A good GPS program...
 

Hey guys, I was wondering if I could get everyones opinion of a very good gps program...I still only have the Sprint/telnav app, and can't update it, and I love the clarity of google maps, but it doesn't track you as you move when you make a route or directions to somewhere...is there a good GPS that won't break the bank??? Help a geek make a choice please...:headbang:

Re: A good GPS program...
 

Try Bing. I like the way it gives you beeps before turns.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

Google maps should track as you go. I like Bing better. The best in my opinion is AmazeGPS which is free and has actual turn by turn voice prompts.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

i second amazegps. if you want to pay I like Tom Tom

Re: A good GPS program...
 

I like google maps, but it doesnt track as you go...I havent really tried bing for tracking, but Im gonna today..

Re: A good GPS program...
 

Sure it does (it's always tracked for me).

~John

Re: A good GPS program...
 

Well, I currently have Google Maps, Bing, AmazeGPS, Garmin Mobile XT and AmazeGPS on my phone. Thought I'll test them all. Nothing comes close to Garmin Mobile XT, in my opinion in terms of real Turn by Turn Navigation. But, I use google maps a lot too so I can actually see the POI's on the maps. (so I can learn my way through this new town better)

There are 3 reasons why I think Garmin Mobile XT 5 is superior to TomTom Navigator 7:
- the interface in Garmin is much nicer.
- You actually have the opton for Google Local Search so that you can find the POI's that are not there in the database.
- It actually shows you subcategories for POIs. For instance, when you go to Restaurants, you see Chinese, American, Pizza, etc. whereas in TomTom it just gives you a list of all restaurants around you.

The main reason why Garmin Mobile XT is superior to AmazeGPS is that you don't have to have live internet connection at all like you do in AmazeGPS. Let's be honest. While going through highways, our internet does not always stay on and thus, with AmazeGPS requiring Internet connection at all times, that's a problem.

There are other reasons too why Garmin Mobile XT is better, but these are what I could think of on top of my head.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

nav4all is good too

Re: A good GPS program...
 

I prefer Garmin Mobile XT also.

I've listed a feature by feature comparison with Sprint Navigation and Telenav here.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

I use GarminXT also.

~John

Re: A good GPS program...
 

Is there a setting to make it track? I just upgraded to the newest version a week or two ago and haven't tried it lately, but I will try it in the morning for sure :)

Re: A good GPS program...
 

How much is Garmin XT John?

Re: A good GPS program...
 

of course there is. You have to hit menu>use GPS, from within google maps. Pretty straight forward. you can even get street view, which is nice to get a view of the surrounding landmarks from street level, to make sure your in the right location.

From what ive seen, iGO8 is pretty sweet. http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/08/n...psp-elsewhere/ It is a 3D navigation system. Shows buidlings and all. Ive just never been able to get it working right. Id appreciate a pm, if somebody does know how to get this workin on a touch pro.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

That I do know bro, I just never got it to actually track me as I move...as far as with the directions to or from....I'll play around with it tomorrow an see...I may have missed something lol...

Re: A good GPS program...
 

TomTom

Re: A good GPS program...
 

I think i got my garmin xt for about $100 thru garmin. I used it on my mogul first. Now i use it on my touch pro and it works much better on the touch pro.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

In google maps it would be great if the map moved with me is what i mean..my bad.. i think im gonna save up an try garmin....do they have a trial or anything?

Re: A good GPS program...
 

You can get it much cheaper on Amazon.com.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

Another for Garmin Mobile XT.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

I second Garmin Mobile XT. You can add in custom maps (ie. atv and snowmobile trail routes, topo maps, etc.). I've been using it since my Mogul and it does work so much better on the Pro. I just wish Garmin would come out with a TTS update for Mobile XT. That would be sick!

Re: A good GPS program...
 

How are you doing your custom maps? With the Map Utility on the desktop?

Re: A good GPS program...
 

I've used Garmin Mobile XT for about a year now, and recently switched to iGuidance 2009 and love it. I would suggest everyone give it a shot, I used to use iGuidance in my car-pc and found it to be the most powerful and best gps routing software around...

Re: A good GPS program...
 

Yes, I use Mapsource from Garmin to add in my custom maps. They are not maps I made myself, just maps from other people.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

Yea I know exactly what you mean. Don't they include updates such as new roads and closed roads that you can upload. And you can plot your own travel route around roads and POI's. I have it just haven't figured out how to use it and upload them to my phone. I did it once but that was when I first started using garmin a while back.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

I prefer Google Maps....

Re: A good GPS program...
 

yeah, except for the map doesnt follow as you drive...the gps tracks you, only the map doesnt move..

Re: A good GPS program...
 

:scratch: Weird, i have the latest version of Google Maps, it has a "My location" option, while driving and i click on "My location" the map moves as i am driving.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

I just tried that today...I feel like a retard now...](*,) I put my destination and got the directions...started driving...then remembered "oh yeah, the little blue dot for my location" and POOF...it showed where I was and started tracking from there lol....I apologize to those who I confused, as all of ya'lls information was correct...Sorry guys!!!! But, its part of why we are all here right? To help each other...thank god everyone is forgiving hahahaha..

Re: A good GPS program...
 

True, we all learning something new on here every day.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

I think you are looking for the same thing I am. In I guidance, I can choose orient north in which the map rotates to keep north facing up all the time...so sometimes it makes it look like im driving sideways, or "orient direction" in which the road is always pointing the way you are traveling down it. I can do that in iguidance but not in bing or google maps.

David

Re: A good GPS program...
 

Actually AmazeGPS has a arrows mode that doesn't require the always on Internet connection. Basically instead of tracking you on a map it just shows you an arrow with the direction of your next turn (as well road name, distance, etc). So, long as you don't need to re-route you can drive to your location without need an Internet connection.

Basically I assume though the OP is looking at legally free options. If money isn't an issue I'd recommend iGuidance. I can't remember the reasons why but I had Garmin XT and iGuidance for a while and ultimately ended up removing Garmin.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

I wouldn't sweat it. To be honest I think Google Maps is an overrated program that gets as much hype as it does because it is from Google (and to be fair I do love Google products, but they need to work on this one). Honestly, why I should I need to tell the program to track me, maybe I might want to turn that off but I would think it would be on by default. The lack of audio prompts also bugs me. Seriously I can forgive not having voice prompts (although if AmazeGPS can do it why not Google) but is having a chime or maybe a series of chimes to indicate your turn is coming up a difficult programming challenge. I have a couple of other complaints but mostly boils down to I found I had to do a lot of fiddling with it while I as driving if I wanted to be a useful GPS guidance program and that isn't a good thing.

Glad you got it figured out but if you want my advice check out some of the other free options like AmazeGPS (or Bing, or Nav4All) - its free what do you have to lose. Google makes good stuff but not always the best.

Re: A good GPS program...
 

I agree...I like the fact that you can look up a lot of usefull things on google, but its too much of a hassel doin this while driving...bing is good too, but again, a lot to do while driving...Im looking at the Garmin Mobile XT and it seems that this may be my best option...Im gonna do the trial and see if I want to save up the $100 to buy it...from what everyone says, its the best one to go with, but we all learn here and thats why Im asking all my peers here :)