My quick review of offline Android freeware mapping & routing applications

[Danny D'Amico]

Here is a quick review of the following offline android free map apps:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7310/10990530506_d9edd31304_o.gif

1. MapFactor: Navigator, v1.0.35 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapfactor.navigator&hl=en
Irk: Powerful freeware; but doesn't speak the road names.
2. Alk: CoPilot GPS free, v9.5.0.400 Database = Navteq
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alk.copilot.mapviewer
Note: Accurate maps but only 1 allowed; voice costs money; has phone #s.
3. Google: Maps, v7.4.0 Database = Google
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps
Note: Most accurate maps, but, must cache tiles; no POIs; no offline search;
Irk: Map cache gets removed after 30 days!
Irk: Can't change route once you lose your WiFi signal.
Irk: Can't search for anything once you lose your WiFi signal.
4. Aponia: Be-On-Road, v3.9.26239 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.aponia.bor3
Note: Powerful freeware; but uses OSM maps which are not as complete yet.
Impression: Un-intuitive GUI but nice display.
5. Geolife: NavFree USA, v2.1.17 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.USA
Note: Powerful freeware; uses OSM maps; ads are a bit obnoxious.
6. F-Droid: OsmAnd~, v1.5-ARM (X-86 & MIPS builds exist) Database = OSM
https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=osmand~&fdid=net.osmand.plus
Note: The most powerful freeware; but I'd characterize the database as beta.
Pro:
Con: Voice prompts: yes (annoyingly says "milles" for miles)
7. Google Play: OsmAnd, v1.6.5 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.osmand
Note: 10-map limit; use OsmAnd~ freeware instead.
8. Code Sector: Maverick Lite, v2.2, OSM & MapQuest & Microsoft & others
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.codesector.maverick.lite
PRO: Maps are great! (Microsoft & MapQuest at least)
PRO: Address search is pretty good but only works online.
PRO: Once you've found an address, you can auto-open in another program!
INF: It's good mapping software but I don't see any routing at all?
CON: Crippleware won't search POIs but will allow Lat/Lon entry.
CON: Won't save anything for future use other than saved wavepoints.
CON: Can't do an address search offline.
CON: Doesn't cache maps offline all that well (unreliable).

Free Android apps that FAILED for offline GPS mapping + routing + tracking:
9. Google: My Tracks, v2.0.5
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.maps.mytracks
Note: Tracks beautifully onto an accurate Google map; does not route.
10. Asamm: Locus Free, v2.17.2
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.locus
Note: Tracks beautifully onto a USGS topo map; does not route without net.
11. Atlogis: US Topo Maps free, v1.1.0
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atlogis.northamerica.free
Note: Tracks beautifully onto a USGS topo map; does not route.
12. Telenav: Scout, v1.6.1.7610003
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.telenav.app.android.scout_us
Note: Complains "Unable to reach server"
Hint: Remove Sim card before installing & give it a bogus phone number.
13. Sygic: GPS, v13.2.2 Uses TomTom maps
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sygic.aura
Note: Not freeware; so it shouldn't be on this list (but it's the best).
Note: Works offline and is usally the top-recommended offline map app.
14. 66: Navigate 6, v5.13.46.DB3B2C1.73F9DB5
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.route66.maps5
Note: Uses TomTom maps; routing is not free & maps time out in 30 days

NEWLY UNDER TEST:
x. CloudMade: MapDroyd, v2.0.4, OSM data
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.osa.android.mapdroyd
CON: Doesn't seem all that usable in preliminary tests.
CON: Coulnd't even find a school nearby.

x. MapsWithMe: Maps With Me Lite,
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapswithme.maps
============================================================================

[Andy Burns]

Danny D'Amico wrote:

> Here is a quick review of the following offline android free map apps:
>

> Free Android apps that FAILED for offline GPS mapping + routing + tracking:
> 9. Google: My Tracks, v2.0.5
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.maps.mytracks
> Note: Tracks beautifully onto an accurate Google map; does not route.

It's a bit harsh to say it "failed", the whole point of MyTracks is to
record where you went, not to tell you where to go ...

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 08:36:26 +0000, Andy Burns wrote:

> It's a bit harsh to say it "failed", the whole point of MyTracks is to
> record where you went, not to tell you where to go ...

Agreed. There's nothing wrong with Google My Tracks.
In fact, I *love* that application, and use it whenever I hike.
But, it sucks at offline routing, so that's why I said it failed.

I need to change that word though, because you are totally correct
in that it didn't fail, per se. It was never designed for that purpose!

So, here's an update:
Suggested Freeware Offline GPS Map/Routing/Tracking Applications on Android:

1. MapFactor: Navigator, v1.0.35 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapfactor.navigator&hl=en

PRO:
CON: Does not speak road names (TTS).

2. Alk: CoPilot GPS free, v9.5.0.400 Database = Navteq
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alk.copilot.mapviewer

PRO: Offline search for POIs works beautifully!
PRO: Shows phone numbers for the POIs
CON: Voice dies after 7 days.
CON: Only one free Navteq download is allowed.

3. Google: Maps, v7.4.0 Database = Google
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps

PRO: Most accurate of all the maps; and fast drawing too!
CON: Map cache tiling is not intuitive, and it's lost after 30 days anyway.
CON: Can't create or change the route once you go offline.
CON: Can't search for anything once you go offline.

4. Aponia: Be-On-Road, v3.9.26239 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.aponia.bor3

PRO:
CON:

5. Geolife: NavFree USA, v2.1.17 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.USA

PRO:
CON:

6. F-Droid: OsmAnd~, v1.5-ARM (X-86 & MIPS builds exist) Database = OSM
https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=osmand~&fdid=net.osmand.plus
Note: The most powerful freeware; but I'd characterize the database as beta.

PRO:
CON:

Pro:
Con: Voice prompts: yes (annoyingly says "milles" for miles)

7. Code Sector: Maverick Lite, v2.2, OSM & MapQuest & Microsoft & others

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.codesector.maverick.lite
PRO: Maps are great! (Microsoft & MapQuest at least)
PRO: Address search is pretty good but only works online.
PRO: Once you've found an address, you can auto-open in another program!
INF: It's good mapping software but I don't see any routing at all?
CON: Crippleware won't search POIs but will allow Lat/Lon entry.
CON: Won't save anything for future use other than saved wavepoints.
CON: Can't do an address search offline.
CON: Doesn't cache maps offline all that well (unreliable).

8. Google Play: OsmAnd, v1.6.5 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.osmand
PRO:
CON:

Note: 10-map limit; use OsmAnd~ freeware instead.

Similar Android apps that aren't free, or don't work offline for routing:
a. CloudMade: MapDroyd, v2.0.4, OSM data
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.osa.android.mapdroyd
PRO: I can't think of anything good to say about this map application
CON: Really really really slow map drawing (I'm not sure why).
CON: Can't route; can't talk.
b. MapsWithMe: Maps With Me Lite, OSM data
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapswithme.maps
PRO: I can't think of a single thing good about this program.
CON: Doesn't route; doesn't talk; doesn't do anything but show your postion.
CON: Crippleware does not have a search capability
CON: Half the icons on the front map don't work in the crippleware.
CON: Phones home by default unless you turn it off in the settings.
c. Google: My Tracks, v2.0.5

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.maps.mytracks
Note: Tracks beautifully onto an accurate Google map; does not route.

d. Asamm: Locus Free, v2.17.2

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.locus
Note: Tracks beautifully onto a USGS topo map; does not route without net.

e. Atlogis: US Topo Maps free, v1.1.0

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atlogis.northamerica.free
Note: Tracks beautifully onto a USGS topo map; does not route.

f. Telenav: Scout, v1.6.1.7610003

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.telenav.app.android.scout_us
Note: Complains "Unable to reach server"
Hint: Remove Sim card before installing & give it a bogus phone number.

g. Sygic: GPS, v13.2.2 Uses TomTom maps

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sygic.aura
Note: Not freeware; so it shouldn't be on this list (but it's the best).
Note: Works offline and is usally the top-recommended offline map app.

h. 66: Navigate 6, v5.13.46.DB3B2C1.73F9DB5

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.route66.maps5
Note: Uses TomTom maps; routing is not free & maps time out in 30 days

UNDER TEST:
x. Mictale: GPS Essentials, v3.2.9
PRO: Automatically caches map tiles that you specifically have looked at.
CON: You only see gray area for map tiles you haven't cached.
x. Offline map creator:
http://mobac.sourceforge.net
============================================================================

[B. R. 'BeAr' Ederson]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 07:56:58 +0000 (UTC), Danny D'Amico wrote:

> Here is a quick review of the following offline android free map apps:

<Snip>

Another one worth trying is gvSIG Mini Maps:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=es.prodevelop.gvsig.mini

BeAr
--
===========================================================================
= What do you mean with: "Perfection is always an illusion"? =
===============================================================--(Oops!)===

[Andy Burns]

B. R. 'BeAr' Ederson wrote:

> On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 07:56:58 +0000 (UTC), Danny D'Amico wrote:
>
>> Here is a quick review of the following offline android free map apps:
> <Snip>
>
> Another one worth trying is gvSIG Mini Maps:

And what about Waze, crowd-sourced traffic info, recently bought by Google

[M.L.]

>>> Here is a quick review of the following offline android free map apps:
>> <Snip>
>>
>> Another one worth trying is gvSIG Mini Maps:
>
>And what about Waze, crowd-sourced traffic info, recently bought by Google

Waze has no offline features.

[M.L.]

>2. Alk: CoPilot GPS free, v9.5.0.400 Database = Navteq
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alk.copilot.mapviewer
> Note: Accurate maps but only 1 allowed; voice costs money; has phone #s.

Only one download allowed but that download can contain the map of the
entire North American continent, or by country or by region.

Voice is still available for some features, but not turn-by-turn
announcements.

[Andy Burns]

M.L. wrote:

> Andy Burns wrote:
>
>> And what about Waze, crowd-sourced traffic info, recently bought by Google
>
> Waze has no offline features.

OK, didn't realise; I've been put-off installing it so far by the
slightly "hello kitty" feel to its icons ...

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 19:40:25 +0100, B. R. 'BeAr' Ederson wrote:

> Another one worth trying is gvSIG Mini Maps:

> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=es.prodevelop.gvsig.mini

This is a new one not suggested before. Thanks. It's nice to test *all*
the suggested apps so that we know, in the future, which ones have been
tested and which of those are the best for offline navigational use.

Looking at the description, gvSIG's advertising blurb says:
Description
gvSIG Mini Maps allows you to browse and navigate with GPS a full set of
free on/offline maps from your phone or tablet.
- Download maps from the phone for off-line browsing.
- Multitouch support.
- Official Ordnance Survey (UK) maps.
- Faster and smoother viewing.
- Android search.
- Many On/Offline Maps:
· OpenStreetMap with different renderers, Yahoo, Bing, Google
· PNOA, Cartociudad (ES)
- WMS(-C)
- Route calculation
- Address/POI search
- Share location
- Navigation

I installed gvSig, version 1.2.3 while on WiFi.

I pressed PhoneMenu->"My Location" and it zoomed to my location, where I
could instantly see it was the OSM map database (because it turns out that
OSM is wrong for my location so it's easy to tell).

Normally a program asks to download a map before it does that, so, being
curious, I turned off WiFi, and looked around, and noticed it had only
automatically downloaded the small map tile around my house. Clever.

With WiFi off, everything surrounding that small tile was checkerboarded.
Looking around, I see the button PhoneMenu->Download tiles.

I still have a sour taste in my mouth after testing Google Maps tiling,
(I prefer to download an entire state), but, that seems to not be an
option here.

The "Download Tiles" has a "slider bar" which I maxed out to set the
zoom level to download tiles. I already don't like this entire concept
but maybe this maximum zoom is 200 miles or so from my home, so, that
would be acceptable in a first pass.

I had forgotten to turn on WiFi, so, the download tiles GUI hung; and
then, when I tried to hit the phone back button, it said "Press the
cancel button to cancel the process". Huh? Where's the cancel button?

For at least a minute (elapsed time), I pressed every spot on the
Samsung Galaxy SIII and every button on the thing. There is no cancel
button. So I went to the Android Settings->Application Manager->
gvSig Mini Maps->Force Stop->OK. That worked. I guess that's the
cancel button.

Turning on WiFi, I press the button to Download Tiles, and, well,
I forgot to set my position, so, who knows what area it's downloading.
I try to cancel, but, guess what message I get? Yep. Same thing.

The message on the screen is shown below. I don't know what to make
of it. It never moved while I waited. So, I can only presume the download
failed to even start. Hmmm....after about 3 or 4 minutes (I'm not a
very patient guy), this is what the screen said:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3780/11019692404_5bc7bd2f1c_o.png

So, I killed it (by the aforementioned method), and rebooted the
phone and tried again, this time making sure WiFi was on.

This is getting long, so, I'll write back with the results.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Sat, 23 Nov 2013 03:52:43 -0600, M.L. wrote:

> Only one download allowed but that download can contain the map of the
> entire North American continent, or by country or by region.
>
> Voice is still available for some features, but not turn-by-turn
> announcements.

That's interesting that I could have downloaded the streets for the entire
USA instead of just California in the crippleware CoPilot app.

What worries me a little bit is that the CoPilot says you can only download
the map once, so, I'm not sure if I can now go back and delete the map
and try again (for the whole united states). Maybe we should clarify that
for the users so someone else doesn't make the same mistake.

BTW, I do have CoPilot as one of my top applications at the moment, even
in its crippled state. Here's a picture of my testing folder at the moment:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7361/11019655495_0d8a899945_o.gif

Those are the free apps I'm concentrating on testing at the moment.

I keep the CoPilot around because its maps are far (far) better than
those of the rest (who use OSM maps). The only better maps are Google,
but, Google is problematic for offline use (what with the need for
local tiling and 30-day time-limit constraints).

So, my use model at the moment is:
a) Try to find the address or POI offline in OSM, and,
... ... when that fails ... ...
b) Try to find it in CoPilot, and,
... ... if that fails ... ...
c) Try to zoom to the location in Google Maps
.. ... and then ...
d) Enter the closest thing found back into the OSM map in (a) above.

Once the OSM maps get better (or once I put all "my" favorites into the OSM
maps), then we can skip steps (b) and (c) except in emergencies.


PS: I used to own the CoPilot hardware dome for my computer way back when
(maybe 10 years ago?) ... is this the same company?

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 19:40:25 +0100, B. R. 'BeAr' Ederson wrote:

> Another one worth trying is gvSIG Mini Maps:
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=es.prodevelop.gvsig.mini

Continuing the testing procedure ... once rebooted and on WiFi ... the
touch-and-hold anywhere-on-the-map feature is kewl in that it brings up
a nice gui as shown below:
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2876/11019789875_80452a83c1_o.gif

Pressing the Android phone "main menu" button brings up the "My Location"
button in the gvSIG map application, so I press that to set the center tile,
and then I again (for the third time) press "Download Tiles".

This time I didn't even mess with the slider or the option to overwrite
cache, taking it at the default value.

Wouldn't you know it. Again, (for the third time), nothing happens.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7338/11020123603_0194cdba99_o.png

It's 6pm. I'll let it sit for a while to see if it finally starts to
do something ... but, as a freeware junkie, I really don't have patience
for things that should be obvious and which are not ...

Waiting ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Still waiting ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3808/11020228323_1674a44fea_o.jpg

Maybe my sdcard is full (I have downloaded a lot of maps); but it should
be telling me *something* ... as it doesn't even seem to have *started*
even given 20 miunutes.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 19:40:25 +0100, B. R. 'BeAr' Ederson wrote:

> Another one worth trying is gvSIG Mini Maps:

I try one more time, this time online.

I run the program and it tiles the maps as I zoom out and out, to
cover the desired 200 mile area around me.

I run a search for a street address (the same one that I've been using
all along with the other maps), and this is what I get instantly:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7383/11020205566_2d2766bef6_o.gif

So, I try something else. I like the route "from here" "to here"
buttons, so I try them, but, the route fails because I arbitrarily
picked two locations, one of which was in the middle of a forest.

So, I try again, this time putting the from here to here on the
golden gate bridge, and, wouldn't you know it, it crashed again.

Since no other map app is crashing, I'm going to have to give up
on this one.

But, I ask others to try, because it could be my equipment
(which is a Samsung Galaxy SIII).

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 08:36:26 +0000, Andy Burns wrote:

> It's a bit harsh to say it "failed", the whole point of MyTracks is to
> record where you went, not to tell you where to go ...

Here is a summary that is less harsh (and which added three more suggested apps):

0. Maps must be *downloadable* in usable sizes while on WiFi

Absolutely must work *offline* for the following tasks:
1. Maps should be *accurate* enough for daily use
2. Software must *geolocate* your current position
3. Search must *find street addresses* and typical POIs
4. Software must *route* to those specified locations
5. Preferred is spoken *route guidance*
6. Even nicer would be spoken *street names* (TTS)
7. The GUI should be easily intuitive
8. Adware & logons are ok, but not if they are intrusive
9. Trialware is assessed only for its final crippleware capabilities

0. Offline
1. Accurate
2. Geolocate
3. Street addresses & POIs
4. Routing
5. Route Guidance (spoken)
6. Text-to-Speech (street names)
7. Ease of use
8. Intrusiveness

Suggested Freeware Offline GPS Map/Routing/Tracking Applications on Android

that met most of the offline mapping requirements above:

1. MapFactor: Navigator, v1.0.35 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapfactor.navigator&hl=en

PRO:
CON: Does not speak road names (TTS).

2. Alk: CoPilot GPS free, v9.5.0.400 Database = Navteq
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alk.copilot.mapviewer

PRO: One free Navteq map download is allowed (these maps are fantastic!)
PRO: Offline address search in Navteq maps works beautifully!
PRO: The Navteq POI even provides phone numbers
CON: Voice dies after 7 days (no TTS, so it's not all that useful anyway).

CON: Only one free Navteq download is allowed.

3. Google: Maps, v7.4.0 Database = Google
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps

PRO: Most accurate of all the maps; and fast drawing too!
CON: Map cache tiling is not intuitive, and it's lost after 30 days anyway.
CON: Can't create or change the route once you go offline.

CON: Can't search for anything once you go offline.

4. Aponia: Be-On-Road, v3.9.26239 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.aponia.bor3

PRO:
CON:

5. Geolife: NavFree USA, v2.1.17 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.USA

PRO:
CON:

6. F-Droid: OsmAnd~, v1.5-ARM (X-86 & MIPS builds exist) Database = OSM
https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=osmand~&fdid=net.osmand.plus

PRO: The most powerful freeware; but I'd characterize the database as beta.

Con: Voice prompts: yes (annoyingly says "milles" for miles)

7. Code Sector: Maverick Lite, v2.2, OSM & MapQuest & Microsoft & others

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.codesector.maverick.lite
PRO: Maps are great! (Microsoft & MapQuest at least)
PRO: Address search is pretty good but only works online.
PRO: Once you've found an address, you can auto-open in another program!
INF: It's good mapping software but I don't see any routing at all?
CON: Crippleware won't search POIs but will allow Lat/Lon entry.
CON: Won't save anything for future use other than saved wavepoints.
CON: Can't do an address search offline.
CON: Doesn't cache maps offline all that well (unreliable).

8. Google Play: OsmAnd, v1.6.5 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.osmand
PRO: It's on Google Play so there's no need for F-Droid setup.
CON: 10-map limit; use OsmAnd~ freeware from F-Droid instead.

Suggested Freeware Offline GPS Map/Routing/Tracking Applications on Android

that did not meet most of the offline mapping requirements above:
a. CloudMade: MapDroyd, v2.0.4, OSM data
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.osa.android.mapdroyd

PRO: I can't think of anything good to say about this map application
CON: Really really really slow map drawing (I'm not sure why).
CON: Can't route; can't talk.
b. MapsWithMe: Maps With Me Lite, OSM data
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapswithme.maps
PRO: I can't think of a single thing good about this program.
CON: Doesn't route; doesn't talk; doesn't do anything but show your postion.
CON: Crippleware does not have a search capability
CON: Half the icons on the front map don't work in the crippleware.
CON: Phones home by default unless you turn it off in the settings.

c. Google: My Tracks, v2.0.5

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.maps.mytracks
Note: Tracks beautifully onto an accurate Google map; does not route.

d. Asamm: Locus Free, v2.17.2

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.locus
Note: Tracks beautifully onto a USGS topo map; does not route without net.

e. Atlogis: US Topo Maps free, v1.1.0

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atlogis.northamerica.free
Note: Tracks beautifully onto a USGS topo map; does not route.

f. Telenav: Scout, v1.6.1.7610003

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.telenav.app.android.scout_us
Note: Complains "Unable to reach server"
Hint: Remove Sim card before installing & give it a bogus phone number.

g. Sygic: GPS, v13.2.2 Uses TomTom maps

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sygic.aura
Note: Not freeware; so it shouldn't be on this list (but it's the best).
Note: Works offline and is usally the top-recommended offline map app.

h. 66: Navigate 6, v5.13.46.DB3B2C1.73F9DB5

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.route66.maps5
Note: Uses TomTom maps; routing is not free & maps time out in 30 days

i. Prodevelop: gvSIG Mini Maps, v1.2.3
PRO: The route "to here" usability should be a nice feature
CON: The program crashed on me so many times I gave up.
CON: The maps wouldn't start downloading (and they were only tiles anyway)
j. Google Waze
PRO: Crowd-source up-to-date traffic information
CON: Does not work offline
k. Mictale: GPS Essentials, v3.2.9

PRO: Automatically caches map tiles that you specifically have looked at.

PRO: Bills itself as the Swiss Army Knife of GPS applications
CON: You only see gray area for map tiles you haven't cached.
CON: Confusing interface. I just can't get it to do what I want.

NEED TO TEST:

x. Offline map creator:
http://mobac.sourceforge.net

PRO:
CON:
============================================================================

[Danny D'Amico]

On Sun, 24 Nov 2013 02:44:29 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:
> Here is a summary that is less harsh (and which added three more suggested apps):

Sorry for the triplicate posts.
Pan keeps doing that with Aioe only (so this is sent via Solani instead of Aioe).

Here is the log file showing that Pan sent the darn post in triplicate for
some whacky reason:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7335/11020525814_48664ab398_o.png

If this happens too much, Aioe bans me for a day. Sigh. I didn't do anything
wrong (other than to use Pan freeware & Aioe together).


NOTE: The free Solani news server *requires* a single followup. Not my fault.

[B. R. 'BeAr' Ederson]

On Sun, 24 Nov 2013 02:33:50 +0000 (UTC), Danny D'Amico wrote:

[gvSIG Mini Maps]

> Since no other map app is crashing, I'm going to have to give up
> on this one.
>
> But, I ask others to try, because it could be my equipment
> (which is a Samsung Galaxy SIII).

I can't duplicate your problems on an Android 2.2 device. So, maybe,
it is an Android 4.x issue? A cancel button will only appear while a
download is pending. If it succeeds or fails (e.g. because of missing
network connection) gvSIG will show an OK button. I never got gvSIG
to show no GUI element, at all.

Tiles amount downloaded does not only depend on the slider, but also
on the current map zoom level and the tiling method set. Apart from
tiled maps, you can also use WMS services.

As a side-note: OSM is better than most commercial maps, hereabouts.
If you wish to get similar quality near your living place, you may
consider updating the map data of OSM, yourself... ;-)

[M.L.]

>g. Sygic: GPS, v13.2.2 Uses TomTom maps
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sygic.aura
> Note: Not freeware; so it shouldn't be on this list (but it's the best).
> Note: Works offline and is usally the top-recommended offline map app.

Sygic has a very cluttered and unintuitive interface. I prefer the
payware version of CoPilot.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Sun, 24 Nov 2013 11:34:31 +0100, B. R. 'BeAr' Ederson wrote:

> As a side-note: OSM is better than most commercial maps, hereabouts.
> If you wish to get similar quality near your living place, you may
> consider updating the map data of OSM, yourself... ;-)

I agree. The OSM maps are pretty good. They're certainly good enough.

And, the trajectory of improvements will put it at better than
the commercial maps in a few years.

I can fix the area around where I live, but, I actually like the
error because I can tell which map I'm using on sight.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Sun, 24 Nov 2013 13:37:17 -0600, M.L. wrote:

> Sygic has a very cluttered and unintuitive interface. I prefer the
> payware version of CoPilot.

If the payware version of CoPilot spoke road names (TTS), it would be
a clear winner.

But, my freeware version does not.

Does the payware version have both spoken route guidance (which the
freeware version has) and spoken street names (which I didn't hear on
the trialware version)?

[Danny D'Amico]

On Sun, 24 Nov 2013 02:44:29 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:

Updated summary ... after a few more days of use ...

Absolutely must work *offline* for the following tasks:
0. Maps must be *downloadable* in usable sizes while on WiFi

1. Offline maps should be *accurate* enough for daily use
2. Software must *geolocate* your current position offline
3. Search must *find street addresses* & typical POIs offline
4. Software must *route* to those specified locations offline

5. Preferred is spoken *route guidance*
6. Even nicer would be spoken *street names* (TTS)
7. The GUI should be easily intuitive
8. Adware & logons are ok, but not if they are intrusive
9. Trialware is assessed only for its final crippleware capabilities

0. Offline
1. Accurate
2. Geolocate
3. Street addresses & POIs
4. Routing
5. Route Guidance (spoken)
6. Text-to-Speech (street names)
7. Ease of use
8. Intrusiveness

Tests:
a. Locate desired address
b. Locate poi (e.g., gas station) along the selected route
c. Set, name, & rename favorites easily
d. Route to selected favorites easily
e. Route to typed-in address or coordinates
f. Voice navigation
g. Text-to-Speech
h. Map display information (time to destination, miles to next turn)
i. Ability to re-remind you of the next turn at the touch of a button

BACKUPS (these programs workaround the offline programs' weaknesses)
A. Alk: CoPilot GPS free, v9.5.0.400 Database = Navteq
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alk.copilot.mapviewer

PRO: One free Navteq map download is allowed (these maps are fantastic!)
PRO: Offline address search in Navteq maps works beautifully!
PRO: The Navteq POI even provides phone numbers

PRO: Logical initial MAP for a GPS navigation system.
PRO: Provides easy-to-compare alternative routes to destination.
PRO: Can easily drag route to change it as desired.

CON: Only one free Navteq download is allowed.

CON: Voice turn guidance dies after 14 days (no TTS anyway, so who cares)
IRK: Favorites=Map->Menu->Main Menu->My Places->Favorites
B. Google: Maps, v7.4.0 Database = Google
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps

PRO: Most accurate of all the maps; and fast drawing too!
CON: Map cache tiling is not intuitive, and it's lost after 30 days anyway.
CON: Can't create or change the route once you go offline.

CON: Can't search for anything once you go offline.

Suggested Freeware Offline GPS Map/Routing/Tracking Applications on Android
that met most of the offline mapping requirements above:

1. MapFactor: Navigator, v1.0.35 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapfactor.navigator&hl=en

PRO: Logical initial GUI for a GPS navigation system.
PRO: Renaming favories is logical & trivial (as it should be)

CON: Does not speak road names (TTS).

2. Aponia: Be-On-Road, v3.9.26239 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.aponia.bor3
PRO: Logical initial MAP display
PRO: Can find POIs that are along the route you've selected.
CON: Impossible to change the name of a Favorite without first deleting it!
CON: Impossible to add a Favorite when in the Favorites menu!
CON: Can't organize Favorites other than alphabetically!
IRK: Favorites=Map->Menu->POI->Favorites->FAVORITES->My POI->favorite
IRK: Menu->POI->Favorites->Favorites->My POI->SELECTION->Navigate
3. F-Droid: OsmAnd~, v1.5-ARM (X-86 & MIPS builds exist) Database = OSM

https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=osmand~&fdid=net.osmand.plus
Note: The most powerful freeware; but I'd characterize the database as beta.

PRO: Works OK when you enter in the GPS coordinates for a known point
PRO: Favorites is on the opening screen, which is important offline
PRO: Buttons click when you type them in a search so you know they took
CON: Offline search is atrocious; it's not even worth using.
CON: Impossible to set a Favorite from the Favorites menu!
Con: Voice prompts: yes (annoyingly says "milly" & "milles" for miles)
4. Geolife: NavFree USA, v2.1.17 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.USA
PRO: Slick-looking GUI (but looks are deceptive)
CON: Impossible to add a Favorite when in the Favorites menu!
CON: Impossible to change the name of a Favorite without first deleting it!
CON: Miserable mechanism to rename favorites (basically it can't be done)
CON: Even after rebooting, and deleting, it wouldn't rename a favorite!
CON: Can't organize Favorites other than alphabetically!
CON: Adware is somewhat obtrusive (not horrid, but not good)
CON: POI search doesn't give street address (so they all look alike!)
5. Google Play: OsmAnd, v1.6.5 Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.osmand

PRO: It's on Google Play so there's no need for F-Droid setup.
CON: 10-map limit; use OsmAnd~ freeware from F-Droid instead.

Suggested Freeware Offline GPS Map/Routing/Tracking Applications on Android
that did not meet most of the offline mapping requirements above:

a. CloudMade: MapDroyd, v2.0.4, OSM data
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.osa.android.mapdroyd

PRO: I can't think of anything good to say about this map application
CON: Really really really slow map drawing (I'm not sure why).
CON: Can't route; can't talk.
b. MapsWithMe: Maps With Me Lite, OSM data
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapswithme.maps
PRO: I can't think of a single thing good about this program.
CON: Doesn't route; doesn't talk; doesn't do anything but show your postion.
CON: Crippleware does not have a search capability
CON: Half the icons on the front map don't work in the crippleware.
CON: Phones home by default unless you turn it off in the settings.

c. Google: My Tracks, v2.0.5

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.maps.mytracks
Note: Tracks beautifully onto an accurate Google map; does not route.

d. Asamm: Locus Free, v2.17.2

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.locus
Note: Tracks beautifully onto a USGS topo map; does not route without net.

e. Atlogis: US Topo Maps free, v1.1.0

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atlogis.northamerica.free
Note: Tracks beautifully onto a USGS topo map; does not route.

f. Telenav: Scout, v1.6.1.7610003

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.telenav.app.android.scout_us
Note: Complains "Unable to reach server"
Hint: Remove Sim card before installing & give it a bogus phone number.

g. Sygic: GPS, v13.2.2 Uses TomTom maps

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sygic.aura
Note: Not freeware; so it shouldn't be on this list (but it's the best).
Note: Works offline and is usally the top-recommended offline map app.

h. 66: Navigate 6, v5.13.46.DB3B2C1.73F9DB5

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.route66.maps5
Note: Uses TomTom maps; routing is not free & maps time out in 30 days

i. Prodevelop: gvSIG Mini Maps, v1.2.3
PRO: The route "to here" usability should be a nice feature
CON: The program crashed on me so many times I gave up.
CON: The maps wouldn't start downloading (and they were only tiles anyway)
j. Google Waze
PRO: Crowd-source up-to-date traffic information
CON: Does not work offline
k. Mictale: GPS Essentials, v3.2.9
PRO: Automatically caches map tiles that you specifically have looked at.
PRO: Bills itself as the Swiss Army Knife of GPS applications
CON: You only see gray area for map tiles you haven't cached.
CON: Confusing interface. I just can't get it to do what I want.

l. Code Sector: Maverick Lite, v2.2, OSM & MapQuest & Microsoft & others

[David Taylor]

On 25/11/2013 22:49, Danny D'Amico wrote:
[]

> b. MapsWithMe: Maps With Me Lite, OSM data
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapswithme.maps
> PRO: I can't think of a single thing good about this program.
> CON: Doesn't route; doesn't talk; doesn't do anything but show your postion.
> CON: Crippleware does not have a search capability
> CON: Half the icons on the front map don't work in the crippleware.
> CON: Phones home by default unless you turn it off in the settings.

I am a very satisfied user of the paid-for Maps With Me Pro, and it does
exactly I want. Different folk, different needs.

I have enjoyed your evaluations, though.
--
Cheers,
David
Web: http://www.satsignal.eu

[M.L.]

>> Sygic has a very cluttered and unintuitive interface. I prefer the
>> payware version of CoPilot.
>
>If the payware version of CoPilot spoke road names (TTS), it would be
>a clear winner.
>
>But, my freeware version does not.
>
>Does the payware version have both spoken route guidance (which the
>freeware version has) and spoken street names (which I didn't hear on
>the trialware version)?

Payware announces street names if you select a TTS voice. It comes
with one mechanical sounding TTS voice. More natural sounding TTS
voices are $2.99 extra.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Tue, 26 Nov 2013 09:31:08 +0000, David Taylor wrote:

> I am a very satisfied user of the paid-for Maps With Me Pro, and it does
> exactly I want. Different folk, different needs.

That's good to know.

Today I took a long trip with Sygic, and I find it like a beautiful blonde bimbo.
They really shouldn't allow the 7-day trial because you'll enjoy the good looks and never buy it.

I mean, the maps are stupendously gorgeous. They're really nice looking!
But, the routing brain on the thing is as dumb as a rock.

My biggest (huge) beef with Sygic is that it doesn't tell you the NEXT ROAD for fifty miles!
My second-biggest (just as huge) beef is that it takes about 15 miles for it to change its mind!

I drove today 150 miles, and since it was a route I know well, I chose the route which Sygic didn't.
That's fine, as most GPS navigation systems correct within a half mile; but not Sygic.

Now, it *might* be my settings, but I couldn't find a setting for Sygic that:
a) Showed the next road to turn on no matter how far that next turn lay away
b) Recalculated a route using the newer direction in less than 15 miles of driving

Did I miss an important setting or two?

[Michael Chare]

On 25/11/2013 22:49, Danny D'Amico wrote:

> On Sun, 24 Nov 2013 02:44:29 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:
>
> Updated summary ... after a few more days of use ...
>
> Absolutely must work *offline* for the following tasks:
> 0. Maps must be *downloadable* in usable sizes while on WiFi
> 1. Offline maps should be *accurate* enough for daily use
> 2. Software must *geolocate* your current position offline
> 3. Search must *find street addresses* & typical POIs offline
> 4. Software must *route* to those specified locations offline
> 5. Preferred is spoken *route guidance*
> 6. Even nicer would be spoken *street names* (TTS)
> 7. The GUI should be easily intuitive
> 8. Adware & logons are ok, but not if they are intrusive
> 9. Trialware is assessed only for its final crippleware capabilities
>
> 0. Offline
> 1. Accurate
> 2. Geolocate
> 3. Street addresses & POIs
> 4. Routing
> 5. Route Guidance (spoken)
> 6. Text-to-Speech (street names)
> 7. Ease of use
> 8. Intrusiveness
>

Thank you for the info. I would be happy for you to include paid for apps.

One feature I like is the ability to keep the screen on at all times.
Another is the ability to fix the screen orientation so that North is
always at the top.


--
Michael Chare

[Danny D.]

On Thu, 05 Dec 2013 16:46:55 +0000, Michael Chare wrote:

> Thank you for the info. I would be happy for you to include paid for
> apps.
>
> One feature I like is the ability to keep the screen on at all times.
> Another is the ability to fix the screen orientation so that North is
> always at the top.

I'm still reviewing the freeware apps.
My philosophy is to fully understand what the freeware can do before
plunking money on payware, and, most importantly, what the freeware
*can't* do!

Once I know what the freeware can't do, then I ask the payware if
it can do that. If not, it's useless. If it can, and if it can
do the other things that the freeware already does, then it's a go.

At the moment, the only PAYWARE apps that I tested were CoPilot and
Sygic. Both are past their trial period. CoPilot gracefully just
stopped talking; but Sygic just keeled over on me.

I wasn't too worried about Sygic. This payware was so awful that
they really shouldn't let people test it for free for 7 days, since
I can't imagine anyone plunking down a dime for it. To be fair, it
was the *PRETTIEST* (nay most gorgeous!) map display of them all;
but, like a big busted dumb blonde, it couldn't route to your
grandmother's house if it were across the street!

Seriously, Sygic chose routes that absolutely stunk. The worst
thing it did though was that it wouldn't recalculate a new
route for about 15 miles! No other map program was so obstinate!
Sygic just kept saying make a u-turn. Over and over again.

So, Sygic is basically useless. Plus, it didn't speak road names
anyway, so, it wasn't any better than the freeware. Other than
having one hell of a pretty map display, that is.

So, if you really wanna spend money, the only reason I can
recommend paying for Sygic is for the pretty map display.
Otherwise, it is less usable as a routing program than any
of the freeware offline programs we tested.

The other payware I tested was CoPilot. I love the accuracy of
the CoPilot maps, so, it's still on my device. I use it when I
need an address or POI search that I can't get on the OSM maps.

CoPilot's routing and display doesn't seem to be any better than
those of the freeware programs, so, it's only virtue (like that
of Google Maps) is the accuracy of the map and POI database.

If CoPilot actually had TTS, then it might be a good one to
consider as paying for, given the accuracy of the map puts it
over and above all the freeware ones. Yet, alas, it too didn't
have TTS, so, it's of dubious value to the user as a routing
program.

Overall, I've ordered the remaining freeware offline map programs
in the following order on my device, indicating my ever-changing
preference as I learn their strengths and foibles:
1. OsmAnd~ moved up again, if only for the TTS (which no others have)
2. Navigator works reasonably well & has an intuitive GUI
3. Be-on-road also works OK but the GUI is way too intricate
4. NavFree USA works ok but the GUI makes almost no sense

These I keep for emergencies, simply for map & poi accuracy:
a. CoPilot (nicely accurate map & poi database)
b. Google maps (offline tiles survive for 30 days only!)

Note: The rankings are closer than they appear above, as OsmAnd~
has a crummy GUI - but it speaks the road names. Navigator has
a better GUI, but it doesn't speak road names. Be-on-Road and
NavFree aren't any better in that their GUIs are horrid (IMHO).

Note: Of course, once you choose a single map program, the
intuitivity of the GUI matters less and less over time, since
you *learn* where they store their buttons.

[M.L.]

>If CoPilot actually had TTS, then it might be a good one to
>consider as paying for, given the accuracy of the map puts it
>over and above all the freeware ones. Yet, alas, it too didn't
>have TTS, so, it's of dubious value to the user as a routing
>program.

CoPilot payware definitely offers TTS voices.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Thu, 05 Dec 2013 19:11:31 -0600, M.L. wrote:

> CoPilot payware definitely offers TTS voices.

I think you had said that before (or someone else did); but, in
*my* experience, the trialware did not speak the road names.

In fact, the *only* tested programs that spoke road names were
OsmAnd~ and Google Maps (IIRC).

Going back to Google Play to sort this out, I see there is
a $10 CoPilot Premium USA:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alk.copilot.namarket.premiumusa&hl=en
in addition to the regular "CoPilot GPS Plan & Explore" package:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alk.copilot.mapviewer&hl=en

The blurbs for the premium package say:
"Full turn-by-turn directions with Text-to-Speech voices"
which *implies* but doesn't explicitly state that the street *names* are spoken.

The GPS companies are very clever when they hide that the turn-by-turn directions
are "spoken", by which they usually mean things like "turn left" and "turn right".

So, I'm not sure if they actually mean that it says "Turn left onto Main Street",
which is what we are talking about when *we* say TTS.

Here's what the regular version (that I had installed) says:
"14 days free use of full voice-guided 3D navigation"
"After 14 days you can ... upgrade to unlimited turn-by-turn navigation"
IN-APP UPGRADE TO UNLIMITED VOICE-GUIDED NAVIGATION
You can upgrade to full CoPilot turn-by-turn navigation through in-app purchase
for unlimited use of: voice guidance ..."

The problem is that I've been fooled by MARKETING before.

When I think of "voice guidance", that simply means "turn right".
When I think of Text-to-speech", that means "Turn right on Main Street".

Since I never once heard the trialware CoPilot speak the street name, yet you
clearly say the payware version does speak street names, the question is
whether the trialware I tested is representative of the payware, or not?

[David Taylor]

On 05/12/2013 21:30, Danny D. wrote:
[]

> At the moment, the only PAYWARE apps that I tested were CoPilot and
> Sygic. Both are past their trial period. CoPilot gracefully just
> stopped talking; but Sygic just keeled over on me.
[]

I can but say that I've been delighted with the paid-for version of
MapsWithMe. Paying gives you the search facility. I don't need may of
the features the other applications have, though (e.g. routing and
speech output).

[Danny D.]

On Fri, 06 Dec 2013 07:25:01 +0000, David Taylor wrote:

> I can but say that I've been delighted with the paid-for version of
> MapsWithMe. Paying gives you the search facility. I don't need may of
> the features the other applications have, though (e.g. routing and
> speech output).

Does that paid-for search facility work offline?

That's the main goal here, since, if it were online, we could
afford to be lazy and just use Google Maps (which works great,
but only online for searches and reroutes).

Pretty much the best two offline map programs, IMHO, are (at the moment)
OsmAnd~ and Navigator. The other two that worked offline have horrid
GUIs (IMHO), and they are NavFree USA and Be-on-road.

As just one example of the horrid GUIs in the latter two, in
Be-On-Road, to route to a favorite, you have to do the following:
0. Bring up the map program
1. Press MENU
2. Press POI
3. Press FAVORITES
4. Press (a different!) FAVORITES
5. Press My POI
6. Press a DOWN ARROW to get rid of the keyboard
7. Press the name of your favorite
8. Press Navigate

Do you see I deprecate Be-on-Road for offline use
mainly because the GUI is (ungodly) horrendous?

In contrast, to route to a favorite in Navigator, you:
0. Bring up Navigator
1. Press My Places
2. Select the name of your favorite
3. Press Navigate

It should be that simple!

[M.L.]

>> CoPilot payware definitely offers TTS voices.
>
>I think you had said that before (or someone else did); but, in
>*my* experience, the trialware did not speak the road names.

Regardless of the trialware, the payware speaks street names if you
use TTS voices.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 06 Dec 2013 18:47:10 -0600, M.L. wrote:

> the payware speaks street names if you
> use TTS voices.

This is good to know.
Thanks.

[David Taylor]

On 06/12/2013 21:41, Danny D. wrote:
> On Fri, 06 Dec 2013 07:25:01 +0000, David Taylor wrote:
>
>> I can but say that I've been delighted with the paid-for version of
>> MapsWithMe. Paying gives you the search facility. I don't need may of
>> the features the other applications have, though (e.g. routing and
>> speech output).
>
> Does that paid-for search facility work offline?
>
> That's the main goal here, since, if it were online, we could
> afford to be lazy and just use Google Maps (which works great,
> but only online for searches and reroutes).

[]

Yes, I just checked, and the search in the full MapsWithMe works when
offline.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Sat, 07 Dec 2013 07:40:39 +0000, David Taylor wrote:

> Yes, I just checked, and the search in the full MapsWithMe works when
> offline.

Thanks. That makes it much more useful for those of us sans data
(or when traveling out of range of a cellular signal).

[Toby Newman]

On 2013-11-25, Danny D'Amico <da...@is.invalid> wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Nov 2013 02:44:29 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:
>
> Updated summary ... after a few more days of use ...

You seem to have missed Zanavi

--
-Toby
Add the word afiduluminag to the subject to circumvent my email filters.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Tue, 10 Dec 2013 16:45:22 +0000, Toby Newman wrote:

> You seem to have missed Zanavi

Interesting that Zanavi never came up prior.

It seems to be an open source navigation system based on something called
'Navit'.

Thanks for that suggestion.
I've downloaded Zanavi, and will see how it works and report back.

Meanwhile, here's the Google Play description:

ZANavi for Android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zoffcc.applications.zanavi&hl=en

Description
ZANavi for Android is an open source (GPL) car navigation system for offline
Navigation
We urgently need a new mapserver. if you can help please contact us at
he...@zanavi.cc
You can download and use the whole world map with the "large map donate"
version (careful: size over 10GByte!)
if you want better quality voice install:
http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.svox.classic
or
http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ivona.tts

Features:
*) slide from left to right to speak your destination
*) multipolygon support
*) index search [donate version only]
*) runs on JellyBean (Android 4.2)
*) support to show GPX files
*) Navigate to target from google maps
*) 3D mode
*) APP2SD
*) works offline (offline navigation)
*) world overview map
*) tunnels are visible on map
*) bridges visible on map
*) map turns with compass
*) map management (download/update/delete maps)
*) search offline OR online
*) spoken directions in many languages
*) uptodate OSM maps
*) follow mode OSD toggle button
*) oneway arrows [BETA]
*) select your language in the application
*) select search country
*) checksum downloaded mapfiles
*) announcer toggle
*) settings and menus translated
*) map preview on search results
*) aGPS
*) last destination list (bookmarks)
*) add waypoints
*) show waypoints on map
*) configure map data directory
*) full world map download (special donate version!)
*) configure cache size
*) configure font size
*) change search radius for streets in towns
*) free zoom level with pinch zoom
*) enter coordinates (lat,lon) manually
*) switch off mapdisplay

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 07:56:58 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:

After about a month of testing the free offline apps, I must conclude,
much to my disappointment, that *none* of them are usable, on the road.

The only ones even remotely salvageable are:
OsmAnd~, Navigator, NavFree USA, Be-on-Road, & ZANavi
But, each of those has such a horrid use model for something basic
that they're all unusable, in the pragmatic sense, as compared to the
standard Garmin nuvi or comparable unit.

None of them tells you ahead of time what road name you'll be
turning onto until it's almost too late; none of them can repeat
their instructions without recalculating or rebooting; most of them
speak directions but some of those are unconscionably ridiculous.

The worst is that most of the programs wouldn't allow easy saving
of the current location into your favorites, some wouldn't allow
easy editing or sorting of favorites, and some wouldn't save a favorite
to save your life.

The OSM maps were universally inferior but usable enough. It's not
the maps that makes these free offline navigation programs barely
usable; it's the absolutely inane GUI on most of them.

If I were a programmer, or if I had a clue how to program, I'd write
the program myself, since it can't possibly be difficult to forsee the
top ten things anyone would want to do with a GPS navigation program.

Sigh. They all suck. I'm soooo frustrated because I had hoped for
far better than what exists. Of course, you can argue that I got what
I paid for (and I did); and, you can argue that I limited myself to
the freeware (and I did); but even the CoPilot & Sygic payware that
I tested was just as horrid, overall, as the freeware.

My assessment is that they're slightly better than having nothing;
but, they leave much to be desired by way of comparison with a simple
cheap Garmin nuvi (or equivalent).

Sigh.

[mike]

That was my conclusion after I went looking for a routing program
for linux.

It's as tho nobody ever thought about what a user might want.
As long as it's "technically superior" and "virus-free", just throw
it over the transom and let the users worry about it.

Ain't nobody ever heard of a focus group? Ask a friend? Anybody?

I had higher hopes for Android because of the high funding level
available.
And the programs you reviewed are mostly from real corporations
in the routing business.

I tried Navigator on my windows PDA (don't have android recent
enough to run it).
I found it quite usable except for the difficulty that you have
to know how to find your destination on a map so you can mark it.

Still no match for Mapopolis. Too bad they are out of the business.
My maps are really old.

[David Taylor]

On 13/12/2013 20:50, Danny D'Amico wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 07:56:58 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:
>
> After about a month of testing the free offline apps, I must conclude,
> much to my disappointment, that *none* of them are usable, on the road.
[]

> The OSM maps were universally inferior but usable enough. It's not
> the maps that makes these free offline navigation programs barely
> usable; it's the absolutely inane GUI on most of them.

[]

I'm using these programs for a different application to you (I'm not
doing on the road routing), but comparing the maps for my local area I
have to say that the OSM maps are better, and have more information
(e.g. paths) than do the typical Apple or Google maps. I accept that in
your part of the world, or for your purposes, they may not be as good,
but for me OSM maps are at least as good, or better.

Thanks for mentioning "OsmAnd+ Maps & Navigation" which I bought since
it has the contour lines option, covers Antarctica, and is rather nice
otherwise. Pity it isn't on the iPad as well!

I have also bought MapsWithMe (for the offline search capabilities) on
both Android and iOS, and have used those quite extensively. A pity
they don't cover Antarctica.

Your efforts are appreciated, even if I don't agree with your conclusions!

[Danny D'Amico]

On Tue, 10 Dec 2013 18:21:23 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:

> Interesting that Zanavi never came up prior.

> I've downloaded Zanavi, and will see how it works and report back.

> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zoffcc.applications.zanavi&hl=en

After a few trips with ZNavi, I must relegate it to the almost worthless bin.
The only reason I left it on my phone, was it speaks TTS road names.
Otherwise, it's nearly useless, although in some ways, it's no worse than the others.

The most frustrating part of ZNavi is that it seems to be (very) incomplete.
For example, it's totally missing "Favorites", which is a mainstay of offline apps.
All it has is "Recent destinations", but, since the search will almost always fail,
you'll never be able to have a recent destination in the first place.

Another example of it being incomplete is that you can route, and it will
just hang if the GPS is turned off. All the other apps will ask you if you
want to turn on GPS, or, at least they'll notify you that the GPS is off.
ZNavi just hangs.

Another irksome aspect of ZNavi is the nonstandard menus. For example, you can't
just use the Android back button. No. That would be too easy. You have to hit
a specific exit button, which you have to find while on the road with the
small text on the screen.

Another incomplete detail is the GPS coordinate entry can only accept
degminsec format. All the other programs accept decimal degrees, but, not
ZNavi.

In summary, it's really a loser; but, in its favor, it's only one of two
(OsmAnd~ being the other) free offline GPS Android routing app that speaks
roadnames. Hopefully, it will be improved, over time.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 13 Dec 2013 16:59:19 -0800, mike wrote:

> That was my conclusion after I went looking for a routing program
> for linux.
>
> It's as tho nobody ever thought about what a user might want.

I can't disagree with you one bit!

I remember the StreetPilot III had a great GUI (for its time), in that
all the stuff you did a lot was (reasonably) easy to access (albeit
spelling street names was ridiculous with no keyboard).

The Garmin nüvi had a much better GUI, but even it had crapware
galore that couldn't be removed. But, it did things you needed.

For example, a Garmin nüvi will remind you of the next turn simply
by you tapping on it. You could be 50 miles away, and it will SHOW
you the next turn and speak it! Any time you want to know your next
turn, you just tap. None of these offline apps will do either one of
those two simple things that you need all the time.

Worse yet, they make the GUI assuming you're sitting at your desk,
with dialog boxes that have a sentence and then YES or NO. Who can
read that stuff while in a car. You never know if the yes is on the
left or the right, nor if you're enabling or disabling something.

They should use GREEN for YES and RED for NO and that one change
alone would make the things easier to use. Likewise with the menus.

Why, for example, does the Android back button work for half the
apps, while the other half require a specific menu out of a list
(and it's not even the first nor last item in that long list) in
order to exit out of the thing. It's as if they make it hard to
exit just because they're mad that you're done with the program.

Same thing with the crazy ways to save Favorites in some programs.
Now how strange would that be that someone would want to save their
current position to a favorite? Well, some of these offline GPS
freeware apps make it nearly impossible to do this.

Oh well, they're still (marginally) better than nothing!

Personally, I'd go back to the nüvi, but, the mounts are the weakest
link in nüvi series, such that I'm done with them forever.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 13 Dec 2013 16:59:19 -0800, mike wrote:

> I tried Navigator on my windows PDA (don't have android recent
> enough to run it).
> I found it quite usable except for the difficulty that you have
> to know how to find your destination on a map so you can mark it.

I know what you mean.

I wrote down how to save your current position to Favorites for
all the apps I tested. I have that sheet of paper somewhere.

When I find it, you'll be amazed that, for some, it's two or three
steps, while for others it's something like five or six, and for
some, it's just not possible (which is crazy).

Navigator is, thankfully, one of the easier ones to save your
current position to Favorites:

Menu -> My Places -> Save current GPS position -> (name it) -> OK

[Danny D'Amico]

On Sun, 15 Dec 2013 17:28:50 -0800, Gene E. Bloch wrote:

> I have often thought that for many software designers, their Hell should
> be spending Eternity using their own software

Of the five I still have on my system ...
1. OsmAnd~
2. Navigator
3. NavFree USA
4. Be-On-Road
5. ZANavi

I would relegate the ZANavi & Be-On-Road guys to hell first, and successively
higher levels of purgatory for NavFree USA, Navigator, and OsmAnd~, with none
of them making it to the pearly gates.

In a few years, I'd hope that OsmAnd~ or Navigator would rise to that level
though ...

[The Real Bev]

I've decided that MapFactor makes the best tracks (generates a fine .gpx
file), and it seems to navigate reasonably well too. Sometimes. Today
it recorded my track inside the supermarket and inside the Sprouts
produce store, which was surprising. Wednesday it tracked me outside
well enough, but couldn't see me inside various rides at Disneyland and
eventually gave up. Given that the Disneyland stuff is mostly several
stories underground, I guess it shouldn't be surprising.

I like GPS Status too. It hangs in there, which is about all you can ask!

Anybody know a good easy-to-use rangefinder app? We were curious about
the dimensions of the Pirates of the Caribbean and other 'rooms'...

Whatever you do, don't eat at Blue Bayou. The sweet potato bread is
very good but the prices are ridiculous. For $25 I want a steak, not a
portobello mushroom, couscous and a salad.

--
Cheers, Bev
========================================================
"We're so far beyond fucked we couldn't even catch a bus
back to fucked." --Scott en Aztlan

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 20 Dec 2013 18:47:23 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

> I've decided that MapFactor makes the best tracks (generates a fine .gpx
> file), and it seems to navigate reasonably well too.

Funny you should mention that!

On my Samsung Galaxy S3, with Android 4.3, I took a trip today with
Navigator 1.0.62 and played with the GPX settings, changing from:
Settings->GPS positions file format->Do not save (o)
to:
Settings->GPS positions file format->Save as GPX

For about 15 minutes thereafter, while drivin, I had to keep rebooting
the phone because Navigator just hung within seconds.

I finally figured out that it was the "Save as GPX" which was killing
the phone, and turned it off, and finished the 300-mile trip without
that problem re-occurring.

I realize I'm on a very new operating system, so, just be warned that
Android 4.3 might be a problem for Navigator 1.0.62.

Having said that, I also belatedly realized on this trip that OsmAnd~
apparently has a 100-mile limit on routing. What happened was that
I tried to route, and it said it would calculate the route, and then,
it just popped back to the map. No message. No error. No nothing.

I tried again. Rebooted the phone. Tried again. And then gave up on
OsmAnd~ for this 300 mile (one way) trip. I moved OsmAnd~ out of the
top freeware spot (mostly because it speaks TTS road names) into
second place, behind Navigator, which has a MUCH more intuitive GUI.

So, after today's trip (which is about the 10th long trip I've taken
with these map programs), my offline freeware Android map app order,
after about a month of testing ... is as follows ...

Caveat: Offline, Freeware, Android, Road, Map, apps
#1` Navigator (this has the most intuitive GUI of the set!)
#2 OsmAnd~ (speaks TTS road names & the GUI isn't super horrid)
... that's it for the top slots ...
#3 NavFree USA (GUI is pretty - but nearly useless IMHO by comparison)
#4 Be-On-Road (GUI is absolutely horrid - 3rd grader must've designed it)
... that's it for the *usable* freeware GPS tools
#5 ZANavi (speaks TTS road names - but it's in alpha software condition)

NOTE: I keep these two offline programs on hand - but only as fail safes
#A Google maps (offline downloaded maps are accurate but last 30 days)
#B CoPilot trialware (offline POI is the only good offline POI out there)

[Dave S]

The Travel section of today's local newspaper recommends an app called
City Maps 2go
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ulmon.android.citymaps2go&hl=en

I've no idea how it performs, but it says it doesn't require an online
presence.

Dave S.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Sat, 21 Dec 2013 10:51:40 -0600, Dave S wrote:

> The Travel section of today's local newspaper recommends an app called
> City Maps 2go
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ulmon.android.citymaps2go&hl=en

Hi Dave,

It is wonderful that you found "City Maps 2Go Offline Maps", as the google play
link is dated December 20, 2013, so, it might very well be a new application.

I downloaded Ulmon City Maps 2Go, version 3.8.0.14 onto my Android 4.3
Samsung Galaxy S3, and the first thing it did was ask me to choose a map,
where I selected "United States" and then "California".

Wishing to download the entire state, I chose "All maps", but it bounced me back
to counties, cities, and parks, asking for $2 in order to have unlimited maps.

Undeterred, I selected the highest level, which was "counties", and then
selected the 13MB "Santa Clara County" map, when it told me I had "5 free map
downloads".

The first thing I noticed were map errors around my home address, so, I could
tell right away City Maps is using the OSM map database (I don't fault the
program for this OSM database error).

The second thing I noticed was there was no routing GUI extent. So, this
map program is, I guess, good for locating POIs offline, assuming the POI
database is decent.

Turning off the WiFi at this point (I don't have a data plan), I ran an
offline search for colleges, and the app crashed gracefully. I'm not sure if
it crashed, actually, but it brought me to my phone desktop. Hmmm... bringing
up Ulmon City Maps 2Go again, I used the pinchzoom mechanism to look around
at the detail, which seemed fine, although a few times it gracefully crashed
(disappeared is more like what happened), and brought me back to the desktop.

Unfazed, each time I brought City Maps 2Go back up, and looked about.
There's not much by way of menus, so, this is one of the simplest apps I've
tested. There's a search icon, and a zoom-to-GPS-location icon, and that's
about it on the display.

When you hit the Android menu button, only three selections show up:
1. My maps (which just shows the one county I downloaded)
2. Bookmarks (which says I haven't any)
3. Settings (which crashes to the desktop half the time I hit it)

There's nothing to do in My Maps, at least offline; and in Bookmarks,
while offline, nothing happens, and, in Settings, all you have is a
Facebook, Redem, User Tracking, and Copyright selection. Pretty
Spartan, which isn't a bad thing in and of itself.

Not knowing what "User Tracking" was, I turned it off; but that
was the only setting that made any sense to touch (but now they
already know where I live, since I had zoomed to my GPS location).
No big deal, but, if others are worried, turn off your GPS, and
then turn off "user tracking"as soon as you download the app.

Since the only actionable menu is really the "Search" icon, I figured
I'd try to see what I didn't get about the city of San Jose, when I
chose Santa Clara County, instead of San Jose city.

I searched for the POI of "Colleges & Education" and "San Jose
State College", and it found it fine. The city maps seems perfectly
reasonable at this level, so, I'm dumbounded why anyone would waste
one of their 5 maps on a city when a county covers it (apparently).

Googling on my laptop for an address to search for, I arbitrarily
chose the San Jose Mercury News at 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose,
CA 95190, when I realized the Maps 2Go search doesn't have the
typical City->Street->Address format. It seemed to only have POIs,
but, I typed in the address anyway, of "750 Ridder Park Drive",
but, it didn't have anything on file.

It did find just "Ridder Park Drive", but, again, it crashed
when I hit the selection button. Trying again, I type "RID"
and it finds it, so I it the selection, and, it zooms nicely
to Ridder Park Drive on the map.

I don't fault 2Go for not having addresses, since, most of the
OSM-based offline maps apps suffered from that same affliction.

I tried searching for places outside of Santa Clara County,
which, of course, didn't exist on my map, so, that was to
be expected. I'll go back online and see if I can tell what the
difference is between downloading a "city" versus the 'county',
given you only get 5 total downloads, so, presumably we need
to choose wisely.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Sun, 22 Dec 2013 17:56:20 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:

> I searched for the POI of "Colleges & Education" and "San Jose
> State College", and it found it fine. The city maps seems perfectly
> reasonable at this level, so, I'm dumbounded why anyone would waste
> one of their 5 maps on a city when a county covers it (apparently).

Being curious, I used my second of five bullets to download San Jose,
the city map (which is already inside of Santa Clara, the county).

Trying the home of the local newspaper, the San Jose Mercury News again,
it still didn't find "750 Ridder Park Drive", but, it found "Ridder Park
Drive" just fine (just like before).

The detail seemed the same, so, I'm really not sure what you get
shooting one of your five bullets on a city, versus on the county.

Running a search for the "Fairmont Hotel", the map app crashed my
Samsung Galaxy S3 so badly I had to pull the battery out to get it
back. Bear in mind, I'm on the latest Android OS, which is 4.3, so,
it might be that I'm not on the standard 4.2.1 OS that most S3s
might be on at this time.

Anyway, since 2Go doesn't seem to route, it's not going to really
make the list of offline map routing apps, so that relegates it to
competing with the apps that show you the streets around you, and
for POI searches.

Google, of course, will show you the streets around you more
accurately than the OSM map apps, but, Google tiles are a pain, and
they time out every 30 days, so, this 2Go app might be useful for
that - however CoPilot has accurate maps and can download the entire
state. So, 2Go can't compete with that.

The only thing left for 2Go to be useful for is the POI database.
It *does* seem to find POIs quite nicely, at least in the one county
and one city that I downloaded (which used up 2 of my 5 downloads).

However, if 2Go is using OSM POIs, I don't see how it's going to
be any more comprehensive than any of the other OSM maps. I must say
though, that the POI search of 2Go does seem to be quick and intuitive,
so, maybe it will simply be an ease-of-use thing as the reason to
keep it on your phone, at least for the five counties you've
downloaded for offline use.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Sun, 22 Dec 2013 18:11:51 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:

> The only thing left for 2Go to be useful for is the POI database.
> It *does* seem to find POIs quite nicely, at least in the one county
> and one city that I downloaded (which used up 2 of my 5 downloads).

So, I uploaded the cities of "San Francisco", "San Jose", and
"Santa Cruz", and the counties of "Santa Clara" and "San Mateo",
which used up my five free downloads. Of course, I tested whether
it would allow a sixth, but, that's one bug they didn't insert
into the program. :)

Luckily, you can delete a map, although there is no overt delete
GUI, you can press "Update" which allows you to then delete the map.
Or so I had thought.

Having deleted one map, I then tried to download another, and was
surprised 2Go wouldn't let me! So, I rebooted the phone, and tried
again, thinking it was just confused.

Huh. Guess what. I'm out of free map downloads, even though I
only have 4 maps downloaded. Hmmm...

At least I can try to re-download the one map that I had deleted,
right? Nope. Maybe after a day or two, their database will catch
up. I'll try later, but, be forewarned:

1. You only get 5 "attempts" at a download of a map
2. I can't figure out (yet) why you'd waste 1-of-5 on a city
3. The program doesn't route & doesn't find street addresses
4. But the maps are pretty and fast and the POIs seem decent
5. Yet, the thing crashed so many times I wouldn't use it myself

I'll take the program on a few drives to see if I can find redeeming
value in the thing, but, for now, here's my quick summary:

x. Ulmon, City Maps 2Go, v3.8.0.14, Database = OSM
play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ulmon.android.citymaps2go&hl=en
PRO: The maps are readable and the POI search is easy to use
CON: Does not route! (Will only *show* your position on the map)
CON: Limited to 5 free maps but California itself has 58 counties!
CON: Crashed dozens of times on my Android 4.3 Samsung Galaxy S3

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 07:56:58 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:

Here's my overall quick summary of 20 suggested free offline map apps:
(Please suggest any other offline map app you want tested!)

Top five *offline gps map routing Android free apps*:
1. MapFactor: Navigator, v1.0.35, Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapfactor.navigator&hl=en
PRO: By far, the most logically intuitive GUI for an automotive GPS navigation system.
PRO: Has a businessrivate odometer which might be handy for tax purposes.
PRO: Search has options for nearest to map center, gps position, or destination.
PRO: Map view is easily switched between close, medium, and full-trip views.
PRO: Navigate easily allows waypoints to be enabled or disabled
CON: Does not speak road names (if it only had TTS, it would negate the need for OsmAnd~)
CON: Printed guidance at the bottom of the display is far too small for automotive use
CON: Enabling "Save as .GPX" crashed my phone every time it was enabled

2. F-Droid: OsmAnd~, v1.5-ARM (X-86 & MIPS builds exist), Database = OSM
https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=osmand~&fdid=net.osmand.plus
PRO: Speaks road names! (TTS) in addition to spoken directions (British English)
PRO: Users are encouraged to add their own POIs, addresses, and map improvements!
PRO: Opensource plugins are readily available to enhance functionality
PRO: Has an easy to use recording mode to save & replay your tracks

PRO: Buttons click when you type them in a search

CON: Can't route greater than 100 miles without waypoints (and it won't tell you that it won't)
CON: Crashes a *lot* on my stock Samsung Galaxy S3 (Android 4.3)

CON: Impossible to set a Favorite from the Favorites menu!

Con: Direction guidance annoyingly says "milly" & "millies" instead of "miles")

3. Aponia: Be-On-Road, v3.9.26239 Database = OSM

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.aponia.bor3
PRO: Logical initial MAP display

PRO: Can find POIs that are along the route you've selected (more apps should have this!)

CON: Does not speak road names (TTS).

CON: Impossible to add a Favorite when in the Favorites menu!
CON: Impossible to change the name of a Favorite without first deleting it!

CON: Can't organize Favorites other than alphabetically!
IRK: Favorites=Map->Menu->POI->Favorites->FAVORITES->My POI->favorite
IRK: Menu->POI->Favorites->Favorites->My POI->SELECTION->Navigate

4. Geolife: NavFree USA, v2.1.17, Database = OSM

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.USA
PRO: Slick-looking GUI (but looks are deceptive)

CON: Does not speak road names (TTS)

CON: Impossible to add a Favorite when in the Favorites menu!
CON: Impossible to change the name of a Favorite without first deleting it!
CON: Miserable mechanism to rename favorites (basically it can't be done)
CON: Even after rebooting, and deleting, it wouldn't rename a favorite!
CON: Can't organize Favorites other than alphabetically!
CON: Adware is somewhat obtrusive (not horrid, but not good)
CON: POI search doesn't give street address (so they all look alike!)

5. Zoff, ZANavi, v2.0.19 (OSM maps)
http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zoffcc.applications.zanavi&hl=en
PRO: Speaks American English TTS road names beautifully in addition to spoken directions
PRO: The road-name display is the easiest of them all to read (outside of Google Maps)
CON: User interface must have been written on Mars, it's that unintuitive!
CON: No concept of favorites (they only have "Recent Destinations")
CON: Only accepts GPS coordinates in degrees-minutes-seconds (not decimal degrees)
CON: Many features are half baked so I must consider this beta software

Backup programs *to make up for offline deficiencies* in the above apps:

A. Alk: CoPilot GPS free, v9.5.0.400 Database = Navteq
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alk.copilot.mapviewer
PRO: One free Navteq map download is allowed (these maps are fantastic!)
PRO: Offline address search in Navteq maps works beautifully!
PRO: The Navteq POI even provides phone numbers
PRO: Logical initial MAP for a GPS navigation system.

PRO: Calculates alternative routes to destination.

PRO: Can easily drag route to change it as desired.

CON: Only one free Navteq map download is allowed.
CON: Voice guidance dies after 14 days (but the maps & routing still work in the crippleware)

IRK: Favorites=Map->Menu->Main Menu->My Places->Favorites

B. Google: Maps, v7.4.0 Database = Google
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps
PRO: Most accurate of all the maps; and fast drawing too!

PRO: Clearly shows the next turn and how far away it is.
PRO: Clearly shows each turn in sequence at any time.
CON: Directions and navigation are not available offline.
CON: Does not speak road names (TTS) when offline.
CON: Map cache tiling is not intuitive (typing "ok maps" for example)

CON: Can't create or change the route once you go offline.

CON: POIs & street addresses are not cached in the offline maps
HNT: Backup /sdcard/Android/data/com.google.android.apps.maps/cache/

Tested apps which *didn't make the top five* for a variety of reasons:
a. Sygic: GPS, v13.2.2 Uses TomTom maps
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sygic.aura
Note: Not freeware; so it shouldn't be on this list (7 day free trial only)
CON: After timing out, the program simply refused to run (so I deleted it)
PRO: POIs and street addresses are available offline
PRO: Phone numbers in POIs (and they're callable from the map app)
PRO: Locates POIs in the defined route, even offline.
CON: The next turn isn't shown until you're only a couple miles away!

b. MapsWithMe: Maps With Me Lite, OSM data
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapswithme.maps
PRO: I can't think of a single thing good about this program.
CON: Doesn't route; doesn't talk; doesn't do anything but show your postion.
CON: Crippleware does not have a search capability
CON: Half the icons on the front map don't work in the crippleware.
CON: Phones home by default unless you turn it off in the settings.

c. Telenav: Scout, v1.6.1.7610003

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.telenav.app.android.scout_us
Note: Complains "Unable to reach server"
Hint: Remove Sim card before installing & give it a bogus phone number.

d. CloudMade: MapDroyd, v2.0.4, OSM data

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.osa.android.mapdroyd
PRO: I can't think of anything good to say about this map application
CON: Really really really slow map drawing (I'm not sure why).
CON: Can't route; can't talk.

e. 66: Navigate 6, v5.13.46.DB3B2C1.73F9DB5

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.route66.maps5
Note: Uses TomTom maps; routing is not free & maps time out in 30 days

f. Prodevelop: gvSIG Mini Maps, v1.2.3

PRO: The route "to here" usability should be a nice feature
CON: The program crashed on me so many times I gave up.
CON: The maps wouldn't start downloading (and they were only tiles anyway)

g. Google Waze

PRO: Crowd-source up-to-date traffic information

CON: Does not work offline, so it was not tested

h. Mictale: GPS Essentials, v3.2.9
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mictale.gpsessentials

PRO: Automatically caches map tiles that you specifically have looked at.
PRO: Bills itself as the Swiss Army Knife of GPS applications
CON: You only see gray area for map tiles you haven't cached.
CON: Confusing interface. I just can't get it to do what I want.

i. Code Sector: Maverick Lite, v2.2, OSM & MapQuest & Microsoft & others

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.codesector.maverick.lite
PRO: Maps are great! (Microsoft & MapQuest at least)
PRO: Address search is pretty good but only works online.
PRO: Once you've found an address, you can auto-open in another program!
INF: It's good mapping software but I don't see any routing at all?
CON: Crippleware won't search POIs but will allow Lat/Lon entry.
CON: Won't save anything for future use other than saved wavepoints.
CON: Can't do an address search offline.
CON: Doesn't cache maps offline all that well (unreliable).

j. Ulmon, City Maps 2Go, v3.8.0.14, Database = OSM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ulmon.android.citymaps2go&hl=en

PRO: The maps are readable and the POI search is easy to use
CON: Does not route! (Will only *show* your position on the map)
CON: Limited to 5 free maps but California itself has 58 counties!
CON: Crashed dozens of times on my Android 4.3 Samsung Galaxy S3

These *hiking apps* were tested off road off trail offline:
a. Google MyTracks, v2.0.5
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.maps.mytracks
PRO: Gorgeous and accurate topo maps
PRO: Tracks easily.
PRO: Exports KML nicely.
PRO: Nice distance, elevation, speed, time plots.
CON: Can't zoom to the level that you want to for off-trail hiking.

b. Atlogis, US Topo Maps Free, v1.1.0
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atlogis.northamerica.free
PRO: You can pinch-zoom to the level that you need for offtrail hiking.
CON: Maps are older versions of USGS paper maps (not the newest versions).
CON: GUI for creating tracks and exporting them is not intuitive.

c. Asamm, Locus Free, v2.17.4
http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.locus
PRO: You can pinch-zoom to the level that you need for offtrail hiking.
PRO: Shows GPS coordinates at all times
CON: Ads are a bit intrusive compared to the other free offline maps

[Macker]

Danny D'Amico <da...@is.invalid> wrote:

I tried CityMaps2Go Lite on my iPad, before installing it on my Android
phone. I learned that there were a lot of streets missing in my
neighbourhood. Looking at Open Street Maps I learned that there were
mistakes, however not so many as on CityMaps2Go. I made corrections on
the Open Street Maps site. Shortly after that OSM showed my corrections.
Today I downloaded the newest version of the maps for my region from
CityMaps2Go, but nothing had changed in my neighbourhood. That learned
me that you can't trust the maps of CityMaps2Go. --
Regards,
Macker

[Danny D'Amico]

On Sun, 22 Dec 2013 23:08:14 -0200, Macker wrote:

> That learned me that you can't trust the maps of CityMaps2Go. --

Hi Macker,

That's an interesting datapoint that the CityMaps 2Go errors are
different than on OSM maps (since the underlying database at least
started the same).

And, it's nice to see that OSM showed your corrections (I leave
the ones by my house alone so that I can always tell if a map
app is using an OSM map or not). :)

It's sad that the CityMaps 2Go didn't reflect those changes
though.

BTW, I tried to download my fifth free map from CityMaps 2Go
just now, but, it still won't let me, even a day after I deleted
my fifth map, so as to be able to download a different fifth
map.

Alas. ... apparently you get five "successful downloads", and,
deleting any of those five doesn't apparently allow another map,
so, it's not five maps, but five *downloads*.

It's not a big deal though, simply because some of the other map
apps (e.g., Navigator) offer so much more by way of free offline
maps.

But it's nice to know what the full suite of potential tools is.
Thanks for adding value to the review!

[The Real Bev]

alt.home.repair deleted, comp.mobile.android added separately.

On 12/25/2013 04:10 PM, Nate Nagel wrote:

> > On 12/25/2013 06:48 PM, The Real Bev wrote:
>> >> On 12/25/2013 04:50 AM, Nate Nagel wrote:
>>> >>> On 12/24/2013 03:26 PM, Danny D'Amico wrote:
>>>> >>>> On Mon, 23 Dec 2013 20:58:28 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:
>>>> >>>>
>>>>> >>>>> I think I rejected Nexi because of missing external SDcard
slot.
>>>>> >>>>> Probably a bad mistake.
>>>> >>>>
>>>> >>>> It's a trade off. I wish Google would just put the
>>>> >>>> SDcard slot in, and then it would be a no brainer.
>>>> >>>>
>>>> >>>> But, apparently they want to push you toward their
>>>> >>>> cloud services.
>>>> >>>>
>>>> >>>> Sometimes a card slot isn't as useful as you would think
>>>> >>>> though, simply because some apps (and cellular providers)
>>>> >>>> force certain apps to run from system memory.
>>>> >>>>
>>>> >>>> But, I found that this free app is pretty good at
>>>> >>>> moving things from system memory to the SDcard:
>>>> >>>> Advanced SD Card Manager
>> >>
>> >> As usual, it can't move anything to the external card if the card is
>> >> known as /storage/sdcard1.
>> >>
>>> >>> It used to be more useful before Android took away the ability
for you
>>> >>> to read the SD card directly from a PC through a USB
connection. Now I
>>> >>> have to physically remove the SD card, and I think the slot on
my phone
>>> >>> is starting to get funky as sometimes I have to insert it twice
before
>>> >>> it's recognized
>> >>
>> >> You can still read the internal storage via USB, but wifi sees
only the
>> >> external card. I use ES File explorer on the phone to transfer files
>> >> to/from the computer, but haven't figured out how to do that from the
>> >> computer, which would be a LOT easier. Something via the
router, but...
>> >>
>> >> Still, via USB I just cleared out some cruft from internal
storage (each
>> >> empty subdirectory uses 16K, not a big deal, but garbage is garbage
>> >> At one point I didn't know you were supposed to clear the data
before
>> >> you uninstall an app.
>> >>
>> >> There's a 'Magix' subdirectory which contains 6 MB of stuff, but
I don't
>> >> know what uses it so I left it alone.
> >
> > You must have an older phone that can't run a newer version of Android.
> > I think it was Ice Cream Sandwich (? not sure) that took away the
> > ability to read both the phone's internal memory and the SD card over a
> > USB connection.

4.2.1 I can never remember the stupid name.

> > Now when you plug the phone in and go into the menu to
> > change the USB connection type, the "mass storage" option isn't there
> > anymore. There is a "Media Transfer Protocol" option, but that isn't
> > always what I want (I may want to just back up the phone's files before
> > doing something stupid; I may want to use the phone as a flash drive; I
> > may want to poke around in directories that I shouldn't be poking
around
> > in, e.g. loading a custom color schema for Waze to match my car's dash
> > lighting...)

That probably involves rooting. We did that with a couple of devices,
and contrary to promises it was a real bitch.

Clickfree backs up the the external sd card, and you can then copy that
subdirectory to the computer. I should do that again...

The subdirectory on my computer with my first backup:

drwxr-xr-x 6 root 4096 Nov 1 10:39 ./
drwxr-xr-x 3 root 4096 Nov 20 12:43 ../
drwxr-xr-x 65 root 4096 Nov 20 12:16 .App/
drwxr-xr-x 8 root 4096 Nov 11 10:57 .File/
drwxr-xr-x 6 root 4096 Nov 2 23:55 .Music/
drwxr-xr-x 5 root 4096 Nov 20 12:16 .Photo/
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 540672 Nov 20 12:16 Applications_backup.db*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 25136 Nov 20 12:16 Applications_backup.db-journal
*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 323584 Nov 20 12:14 Bookmarks_backup.db*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 316520 Nov 20 12:14 Bookmarks_backup.db-journal*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 53248 Nov 20 12:16 Calendar_backup.db*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 33344 Nov 20 12:16 Calendar_backup.db-journal*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 1003520 Nov 20 12:15 Contacts_backup.db*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 524288 Nov 20 12:15 Contacts_backup.db-journal*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 32768 Nov 20 12:16 Documents_backup.db*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 12824 Nov 20 12:16 Documents_backup.db-journal*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 57344 Nov 20 12:16 Music_backup.db*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 12824 Nov 20 12:16 Music_backup.db-journal*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 20480 Nov 20 12:16 Photos_backup.db*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 8720 Nov 20 12:16 Photos_backup.db-journal*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 20480 Nov 20 12:16 SMS_backup.db*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 8720 Nov 20 12:16 SMS_backup.db-journal*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 20480 Nov 1 10:38 Videos_backup.db*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root 8720 Nov 1 10:38 Videos_backup.db-journal*

Total backup size: 1.23 GB, 630 items. All the .apk files except the
one I paid for are in the .App subdirectory. The .db files aren't
readable as text so I assume you need mysql or something else I'm
unwilling to screw around with to use them.
--
Cheers, Bev
1010101010101010101010101010101010101
What do you think you're doing, Dave?
-- Hal 9000

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 07:56:58 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:

> Here is a quick review of the following offline android free map apps:

LONG TERM UPDATE:

I've been using the stated Android offline GPS-navigation freeware for
three months running, so here are my relevant conclusions to date.

No suggested map app handled all four basics of auto navigation well:
a. Accurate maps
b. Robust search (e.g., "1000 main street" or "starbucks san jose")
c. Voice directions (e.g., "turn left in 500 yards")
d. TTS (e.g., "turn left in 500 yards onto main street")

But, you can easily get three out of four with the use model below!

The best way I found to get three out of the four basics of navigaqtion
was to use the Alk CoPilot crippleware for map accuracy and for the
POI & address searches; and then to use MapFactor Navigator for voice
directions while driving.

No freeware offline map program with TTS was worth its other failings
(e.g., the Zoff ZANavi UI was abyssmal and Google Maps kept deleting its
offline content every 30 days).

My recommendations?
1. Install the trialware CoPilot to find POIs and addresses.
2. Use freeware Navigator to route to those POIs and addresses.
3. Install freeware Google MyTracks for off-road maps and tracking.

My use-model hints?

A. Getting into the habit of saving the current location as a favorite in
Navigator works well, especially when you wish to re-visit a locale.

B. Searching in CoPilot almost always finds the desired locale; entering
the nearest intersection into Navigator works well to provide free
turn-by-turn voice directions (but not TTS).

C. Once you get close, you can switch back to the (now silent) Copilot
crippleware for routing to the exact address, if necessary. Once
found, you simply run step (A) above, for future reference.

Note: I'm told you can pay to turn on CoPilot voice directions; but,
in my tests in the first two weeks of the trial period, CoPilot
did NOT have TTS (only verbal turn guidance) - so you'd have to
doublecheck that you're actually getting TTS for your money.
But this entire thread was about offline freeware, so, it's only
a side note.

[M.L.]

>No suggested map app handled all four basics of auto navigation well:
>a. Accurate maps
>b. Robust search (e.g., "1000 main street" or "starbucks san jose")
>c. Voice directions (e.g., "turn left in 500 yards")
>d. TTS (e.g., "turn left in 500 yards onto main street")
>
>But, you can easily get three out of four with the use model below!

>1. Install the trialware CoPilot to find POIs and addresses.
>2. Use freeware Navigator to route to those POIs and addresses.
>3. Install freeware Google MyTracks for off-road maps and tracking.

I'd rather use freeware CoPilot and do without c and d. Plus, it's
better at everything else.

[Danny D'Amico]

On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 07:56:58 +0000, Danny D'Amico wrote:

Just to update the erroneous information that someone had said about
the Alk CoPilot crippleware with respect to TTS (text to speech).

We just installed Alk CoPilot 14-day trial period GPS into a
Moto G that does not have a data plan, and we tested it today
only to be disappointed to confirm that CoPilot *definitely*
and *positively* does *NOT* have TTS.

To repeat:
The Alk CoPilot, as downloaded in the trial-period format, can
clearly speak directions (e.g., "turn left in 500 feet");
but it just as *certainly can NOT speak road names!*

I suspect those that said otherwise either were confused, or,
they were talking of something other than the typical CoPilot
download.

[Rod Speed]

"mike" <ham...@netzero.net> wrote in message
news:l8gaf1$aac$1...@dont-email.me...

Makes a lot more sense to just pay for the minimal data use
that Google Maps or the Apple mapper use by using a pay
as you go service for cellular data. That way you get all of
a full up to date map, full search capability, very decent
user interface and realtime traffic routing too if you want it.

[Rod Speed]

Danny D'Amico <da...@is.invalid> wrote

> mike wrote

>> That was my conclusion after I went
>> looking for a routing program for linux.

>> It's as tho nobody ever thought about what a user might want.

> I can't disagree with you one bit!

I can, because I have written apps.

> I remember the StreetPilot III had a great GUI (for its time), in
> that all the stuff you did a lot was (reasonably) easy to access
> (albeit spelling street names was ridiculous with no keyboard).

> The Garmin nüvi had a much better GUI, but even it had crapware
> galore that couldn't be removed. But, it did things you needed.

> For example, a Garmin nüvi will remind you of the next turn simply
> by you tapping on it. You could be 50 miles away, and it will SHOW
> you the next turn and speak it! Any time you want to know your next
> turn, you just tap. None of these offline apps will do either one of
> those two simple things that you need all the time.

Because you don’t need that all the time. TomToms do that a different
way, showing you the distance to the next turn on the screen all the
time in large numbers and with an arrow showing which way you will
be told to go. That is IMO a better approach because all you have to
do is glance at the screen rather than needing to tap.

> Worse yet, they make the GUI assuming you're sitting
> at your desk, with dialog boxes that have a sentence and
> then YES or NO. Who can read that stuff while in a car.

You are supposed to use that stuff when not driving and whole
point of the voice directions is for when you are driving.

> You never know if the yes is on the left or the right,
> nor if you're enabling or disabling something.

I don’t find that with the iOS navigation apps.

> They should use GREEN for YES and RED for NO and that one change
> alone would make the things easier to use. Likewise with the menus.

Yes, but that sort of thing takes a long time to make it into new
user interfaces, particularly when it should be done in all the apps
for consistency.

> Why, for example, does the Android back button work for
> half the apps, while the other half require a specific menu
> out of a list (and it's not even the first nor last item in that
> long list) in order to exit out of the thing.

Because it takes a long time for that sort of thing like the
back button to filter thru to all the apps in a particular OS
with a new GUI. We saw the same thing with the back
button on mice with Windows etc too.

> It's as if they make it hard to exit just because
> they're mad that you're done with the program.

Nar, its just that consistency of the user interface
across all the apps in a GUI is a hell of a lot
harder to achieve than you might think.

We're seeing it now with Internet Explorer where it is very
handy that you can highlight a few words in the browser
and do a google on those words or a price search etc
using one of the accelerators you add to the browser.

It’s a damned nuisance that you can't do that in Microsoft's
usenet client.

Same with right clicking in the scroll bar and being able to
select Top, Bottom, Scroll Here etc. That hasn’t made it into
Chrome or any of the other browsers either yet.

> Same thing with the crazy ways to save Favorites in some programs.
> Now how strange would that be that someone would want to save
> their current position to a favorite? Well, some of these offline GPS
> freeware apps make it nearly impossible to do this.

Because its another idea that takes some time
to be recognised as being a very useful feature.

> Oh well, they're still (marginally) better than nothing!

> Personally, I'd go back to the nüvi,

Makes more sense to pay for cellular data
as you use it rather than a data plan IMO.

> but, the mounts are the weakest link in nüvi
> series, such that I'm done with them forever.

And I'll never go back to manually updated maps
that you get with dedicated GPS devices again myself
and it’s a damned nuisance to have more than one
device too. I want it all in the one smartphone.

I want to to replace my keys and wallet completely too.

[The Real Bev]

On 03/02/2014 03:07 PM, Rod Speed wrote:

> "mike" <ham...@netzero.net> wrote in message
>

>> I tried Navigator on my windows PDA (don't have android recent
>> enough to run it).
>> I found it quite usable except for the difficulty that you have
>> to know how to find your destination on a map so you can mark it.
>>
>> Still no match for Mapopolis. Too bad they are out of the business.
>> My maps are really old.
>
> Makes a lot more sense to just pay for the minimal data use
> that Google Maps or the Apple mapper use by using a pay
> as you go service for cellular data. That way you get all of
> a full up to date map, full search capability, very decent
> user interface and realtime traffic routing too if you want it.

What might be the absolute minimum rock-bottom cost for such a data plan
including whatever phone plan is required under it?

My prepaid voice plan is $10/year and I use wifi hotspots for FREE data.
This is the competition.

--
Cheers, Bev
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rule 18: Always tip your hat before striking a lady.

[Shadow]

On Mon, 03 Mar 2014 10:06:01 -0800, The Real Bev
<bashl...@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 03/02/2014 03:07 PM, Rod Speed wrote:
>
> > "mike" <ham...@netzero.net> wrote in message
>>
>>> I tried Navigator on my windows PDA (don't have android recent
>>> enough to run it).
>>> I found it quite usable except for the difficulty that you have
>>> to know how to find your destination on a map so you can mark it.
>>>
>>> Still no match for Mapopolis. Too bad they are out of the business.
>>> My maps are really old.
>>
>> Makes a lot more sense to just pay for the minimal data use
>> that Google Maps or the Apple mapper use by using a pay
>> as you go service for cellular data. That way you get all of
>> a full up to date map, full search capability, very decent
>> user interface and realtime traffic routing too if you want it.
>
>What might be the absolute minimum rock-bottom cost for such a data plan
>including whatever phone plan is required under it?
>
>My prepaid voice plan is $10/year and I use wifi hotspots for FREE data.
> This is the competition.

Mine landline is in Brazilian Reais. Any chance you could move
this thread back where it belongs ?
[]'s

alt.comp.freeware lopped off.
--
Don't be evil - Google 2004
We have a new policy - Google 2012

[mike]

On 3/3/2014 10:06 AM, The Real Bev wrote:
> On 03/02/2014 03:07 PM, Rod Speed wrote:
>
> > "mike" <ham...@netzero.net> wrote in message
>>
>>> I tried Navigator on my windows PDA (don't have android recent
>>> enough to run it).
>>> I found it quite usable except for the difficulty that you have
>>> to know how to find your destination on a map so you can mark it.
>>>
>>> Still no match for Mapopolis. Too bad they are out of the business.
>>> My maps are really old.
>>
>> Makes a lot more sense to just pay for the minimal data use
>> that Google Maps or the Apple mapper use by using a pay
>> as you go service for cellular data. That way you get all of
>> a full up to date map, full search capability, very decent
>> user interface and realtime traffic routing too if you want it.
>
> What might be the absolute minimum rock-bottom cost for such a data plan
> including whatever phone plan is required under it?
>
> My prepaid voice plan is $10/year and I use wifi hotspots for FREE data.
> This is the competition.
>

I'd like to know where you get voice for $10/yr.
Best I can find is PagePlus at $30/yr.
For any reasonable amount of data, cost goes up close to Verizon.

Hotspots don't help much if you need continuous navigation connection.

[nospam]

In article <lf2jan$gor$1...@dont-email.me>, mike <ham...@netzero.net>
wrote:

> > My prepaid voice plan is $10/year and I use wifi hotspots for FREE data.
> > This is the competition.
> >
> I'd like to know where you get voice for $10/yr.

t-mobile gold.

voice calls are 10c/min. for those who use very little voice, it will
be 10/yr or not much more.

data is not included, and is $2 or $3/day, depending on speed desired.

[Rod Speed]

The Real Bev <bashl...@gmail.com> wrote

> Rod Speed wrote
>> mike <ham...@netzero.net> wrote

>>> I tried Navigator on my windows PDA
>>> (don't have android recent enough to run it).

>>> I found it quite usable except for the difficulty that you have to
>>> know how to find your destination on a map so you can mark it.

>>> Still no match for Mapopolis. Too bad they are
>>> out of the business. My maps are really old.

>> Makes a lot more sense to just pay for the minimal data use
>> that Google Maps or the Apple mapper use by using a pay
>> as you go service for cellular data. That way you get all of
>> a full up to date map, full search capability, very decent
>> user interface and realtime traffic routing too if you want it.

> What might be the absolute minimum rock-bottom cost for such
> a data plan including whatever phone plan is required under it?

Not sure if this is the absolute minimum rock bottom
price, but is about the same price for data as mine.
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/jimmys-deal-list/8eIuNzthSgg/hxqvqgrxp7QJ

Mine at that price costs me the grand total of <$10 per YEAR
for the data for the navigation and I used it for that every week
for the garage/yard sale run. It normally only costs me about 20c
a week for about 4 sales that I can't remember exactly where the
street is or has a full street number on the ad so I want routing to
the door.

> My prepaid voice plan is $10/year

Mine has no fixed cost per year, I just pay for the calls I make
and even with us regulars now coordinating the garage/yard
sale openings on the phone rather than furiously tearing
around them all a full hour before the advertised opening
time, those calls only cost me 12c each because they are
less than a minute in duration.

> and I use wifi hotspots for FREE data.

I don't have much of that in my town, just McDs,
the library and obviously my home wifi.

> This is the competition.

[Rod Speed]

mike <ham...@netzero.net> wrote
> The Real Bev wrote

>> Rod Speed wrote
>>> mike <ham...@netzero.net> wrote

>>>> I tried Navigator on my windows PDA (don't have android recent
>>>> enough to run it).

>>>> I found it quite usable except for the difficulty that you have to know
>>>> how to find your destination on a map so you can mark it.

>>>> Still no match for Mapopolis. Too bad they are out of the business.
>>>> My maps are really old.

>>> Makes a lot more sense to just pay for the minimal data use
>>> that Google Maps or the Apple mapper use by using a pay
>>> as you go service for cellular data. That way you get all of
>>> a full up to date map, full search capability, very decent
>>> user interface and realtime traffic routing too if you want it.

>> What might be the absolute minimum rock-bottom cost for such a data plan
>> including whatever phone plan is required under it?

>> My prepaid voice plan is $10/year and I use wifi hotspots for FREE data.
>> This is the competition.

> I'd like to know where you get voice for $10/yr.

This one claims 8 CENTS per year.
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/jimmys-deal-list/8eIuNzthSgg/hxqvqgrxp7QJ

> Best I can find is PagePlus at $30/yr.
> For any reasonable amount of data, cost goes up close to Verizon.

> Hotspots don't help much if you need continuous navigation connection.

True. I just pay 5c/MB for the data I use and that cost me less than
$10/year
for all the navigation I do and that is usually about 4 or so garage/yard
sales
per week that I need navigation to. Costs me 5c each because the data gets
billed per MB and each one is less than 1MB.

[Rod Speed]

nospam <nos...@nospam.invalid> wrote

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/jimmys-deal-list/8eIuNzthSgg/hxqvqgrxp7QJ
is rather better value than that for the annual cost and the data in spades.

Still uses the t-mobile system.

[mike]

Got a link?
Lowest T-mobile I can find costs $100 to get gold status
then $10 will get you 30 minutes after that. The site is vague
about expire vs rollover minutes after 1 year.
Also, lots of complaints about 10-cent minutes reverting to 33-cent
minutes if your refill is less than $50 or $100.

Details of your experience?

[nospam]

In article <lf2mch$7jq$1...@dont-email.me>, mike <ham...@netzero.net>

wrote:

> >>> My prepaid voice plan is $10/year and I use wifi hotspots for FREE data.
> >>> This is the competition.
> >>>
> >> I'd like to know where you get voice for $10/yr.
> >
> > t-mobile gold.
> >
> > voice calls are 10c/min. for those who use very little voice, it will
> > be 10/yr or not much more.
> >
> > data is not included, and is $2 or $3/day, depending on speed desired.
> >
> Got a link?

t-mobile.com

> Lowest T-mobile I can find costs $100 to get gold status
> then $10 will get you 30 minutes after that.

$100 gets you gold status, which remains in place for the life of that
account. after you reach gold, it's $10/yr.

you don't have to get gold all at once, although it's beneficial to do
so because you'll get better voice minute rates that way.

you can buy $10 refills that last 3 months each and stretch it out over
2.5 years. once you reach gold, it's $10/year rather than $10/3 months.

if you don't use it much for voice, the advantage of all at once may
not be that important. if you do, then it's worth doing it all at once
for the lower per minute rates.

> The site is vague
> about expire vs rollover minutes after 1 year.
> Also, lots of complaints about 10-cent minutes reverting to 33-cent
> minutes if your refill is less than $50 or $100.

the price of voice minutes depend on how much you refill with.

that's one advantage of $100 for gold up front. you will get 10c/min
and there's no ambiguity.

if you use lower refills, it gets confusing.

> Details of your experience?

i have gold which took a couple of years to obtain and now i only need
to pay $10/yr.

i don't use it for voice so i don't really care what the voice minute
charges are.

i activate the $2 or $3 per day for data when i need it, and on those
days, voice is unlimited so any voice calls are effectively free if i
decide to use it for voice.

[Arlen Holder]

UPDATE:

On 17 Feb 2020 16:18:20 GMT, Frank Slootweg wrote:

> While Sygic has a free version, I think it does not satisfy your
> other requirements:

Thanks Frank Slootweg for that advice and for understanding the freeware,
no login, privacy, offline, and traffic requirements, where, after testing,
as you predicted, I was forced to delete the Sygic, Maverick Lite, Aponia,
HereWeGo, CoPilot, GeoLife, Navmii, Locus Maps, MapDroyd, Rout 66, & ZANavi
freeware Android offline map applications, where this was the short list
tested this week:
<https://i.postimg.cc/dtBmLFGp/directions01.jpg>

Given addresstogps doesn't seem to work anymore...
<http://s1.bild.me/bilder/110417/5217118lookup02.jpg>
<http://s1.bild.me/bilder/110417/7012818lookup01.jpg>

There are only 3 free offline map applications, IMHO, that fit privacy
requirements (where the Google trick below is used only because of Google's
fantastic traffic capability, set to the best privacy mode possible):
<http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=2528509lookup00.jpg>

a. A desktop shortcut to the google maps web page
<https://google.com/maps/@37,-122,12z/data=!5m1!1e1>
<https://i.postimg.cc/25VWFLD8/traffic01.jpg>
<https://i.postimg.cc/fRbSDSkj/traffic02.jpg>
b. OSMAnd~ (mine is from F-Droid)
<https://f-droid.org/packages/net.osmand.plus/>
c. MapFactor Navigator (with the special American English voice, Carly)
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapfactor.navigator>
<https://i.postimg.cc/XJd936V2/directions02.jpg>

These failed the basic privacy tests (now or in the past):
1. CoPilot GPS - Navigation, by ALK Technologies
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alk.copilot.mapviewer>
2. Sygic, by Sygic maps navigation
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sygic.aura>
3. Navmii GPS USA (Navfree), by Navmii
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.USA>
4. Maverick Lite
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.codesector.maverick.lite>
5. Route 66
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.route66navigation>
6. Offline Maps
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navigation.offlinemaps.gps>
7. Maps.Me
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mapswithme.maps.pro>
8. City Maps 2Go
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ulmon.android.citymaps2go>

Did we miss testing any free offline road maps for Android?
<https://play.google.com/store/search?q=offline%20maps&c=apps>
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