Sat Nav

Robm1955

Can anyone recommend a good freeSat Nav app, that doesn't require wifi, and works off the gps. One I could use for walking directions is one I'm looking for. I have a Samsung android phone.

Cycrow

Cant you just use google maps ?

Robm1955

Would google maps tell me if I needed to turn or change direction?

Prothet_of_Doom

I use NAV free which I got via the google play store.

Unlike google maps which uses a bit of data to down load the area you are in to the phone, it has it's own maps, so no data use costs.

Be careful calling it SAT Nav, as it uses GPS co-ordinates via your phone providers transmitting stations, and not satalites as no phone actually does.

The implication is that when we went to Europe and my phone did not have a network provider, I was a bit stuck, as it could not get a GPS co-ordinate.

Lucky, that I'd printed off the direction from google maps before we left home, and had a European Map book. and our cottage had wifi so I could plan the day trips.

Also, it's free, so occassionally it will take you a weird route. I've always planned long trips in advance, and so ignored the fact that 20 miles of the A55 between conway and bangor seem to have been deleted. Check the route overview before heading off.

I usually ignore the sat nav until about a mile from my destination.

Prothet_of_Doom

Robm1955 wrote: »

Would google maps tell me if I needed to turn or change direction?

it has a navigation function so yes.

Cycrow

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

Be careful calling it SAT Nav, as it uses GPS co-ordinates via your phone providers transmitting stations, and not satalites as no phone actually does.

Actually thats not actually true. Some phones do have GPS devices in them

what your talking about is Assisted GPS which uses cell site locations to pinpoint the location.

a proper GPS tends to be abit more accurate, mine works even if i turn off data (althou it wont download the maps)

TonyMMM

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

Be careful calling it SAT Nav, as it uses GPS co-ordinates via your phone providers transmitting stations, and not satalites as no phone actually does.

The implication is that when we went to Europe and my phone did not have a network provider, I was a bit stuck, as it could not get a GPS co-ordinate.

Loads of phones have GPS recievers in them, and quite happily use the satellite signals to provide a location. Many also use a system known as AGPS (Assisted GPS) which combines the information from the phone company transmitters to get a location more quickly.

neilwoods

What sort of walking, town walks or countryside.

Quite a few out there, EveryTrail, Hiker, Backcountry Navigation, Viewranger GPS. Maps with me Pro.

Most will require you to download the maps or tiles beforehand. And some will import gpx cords.

As for phone having GPS, it will have, as said be called A-Gps.

lammy82

A while ago I found myself leaving a pub in one part of London and wondering how to get back to the house I was staying, in a different part. Normally I would be looking for the nearest tube station and heading to the tube station nearest to where I was staying, from where I knew the way back.

But this time I decided to see whether I could walk back (I had my beer jacket on).

Using the standard Google maps on my Android phone, I put in the postcode of where I was heading and selected "Walking Navigation". I then switched to the Music app, plugged my headphones in, and set off, walking home through a beautiful evening, listening to my favourite tunes, and occasionally having the music automatically fade down and being told to turn left onto Grosvenor Avenue, etc. 45 minutes later I was back home with a cup of tea, having walked most of the beer off and seen some parts of London that I otherwise would have missed (and not having to use the tube!).