Recalculating! Garmin has done a course correction with their iPhone app, rolling out a version with onboard maps, eight months after the release of their original StreetPilot app that used offboard maps. Considering AT&T’s reception problems in many areas, it’s probably a smart move.
Garmin StreetPilot Onboard iPhone app
August 2, 2011 By 6 Comments
Google Maps Navigation to use onboard maps?
June 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
According to All About Phones, a Dutch website, Google Maps Navigation will soon have a full-blown offline mode. Late last year, with the introduction of Google Maps 5.0 for Android, GMN moved to vector graphics and improved route caching. But this new capability would allow you to plug in a destination while outside of cell range, which means that some maps and associated data would always be cached on your device.
Bad Elf GPS for iPad, iPod and iPhone
May 25, 2011 By 2 Comments
The Bad Elf GPS Receiver
Preserving cellphone battery life in the backcountry
May 24, 2011 By 4 Comments
I imagine that a lot of our readers are trying out their smartphones in the backcountry, using mapping applications for navigation. One of the problems with this (and there are several), is that few things will drain your battery faster than your phone searching for a signal where there is none, or where reception is marginal.
SPOT Connect review
May 17, 2011 By 47 Comments
Hands on with the SPOT Connect
The SPOT Connect
Garmin StreetPilot app for iPhone announced
January 4, 2011 By 8 Comments
Garmin has announced their long awaited iPhone navigation application, dubbed the Garmin StreetPilot app (iTunes link), and it is available now! As you can see from the screenshots at left and farther down this post, the interface will be very familiar to any nuvi owner.
The app will retail for $39.99 and include free traffic alerts, lane assist, junction view, and speed limits. According to Garmin, the maps are off-board, delivered over the air, assuring you of the latest maps. They also say that the app will integrate well with iTunes and contacts, allowing you to control music and take a phone call while navigation continues in the background.
Hit the jump for more pics.
Trapster acquired by NAVTEQ
December 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Trapster.com, which offers speed trap alert apps for most major mobile platforms, has been acquired by NAVTEQ, according to an Autoblog exclusive. The report states that a bidding war broke out, with five parties interested in acquiring Trapster; terms of the deal have not been disclosed. NAVTEQ itself is owned by Nokia.
Navigon MobileNavigator for Android review
November 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Here’s a brief video review of Navigon’s MobileNavigator Android app:
Phone navigation vs dedicated GPS receivers
October 29, 2010 By 21 Comments
Consumer Reports has a navigation faceoff story today, judging the contenders by six different factors. Dedicated navigation units were the clear winner in two, mobile phones in one, with the other three criteria giving results that were a bit muddied.
With apps that mimic your TomTom or whatever, and function as an all-in-one device, you’d think it would be a slam dunk for cell phones to win this one. But I’m going to take a different approach and say that their ability to do it all is in fact their Achilles’ heel.
Navigon MobileNavigator for Android comes to US
October 27, 2010 By 23 Comments
Wow, how much can the mobile navigation market change in just a couple of days? Following Garmin’s announcement yesterday that they will develop navigation apps for multiple platforms, Navigon reveals that they are bringing MobileNavigator to the US Android marketplace. I thought perhaps that TomTom had decided to take on the free Google Maps Navigation juggernaut last week, but (as suspected) it turns out that they are only providing maps for HTC, and not navigation. So Navigon becomes the first top-tier navigation app maker to go mano-a-mano with Google, to see if folks will pony up or settle for what the search giant gives us for free.
