Best Android Sat Nav App

Mobeer

ballyblack wrote: »

Roughly how much data would the mobile use to have Google Maps (3G), operational for an hour in UK??
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I would download the map data at home, which would just then need rerouting data use only if I get lost.

almillar

Waze, Waze, Waze. Free. The maps are great these days, and it's crowdsourced, so if you find a problem, you can fix it yourself (or ask someone to fix it and it WILL be done). Crowdsourcing also means you get very good up to date traffic information, as long as a fellow Waze user is already stuck in it! Petrol price updates let you find cheap petrol near you or on your route, the search (I've seen a few complaints) improved massively after Google took them over, and the voice search is excellent too.

BertieBark

Another vote for Waze. The real time traffic routing is fantastic and save me so much time.

bod1467

Doesn't Waze require a data connection? If yes then it could be very expensive for overseas use. (Navfree doesn't need a data connection).

RumRat

MapFactor Navigator is the best free one I've tried. Maps stored on your SD card and updated for free every month. No data usage needed.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapfactor.navigator

almillar

bod1467 - yes, you're right it does, Waze is for use in the UK only really.
For abroad, I use NavFree as above. Well, I loaded it, and the right maps, but never had to use it. My wife (my navigator) was happy with Google Maps - it needs a data connection to navigate, but she preloaded the areas we were in via WiFi, then you've got a moving map with a pin on it showing you where you are. This got us where we needed to be with suprisingly little stress...

Wellard_Mann

MSE requested feedback on NavFree so my .02 worth:

I've installed it to replace my Tom Tom (sat nav unit not phone app) which has been behaving strangely lately. I've only used it in the UK so far. Good points:

1. It's free. Well, to be pedantic, you'd need to buy a phone mount for your vehicle if you don't already have one.

2. It doesn't use data once you've downloaded it - best done over wi-fi as it's quite chunky. There's an option to store on your phone's SD card.

3. The maps are clear, the default voice function is audible and I've not noticed any map inaccuracies to date. You can report any issues you encounter.

4. It's integrated with Google search, which can help with POI's.

Things that could be improved:

1. You can navigate to streets or postcodes, not to a house number. I don't find this a problem personally.

2. The voice prompts occasionally differ from the map route indications, particularly when it comes to roundabouts. The map routing tends to be the correct one.

3. It claims to provide voice prompts through the car speakers if you enable Bluetooth. I haven't been able to do this so far but the instructions are perfectly audible on the phone so not a big drawback.

As a free app, I can recommend this.

fairyprincess

Hi I have looked up Navfree Japan but it appears it is not available on Playstore. Does any1 know of a free navigation system or free maps to download for travelling round Japan. We will not be driving but walking and using public transport. :beer:

crw49

I've used NavFree and it works fine. Now I use Mapfactor Navigator - it uses the same opensource maps but the layout is less "clunky". You have choices of 'fastest', 'shortest' etc. but check the routes it offers you can be sent through the centre of town (shortest) when the ring-road is better. You also have the choice of buying TomTom maps (but why pay?) My Garmin sat-nav is now redundant. If you are just walking, not "navigating", MapsWithMe is good - it shows footpaths and seems to have more 'points of interest' for finding a pub (or caf!!)

Fellwalker

fairyprincess wrote: »

Hi I have looked up Navfree Japan but it appears it is not available on Playstore. Does any1 know of a free navigation system or free maps to download for travelling round Japan. We will not be driving but walking and using public transport. :beer:

OSMAnd uses openstreetmaps.org mapping, which you can see by looking at the openstreetmap website. From a quick look, Japan is well covered. From within OSMAnd I can see that the download is 765.3 MB, which compares to England whcih is 535.6 MB. Obviously a lot of detail.