TomTom for Android

[andysdad]

Looking at buying TT Europe - only AU$49.99 (say 28 quid) for my Galaxy S phone.

Questions -

If phone is linked by Bluetooth to my Scala headset I presume all nav voice commands will be relayed to Scala too, correct?

Second question - normally any App purchased via Google Play can be loaded to all your Android devices - is this true for TT too? I have another device I may use.

Thanks in advance

A

 

[MikeS]

I have bought the same license and yes I do have it loaded on 3 different Android phones although you need to be logged into the same Google account on all 3 for it to work. I can't answer your Scala question but I assume it would work too.

Beware though that the Android version of TomTom is a bit more fiddly to use with more clicks needed to enter routes and UK postcodes don't always work. For the money though it is still worth buying and still does a good job as a SATNAV once you have managed to get the route you want setup.

If like me you previously used TomTom on an Iphone (which works great) then the Android version can get frustrating at times.

 

[andysdad]

Mike - thanks for that - no, not used the Iphone version and your comments worry me a bit. Fiddly is not good on a bike!

Didn't realise that you have to be logged-in to have multiple copies but can see why, not a problem.

Planning would normally be via TYRE offline. Postcodes is a bugger but lifetime map updates should sort that eventually.

Reckon I'll go for it; offline all-of-Europe maps, lifetime updated for 28 quid; simples!

A

 

[andysdad]

Purchased it - looks fine; menus are a bit different from my TT Rider 2 and Windows 6 version I had on a PDA a while ago (thanks Pukmeister) but nothing too different.

Postcode lookup found my house OK - tip never set "Home" as your exact house location - satnav will take thieves straight there. I always put Home a short distance away. Paranoid, moi?

Coverage is huge - 39 countries - all of Europe (including all of former Yugoslavia) as far east as Russia (but not all of it) and Turkey and all points west including "42%" of Ukraine (% probably a bit higher now that Putin has had his way so I guess that means more of Russia now!)

Plus lifetime updates and multiple copy capability - not sure how TT can stay in business as I'll never buy another copy.

Another tip - it installs in the Phone memory but the maps take 3.4GB; my Galaxy S memory was going to be too small so I installed the TT software (into Phone memory) then moved it to SD Card (Settings/Applications/Manage) THEN downloaded the maps (which are loaded to where the software is, i.e. the SD Card not Phone memory).

A

 

[stu1969]

You need to check that you can add routs created in tyre. You can't with tomtom on the iPhone.

 

[andysdad]

Stu - you're right - oh bugger! Had hoped to preplan etc.

Android My Files shows a directory under TomTom called ITN and I can drag/drop route files when connected via USB, but there is no menu to access them. So why have a directory? More digging required......

 

[stu1969]

Stu - you're right - oh bugger! Had hoped to preplan etc.

Android My Files shows a directory under TomTom called ITN and I can drag/drop route files when connected via USB, but there is no menu to access them. So why have a directory? More digging required......

Me too. I wanted to combine phone camera and satnav but as the song goes, two out of three ain't bad!

As for the second paragraph of your post. I don't understand a word of it

 

[red1]

NavFree it's free!

Sent from my MOTO G

 

[JKW]

Copilot Premium Western Europe (£29.99)...you can plan routes in pretty much any application you like, then save them as *.trp in Routeconvertor (or just plan in Routeconvertor itself - saves a step) before transferring them to your android phone. The only challenge is identifying the directory where Copilot saves its trip files - it seems to vary depending upon which version you have...but create a trip with a unique name (say 12345) in Copilot first and then find it (the filename will be 12345.trp) using Astro File manager or similar and you'll know.

 

[andysdad]

Too late for me but I rarely preplan (now) anyway!

Does Copilot have lifetime updates?

 

[JKW]

Too late for me but I rarely preplan (now) anyway!

Does Copilot have lifetime updates?

Yes

 

[Prosnap]

Postcode lookup found my house OK - tip never set "Home" as your exact house location - satnav will take thieves straight there. I always put Home a short distance away. Paranoid, moi?

I always set "Home" with the postcode of my local police station ..... They might just be that stupid!!!

 

[stu1969]

Copilot Premium Western Europe (£29.99)...you can plan routes in pretty much any application you like, then save them as *.trp in Routeconvertor (or just plan in Routeconvertor itself - saves a step) before transferring them to your android phone. The only challenge is identifying the directory where Copilot saves its trip files - it seems to vary depending upon which version you have...but create a trip with a unique name (say 12345) in Copilot first and then find it (the filename will be 12345.trp) using Astro File manager or similar and you'll know.

What's your experience of Copilot Premium? Can you plan routs using tyre?


Sent from CIA snooping van 7

 

[JKW]

What's your experience of Copilot Premium? Can you plan routs using tyre?


Sent from CIA snooping van 7

Straight answer - don't know. Routes need to be in .trp format for Copilot to use them so if tyre has this option for saving a file then probably. I came across Routeconvertor as a recommended way of converting the .klm (?) waypoint files you can output from Google maps, however Google puts hundreds of waypoints into a route and Copilot goes into 'dead slug' mode - I assume because it just can't cope with the numbers of waypoints. I found it just as easy to use Routeconvertor - you can click to insert your waypoints, drag the route to modify and then 'save as' Route in .trp format.

 

[stu1969]

Straight answer - don't know. Routes need to be in .trp format for Copilot to use them so if tyre has this option for saving a file then probably. I came across Routeconvertor as a recommended way of converting the .klm (?) waypoint files you can output from Google maps, however Google puts hundreds of waypoints into a route and Copilot goes into 'dead slug' mode - I assume because it just can't cope with the numbers of waypoints. I found it just as easy to use Routeconvertor - you can click to insert your waypoints, drag the route to modify and then 'save as' Route in .trp format.

Cheers for your post, sounds interesting. A couple of questions if you don't mind.
How do you transfer the route you have planned and converted on to your phone/tablet (reply in words of one syllable please. You will understand why when you see my third question!).
Have you found the route you plan reliable or have you experienced any quirks.
Finally, you mention way points. Are they the start and finish points????


Sent from CIA snooping van 7

 

[JKW]

Cheers for your post, sounds interesting. A couple of questions if you don't mind.
How do you transfer the route you have planned and converted on to your phone/tablet (reply in words of one syllable please. You will understand why when you see my third question!).
Have you found the route you plan reliable or have you experienced any quirks.
Finally, you mention way points. Are they the start and finish points????


Sent from CIA snooping van 7

Oh dear!....not sure I can 'dumb down' to quite that level! In reverse order then...

Waypoints are markers along which the software plans a route - if you do an A to B route it may only have two waypoints, start and finish. If you want a circular bike route you have to enter waypoints (points through which the routing software has to go) in order not to have a very short ride, if you get my drift.

I don't use it all that often to be honest, probably only 2/3 times a year for this kind of stuff - and only once in anger so far - it seems fine to me.

Tough question...it depends entirely on how your phone links to your PC (if it's a Mac I wouldn't know anyway!) - generally when a phone is plugged in via a USB connector you get the option to 'open to view folders' - it's then a case of navigating through the folder structure on the phone to find the location you need and dragging the file across from the PC. Seriously though, if this is beyond you, and you can't find a handy teenager to explain it...I'd buy a map!

 

[adventuredon]

I have used Co pilot on the move. Planned on the free version on a Samsung galaxy tablet them copied.route to my micro sd card. Put that card in your DROID phone and ride

 

[andysdad]

Thought I'd update this thread - been using TT Android a bit now I'm back in UK.

Slow to start - running it off the SD card probably slows it up. Can suddenly stop for no apparent reason when starting up (but not when in use) then restarts. Clunky menus - e.g. input a postcode/address then have to Select and then it calculates the route and then you press Go. Why not just nav to selected point?

Main gripe is the new GUI - not as easy to use as the old one (Navigator for Windows 6 Phone; similar to TomTom One etc.) and probably impossible on a bike (which was my plan ). Screen size of phone (Galaxy S = 3.7"?) too small for bike (OK for car) and icons not bike friendly (but then again it isn't designed to be).

Pluses include live Traffic and it works well in the car. Battery drain noticeable but not too silly (have phone on charge if using TT).

Overall = OK especially in car. For bike, no.

A

 

[andysdad]

Update on my update.

1. As I said above, you cannot load ITN files so bloody useless for planning tours. Apparently TT removed this facility from their car satnavs about 4 years ago. F*ckwits.

2. They have just replaced the App I use with a new one BUT

A. You have to pay per mile! 50 miles a month free (useless).

B. As an exisiting customer I can get it free (complicated refund process) BUT that lasts 3 years - I had "Lifetime" updates on the app so that's gone after only 12 months. Standard Customer Service reply is "what a fantastic compnay we are giving you 3 years free", not "sorry about that, here's Lifetime again".

C. The new one has an even worse GUI that you cannot read in bright light, cannot amend to personal preference etc. Lots of very bad reviews on the Google Play page.

So - TT has lost the plot (pun intended).