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Turn-By-Turn iPhone GPS App Already Available in iTunes

WhySoSerious said:
why do people need this? seriously...

the built-in google maps gps works just as well as this $40 ($20 for East; $20 for West) app. the only difference is you get some semi-fancy ground level view with a little arrow and some distance markers.

who cares? just turn on your free app, google maps and tap the gps location button to bring up your location via a blue dot; type in your destination you want to get to; zoom in a little so you can read the names of every single street; follow the path and dot; and I'm sure your brain can do the rest to get you to your destination.
Click to expand...

I guess you've never tried to rely on Google Maps or Google Earth while on a long car trip. I have.

Recently I took a 6 hour ride out to Cleveland and had both my TomTom and iPhone with Google Maps/Earth going in parallel. Google always keeps the display oriented with north up, so you have to think about which direction you want to turn instead of it being relative to your current orientation. It also relies completely on the phone network, so while I had pretty good 3G coverage there were spots in Pennsyltucky where I dropped down to EDGE and in a few instances had no coverage at all. And may I say that the turn by turn directions in Google Maps are completely useless when you're actually going somewhere in real time, because they don't tell you where you are and you can't see the blinking dot on the map while you're reading a screen full of text directions.

The best benefit to a real turn-by-turn GPS is that it tells you the next "event" you are looking for, e.g. route 80 west. Google Maps doesn't tell you that.

Google can go a long way by merging some of the static information from the route into the live Maps view, and by doing something about the inflexible orientation. But as it stands now using Google Maps for in-car navigation is like using a spoon when you need a fork.
 
Of course I live in Minnesota, about 15 miles from Wisconsin. Minnesota's in the west, Wisconsin's in the east. Yet another reason I miss DC :(
 
janstett said:
I guess you've never tried to rely on Google Maps or Google Earth while on a long car trip. I have.

Recently I took a 6 hour ride out to Cleveland and had both my TomTom and iPhone with Google Maps/Earth going in parallel. Google always keeps the display oriented with north up, so you have to think about which direction you want to turn instead of it being relative to your current orientation. It also relies completely on the phone network, so while I had pretty good 3G coverage there were spots in Pennsyltucky where I dropped down to EDGE and in a few instances had no coverage at all. And may I say that the turn by turn directions in Google Maps are completely useless when you're actually going somewhere in real time, because they don't tell you where you are and you can't see the blinking dot on the map while you're reading a screen full of text directions.

The best benefit to a real turn-by-turn GPS is that it tells you the next "event" you are looking for, e.g. route 80 west. Google Maps doesn't tell you that.

Google can go a long way by merging some of the static information from the route into the live Maps view, and by doing something about the inflexible orientation. But as it stands now using Google Maps for in-car navigation is like using a spoon when you need a fork.
Click to expand...

I just took a 14 hour trip to Key West and the maps app worked just fine for me.
 
WhySoSerious said:
why do people need this? seriously...

the built-in google maps gps works just as well as this $40 ($20 for East; $20 for West) app. the only difference is you get some semi-fancy ground level view with a little arrow and some distance markers.

who cares? just turn on your free app, google maps and tap the gps location button to bring up your location via a blue dot; type in your destination you want to get to; zoom in a little so you can read the names of every single street; follow the path and dot; and I'm sure your brain can do the rest to get you to your destination.
Click to expand...

Have you ever been in a U.S. National Forest? or somewhere in the middle of Wyoming? I did a 8,000 mi road trip this past summer (Half with a gen 1 iPhone and half with a 3g) there are a lot of places out west that do not have any type of cell coverage. Google Maps needs a cell tower to work on the iPhone.
 
WhySoSerious said:
why do people need this? seriously...

the built-in google maps gps works just as well as this $40 ($20 for East; $20 for West) app. the only difference is you get some semi-fancy ground level view with a little arrow and some distance markers.

who cares? just turn on your free app, google maps and tap the gps location button to bring up your location via a blue dot; type in your destination you want to get to; zoom in a little so you can read the names of every single street; follow the path and dot; and I'm sure your brain can do the rest to get
you to your destination.
Click to expand...

I'd have to agree.I guess I'm old skool but I'm comfortable with a map.A Google map on my phone that shows my location and can route me is plenty awesome enough.Oh,and it's free!But,whatever cranks your tractor I guess...
 
The Google Maps app is fine if you have another person in the car with you. If not, then it's quite useless. And dangerous to use.

I only really use it when TomTom craps out (which lately has been quite often.)
 
I think it would be awesome for those that have Mobile me to be able to look up directions and send them over to your phone as "push."
Of course this would be when you are away from your syncing computer.
Most likely you will be on WiFi when you do.
This would download the maps necessary for your route, such as Street View on Google Maps.
(because who seriously wants 1gb of maps that they will probably never use?

Now on the Syncing computer, iTunes would have a "google maps" from which you could download select maps, or just your routes (allowing the functionallity from above.)

This way I think it would be awesome for Google Maps to work along the new iPhone G3. Possibly with true GPS, and longer battery with better "network connection"

If this could ever happen, it would benefit apple a lot.
Since it could encourage people to actually use "push" with MobileMe.

I would even pay for something like that, won't you guys agree?
 
Core Location services API does not require GPS, it can also use wifi. Hence iPod touch compatability.
 
WhySoSerious said:
why do people need this? seriously...

the built-in google maps gps works just as well as this $40 ($20 for East; $20 for West) app. the only difference is you get some semi-fancy ground level view with a little arrow and some distance markers.

who cares? just turn on your free app, google maps and tap the gps location button to bring up your location via a blue dot; type in your destination you want to get to; zoom in a little so you can read the names of every single street; follow the path and dot; and I'm sure your brain can do the rest to get you to your destination.
Click to expand...

Because Maps sucks.
You have to look at the screen the whole time which is very dangerous when you're driving.
It sometimes doesn't give you your EXACT location and instead decides to give you the 'general vicinity' blue circle ********.

In other words, Google Maps is worthless if you're driving....especially since law enforcement is cracking down on cell phone usage while driving.
 
janstett said:
1. I guess you've never tried to rely on Google Maps or Google Earth while on a long car trip.

2. Google always keeps the display oriented with north up, so you have to think about which direction you want to turn instead of it being relative to your current orientation.

3. It also relies completely on the phone network, so while I had pretty good 3G coverage there were spots in Pennsyltucky where I dropped down to EDGE and in a few instances had no coverage at all.

4. And may I say that the turn by turn directions in Google Maps are completely useless when you're actually going somewhere in real time, because they don't tell you where you are and you can't see the blinking dot on the map while you're reading a screen full of text directions.

5. The best benefit to a real turn-by-turn GPS is that it tells you the next "event" you are looking for, e.g. route 80 west. Google Maps doesn't tell you that.
Click to expand...

1. what do you consider a long trip? i've been on some long trips before (through a couple states)....as far as coast-to-coast...no.

2. even though the map is stationary, the iphone is really small...all you have to do is rotate the phone in your hand as you make a turn...not hard at all. that way you're always facing the direction you are driving.

3. good point

4. wrong. you can ZOOM IN to see all the roads and names and watch the blue dot move as your car moves. also, you tap on the "next" button to advance the individual turn directions one at a time. it's not like pulling up mapquest on the internet where you have to read every turn and direction on one page...google maps gps gives you each step one at a time as you tap a button. very simple.

5. yes it does. it won't verbally speak it, but then again, the app in question doesnt do it either. google maps gps does give you turn by turn......see my answer on #4
 
fr33 loader said:
Without voice prompts, this is actually dangerous as you have to take your eyes off the road to read the streets on a small screen. I could see its usefulness if you have another person as navigator for you. C'mon Apple, let's make this a safer world to drive.
Click to expand...

Back in the "old days" I'm sure no one took their eyes off the road to read an actual paper map...
 
This whole issue must be testing the patients of your most hardcore apple fans.

GPS was the main reason I bought the iphone. So I signed up to a long contract that I'm stuck with and a icripple only later to find I got bummed by Apple.

Apple need to act fast :mad:
 
princigalli said:
Even if they make advanced GPS apps for the iphone, the GPS hardware will not be as accurate as a good TomTom. My navigation system acquires satellites and is ready to go within a few seconds. Large screen and large keyboard, and it connects perfectly via blutooth to the iphone. It even copies the entire contacts from the phone and the sync works better than my OSX address book with the iphone.

I don't think Apple will ever release a top quality GPS software.
Click to expand...

Yes, but how well does your GPS run the other 60+ apps I have on my iPhone?

Of course your dedicated GPS hardware will be a better GPS. The iPhone doesn't need to have the best in class GPS to convince people it's worth buying, it only needs to get the job done.
 
bytethese said:
Back in the "old days" I'm sure no one took their eyes off the road to read an actual paper map...
Click to expand...

Very good point. They need to issue a recall on all fold up maps until they incorporate some method of disabling them while the car is moving. :D
 
JPark said:
Yes, but how well does your GPS run the other 60+ apps I have on my iPhone?

Of course your dedicated GPS hardware will be a better GPS. The iPhone doesn't need to have the best in class GPS to convince people it's worth buying, it only needs to get the job done.
Click to expand...

+1

I live in Manhattan and don't own a car, but when I rent the occasional ZipCar, TBT directions on my iPhone would be the best solution for me. :)
 
It doesn't list New York in the covered areas in the iTunes store. This true?
 
DavidLeblond said:
The Google Maps app is fine if you have another person in the car with you. If not, then it's quite useless. And dangerous to use.

I only really use it when TomTom craps out (which lately has been quite often.)
Click to expand...

we're not discussing TomTom or any other GPS system other than google maps gps and the app store gps with no verbal commands.

both......BOTH are dangerous.......not just the google maps gps one. the app store one doesn't have verbal commands, so you still have to read and look at your phone when you use it.......making it just as bad.
 
Kila said:
Because Maps sucks.
You have to look at the screen the whole time which is very dangerous when you're driving.
It sometimes doesn't give you your EXACT location and instead decides to give you the 'general vicinity' blue circle ********.

In other words, Google Maps is worthless if you're driving....especially since law enforcement is cracking down on cell phone usage while driving.
Click to expand...

so is the app we're discussing....it's just as worthless and dangerous as maps because NEITHER offer verbal commands, thus requiring the user to still look at the phone.
 
something that a lot of people have been waiting for, hopefully it is worth it! I will wait till more reviews are up to drop $20 on it though
 
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