GPS: its scope, availability without a data plan

[hanzj]

I was in a car of a friend who owns an Android smartphone. We plotted our destination using the Navigation app (looks like Google Maps) and we got turn-by-turn directions. That trip makes me want to say goodbye to my paper printout of Google Map directions.

But some questions:

1. Can you make use of GPS driving directions without paying for a data plan? In other words, is having an Android device the only cost I need to take care of?

2. What countries can we make use of this free GPS, aside from USA and Canada?

[chadk5utc]

there is a linux based app called gpsdrive and a few others I personally have used gpsdrive some time back and seems like it covered the US Canada and parts of Europe. There are also a number of usb/thumb drive sized gps receivers(I think I paid @$20 for mine) that will work although you should find one thats linux friendly as it makes using it so much easier. I used it on my netbook for a while worked pretty good, but youll want to /need to download maps for it. Now I just use a nice dash mounted Garmin for all that. Aside from the equipment cost initially I pay no additional to use any of them.

[mamamia88]

I was in a car of a friend who owns an Android smartphone. We plotted our destination using the Navigation app (looks like Google Maps) and we got turn-by-turn directions. That trip makes me want to say goodbye to my paper printout of Google Map directions.

But some questions:

1. Can you make use of GPS driving directions without paying for a data plan? In other words, is having an Android device the only cost I need to take care of?

2. What countries can we make use of this free GPS, aside from USA and Canada?

the only feature you want is a gps? i'd just buy a dedicated gps then since they work just as good and i find the interface easier to use than google maps. google maps has a lot of useful data but the android app is kind difficult to navigate. also it will cost you less money. i personally have used garmins and love them. that way you don't have to worry if your signal drops because you are in the middle of nowhere etc. the last thing i want to do when traveling 70mph is messing with my phone. get a gps set it and forget.

[Mikeb85]

I was in a car of a friend who owns an Android smartphone. We plotted our destination using the Navigation app (looks like Google Maps) and we got turn-by-turn directions. That trip makes me want to say goodbye to my paper printout of Google Map directions.

But some questions:

1. Can you make use of GPS driving directions without paying for a data plan? In other words, is having an Android device the only cost I need to take care of?

2. What countries can we make use of this free GPS, aside from USA and Canada?

If you pre-load the maps while you have a WIFI or Data connection, the GPS maps will work anywhere in the world. I know this for a fact, I used my GPS on an HTC Amaze (Android smartphone) abroad without a data plan.

That being said, buy an unlocked Android phone, and use SIM cards in the countries you go for. Even if there's no data, having a working cell phone in a foreign country is always a good idea.

Anyhow, just as an example, the last place I visited was West Coast Demerara, Guyana, and the GPS on my Android phone worked fine, I just loaded the maps into the program's cache before I left Canada.

Of course, I'm not entirely sure how accurate Google's directions are in every country, but the GPS works.

[Mikeb85]

the only feature you want is a gps? i'd just buy a dedicated gps then since they work just as good and i find the interface easier to use than google maps. google maps has a lot of useful data but the android app is kind difficult to navigate. also it will cost you less money. i personally have used garmins and love them. that way you don't have to worry if your signal drops because you are in the middle of nowhere etc. the last thing i want to do when traveling 70mph is messing with my phone. get a gps set it and forget.

Turn by turn navigation is pretty low maintenance on Android. I use it regularly, it integrates well with the call and music functions on the phone, as well as my car's bluetooth. You never need to touch the handset. In foreign countries, having something discrete that you can slip into your pocket is always nice.

[anaconda]

If you want proper navigation without a dataplan buy a dedicated navigator or a nokia phone...

[mamamia88]

Turn by turn navigation is pretty low maintenance on Android. I use it regularly, it integrates well with the call and music functions on the phone, as well as my car's bluetooth. You never need to touch the handset. In foreign countries, having something discrete that you can slip into your pocket is always nice.

What's the best app? For turn by tur on android offline. I drive through the middle of nowhere a lot and often my data is unusable. And Google maps can only cache a certain small area like a state and not entire country

[Mikeb85]

What's the best app? For turn by tur on android offline. I drive through the middle of nowhere a lot and often my data is unusable. And Google maps can only cache a certain small area like a state and not entire country

I do use Google Maps. I've never found the size to be an issue, an American state or Canadian province is larger than most foreign countries. I'm not even sure what the limit is, you can download multiple offline maps, and string them together. I can cover all the roads in the inhabited part of Guyana, unless you're going across Siberia I'm not sure which country will be too vast and without any sort of wireless internet...

How are Garmin maps? Especially in exotic (and 3rd world) places?

[KiwiNZ]

I use the GPS units built into my cars and they work great. No issues with cell coverage which can make phone based maps etc unreliable. I also have a hand held GPS for the wilderness and use my phone if out and about in a city I don't know.