was released. It still has that ugly olive green color in some areas of the map depending on where you go.
My choices between TomTom, Garmin Onboard and Navigon will most likely be between TomTom and Garmin. I still love TomTom and the fact that I can pause my iPod within the app is a win no matter how I look at it.
Some screen caps of the Garmin app below.
Attachments
So I used this new app for several hours tonight and noticed a few annoyances.
First, whenever I approached any intersection, the app assumed I was going to turn right and would actually rotate for a second as if I did take a right onto the street. It was quick to recover but it did this on probably 90% of all intersections I came across.
The other annoyance was one that I noticed in Navigon. Certain areas are represented by different colored map backgrounds. On Navigon, there is an ugly olive green color and on this new Garmin app, there is a dull grey color. The street name text is also grey whit a slight white border to try and make the text readable but the text is placed on each actual street so it just kind of blends into the background for me. Your eyesight may make a difference but for me it's annoying. I ended up switching back over to TomTom. At least with TomTom, you have several color choices built in. Garmin and Navigon.....NO. I may keep this Garmin app set to the night mode.
The left bottom part of the screen can show other data such as elevation, direction or scout info. Not sure what scout info is about. Dashboard can be reached by tapping your speed limit and you see trip info like in stand alone Garmin units
A few more caps:
First, whenever I approached any intersection, the app assumed I was going to turn right and would actually rotate for a second as if I did take a right onto the street. It was quick to recover but it did this on probably 90% of all intersections I came across.
The other annoyance was one that I noticed in Navigon. Certain areas are represented by different colored map backgrounds. On Navigon, there is an ugly olive green color and on this new Garmin app, there is a dull grey color. The street name text is also grey whit a slight white border to try and make the text readable but the text is placed on each actual street so it just kind of blends into the background for me. Your eyesight may make a difference but for me it's annoying. I ended up switching back over to TomTom. At least with TomTom, you have several color choices built in. Garmin and Navigon.....NO. I may keep this Garmin app set to the night mode.
The left bottom part of the screen can show other data such as elevation, direction or scout info. Not sure what scout info is about. Dashboard can be reached by tapping your speed limit and you see trip info like in stand alone Garmin units
A few more caps:
Attachments
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I've used Streetpilot and Navigon, streetpilot is pretty junky IMO. Navigon is excellent, but far from perfect when compared to stand alone GPS units. Navigon has some weird little problems that they refuse to fix (they haven't updated in a loooong time) like when in heads up mode if you try to pan you get forced into north up mode. The traffic monitor, which I paid extra for, is pretty useless. Also the interface can be confusing, when planning a route it gives you 3 choices, this is just confusing to me as I already set my rules on what to avoid, tolls and stuff like that and I don't need to sit there and think which route to choose, especially if it's an area I'm not familiar with. Overall though I think Navigon is "good", not great but certainly worth the money. I've never tried TomTom and I'm a bit curious to try this new Garmin program, but I think I'll wait and see if they offer us Navigon users some kind of discount for our loyalty and early adoption.
edit: in reading the above review I also remembered one of my huge pet peeves with Navigon, when zooming out it doesn't show many of the street names. As mentioned this has improved, but it's still horrible IMO especially with the resolution of the ipad/iphone. This is especially evident in downtown areas where even zooming out a little causes only the main streets to be labeled, there is clearly enough resolution to see the street names even in very dense downtown areas, it just feels like they stretched out a lower resolution map instead of making maps especially for iOS, and if this is the case then it should be more reflected in the pricing which isn't cheap.
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I hope navigon keeps getting updated and isn't left to rot as the result of being acquired by garmin
I don't understand why anyone would pay for a GPS app?
Maps works great with or without a GPS signal. I mean without the signal you have to tap the next arrow every time you make a turn or something so it isn't very user friendly while driving but it gets the job done and it is free. I just can't even see myself paying that much for an app when there are ones that are as good if not better that are free.
The only apps I buy are the ones that can't be beaten by the free ones. I guess to each their own though.
Maps works great with or without a GPS signal. I mean without the signal you have to tap the next arrow every time you make a turn or something so it isn't very user friendly while driving but it gets the job done and it is free. I just can't even see myself paying that much for an app when there are ones that are as good if not better that are free.
The only apps I buy are the ones that can't be beaten by the free ones. I guess to each their own though.
I believe you answered it yourself...
Maps works great with or without a GPS signal. I mean without the signal you have to tap the next arrow every time you make a turn or something so it isn't very user friendly while driving but it gets the job done and it is free. I just can't even see myself paying that much for an app when there are ones that are as good if not better that are free.
The only apps I buy are the ones that can't be beaten by the free ones. I guess to each their own though.
Maps does not have TTS nor any other common features. A dedicated app is so much nicer that if you think Maps is better, then you have obviously not used a dedicated GPS app