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#280113 - 03/25/16 10:04 PM Re: Is it worth upgrading my gps? [Re: Alex]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
Ahh yes! Cutting edge tech versus traditional ways....Realistically, both have their virtues. I used, and in some cases, made, good ol' paper maps.

I jumped on GPS technology when it first came out and used it gainfully in archaeological work. It was, and is, absolutely wonderful knowing precisely where you were (with certain exceptions and caveats). In a given situation, either technology might be optimum. If you know what you are doing, either mode will get you out and back with no problems.

A well made map is a work of art. Nobody ever made that claim about any Garmin product.
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#280469 - 04/25/16 10:49 AM Re: Is it worth upgrading my gps? [Re: Alex]
MostlyHarmless Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 06/03/09
Posts: 982
Loc: Norway
Originally Posted By: Alex
The Android demo app is ready for review in its preliminary form. Sorry had no chance to polish it well, broke my shoulder, but it should work to most of what we discussed. See the details here https://github.com/halxinate/gyronav There will be a list of files / folders there above the readme file content, just click the app-release.apk from your phone to download and install it (the rest is for developers). Your phone must be set to allow installing from unknown sources first: System Settings / Security / Unknown Sources / Check


I've played around with it, and the various "shake-rattle-and-tilt" options seems to be well thought out and work reasonably well. I think it is only a matter of time/training before this way of manipulating the map becomes natural. Must probably fine-tune the sensitivity settings a bit to suit me better, kudos for including functionality to do that.

What I miss (and think you should give priority when developing this app further):
- We've discussed the "cant override the screen lock" - problem I have on my phone. But on phones without company policy restrictions I think it will important with a well thought out, hassle-free method of locking and unlocking the screen.

- A quick way of sentering the map on your current position _*without*_ clicking the icon on the screen.

I have no idea of how that can be achieved. You seem to have made good use of the various shake-rattle-and-roll options I can think of. But there's still the power button, or the volume buttons (both the volume up and volume down may be assigned the same function).

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#281447 - 07/23/16 04:51 PM Re: Is it worth upgrading my gps? [Re: Malpaso]
Pete Offline
Veteran

Registered: 02/20/09
Posts: 1372
simple practical question.

does anyone have a mapping GPS that they are happy with?

I dont expect perfection. just something that works, and creates a map that makes sense.

I will be using the unit in S. America. I dont expect the GPS to do a perfect job with road systems. Nobody knows all the roads in S. America. but if the unit can give me a wide angle display, so i can see my relationship compared to major towns ... thats good enough.

I dont use a smartphone, because Internet in S. America varies between terrible and nonexistent.

Thanks for any thoughts!!

Pete

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#281448 - 07/23/16 05:31 PM Re: Is it worth upgrading my gps? [Re: Pete]
haertig Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/13/05
Posts: 2322
Loc: Colorado
Recent episode with a new Garmin GPS (last weekend):

Going to a house in the mountains. Up several winding dirt roads with a bazillion turns required to get to the destination. Nothing new about these dirt roads, they've been there for decades.

Garmin sent us up to a dead end road. It was like an overlook - you climbed a hill and the dead end had views in every direction (over cliffs) except for the road we just drove up. BTW, this overlook was about five miles from the actual destination (as the crow flies, about ten miles as the roads weave).

Then Garmin told us to "turn right". That would have been a death move. So we fired up the cellphones - both an iPhone and an Android phone, and tried to load their respective GPS/maps applications. No go - there was no cell signal up there, let alone a mobile data connection, to download any maps. So while they could tell us our position (Lat/Lon), that was of zero help without a map.

The driver was the one relying on the GPS. Us other two passengers knew better, and we had written down turn my turn directions ahead of time. So after we had proven to our friend that GPS was not really to be trusted in all situations, we promptly found our way to the destination using written instructions and hand-scribbled maps. That was kind of fun, maybe cruel to our friend, but still fun none-the-less. But we made our point.

I think GPS is good for giving you your location, and then you use that with the topo maps you are also carrying. But depending on GPS/online maps alone? Ha! What folly! Even the built in maps on the Garmin were bad.

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#281450 - 07/23/16 06:56 PM Re: Is it worth upgrading my gps? [Re: Malpaso]
Pete Offline
Veteran

Registered: 02/20/09
Posts: 1372
I agree with you. I had a GPS in Chile that directed me the wrong way ... onto a freeway exit. stuff happens.

Im not depending on the map feature. but i do think that a mapping tool is useful. I have maps, printed, for S. America. They are also not well designed ... often very impractical.

I think that the real world will always defeat these technologies. Computers will never get all of the fine details :-)

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#281474 - 07/25/16 08:11 PM Re: Is it worth upgrading my gps? [Re: Pete]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
I used paper maps both for work, play, and volunteer rescue for decades before GPS came along. GPS gave me usually unequivocal location information, although in precipitous terrain, some signal distortion did occur.

I use my GPS continually, but always in conjunction with a paper map.
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#281501 - 07/26/16 07:42 PM Re: Is it worth upgrading my gps? [Re: Malpaso]
TeacherRO Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 03/11/05
Posts: 2574
I'd recommend getting driving and gps apps for your phone...even if you don't use them...you'll have them.

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#281546 - 07/31/16 06:39 AM Re: Is it worth upgrading my gps? [Re: Malpaso]
WesleyH Offline
Member

Registered: 05/26/16
Posts: 101
Loc: Unknown
What is the military current iteneration of GPS? Seems I had read about a new personal GPS they were issuing.
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#281551 - 07/31/16 12:35 PM Re: Is it worth upgrading my gps? [Re: Malpaso]
jshannon Offline
Addict

Registered: 02/02/03
Posts: 647
Loc: North Texas
Phone gps does not rely on internet. It is a standalone gps.

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#281555 - 07/31/16 02:53 PM Re: Is it worth upgrading my gps? [Re: jshannon]
haertig Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/13/05
Posts: 2322
Loc: Colorado
Originally Posted By: jshannon
Phone gps does not rely on internet. It is a standalone gps.
It's the maps download that goes along with the GPS that requires an internet connection (unless you've pre-downloaded the relevant maps in advance). There are non-map-oriented GPS apps for smartphones, but AFAIK, you have to manually download and install those apps. The GPS apps that typically come on the phones from the manufacturer - Google Maps, etc. - tend to expect an internet connection to be in place. I'd hope these bigger apps will all still give you your coordinates in the absence of maps, there's no reason why they shouldn't, because as jshannon says, the GPS receiver itself is separate from the internet.

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