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

[NateOMatic]

The app even is said to have 3D Images of major intersections (we were unable to verify).

I can verify the existence of these in very select locations, which are variously and inconsistently identified on the App Store entry and the dev's website. If they happen to fall along your route, these 3D images simply pop up as you get within 0.2 miles of the junction (I believe you must have an active route to see them).

This feature is not to be confused with bird's eye navigation view, often referred to as "3D" view. Bird's eye view is one of the three available map view options, the others being north up and track up.

 

[macshill]

Oh? Does that mean they're going to sue Garmin so they don't use turn-by-turn, too?

 

[DiamondMac]

Eh, this has never been that big a deal to me

I already am pretty happy with the GPS on the 3g iPhone

 

[ryanw]

Eh, this has never been that big a deal to me

I already am pretty happy with the GPS on the 3g iPhone

Well, I can tell you that using google maps on a long trip is really annoying. I don't know how much better this actually is in "practice" because I like to make calls while driving so going back and fourth with this program might become annoying as it doesn't save your route...

But I think there's a way to easily create a route and go back in... but still, it'd be nice if it auto-saved whatever your last thing you were doing was.

 

[kes601]

Big thumbs down from me. I bought this and it worked fine for a couple days, but now crashes everytime it tries to track me. I uninstalled and reinstalled and have the same problem. Developers won't get back to me with any kind of support. DO NOT waste your money at this point. There is an update coming in March (they actually responded when I gave an enhancement request), but at this point it is a piece of garbage.

 

[Scooterman1]

App Removed from App Store

This App has been removed from App Store. Check out their Website:
http://www.xroadgps.com/Maps/GMapforiPhone/tabid/2463/Default.aspx

It reads:

http://www.xroadgps.com/portals/61/flash/iphone/html/main_img/m_2_2_090312.gif

 

[Bye Bye Baby]

apple please give me turn by turn for my birthday. Pretty please

 

[convergent]

I'm glad I bought it while it was available. I use it daily and its an excellent app. I've never had it crash once. About the only thing that happens negatively with me is that it occaisionally loses itself, but then within a few seconds the problem it corrects itself and you are back on route. I hope that Apple brings it back, because this is a core app for me now.

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

Eh, this has never been that big a deal to me

I already am pretty happy with the GPS on the 3g iPhone

Thumbs up.

I does the job. I go everywhere I need to now, thanks to GPS and google maps, without ever looking it up ahead of time. What more could anyone really need? Does anyone really need the digital first person view of the road (ya know, that wide open space thats in full color right through your windshield), or a voice to remind them to turn?

Its just silly.

Open google maps:
enter destination
select current location
touch "get route"
touch 'start"

From there, each step is self explanatory. My ONLY request would be to make the "NEXT" "PREVIOUS" direction step buttons larger. This way they are easy to hit without taking eyes off the road at all.

Anyone who needs more than that probably shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car to begin with.

 

[kdarling]

Anyone who needs more than that probably shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car to begin with.

Either you're too young to drive (my guess from your other posts), and/or don't live in a highly congested driving area with oddball roads, such as are common in the Northeast USA.

I've driven/piloted well over a million miles, in countries around the world, and all sorts of vehicles, land, sea and air. I'm extremely good with maps and directions, even in combat conditions in unfamiliar areas.

And I'd still never say anything like you did. Turn by turn by clicking buttons and having to reset new directions, is neither safe nor anywhere near as useful as automatic turn by turn.

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

Either you're too young to drive (my guess from your other posts), and/or don't live in a highly congested driving area with oddball roads, such as are common in the Northeast USA.

I've driven well over a million miles, in countries around the world, and all sorts of vehicles. I'm extremely good with maps and directions, even in combat conditions in unfamiliar areas.

And I'd still never say anything like you did. Turn by turn by clicking buttons and having to reset new directions, is neither safe nor anywhere near as useful as automatic turn by turn.

Are you ok? Honestly? You sound extremely disturbed for someone talking about freaking navigation....

anyway,

I guess your brilliant insight has failed you here. I'm 30 years old (i think thats old enough to drive...) and I'm a mobile DJ. I put 35,000 miles a year on every vehicle I go through, thanks to work. Oh, and I live in NJ. Last time I checked, NJ roads are exactly what you would call "highly congested".

And yes, the iPhone w/ its GPS and Google Maps are more than enough to get me around to every job, be it a banquet hall, restaurant, or random house anywhere in the state or surrounding states.

Don't be so arrogant. You don't know everything, and clearly, you know very little about judging other folks.

 

[kdarling]

Anyone who needs more than that probably shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car to begin with.

Right. Listen, it might be fine for you, but there was no reason for you to smack down others who need or want more.

My wife, for example, is direction impaired. Turn by turn speaking GPS is great for her. Especially if she gets lost in a NJ town at night. She just hits "Home" and no matter what detours occur, she's brought safely home.

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

Right. Listen, it might be fine for you, but there was no reason for you to smack down others who need or want more.

My wife, for example, is direction impaired. Turn by turn speaking GPS is great for her. Especially if she gets lost in a NJ town at night. She just hits "Home" and no matter what detours occur, she's brought safely home.

And there are great products out there to meet that "need". Cheap ones too.

Separately, it frightens me to know that there are people on the road who can't even find their way home without voice prompts. Actually, thats terrifying. I'm supposed to teach my kids to drive in a few years, and every day I worry about that more and more, as I have no choice but to subject my loved ones to the (lack of) driving skills of the general population.

 

[kdarling]

... as I have no choice but to subject my loved ones to the (lack of) driving skills of the general population.

Heh. That's the problem with living in NJ, home of some of the worst drivers I've ever seen.

Moreover, there's still a lot of them (attempting) driving while talking on their phones. They think they can drive, but they can't. Worse than drunk drivers, sometimes.

Those are the ones I really worry about hitting my family.

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

Heh. That's the problem with living in NJ, home of some of the worst drivers I've ever seen.

Moreover, there's still a lot of them (attempting) driving while talking on their phones. They think they can drive, but they can't. Worse than drunk drivers, sometimes.

Those are the ones I really worry about hitting my family.

Agreed, the drunk drivers are the real concern. Particularly because nothing is done to stop them.

Is it not hilarious how police set up illegal checkpoints once in a while as their 'strategy' against DUI/DWI...

..Yet go stand outside any of thousand bars within a 10 mile radius of my house, on thurs fri and sat, and watch the drunks file out into their cars and take off, by the dozens.

Where are the cops then? Its most pathetic middle finger we receive as citizens. BS checkpoints for the slaves, while the actual drunk drivers get away with it every weekend.

 

[convergent]

And there are great products out there to meet that "need". Cheap ones too.

Separately, it frightens me to know that there are people on the road who can't even find their way home without voice prompts. Actually, thats terrifying. I'm supposed to teach my kids to drive in a few years, and every day I worry about that more and more, as I have no choice but to subject my loved ones to the (lack of) driving skills of the general population.

What are you even talking about? You do realize the application we are talking about (G-Map) does NOT have voice prompting???

I have used the iPhone 3G with Google Maps and its GPS extensively, and it frightens me to think that people are using that while driving a car. Its dangerous. You state that you use Google Maps a lot and it does everything wonderfully. Have you used anything else to compare it to? I have to wonder.

I will explain again why Google Maps is dangerous if the driver is using it. First, you must continually hit the "Next" button at every turn (or segment of a turn... 3 times for some ramps). After you hit next, you have to reactivate the tracking. This requires putting way too much attention into watching exactly where you are on the Google Maps display... otherwise you can get off track entirely or loose track of which turn segment you are on. Which brings me to point two. If you do get off track by accident, or intentionally alter your route, you have to start over and re-type your destination. If you stop every time you do any of this, then you are being safe. If you don't, then you are not. Google Maps does require a lot of attention to navigate with.

Compare that to "turn by turn" instructions. You put in your destination. It gives you a route. It automatically prompts for the next turn after you make a turn. And if you get off the route, it automatically re-routes you. It has nothing to do with "3D maps" or "voice prompts" as you've said. The point of using navigation software, be it Google or G-Map, is that you don't already know how to get where you going. That means you are driving on unfamiliar roads and should be focussed on your driving. The point of "turn by turn" instructions is that you take the time to put in your destination BEFORE you start driving. After that, the navigation software doesn't require any more interaction to distract the driver. Can Google Maps get you there? Sure. Is it safe? I would say that its not unless you do a lot of stopping and going or have a navigator that is hitting the buttons for you. If you are so concerned with safety, then this should be a concern.

There are other devices out there to meet this "need" as you've called it. I have a Garmin Nuvi. It does a wonderful job. It was $250 which compared to $20 I wouldn't call "cheap" as you did. My wife uses the Garmin. I could have bought a second one, but why? I have a device in the iPhone that works pretty well with the proper software, and I don't have to carry a second device around with me. With the iPhone I can listen to my music, respond to phone calls, and do my navigation in the same device. This is what having a "converged device" means.

If you like Google Maps, then use it. You don't need to put down people who want a more capable application for navigation. There are good reasons for it that are based on convenience and safety. G-Map has proven that the iPhone can do the job. For some unknown reason, Apple is choosing to block this function from the iPhone which is really ridiculous.

 

[JPark]

And there are great products out there to meet that "need". Cheap ones too.

Separately, it frightens me to know that there are people on the road who can't even find their way home without voice prompts. Actually, thats terrifying. I'm supposed to teach my kids to drive in a few years, and every day I worry about that more and more, as I have no choice but to subject my loved ones to the (lack of) driving skills of the general population.

I fail to see the connection between a sense of direction and the ability to safely drive a car. Does this mean that if she were on foot she'd be careening off walls and light posts?

 

[janstett]

Thumbs up.

I does the job. I go everywhere I need to now, thanks to GPS and google maps, without ever looking it up ahead of time. What more could anyone really need? Does anyone really need the digital first person view of the road (ya know, that wide open space thats in full color right through your windshield), or a voice to remind them to turn?

Its just silly.

Open google maps:
enter destination
select current location
touch "get route"
touch 'start"

From there, each step is self explanatory. My ONLY request would be to make the "NEXT" "PREVIOUS" direction step buttons larger. This way they are easy to hit without taking eyes off the road at all.

Anyone who needs more than that probably shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car to begin with.

Sounds to me like you use GPS to find a new Starbucks or Panera Bread three blocks away from your usual locations. Not very much like you use it to go someplace completely new and foreign that's 100+ miles away.

Clearly you've never been on a 6 hour road trip looking for an indiscriminant series of off ramps. Or used a real GPS system for that matter.

I have a good sense of direction and don't generally need GPS. But when I go somewhere new, I have a Tom Tom, as well as a Fujitsu-Siemens unit in my wife's car. Google Maps is to GPS Navigation what coloring books are to literature. The numerous reasons have already been detailed.