Nope. Works fine for me. The audio for my iPhone is separate from the navigon app.
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iPhone nav app that isn't abysmal?
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Nope. Works fine for me. The audio for my iPhone is separate from the navigon app.
TomTom in the iPhone is the best GPS available anywhere. Better even than the TomTom standalone devices. The combination of IQ Routes plus live traffic puts it above the rest. Just today it had me get off the highway litterally just before traffic started, getting me there in half the time as my friend who stayed on the highway. Despite having to route around traffic, it's original arrival time estimate was accurate to the minute. It's $36.99 right now, and has exactly what you're looking for.
That being said, Navigon has the audio setting as well. Make sure you're fully updated and go to Settings -> Sound -> Volume. The volume here controls the voice volume and is independent from music volume. I just tested this with both apps, and it worked as expected.
As a bonus tip, try out Navigon Now, an easy way to copy->paste addresses into Navigon. If you end up going for TomTom, Paste 'n Go does the same thing.
Good luck!
Thanks for the tip, I might have to try TomTom. Are you sure you're running iOS 5.1.1 on the iPhone 4S because that is not how my phone works. I also noticed you don't have the square with the trinagle next to your Navigon volume like next to your normal sound, with my Navigon it shows that. Maybe that's part of the problem?
Can anyone chime in here?
I am on 5.1.1. I spent a few minutes playing with it, and I know the issue.
1. If music isn't actively playing in the background, the volume is not independent. Play some music and go back to that setting, you'll see it moves independently of the music volume now.
2. If you're using the normal iPod music player, Navigon can stop the music if you set Navigon to Audiobook mode. That way, the music will stop and the voice navigation will playback at whichever volume you choose in the Volume setting.
3. I you're using a third party player, like Spotify or Pandora (or if you set the audio mode in Navigon to "music"), it will fade the music a bit and play your voice navigation at whichever volume you choose in the Volume setting.
I prefer pausing it, as sometimes the music can overpower the navigation volume if I set it too low.
Have fun!
For short trips I use Waze. For long trips I use a real GPS. I know not the answer you were looking for but the iPhone just does not do a good job unless your going to buy an expensive paid for nav app. Too many times has Waze made meals unnecessary turns or tried to make me take a left on a highway. Of best yet wanting me to take exits that don't exist.
I'm currently using TomTom and I feel it's the best GPS option for iPhone at the moment. Navigon was bought by Garmin and it's just awful and the Garmin app itself needs a lot of work. Waze is genuinely a great idea but falls very far when it comes to map data. About 80% of the time for me it doesn't know where the destination is because the data is not there or it'll bring me 90% of the way then the rest of the trip is a black void because the map data for the area hasn't been updated yet. I rarely ever have that issue with TomTom and this last trip to the airport my mother had her Google Maps going on her Android and both GPS's were simultaneously spouting the same directions, though mine was using the Homer Simpson voice. 
Her on-the-fly traffic updates were rather impressive, though.
Her on-the-fly traffic updates were rather impressive, though.I'm currently using TomTom and I feel it's the best GPS option for iPhone at the moment. Navigon was bought by Garmin and it's just awful and the Garmin app itself needs a lot of work. Waze is genuinely a great idea but falls very far when it comes to map data. About 80% of the time for me it doesn't know where the destination is because the data is not there or it'll bring me 90% of the way then the rest of the trip is a black void because the map data for the area hasn't been updated yet. I rarely ever have that issue with TomTom and this last trip to the airport my mother had her Google Maps going on her Android and both GPS's were simultaneously spouting the same directions, though mine was using the Homer Simpson voice.
Last time I tested TomTom vs Google Nav, Google took the wrong exit, it ended up taking 30 minutes longer than it should have. TomTom's IQ routes + HD Traffic are unlike anything on the market right now. The only thing that came close is the now defunct Dash Express.
I thoroughly enjoy my TomTom. I haven't tested Google Nav much, it just bothers me that I paid around 80 dollars (app + traffic updates) and it's free with Android and that I have to buy a third-party app because Apple's built-in option is so craptastic. I hope their next map solution is at least on par with TomTom.
The problem is TT still charges $20/yr for traffic on the phone apps. (as do the other gps company apps) None of them do on their standalone gps units, just the apps.
I still can't decide if I want to handcuff myself to the phone instead of a standalone, when after a couple years they cost the same. Note: I actually use a gps for work. About 30+ destinations/week. Not just an occasional trip to somewhere I need directions.
In my experience, yes. But don't take my word for it, check out some reviews:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2388770,00.asp
I forgot to mention, the maps also stay updated with their MapShare feature. When I first installed I got thousands of map updates automatically downloaded to the device, and it checks periodically for more.
Thanks. TT seems the best bet to me, with MapShare and IQ Routing the reasons. Although I wish they could figure out a decent multi-stop routing feature. While my Garmin has an annoying quirk, the TT multi-stop is a joke. I keep going back and forth.
I've only used standalones, could be different in an app. TT's Itinerary doesn't show each location onscreen as you arrive. It does show the final destination. It routes you to each map point you enter just fine, but says nothing about being close or anything. It's as if they think you just want to drive down certain streets to arrive at the final destination, that the stops don't exist. It would be better if it treated each point the same way it treats one destination, but just stringing together 10 routes into one longer route.
Garmin's goes haywire and starts redirecting you around the block when you are close to each Waypoint, under certain circumstances. Basically, this one needs to accept that you reached a stop, and move on to the next one in its directions.
Many devices or apps don't even offer the feature.
As a part time delivery guy, it becomes annoying. The option is to enter each destination as new each time, but that takes out rerouting possibilities. Many of my coworkers simply do it this way, anyway. Some still use maps. On paper.
Whatever it's doing there, one thing can be sure, don't follow it down any holes, it'll lead to trouble..
They serve many purposes. They work pretty great traveling across the country as well... or finding a restaurant or entertainment in a city you've never been in before... or finding gas stations along the way on a very long trip, etc. But I know it's crazy how people find things useful that you don't. What is the world coming to?
So people never ever drive most of the time in the towns they live in? People spend a majority of time driving where they don't live? Strange. I live in North Carolina, that's where I spend all of my time driving.
A lot of people use GPS for work in the towns and cities they live in (real estate, package delivery, etc.).
Also, people use them when getting out of town for the day or weekend. That's especially true here where I live in Colorado (at the edge of the Front Range).