iPhone as Navigator

[cbutler]

Bought a waterproof holder that velcros on to the handlebars. Used my TomTom ONE XL (about four years old) and it was a bit crap to be honest. Couldn't see the screen much and the battery lasted two hours.

Was lost in London, so popped my iPhone in to the holder. Very good, although the battery also also died quickly. However going abroad, I'm not so sure... In Europe I can use my phone with unrestricted data for a small charge each day, so that's not a problem - wondered if anyone who'd used a phone for navigation got fed up with it?

Also, any suggestions regarding cigaret lighter / USB chargers for bikes? Looked at some on Amazon, all the same really.

 

[John Armstrong]

Problem with using the phone to navigate by, and which uses mobile data to know where it is, that if you go outside mobile coverage then any wrong turns won't be recognised until you're back in mobile coverage. Does the iphone have a GPS receiver as many of the opposition do?

 

[Jonnybiscuit]

I've got the TomTom western Europe App on my iphone4. Brilliant
If using it often and for longer times, the holder/charger/signal booster is the DB.
Doesn't use mobile data, so you can use it anywhere in Europe without worrying about the cost

 

[cbutler]

It does have a GPS receiver but as you state, outside the network and it can't recalculate - although it does tell you that you have gone wrong.

I will use it around the UK for a bit, see how it goes. Otherwise I see a Garmin as the only other option.

 

[kirky1298]

satnav software on a £30 android phone took me down to the Dolomites and home safely. Perhaps if you jailbreak your Iphone and get software that doesn't need a data plan

 

[JH]

I've got the TomTom western Europe App on my iphone4. Brilliant
If using it often and for longer times, the holder/charger/signal booster is the DB.
Doesn't use mobile data, so you can use it anywhere in Europe without worrying about the cost

Jonny

I have thought of using the Tom Tom app, especially as it now has the 'Safety Zones' marked for France. The holder/charger/booster you refer to is that the Tom Tom car one? Or is there another product. I want to use it on the bike and had thought simply of using a waterproof case and the USB cable to charge via a power socket. What are you using and have you found any way of planning sets of routes and itineraries on the phone.

Cheers

 

[Mick-B]

Jonny

I have thought of using the Tom Tom app, especially as it now has the 'Safety Zones' marked for France. The holder/charger/booster you refer to is that the Tom Tom car one? Or is there another product. I want to use it on the bike and had thought simply of using a waterproof case and the USB cable to charge via a power socket. What are you using and have you found any way of planning sets of routes and itineraries on the phone.

Cheers

If the phone "app" hard downloads the map files to storage on the phone rather than "streams" as you go then that seems a remarkably cheap option. If it relies upon data-streaming then, as alluded to in other posts, you are crucially dependent upon your network provider and the local network coverage. The more remote your tour area, the more patchy the coverage is likely to be. Great in towns and cities though, where it's easy to get confused and waste loads of time!

On the bike I use a waterproof mount with my car Garmin Nuvi 250w with lifetime Euro map updates - it's not ideal but it works well enough; that is well enough that I continue to wince at what Garmin want for the bike-specific Zumo 550!

 

[kevingrahambutler]

Last four years I've used iPhone all the way down to Greece, didn't use any data only used gps signal never lost gps, but the only problem is when some one text you have to take your hands off the handle bars to cancel the screen not recommend when you are riding or if some one phones you and you are about to come to spaghetti junction,
Navigation will not work in airplane mode
So this year I'm taking BMW navigator 111 that I bought off a fellow tosser on this forum.
I will be taking my iPhone as backup I also take a iPad as it's worth it's weight in gold when it comes to searching for places of interest,
I down loaded this free app it's call directU it's a full map of Europe it works off line so no data charge and it will give you your position on the map where ever you are it worked a treat when I went to Albania in small towns and can work as a sat nav, it will not give verbal only visual

 

[muppix]

When I don't have my Garmin Zumo with me I use the Garmin app on my iPhone. Cost £45 for the whole of Western Europe, no data connection required, and I'm hoping at some point in the future they'll expand its abilities to cater for GPX files. The only downside (apart from draining the battery fairly quickly) is that once inside they try to flog you more stuff, like live traffic updates, photo-realistic junction view, etc. Still, it's good value seeing as the price includes lifetime map updates and allows the app to be downloaded onto your next iphone, and the one after that.

 

[cbutler]

I still need to do some trips with the phone. I might download an app, but to be honest I've no need yet.

muppix, is the Garmin app better than TomTom would you say?

This is how I've set it up for the time being, pretty water proof I think:

(not sure which image was clearer)

 

[muppix]

muppix, is the Garmin app better than TomTom would you say?

When I was looking at the apps before making a decision I think Garmin was just ahead by a little bit, and TomTom had recently received negative feedback for an update which users said had removed some functionality. My main reason for going with Garmin though was that I own several other Garmin units for car and bike, and if they're aiming for feature parity between them all then that will benefit me in the long run.

On the other hand, a good friend of mine (who originally talked me away from TomTom many years ago) also uses Garmin hardware now, but swears by the TomTom iPhone app. Ultimately I think it comes down to what you're happy with and what you have experience of, as there's really not much between them.

 

[Myke Rocks]

Tomtom App

I have TomTom all of Europe on my i phone, and it is excellent. Has taken me all over Europe.
The only fly in the ointment is overheating.
The phone has to be on a mount in the open air or it overheats after abour an hour.
So: I Use a mount which powers it and exposes it to the fresh air.
Bluetooth works perfectly to my helmet with it.
I have simultaneously, had music playing, taken videos, Used Satnav, and answered phone. All in all excellent.

Myke

 

[Kritou]

When I don't have my Garmin Zumo with me I use the Garmin app on my iPhone. Cost £45 for the whole of Western Europe, no data connection required, and I'm hoping at some point in the future they'll expand its abilities to cater for GPX files. The only downside (apart from draining the battery fairly quickly) is that once inside they try to flog you more stuff, like live traffic updates, photo-realistic junction view, etc. Still, it's good value seeing as the price includes lifetime map updates and allows the app to be downloaded onto your next iphone, and the one after that.

Are you saying that routes/waypoints cannot be imported into the app at the moment?

 

[muppix]

Are you saying that routes/waypoints cannot be imported into the app at the moment?

As far as I know, that's correct, yes. You can save favourites and create routes from sequences of places you found in the app, but no import / export as per Garmin hardware.

 

[cbutler]

Have you looked in iTunes when you plug the phone in? Click on the device, and there is something along the lines of drag/drop folder, I think...

 

[muppix]

Yeah, the Garmin app isn't in the list of apps that can exchange files with the host. Besides, I don't think there's anything in the app's UI to handle things that side; the Garmin hardware has Manage Personal Data, but the iPhone app lacks this.

 

[Jonnybiscuit]

Jonny

I have thought of using the Tom Tom app, especially as it now has the 'Safety Zones' marked for France. The holder/charger/booster you refer to is that the Tom Tom car one? Or is there another product. I want to use it on the bike and had thought simply of using a waterproof case and the USB cable to charge via a power socket. What are you using and have you found any way of planning sets of routes and itineraries on the phone.

Cheers

I have got the TomTom car booster/charger etc. but to be honest, I've never needed to use it on the bike (I think it's necessary when getting a signal through a windscreen????). I have used this set up (as the photo) on the bike all the way to Croatia in '10 and last year to Cadiz. It never let me down once.
I have a USB lead to aux power outlet and used a case (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bicycle-Cyc...J41Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360075767&sr=8-1) mounted off my tank bag (see photo). I have changed that arrangement slightly and now have an "Otterbox" case which comes with a clip type holder that I can just clip onto my tankbag when I need it. Simples

As for planning, I think "Tyre" (free software) can do this. Personally I just type in my next destination on the go

 

[cookie]

As far as I know, that's correct, yes. You can save favourites and create routes from sequences of places you found in the app, but no import / export as per Garmin hardware.

can anyone confirm that this is still the case? can Tyre not send .itn files to an iphone running the tom tom app?

if possible, it would bring me a big step nearer to ridding myself of those cretinous garmin software issues

 

[cbrgaz]

Try mapfactor navigator, its free and uses google maps (osm) to navigate...............all the maps are available to download for free through the app. So you end up with world maps and no need for data charges either.

 

[diplomaticdanny]

Try mapfactor navigator, its free and uses google maps (osm) to navigate...............all the maps are available to download for free through the app. So you end up with world maps and no need for data charges either.

Can't find anything called mapfactor!